The King’s Warden Starring Yoo Hae-jin and Park Ji-hoon Takes the Top Spot in Pre-sales... Surpassing 120,000

Director Jang Hang-jun's new film 〈The King’s Warden〉 has garnered a hot response even before its release, emerging as a strong contender at the box office during the Lunar New Year holiday. On the 3rd, just a day before its release, the number of pre-sale tickets surpassed 120,000.

According to the integrated ticketing system on the 3rd, the pre-sale rate for 〈The King’s Warden〉 was 28.2% as of 10 AM, with over 120,000 viewers waiting to watch. This film has maintained the top spot in pre-sales since the 26th of last month.

〈The King’s Warden〉 is a work that begins with the imagination of how King Danjong (played by Park Ji-hoon) spent his last days in exile in Yeongwol, Gangwon Province, and who he connected with during that time.

It tenderly captures the story of Danjong, who builds an unexpected friendship with the village chief Eom Heung-do (played by Yoo Hae-jin) and the villagers, nurturing his will to live. While the main storyline is based on historical facts, it is somewhat a 'watching with a known ending' film, but the convincing interpretations of each character and the warm direction evoke both laughter and tears.

Yoo Hae-jin portrays Eom Heung-do, an ordinary villager for whom 'survival' was the top priority, but through his interactions with Danjong, he begins to contemplate 'righteousness' with his unique and flavorful acting. Director Jang Hang-jun reportedly had Yoo Hae-jin in mind when developing the character of Eom Heung-do from the script stage.

Park Ji-hoon delivers a multi-dimensional performance, from the heart-wrenching portrayal of a frail figure filled with anger, injustice, and sadness immediately after his dethronement, to a majestic presence as if a tiger resides within him.

The positive reviews from audiences who have seen the film at preview screenings are also adding to the anticipation.

Director Lee Joon-ik, known for films like 〈The Throne〉 (2015) and 〈Anarchist from Colony〉 (2017), commented, "I have seen many entertaining films in recent years, but it feels like it's been a long time since I've seen such a moving film."

Actor Yoo Yeon-seok mentioned that 〈The King’s Warden〉 is being released just before the Lunar New Year, stating, "It's a film that the whole family can enjoy, laughing and crying together during the holiday."