The King and the Man He Lived With, directed by Jang Hang-jun, continues its box-office surge.

According to the Korean Film Council's integrated ticketing system, the film drew 761,831 viewers over the weekend of February 6–8, marking the highest weekend total of the year so far. It outperformed Avatar: Fire and Ash (630,616) and If Only We (340,270).

The milestone came swiftly. Just five days after release, the film surpassed 1 million admissions; as of 7:00 AM on February 9, cumulative attendance stood at 1,001,101. Momentum is expected to carry into its second week.

Set in 1457 at Cheongnyeongpo, the historical drama follows a village chief who volunteers for exile to revive his town and a young former king banished after being dethroned. The story centers on King Danjong—one of the shortest-reigning monarchs of Joseon—portrayed by Park Ji-hoon, and depicts his attempt to reclaim power alongside his loyal guardian Eom Heung-do, played by Yoo Hae-jin.

Praised for its restrained performances and emotional weight, the film has drawn favorable reviews and is fueling expectations of another period-drama wave following The King and the Clown.