Masquerade

Released Sep 21, 2012

2h 11m

History

Drama

List

100%

9 Reviews

Tomatometer

89%

1,000+ Ratings

Audience Score

Though it places his own life in danger, a look-alike commoner (Lee Byung-hun) secretly takes the place of a poisoned king to save his country from falling into chaos.

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Den N

I have visited the Korean Palace that part of the movie was filmed in. The costumes are beautiful and the cinematography stunning.

Rated 5 out of 5 stars

12/31/23

Full Review

Michael S

Very well made movie with a intriguing and heartwarming story. Highly recommend watching!

Rated 5 out of 5 stars

06/25/23

Full Review

Audience Member

The best Korean movie.

Rated 5 out of 5 stars

02/13/23

Full Review

Audience Member

Great movie showing court life and all its intricacies as well as the weight of being royalty. Highly recommend it. Besides, it stars Lee Byung-hun. :)

Rated 5 out of 5 stars

02/26/23

Full Review

Joel C

How nice are the colors and set pieces and the food and pretty much everything you see. The filmmakers did an outstanding job by using the Jester as the eyes of the audience to enter the King's world of this dynasty period. The emotional ques, the comedic timing, and the character arc is spot on and brought to life by the talented cast. Masquerade is a pleasure to watch.

Rated 5 out of 5 stars

03/25/21

Full Review

Audience Member

Korean cinema has really improved a lot and I hope Hollywood can improve

Rated 5 out of 5 stars

02/24/23

Full Review

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Choo Chang-min

Director

Lee Byung-hun

King Gwang-hae

Han Hyo-joo

Queen

Ryu Seung-ryong

Heo Gyun

Kim In-kwon

Do

Jang Gwang

Eunuch

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Marjorie Baumgarten

Austin Chronicle

Competently directed, the real pleasure in this high-grossing South Korean film lies in its performances, which lighten the regal solemnity with comic warmth.

Rated: 2.5/5

Mar 15, 2013

Full Review

Bill Goodykoontz

Arizona Republic

There are plenty of antecedents for the story, like "The Prince and the Pauper" and "Dave." But what it lacks in originality, it makes up for in Lee's performance.

Rated: 3.5/5

Feb 7, 2013

Full Review

Anton Bitel

Sight & Sound

a somewhat sentimental tale of royal intrigue and romance; a crash course on the claustrophobic, often bizarre details of courtly life; and a showcase for the acting talents of Korean superstar Lee Byung-hun, in dual roles.

Nov 30, 2012

Full Review

William Schwartz

HanCinema

Even though Ha-sun is impersonating a King, it's the small changes he makes that cause the most dramatic impact.

Nov 16, 2019

Full Review

Elias Savada

Film Threat

Following in the long tradition of lavish Asian epics, this new South Korean entry is a beautiful addition to the genre of period prince-and-the pauper themed films.

Rated: 3.5/5

Jun 6, 2013

Full Review

Marc Mohan

Oregonian

As entertainment, it's a decidedly unstuffy costume drama that's compelling to the end.

Rated: B+

Feb 14, 2013

Full Review

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Synopsis

Though it places his own life in danger, a look-alike commoner (Lee Byung-hun) secretly takes the place of a poisoned king to save his country from falling into chaos.

Director: Choo Chang-min
Screenwriter: Hwang Jo-yun
Distributor: CJ Entertainment
Production Co: CJ Entertainment
Genre: History, Drama
Original Language: Korean
Release Date (Theaters): Sep 21, 2012, Limited
Release Date (Streaming): Jan 5, 2017
Box Office (Gross USA): $922.6K
Runtime: 2h 11m

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