Director Jang Hang-jun Opens Up About Overwhelming Attention After 'The Man Who Lives with the King' Success

Director Jang Hang-jun candidly shared his thoughts on the overwhelming attention following the success of 'The Man Who Lives with the King.'

On the YouTube channel 'Vivo TV - Cinema Mountain Special,' a video titled 'Unleashing the Stories: "Let's Say I Directed This" - Jang Hang-jun's Credit Snatching?' was released on the 9th.

During the episode, Song Eun-i introduced Jang Hang-jun as a 'master director,' noting that 'The Man Who Lives with the King' ranked third in the all-time box office at the time of recording. Jang, while waving his hands dismissively, humorously remarked, "It feels surreal, and it seems like the worst I imagined has happened, but it feels like a dream."

Jang also expressed the challenges of dealing with the influx of attention post-success. He confessed, "It doesn't really hit me, but people keep reaching out. I wish they'd stop contacting me," adding, "I wake up to about 300 messages. Texts, KakaoTalk, and calls take up half my day just responding."

Agency representative Song Eun-i shared the changed atmosphere, stating, "There's a flood of requests to have Jang Hang-jun appear on shows or collaborate on programs. Previously, managers didn't pay much attention to where the director went, but now it's a big deal."

Jang humorously admitted, "I didn't expect things to get this far. I just wanted to be able to chew gum, drink a lot, and throw up outside without anyone noticing, but now I can't even go out."

Jang was caught off guard by a past promise brought up during the show. Song Eun-i revealed a recording as evidence of Jang's promise to take the original 'Cinema Mountain' members on a trip to Southeast Asia. In the recording, Jang said, "Remember the promise to go to Southeast Asia with the original 'Cinema Mountain' members? I'll cover all the expenses."

Surprised by the sudden playback of his voice, Jang couldn't hide his embarrassment and joked, "Do you think I said that in a normal state? How far do we consider Southeast Asia? Isn't the east of Jeju Island also Southeast Asia?" eliciting laughter once again.

Following the success of 'The Man Who Lives with the King,' Jang's previous film 'Rebound' was re-released. Jang commented, "This film was essentially over for us, but with the love for 'The Man Who Lives with the King,' it has resurfaced. It's incredibly moving."

Song Eun-i also shared a heartwarming story, mentioning that Jang officiated a wedding for a Vivo staff member. During the ceremony, Jang introduced himself humorously as "the husband of world-renowned Korean writer Kim Eun-hee," bringing laughter. He emphasized respect between couples and families, advising, "If your wife asks for a glass of water, get up immediately. And that one word, 'thank you,' is important," which became a talking point.

Kim Eun-jung, Ten Asia Reporter eun@tenasia.co.kr