Kim Min, 'The King's Man' Realizes 16.9 Million Box Office Success: "How Did This Happen?" [★StarNews 22nd Anniversary Interview Part 1]

*This content was translated by AI.

[Editor’s Note] A new face documenting StarNews' 22nd anniversary. This feature explores the journey of a rookie actor who made their mark on screens this year as they discover their unique identity, reflect on current concerns, and envision their future.

After surpassing 16.9 million viewers to rank second in the all-time box office history, 'The King's Man' (directed by Jang Hang-jun) featured another fresh face captivating audiences alongside Park Ji-hoon.

Kim Min portrayed Eom Tae-san, the son of village chief Eom Heung-do (played by Yoo Hae-jin), enhancing the film's immersion and leaving a strong impression on viewers.

To commemorate StarNews' 22nd anniversary, we recently interviewed Kim Min at our Seoul Jongno-gu headquarters. Although he had just been dubbed a "million-viewer actor" after his initial meeting post-release, Kim Min continued to approach each day with the mindset of a newcomer still at the starting line.

Kim Min stated, "The most exhilarating moment was during the Chuncheon stage greeting. Upon hearing news that we surpassed 1 million viewers in the opening week, we celebrated together by eating chicken galbi and throwing a party. I remember feeling so happy because exceeding 1 million viewers in the first week meant we had passed the break-even point."

He continued, "However, as the film's performance exceeded all initial predictions and statistics, continuing its high-altitude run, I felt even more surprised. I didn't expect the box office success to last this long. I was completely stunned to the point of asking myself 'How did this happen?' every time, and I believe I conducted stage greetings with a heart full of gratitude and happiness."

He also shared a memorable anecdote. Having worked with director Jang Hang-jun on his previous film 'Rebound' (700,000 viewers), Kim Min recounted, "During the 'The King's Man' stage greeting, the director asked, 'Do you know how many people watched today? 700,000. The final audience count for 'Rebound' was 700,000.'"

He added, "Even while doing stage greetings for a month back then, reaching 700,000 viewers felt difficult, so I had many thoughts. It seemed incredibly surprising that I appeared in a work with such widespread influence that filming locations became tourist destinations. I even wondered if I could ever do this again in my lifetime."

In this sense, 2026 has become an unforgettable year for actor Kim Min. He remarked, "As someone who nurtured dreams while watching films, I had a strong desire to work on projects, but I never dared to imagine myself in a million-viewer film. My only wish was to become an actor and do good works, yet unexpectedly received such overwhelming love. Therefore, I believe 2026 will be a year that remains deeply etched in my memory."

Despite the box office success of 'The King's Man', Kim Min's daily life did not undergo major changes. However, he occasionally realized the magnitude of the film's success in unexpected moments.

He explained, "There haven't been significant changes. I don't go out frequently, and my activities are limited, so seeing family and relatives at home enjoy it means the most to me. Especially since my parents are happy, I feel most fulfilled. It feels good that I can repay them even a little."

He continued with a smile, "But when I went to a restaurant, the owner recognized me saying 'Aren't you Tae-san?' and when I visited a hospital, someone told me they watched the movie very well, which was surprising. Of course, I paid for everything," adding humorously.

Born in January 1999, Kim Min previously referred to himself as being from an "early birth year" during a past interview, stating, "I'm part of the 2017 cohort at Korea National University of Arts (Hanlim), and all my friends were born in 1998." He also shared his concerns about establishing proper forms of address with Park Ji-hoon, who was also born in 1999.

Kim Min laughed, "In the end, we decided to just be friends, but now he ignores me completely. I'm not sure what to do. Since my profile lists me as a 1999-born individual, telling people 'I was born early' when they approach me feels somewhat awkward and truly difficult."

He further joked, "All my Hanlim friends are from the 1998 cohort, and younger 1999-born juniors call me hyung or oppa. So I thought I should live as a 1998-born person outside, but life doesn't always go according to one's wishes."

He specifically revealed that he shares an older-younger brother relationship with Cho Young-woo, who is both a fellow agency member and a Hanlim junior, and co-starred with him in ENA's 'Yeon Ae (Dr.)'.

Kim Min explained, "Cho Young-woo was born in 1999 but is one academic year younger than me, so he calls me hyung. We even took classes together during school days. If all three of us meet including Park Ji-hoon, it could create quite a difficult situation," he laughed.

While the overall framework of his life remained unchanged, the emergence of people recognizing him in ordinary daily life was still a strange and surprising change. Especially the experience of standing on the pitcher's mound as a ceremonial first pitch thrower for KIA Tigers, whom he had been a fan of since childhood, was an exciting moment for Kim Min.

Kim Min stated, "My mother is from Haenam, Gwangju in South Jeolla Province, and my father also worked at Kia, so I had no choice but to be a fan from childhood. TV always showed Kia games when I was young. I always wanted to throw the ceremonial first pitch at Champhil (GwangjuKia Champions Field), and having the opportunity made me very excited and happy. It was even more nerve-wracking than acting."

He continued, "The game we threw the first pitch in also won. Actually, my direct observation win rate is high. All games I attended directly were victories, including during the Korean Series." Since the reporter is also a KIA Tigers fan, this was an unavoidable story. When asked to request more direct observations from 'Victory Fairy' Kim Min, he laughed, "Honestly, I can't go often because I'm worried my 100% win rate might be broken."

-Following Interview Part 2

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*This content was translated by AI.