Director Jang Hang-jun is living his best moment―and staring down a hilarious “crisis” at the same time.
His sixth feature, "The King's Warden", has drawn more than 6 million moviegoers in just 18 days, turning into a full-on box office phenomenon. Jang has already blown past his personal best with Forgotten (1.38 million total admissions) and is now within reach of the coveted “10 million” milestone.
That’s where the “uh-oh” comes in. On Jan. 29, during a guest spot on SBS PowerFM’s "Ten," Jang was asked what he’d do if "The King's Warden" hit 10 million. He joked, “There’s no way it’ll hit 10 million, but if it somehow does, I’ll change my phone number, change my name, and get plastic surgery―so no one will recognize me.”
It was a lighthearted box office pledge dropped during pre-release promos. Back then, 10 million felt like a pipe dream, not a realistic goal. But now, in week four, that “10 million run” suddenly doesn’t sound impossible.
"The King's Warden" crossed 6 million admissions nationwide in 18 days. That outpaces the 10-million hit "The King and the Clown," which took 29 days to reach 6 million, and it matches the speed of "Masquerade," which ultimately sold 12 million tickets.
It’s human nature to feel a twinge of envy at someone else’s good fortune. But in Jang’s case, filmmakers and friends alike are sending heartfelt congrats. He spent years without a major hit and was often labeled “Kim Eun-hee’s husband” as his wife scored early, massive success. Through it all, he’s been known for his upbeat outlook and warm-hearted way with people.
Longtime friend Yoon Jong-shin even dropped a cheeky congrats. On the 24th, he posted on his social media, “I didn’t hope for it to go this far… How are we supposed to handle him swaggering around now?” alongside a celebratory photo marking the 6 million milestone. In the picture, Jang beams while holding “6,000,000” balloons.
Jang Hang-jun may soon have to make good on that name-change-and-plastic-surgery promise. But honestly―who cares? Moments like this don’t come around for everyone, and he’s clearly savoring it.
(SBS Entertainment News | Kim Ji-hye)
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