Rijndri Load of rubbish!!

Aubrey Hackett While it is a pity that the story wasn't told with more visual finesse, this is trivial compared to our real-world problems. It takes a good movie to put that into perspective.

Anoushka Slater While it doesn't offer any answers, it both thrills and makes you think.

Deanna There are moments in this movie where the great movie it could've been peek out... They're fleeting, here, but they're worth savoring, and they happen often enough to make it worth your while.

Asri Dini Honestly, despite my love for korean movie / series, I'm not a fan a sageuk genre. They tend to bore me to tears because sometimes I have no idea their background and I don't know South Korean history. It might be this movie will have a first draw to people like me who doesn't like sageuk genre at all and start to appreciate the genre. If there is one thing this genre brought me to tears, It's the circumstance surrounding the citizen and how they crave about how a great KING will lead them. Lee Byung Hun really nail it as a KING and the pretending one. Which led you to think even if have already A King, Do you really thing your subordinate think you as one? There is abit naivety behind it, but it's very entertaining movie and worth a try to bring you joy for the first time on sageuk genre.

dirtyharry_007 This is my first review. I've been a member since nearly 3 years and never has any movie compelled me to write something about it. I'm personally a huge fan of Byung-hun Lee's work. He's such a talented artist. I'm glad he's finally getting some good work in Hollywood. Masquerade is a movie that's not for everyone. But once you watch it with your heart, you'll fall in love with it. The movie has some quite funny parts too. This movie is truly inspiring to any aspiring filmmaker . The acting is amazing. The story is brilliant. The direction is flawless. There were many scene which made me quite emotional. I just can't help it without praising Byung-hun Lee's acting abilities. The music, the acting, the direction, the story and especially the cinematography fits in perfectly in the movie like a fully completed puzzle board and boy what a beautiful puzzle board it is. I believe Hollywood should take notes watching this flick. I don't speak Korean. I don't even understand it. I watched this movie by using subtitles. Still, i din't need to understand the language to feel their emotions. I'm surprised this film wasn't nominated for the Oscars in the foreign film category. The director Chang-min Choo deserves a lot of praise for his work on this movie. This is the kind of movie everyone should watch at-least once before they die.

Yogesh Prabhu It's a period drama called "Masquerade", also as "Gwanghae – the man who becomes the King". It is a real story of an infamous tyrant king, but he was a good politician who helped restoring his country which had been ravaged by the war with Japan and also secured the country from the Qing Dynasty of China for a while through his practical diplomatic policies. Now he is mostly regarded as a wise king unluckily stuck in the domestic political feuds which turned out to be the main cause of his undoing, and many historians say Joseon would have not suffered two disastrous invasions by the Qing Dynasty if he had not been dethroned by a coup in 1623.We can witness many resemblances of "Kagemusha"(1980) and "Dave"(1993) in Masquerade. As getting involved in the political feuds at his court, King Gwanghae(Lee Byeong-heon), has been nervous about possible assassination attempts, so he needs a double for protecting him from constant danger. The king's adviser, Heo Gyun(Ryoo Seung-yong), finds a suitable man for the job. He is a clown named Ha-seon(also played by Lee Byeong-heon), and he has been earning a living through his silly antics imitating the king in front of people. Ha-seon got trained and adequately does his job as ordered while the real king is having his own private time outside the court, but he is soon assigned with a far greater task. The real king suddenly loses his consciousness due to poison, situation becomes worse and Heo Gyun demands Ha-seon to disguise himself as the king for a while to deceive others at the court. Ha-seon is reluctant, but he quickly accepts his plan because he is promised that he will be paid well. The feel is good to see a Jovial type king rather than a stern, under the guidance by Heo Gyun and the king's eunuch. As Heo Gyun instructed before, all he has to do is just sit in the King's chair and act like him. Though the people at the court are a little confused by sudden changes in His Majesty's behaviors, Ha-seon playing really good. Even the Queen and his personal bodyguard believe him, but Ha-seon crossed his line this creates an enmity between the haters in the own courtyard. Even though he belongs to a lower caste, but he is a smart guy who can read and learn, so he becomes more active than before at the council with his high-ranking officials.As we awaiting eagerly the king regains the consciousness and it makes the situation Orphic and it heads to a terrific climax. Lee Byeong-heon, Ryoo Seung-yong and some part timers really build the film in to a Class.TWO THUMBS UP!

aldri-feb 'Masquerade' is kind of movie that is hardly to find weakness from it. It is so beautiful and entertaining from the beginning through the end. The first half of the movie is about how Ha-seon adapts in palace environment which is interesting to see and sometimes really funny, and the last 45 minutes of the movie is just so tense. This is an example movie that is handled by professional cast and crew members. Chang-min as director built a dazzling and powerful movie, the cinematography is beautiful captured and solid frame by frame, the make-up and costume design are also did their responsibility well. Cast member also had done an incredible part especially Byung-hun as King Gwang-hae and Ha-seon. His name has already known internationally as a tough fighter in 'G.I. Joe series' and will be in 'Red 2' too but you wouldn't find him acts like in this kind of movie, it's totally worth to see. Byung-hun acts really convincingly as two different character here, a serious charismatic king and a naughty lazy comedian. Without the right guy who plays exceptionally in the main role, this movie wouldn't be that great. Overall, 'Masquerade' is a serious making movie with great storyline and strong performances although the ending is not so extraordinary. No wonder 'Masquerade' is appreciated and so successful in South Korea which it well deserved.