[Movie 2012] Gwanghae, The Man Who Became King 광해:왕이된 남자 Masquerade

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Source: The Korea Herald



Masquerade (Korea)

Opened Sept. 13

Drama. Directed by Choo Chang-min. In the midst of a gruesome fight over the throne during the Joseon Dynasty, fear and wrath drives King Gwanghae (Lee Byung-hun) to concoct a plan for his own survival. He orders his councilor, Heo Gyun (Ryoo Seung-ryong), to find him a double to avoid the constant threat of assassination. Heo Gyun finds Ha-sun (Lee Byung-hun) in a crowd at a street market. With an appearance like the king and striking eloquence, he mimics the king perfectly. Heo Gyun orders him to disguise himself as a king. Ha-sun learns to walk and speak like the king, as well as the relevant politics and attitude. The deception continues and Heo Gyun becomes moved by the affection and genuine concern Ha-sun shows for the people. But trouble begins when Ha-sun starts speaking for himself.

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September 20, 2012

Korean blockbuster MASQUERADE heads for US release

Posted by Deljhp at 24framespersecond.net via IMDb

Nothing like giving us the info on a release at short notice, but we’ve just been tipped that Choo Chang-min’s Lavish historical Korean film, MASQUERADE, opens theatrically in the U.S tomorrow.

The film just opened on Sept. 13th in Korea and is #1 at the box office, with over 50% of all moviegoers attending the film. So if sumptuous eye candy historical epics are your bag, be aware it starts its run from Friday Sept. 21 at CGV Cinemas in L.A.

Synopsis: Amid national chaos and fear for his life, tyrannical King Gwanghae orders his trusted councilor Heo Kyun to find a royal body double. He hires Ha-seon, a peasant mimic who bears a perfect resemblance to the King. When King Gwanghae collapses from a mysterious poison, Ha-seon reluctantly becomes a King. He must follow his conscience to save his country from collapse, avoid assassination, and pull off the biggest masquerade in history.

Source: Asian Movies n More Facebook 
LOS ANGELES, CA - SEPTEMBER 14: A general view of atmosphere at a Film Independent At LACMA Screening Of "Masquerade" at Bing Theatre At LACMA on September 14, 2012 in Los Angeles, California. (Photo by Amanda Edwards/WireImage) 2012 WireImage

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September 21, 2012
MASQUERADE – The Review
Source: We Are Movie Geeks

Korean actor Lee Byung-hun has had greater crossover success into American cinema than possibly anyone else from the field, but he’s still quite active in his home country. MASQUERADE features Lee not only in his first historical film, but in a dual role, to boot. It’s a great chance for him to try his hand at acting regal and dramatic. And the movie he’s chosen more than lives up to him.
MASQUERADE takes place in the early 1600′s, during Korea’s Joseon dynasty. Lee plays both King Gwanghae, ruler of the land, and Ha-seon, a lowly jester. When the politics of the royal court begin to take violent turns, the King, fearing for his safety, hires Ha-seon, who bears an uncanny resemblance to him, to act as a double. When the King falls deathly ill due to poison, his Chief Secretary, Heo Gyun (Ryoo Sung-ryong), has Ha-seon begin to play the King directly, hoping to avoid disarray in the court. Ha-seon must learn on the fly to properly impersonate the King, and along the way, evolves from passively doing as Heo Gyun tells him to actively directing policy. As a peasant, Ha-seon has a greater heart for the people than anyone else in the court, and he begins to change the way things are done. Unfortunately, some of the King’s enemies catch on to this seemingly inexplicable shift in attitude, and circumstances begin to close in on Ha-seon.
The film is as lush and lavish as a period drama should be, although the restrictions of its budget means that most of the action takes place within the confines of the palace. Even though Ha-seon is changing the country, we don’t get to see those changes implemented on any kind of wide scale. But the palace is the perfect setting for suspicious maneuvering and political intrigue, which runs rampant through the story, and the film masterfully keeps us on top of all the changes in the balance of power.
It’s also an extremely funny movie, since, despite the themes of identity and responsibility, it is at its heart a fish out of water story. Ha-seon must adjust to having his every need catered to him, and the film is willing to depict how even the least pleasant… bodily aspects of a King’s day go. It may be a costume drama, but there’s no sense of dignified rigidity here at all, and that’s refreshing.
Lee is terrific here. Since the King is unconscious for most of the film, he doesn’t have to invest much in that character, nor must he do much acting against himself. But in Ha-seon, he builds a small man who gradually comes to fill in the tremendous task assigned to him. His transformation through the plot, from puppet to true leader, is wonderful to watch. The supporting cast is excellent as well, especially Ryoo as the weary Chief Secretary, who must bear Ha-seon’s hayseed naivete with stoic patience. He’s the epitome of the resolutely competent bureaucrat.
MASQUERADE is fun, funny, lovely to look at, and, more than once, quite touching. There is at its heart a message about how misrule comes from an inability to understand the needs of a people. It’s a lesson that any leader, in any country, in any time, could stand to listen to. Gwanghae was a real figure, and while he (probably) wasn’t secretly replaced with a double, he is renowned as the Joseon King with the most compassionate and fair attitude towards his subjects. Perhaps all the world leaders really should be switched with lookalikes.
Photo courtesy CJ Entertainment.

