Director Jang Hang-jun of 'The King and the Clown' to Attend Danjong Cultural Festival Amid Rising Interest

Director Jang Hang-jun, known for the blockbuster film 'The King and the Clown,' will attend the Danjong Cultural Festival in Yeongwol.

According to Yeongwol County and the Yeongwol Cultural Tourism Foundation, the 59th Danjong Cultural Festival will be held from April 24 to 26 at the UNESCO World Heritage sites of Jangneung and Cheongnyeongpo, as well as the Donggang River area. This year's festival, themed 'The Return of the King, the Dawn of Hope,' aims to explore the history and narrative of King Danjong, the 6th monarch of the Joseon Dynasty, through various cultural contents.

Interest in Danjong and Yeongwol has surged, especially after 'The King and the Clown' became a box office hit, drawing millions of viewers. According to Yeongwol County, approximately 110,000 tourists visited Cheongnyeongpo and Jangneung from January 1 to March 8 this year, a significant increase compared to reaching 100,000 visitors by June last year.

This heightened interest is expected to carry over to this year's Danjong Cultural Festival. Yeongwol County plans to maintain this momentum through the festival. Director Jang Hang-jun will visit Yeongwol on April 24, the opening day of the festival, to give a lecture on Danjong at the 'Yeongwol Academy' and attend the opening ceremony. Actor Park Ji-hoon, who portrayed Danjong in the film, will also participate in promoting the festival through a video message. Other cast members, including Yoo Hae-jin and Yoo Ji-tae, are reportedly discussing their attendance at the festival.

The Danjong Cultural Festival is a significant local cultural event in Yeongwol, commemorating the spirit of King Danjong and his loyal subjects.

Kim Ji-won, TenAsia Reporter bella@tenasia.co.kr