The King's Warden

The King's Warden
Theatrical release poster
Hangul
왕과 사는 남자
Hanja
王과 사는 男子
Lit.The Man Who Lives with the King
RRWanggwa saneun namja
MRWanggwa sanŭn namja
Directed byJang Hang-jun
Written by
Produced by
  • Im Eun-jeong
  • Jang Won-seok
Starring
CinematographyChoi Young-hwan
Edited byHeo Seon-mi
Music byDalpalan
Production
companies
  • Onda Works
  • B.A. Entertainment
Distributed byShowbox
Release date
  • February 4, 2026 (2026-02-04)
Running time
117 minutes[1]
CountrySouth Korea
LanguageKorean
Budget$6.9 million[2]
Box office$89.3 million[3]

The King's Warden (Korean: 왕과 사는 남자) is a 2026 South Korean historical drama film directed by Jang Hang-jun. It features an ensemble cast led by Yoo Hae-jin, Park Ji-hoon, Yoo Ji-tae, and Jeon Mi-do. The film explores the domestic life and psychological isolation of the deposed King Danjong during his exile in 1457. Distributed by Showbox, it was released on February 4, 2026.

On March 6, 2026, the film recorded 10 million admissions, making it the 34th film in South Korea to reach this milestone. On March 20, 2026, it exceeded 14 million cumulative admissions, making it the 5th most watched and 3rd highest-grossing movie in South Korea.

Plot

Yi Hong-wi, the teenage king of Joseon, is overthrown by his uncle, Grand Prince Suyang, and demoted to Prince Nosan. The powerful official Han Myŏnghoe sends the former king into exile in the hopes that he would commit suicide. Eom Heung-do is the chief of a poor village in the mountain valley of Cheongnyeongpo in Yeongwol. After visiting a neighboring village, which became prosperous after sheltering an exiled (later reinstated) aristocrat, he convinces his villagers to do the same after hearing the news of an exiled nobleman coming to the region.

Heung-do's village is chosen as the place of exile for Prince Nosan due to its remote location. Nosan arrives with his loyal maid Mae-hwa. The villagers become anxious when they learn the true identity of Nosan, who is haunted by the memory of his loyal court officials who were brutally executed for opposing the new king. He grows suicidal and attempts to jump off a cliff, but is saved at the last second by Heung-do. Grand Prince Kŭmsŏng, another uncle of Nosan, secretly contacts him about an upcoming revolt to restore him to the throne.

Heung-do oversteps and angrily chastises Nosan after mistaking him to be attempting another suicide. The commotion lures in a tiger which threatens them and the villagers. Tae-san, Heung-do's son, shoots the tiger with his hunting bow. Nosan draws the attention of the tiger and shoots it in the head, killing it. The incident brings new life to Nosan after he contemplates the perspective of Heung-do and his villagers. He begins to bond with them, and starts teaching Tae-san to prepare him for the Civil Service Exam.

Myŏnghoe becomes aware of the plot to restore Nosan to throne. When Tae-san visits Nosan's residence without permission, Myŏnghoe has him punished by flogging. Heung-do and Nosan try to intervene, but Myŏnghoe mocks Nosan's status as an exile and his lack of authority.

On the night of the revolt, Nosan escapes from his residence to join forces with Kŭmsŏng. Heung-do attempts to convince Nosan against leaving, but Nosan appeals to his newfound desire to take control of his destiny. Heung-do escorts him to the rendezvous location, where they and Kŭmsŏng's forces are ambushed and captured by Myŏnghoe's troops. Nosan pretends to accuse Heung-do of betrayal to save him and his village from destruction. The plot fails after Kŭmsŏng and his followers are captured.

Nosan and Kŭmsŏng are sentenced to death by royal decree via poisoned drink. Wishing to die on his own terms, Nosan convinces Heung-do to kill him instead. On the day of the execution, Heung-do mournfully strangles Nosan with a bowstring. Nosan's body is unceremoniously thrown into a river, and Mae-hwa jumps to her death. Heung-do secretly recovers Nosan's body from the river and gives him a burial.

The notes at the end of the movie state that 241 years after Yi Hong-wi's death, he is posthumously reinstated as King Danjong. Heung-do is celebrated for his loyalty and righteousness and their respective tombs still lie in the same place today.[a]

Cast

Production

Development

According to film industry sources in July 2024, director Jang Hang-jun confirmed that his next project would be titled The King's Warden. The film focuses on the exile of King Danjong, the sixth King of Joseon, in Yeongwol, Gangwon Province. This is Jang's first time directing a historical drama (sageuk), despite his long career in other genres. Produced by Onda Works and B.A. Entertainment, and distributed by Showbox.[5][6] Jang stated in a production briefing that he initially hesitated to take on a historical drama during a tough period for the film industry, he was ultimately drawn to the novelty of Danjong's story and encouraged by the positive "intuition" of his wife, writer Kim Eun-hee.[7]

