Le roi et le clown

It is difficult to compartmentalize "The King and the Clown". It is part drama, part comedy, part forbidden love story and part artistic freedom struggle all combined into a wonderful period movie. One of the best things I liked about this movie is that all the characters are shades of gray. Whether it is the King or the clown, you find yourself agreeing with them at one point and rooting against them at the next.

It starts at a very light note and becomes dramatic towards the end. But it never becomes preachy or soapy. There are no explicit messages here. This film has a homosexual angle so I was surprised to read that it was a big hit in Korea. I guess a good movie can triumph against all odds. A must-see for all cinephiles.

King Young San was perhaps the most infamous tyrant in Korean history (or perhaps the most well known). He showed sociopath tendencies even as a child(hurting animals and such)but what drove him over the age and started his tyrannical reign was his discovery of the circumstances under his mother died.

His mother Yoon, was the King's favorite concubine. She was falsely accused of plotting to kill her rivals and ordered to drink poison by the king. The circumstances of her death were kept a secret until King Young San found out by accident. Upon his discovery, he was seized with sorrow and rage, and put to death or exiled anyone who was responsible of his mother's death. Even those those who didn't strongly oppose her execution were put to death.

Although he is portrayed as a terrible dictator, his love for his mother and the terrible pain her death caused adds an extra dimension to his tyrannical reign.

It is interesting to note (according to the movie) his bringing the clowns into the palace and having them perform those skits was what drove his ministers into a rebellion.

anyone anywhere that gets the opportunity to see this movie on the big screen must absolutely do so!! as a Korean i'm quite critical about films from my home country. i personally think this is another movie my country's created that will live up to international standards and expectations. it has made me prouder to be a Korean. i won't say anything about the storyline except that it was a new perspective in looking at the Korean history of that era, and has brought a new dimension to productions based on Korean history. the acting, sound, costume and of course story all fit together like a beautiful jigsaw puzzle made complete. i'm just worried the incredible script won't be translated properly across to the world.

people everywhere, please watch this movie if you get the chance to. you won't regret it. i've already seen it four times on the big screen. now i'm just waiting for the DVD to come out (i hear they're going to release the full 4 hour version)

This is an amazing film, it has everything in it, the visuals are beautiful, the soundtrack fits the film perfectly and the acting is amazing! i was so struck by this film and it was so emotionally charged it brought tears to my eyes. This film has no big name actors but it's appeal is it's simple universal storyline, the subtle yet powerful relationship between Gong-gil and Jaeng-sang. Even though this film has no big name actors in it, watch out for Lee jun ki who is amazing in this film he was partly the reason this film did so well, you will love him after watching this film ^^

don't be scared off by the homosexual theme, there are no sex scenes and all the homosexuality is implied.

all in all I CANNOT RECOMMEND THIS FILM ENOUGH!

This is one of the most powerful Korean movies that I've seen in my entire life. The story of The King and the Clown, (왕의 남자) is an artful tale of entertainers that dare to mock the King, and then are brought to the palace. Though well-known for the gay-themes that the movie brings, it is only implied, and not the sole purpose of the story. It deals with corruption in the high court, the art of entertainment and survival.

Although the script, cinematography and etc. are done masterfully to successfully bring the audience back to the Joseon Dynasty in which our story is set, its main attractions are the characters that are beautifully portrayed by actors Kam Woo-Seong, Jeong Jin-Yeoung and, last but Definitely not least, Lee Jun Ki. Jeong Jin-Yeoung plays the slightly deranged tyrannical King, scarred from his mother's early suicide forced upon by his court ministers, who later becomes obsessed with one his new entertainers, Gong-gil (Lee Jun Ki). Kam Woo-Seong, who plays Jangseng, the leader of the troop, managed to win a DaeJong award (equivalent to an Oscar) for his role, while Lee Jun Ki, for his brilliant acting that brought tears to his audiences, as well as his beauty that surpasses most girls, became an instant (and extremely popular) success.

I highly recommend watching this film. The end brings the audiences heart-rending tears, and empty wallets from watching it about 20 times. It is that. good.