The confusing and conspiratorial 15th ruler of Korea's Joseon Dynasty King Gwang-hae orders his councilor, Heo Gyun, to find him a double in order to avoid the constant threat of assassination. Heo Gyun finds Ha-sun, a lowly acrobat and bawdy joker who looks remarkably like the king, and just as feared, Gwang-hae is poisoned. Heo Gyun proposes Ha-sun fill the role as the king until Gwang-hae recovers fully and grooms Ha-sun to look and act every bit the king. While assuming the role of the king at his first official appearance, Ha-sun begins to ponder the intricacies of the problems debated in his court.
Masquerade features an A-list cast with Lee Byung-hun (A Bittersweet Life, I Saw the Devil)) in the front and here he does some of his best work to date. It's a brilliant film with a great balance of humor, political schemes and charm.
Genre: Drama/History
