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Success of 'The King's Warden' leads to renewed interest in Cheongnyeongpo, King Danjong festival

Published: 19 Feb. 2026, 16:45

A view of Cheongnyeongpo in Yeongwol, Gangwon [YEONGWOL COUNTY]

The number of visitors to Cheongnyeongpo in Yeongwol, Gangwon, has surged more than fivefold following the box office success of the film “The King’s Warden,” which is set against the backdrop of this historic site.

A total of 10,641 tourists visited Cheongnyeongpo during the recent Lunar New Year holiday after the film’s release on Feb. 4, according to the Yeongwol Culture & Tourism Foundation on Thursday, compared to the 2,006 visitors recorded during the same period last year.

Cheongnyeongpo is a scenic spot in Yeongwol. Surrounded by the Namhan River on three sides and a mountain on one, it was King Danjong's (r. 1452-55) home after he was exiled.

The county’s signature events — the King Danjong Culture Festival and a beauty contest named after Queen Jeongsun, King Danjong’s wife — are also drawing renewed attention. Both take place annually near Cheongnyeongpo.

The festival honors King Danjong, the sixth king of the Joseon Dynasty (1392-1910), and his loyal subjects, such as Eom Heung-do, who recovered the deposed king’s body. Now in its 59th year, the festival will take place at the Unesco World Heritage site Jangneung and along the Donggang riverside from April 24 to 26.

On April 24, the Yeongwol Culture & Tourism Foundation and the county’s council of women’s organizations will jointly host the 26th Queen Jeongsun contest on the festival’s main stage.

A traditional Korean building inside Cheongnyeongpo in Yeongwol, Gangwon [JOONGANG ILBO]

To commemorate Queen Jeongsun, the contest selects a married woman who embodies “traditional beauty and grace.”

Any married woman residing in the country may apply, except those who have already been selected in the past. Participants must wear their own hanbok (Korean traditional dress), though accessories such as floral shoes, hairpins and norigae (traditional tassel ornaments) will be provided by the women’s council.

Applications will be accepted until 6 p.m. on March 27. Prospective applicants can apply by filling out a form on the foundation’s website.

Poster for the film ″The King's Warden″ [SHOWBOX]

“Thanks to the box office success of ‘The King’s Warden,’ the number of visitors to Cheongnyeongpo in Yeongwol increased significantly during this Lunar New Year holiday,” said Park Sang-heon, the head of the Yeongwol Culture & Tourism Foundation. “We will prepare the festival and contest more thoroughly and more diversely than ever before.”

Directed by Chang Hang-jun, “The King’s Warden” tells the story of the deposed King Danjong, portrayed by actor Park Ji-hoon, who spends his final days in exile in Yeongwol, accompanied by village head Eom Heung-do, played by Yoo Hai-jin, and residents.

This article was originally written in Korean and translated by a bilingual reporter with the help of generative AI tools. It was then edited by a native English-speaking editor. All AI-assisted translations are reviewed and refined by our newsroom.
BY KIM JI-HYE [[email protected]]