The film A Man Living with the King has surpassed 11.88 million admissions 35 days after its release, overtaking Taegukgi to climb to 21st on Korea’s all-time box office chart.
According to the integrated box office tracking system on the 11th, A Man Living with the King drew 177,129 viewers on the 10th, topping the daily box office and bringing its cumulative total to 11,883,976 admissions.
That figure surpasses Taegukgi’s final tally of 11.74 million, putting the film at No. 21 among the biggest Korean box office hits. Riding strong momentum, A Man Living with the King is poised to challenge Pamyo (11.91 million) and A Taxi Driver (12.18 million) next.
With no major new releases in its path, the film’s surge looks set to continue through March, raising expectations for additional record-breaking milestones.
Director Jang Hang-jun will host a coffee-truck event on the 12th and join the cast for stage greetings to thank audiences for their support.
Set in 1457 at Cheongnyeongpo, A Man Living with the King follows a village chief who chooses exile to help his hometown and a young king who has been deposed and sent into exile. The film drew attention for being the first Korean feature to center on the story of Danjong.
Box-office mainstay Yoo Hae-jin stars as village chief Eom Heung-do, with popular actor Park Ji-hoon playing Danjong (Yi Hong-wi). The ensemble also features Yoo Ji-tae, Jeon Mi-do, Lee Jun-hyuk, Park Ji-hwan and Ahn Jae-hong.
The film sparked a “Danjong” craze and crossed the 10-million admissions mark on its 31st day after opening on the 6th. It is the first 10-million film in two years since The Roundup: No Way Out and becomes the fourth historical drama to reach that threshold.
Yoo Hae-jin notched his fifth appearance in a 10-million admissions film, following The King and the Clown, Veteran, A Taxi Driver and Pamyo. Park Ji-hoon, Yoo Ji-tae, Jeon Mi-do and Kim Min each earned their first 10-million actor title with this film.
At the box office, Hopers took No. 2, drawing 10,262 viewers on the 10th and reaching a cumulative 3,236,774 admissions. In third place, Humint, led by Jo In-sung and Park Jung-min, attracted 5,358 viewers that day for a total of 1,943,198 admissions.
