The production company behind The Man Who Lives with the King (directed by Jang Hang-jun) has firmly denied plagiarism allegations.

Onda Works told Dispatch on March 10 that the film is "a purely original work based on historical facts," adding that it can prove the claim.

Production Says Entire Creative Process Was Recorded

The company emphasized that evidence exists to dismiss the plagiarism suspicion. According to the producers, the entire creative process of the project was documented in detail.

Regarding claims that certain scenes and settings are similar to another work, the company explained that similarities may occur because the story is based on real historical figures and events.

However, it stressed that there was no causal connection with the other work. "During the planning, development, and production stages, we never plagiarized any other copyrighted material," the company stated.

The production team also announced plans to take legal action against the accusations. "We will respond firmly through all available procedures, including legal measures," they said.

Dispute Emerges Over Similarities to Late Playwright's Script

The controversy began after the family of late theater actor Um alleged similarities between the film and a screenplay titled Um Heung-do, which the actor had written before his passing.

In an interview with MBN, the family cited seven allegedly similar elements. These included a scene where King Danjong eats at the recommendation of Um Heung-do and another where Um conveys the king's words to villagers.

They also pointed to a moment in the film where Danjong eats olgaengi soup, noting that the screenplay depicted him eating buckwheat jelly while expressing satisfaction with the taste.

Another claim involved the portrayal of court maids. Historically, multiple maids attended Danjong, but both the screenplay and the film depict only a single maid character.

Meanwhile, The Man Who Lives with the King is approaching the 12-million ticket milestone. As of March 9, the film had drawn approximately 11.7 million viewers.