The Man Who Lives With the King poised for blockbuster milestone

Mar 06, 2026, 09:35 am

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The historical film The Man Who Lives With the King is expected to surpass the 10 million ticket milestone as early as March 6. / Showbox

The historical drama The Man Who Lives With the King is expected to surpass the 10 million ticket milestone as early as March 6, becoming the latest blockbuster in the Korean box office.

According to the Korean Film Council’s box office tracking system, the film drew 180,546 moviegoers on March 5, bringing its cumulative audience total to 9,777,998 since its release on Feb. 4.

The film has maintained strong daily attendance of around 180,000 to 190,000 viewers even after the March 1 holiday period. Given that Fridays typically see the largest weekday turnout, industry observers expect the film to surpass 10 million viewers either late on March 6 or by the morning of March 7 at the latest.

If achieved, the film will become the 25th Korean movie to reach the 10 million milestone. Including foreign films released in South Korea, it would be the 34th film overall to achieve the feat and the first since The Roundup: Punishment in 2024.

Directed by Jang Hang-jun, the film tells the story of friendship and farewell between the deposed King Danjong, played by Park Ji-hoon, and Um Heung-do, a village leader portrayed by Yoo Hae-jin, during the king’s exile.

Jang, widely known to television audiences for his witty appearances on entertainment programs, shared his thoughts on the film’s success in a statement released by distributor Showbox on March 6.

“When something this good happens, I start to feel cautious, as if the opposite might follow,” he said. “I think many viewers were moved by how Danjong, who was often seen as weak, gradually grows stronger and strives to live as an individual.”

To celebrate the film’s box office success, Jang plans to host a coffee truck event for audiences on March 12 at Seoul Press Center Square in central Seoul.

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