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September 22, 2012
Source: https://twitter.com/pierceconran
'Masquerade' #1 at Box Office and Novel #1 Best-Selling Source: Nate 

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September 22, 2012
Won dong yeon(원동연) @Shywdy
Just finished the 2nd weekend Stage Greeting of Gwanghae. The audience are happy.. we are happy! ^^

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  Last weekend, actor Lee Byung Hun walked the red carpet at the Los Angeles premiere of his first historical drama film ‘Masquerade‘ (Korean title: ‘Gwang Hae: The Man Who Became King‘). ‘Masquerade’ opened in select theaters across North America on Friday, September 21.

  —

  > Plot Synopsis

  ‘Masquerade’ is written by ‘Old Boy‘s co-writer Hwang Jo Yoon and is directed by Choo Chang Min. The film is based on the contrasting reputations of the fifteenth king of the Joseon Dynasty, King Gwang Hae. During the eighth year of King Gwang Hae’s reign, the palace journals quoted the king saying, “Do not put on record what is meant to be hidden,” with two weeks of missing journal entries. ‘Masquerade’ dwells on one possible scenario that may explain the differing reputations and the missing journal entries.

  

  Lee Byung Hun (‘I Saw the Devil‘, ‘Iris‘) stars as both King Gwang Hae and low-class performer Ha Seon. As King Gwang Hae’s life is being threatened within the palace, he directs his chief royal secretary Heo Gyun, played by Ryu Seung Ryong (‘All About My Wife‘, ‘Personal Taste‘), to find someone who looks just like him to serve as a temporary body double.

  When the king suddenly falls ill due to a mysterious poison, his body double Ha Seon is asked to secretly substitute for the king by Heo Gyun. Ha Seon is guided by Heo Gyun and the king’s chief eunuch Jo, played by Jang Kwang (‘Crucible‘), in how to behave like the king. But as Ha Seon gradually begins to step into political situations, he starts to make decisions that are unlikely to be made by King Gwang Hae, which causes a stir among his enemies within the palace.

  Other notable mentions include actor Kim In Kwon (‘Quick‘, ‘My Way‘), who stars as the king’s suspecting bodyguard Captain Do, actress Han Hyo Joo (‘Only You‘, ‘Dongyi‘), who plays the withdrawn Queen, and actress Shim Eun Kyung (‘Romantic Heaven‘, ‘Sunny‘), who stars as Sawol, the king’s food tester.

  ===

  > My Opinion (Note: This reflects the opinions of the author, and not necessarily those of allkpop.)

  The concept of a switch up between two people of significantly different backgrounds is not new. You have probably seen it or read about it many times before. However, the creators of ‘Masquerade’ did an excellent job in retelling the story using historical Korean palace life and by combining comedic and dramatic elements.

  In a recent interview, Lee Byung Hun expressed his concern with regards to the many comedic scenes in the film, calling them “risky”. I understand why he would be concerned since there is a multitude of comedic scenes. However, they were well woven into the dramatic movie. Also, Lee Byung Hun is an actor known for his more serious roles in films such as ‘I Saw the Devil’ and ‘A Bittersweet Life‘, but he proved to be quite the comedian in ‘Masquerade’.

