[인터뷰①] ‘왕사남’ 제작 임은정 대표 “장항준 감독님, 이 작품 맡으면 성공할 것이라 믿었다”

In early 2026, an unexpected box office phenomenon breathed new life into Korea’s struggling cinema landscape. For the first time in roughly two years—since ‘Exhuma’ and ‘The Roundup: Punishment’ in 2024—a new film joined the elite club of ten-million-ticket sellers, becoming the 34th overall and the 4th period drama to achieve this milestone.

That film is ‘The Man Who Lives with the King’, directed by Jang Hang-jun. As of mid-March, it surpassed 12 million admissions and showed no signs of slowing down, even threatening the records of previous historical blockbusters like ‘The King and the Clown’ (12.3 million in 2005) and ‘Masquerade’ (12.32 million in 2012).

Behind this extraordinary success stands Lim Eun-jung, CEO of production company Ondaworks, whose determination brought the project to fruition.

After spending over a decade at CJ ENM’s film division—where she contributed to investment and production planning for hits like ‘Ode to My Father’, ‘Veteran’, and ‘Exit’—Lim founded Ondaworks in 2023. ‘The Man Who Lives with the King’ became her company’s debut project. She was instrumental in shaping the film’s direction, from proposing Jang as director to recommending Park Ji-hoon for the role of Danjong.

Few predicted the film’s success, yet Lim’s unwavering commitment resulted in box office numbers that surprised even her.

— How does it feel to have a ten-million-ticket film?

“I’m simply grateful. We’ve exceeded our goals by such a wide margin. Every time I meet with the director and cast, we keep saying how thankful we are.”

— What surprised you most about the film’s meteoric rise?

“Definitely the audience numbers (laughs). Given the current market climate, dreaming of ten million felt almost impossible. Two days before release, Director Jang and I discussed what would constitute success—we cautiously hoped for double the break-even point. On opening day, even that seemed out of reach. We were anxious that night. Then the numbers soared far beyond our expectations. We thought, ‘This is going completely differently than we imagined. What’s happening?’ That was the most unexpected moment.”

— Plagiarism allegations emerged amid the celebration. Your response?

“This wasn’t a floating script we picked up. We developed it from scratch. Our credits list the original concept creator, the screenwriter, the director, and the adapter. We documented everything from the first line through synopsis and treatment. All processes are backed by contracts and meeting records. Once we present these, there should be no doubt. We’ll respond sincerely to any concerns.”

The journey from 2019’s initial script to production took nearly five years and involved considerable obstacles.

— Can you clarify the production timeline?

“Some viral stories aren’t quite accurate. I didn’t leave with the script in hand. Screenwriter Hwang Sung-gu and I began planning meetings in 2019, with the first draft completed in early 2020. The project had already been shelved internally at CJ ENM, but since I’d initiated it, the writer felt it wouldn’t be right to work with anyone else. I promised him that within five years, whether inside or outside the company, I’d make another attempt to produce it. After I left the company, the writer shared the script he’d kept, and we brought it to life.”

— Why persist with a period drama in such challenging market conditions?

“It came down to promises and responsibility to my collaborators. I also had genuine affection for and confidence in the project. The story carried real meaning, and as a planner, I saw freshness in this period piece. When I pitched it to Showbox, I said, ‘This isn’t palace intrigue—it’s a people’s historical drama. How refreshing!’ (laughs) Korean period films rarely focus on ordinary people during major historical events. I also wanted to break the assumption that ‘period dramas have limited appeal, so they can’t succeed.'”

— How did Showbox come aboard?

“After founding Ondaworks in April 2023, I spent four months on script adaptation. In August, I approached BA Entertainment (co-producer) proposing Director Jang for the project. He initially declined, explaining that after ‘Rebound,’ he needed a guaranteed hit—and this was both a period drama and a tragedy (laughs). As a producer myself now, I understood completely. But a film’s value isn’t determined by ‘it won’t work.’ It’s completed when you meet someone who recognizes the story and asks, ‘How can we make this work?’ The Showbox investment team member who said, ‘This would be wonderful as a film’ gave me the courage to approach the director directly. Showbox’s willingness to partner gave us momentum.”

— There was skepticism about Jang directing his first period film without many commercial hits.

“I come from distribution and spent years in investment and planning, so I’ve had many opportunities to read the director’s work. This might sound odd, but I knew him somewhat differently than the public perception suggests. While some say his filmography lacks blockbusters, I consider him a director of consistently solid work. Most importantly, his approach to real historical figures and his mindset—I believe few Korean directors can handle it this way. I thought he’s an outstanding director, and I approached him with the ambition that if he encountered a commercially viable project with expandable meaning, he’d succeed (laughs).”

— Park Ji-hoon as Danjong and Yoo Hae-jin as Eom Hong-do were crucial. Tell us about casting.

“Hearing ‘Danjong’s reincarnation’ made me so proud. Did I really have such foresight? (laughs) Actually, Park Ji-hoon’s casting was built on securing Yoo Hae-jin first. As an industry professional, I wanted to introduce a fresh face, a new generation to Korean cinema. Everyone wants to discover new talent, but the frozen market makes it risky. With a veteran like Hae-jin as the anchor, though, we could take that chance. For Danjong—where appearance and eyes matter most—I thought of Park Ji-hoon. I’m close with the ‘Weak Hero’ production team and heard tremendous praise about him on set. After watching the series and being captivated by his image, learning he was also a dedicated actor sealed it. I recommended him to Director Jang, who immediately said, ‘His eyes are Danjong’ (laughs).”

— Your favorite scene in the film?

“The final meeting between Eom Hong-do and Hong-wi (Danjong). I still think about that day on set. As the actors mentioned in interviews, they truly couldn’t make eye contact. When they entered that room, you could feel the energy they created—even through the monitor. The entire crew was absorbed in that atmosphere, completely focused. Watching that scene brings tears, and I think, ‘We were really immersed in that moment.'”