Director Jang Hang-jun, the mind behind the 10-million-viewer hit ‘The Man Living with the King’, may have missed out on Best Director and Best Picture, but he still walked away with the Gucci Impact Award!
The 62nd Baeksang Arts Awards took place on the afternoon of the 8th at COEX D Hall in Gangnam, Seoul, where Director Jang shared his thoughts after winning the Gucci Impact Award.
Earlier that day, the Best Director award went to Director Yoon Ga-eun for ‘Master of the World’, and Best Picture was awarded to Director Park Chan-wook’s ‘No Other Choice’. This meant ‘The Man Living with the King’, despite its massive box office success, missed out on the two major categories.
Director Jang joked, “I was so heartbroken that I didn’t win Best Director, but thank you for giving me such a great award. From now on, if I’m buying luxury items, I’ll only buy Gucci!” leaving the audience in laughter.
He continued, “I’m grateful for the bold investment during a difficult time for Korean cinema. Thank you to CEO Lim Eun-jung and CEO Jang Won-seok for first proposing this film to me, as well as the many staff members on set. Thank you to actors Park Ji-hoon, Yoo Ji-tae, Jeon Mi-do, and Kim Min for their amazing performances. Also, thanks to my best friend and fellow actor Yoo Hae-jin.”
Director Jang added, “I want to thank my father and mother for telling me ‘It’s okay, just play’ when I was a second son who couldn’t study and only liked to play. Thanks to my mother-in-law who always says ‘My son-in-law is the best’, my beloved daughter, and finally, to Kim Eun-hee, the greatest friend of my life and my most cherished partner, I dedicate this honor.”