  

  He showed off the depth of his acting ability in ‘Masquerade’ by playing what appeared to be more like three distinct characters: the tyrannical King Gwang Hae, the playful and curious Ha Seon, and Ha Seon’s depiction of King Gwang Hae. I believe Lee Byung Hun thoroughly developed each character from their tone of voice to the nature of their footsteps. I was never confused with regards to who he was playing. In fact, King Gwang Hae (and Ha Seon’s depiction of the king) and Ha Seon were such distinctive characters that I would often forget that they were being played by the same actor.

  Speaking of footsteps, the filmmakers cleverly utilized both the sound and nature of footsteps to create the mood of various scenes. For instance, the quick shuffling of the court ladies, the spirited strides of Ha Seon, and the heavy sorrowful steps of the queen.

  Overall, ‘Masquerade’ was very engaging and entertaining with laughs and tears from beginning to end. The actors and cinematography were top notch, making the film’s unoriginal theme seem fresh. Viewers are also able to learn about the different roles within the Korean palace and the expectations of Joseon dynasty kings. I’d recommend this film to anyone interested in Korean palace life, but be aware that this movie really walks the line between comedy and drama.

  ===

  ‘Masquerade’ will be showing with English subtitles at the following locations beginning on Friday, the 21st of September.

  Los Angeles, CA – CGV Cinemas
  Seattle, WA – AMC Alderwood
  Houston, TX - AMC Studio
  Dallas, TX – AMC Grapevine Mills
  Philadelphia, PA – AMC 309
  New Jersey – AMC Ridgefield Park
  New York – AMC Empire
  Las Vegas, NV – Century Suncoast
  Chicago, IL – AMC Showplace Niles
  Atlanta, GA – AMC Colonial
  Toronto, ON, Canada – Cineplex Odeon Yonge & Dundas
  Toronto, ON, Canada – Cineplex Odeon Sheppard
  Vancouver, BC, Canada – Cineplex Silvercity Coquiltam
  Honolulu, HI – Consolidated Pearlridge

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September 23, 2012
'Masquerade' Reaching 3 million Audience Admission after 10 Days of Release
Source: Nate
광해, 왕이 된 남자 ‏@newking_2012광해 일요일 무대인사 생중계 ★ 300만 돌파는 떡케익과 함께! 이 떡케익에 300만돌파의 주역! 관객분들을 향한 메시지가 담겨있답니다~ 관객여러분~ 성은이 만극하옵니다~ yfrog.com/nys7qhhj
광해, 왕이 된 남자 ‏@newking_2012광해 일요일 무대인사 생중계 ★ 이곳은 관객들과 함께한 300만 돌파의 현장입니다! 수 많은 관객들이 축하해주셔서 300만 돌파가 더욱 뜻깊은데요~ 모두들 축하해주셔서 감사합니다! yfrog.com/h0a

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September 23, 2012
Interview Part I
Lee Byung Hun Says 'Masquerade' Boasts a Balanced Ensemble Source: CJ E&M enewsWorld Oh, MiJung  Translation Credit : Erika Kim  
He wasn′t Lee Byung Hun for nothing. There was a reason the Korean Box Office and Hollywood had chosen Lee Byung Hun. This man wasn′t merely a star, but a true actor.
He has many big titles attached to his name, but this actor′s roots were in acting. He was able to spill over into Asia and even Hollywood all thanks to his acting skills.
In the film Masquerade, which premiered on September 13, Lee Byung Hun showed off all of the skills he had as an actor known for his acting. It was his first period piece, but it was hard to believe it was his first because he portrayed King Gwanghae and the low-class Ha Sun perfectly.
His teamwork with the actors Ryu Seung Ryong and Han Hyo Joo were also perfect.

