The film 'The Man Who Lives With the King' has passed 13 million admissions, and director Jang Hang-jun's stories about his early newlywed years have resurfaced in the spotlight amid the movie's box-office success.
On the 4th, during tvN's 'You Quiz on the Block,' Yoon Jong-shin recalled a special memory involving the couple Jang Hang-jun and Kim Eun-hee, drawing renewed attention to the director's impoverished early marriage.
Reflecting on his thirties, Yoon said, "I tried producing, but I blew through the money I made in the '90s and ended up about 600 million KRW (approximately 450,000 USD) in debt," painting a candid picture of how difficult that period was for him.
Yoon said what comforted him most was visiting Jang's home. "When I went there, it felt like a utopia," he recalled. "I was worn down by life, but even though they were penniless, they looked so happy. The couple had a kind of innocent joy. Going there was my escape."
After Yoon's comments, Jang's own recollections of his newlywed days — shared on the YouTube program 'Sherlock Hyunjun' — drew fresh interest. Jang appeared on the show in 2024 and spoke about what he considers the best home of his life.
Jang described the place: "In Banghwa-dong, there's Banghwa 3 Complex, Cheongsol Apartments. That was my first newlywed home. We rented it on a jeonse contract. Back then, rents in that neighborhood were low—everything was cheap."
He said if anyone asked when he had been happiest, he would answer without hesitation: "That time." Recalling the day they toured the apartment, he added, "It had nothing—just dust—but sunlight poured in and it felt wonderful. We had a space that no one could enter without our permission — not even the president. That made me happy."
Jang then painted a vivid picture of their humble daily life. "Eun-hee and I would go to the market downstairs, buy beer and shrimp crackers, spread out newspaper and keep drinking. We didn't even have a comforter — we slept on the bare floor," he said, remembering a time of scarcity that was nonetheless full of joy.
"Later, after I became a director and was able to settle the jeonse, we lived there for about four more years," Jang said. "That period was probably the poorest time of my life, but, ironically, the memories from that apartment are the best."
Videos from Kim Eun-hee and Jang's early newlywed years have circulated across online communities and social media, giving viewers a glimpse into that era.
The clips capture the pair in their fresh newlywed phase. With playful expressions and exaggerated gestures, they mimic figures such as Oh Ji-myung and the band Hans Band, applauding each other's impressions. At the end, one delivers an impression of Park Young-gyu and belts out "Sarang-ui Kamelreon" (Love's Chameleon), prompting laughter.
Netizens warmly responded to the couple's nonstop banter and infectious energy, commenting things like, "Now I get why he said that was his happiest time," "This feels like summer vacation — oddly moving," "A perfect match," and "A tidy narrative of a successful writer and a successful director," among other enthusiastic reactions.
Meanwhile, as of 9 a.m. on the 15th, 'The Man Who Lives With the King' reached 13 million admissions in its 40th day of release, climbing to 11th on the all-time domestic box-office chart.
