The 10-million-viewer film The King's Warden is carrying its blazing momentum beyond Korea and into North America.
Within two weeks of its North American release, the film surpassed the box office record of The Roundup: Punishment, proving the power of K-cinema on the global stage, with its North American surge drawing particular attention. Since February 13 (local time), it has been screening in over 50 cities across the United States and Canada, and as of March 9, it has grossed $1.79 million. On the back of this performance, the film’s North American rollout has now expanded to 125 current screens, with a cumulative total of roughly 150 screens.
JBG Pictures USA, the film’s North American distributor, said, "Riding the current momentum, we are expanding the playdates every week. We are doing our best to secure theaters, especially in key areas with large Korean communities, so more audiences can watch the film."
The King's Warden is set in 1457 at Cheongnyeongpo and tells the story of a village head who volunteers for exile to revive his town and a young, deposed former king banished from the throne. Anchored by powerful performances and a tightly woven, previously untold narrative of Danjong, the film has sparked a wave of repeat viewings.