King and the Clown

"All my life, I played at being blind. Now that I'm really blind, I'll bever get to play it again. And I was just getting good at it too."

A good movie will always make you ponder what will happen next. A better movie will not only make you contemplate about the idealism the film portrays but be moved by it as to how it depicts reality.

[Plot:Two clowns living in the Chosun Dynasty get arrested for staging a play that satirizes the king. They are dragged to the palace and threatened with execution, but are given a chance to save their lives if they can make the king laugh.]

The film King and the Clown may obviously be seen as a Korean highness and the minstrel who became his object of lust. But it actually depicts the bond between two clowns played by Jang-Seng, who always played as the king in their shows, and Gong-gil, his best clown friend and female counterpart during their stage acts. Though Gong-gil's looks may be deceiving he is actually a man that eventually entranced even the king himself.

At first it would appear that Jang-Seng's concern for Gong-gil's abuse would merely seem as a man revolted by unjust doings but you would see and feel later in the film that his relationship with Gong-gil goes deeper. They actually are more than best friends, but too risky to say as lovers. One would think that Jang-Seng is either protective or jealous about men who seek Gong-gil's beauty which is actually the reason why they always get into trouble.

The way these characters had showed their love for each actually put me into tears. It's so pure, and honest. I didn't see any pretension or suppression of whatever they're feeling for each other.

[Sure, Brokeback Mountain was something. But this film did not even illustrated a sexual instinct with the two characters. Now that's amazing. And aside from that, this movie shaked my crush meter on Jake Gyllenhaal. The King and the clown however made me at times, had a crush on Gong-gil. He was so pretty! Good thing he's really guy. haha.]

Aside from the passion elicited by the two clowns, the film also depicts the flaws found in the government and society. May it be a mad king ruling over a country or an ordinary jest blinded by money. There is always a reflection on our aspects in life, like love, friendship, society and in ourselves. This film is truly remarkable is its color, lines, acting and screenplay.

If you haven't watched it, I suggest that you do. You could watch it here:

http://www.crunchyroll.com/showseries?id=336

I should have watched this movie when it was shown in a Korean Film Fest held at UP some time ago but I failed to do so. I'm disappointed at myself not to have watched this film at its peak.