Sageuk Movie The King’s Warden with Yoo Hae Jin and Park Ji Hoon Becomes First Korean Box Office Hit of 2026 Surpassing 9 Million Admissions
This is one of the better news stories out of K-ent, with the first box office hit of this year 2026 arriving just after the lunar new year holidays. The King’s Warden with Yoo Hae Jin and Park Hi Hoon, which premiered in early February, has now hit 9 million admissions in less than a month and still has legs apparently. The director Jang Han Jun earlier mentioned that he would do a host of things if the movie broke 10 million admissions, including “change my phone number, change my name, and get plastic surgery. No one will recognize me. I’m considering emigrating. I’ll buy a yacht and host a party on it.” He said all of this because he said its impossible for movies now to hit 10 million admissions. Now viewers are waiting for him to make good on his promise, and may even be headed to the movie more in order to make it happen lol. All jokes aside, the movie is apparently very good hence the rare hit that the domestic box office hasn’t seen in a while.
Director-nim should have had more faith in his work then he would’t have said those outrageous things hehe!!! Maybe buy a yacht and host a thanksgiving party and sell it afterwards.
Maybe movie goers just wanna something with more substance than those big budgeted films with top name headliners. I wanna watch this one too!
The movie is currently shown in my local theater. No matter how it’s well received in SK, the story is based on the actual historical facts with a tragic ending. I’m not sure if I have mood to watch the film knowing its tragic history.
I watched this just a few days ago. Good old traditional storytelling with so much heart. Yoo Hae-jin is the heart and soul of this story – and he should be recognised for a best actor award. And I am pleasantly surprised at Joen Mi-do’s portrayal as this is her first sageuk. In the end, no dry eyes in the cinema and I shed more tears here than Hamnet!!
Never say never! He better start brainstorming ways to fulfill some of that stuff. Congrats to the whole production!