Drama,Thriller,History
South Korea
King and the Clown is a South Korean historical drama film directed by Lee Jun-ik. The film was released in 2005 and was a huge commercial and critical success, becoming the highest-grossing South Korean film of all time at the time of its release.
The storyline revolves around the lives of Jangsaeng and Gong-gil, two talented street performers who are part of an entertainment troupe. Jangsaeng is a leader and mentor to Gong-gil, who is beautiful and androgynous in appearance.
Their manager, who is also corrupt and exploitative, prostitutes Gong-gil to wealthy men in exchange for money. Jangsaeng warns Gong-gil that their manager is taking advantage of him, but Gong-gil says he is willing to do anything to make money.
One day, Jangsaeng and Gong-gil get into a physical altercation with their manager, resulting in Gong-gil accidentally killing him in self-defense. Fearing for their safety, they flee to Seoul and join forces with three other street performers, forming a new entertainment group.
In Seoul, they perform a play in front of the royal court and catch the attention of King Yeonsan. The king is captivated by Gong-gil's beauty and invites him to his palace, where he becomes his personal jester.
Jangsaeng and Gong-gil's relationship becomes strained as Gong-gil becomes more enamored with the king's attention and begins to distance himself from Jangsaeng. Meanwhile, Jangsaeng begins to fall for a female performer named Nok-su.
The conflict between Jangsaeng and Gong-gil comes to a head when Gong-gil refuses to perform a play that insults the king's deceased father. The king, enraged, orders Gong-gil to be punished, and Jangsaeng must decide whether to save his friend or save himself.
The film is a beautiful and tragic exploration of power, sexuality, and relationships. The performances by Gam Wu-seong and Lee Joon-gi are outstanding, with Lee Joon-gi's portrayal of Gong-gil becoming a memorable role in South Korean cinema.
