A box office phenomenon has just surged to No. 3 on the all-time Korean box office chart.
On the 21st, Showbox announced the film surpassed 14.41 million admissions and released three previously unreleased stills of Park Ji-hoon, who plays Lee Hong-wi in The King’s Warden (hereafter “The King’s Warden”). Notably, because Lee Hong-wi’s in-universe birth year is 1441, the 14.41 million milestone felt even more symbolic—sparking buzz among fans.
Set in 1457 at Cheongnyeongpo, ‘The King’s Warden’ follows village head Eom Heung-do (played by Yoo Hae-jin), who chooses self-imposed exile to revive his village, and the dethroned, exiled young former king Lee Hong-wi (played by Park Ji-hoon). The film is drawing attention as the first Korean movie to spotlight the hidden story of King Danjong.
As the news broke, netizens reacted, saying, “Let’s hit 15 million,” “It might even take No. 1 at this rate,” and “His smile is so beautiful.”
Meanwhile, since opening on the 4th of last month, ‘The King’s Warden’ has continued its strong run with steady audience growth.