Opening film: The King and the Clown
16:45, 5th Sep
2005, 119 minutes, U15+, In Korean with English Subtitles
Director: LEE Joon-ik, Cast: KAM Woo-sung, JUNG Jin-young, LEE Joon-gi
Genre: Historical, Thriller, Drama, Distributor: Cinema Service, CJ Entertainment (International)
“To be up here, away from the bustle, my legs like wings would spread.”
Jang-seng and Gong-gil, a pair of male street clowns and tightrope walkers in Korea’s Chosun Dynasty, find themselves arrested for acting out a play mocking the king and his concubine. Although set to be executed, they were given a chance to save themselves if they could manage to make the king laugh. Narrowly succeeding, Jang-seng and Gong-gil were made court performers, and they started performing acts depicting the corruption within the court. However, over their time in the palace, jealousy and anger rises among Jang-seng, the king’s concubine, and the court officials as the king falls for Gong-gil. Jang-seng begs Gong-gil to flee the palace together due to the king’s increasingly worsening mental state, but Gong-gil has differing opinions. This captivating tale showcases Jang-seng and Gong-gil navigating through the dark secrets within the political world, and rediscovering friendship against all odds while challenging the tyrannical king.