Casting

As of July 2024, Yoo Hae-jin, Yoo Ji-tae, and Lee Joon-hyuk were set to star for director Jang Hang-jun's film. While both Yoo were in the final stages of discussions, Lee decided to confirm his casting early reuniting him with the production company of The Roundup film series. This marks a lead role for Yoo Hae-jin while for Yoo Ji-tae, this is his first film in five years and first historical film in 17 years since Hwang Jin Yi (2007). For Lee, this is his first historical film role.[8] Park Ji-hoon has been cast as King Danjong, the central historical figure of the film. Industry insiders noted that Park was selected for his ability to portray deep emotional vulnerability, a trait previously seen in his role in Weak Hero Class 1.[9] Showbox confirmed that Jeon Mi-do joined the principal cast, following her roles in the medical series Hospital Playlist (2020–2021) and the 2024 thriller Connection. This also marks her first historical role.[10] Park Ji-hwan was cast for a cameo appearance along with Lee Joon-hyuk who was previously announced for a lead role.[11] The film's ensemble cast—Yoo Hae-jin, Park Ji-hoon, Yoo Ji-tae, Jeon Mi-do, Kim Min, as well as Lee Joon-hyuk and Park Ji-hwan—was officially announced in October 2024.[6] Ahn Jae-hong has joined the cast and marks his second collaboration with director Jang following their work on the 2023 sports film Rebound.[12]

Filming

Pre-production ended in late 2024, with principal photography began in the first half of 2025.[6][11] Although the background of the movie is Cheongnyeongpo, it was filmed in other regions such as Mungyeong Saejae movie set because the original appearance of Cheongnyeongpo was not preserved.[13][14]

Release

The film was released on February 4, 2026, during the Korean New Year holiday. Industry analysts have identified the project as a key release for the domestic box office following a period of high market share for foreign films.[15] It was also released in the United States, Canada, Australia, Taiwan and New Zealand and will be featured in the Udine Far East Film Festival.[16]

Reception

Box office

According to data from KOBIS, the tracking service operated by the Korean Film Council, The King's Warden earned $4.9 million from 761,832 admissions in its opening weekend with a 58.1% of the total revenue share. Five days after the release, the film reached a cumulative total of $6.4 million from over 1 million admissions.[17] The film had the biggest daily attendance since March 2020 on February 16, drawing 537,190 spectators in a single day.[18][19] On March 6, 2026, the film recorded 10 million admissions in South Korea, making it the 34th movie (25th Korean movie) to do so.[20] As of March 20, 2026, the film has a cumulative total of 14 million admissions, making it the 5th most watched movie[21] and 3rd highest-grossing movie in South Korea.[22]

Critical response

The movie scored an average of 6.57 out of 10 on Cine21.[23] Reviewing for The Korea Times, Baek Byung-yeul wrote that the film is "brought to life by the brilliant acting of the lead stars". He stated that the "story is straightforward and unfolds in a linear fashion, making it easy to watch, but at times a bit rushed". However, it "succeeds as a human-centered drama as it focuses on the warmth of human connection and the courage of ordinary people".[24] Similarly, Yang Gyeong-mi praised the cast but pointed out the poor structural completeness of the script.[25]

Explanatory notes

  1. ^ Although the movie says that Eom's tomb is in Yeongwol, Kim et al (2009) asserted that his real tomb is in Daegu.[4]

