A panoramic view of the baeso set near Seondol in Yeongwol, Gangwon-do, from Director Jang Hang-jun’s film ‘The Man Who Lives with the King’. Photo Showbox

San 67-1, Gwangcheon-ri, Nam-myeon, Yeongwol-gun, Gangwon-do. Designated as Scenic Site No. 50 of the Republic of Korea on December 26, 2008, Cheongnyeongpo, as a tourist destination, boasts more than 770 years of history since Danjong’s passing in 1452. Its historical value as a tourist site is now at its peak. The reason is the film ‘The Man Who Lives with the King’ (hereafter ‘Man Who Lives with the King’). Since its release on the 4th of last month, more than 80,000 tourists have visited in a month, and a so-called ‘open-run’ has begun, with visitors arriving immediately at the morning opening time.

The reason people think to go directly to Yeongwol to encounter the film’s narrative of Danjong is the appeal of the spaces themselves. The force of the spacessuch as the baeso, Danjong’s place of exile in the film, and the village of Gwangcheongolwas the art team’s domain. At the center is production designer Bae Jeong-yoon, who handled the art for works like ‘Samjin Company English Class’ and ‘Call’, which depicted the 1990s. Although it was not the actual historical Cheongnyeongpo but a set assembled near Seondol, a 10-minute drive away, Director Bae finds all this fervor amazing and is grateful. He shares the power of the film’s art and the sweat and effort of those who labored to create it.

Behind-the-scenes image from Director Jang Hang-jun’s film ‘The Man Who Lives with the King’. Photo Showbox

- Congratulations on reaching 10 million admissions.

“I feel great. Since becoming a main production designer, it is my first time achieving such a record, so I am a bit dazed. When I was an assistant, films like ‘The Thieves’ and ‘The Face Reader’ were very popular too, but this feels different.”

- It was a set actually built in Yeongwol. You must also be sensing Cheongnyeongpo’s recent popularity.

“The actual place of Danjong’s exile also serves as a tourist site, so it is respectable and largely built up, but in the film I wanted the baeso to be a bit shabby. I thought we should carry over the scenery while reducing the scale. The most important thing was to find a location along a river. The production department traveled all over the country and worked hard, and in the end the Dong River was the right fit. Yeongwol County also helped us a lot. It is fascinating that people are taking an interest not only in the film but also in history. On the other hand, it is a bit regretful that, although it was a good set, it was in a place where buildings are not supposed to be erected, so we had to tear it all down.”

A view of Seondol near the baeso set that serves as the backdrop in ‘The Man Who Lives with the King’. Photo Showbox

- What kind of building did you envision for Danjong Yi Hongwi’s baeso?

“It was important to define its character. The premise was that it was an abandoned place, not a new house built by the people of Gwangcheongol. As we thought it through, since it was isolated, we felt it would be good if it were the kind of house a shaman might live in. Once that concept was set, things fell into place. We added a gate in the Gangwon-do style, designed it so Seondol could be seen, and paid attention to structures like a low wall through which the river beyond would be visible.”

- It was a spot with a clear view across the river.

“It was not originally a place where you build houses. We wanted the feeling of a house in front of a cliff, so we cleared out all the scrub, piled up earth, and even made a ferry landing, starting from ‘zero base’. We actually built the residence itself, and tearing it down and restoring the site to its original state was not easy either.”

Outdoor set image from ‘The Man Who Lives with the King’. Photo Showbox

- What aspects of the production design did you focus on?

“The houses we know from the Joseon era are often thatched. Because the setting is a mountain village, we replaced them with neowa roofs (roofs covered with wooden boards). Norugol is a village deeper in the mountains, so we set it up as a hunting-centered space and furnished it with red meat and hunting tools. Gwangcheongol, though mountainous, sits by a river, so we thought they would also fish, and we added nets and such implements.”

- Any moments from working with the actors on set that left a strong impression?

“Mr. Yoo Hae-jin suddenly wanted to ad-lib the line ‘Eoduilmi·Fish heads taste best)’, so we rushed to procure fish. He wanted a scene of chewing on radish, so we hastily prepared a knife and radish as well. Because of the ad-lib we suddenly needed things on the spot, but thanks to it we got a fun scene. We suffered during the shoot because of the weather, and among the staff we joked, ‘Maybe it is because we did not pay proper respects to Danjong,’ but with the film becoming a hit and receiving so much love like this, we are at a loss for words.”

Props image of Danjong Yi Hongwi’s dining table in ‘The Man Who Lives with the King’. Photo Showbox

- As a production designer, what do you consider most important in the work?

“I believe coordination with other staff is crucial. It is not enough that we build sets; the acting is done by the actors, and the filming is done by the camera crew. In the end, I am filled only with gratitude that a film created through such processes has come to be loved. I can hardly think of any other way to express it.”