Ha Sun, who takes the throne instead of the real king when he comes under danger of being poisoned, loves Joseon more than the real king. Ha Sun starts to realize where the morals of a king should stand, and the values somewhat represent the situation modern day Korea is in. Masquerade stands out in the year 2012, when the presidential elections for Korea aren′t far off.
We met with Lee Byung Hun, who returned to Korea for the first time in a long time with a well-made period piece.
′Masquerade′ has received rave reviews after its preview. How do you feel?
"I was satisfied too. I watched the film two times before the press preview through the monitoring previews. I lost my objectiveness because I had seen it before the press preview, but Ryu Seung Ryong, who had seen the film for the first time that day, exclaimed so much. The distribution screening got even better reviews. I got calls not only from officials, but also from my high school friends. I′m looking forward to it a lot."
Lee Byung Hun appears in almost every scene because he takes on two roles for the one piece. It′s like a stage made just for you.
"I do appear in many scenes, but the film was able to shine brighter thanks to the other actors who played their own roles perfectly. Masquerade is a film that can boast its ensemble as its strength. The actors did great, and I believe the casting decisions were great also."
What do you believe makes up a wise king?
"I believe that Ha Sun is the ideal leader. In a scene edited out of the film, Eunuch Jo (Jang Gwang) tells Ha Sun, ′A King should not personally feel sorry for others or show sympathy for them.′ Ha Sun is a man of ideals. I believe that kings should be firm, and know how to make big decisions."

I′m curious about how you came to be cast in this film. I heard the head of the film′s production company went to see you in America.
"Actually, the visit from the head of the production company didn′t help. He′s really talkative, and talks like a trickster. He hindered my decision. (Laugh) Director Choo Chang Min, who should′ve been more outspoken, was actually pretty quiet.
I did have fun reading the scenario, but I wondered whether it would be fun as a film. I pondered over it for two months after I had received the scenario. I watched director Choo′s previous piece, I Love You, and I thought that director Choo would never let go of the dramatic elements of a film. For Masquerade, the comedy is a small part of its story; it′s the drama that counts more. There were more humorous scenes, but director Choo cut most of them out. He voted to keep the drama alive."
There aren′t any other films like ′Masquerade′ in your filmography. It′s humorous, and it′s a period piece. It′s a type you′ve never tried before; did this decision come strategically?
"I don′t choose my pieces strategically. I am, of course, strategic in Hollywood. I chose G.I. Joe strategically."

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Interview Part II
Lee Byung Hun's Difficulties and Embarrassments in Filming 'Masquerade'
Source: CJ E&M enewsWorld Oh, MiJung Translation Credit : Erika Kim   
Were there any difficulties in filming ′Masquerade′?
"There aren′t many places where we can film period pieces. We encountered a shortage of sets, so we had to travel around the country for our shoots. The scene where I hold Queen Han Hyo Joo′s hand and run through the palace was filmed in Jeolla-do, Gyeongsang-do and Seoul. We didn′t get to shoot the film in order, so it was hard to portray the emotions of Ha Sun as he slowly became a king."
You′re an actor who represents Korea, but you ruined your image for the film. There′s even a scene where you try to keep your bowels from letting go.
"I was embarrassed, but it was okay once I started on it. (Laugh)"

A lot of modern dialect appears in your speech although it′s a period piece. The way you curse is all more modern.
"When you film period pieces, you have to decide how much of the old dialect you′ll use. Period pieces that use too much stop people from getting immersed in the drama because of its difficult jargon. We acted without caring for historical accuracy. I think it turned out funnier because we used modern swear words."
I heard most of your ideas were used in the comedic scenes. They say you′re a funny man.
"The scene where I hit my head on the rafters and the humor in the scene where I take care of my bowels all came from my idea."
Anyway, the critics and the public have received the film well. How many people do you expect will see the film?
"I′m actually more worried because the critics have given so many good reviews. Our film is supposed to be commercial. (Laugh) I can′t even begin to guess the number of its audience. That′s harder than winning the lottery. I just hope a lot of people see it."
There are so many strengths to this film. Are there any weaknesses?
"That I don′t appear as a cool man, and that there aren′t any scenes where Ryu Seung Ryong can show off his greasy comedy (Laugh)."

