With the film The King's Warden entering a 10 million countdown, director Jang Hang-jun has finally started to move.
The King's Warden, which opened during the Lunar New Year holiday season, rose to become this year's top box-office hit, surpassing 9 million cumulative admissions on March 2, the 27th day since its release. This pace is faster than that of The King and the Clown, which was the first historical film to reach 10 million admissions (50 days), and Masquerade (31 days), a film that left many memorable scenes due to its solid narrative and the actors' passionate performances.
Above all, according to the integrated ticketing network for movie theaters, The King's Warden recorded 817,205 daily admissions on Independence Movement Day, surpassing its previous highest single-day admissions of 661,442 on the opening-day Lunar New Year (Feb. 17) and setting a new personal record. Although it was past its fourth week since release, the continuing, unwaning enthusiasm among viewers was astonishing.
The King's Warden is expected to comfortably pass 10 million admissions on weekdays this week, and director Jang Hang-jun drew attention by issuing a "reckless 10 million pledge" that he had not anticipated at all before the release. On Jan. 29, on SBS PowerFM Bae Seong-jae's Ten, he said, "There's no way it will reach 10 million, but if it does, I'll change my phone number, change my name and get plastic surgery so no one recognizes me," adding, "I'm thinking of naturalizing somewhere else. I hope people won't look for me. And I'm thinking of buying a yacht. I'll have a party on board," making the pledge.
However, as the pledge, tossed out like a joke, actually began to materialize, intense interest poured in, and in this situation director Jang Hang-jun decided to reappear on Bae Seong-jae's Ten on the 4th. He is expected to mention the "controversial 10 million pledge" again, and it will likely be his first greeting as a "10 million director." Attention is focused on whether director Jang Hang-jun will explain how he will handle the name change·plastic surgery·naturalization pledge or announce another new pledge.
Director Jang Hang-jun will also participate in the 59th Yeongwol Danjong cultural festival to be held next month with the lead actors of The King's Warden.
Earlier, the Yeongwol Cultural Tourism Foundation said that in line with the Danjong cultural festival on April 24, director Jang Hang-jun will visit Yeongwol and engage in communication with local residents.
Director Jang Hang-jun gave up his previously conflicting overseas film festival schedule and decided to attend the Danjong cultural festival, and it is reported that he will give a special lecture on Danjong at the cultural and arts center on the day of the event. In addition, Park Jihoon, who gave a passionate performance as Danjong in the film, also participated in promoting the festival by producing and delivering a Danjong cultural festival promotional video expressing his gratitude to Yeongwol.
The county of Yeongwol in Gangwon Province, the setting of the film, is reportedly screaming with happiness because of tourists flocking in thanks to the "The King's Warden effect."
As 10 million approaches, director Jang Hang-jun, who had been refraining from rash actions and cutting down media exposure, is expected to show what kind of cheerfulness he will display with the title of "10 million director."<
[Photo] OSEN DB, provided by SHOWBOX
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