Domestic screenings of "The King's Warden" have wound down to barely 30 screens nationwide, and 45 days have passed since the Danjong Cultural Festival closed in the film's immediate wake — yet pilgrims are still making their way to Cheongnyeongpo in Yeongwol.
The film drew 16.9 million domestic moviegoers, ranking second all time by admissions and first by sales. The Danjong Cultural Festival, held over three days in late April, ranked among the top three domestic festivals by average daily attendance.
Despite expectations that the excitement would have faded by now, the handful of remaining movie theaters continue to draw audiences. On Wednesday — a weekday midday — visitors still lined up for the ferry to the royal exile site where King Danjong was once confined.
At 11 a.m. Wednesday, more than 10 tourist buses from Seoul, Yongin in Gyeonggi Province, Yangpyeong and Gangneung in Gangwon Province were waiting in the Cheongnyeongpo parking lot. The lot was roughly three-quarters full from the entrance, with barely a space to spare.
At the nearby Cheongnyeongpowon, a vast wetland garden, travelers and local residents were quietly taking in the red and yellow flowers in full bloom.
The 59th Danjong Cultural Festival, held over three days beginning April 24, drew large crowds of both domestic visitors and foreign tourists, hinting at the event's potential to grow into a global festival.
abc@heraldcorp.com
