Lee Byung-heon in the The Man Who Became King
by girlfriday
Just as every prince has a pauper (who also happens to be his doppelganger natch), apparently each prince-and-pauper tale has its own not-a-twin out there in the world, to keep the universe in balance. There’s Joo Ji-hoon’s comic version, I Am the King out in theaters now, and here’s a look at its darker badder big brother, Lee Byung-heon’s Gwanghae, The Man Who Became King (English title: Masquerade).
This is definitely a darker telling of the prince and pauper tale, rife with political intrigue and an epic, ominous tone, judging from the trailer. Lee Byung-heon plays both Prince Gwanghae who was the fifteenth king of Joseon from 1608 to 1623, and a commoner who looks just like him. He comes to power in an unstable time and after numerous assassination attempts are made, the king seeks someone to play his double, to safeguard his own life. Enter the pauper.
But then once the double is brought in, the king gets poisoned and falls into a coma for eight years, and suddenly the man who shares his face must step up and be king in his absence. Han Hyo-joo plays his queen, who had struggled to keep it together as her husband began to lose his reason. But one day the king seems different, and she begins to laugh again. How twisted is it if she never loved the real king but falls for the double? If this were a rom-com it’d be the sweet version where the pauper was her One True Love, but in this story, the false king seems just as dark as the real one.
Ryu Seung-ryong (Love! Him!) stars as Heo Kyun, famous politician and scholar, writer of The Hong Gil Dong Chronicles, and known for being a liberal, progressive thinker in his time. I don’t think it’s a spoiler to say he gets tried for treason and executed during Prince Gwanghae’s reign, since it’s in the history books. It’ll be fascinating to see how he figures into the story.
Directing is Choo Chang-min of Lost in Love, Mapado, and last year’s runaway feel-good hit I Love You. Writing is Hwang Jo-yoon of tvN drama Twelve Men in a Year and the Shin Mina/Ryu Seung-beom film Beast and the Beauty.
Gwanghae, The Man Who Became King premieres in September.
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Tags: Han Hyo-joo, Lee Byung-heon, Ryu Seung-ryong
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1 Birthday Girl
August 8, 2012 at 10:09 AM
Sageuks yay!
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2 Dbsklove
August 8, 2012 at 10:30 AM
Omg love the cast <3<3<3
Can't wait!!!! I actually also want to see the thieves and I am king but it's not out where I lve T^T
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Shin Haido
August 8, 2012 at 6:59 PM
yeah, me too. i can't wait to watch this movie (on youtube for sure lol). i think the storyline make me interest much.
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daniela
August 9, 2012 at 12:32 AM
Me too!I love this 3 actors so much! I 'am so sorry I can't see this in cinema here, no chance! Long live internet!
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3 kilmenyanne
August 8, 2012 at 10:31 AM
Did no one think: "Prisoner of Zenda!"
Love love love that
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ujsid
August 8, 2012 at 3:51 PM
yes you are right!! it does remind me of prisoner of zenda! :D
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4 Shinmen
August 8, 2012 at 10:44 AM
First of all, i am really looking forward to this movie, primarily because of its great cast (Lee and Ryu together). I can already imagine how Ryu´s character will fit into the story, he is going to be the one who has to keep the fake king in check while the real one is out. The pauper at some point will stop listening to him at probably execute him in the end.
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5 Tru2u
August 8, 2012 at 10:48 AM
This is going to be AMAZING!!!!!!!!! Lee Byung-Hun looks so DAMN GOOD!!!!!
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6 HK
August 8, 2012 at 10:58 AM
It's like Dave (with Kevin Kline and Sigourney Weaver), the Dark, Royal Version!
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Noelle
August 8, 2012 at 11:20 AM
Love that movie!
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7 crazedlu
August 8, 2012 at 11:10 AM
hrm. strangely thrilled for this one.
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8 rubie
August 8, 2012 at 11:19 AM
Thanks so much for writing about this, GF! Really really appreciate the write-up! <3
So can't wait for Gwanghae!!!
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9 kaddictforever
August 8, 2012 at 11:21 AM
Looks intriging!!! LBH seems to defy the natural progress called Aging...
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10 canxi
August 8, 2012 at 11:32 AM
Love saeguk movies, not so much saeguk dramas. That poster is really cool and LBH looks good!
I love dark re-tellings and I think this looks awesome.
