'The Man Who Lived with the King' Reaches 4 Million Viewers; The Emotions Hidden in Park Jihoon’s Gaze

The film 'The Man Who Lived with the King' surpassed 1 million viewers just five days after its release, and during the Lunar New Year holiday, it maintained strong audience support to become the first film of 2026 to reach 4 million viewers. Set in Cheongnyeongpo in 1457, the movie tells the story of a young deposed king who was exiled and a village chief who volunteered to serve as his exile location to help revive the village. It has been praised for combining artistic quality with popularity through director Jang Hang-joon’s first historical drama direction and the outstanding acting performances of top actors such as Yu Hae-jin, Park Jihoon, Yu Ji-tae, and Jeon Mi-do.

What was the key factor behind the film’s success? Critics and audiences unanimously point to Park Jihoon’s eye expressions. His eyes, which precisely convey the emotional flow in his scenes with Yu Hae-jin, capture the audience’s hearts by showing even small moments of joy, anger, and delicate emotional fluctuations despite the approaching death. Yu Hae-jin once said in an interview, “When I saw Park Jihoon’s eyes, the emotions hit me right in the heart.”

In actor brand reputation surveys, Yu Hae-jin ranked first, while Park Jihoon came in second. As of February 2026, Yu Hae-jin’s brand reputation score was 6,959,199, followed by Park Jihoon with 6,588,953. Although Park Jihoon had already drawn attention in previous works such as 'A Weak Hero,' this film earned him the praise of being an “actor with gems in his eyes,” solidifying his status from a promising newcomer to a recognized star.

The digital color grading (DI) handled by the multimedia company Dexter also played a decisive role in completing the film. Park Jin-young, Dexter’s colorist, explained, “We aimed for a structure where emotions are visible first, with color coming in slightly behind.” Instead of focusing on the traditional aesthetic appeal of historical dramas, the team prioritized clearly showing the emotional progression of the characters. They gently reduced contrasts between characters rather than amplifying them, thereby softly adjusting the texture of the visuals. Park Jin-young said, “‘The Man Who Lived with the King’ will be remembered as a work where color was the quietest yet said the most.”