[Sportschosun Kim Soo-hyun] Jang Hang-jun, who became a 10-million-viewer director with the film 'The King's Warden,' revealed the text message he received from director Park Chan-wook.
The KBS 2TV variety show 'Problem Child in House,' which aired on the 3rd, featured singer Yoon Jong-shin and director Jang Hang-jun, close friends who represent the pop music and film industries and have maintained their friendship for 31 years.
Jang Hang-jun, a "10-million-viewer director" who won four awards at the Baeksang Arts Awards, unfortunately missed out on the Best Director and Best Picture prizes.
Jang said, "It was the first time in my life that I was nominated for Best Director and Best Picture. That alone made me so happy. I was rooting for another work."
Jang Hang-jun said he had been contacted by Park Chan-wook and surprised everyone by saying, "After 'The King's Warden' passed 10 million viewers, Director Park Chan-wook sent me a text."
He added with satisfaction, "He said, 'Korean cinema is going through a tough time, but you did something truly remarkable.' So I replied, 'I guess this is a day when I get praised by a director.'"
Jang Hang-jun, who said he now fears the moment he gets out of the car after becoming a "10-million-viewer director," confessed, "Many directors are afraid of the moment they step out of the car. Even world-renowned masters are the same. The assistant directors rush up as soon as they arrive in the parking lot. 'Director, how should we do this? Should we use red? Blue?'"
He explained the pressures of being a director, saying, "A famous foreign scholar once conducted a study and found that the people who make the most decisions in a day are, first, national leaders, and second, film directors."
shyun@sportschosun.com