You′ll soon start shooting your third Hollywood film, ′Red 2′. How do you feel?
"When I filmed G.I. Joe 2, I just thought Hollywood films would be unique experiences in my life. I didn′t feel any responsibility, and I just felt it was a part of my job. I also thought it was a good time of my life that would end soon. When I attended the hand printing event in Hollywood, however, I felt differently. It felt like I was making a promise with my American audience, that I wouldn′t just kick other people on screen as an Asian actor but that I would show off my real acting. I′m more worried I′ll end my acting career after failing to leave behind anything important in Hollywood. Even if I never get to reach the peak in my generation, I believe I should be a good advisor for those juniors who dream of going to Hollywood."
You′re in a public relationship with Lee Min Jung. Are you thinking of getting married?
"Maybe, someday. I feel the pressure [because of the articles tying in Lee Min Jung]."
Photo credit: Kim Byung Kwan

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September 23, 2012
Fun and MeaningfulKey facts about 5 films of September 2012
by Ji Yong-jin  KOFIC Films released between late August and early September have been gaining positive responses from audiences. Each of them in different genre and different colors is very characteristic. Let’s see what points we should focus on when watching them.
◇ Pieta
Kim Ki-duk communicates with the publicSeptember 6 | Director Kim Ki-duk | Main Cast Cho Min-su, Lee Jung-jin  | 104 min | 18+
Kim Ki-duk is back after a long hiatus. It has been 4 years since Dream (2008). Although ARIRANG was screened at the 5th CINDI Film Festival last year, he officially had a 4-year break because none of his films have been in theater in the mean time. This is noticeable for several reasons. First, Pieta is the first film he presents to the public after a long years of hiatus. Second, it is the film that brought Kim the Golden Lion, the highest prize at the competition section of the 69th Venice Film Festival. Last and most importantly, he finally broke out of the image of an 'isolated and disconnected' man and approached the public one step closer. Some critics even say the world of Kim's work can be divided into pre- and post-Pieta. Boosted by the winning of the Golden Lion, Pieta has attracted 350 thousand audiences to theaters and it is likely to run much longer.  ◇ Masquerade
Amazing performance by Lee Byung-hun
September 13 | Director Choo Chang-min | Main Cast Lrr Byung-hun, Ryu Seung-ryong, Han Hyo-joo | 131 min | 14+   From the first scene where a moody king pretties himself up, every frame of Masquerade is an eye catcher. Without hesitating, the story quickly develops to the point where a jester Ha-sun is disguised as Prince Gwanghae. Through the masquerade, the director delivers the message that 'the fake can be more real than the real' in the end. It is when the jester with a very low social status seemingly deserves to be a king more than the real king that the film reaches the climax. It is a political satire, comedy, and melodrama at the same time. Inspired by 'The Prince and the Beggar', a novel by Mark Twain, this film is a faction, a modified story of the history. The entire 131 minutes never get boring. That certainly by virtue of the actors. 
Lee Byung-hun's acting especially outstanding. He definitely dominates the film. ◇ Grape Candy
A ballad for the leftSeptember 6 | Director, Scriptwriter Kim Hee-jung | Main Cast Park Jin-hee Park Ji-yun, KimJeong-nan | 104 min | 14+   This is Kim Hee-jung's second feature film. After The Wonder Years, she once again took a close look at wounded souls. While The Wonder Years was a coming-of-age film about an orphaned girl, Grape Candy talks about grown-ups hurt by their past. Seon-ju (Park Jin-hee) one day bumps into So-ra (Park Ji-yun), who was a friend back in middle school until they graduated 17 years ago, but Seon-ju doesn't feel good about it. They go to Busan together without speaking out something they might want to. As Jeong-eun (Kim Jeong-nan), sister of another old friend Yeo-eun joins them there, their emotions become complicated. This film focuses on speaking out about wounds rather than reconciling each other. It deals with the pain and influence of deep-rooted misunderstanding and wounds. After all, Grape Candy is a film that soothes the feelings of the survivors from an accident.   ◇ The 577 Project
This is the name of realityAugust 30 | Director Lee Keun-woo | Main Cast Ha Jung-woo, Kong Hyo-jin | 99 min | 14+    He should have watched his mouth. At an awarding ceremony in 2010, Ha Jung-woo officially said, "If I win the Best Actor's Award, I will walk through the entire nation.", which came true. From Seoul Arts Center to Haenam, the south end of Korean peninsula, he started 577km long journey. Kong Hyo-jin, he co-starred in Love Fiction somehow got involved in the project and then it became a rolling snowball. This is how this documentary about the 22 days of journey was made. There was even no scenario. This is the name of reality film. The stars are exposed to the camera without make-ups. As the participants get exhausted, the viewers start to see what they could see from the stars before. After the journey is over, Ha repeated the same mistake by saying he would do it again.  ◇ Young Gun in the Time
Exciting and wild imagination08.30 | Director Oh Yeong-du | Main Cast Hong Yeong-geun, Choi Song-hyeon, Ha Eun-jeong | 95 min | 18+   Because the budget is low, doesn’t mean imagination should by hindered. Young Gun in the Time is a film that cheerfully resists the conditions. Director Oh Yeong-du and leading actors Hong Yeong-geun, Ha Eun-jeong are members of a film creation group ‘Kino Mangosteen’. All the members switch their role between director and actor, and sometimes they even become staff. ‘Kino Mangosteen’ have already proved that they can make interesting films with low budget when they made The Neighbor Zombie (2009) and Invasion of Alien Bikini (2010). Their films don’t have a certain format. The settings are ridiculous and they don’t even belong to any certain genre. But they are definitely fun. ‘Fun Films’ might be the most simple but honest expression to describe ‘Kino Mangosteen’ films.

