Jang Hang-joon of "The Prince" said, "I can't even imagine it exceeding 10 million.."Congratulations all day long" [a question and answer]

*This content was translated by AI.

• Director Jang Hang-joon of "The Man Who Lives With the King".

Jang Hang-joon, the director of the movie "The Man Who Lives with the King," which became the top box office hit in 2026, expressed his feelings.

"The Man Who Lives with the King" (directed by Jang Hang-joon) is a movie about a young king who was exiled to Cheongryeongpo in 1457, a village leader who claimed himself as a place of exile and was exiled from the throne. According to the Korea Film Council's integrated computer network on Sunday, the movie attracted 185,446 people on the previous day, continuing its dominance at the box office, with a cumulative total of 9,777,998.

Ahead of the 10 million audience hit on the day, distributor Showbox released a written interview with director Jang Hang-joon. Director Jang Hang-joon said about the recent situation, "I'm constantly watching movies these days, and I'm also reviewing my next movie. I have received congratulatory messages from many people and am writing back all day with gratitude."

"I've never imagined surpassing 10 million viewers, and both my family and I are happy and cautious," he said. "If something good happens like this, I think the opposite will happen, so everything becomes cautious."

In response to the message delivered by "The Man Who Lives with the King," he said, "No matter how hard we live and how calculated we live, I think there will be things in our minds that each of us wants to protect. "I hope I can think about what I am," "What is my significance," and "Where is the minimum moral Maginot line that I should protect?"

Finally, director Jang Hang-joon said of his future plans, "We plan to prepare the next one among the works we are reviewing now. And in September, I think I will be busy preparing for the festival in order to host the Jecheon International Music Film Festival well," he added.

Q. What have you been up to since the movie "The Man Who Lives with the King" hit?

These days, I keep watching movies, and I'm also reviewing my next work.

And I have received congratulatory messages from many people and have been writing back all day with gratitude.

Q. How do you feel about the movie "The Man Who Lives with the King" reaching 10 million viewers?

It's a situation I've never imagined before. My family and I are both happy and cautious.

If something this good happens, I think the opposite will happen, so everything becomes a little cautious.

Q. Among the various elements of the movie "The Man Who Lives with the King", what do you think the audience liked in particular?

I think many people were impressed by Danjong, who had an image of weakness before, not just a weak person, but his growing and determined appearance and trying to live as a human being.

Q. The reaction to the movie "The Man Who Lives with the King" is hot overseas, so what part of the movie do you want foreigners to see and feel?

It's a history of Korea that you don't know well, but whether it's Korea or foreign, it's worth calling it "意 righteousness" in Korean.

Wasn't it that at some point, the idea of being too significant, of abandoning my interests and doing the right thing, disappeared a lot and we were living computationally? I hope you think about the significance that people in the past wanted to keep.

Q. Is there any memorable evaluation from the audience or from the people around you?

You said so many good things. The most impressive thing was the criticism that "I enter as an audience and come out as a people." And I also liked and appreciated the saying, "I filled the gaps in history with warmth."

Q. What message did you want to convey to us now through Danjong's exile and tragic ending, and the story of Eom Heung-do who kept his last?

No matter how hard we live and how calculated we live, I think there are things in our minds that we want to protect. I wish I could think about 'what am I', 'what is my significance', and 'what is the minimum moral Maginot Line that I should keep?'

Q. What are your plans for the future?

Among the works we are currently reviewing, we are planning to prepare the next one. And in September, in order to host the Jecheon International Music Film Festival well, I think I will be busy preparing for the festival.

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*This content was translated by AI.