Yoo Hae-jin’s 170-million-admission legacy shines in 'The King's Warden'
Actor Yoo Hae-jin / Courtesy of Showbox
Actor Yoo Hae-jin insists his foundational acting style never changes, yet his ability to create new personas throughout his filmography continues to drive record-breaking box-office numbers that few in the Korean film industry can match.
His latest period drama, "The King's Warden," crossed the 10-million viewer mark on Friday, marking his fifth 10-million-admission film. The milestone solidifies Yoo's status as a guaranteed box office draw. While audiences see him as a versatile chameleon, his bankability — built on some 170 million tickets sold over 30 years—stems from his complete immersion in every role.
The actor plays Eom Heung-do, the head of Gwangcheongol village in Yeongwol, Gangwon Province, who interacts with the exiled King Danjong. Despite his reputation as a man who walked straight out of a history textbook, Yoo downplays the idea that he creates entirely new personas.
Actors Yoo Hae-jin, right, and Park Ji-hoon in a scene from “The King’s Warden” / Courtesy of Showbox
"My acting is always the same. It's not different. It's just Yoo Hae-jin," Yoo said before the film's release. "Since I am not an actor who shows completely different acting, my biggest goal is to fit into the story. And making the lines mine. As those things pile up, the movie is completed."
His effort dictates his on-set behavior. Director Jang Hang-jun highlighted the actor's intense dedication during production, noting he never lets go of the script.
"He cried even when he wasn't shooting, cried even when he was preparing while getting makeup, and immersed himself to the point of almost sobbing during the preview screening," Jang said.
Long after filming wrapped, Yoo tearfully referred to the project as "a work that will be especially memorable among the many movies I have appeared in."
His on-screen chemistry with co-star Park Ji-hoon, who plays Danjong, is rooted in careful observation. Yoo even suggested a poignant scene where Eom watches the young king play with the water after observing Park's real-life demeanor.
Actor Yoo Hae-jin plays a villain in "Veteran." Courtesy of CJ Entertainment
"Ji-hoon grew on me as we talked a lot about the work and the life he has lived," Yoo said. "When we were exchanging lines and I suddenly got choked up and looked at him, he also had tears in his eyes, and the feeling that we were sharing emotions like that was very good."
Box office backbone
Starting as an extra in the 1997 film "Blackjack," Yoo expanded his repertoire from playing commoners and gangsters to portraying prosecutors, executives and kings. Spanning comedy, romance, thriller and period drama, he averages over 3 million viewers per film. His five 10-million-admission blockbusters include "The King and the Clown" (2005), "Veteran" (2015), "A Taxi Driver" (2017), "Exhuma" (2024), and "The King's Warden" (2026).
"The King's Warden" added another 1.45 million admissions over the weekend. Film industry observers expect it to surpass 15 million as it chases the all-time domestic record held by the 2014 film "The Admiral: Roaring Currents" at 17.61 million.
Yoo also delivered consecutive hits with "Confidential Assignment 2: International" (6.98 million in 2022), "The Night Owl" (3.32 million, marking his first royal role as King Injo), "Exhuma" (11.91 million), and "YADANG: The Snitch" (3.37 million last year).
Yoo's momentum continues with director Hur Jin-ho's upcoming film "The Assassins," which tracks the mastermind behind the assassination of the first lady of former President Park Chung-hee. The film wrapped late last year with co-stars Park Hae-il and Lee Min-ho. Yoo plays a police inspector who witnessed the event.
This article from the Hankook Ilbo, the sister publication of The Korea Times, is translated by a generative AI system and edited by The Korea Times.