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11 Ivoire
August 8, 2012 at 11:45 AM
Thank you!
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12 SuziQ
August 8, 2012 at 11:47 AM
Love Sageuks...and the Prince and the pauper storyline.
How come we are getting so many with the same themes lately? Don't mind as long as there is a twist.
What a fanastic cast! Must watch this one.
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13 HeadsNo2
August 8, 2012 at 12:18 PM
This. Looks. AWESOME. I miss sageuk in my life!j
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14 craziluver
August 8, 2012 at 12:49 PM
looks intense!!
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15 vivyip
August 8, 2012 at 1:03 PM
so this is like a darker version of "dave" (us movie...maybe in the 90's?)
interesting
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16 Mama J
August 8, 2012 at 1:22 PM
I could not be more on board if they NAILED me to that wagon.
Lee! Byeong! Heon!
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17 Lucille
August 8, 2012 at 1:59 PM
Does anyone remember a movie called Dave (i think it was Dave). It was about this guy who the secret service gets to pretend to be the president after the president falls ill. Segorney Weaver is the 1st lady and she falls in love with the double. It was such a corney movie, but this reminds me of that.
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18 Kwhat?!
August 8, 2012 at 2:37 PM
I just want to say thank you for the header today. Sigh. Broody shower scenes. Lee Dong Wook. They were made for each other.
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19 ujsid
August 8, 2012 at 3:59 PM
Same theme but oh so different feel about the 2 movies! will check them out both^^
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20 shin mi rae
August 8, 2012 at 4:20 PM
i remember the premise of dave the hollywood film but that was a feel good movie. this is lee byung hoon. dark and sizzling hot. im.on board. where do we watch?
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21 elle loves kdrama
August 8, 2012 at 5:01 PM
Lee Byung-heon!!! I love you! That is all.
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22 zhill
August 8, 2012 at 5:38 PM
anything with Lee Byung-heon in it is GOLD.
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Kate
August 9, 2012 at 3:56 PM
LBH is definately THE most awesome actor.
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23 bd
August 8, 2012 at 7:31 PM
This looks interesting, but there's something about Lee Byung-heon that just rubs me the wrong way.
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24 zazuki
August 9, 2012 at 2:27 AM
Dark Lee Byung Hun<3!! Ha, the first thing that I thought of when I saw the first picture was Jo Hui Bong in his emperor garb back in Hong Gil Dong!
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25 rubie
August 9, 2012 at 3:33 AM
There's an awesome new trailer out today.
Not only the serious intense Sageuk stuff but some really funny moments as well. With a touch of romance, of course. ^^
http://movie.naver.com/movie/bi/mi/mediaView.nhn?code=83893&mid=18405#tab
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rubie
August 9, 2012 at 5:25 AM
Oh.. here's the clip on Youtube, thanks to uploader and fan-sharing ^^
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=x5V84rDKhiY
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26 Parkmisoo
August 9, 2012 at 5:39 AM
Thanks for the highlight. That trailer is different from what I expected based on early photos and trailers. It makes me look forward to it even more!
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rubie
August 11, 2012 at 2:46 AM
This time DongYi (HHJ) gets to be the Queen, too. ^^
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27 oramylove
August 9, 2012 at 3:51 PM
Lee Byung Heon... I love you!!! My ultimate love!!!
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28 djin
August 9, 2012 at 6:03 PM
Reeling over the beautiful photography!
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29 Arhazivory
August 9, 2012 at 7:20 PM
Whoa....so, I really want to watch this.
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30 Kang Song Kyung
August 9, 2012 at 10:12 PM
I missed Lee Byung Hun in Dramaland!
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31 rubie
August 11, 2012 at 5:31 PM
From the US-version trailer posted by GF, the movie will be released in North America on Sept 21, a day after the Korean release on the 20th.
Lucky fans there and there! ^^
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rubie
August 12, 2012 at 12:09 AM
Oops, it'll be released in North America in October.. stated at the website.
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32 fraulein
August 13, 2012 at 6:36 AM
LbH already looks regal minus the emperor garb. He has the same toothy smile as the mad (half) brother of Kang jihwan in The Legend of Hong gil dong
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33 Ciara
August 14, 2012 at 10:11 PM
Oh. My. God.
This is going to be greatness. I can feel it in my bones.
YESSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSS.
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