The King's Warden" (tentatively translated: The King's Guard) is set in 1457 in Cheongnyeongpo - a remote location in Yeongwol district, Gangwon province (Korea), revolving around village chief Eom Heung Do (Yoo Hae Jin) - who decides to live with exiled king Danjong (played by Park Ji Hoon).
The movie "The King's Warden" premiered on February 4 in Korea, and officially surpassed the 1 million ticket mark on February 9. 2. On February 15, the movie surpassed the 2 million ticket mark, and successively reached the 3 million ticket mark, 4 million tickets on February 17 and 18. 2. As of noon on February 20, the movie is gradually approaching the 5 million ticket mark.
Korean media assesses that with the current ticket sales speed, "The King's Warden" is currently a potential candidate to join the "10 million ticket club". The film is receiving many compliments for realistically depicting the tragic story in history, and touching the hearts of viewers thanks to the emotional acting of the cast, especially Yoo Hae Jin and Park Ji Hoon.
Korea Times emphasized that since its release, "The King's Warden" has been welcomed by audiences with positive reactions, calling it a breath of fresh air for the local film industry that is facing difficulties. Also thanks to the word-of-mouth effect, the discussion on social networks, the work also increased in recognition. This is similar to previous blockbuster projects such as "Seoul Spring" (2023), "Exhumation of the Monster Graveyard" (2024).
Previously, producer Park Yoon Ho also gave many "winged words" to the cast. He praised Yoo Hae Jin's acting for reflecting naturally without any special explanation. Thanks to that, the character Eom Heung Do became convincing and complete. Meanwhile, Park Ji Hoon was praised for being deep and in sync when acting with his senior.
With Yoo Hae Jin, he devoted a lot of love to the project, carefully researching the characters. Although he knew the content, he and the cast still could not restrain their emotions when watching the work again on the big screen.
