Brand of the Month
'The Man Who Lives with the King': Participatory Branding That Attracted 15 Million Viewers

[비즈한국] In an era where brands are remembered beyond products—through senses, experiences, and attitudes—people now prioritize what they are drawn to and what experiences they remember over what they are simply buying. Bizhankook, in collaboration with the brand community Bemyb, presents the ‘Brand of the Month’ every month. We deliver the new senses and trends captured by Bemyb to our readers and delve into the context behind why these brands are currently receiving attention.

The brand community Bemyb has selected the movie 'The Man Who Lives with the King', Nike x Skims, E-mart24, OHouse, and Branden as the 'Brand of the Month' for March 2026. The categories are 'Enjoying', 'Wearing', 'Eating', 'Staying', and 'Using', respectively. Every month, Bemyb selects noteworthy cases based on criteria such as brand identity, timeliness, differentiation, communication, and buzz.

The keyword connecting this month's selections is 'experience design' rather than mere sales. Some cases created buzz through the quality of the content itself, while others stood out by expanding brand experiences through offline spaces, pop-ups, and community touchpoints. Given that the ways brands interact with consumers are becoming more multi-dimensional, the moves of these brands serve as a cross-section of recent market trends.

Enjoying: Beyond a Movie to a Brand, ‘The Man Who Lives with the King’

Selected in the ‘Enjoying’ category, 'The Man Who Lives with the King' is the first ten-million-viewer movie of 2026 and, as of March 29, has surpassed 15.61 million cumulative viewers, ranking as the third highest-grossing Korean film of all time. While the film's quality and the cast ensemble drew attention, the meticulous marketing by distributor Showbox086980 is also cited as a key factor in its success.

A particularly notable point is the operation of the ‘Filming Chronicles’ using Notion. By revealing behind-the-scenes footage in a format reminiscent of the Annals of the Joseon Dynasty, they incorporated tools familiar to young audiences into their marketing. Offline, attempts to turn the act of watching into content itself, such as ‘Wailing Screenings’ and ‘Knitting Screenings’, continued. Such devices are credited with naturally leading to repeated viewings and voluntary viral buzz.

The movie's impact extended beyond the theaters. Interest in Yeongwol, Gangwon-do, the place of King Danjong's exile, increased, leading to higher travel demand and drawing attention to the ‘Danjong’s Path’ program and the Danjong Cultural Festival. It demonstrates the power of content to extend into regional tourism.

Wearing: Combining Balletcore and Performance, ‘Nike x Skims’

The ‘Wearing’ category selection, Nike x Skims, showcased a strong presence in the women's activewear market, led by the collaboration line between Nike and Skims. Skims promotes a brand philosophy of ‘solutions for every body’, and this collaboration featured styles inspired by the movements of a ballerina. The combination of Skims' design, which accentuates body lines, with Nike's technology is its signature feature.

The first domestic pop-up was held in Seongsu-dong, Seoul. The response was so hot that even overseas visitors flocked to it, and some products were even traded at a premium on limited-edition resale platforms. BLACKPINK’s Lisa, who participated as the campaign muse, visualized the collection's message through a video combining ballet and performance. The direction, which emphasized both elegance and strength, made the identity of this collaboration even clearer.

Eating: Making Convenience Stores a 'Space of Taste Experience', ‘E-mart24’

In the ‘Eating’ category, E-mart24 drew attention for its strategy of expanding the role of convenience stores from simple purchase channels to experiential spaces. In March, it continued its specialized store experiments by launching the ‘Dessert Lab Seoul Forest Branch’ and ‘K-Food Lab Myeongdong Branch’ in succession.

The Dessert Lab in Seoul Forest combined desserts, wine, and a terrace space, creating a structure where the 1030 generation could linger and enjoy. It also acts as a showroom through touchpoints with external brands like Our Bakery and Camel Coffee. The K-Food Lab in Myeongdong targeted foreign tourists. By placing over 170 types of ramen front and center, it turned Korean food culture into an experience where consumers choose and cook their own meals. It is a case showing that convenience stores are no longer just places you go because they are nearby.

Staying: Trading Even the Stories Behind Objects, ‘OHouse’

The ‘Staying’ category winner, OHouse, combined taste and narrative with object transactions through the ‘Story Market’ opened in Bukchon. It is a way of connecting new owners to objects that are no longer used but are difficult to discard. 12 creators active on OHouse put their own cherished items up for sale, attaching story cards that included the anecdotes behind each object. The buyer receives not just the object, but also the time that the object has passed through.

The new owner also leaves a reply. It is a structure where objects and stories move from one person's space to another. With the addition of new products recommended by the creators, the message of ‘a life with taste’ that OHouse pursues was naturally revealed. It can be seen as a plan that translates a community of taste into an offline experience, rather than a simple second-hand transaction or flea market.

Using: Telling Us Not Just to ‘Empty’, But to ‘Pack Well’, ‘Branden’

The ‘Using’ category brand, Branden, held a pop-up called ‘Travel Style’ in Bukchon from March 13 to 29. The plan focused on not just making travel lighter, but on how to better organize and utilize luggage filled with personality and taste. The space was designed to follow the flow of travel preparation, organized in the order of study, dressing room, entrance, and departure terminal.

What received the most attention on-site was the ‘Bag Exchange’. It was a method of exchanging used bags for new ones or discount benefits, which contained a message of circularity and reuse that went beyond a simple event. Considering that Branden is a brand that started with compression pouches and grew its presence in the travel organization supplies market, this pop-up can be seen as a case that allowed people to experience brand philosophy offline, beyond mere product sales.

Brand of the Month: ‘The Man Who Lives with the King’

The reason 'The Man Who Lives with the King' was chosen as the Brand of the Month for March is difficult to explain solely by its box-office success. This work stands out even more in that it didn't just become the first ten-million-viewer movie of 2026, but also designed how the audience experiences the brand outside of the film. Unique programs like the ‘Filming Chronicles’ run on Notion, and the ‘Wailing Screenings’ and ‘Knitting Screenings’, expanded content consumption into participation and sharing after the viewing. It is impressive that they made conversations, play, and repeat visits continue even after the movie ended.

The power of a brand ultimately comes from how people remember it. 'The Man Who Lives with the King' succeeded in getting audiences to voluntarily spread the story and add their own experiences, in addition to the work's quality and the cast ensemble. The fact that the film's impact spread to interest in the Danjong pilgrimage course in Yeongwol, Gangwon-do, and related programs is also eye-catching. Given that the content did not end within the theater but led to regional engagement, experiences, and the movement of a fandom, 'The Man Who Lives with the King' was enough to be named the representative brand case for March.