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 milestone of 1 million tickets on February 9. By dawn on February 15, the movie officially surpassed the milestone of 2 million views. 2 days later (February 17 - the 1st day of Tet), the movie reached 3 million tickets - only 13 days after its release - officially reaching a break-even score.
Previously, on February 16 (29th of the lunar calendar), the film attracted 537,190 viewers. This is also a record ticket sales in a Tet holiday, since the COVID-19 epidemic in March 2020. At the same time, the achievement of 3 million tickets also helped the movie "The King's Warden" surpass "Once we were us", rising to number 1 on the Korean box office revenue rankings in 2026, as of now.
Korean media predicts that, with a positive start, along with the advantage from the holidays, "The King's Warden" may soon reach the milestone of 5 million tickets.
Sharing about the work, Yoo Hae Jin said that although adapted from a story passed down through many generations and has changes, the film is still quite reasonable based on the relationship between the two characters. When approaching the role, he researched carefully to bring viewers the most realistic experience.
“I don't think my acting is special. It's the story that makes the performance meaningful - as for myself, I try to act in the most appropriate way for the story. If there is a scene that confuses me, I will rewind the situation in my head and review the script many times. I think that's my secret”.
Meanwhile, co-star Park Ji Hoon, in addition to striving to lose 15 kg in 2.5 months to suit the character, was also praised for his smooth acting with seniors. The actor shows maturity in acting, and can continue to go far in the field of cinema.
