Tag: Joseon Dynasty

The King and the Clown

On By randomfanreviewsIn 15+ - Teens 15 or older, 2005, 3 out of 5 stars, Bisexual Character, Consent, Death, Drama, Gay Character, historical, Jang Hang Sun, Joseon Dynasty, Jung Dae Yong, Jung Jin-young, Jung Suk Yong, Kam Woo-sung, Kang Eun Jin, Kang Sung Yun, Kim Dong Gyu, Lee Joon-gi, Lee Seung-hun, Moon Jung Soo, Palace, Park Young Soo, Royalty, Seo Seung Won, South Korea, Yoo Hae-jin, Yoon So JungLeave a comment

Movie Summary

At the height of the 16th-century Chosun Dynasty, a pair of rural male actors – boisterous, macho Jang Seng and quiet, feminine Gong Gil – travels to Seoul and team up with a struggling acting troupe. When their irreverent show, complete with enough bawdy humor and gender-bending to make a contemporary audience blush, mocks the famously hedonistic king, they get more than they bargained for. After being promptly arrested, they’re given a chance to spare themselves if they can make the king laugh. To everyone’s surprise, the ecstatic monarch loves the show and names the actors official court jesters, giving them more extravagant food and shelter than they’d ever imagined. But the king’s attentiveness to Gong Gil makes it quickly apparent that humour isn’t the only thing motivating his generosity. The king’s mistress, the country’s ministers and Jang Seng soon grow suspicious, and jealousy and anger spring from all sides. (Source)

Genre

Review

The King and the Clown is a shocking masterpiece that takes a moment to process. This movie would not make in today’s world for the fact that the comedy style for the acts in dirty and sarcastic. The actors and actresses are what make you feel what the character is going through. The two main clowns/characters had a bond that is just something people wish for in their lives, the close friendship of that make you feel like they are brothers. However, they are not brothers by blood but by choice, which is why I’m glad that the two main characters are not romantically involved with each other. You do have to read between the lines for the boy love scenes in the movie because they show the bare minimum. I identify that the background of the king is something you would read in a history book. The king’s character is someone who had thing force or taken away from him that causes the person who he is today. He is out of control at scenes which make you fear him, but he pulls you back in with the soft unseen side of him that makes you feel sorry for him. The main two characters have moments too that make you feel for them. I won’t say what, for I fear to spoil it for anyone who wants to see it. But I can give you a hint with a sentence. As much as we don’t want to make sacrifices, someone one will have for things we need to live and express ourselves. The ending was not what I expected at all. The end is all from how the audience has seen it. Would I watch it again? I feel like it something I would watch again one or two more times but not something worth bingeing over and over again.

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