‘The King’s Warden’ Continues Box Office Dominance in South Korea

The historical drama “The King’s Warden” maintained its lead at the South Korean box office for a third consecutive week, captivating audiences during and after the Lunar New Year holiday. As of February 23, 2026, the film has garnered significant attention and revenue, signaling a strong performance for domestic cinema.

Box Office Performance

During the February 16–22 period, which included the peak of the Lunar New Year celebrations, “The King’s Warden” secured 73.76% of the total revenue share, according to data from KOBIS, the tracking service operated by the Korean Film Council [Variety]. The film earned $9.5 million from 1,414,214 admissions over the weekend.

Since its debut on February 4, “The King’s Warden” has amassed a cumulative gross of $39.1 million from 5,828,884 admissions [Variety]. Recent data indicates the film has drawn over 5.8 million moviegoers, exceeding its break-even point of approximately 2.6 million admissions [Korea Times].

About the Film

Directed by Jang Hang-jun, and starring Yoo Hae-jin and Park Ji-hoon, “The King’s Warden” (also known as “The Man Who Lives With the King”) tells the story of a village chief’s efforts to protect a deposed teenage king during the Joseon Dynasty [Variety]. The film reimagines historical events through a fictional narrative, focusing on the unlikely friendship between Eom Heung-do (Yoo Hae-jin) and King Danjong (Park Ji-hoon) [Korea Times].

Competition at the Box Office

The espionage thriller “Humint,” directed by Ryoo Seung-wan and starring Zo In-sung and Park Jeong-min, secured the second position at the box office, earning $1.7 million from 239,370 admissions over the weekend [Variety]. “Humint” has reached a cumulative gross of $11 million from 1,579,018 admissions.

The musical drama “Choir of God” took third place, adding $268,734 for a total of $8.9 million [Variety].

Looking Ahead

“The King’s Warden” is rapidly emerging as a potential blockbuster, signaling a renewed interest in South Korean cinema [Aju Press]. Its continued success suggests a positive trend for the domestic film industry.