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February 01, 2006
KING AND THE CLOWN: BIG IN KOREA
2005 looked like a year that would see WELCOME TO DONGMAKOL and MARRIED TO THE MAFIA 2 dominate the Korean box office, but the relatively low-budget, understated KING AND THE CLOWN crept into theaters in December, slid a quiet knife into the back of the vastly-expensive and vastly-disappointing TYPHOON, and has been creeping up the charts on little cat feet until it's at the number two spot with over 6 million tickets sold (2 million more than KING KONG and twice as many as the latest HARRY POTTER iteration).
The film, about two actors who go to prison for satirizing the King back in old timey times, is a comedy that takes a turn for FAREWELL MY CONCUBINE territory, and apparently it's not much to look at. Its success has been attributed to its script and its acting, not to any flashy special effects or the like and that is downright bizarre these days.
Darcy Paquet gives it an insightful review on KoreanFilm.org.
February 1, 2006 at 08:07 AM in News | Permalink
Comments
i saw it a few days ago in Seoul, and it was amazing. the acting was top notch and there seems to be an addictive quality to it since so many people here are going to repeat viewings
Posted by: jess | Feb 17, 2006 2:55:22 AM
My former students in Korea all liked it but maintain that its runaway popularity is due to a core of fans who go to see it 10, even 20, times. I hope it comes to the US at some point.
Posted by: Aaron | Feb 18, 2006 11:06:36 AM
Is Lee Joon-ki gay in real life and what does his popularity say about Korea today?
I keep seeing him around town on billboards and he really looks like a girl. There's one thing to look androgynous, but to outright look like a girl? I personally think this is strange. Especially in Korea where men are trying to be so macho.
There's also a very disturbing commercial where he's touting some kind of beauty drink in a room full of beautiful girls who are fawing all over him. I don't really know what's going on but he seems to be ignoring them as if to say "Your beauty doesn't affect me. I want to be the most beautiful one in the room.."
I can't wait to see King and the Clown on DVD with English subtitles!
Posted by: liza | May 27, 2006 10:42:55 PM
I really liked this movie. It was just a simple, good movie...which is relaly hard to say about a lot of movies these days anywhere.
What a lot of people fail to realize is that there a LOTS of beautiful guys (that could quite possibly pass for girls) in many countries such as Korea, Japan, and China. So no, beauty such as Lee Joon-ki's is not unusual. Having said that, I wasn't too uncomfortable watching a movie starring a guy who looks better than me ^^. As far as the above comment about the beautiful girls fawning all over him, I think that was supposed to be more of an "Oh I'm so used to this kind of reaction from women that it doesn't even phase me anymore" thing ^^.
On a more serious note, I loved this movie. It wasn't over-rated and all hyped up and was actually worth watching. This is a must see for anyone who's curious about it. I highly recommend it.
Posted by: Janelle | May 30, 2006 2:21:18 PM
i wanted to see this film for a long time, since in china mainland this movie hasn't been published. but li joon ki is so beautifull that even a girl will be shy to face him. i hope this movie will come to china soon.
Posted by: catherine | Jun 5, 2006 10:53:28 PM
really, this movie is amazing!
thanks to a site I was able to download it, and I'm really lucky to have found it.
because here in Belgium (in Europe) I don't know if I would ever have gotten my hands on it.
my brother watched the ending with me and he found it mesmerizing.
just like they said, no big special effects or anything, just a flow of pure emotions that keeps you watching...the way I like my movies!
the end made me cry and I'm sure I'll rewatch it.
a must see
Posted by: AGZ | Jun 10, 2006 8:11:35 AM
It's really greet movie. I saw Joon Ki act so perfectly. it's greet job for you.
Posted by: ludwina | Jun 13, 2006 7:02:57 AM
this show is definately great...i wanna watch one more time...hope the vcds will come out soon....it's MV is also very very niceeee....
Posted by: neyottosan | Jun 22, 2006 9:46:40 PM
Woah, you can download it? Some one has to tell me where...
Posted by: jasumi | Jun 25, 2006 12:31:26 PM
yes i really want to know too!! where you can download it.. i've been finding for it for quite a while now. thanx in advance XD
Posted by: jas | Jun 27, 2006 7:19:28 AM
I found it! You can dl it here: http://idols-unlimited.com/the-king-and-the-clown/all-comments/#comments.
Posted by: Jasumi | Jul 5, 2006 3:10:08 PM
how can we download it? i can't enter the website given ! help! =)
Posted by: lott | Jul 21, 2006 6:31:12 AM
This movie just swept the Korean Oscar last night, Best Director, Best Picture, Best Actor, Best Supporting Actor, etc. etc. record breaking!
Posted by: Eun | Jul 21, 2006 2:22:09 PM
the movie itself was ok.
but the fact that lee jung ki acted as a gay guy kinda lowered my score points for this movie.
i liked him way before i watched this && now, i'm kinda disappointed.
dont get me wrong, i still like him, its just that i had a different idea about the story at first, but then after i found out it was along the lines of homosexuality, i got uncomfortable.
&& btw, to AARON; the commerical he did w// the girls around him was about pomegranate drink.
i thought it was cute the way he sang : ]
Posted by: mkaymrxo | Aug 3, 2006 2:52:33 PM
I am a fan of Junki and in the beginning i didn't like the fact his role was girly, but once i watch the whole movie.. I LOVED it! It was funny, dramatic, and sad altogether. Junki did a great job acting, and I like him even more now. ^_^
Posted by: snake2189 | Aug 9, 2006 5:49:44 PM
I think t'is a great Korean movie! I'm loving it!
Posted by: Lee Enju | Aug 15, 2006 8:50:12 AM
Cuz of the sensitive topic of t'is movie, it's not officially released in China mainland.
http://blog.sina.com.cn/u/1435047914
Posted by: Lee Enju | Aug 15, 2006 9:06:48 AM
it's a good movie. i like it very much. and i also like the action of Lee Joon-ki and i want to know his contact address as well as his e-mail. Thanks.
Posted by: mg gangaw | Aug 26, 2006 2:57:03 AM
hi!
I want to see this movie very much. But I live in
Myanmar.I think if you show the movie in Myanmar; is a
good thing for us. I Like Lee Joon Ki very much.Please
give me his e-mail address.Thanks!
Posted by: Ying Woh htwe | Sep 2, 2006 9:13:56 PM
Yup, u shud c that movie cuz Lee Joon Ki is so amazing until make my mouth open wide. Personali, he's acting is so natural. Lee Joon Ki keep it up n try other new character cuz I reali sure want to c it.. :)
Posted by: Eza | Oct 2, 2006 8:46:08 PM
This movie is the best! I REALLY SERIOUSLY LOVE LEE JOON-KI!!! Waaa!!! His acting is really great and I really want any details on how I could contact him... e-mail address, telephone number, home address...
Anyway, I also saw him in the Korean series, MY GIRL, here in the Philippines and he looked really handsome in there. :D
Watch this movie, people!!!
Posted by: Patrisha | Dec 14, 2006 3:14:33 AM
I love you, Lee Joon Ki. You did great job. It was so touching. I watch this movie at least 2 times a day. I just obssessed to King and the Clown.
Posted by: Sara | Jan 21, 2007 1:55:11 PM
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