As director Jang Hang-jun’s movie The King’s Warden approaches the milestone of 12 million viewers, Yoo Hae Jin and co-star Park Ji Hoon appeared on the YouTube show Salon Drip, where they shared candid stories about the film and their experiences.

During the conversation, host Jang Do Yeon asked Park Ji Hoon, who plays King Danjong in the film, whether he felt pressure while portraying the historical figure. Park Ji Hoon admitted he felt a sense of responsibility and even guilt at times, saying he worried about turning such a tragic historical story into entertainment. Yoo Hae Jin then added that the concern likely came from wanting to portray the story respectfully and not diminish its historical significance.

Park Ji Hoon also revealed that he met with director Jang Hang Jun three times before accepting the role. “I tried to dodge the conversation a bit at first,” he said. “But during our discussion, the director suddenly told me, ‘Danjong has to be you.’ Even after I left the meeting, those words kept replaying in my mind.”

Yoo Hae Jin also shared a casting story of his own. After reading the script, he was impressed by how engaging it was. He even said it reminded him of the time he first read the script for the hit film The King and the Clown, which surprised everyone on set.

Seeing Jang Do Yeon’s reaction, Yoo Hae Jin quickly clarified that The King and the Clown‘s script had been “even more interesting,” but he still found The King’s Warden‘s script very enjoyable. He explained that some scripts can be difficult to get through, but this one flowed smoothly from beginning to end.

When Jang Do Yeon mentioned that it had been a long time since actors actively promoted a movie that was released in theaters instead of on streaming platforms, Yoo Hae Jin admitted that the current theatrical market has been struggling. Park Ji Hoon added that he still finds the cinema experience exciting, recalling the joy of buying a ticket, getting popcorn, and waiting for the film to start.

Jang Do Yeon then joked that it can also be fun to overhear conversations from other moviegoers in the elevator after watching a film together. Yoo Hae Jin responded that the most honest feedback often comes from conversations in the restroom. He recalled a moment when he went to the bathroom at a theater and overheard people talking in the next stall without realizing he was nearby.

“They didn’t know it was me,” he said, reenacting the moment. “One of them said, ‘Ugh, what was that? I shouldn’t have come to watch this.’” His vivid imitation of the comment sent everyone on set into laughter.

Meanwhile, the film The King’s Warden has recently faced controversy after claims surfaced suggesting that the story might have been based on an existing work. Reports said the production company received a formal notice requesting clarification about the origin of the screenplay.

In response, the production team stated that the film is an original creative work inspired by historical facts. They explained that the entire creative process had been carefully documented and that they could provide evidence proving the script’s originality.

The controversy reportedly began after some people pointed out similarities between the film and an older drama titled Eom Heung-do, prompting questions about the script’s development process. However, the production company strongly denied any allegations of plagiarism, emphasizing that while multiple works may draw inspiration from historical figures and events, their film was developed independently and did not copy any previous work.

Sources: Daum