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Source: innolife.net
 DL VOD

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September 24, 2012
Weekend Box Office: September 21-23
Editor : Lee Tae-ho KSTAR10

South Korea's box office estimates for the weekend of September 21 to 23, 2012. [Korean Box Office Information System (KOBIS)
"Masquerade" Continues Box Office Reign
Reporter : Lee Hye Ji Editor : Monica Suk KSTAR10
Korean film “Masquerade” has continued to reign at the local box office for the second straight week.
“Masquerade” kept its top status at the local box office with 1,192,695 admissions and saw an increase of over 90,000 ticket sales from the previous weekend, according to data polled by Korean Film Council [KOFIC] between September 21 and 23.
Lee Byung-hun’s both funny and serious portrayal of the prince and the pauper continued its sweeping upturn and scored over 23 billion Korean Won [approximately 21 million U.S. Dollars] in just ten days of its release.
Sitting at No. 2 is Kim Myung-min's third film project this year, “The Spy," which attracted 341,696 moviegoers in the same time frame.
The comedy pic centers around North Korean secret agent Kim, who settles in Seoul as an ordinary family man. While living without any contact with the North Korean government for ten years, he suddenly receives an order to murder defectors living in Korea.
Starring Yu Hae-jin, Yum Jung-ah, Byun Hee-bong and Jung Gyu-woon, the spy movie will likely race for the top spot next holiday weekend, Thanksgiving Day, which is one of the biggest box office gross seasons here.
Last weekend’s No. 2 pic “Resident Evil: Retribution” slid down to the third place with 101,271 ticket sales, while the Spanish animation pic “Tad: the lost explorer” ranked at the fourth after drawing in 81,313 young audiences.
“Pieta,” one of director Kim Ki-duk's best films so far, rounded out the top five with 69,518 moviegoers.
Other notable movies in the top ten include “Wolf Children,” “The Bourne Legacy,” “The Traffickers,” “The Thieves” and Hollywood noir action pic “London Boulevard.”

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September 24, 2012
Source: BH_Boss twitter l KOBIZ


'Pieta' Gains Momentum at Box Office After Venice AwardChosunIlbo
Director Kim Ki-duk's "Pieta," which won the best film award at this year's Venice Film Festival, is about to hit the 500,000 mark in terms of the number of viewers it has attracted. 
Due to its relatively low production cost of W850 million (US$1=W1,119), the movie's producers already broke even when the audience hit 300,000.
According to the Korean Film Council, since its release on Sept. 6, the movie had attracted 483,123 people as of Saturday. It also drew 27,371 viewers that day alone to rank fifth in the daily box office charts, despite it only having a limited release at local theaters. 
On the daily chart, "Masquerade" starring Lee Byung-hun took the No. 1 spot on Saturday, followed by "The Spy," which hit the theaters on Thursday. "Masquerade" has drawn some 2.8 million viewers in just over a week since its release.

