Jang appeared on JTBC's Newsroom on the afternoon of March 14 to talk about his film The Man Who Lives with the King.
Asked what drove the film's box-office appeal, Jang said, "I think audiences felt an emotional connection to people like Eom Heung-do — those who stayed with King Danjong until the end. Watching people from the past risk their lives to stand by what they believed was right probably made viewers wish for similar righteous figures in our own society."
When asked, "If you were Eom Heung-do, what would you have done?" he laughed and replied, "I would have gone to the local government office — they'd probably wipe out three generations of my family," drawing laughter. He added, "That's exactly why we should revere independence activists and patriots: they didn't seek personal comfort. Ordinary people likely wouldn't be able to do the same."
He also spoke directly to Eom, saying, "Thank you for allowing future generations to appreciate your righteousness again, even hundreds of years from now."
Released on Feb. 4, The Man Who Lives with the King is set at Cheongnyeongpo in 1457 and follows the young, deposed King Danjong and the villagers of Gwangcheongol who sheltered him in exile. Jang directed the film, which stars Yoo Hae-jin, Park Ji-hoon, Yoo Ji-tae and Jeon Mi-do.
The film surpassed 10 million admissions on March 6 (its 31st day in theaters) and crossed 12 million on March 11 (its 36th day), demonstrating remarkable staying power at the box office. It has since eclipsed the 12.32 million admissions of Masquerade (Gwanghae, The Man Who Became King), rising to 15th on the all-time Korean box-office list.
