Yoo Jae-suk spots The King's Warden buzz before its 16M run

Director Jang Hang Jun has revealed Yoo Jae-suk's reaction to the premiere of 'The King's Warden.' In a KBS 'Happy Together' YouTube video released on the 13th, Jang Hang Jun mentioned that Yoo Jae-suk, who attended the pre-release premiere, sensed the potential for a box office hit after observing the atmosphere in the audience.

According to Jang Hang Jun, after watching the film, Yoo Jae-suk was more focused on Jang Hang Jun than the audience itself. Jang Hang Jun recalled that Yoo Jae-suk repeated the phrase, "Something is different this time," several times during the event.

Premiere reactions revealed in video released on the 13th

Jang Hang Jun expressed his gratitude, noting that Yoo Jae-suk attended the premiere alone without a manager. Yoo Jae-suk recalled the atmosphere where surrounding audience members were weeping, and Jang Hang Jun mentioned he had heard such stories even before the official release.

The core of the story lay more in the relationship between the two men than in simple praise. Yoo Jae-suk was first mindful of the success of his friend and director, Jang Hang Jun, while Jang Hang Jun brought up that day again with the honest reactions that can only emerge between close acquaintances.

'The King's Warden' hits 16 million viewers

'The King's Warden' is one of the works that has created significant buzz in theaters this year. Set in Cheongryeongpo, Yeongwol, Gangwon in 1457, it depicts the story of the young King Danjong, who was ousted from the throne, and Eom Heung-do, who protected his final days.

The film does not merely portray Danjong as a victim of power struggles but places him within the relationships with the people he met in exile. The decision to prioritize the people of the exile site over the power struggles within the palace was also noted as a point that moved the audience's emotions.

As a director who has blended comedy and human drama, Jang Hang Jun did not push the heavy historical drama too rigidly until the end, and the casting of major actors such as Yoo Hae Jin, Park Ji Hoon, Jeon Mi Do, and Yoo Ji Tae added a sense of stability. Jang Hang Jun's unique wit continued through promotional activities and variety show talks outside the film.

In the same video, Yoo Jae-suk jokingly mentioned the tiger CG in the movie. While the implication was that it could have become a long-lasting subject of ridicule if the film had failed, since the movie achieved a box office success of around 16 million viewers, the comment felt more like an anecdote shared with laughter rather than pointing out a weakness.

Jang Hang Jun explained that while the original release date was intended for May, it was moved up to the Lunar New Year holiday due to positive internal reactions, and that choice proved crucial. The combination of the holiday period when family audiences move, early word-of-mouth, and subsequent stories shared on variety shows and YouTube contributed to its long-lasting success.

'Happy Together' first broadcast on July 10

This video is pre-release content shared ahead of the return of 'Happy Together' after 6 years. The lineup featuring Yoo Jae-suk, Jang Hang Jun, and Yoon Jong-shin focused more on the teasing and agreement between long-time acquaintances rather than an elaborate concept explanation.

As Jang Hang Jun is an individual possessing both the title of film director and a variety-style way of speaking, his talk about the work did not merely flow into promotional remarks. The success story of 'The King's Warden' became a scene that previewed what kind of conversations the new 'Happy Together' will bring, beyond just the director's personal success.

'Happy Together' has announced its first broadcast for July 10. What was confirmed in the pre-release video is that viewers can enjoy the private friendship of Yoo Jae-suk, Jang Hang Jun, and Yoon Jong-shin unfolded through engaging conversation.