‘The King of Kings’ director says project was once dismissed as ‘reckless fantasy’

"The King of Kings" director Jang Seong-ho / Courtesy of Mofac Studio

Director Jang Seong-ho, a veteran visual effects (VFX) specialist, has made a remarkable directorial debut with “The King of Kings,” an animated feature that has become the highest-grossing Korean film ever released in the U.S. market, surpassing Bong Joon-ho’s “Parasite.”

“People said it was a reckless fantasy. Some even asked if I was trying to bankrupt my company,” Jang said, recalling the early reactions to the animated feature. “Even with support, this was never going to be an easy journey, and the emotional toll was just as great as the practical challenges.”

Jang, who has over 30 years of VFX experience, spoke with Hankook Ilbo ahead of the film’s Korean release on Wednesday.

Despite doubts about his transition into directing, Jang completed his long-held dream of making a feature film.

Inspired by Charles Dickens’ short story “The Life of Our Lord,” “The King of Kings” is framed as a story-within-a-story, where Dickens narrates the life of Jesus to his son, Walter.

The pair travel back in time 2,000 years to witness Jesus’ journey firsthand, accompanied by visually rich animation and a star-studded voice cast.

Released in North America on April 11, the film rose to No. 2 at the U.S. box office and has since grossed over $60 million, with distribution now expanding to more than 120 countries.

Jang, however, says he’s even more nervous about its reception in Korea. “The domestic market is harder to predict. I was less anxious about the U.S. release than I am now.”

A scene from "The King of Kings" / Courtesy of Mofac Studio

Ten-year production, driven by faith in US market

The production of “The King of Kings” took over a decade. Initially on board only as a producer, Jang ultimately wrote the screenplay and directed the film himself.

Cinematographer Kim Woo-hyung, a longtime friend, joined as co-producer. With the scale and technical ambition requiring more than 20 billion won ($14 million), Jang focused on the U.S. as the primary market.

“After researching Christian content in the U.S., I found that there were almost no cases of failure,” Jang said. “With such a strong ancillary market in North America, I believed we could recover our investment over time.”

The film benefited from the expertise of Jamie Thomason, a veteran voice casting director formerly with Disney, who helped secure a high-profile English-language cast.

Once acclaimed actor and Oscar-winning screenwriter Kenneth Branagh signed on, others, including Ben Kingsley, Pierce Brosnan, Forest Whitaker and Oscar Isaac, quickly followed.

Korean voice talents such as Lee Byung-hun, Jin Seon-kyu, Lee Ha-nee, Cha In-pyo and Kwon Oh-joong also joined before the U.S. premiere.

The animated film “The King of Kings” follows a narrative in which author Charles Dickens, right, tells his son the story of Jesus. Kenneth Branagh voices Dickens in the English version, while Lee Byung-hun lends his voice in the Korean version. Courtesy of Mofac Studio

A breakout moment for Korean animation in Hollywood

To retain creative control, Jang financed the entire 36 billion won budget in Korea. His goal: to make a universally moving film that could resonate with Christian and non-Christian audiences alike.

The result surpassed the U.S. box office record for religious animated films set by “The Prince of Egypt” (1998), shocking the industry.

Founder of Mofac Studio and a first-generation VFX pioneer in Korea, Jang has worked on more than 300 film and television projects, including “Joint Security Area,” “Haeundae,” “The Legend” and “My Love from the Star.”

He said he chose animation for his debut because it offered a space where he could express his vision without the creative resistance often encountered in live-action filmmaking. “I believed animation was the one thing I could truly excel at.”

Buoyed by his success, Jang is now looking to pursue more animated projects. “It may sound self-congratulatory, but there hasn’t been a foreign animated film that succeeded in the U.S. at this level of quality. At least in Asia, this is unprecedented,” he said.

“Before this release, neither I nor Mofac were known in the States. Now, U.S. companies are reaching out to us first. I’d love to make a live-action film someday, but right now, continuing with animation feels like the most meaningful path forward.”

This article from the Hankook Ilbo, the sister publication of The Korea Times, is translated by a generative AI and edited by The Korea Times.