Being King bears a heavy weight. You have to care for your subjects as well as maintain your family life. While at the same time, you also have to wonder who is after your throne? Is it your son, wife, consort, or general? The list goes on and on. It is truly a heavy head that wears the crown.
Here are five Korean films that shows sometimes it isn’t so great to be King.
Which one is your favorite? Let me know in the comments below!
1.Masquerade
What’s It About: For the past eight year, King Gwang-Hae has ruled. He has ordered his defense secretary, Hyo Gyun, to find a double in order to avoid the constant threat of assassination. Heo Gyun finds a clown that performs in lewd shows in front of drunken noblemen. Ha-Sun is taken to the royal palace without any explaination. In a few days, just as King Gwang-Hae feared, he is drugged. Heo Gyun proposes Ha-Sun fill the role until the King recovers. Slowly, Ha-Sun’s gentle personality comes out and the King’s inner court begins to notice. Questions start to arise from everyone around him. Which one is the better ruler and who will keep the throne?
Starring: Lee Byung-Hun, Han Hyo-Joo, Seung Ryong-Ryoo
Where To Watch: Apple TV, Amazon Prime Video
Watch The Trailer Here:
2.Fengshui
What’s It About: In Joseon, geomancers help people find lucky sites for homes, stores and even graves. Park Jae-Sang is a royal geomancer. He loses his family because he exposes the powerful Kim Byung-Ki. Park Jae-Sang learns Kim Byung-Ki is looking for a gravesite that would make his son the King. The one that occupies the site would rule the world. Park starts to plan his revenge. He is joined by Heung-Seon, a faithful friend of the King. Together the two try and stop Park Jae-Sang from taking the throne by finding it first.
Starring: Cho Seung-Woo, Ji Sung, Moon Chae-Won
Where To Watch: Tubi, Plex, Amazon Prime Video
Watch The Trailer Here:
3.The King And The Clown
What’s It About: Set in the late 15th Century during the reign of King Yeonsan, two street clowns, Jangsaeng and Gong-Gil are a part of an entertainment troupe. After getting in trouble, the pair flees to Seoul where they form a new group with three street performers. While performing a skit mocking the King and his new concubine, the troupe gets arrested for treason. Jangsaeng makes a deal with one of the King’s consort. Make the King laugh or be executed. Soon the duo finds themselves wrapped up in a world of deciet, lust, jealousy and anger.
Starring: Lee Joon-Gi, Kam Woo-Sung, Jeong Jin-Yeong
Where To Watch: Currently Unavailable For Streaming In US
Watch The Trailer Here:
4. The Throne
What’s It About: King Yeongjo wants to be perfect King due to his tarnished background. His mother was from a lower class and there is a rumor that he killed his older brother to become King. In his older age, King Yeongjo has a son, the Crown Prince Sado. The King has high expectations for his son, but the Crown Prince would rather focus on his paintings and own studies. Over time Sado becomes more and more erractic and the KIng becomes concerned. After the passing of his mother, the Crown Prince kills a palace eunuch. The King can stand no more and deems Sado unfit to rule and condemns him to death by being locked in a rice chest for eight days.
Starring: Yoo Ah-In, Song Kang-Ho, Moon Geun-Young
Where To Watch: Tubi, iQiyi, Rakuten Viki
Watch The Trailer Here:
5. The Face Reader
What’s It About: Nae-Gyeong is the son of a disgraced noble family . He goes around Joseon as a gwansang expert. He is able to assess the personality, mental state and habits of a person simply by looking at them. Nae-Gyeong lives in seclusion with his son and borther-in-law. One day an attractive gisaeng named Yeon-Hong offers Nae-Gyeong a lucrative deal. He accepts her proposal only to get involved in a murder case. Nae-Gyeong is successful in identifying the murderer and his skills get noticed by King Munjong. While at the palace, Nae-Gyeong gets involved in a power struggle between Grand Prince Suyang and General Kim Jong-Seo, a high-ranking loyalist to King Munjong.
Starring: Lee Jung-Jae, Song Kang-Ho, Lee Jong-Suk
Where To Watch: Currently Unavailable For Streaming In US
Watch The Trailer Here:
