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From Quitting CJ ENM to 12 Million Views: The Story of 왕사남

Discover how producer Lim Eun-jeong turned an 8-year-old rejected project into a 12-million-viewer hit. Learn the meaning of 왕사남 and more.

#korean-cinema #box-office #cj-enm #movie-titles #independent-film

Summary

Producer Lim Eun-jeong, CEO of Onda Works, recently celebrated a massive milestone as her debut independent production, 'The Man Who Lives with the King' (왕과 사는 남자), surpassed 12 million viewers. The journey to this success was anything but certain, starting with a modest opening day of roughly 117,000 viewers that left Lim worried about breaking even.

However, the film gained rapid momentum, hitting the 1 million mark within five days and eventually doubling its initial goals. By the 36th day of its release, it became a certified box office phenomenon. This success is particularly notable given the current difficult climate for film investment in Korea.

Lim originally developed the concept eight years ago while working as a producer at CJ ENM. Although the project was shelved at the time, she never gave up on the story. After leaving the corporate world to start her own company in 2023, she finally brought the vision to life.

The film's success is attributed to its unique blend of historical setting and modern themes, directed by Jang Hang-jun. Lim views the project as a medium for social healing and a way to remember historical tragedies through a warm, humanistic lens.

Full story (translated & rewritten)

On February 4th, when the opening scores for 'The Man Who Lives with the King' came in at 117,783 viewers, Lim Eun-jeong was filled with anxiety. With a break-even point of 2.6 million, the initial numbers looked shaky. It wasn't until the film reached 1 million viewers over the first weekend that she felt a sense of relief. The momentum continued through the Lunar New Year holidays, eventually smashing her secondary goal of 5.2 million and soaring past 12 million.

This project was one of three Lim had been developing since 2016 during her tenure at CJ ENM. While her other project 'Nothing Serious' (2021) made it to theaters, this historical drama was cancelled by the studio in 2020. Despite the setback, Lim made a personal vow to produce it within five years if the timing was right. She didn't realize then that she would be doing it as the head of her own independent production house, Onda Works.

The turning point in the script's development came when writer Hwang Seong-gu added a modern twist: the idea of a village competing to host an exiled royal, much like a modern city bids for the Olympics, in hopes of future political restoration and economic gain. This 'modern desire' injected into a Joseon-era setting gave the story its edge.

Lim chose director Jang Hang-jun for the project, despite his mixed track record at the box office, because she felt his direction in the film 'Rebound' showed the exact warmth needed for the relationship between the characters Heung-do (played by Yoo Hae-jin) and Hong-wi (played by Park Ji-hoon). Lim emphasizes that the film serves as a 'medium of memory' for social tragedies, offering a hint on how society should mourn and remember.

Context