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Source: Hancinema.net

Source: Gwanghae Facebook

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September 24, 2012
Korean Box OfficeMasquerade Still King (09/21-09/23, 2012)
Credit: Pierce Conran Modern Korean Cinema
It was yet another strong frame at the Korean box office this past weekend as we head into next week's Chuseok holiday. Business was up 40% over last year as almost 2 million tickets were sold and the local market share was very strong at 83%. However this frame was a holdover market as no new releases were able to find their footing.
Masquerade improved over its enormous debut by about 10% to record an additional 1,192,689 viewers and it is now well over the 3 million mark. Going in to the Korean holiday weekend it will have no trouble maintaining its lead as there will be no major releases likely to block its path. Word of mouth has been exceptional and a third one million weekend is not out of the question. Hard to tell how far it will go at this point but 5 million is the worst case scenario. 7 or 8 sounds far more likely.
The big new Korean release Spy fell flat on its debut with 341,696. The action-comedy was positioning itself for a big holiday run but despite its well-liked cast (which includes Kim Myeng-min and Yu Hae-jin) it failed to impress. Masquerade was definitely too much competition for it and Kim has had a mixed year. Despite the success of summer blockbuster Deranged, he also headlined the Lunar New Year release Pacemaker which was a terrible box office run. What's more the film is getting poisonous word of mouth (I've seen it and can attest to that) so it will likely crash during the holiday weekend.
Resident Evil 5 was down 60% in its sophomore spin for a tepid 101,271 while US comedy Ted failed to generate any buzz despite its enormous domestic performance with a paltry 81,313 debut.
Pieta had a bigger than expected 53% fall in its third weekend following its big Golden Lion bump. Masquerade may have been partly to blame for this.
There shouldn't be any surprise next as Masquerade will almost certainly find itself well ahead of its competitors but the new Pixar film Brave should drum up some holiday interest, at least for a solid second place finish.
Source: kobis.or.kr

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September 25, 2012
Box office pull of 2 hitsMasquerade 3.2 million and Pieta surpasses the 500 thousand mark by Kim Hyun-min KOFIC

Masquerade which drew 2 million only 8 days after release has gone over 3,227,957 in admissions 11 days after opening. This is the fastest show of popularity out of all of September releases. Its success is comparable to Silenced which drew 3 million in the same period last year and Tazza: The High Rollers which brought in 6.84 million. In the case of Silenced, the number takes in admissions that occurred on the Nation Foundation Day Holiday on the 3rd of October, but Masquerade has not had the holiday-effect yet so the significance of its success is all the more great. The speed of the popularity momentum of Masquerade surpasses War of the Arrows, the biggest hit of last year by a day but War of the Arrows opened in the peak period of summer whereas Masquerad’s opening date was during the non-peak season of fall which makes the latter’s success unusual. Meanwhile Kim Ki-duk’s Pieta was screened on 29 screens across the country with 22,628 going to see it on the 23rd of September. The overall audience number so far is 505,750, ranking 6th on the box office chart. This is 18 after its release and 15 days after its win at Venice of the Golden Lion Award. 

[rubie]

September 25, 2012
Masquerade Cast Chuseok Greeting: Have a Wonderful Thanksgiving!
Original Streaming at Nate l Sendspace

[Guest urie]

thanks you for all updates

another Gwanghae review from Seongyong blog

class="entry-title"Masquerade (2012) ☆☆☆(3/4) : The man who becomes the King – for a while Posted on September 14, 2012

South Korean period drama “Masquerade”, which is released at South Korean theaters as “Gwanghae – the man who becomes the King” on this weekend, is ironically a humorous human drama disguising itself as a serious historic drama. It goes without saying that the situation where its hero is placed in is so serious that it is the matter of life and death for him from the beginning to the end, but the movie is stuffed with small funny moments in its pockets while never forgetting what kind of clothes it is wearing along with its heart on the sleeves.

Its subject, Gwanghae-gun the 15th king of the Joseon Dynasty, is one of the interestingly complex figures in the Korean history. He had been regarded as an infamous tyrant since he was deposed, but, while it cannot be denied that he committed several brutal and ruthless deeds to secure his power, he was a good politician who helped restoring his country which had been ravaged by the war with Japan(1592-1598) 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 d’état in 1623.

