The King's Warden
The King's Warden
Danjong, driven from the throne and exiled to Yeongwol, meets village chief Eom Heung-do and the villagers. The film follows the bond between the young king, surrounded by loss, and the ordinary village chief who cares for him, depicting the time the aftermath of a power struggle leaves behind at one place of exile.
OVERALL TRUTH BASIS · Fact-based dramatization
A historical drama based on Danjong's deposition and exile to Yeongwol and on Eom Heung-do, a real historical figure, but the relationship between the two and their everyday and emotional storylines imaginatively expand on gaps in the historical record.
Danjong's Exile to Yeongwol and Death
The historical event in which Danjong, after being removed from the throne, was exiled to Yeongwol and died at age 17.
FACT / FICTION
Verification 12
Fact / Fiction verification
12 records<The Man Who Lives with the King> was director Jang Hang-jun's first historical period film and was released on February 4, 2026.
On screen · Verified record
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- A Yonhap News interview and a Yonhap News TV report on the release confirm this.
View 2 sources
- 장항준 감독 단종 이야기 상상력으로 채웠죠연합뉴스 · Creator interview · Grade AOpen source →
- 왕과 사는 남자 개봉연합뉴스TV · Major news · Grade AOpen source →
The film's Danjong is based on the real person Danjong, the 6th king of Joseon.
On screen · Verified record
- On screen
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- Verified record
- Yonhap News describes Danjong's actual life and his role as the film's central figure.
View 1 sources
- 민중의 눈으로 본 단종에 800만연합뉴스 · Major news · Grade AOpen source →
Danjong ascended the throne at age 12 and lost it to his uncle, Prince Suyang, after three years of reign.
On screen · Verified record
- On screen
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- Verified record
- This is the historical background described by Yonhap News.
View 1 sources
- 민중의 눈으로 본 단종에 800만연합뉴스 · Major news · Grade AOpen source →
Danjong was exiled to Yeongwol, Gangwon Province, and died at age 17.
On screen · Verified record
- On screen
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- Verified record
- Yonhap News describes this as a key outline of his actual life.
View 1 sources
- 민중의 눈으로 본 단종에 800만연합뉴스 · Major news · Grade AOpen source →
Eom Heung-do is a real historical figure associated with Danjong.
On screen · Verified record
- On screen
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- Verified record
- An interview with director Jang Hang-jun and a Yonhap News commentary explain that the film expands on Eom Heung-do as depicted in official and unofficial historical accounts.
View 2 sources
- 장항준 감독 단종 이야기 상상력으로 채웠죠연합뉴스 · Creator interview · Grade AOpen source →
- 민중의 눈으로 본 단종에 800만연합뉴스 · Major news · Grade AOpen source →
The “village headman” role given to Eom Heung-do, played by Yoo Hae-jin, and his close, everyday rapport with Danjong are not exactly as recorded in history; they are aspects in which cinematic imagination plays a major part.
On screen · Verified record
- On screen
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- Verified record
- Director Jang Hang-jun said he connected official and unofficial accounts and filled gaps in the historical record with imagination.
View 1 sources
- 장항준 감독 단종 이야기 상상력으로 채웠죠연합뉴스 · Creator interview · Grade AOpen source →
Park Ji-hoon plays Danjong, and Yoo Hae-jin plays Eom Heung-do.
On screen · Verified record
- On screen
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- Verified record
- A Yonhap News TV report on the release confirms the casting.
View 1 sources
- 왕과 사는 남자 개봉연합뉴스TV · Major news · Grade AOpen source →
The film's central story of friendship and human connection between Danjong and Eom Heung-do is a narrative creatively expanded from the historical relationship between the two figures.
On screen · Verified record
- On screen
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- Verified record
- The director said directly that he created an organic relationship between the two by filling gaps in the historical record.
View 2 sources
- 장항준 감독 단종 이야기 상상력으로 채웠죠연합뉴스 · Creator interview · Grade AOpen source →
- 민중의 눈으로 본 단종에 800만연합뉴스 · Major news · Grade AOpen source →
Rather than focusing on the royal power struggle itself, the film centers on the relationship between the exiled Danjong and Eom Heung-do, a commoner.
On screen · Verified record
- On screen
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- Verified record
- Yonhap News TV and a Yonhap News analysis of the work describe this in common.
View 2 sources
- 왕과 사는 남자 개봉연합뉴스TV · Major news · Grade AOpen source →
- 민중의 눈으로 본 단종에 800만연합뉴스 · Major news · Grade AOpen source →
Director Jang Hang-jun explicitly said that he filled in parts lacking in the historical record with imagination.
On screen · Verified record
- On screen
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- Verified record
- In an interview, the director explained that he connected official and unofficial historical accounts and filled gaps in the historical record.
View 1 sources
- 장항준 감독 단종 이야기 상상력으로 채웠죠연합뉴스 · Creator interview · Grade AOpen source →
Therefore, the historical outline—such as Danjong's accession, deposition, and exile to Yeongwol—is FACT, but the details of his life, emotions, and conversations with Eom Heung-do in the film require a separate DRAMATIZED determination.
On screen · Verified record
- On screen
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- Verified record
- Both accounts of his historical life and the director's explanation of the adaptation are confirmed.
View 2 sources
- 민중의 눈으로 본 단종에 800만연합뉴스 · Major news · Grade AOpen source →
- 장항준 감독 단종 이야기 상상력으로 채웠죠연합뉴스 · Creator interview · Grade AOpen source →
The work was introduced as a Korean commercial film that puts Danjong's story front and center.
On screen · Verified record
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- Verified record
- Yonhap News TV reported that it was the first Korean film to deal with the story of Danjong during the Joseon period.
View 2 sources
- 왕과 사는 남자 개봉연합뉴스TV · Major news · Grade AOpen source →
- 소외되고 버려진 사람들의 진짜 삶 속으로KOFIC 웹매거진 · Official record · Grade AOpen source →
CHARACTER ↔ PERSON
Characters and real people
단종
Historical personBased on a real personDanjong →
엄흥도
Historical personBased on a real personEom Heung-do →
Other related people
Jang Hang-jun
Film directorSources used
- 장항준 감독 단종 이야기 상상력으로 채웠죠연합뉴스 · Creator interview · Grade AOpen source →
- 왕과 사는 남자 개봉연합뉴스TV · Major news · Grade AOpen source →
- 민중의 눈으로 본 단종에 800만연합뉴스 · Major news · Grade AOpen source →
- 소외되고 버려진 사람들의 진짜 삶 속으로KOFIC 웹매거진 · Official record · Grade AOpen source →