Hit director Jang Hang-jun returns with cheeky audition talk show

Director Jang Hang-jun returns with The Great Hang-jun, an SBS audition-concept talk show premiering Thursday. Set in Seoul, the show follows Jang as he pitches unrefusable offers to star actors for an autobiographical movie, with Song Eun-i as production-company head and Kim Poong as assistant director. Episodes will be transformed into video using artificial intelligence technology and will stream globally on Netflix. Jang is also preparing his next film for possible production in the second half of next year.

The Great Hang-jun features Yoo Jae-myung, Lee Sun-bin and Cho Jung-seok among its guest lineup.

Producer Lee Dong-won created the show, which developed from Jang Hang-jun and Song Eun-i’s earlier talk show series Cine Mountain.

Jang Hang-jun said The King’s Warden surpassed 16.93 million moviegoers and led to regular spots on three variety shows, including Happy Together.

Jang Hang-jun said the most entertaining period for a film about his life would be from his early marriage to his directorial debut, and suggested Koo Kyo-hwan for the lead role.

The Great Hang-jun will use artificial intelligence video technology to bring its presented episodes to life.

Published Oct 15, 2026 3:16 pm KST

Jang Hang-jun, center, poses with Kim Poong, left, and Song Eun-i during a press conference for SBS show "The Great Hang-jun" at the Showking K-Pop Center in Seoul, Thursday. Courtesy of SBS

Director Jang Hang-jun — who recently joined the elite "10-million-viewer club" with his blockbuster hit "The King's Warden" — is making his return with "The Great Hang-jun," an SBS audition-concept talk show centered around him.

The cheeky audition talk show, where he pitches "unrefusable offers" to top-tier actors, is officially kicking off.

Jang, who sparked a nationwide sensation this year after "The King's Warden" surpassed 16.93 million moviegoers, playfully joked about hosting a show named after himself.

"Just because my name is in the title doesn't mean I feel a heavy burden. My mindset is more like, 'Well, it’ll work out somehow,'" he cracked during a press conference held at the Showking K-Pop Center in Seoul Thursday. "Besides, the production crew is sharp, quick-witted and went to great universities."

He added with a laugh, "I would’ve been overwhelmed doing this alone, but having Kim Poong and Song Eun-i by my side made it really fun. And to be clear, I didn't direct this — it’s producer Lee Dong-won’s work."

SBS show "The Great Hang-jun" / Courtesy SBS

"The Great Hang-jun" is a stealth audition show following Jang Hang-jun — a man whose past was at times petty and pathetic, yet undeniably brilliant — as he attempts to cast A-list stars for his autobiographical movie.

Jang meets the guests in his capacity as a director, while Song Eun-i joins as the head of the production company and Kim Poong serves as assistant director. The show has already generated buzz with a star-studded guest lineup including actors Yoo Jae-myung, Lee Sun-bin and Cho Jung-seok.

Explaining the inspiration behind the show, producer Lee shared, "Doesn't everyone love listening to director Jang's stories? I brought it up to Song Eun-i and suggested, 'What if he met actors as an actual director to talk shop?' Since he always says casting is rule No. 1 in filmmaking, we thought it'd be great to have them make a movie together."

Song, who previously produced the film "Open the Door" (2022) with Jang, added, "This is an extension of 'Cine Mountain,' a talk show series we did together in the past. Back then and even now, he remains a master storyteller who loves to playfully frame people and spin yarns out of thin air. That same world naturally expanded into 'Master Jang Hang-jun."

Episodes presented in "Master Jang Hang-jun" will ultimately be brought to life using artificial intelligence video technology. Kim said, "During script readings, the scripts were so cringey that I felt bad for the actors, but they still threw themselves into their roles."

Song agreed, adding, "They delivered top-tier performances despite the crude scripts."

When asked what kind of movie he would make if it were genuinely based on his own life, Jang replied, "I think the period from early marriage to my directorial debut would be the most entertaining. As for the lead role, Koo Kyo-hwan could capture both the lighthearted moments and the frustration well." He then quipped, "Honestly, though, I’d rather not make a movie about my life."

Following the massive box-office success of "The King's Warden," Jang secured regular spots on three variety shows, including "Happy Together."

Regarding his upcoming plans, Jang said, "I’ve started preparing for my next film. I’m hoping to start shooting in the second half of next year, but you never know in this industry.

"People in the industry seem to be on edge, wondering what I'll do next, but I hope they don't expect too much. Since when did everyone expect so much from me anyway?"

He concluded, "I just want to keep going comfortably as I always have — doing variety shows occasionally and making movies consistently. To put it in sports terms, the main goal for a baseball player is to keep playing baseball. Just like them, I want to keep making movies until the very end."

"The Great Hang-jun" premieres Thursday and will also stream globally on Netflix.

