Hit director Jang Hang-jun returns with cheeky audition talk show

By Park Jin-hai

• Published Oct 15, 2026 3:16 PM KST

Director Jang Hang-jun — who recently joined the elite "10-million-viewer club" with his blockbuster hit "The King's Warden" — is making his return with "The Great Hang-jun," an SBS audition-concept talk show centered around him.

The cheeky audition talk show, where he pitches "unrefusable offers" to top-tier actors, is officially kicking off.

Jang, who sparked a nationwide sensation this year after "The King's Warden" surpassed 16.93 million moviegoers, playfully joked about hosting a show named after himself.

"Just because my name is in the title doesn't mean I feel a heavy burden. My mindset is more like, 'Well, it’ll work out somehow,'" he cracked during a press conference held at the Showking K-Pop Center in Seoul Thursday. "Besides, the production crew is sharp, quick-witted and went to great universities."

He added with a laugh, "I would’ve been overwhelmed doing this alone, but having Kim Poong and Song Eun-i by my side made it really fun. And to be clear, I didn't direct this — it’s producer Lee Dong-won’s work."

"The Great Hang-jun" is a stealth audition show following Jang Hang-jun — a man whose past was at times petty and pathetic, yet undeniably brilliant — as he attempts to cast A-list stars for his autobiographical movie.

Jang meets the guests in his capacity as a director, while Song Eun-i joins as the head of the production company and Kim Poong serves as assistant director. The show has already generated buzz with a star-studded guest lineup including actors Yoo Jae-myung, Lee Sun-bin and Cho Jung-seok.

Explaining the inspiration behind the show, producer Lee shared, "Doesn't everyone love listening to director Jang's stories? I brought it up to Song Eun-i and suggested, 'What if he met actors as an actual director to talk shop?' Since he always says casting is rule No. 1 in filmmaking, we thought it'd be great to have them make a movie together."

Song, who previously produced the film "Open the Door" (2022) with Jang, added, "This is an extension of 'Cine Mountain,' a talk show series we did together in the past. Back then and even now, he remains a master storyteller who loves to playfully frame people and spin yarns out of thin air. That same world naturally expanded into 'Master Jang Hang-jun."

Episodes presented in "Master Jang Hang-jun" will ultimately be brought to life using artificial intelligence video technology. Kim said, "During script readings, the scripts were so cringey that I felt bad for the actors, but they still threw themselves into their roles."

Song agreed, adding, "They delivered top-tier performances despite the crude scripts."

When asked what kind of movie he would make if it were genuinely based on his own life, Jang replied, "I think the period from early marriage to my directorial debut would be the most entertaining. As for the lead role, Koo Kyo-hwan could capture both the lighthearted moments and the frustration well." He then quipped, "Honestly, though, I’d rather not make a movie about my life."

Following the massive box-office success of "The King's Warden," Jang secured regular spots on three variety shows, including "Happy Together."

Regarding his upcoming plans, Jang said, "I’ve started preparing for my next film. I’m hoping to start shooting in the second half of next year, but you never know in this industry.

"People in the industry seem to be on edge, wondering what I'll do next, but I hope they don't expect too much. Since when did everyone expect so much from me anyway?"

He concluded, "I just want to keep going comfortably as I always have — doing variety shows occasionally and making movies consistently. To put it in sports terms, the main goal for a baseball player is to keep playing baseball. Just like them, I want to keep making movies until the very end."

"The Great Hang-jun" premieres Thursday and will also stream globally on Netflix.