160 Million Men! The Box Office Representative Work of Trustworthy Actor Yoo Hae-jin

Now, such titles are no longer undeserved for him. 'National Representative Actor'. With his new film 〈King and the Clown〉 surpassing 11 million viewers, Yoo Hae-jin now holds five films that have reached the 10 million mark. Although he has long been referred to as a trustworthy actor, it is not an exaggeration to say that in the current challenging situation for Korean cinema, his consecutive box office successes mark the 'Era of Yoo Hae-jin'. Here, we summarize Yoo Hae-jin's box office records, having achieved a grand total of 160 million cumulative viewers through 〈King and the Clown〉.

Yoo Hae-jin's Five 10 Million Films

Among the films Yoo Hae-jin has appeared in, five have surpassed 10 million viewers. The top one is the 2015 film 〈Veteran〉, which surpassed 13 million viewers. He played the role of Choi Tae-oh's (Yoo Ah-in) aide, who is a problematic third-generation chaebol. Although he faces humiliation, being ignored by young Tae-oh and being beaten by the chairman in place of Tae-oh, he effectively portrays the cunning villain who remains loyal to the chaebol family. Next is the 2006 film 〈King and the Clown〉, which attracted 12.2 million viewers. This is the only supporting role among Yoo Hae-jin's 10 million films. Having previously played characters like gangsters or delinquents, this film's success expanded his filmography. He played the role of a clown, bringing both humor and emotional depth to the film. Following closely is 〈Taxi Driver〉, which attracted 12.1 million viewers, ranking third. He played the role of a taxi driver, Hwang Tae-sool, in Gwangju. He acts as a supporter who helps Kim Man-seob (Song Kang-ho) until the end. Yoo Hae-jin's charm shines through in his performance, leaving warmth in the somewhat cold reality of the film. The fourth is 〈The Drug King〉, which ignited the beginning of 2024. He played the role of a funeral director, Go Young-geun, and showcased chemistry with Choi Min-sik, Kim Go-eun, and Lee Do-hyun, providing stable support for the film. It attracted 11.9 million viewers, marking a new milestone for Korean occult films. Finally, currently showing is 〈King and the Clown〉. He plays the role of Eom Heung-do, who serves the deposed king Lee Hong-wee (Park Ji-hoon), captivating audiences with a wide range of emotions, from laughter to tears. As of March 8, it has attracted 11.5 million viewers, so it seems likely to surpass 〈The Drug King〉's record of 12 million soon.

Combined 10 Million Series, 〈Tazza〉 and 〈Cooperation〉

Yoo Hae-jin's filmography includes not only standalone films but also strong series films. These are 〈Tazza〉 and 〈Cooperation〉. First, the 〈Tazza〉 series includes the 2006 〈Tazza〉 and the 2014 〈Tazza: The Divine Move〉, where he appeared as Go Kwang-ryeol. In the first film, he left a long ad-lib starting with "Goni is the real deal" and played a significant role in creating the heavy atmosphere of the film. In contrast, in the second film, his character had gone through many challenges, so he infused caution into his performance, capturing the passage of time in the character. The first film attracted 6.84 million viewers, while the second attracted 4.01 million, totaling 10.85 million viewers.

The 〈Cooperation〉 series, which tells the story of a North Korean detective and a South Korean detective conducting a joint investigation to prevent crime, was released in 2017 and 2022. Yoo Hae-jin's role as Kang Jin-tae, who has excellent skills but is somewhat clueless against the North Korean detective Lim Cheol-ryeong (Hyun Bin), was a perfect fit. Despite appearing somewhat clumsy, he showcased professionalism when it mattered, and his ordinary citizen side, unable to move freely around his family, lightened the somewhat heavy atmosphere of the film. The first film surpassed 7.81 million viewers, leading to the production of the second film, which attracted 6.98 million viewers, totaling 14.79 million viewers.

Perfectly Leading Role, 〈Lucky〉

If there is a film that cannot be overlooked in Yoo Hae-jin's box office history, it is undoubtedly 〈Lucky〉. While the numbers are not extraordinary, the fact that it was Yoo Hae-jin's first solo leading role makes that record even more precious. Released in 2016, 〈Lucky〉 depicts the story of a killer and an unknown actor who, after losing their memories in an accident at a bathhouse, experience each other's lives in reverse. Yoo Hae-jin, as the cold-blooded killer Hyung-wook, later lives the life of the unknown actor Jae-sung (Lee Joon), and the performance he shows during that process is truly remarkable. The final score was 6.97 million viewers. Even at the time of the film's release, Yoo Hae-jin was a trustworthy actor, but while he had a strong image of making those around him shine more than himself, the success of 〈Lucky〉 made it clear to everyone that he is an actor who can control the entire film on his own and that he still has much to show in the future.