'The Man Who Lives with the King' Surpasses 6.5 Million Viewers, Eyes First 10 Million Film of the Year

The film 'The Man Who Lives with the King' directed by Jang Hang-jun has surpassed 6.52 million viewers, sparking optimism for the first 10 million film of the year.

According to the Korean Film Council's integrated computer network for movie tickets, 'The Man Who Lives with the King' topped the box office on the 25th. The daily audience count was 309,574, an increase of over 110,000 from the previous day. This surge is attributed to the 'Culture Day' initiative, which offers discounts and free access to cultural facilities on the last Wednesday of every month. The cumulative audience count has reached 6,528,519.

Set in 1457 Cheongryeongpo, 'The Man Who Lives with the King' tells the story of a village chief who voluntarily exiles himself for the village's revival and a young dethroned king in exile. The film stars Yoo Hae-jin, Park Ji-hoon, Yoo Ji-tae, and Jeon Mi-do. Since its release on the 4th, the film has shown rapid growth, reaching 1 million viewers in 5 days, 2 million in 12 days, 3 million in 14 days, 4 million in 15 days, 5 million in 18 days, and 6 million in 20 days. It attracted a large audience during the Lunar New Year holidays. While 'Pamyoh' and 'Crime City 4' reached 10 million viewers in 2024, last year saw no films achieving this milestone. The only Korean film to surpass 5 million was 'Zombie Daughter'. All eyes are on whether 'The Man Who Lives with the King' will become the first 10 million film of the year.

Ranking second at the box office is 'Humint' directed by Ryu Seung-wan. 'Humint' drew 37,892 viewers on the day, with a cumulative audience of 1,675,645.

'Humint' is set in Vladivostok, where secrets and truths are submerged in the icy sea, and features a clash of individuals with different motives. The film, praised for its intense action and profound emotions, stars Jo In-sung, Park Jung-min, Park Hae-joon, and Shin Se-kyung.

In third place is the Japanese film '5 Centimeters per Second' directed by Okuyama Yoshiyuki, which premiered that day. It recorded a daily audience of 17,947 and a cumulative audience of 19,020.

'5 Centimeters per Second' is a live-action film about the love and longing of Takaki and Akari, who move forward at slightly different speeds from their childhood memories. It is the first and only live-action adaptation of a work by director Makoto Shinkai.

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