Masquerade 2012

     A historical drama set during Korea’s Joseon Dynasty and inspired by a mysterious 15-day gap in the history of the country during a very turbulent era.  Totalitarian King Gwanghae is afraid his life is in danger and he asks for a royal body double to be found.  Ha-seon is a village performer and peasant who looks exactly like the King.  Soon after, the King lapses into a coma and it’s discovered he has been drugged.  At first it was feared that he had been poisoned.  It’s time for the body double to start an intense training session to take the place of the King.

     This is epic in proportions with beautiful scenery of the country.  The body double has almost everyone fooled but the King’s bodyguard thinks his hands are different?  It is noticed that the King laughs more and he’s a lot nicer?  What is going to happen to the country and to the body double when the real King comes out of his coma? Takes a while to find out.  3* (This movie is OK)

131 min, Drama directed by Choo Chang-min with Byung-hun Lee, Seung-youn Ryoo, Hyo-ju Han, In-kwon Kim, Gwang Jang, Eun-kyung Shim, Myung-gon Kim.

Note:  Blockbuster 3 ½*, imdb 7.6 out of 10, 100% critic 89% critic on Rotten Tomatoes.