References

  1. ^ "The King's Warden (2026)". Irish Film Classification Office. February 27, 2026. Retrieved February 27, 2026.
  2. ^ Baek, Byung-yeul (February 20, 2026). "Budget-friendly films revitalize Korean box office in early 2026". The Korea Times. Retrieved February 20, 2026.
  3. ^ "KOFIC, KOBIS (Korean Box Office Information System) The Box office: Korean films of 2026". KOFIC. Retrieved March 20, 2026.
  4. ^ Lee, Hyeon-deok (2026-03-05). "[포토뉴스] '왕과 사는 남자' 엄흥도, 진짜 묘소는 대구가 유력". Yeongnam Ilbo.
  5. ^ Cho, Yeon-gyeong (July 25, 2024). [단독] 외조만? 장항준 감독 '왕과 사는 남자' 첫 사극 메가폰 [[Exclusive] More than just supporting his wife? Director Jang Hang-jun to helm first sageuk film The King's Warden]. JTBC (in Korean). Retrieved December 31, 2025.
  6. ^ a b c Yoo, Jung-min (October 25, 2024). 장항준 첫 사극 '왕과 사는 남자', 유해진→박지훈 출연 확정 [Jang Hang-jun's first sageuk film The King's Warden confirms casting of Yoo Hae-jin → Park Ji-hoon]. iMBC (in Korean). Retrieved December 31, 2025.
  7. ^ Kim, Yeon-ju (December 19, 2025). '왕과 사는 남자' 장항준 감독 "사극 망설였지만, 김은희가 하라고 했다" [The King's Warden Director Jang Hang-jun "I hesitated over a historical drama, but Kim Eun-hee told me to do it"]. Hankook Ilbo (in Korean). Archived from the original on January 4, 2026. Retrieved December 31, 2025.
  8. ^ Cho, Yeon-gyeong (July 25, 2024). [단독] 유해진·유지태·이준혁, 장항준 첫 사극 '왕과 사는 남자'로 뭉친다(종합) [[Exclusive] Yoo Hae-jin, Yoo Ji-tae, and Lee Jun-hyuk to unite for Jang Hang-jun's first sageuk film The King's Warden (Comprehensive)]. JTBC (in Korean). Retrieved December 31, 2025.
  9. ^ Kang, Nae-ri (October 10, 2024). [단독] 박지훈, 유해진과 만난다...장항준 신작 '왕과 사는 남자' 캐스팅 [[Exclusive] Park Ji-hoon to work with Yoo Hae-jin...Cast in Jang Hang-jun's new film The King's Warden]. YTN (in Korean). Archived from the original on October 10, 2024. Retrieved December 31, 2025.
  10. ^ Kang, Nae-ri (October 23, 2024). [단독] 전미도, 차기작은 장항준 감독 신작...영화 '왕과 사는 남자' 합류 [[Exclusive] Jeon Mi-do's next project is Director Jang Hang-jun's new film...Joins The's Warden]. YTN (in Korean). Archived from the original on August 14, 2025. Retrieved December 31, 2025.
  11. ^ a b Ji, Dong-hyun (October 24, 2024). [단독] '대세' 박지환, 장항준 감독 만난다...'왕과 사는 남자' 특별출연 [[Exclusive] 'Trend' Park Ji-hwan to work with Director Jang Hang-jun...Special appearance in The King's Warden]. Sports World (in Korean). Archived from the original on October 24, 2024. Retrieved December 31, 2025.
  12. ^ Kang, Hyo-jin (May 19, 2025). [단독]안재홍, 장항준 감독과 재회...'왕과 사는 남자' 출연 [[Exclusive] Ahn Jae-hong to reunite with Director Jang Hang-jun...To appear in The King's Warden]. SPOTV News (in Korean). Retrieved December 31, 2025.
  13. ^ "왕(王)은 없지만 추억은 덤… 문경새재, '왕사남' 덕분에 때아닌 대박?". Newsis. 2026-02-28.
  14. ^ Song, Chae-yeon (2026-02-03). "'왕과 사는 남자' 보기 전 알아두면 좋을 역사적 사실 4". Esquire Korea.
  15. ^ Han, Soo-jin (December 11, 2025). [단독] 유해진, 구겨진 한국영화 자존심 펼까...'왕과 사는 남자' 내년 2월4일 개봉 확정 [[Exclusive] Will Yoo Hae-jin Restore the Dented Pride of Korean Cinema?...The King's Warden Confirmed for Release on February 4th Next Year]. Ize (in Korean). Archived from the original on January 4, 2026. Retrieved December 31, 2025.
  16. ^ Lee, Sujin (2026-03-04). "'단종 오빠' 박지훈 열풍…'왕사남' 겹경사, 1000만 초읽기→해외 개봉". Ilgan Sports.
  17. ^ Ramachandran, Naman (2026-02-09). "Korea Box Office: Historical Drama 'The King's Warden' Debuts at No. 1". Variety. Retrieved 2026-02-13.
  18. ^ Ramachandran, Naman (2026-02-16). "Korea Box Office: 'The King's Warden' Stays No. 1 as 'Humint' Opens Wide". Variety. Retrieved 2026-02-19.
  19. ^ Byung-yeul, Baek (2026-02-18). "Can 'King's Warden' join '10 million viewer club' after Lunar New Year success? - The Korea Times". www.koreatimes.co.kr. Retrieved 2026-02-19.
  20. ^ Kim, Eun-hyeong (2026-03-06). "장항준 해냈다! '왕사남' 드디어 '천만 영화'…사극 장르로는 4번째". Hankyoreh.
  21. ^ Bae, Mun-gyu (2026-03-20). "'왕사남' 1400만 관객 돌파, 역대 흥행 5위···'국제시장' 턱밑까지". Kyunghyang Shinmun.
  22. ^ Yoon, Gi-baek (2026-03-20). "'극한직업' 넘보는 '왕사남'…역대 최대 매출 경신 눈앞". Edaily.
  23. ^ "왕과 사는 남자". Cine21. Retrieved 2026-03-14.
  24. ^ Baek, Byung-yeul (2026-01-22). "'King's Warden' humanizes exiled Joseon king - The Korea Times". The Korea Times. Retrieved 2026-02-13.
  25. ^ Jang, Ju-yeon (2026-02-12). "'왕사남'으로 눈물 닦은 말티즈, 연출력은 '글쎄' [줌인]". Ilgan Sports.


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