On a tightrope high above cobblestone streets begins one of the most beautiful and
extraordinary love stories ever filmed. You wouldn’t know it at first glance: the colorfully ragtag
acrobat-clown duo trades one filthy sex-barb after another for the crowd’s amusement,
and while its 1502 Korea, their material is shockingly raw even by today’s standards. But look
beneath the act, and you’ll see something tender brewing between the stars. Swarthy,
brooding Jang-seng, a master of eye-popping stunts, is fiercely protective of androgynous
Gong-gil, who plays the female roles and performs sexual favors for aristocrats on the side.
Hitting the road for Seoul, the pair bands together with a hilariously hapless trio of street
performers, and – thanks to Jang-seng’s chronic rebellious streak – find themselves
performing for the lunatic king, who threatens to kill them all if they don’t make him laugh.
And here the rollicking tale darkens, as the monarch’s thirst for comedic spectacle becomes
as unquenchable as his bloodlust, and his eye turns to Gong-gil. In the hands of a ravishingly
handsome trio of actors, the leads explode to life onscreen, navigating a whispered but
torturous love-triangle with heartbreaking passion. Lee Jun-ik's production is sumptuous,
with a rich tapestry of colorful costumes and swashbuckling action. In South Korea, King and
the Clown was a surprise box-office record-breaker, drawing throngs of youth who have
rightfully crowned it a cinematic milestone. Indeed, this act can’t be followed. In Korean with
English subtitles.
Career Synopsis
Lee Jun-ik was born in Seoul and studied at Sejong University. His films as producer include
The Spy (1999), The Anarchist (2000), and Hi, Dharma (2001). His directorial debut in 1993,
Kid Cop was followed up a decade later with Once Upon a Time in a Battlefield (2003). The
King and the Clown holds the record for being the highest grossing film in South Korean
history
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