"The King and the Clown", a drama set in the Joseon Dynasty, hit the 5-million-viewer mark on Tuesday (Jan. 17), becoming the 12th domestic film ever to do so.
The film reached the mark in 21 days since its release on Dec. 29, and is expected to break the 8-million-viewer barrier if it maintains its current pace.
Its success is considered even more remarkable as it has beaten out the blockbusters "King Kong" by Peter Jackson and local film "Typhoon", each of which has now attracted slightly over 4 million moviegoers since their opening on Dec. 15.
Based on an acclaimed play titled "Yi", "The King and the Clown" deals with the true story of Yeonsan, a tyrant king during the Joseon Dynasty, and his favorite court jester Kong-gil with the addition of fictional accounts and characters.
Thanks to the film's popularity, the original play is on an encore run at Theater Yong in Seoul and has become the bestseller in bookstores.
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