"The Man Who Lives with the King" surpassed 10 million viewers 31 days after its release, drawing attention to its final box office tally. The film's momentum has actually accelerated around the 10-million milestone, raising questions about whether it could overtake "Roaring Currents" (17.61 million viewers), Korea's all-time box office leader.
According to the Korean Film Council's integrated ticketing system on the 9th, cumulative attendance for the film reached 11.5 million, surpassing "The Attorney" (11.37 million) and "The Roundup: Punishment" (11.5 million) to rank 20th on the all-time box office chart. The strong performance continued with 1,725,767 viewers during the weekend of the 6th through 8th alone.
Analysts attribute the film's sustained and accelerating popularity to curiosity about the first 10-million film in two years, combined with its political and historical themes including a coup.
"Once it crossed 10 million, even people who weren't interested started feeling they had to see it, creating explosive staying power," said Jung Duk-hyun, a pop culture critic. "The history of King Danjong is being reinterpreted in contemporary context, generating empathy for the pain and suffering young people endure when politics goes wrong. Watching the film has become an act of social participation."
Jung added: "Like 'Seoul Spring,' this film also deals with a coup, and audiences are extremely sensitive to that subject. 'Seoul Spring' drew audiences by showing that while the military claimed success, there were people who tried to stop it—they failed in practical terms but succeeded morally. This film follows the same tone."
He noted: "Danjong became a victim of a series of events where the throne was seized through a coup and he was ultimately executed in exile. But the film shows that even though Danjong was sacrificed, those who protected him did not fail—and that's what moved audiences."
Industry reactions are mixed on whether the film can surpass "Roaring Currents" (2014). Nevertheless, industry observers project cumulative attendance of 14 to 15 million. Exceeding 15 million would place it third all-time. Only four films have surpassed 14 million: "Roaring Currents" (17.61 million), "Extreme Job" (16.26 million), "Along with the Gods: The Two Worlds" (14.41 million), and "Ode to My Father" (14.26 million).
"This is the first film in a long time to generate this level of buzz," said film critic Yoon Sung-eun. "In the OTT era, so much content floods the market that there hasn't been a truly national phenomenon. But as the film's momentum grew during the Lunar New Year holiday, it created a bandwagon effect that has sustained its box office performance."
She added: "It may be too early to talk about reaching 'Roaring Currents' territory, but the possibility remains open. We'll need to reassess around the 14-million mark."
A cinema industry official said: "Even elderly viewers who haven't been to theaters in 10 years are deliberately seeking it out on weekends—the staying power hasn't weakened at all. We expect final attendance of 14 to 15 million."