“The King’s Warden” Nears Top 5 All-Time Box Office in Korea
- Taein Lee
- Mar 18
- 1 min read
Mar 19, 2026
Taein Lee
Director Jang Hang-jun’s film The King’s Warden is continuing its record-breaking run, moving closer to becoming one of the top five highest-grossing films of all time in South Korea.
According to the Korean Film Council, the movie held the No. 1 spot at the box office on March 17, attracting over 120,000 viewers in a single day. Its total audience has now reached approximately 13.7 million.
The film is the first to surpass 10 million viewers this year and marks the first “ten-million” hit since The Roundup: Punishment (2024). It has also overtaken 12.12: The Day, which previously held the record for the highest attendance among Korean films released after the COVID-19 pandemic.
Currently ranked seventh on the all-time box office chart, The King’s Warden continues to draw more than 100,000 viewers daily, even on weekdays. At this pace, it is expected to surpass Frozen II and Avengers: Endgame within the week, securing a spot in the top five.
The current top four highest-grossing films in Korea are Roaring Currents, Extreme Job, Along with the Gods: The Two Worlds, and Ode to My Father. Industry observers are now watching closely to see how far The King’s Warden can climb.
Set in 1457 during the Joseon Dynasty, the film tells the story of a village leader who voluntarily chooses exile for the sake of his community, and a young deposed king sent into exile.
