STORY:
Definitely nothing as I had imagined. Does keep you hooked through the questioning thoughts of each scene. Many scenes I did not know whether to take it serious or see the funny side so many times I watched on in neutral until revealed. The awkwardness and uncomfortableness and fear when dealing with the king did manage to overflow into me that I myself did not dare laugh until the king did (it also helps to know that his laugh is funny) . And of course someone had to die :( ...
ACTING:
Was well believable; got nothing to add :)
SOUNDTRACK:
In honesty the soundtrack song is the reason I found out about the film :)
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As for the story, it really wasn't bad. It showed the relationship between two people who are incredible friends. The friendship between those two is what makes this movie good. The shows that the jesters put on had me laughing each time. Those are really the only two things I enjoyed about the movie.
The last half hour or so had me wondering how much longer it would be until it was finished. It just seemed to really be dragging.
Acting/Cast: Without a doubt, the saving grace of this movie.
The chemistry between Lee Jun Ki and Kam Woo Sung was fantastic. I had absolutely no trouble believing they were best friends.
When Yu Hae Jin, Jung Suk Yong, and Lee Seung Hun come in later, they're another trio of people I could easily believe were best friends.
All five of them together was endearing to watch.
Jung Jin Young is what I loved about this movie though. I've seen quite a few historical Korean dramas/movies, and he was, by far, my favorite king. He was eccentric, and it was awesome. He always seemed to be having such a great time, and it was adorable.
Music: I don't remember a single piece of music from this movie. There was the beating of drums during skits from the jesters, but that's all I remember hearing.
Rewatch Value: The cast alone, unfortunately, is not enough to make me want to ever watch this again.
Overall: Taking into account my love of the friendship storyline, the chemistry between the five main jesters, and Jung Jin Young as the king, that's what gets this movie an 8 from me.
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I did not expect to have my brain cells in gear
At the time of writing this review, I am currently on a quest of watching all of Lee Joon Gi. This is among the most accessible ones and diving into it I had no idea what I was getting into. I might be calling this a masterpiece for how much it took me off guard, since I was on an impression of a light-hearted, 2-hour immersion. Maybe it's good to not let titles fool you, just as they say to not judge the book by its cover (hah). Out of all the things this movie might impress you by, I'd say with how well the script is written it is the crème de la crème, and only the best acting gives justice to this level of writing. Overall, it inspired me to write this review to say I now understand why Lee Joon Gi became who he is after this film. But of course, everyone in the film has levelled with him (superb acting). Watched it for him, I definitely got more than what I expected.P.S. all the awards this film amassed was well-deserved.
P.P.S just wanted to add it's a film ahead of its time for its theme, and one that is timeless.
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I've watched A LOT of Kdramas in between now & five years ago when I first saw this film, & it remains my #1 favorite. Given the quality of Kdrama, in general, being at the top is a truly remarkable feat, indeed! This should be a "Definitely Watch!"
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The street performers were very good i didnt know they had things like that back then. However that guy was unusually cute that left me feelin uncomfortable, i hope he`s more manly in real life. Any how fairly decent show and can watch so go for it.
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I'm sad that people don't get the story and the beauty of this film. I think it was made supporting the LGBTQ community and to also show how the society and class order can mess someone up, be it a king or a lowly entertainer.
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Heck when I first watched it I was all like "HUH?" and did not even both to watch closely. I would've rated it a 7-8 at first.
But on the second time around when I really paid attention, it was just so much more in depth and powerful than just friendship or love. The relations between the characters, the nature of each character, the impact that one character has on another, the emotions that flow through them and their actions...
I can't even explain it properly but just know that this movie did not become a huge Korean hit for no reason.
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There are few movies that make have so beautiful feeling after watching. It makes some time that i have watched it but i still can feel the emotion that movie give me.
Since this movie, i am in love with Lee Joon Gi. Definitively a fan. What an amazing actor.!!!
I truely and strongly recommand this movie.
