South Korea's Historical Drama Draws 12 Million Viewers, Boosting Heritage Tourism
A South Korean historical drama has continued to resonate beyond theaters, with the film The Man Who Lives with the King drawing audiences that exceed 12 million. Its popularity is helping put Yeongwol, a county in Gangwon Province, on the map for visitors seeking a connection to the movie’s Joseon-era backdrop. The draw is traveling beyond Yeongwol to nearby regions, including parts of South Chungcheong Province, where viewers connect the film to historic figures and sites.
Nearby Gyeryongsan, a mountain straddling several provinces, lies beside the Donghaksa temple, where the Sukmojeon shrine sits. The shrine houses memorial tablets for King Danjong and his wife, Queen Jeongsun, as well as the tablets of Eom Heung-do and Geumseung Daegun, who are remembered for backing Danjong and for dying after attempts to restore him. The site has become a focus for visitors who want to reflect on the drama’s historical chapters.
Local residents describe a shift in attitudes toward the site since the movie’s release. Kim Eun-jin, from Daejeon’s Gayang-dong, said she initially passed Sukmojeon without much notice, but after learning more about it, she felt compelled to pause and pay respects. Her reaction mirrors a broader trend of visitors engaging more deeply with the shrine’s history.
The Sukmojeon shrine itself is tied to a long history of loyalty and dynastic politics. Its preservation reflects how communities commemorate Danjong’s era, with the film helping to illuminate the stories behind the memorial tablets and the figures who supported or opposed the king. Now, many visitors come specifically to pay respects, not merely to read signs.
The film’s reach continues with attention paid to other Joseon-era figures associated with Danjong’s fate. Among the Six Martyred Ministers, Seong Sammun is linked to a birthplace site in Hongseong, which has attracted new interest since the movie opened. The renewed curiosity about these figures underscores how a single film can broaden public engagement with historical sites across provinces.
In Cheonan, a city in South Chungcheong, officials used a humorous social-media video to spotlight the tomb of Han Myung-hoe, one of the era’s influential figures. The post attracted more than 300,000 online viewers, illustrating how digital campaigns can amplify interest in heritage sites tied to long-ago history and a popular film.
Overall, the film’s impact extends beyond entertainment. For U.S. readers, the rise of film-driven heritage tourism in Korea signals how popular culture can boost regional economies, expand cultural exchange, and create cross-border interest in history and museums. It also shows how local governments leverage social media and storytelling to connect audiences with Korea’s long historical narrative, a pattern increasingly relevant to international markets, tourism strategies, and cultural diplomacy.