Director Jang Hang-jun Revises '10 Million Promise' for 'The Man Who Lives with the King'

Director Jang Hang-jun has revised his '10 million promise' for the film 'The Man Who Lives with the King'. Initially made in jest, he has now committed to a coffee truck event instead. This change comes as a response to his previous light-hearted remarks, highlighting the foresight of his wife, writer Kim Eun-hee.

In February, Jang appeared on CBS Radio's 'Choi Kang-hee's Movie Music' to promote 'The Man Who Lives with the King'. Regarding his wife's reaction, Jang stated, "Kim Eun-hee is very pleased."

Known for his witty remarks, Jang shared that Kim Eun-hee had advised him to be cautious with his words, predicting the film's success. Jang recalled, "Even before the release, Kim Eun-hee told me, 'This time it's going to do well, so be careful with what you say.' She seemed to have a knack for predicting success." When DJ Choi Kang-hee commented, "She didn't come before," Jang laughed and confirmed, "She didn't."

Choi Kang-hee noted, "She must have sensed it from the script," to which Jang replied, "After reading the script and hearing feedback from the staff and actors on set, she said, 'I think this one will do well.'" When Choi mentioned that Kim Eun-hee praised the film, Jang agreed, "She did say it was well done."

As 'The Man Who Lives with the King' approaches the 10 million viewer mark, attention has turned to Jang's promise. Previously, on SBS Power FM's 'Bae Sung-jae's Ten', Jang humorously mentioned, "There's no way it will reach 10 million, but if it does, I'll change my phone number, name, and even undergo plastic surgery so no one recognizes me." He also joked about naturalizing in another country and buying a yacht for a party.

However, these promises proved impractical. Recently, on 'Bae Sung-jae's Ten', Jang expressed gratitude for the attention but admitted, "I never thought it would reach 10 million. I was just trying to be funny." He added, "The investors even held meetings about it."

Instead of fulfilling the original promise, Jang plans a coffee truck event. He remarked, "Looking back, I'm relieved I didn't promise half my fortune. It's daunting to keep such promises. As an alternative, I'll host a coffee truck event in a couple of weeks." The event is scheduled for October 12 at noon at the Seoul Newspaper Plaza.

'The Man Who Lives with the King' is set in 1457 Cheongryeongpo and tells the story of a village chief who voluntarily exiles himself for the village's prosperity and a young dethroned king. Based on the true story of the ill-fated King Danjong and Eom Heung-do, who buried Danjong's body, the film stars Yoo Hae-jin and Park Ji-hoon. As of the 4th, it has attracted 9.59 million viewers.

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