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Important movie for South Korean cinema, start of Lee Joon Gi stardom <3
This historical movie tells the story of a(n) actors/clowns troupe at the court of the infamous and tyrannical King Yeon San in the beginning of the 16th century of the Joseon Dynasty. I quite enjoyed discovering this rather original part of Korean history with the tale of a king and "his clown".Story-wise, I found it poetic and beautiful: it is about artist lives in trying times, mental health issues, court ordeals and much more... The pacing could have been better but I was overall pretty invested in the plot despite some of the characters' choices being quite illogical (or at least not very smart). It make sense in the context of the poetry of the film, but at the same time it can feel a bit frustrating. It is fair to say that huge gestures and statements might trumps here practical and sensible decisions.
The bromance was epic in a way but could have been pushed further as well as the interactions with the secondary characters which remained quite superficial. Still, acting-wise, Lee Joon Gi, Kam Woo Sung and Jung Jin Young are really good and solid in their respective roles with some stellar moments. A lot is left unsaid regarding the relationships and sentiments which is interesting as the viewer is really relying on the actors performances to understand the feelings rather than on the dialogs.
I loved the OST which supported so well the measured dialogs and their sporadicity, it was made of sorrowful instrumentals, fitting for the dramatic mood of the film. The production value is great, there are a lot of really amazing acrobatic scenes as well as dances / comedic / jesters bits. All the costumes, accessories and decors felt high quality (especially as the movie has been released 18 years ago, I was pretty impressed).
I would recommend this to people that are curious to see the movie that made Lee Joon Gi's talents recognised. Personally, I first discovered him in the 2005 drama "My Girl" and clearly I do not regret to have finally taken the time to go back to watch his first big movie performance for which he was particularly (and rightly so) praised for. If you like historical movies and are not afraid of a gut-wrenching poetic journey, you will likely enjoy it!
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This review may contain spoilers
Very Unique
Story:It is a great story about Joseon minstrels made more interesting in the historical background of this movie. I love how this movie is made to look like we're watching an actual Korean play. I love how the King is being humanized in this movie, showing some moments between him and a character the audience is supposed to care about, Gonggil. A lot of people mention that this movie has homosexual tendencies, and while I do agree, I'm not sure if I see it on Gonggil's side for either the King or his friend Jangsaeng. For sure, I feel Jangsaeng has some sort of feelings for him (we see him getting jealous as the king spends more time with Gonggil) and the king is definitely attracted by Gonggil's physical beauty. I supposed knowing about Gonggil and Jangsaeng's background (like their family, how either of them relate to each other's past), would help us understand whether Gonggil has attraction towards Jangsaeng or even the king, But I still give this story good points despite that since we don't need to know exactly what Gonggil feels, it is enough for the audience to know that he sincerely cares about Jangsaeng at least as a really great friend (and also somehow can understand the king's attraction to him). (9.5/10)
Acting Cast:
I noticed that all the actors seem to act as if they are in a Shakespearean play (maybe because of the way some lines are presented). Everyone is really great. Particular highlights for me are Jung Jin Young as King Yeon San and Lee Joon Gi as Gonggil, but Kam Woo Sung and the rest of the cast also did great (10/10)
Music:
Music is not very much memorable but it really fits well with this film. However, the song "Fate", which is not in the movie but is eventually associated with it, is really good and I really love it. (8.5/10)
Rewatch Value:
I usually don't give higher scores on rewatch value as most films/dramas require people not knowing everything for them to appreciate it, but I'm giving this film a perfect (10/10) for rewatch value because I feel like there are many scenes that can be understood and analyzed more for more interpretation upon rewatch . (10/10)
Overall: (9.5/10)
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hard to describe
To be honest, if it wasn't Joon ki I wouldn't even know the movie existed but here we are. I usually only watch dramas with my fav actors and watch them instead of the storyline but this one was totally different.I read some commend says it's about friendship or love, but I can't say that. Is this a bromance or love between two males? I really don't know. Their bond is beyond these words. They only have each other as a friend/family/lover/protector so it's not even important what you call it. it's just about the bond between two people.
The acting is amazing. I can't believe Joon Ki is just a rookie actor here. I felt every emotion he displayed deeply. And
Kam Woo Sung was excellent. I can't praise him enough.
The storyline was perfect. I watched it yesterday and I still think about it and can't watch anything else.
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