张恒俊导演携新节目《伟大的恒俊》回归，这是一档SBS电视台的选秀类访谈节目，将于周四首播。节目以首尔为背景，讲述了张恒俊导演向一众明星演员推销其自传电影的“诱人邀约”的故事。宋恩伊担任制片公司负责人，金风担任助理导演。节目将运用人工智能技术制作成视频，并在Netflix全球同步播出。张恒俊导演的下一部电影也正在筹备中，预计将于明年下半年开拍。

《伟大的恒俊》的嘉宾阵容包括刘在明、李善彬和赵正锡。

该节目由制作人李栋元创作，其前身是张恒俊和宋恩伊早期的脱口秀节目《电影山》。

张恒俊表示，《国王的狱卒》观影人次超过1693万，并因此在包括《Happy Together》在内的三个综艺节目中获得了固定位置。

张恒俊表示，如果要拍一部关于他人生的电影，最有趣的时期是从他结婚初期到他执导处女作的那段时间，并建议由具教焕担任主角。

《伟大的恒军》将运用人工智能视频技术，让呈现的剧集栩栩如生。

发布于2026年10月15日下午3:16（韩国标准时间）

周四，在首尔Showking K-Pop中心举行的SBS综艺节目《伟大的恒俊》记者招待会上，张恒俊（中）与金风（左）和宋恩伊合影。图片由SBS提供。

凭借热门影片《国王的典狱长》最近跻身“千万观众俱乐部”的导演张恒俊，即将携其新节目《伟大的恒俊》回归，这是一档以他为中心的SBS选秀脱口秀节目。

这档风格诙谐的试镜脱口秀节目正式开播，节目中他会向一线演员抛出“无法拒绝的邀约”。

今年凭借《国王的守护者》票房突破 1693 万，在全国引起轰动的张其乐融融。他开玩笑说要主持一个以自己名字命名的节目。

“我的名字出现在片名里并不代表我感到压力很大。我的想法是，‘总有一天会解决的，’”他在周四于首尔Showking K-Pop中心举行的新闻发布会上笑着说。“而且，制作团队都很精明能干，思维敏捷，他们都毕业于名牌大学。”

他笑着补充道：“如果是我一个人做这件事，我肯定会压力很大，但有金风和宋恩伊在我身边，真的很有趣。还有一点要说明，这部电影不是我执导的——这是李栋元制片人的作品。”

SBS节目《伟大的恒俊》/图片由SBS提供

《伟大的恒俊》是一档秘密选秀节目，讲述了张恒俊——一个过去有时卑鄙可怜，但又无可否认才华横溢的男人——试图为他的自传电影挑选一线明星的故事。

张以导演身份与嘉宾见面，宋恩伊担任制作公司负责人，金风担任助理导演。该节目已因邀请到刘在明、李善彬和赵正锡等明星嘉宾而备受关注。

制作人李在解释节目的创作灵感时分享道：“大家不是都喜欢听张导演讲故事吗？我跟宋恩伊提起这件事，建议他‘如果张导演以导演的身份和演员们见面聊聊电影制作会怎么样？’因为他总是说选角是电影制作的第一法则，所以我们觉得让他们一起拍电影会很棒。”

曾与张恒俊合作制作电影《打开门》（2022）的宋补充道：“这档节目是我们之前一起制作的脱口秀系列节目《电影山》的延伸。无论过去还是现在，他都是一位讲故事的高手，喜欢用轻松诙谐的方式塑造人物，并能凭空编造故事。这种独特的风格自然而然地延伸到了《张恒俊大师》这个节目中。”

《张恒俊大师》的剧集最终将运用人工智能视频技术搬上荧幕。金表示：“剧本围读的时候，剧本实在太尴尬了，我都替演员们感到难过，但他们仍然全身心投入到角色中。”

宋表示赞同，并补充道：“尽管剧本粗糙，但他们的表演依然堪称一流。”

当被问及如果真的要拍一部根据自己生活改编的电影，他会拍成什么样的电影时，张艺谋回答说：“我觉得从结婚初期到我导演处女作这段时间最有趣。至于男主角，具教焕能很好地诠释轻松愉快的时刻和沮丧的情绪。” 他接着打趣道：“不过说实话，我其实并不想拍一部关于自己生活的电影。”

凭借《国王的狱卒》的巨大票房成功，张一鸣在三档综艺节目中获得了固定位置，其中包括《Happy Together》。

关于他接下来的计划，张艺谋表示：“我已经开始准备我的下一部电影了。我希望明年下半年就能开拍，但在这个行业里，一切皆有可能。”

“业内人士似乎都很紧张，想知道我下一步会做什么，但我希望他们不要期望太高。话说回来，大家什么时候对我期望这么高了？”

他总结道：“我只想继续像以前一样轻松自在地生活——偶尔参加综艺节目，持续拍电影。用体育术语来说，棒球运动员的主要目标是继续打棒球。就像他们一样，我也想一直拍电影，直到生命的尽头。”

《伟大的恒俊》将于周四首播，并将在 Netflix 全球上线。