The movie, partly inspired by serious historic drama films like “Kagemusha”(1980) and also partly inspired by innocent comedy movies like “Dave”(1993), handles the contrasting sides of this king with a familiar fictional premise. As getting involved in the political feuds at his court, King Gwanghae-gun, played by Lee Byeong-heon, has been nervous about possible assassination attempts, so he needs a double for protecting him from constant danger. The king’s right hand man, 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. When we see one of his performances, most of the people enjoying his performance never sees his uncanny resemblance to the king, because, well, the king rarely gets out the royal court to see and meet his people.

Ha-seon 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, and Heo Gyun is determined to prevent the chaos that may be resulted from that. His plan is simple but dangerous; because there is a chance for the king to regain his consciousness, for buying some time, 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 as soon as this masquerade is over.

The first half of the movie is a series of amusing small laughs as Ha-seon adjusts himself to a precarious full-time job under the guidance by Heo Gyun and the king’s eunuch. As Heo Gyun instructed before, all he has to do while sitting on the throne is saying few things to run the country, but Ha-seon realizes that there is not much privacy in the king’s daily life. Poor guy, at one moment, he finds himself to be watched by a group of court ladies while he is about to relieve his bowel. Now I have another good reason why I do not want to be a king – and a good reason for not wanting to be employed as a king’s doctor(A hint: the movie has the most hilarious coprophagic scene since “The Help”(2011))

Though the people at the court are a little confounded by little but sudden changes in His Majesty’s behaviors, Ha-seon does a pretty good job of playing the king with convincing dignity and authority while supported by two men helping him at his side. The king’s faithful bodyguard does not sense any difference even though he has encountered Ha-seon before. In case of the queen, she has been exasperated because the king is going to let his brother-in-law to be purged soon, so there is little danger to be exposed by her unless she wants to be, uh, a little closer to him than usual.

The deceit goes well like that thanks to his excellent performance, but Ha-seon begins to approach to the line beyond which the performance is no longer an act. 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. He may be less knowledgeable than them, but he deftly handles the council with his practical common sense, and nobody can easily say no to the king on the throne.

Yes, I know that the movie is not so far from those idealistic dramas like Frank Capra’s works which believe in the common sense of an ordinary man. But, like Capra’s best works, the movie is entertaining enough to overlook its naive sides due to the skilled storytelling and the competent performances to support the story and the characters. Though both Ha-seon and the king are less distinctive than they could be, Lee Byeong-Heon has enough presence to fill these two rather colorless roles. Ha-seon is a little too bland at the hero, but Lee makes him into a likable man we come to care about, and the gradual dramatic transformation inside Ha-seon initiated by his own performance is believable; he becomes excited about what he can do as the king, but he is also horrified later by what he can commit as the man wielding absolute power.

While the dynamic in the relationship between Ha-seon and the king is sadly not developed much in the story, how Ha-seon interact with the others is fun to watch thanks to the reliable supporting cast. Ryoo Seung-yong has a wonderful comic/dramatic chemistry with his co-actor as a man too noble to be the power behind the throne; Heo Gyun thinks little of Ha-seon at first, but he starts to admire and respect a plain man he ‘manipulates’ while discovering the king he wants from Ha-seon. Jang Gwang, who was a horribly abusive school principle and his equally horrible twin brother in “Silenced”(2011), gives a deadpan comic performance as the king’s loyal eunuch who usually holds his opinions while helpfully serving ‘His Majesty’. Balanced well between comedy and drama, Kim In-kwon is both amusing and poignant to watch as a bodyguard for all seasons with soft sides, and Han Hyo-joo is the elegant queen who gets suspicious about her ‘husband’ as she is warmed by the man who unexplainably becomes more romantic and casual than she remembers.

As we have already predicted before it arrives, the third act revolves around the intrigue and subsequent dangers as Ha-seon’s disguise begins to show its seams, and how it is resolved is pretty predictable even when the movie attempts to pump the tension a lot into the screen during its climax. If you have some knowledge about the Korean history during the 17th century, its feel-good melodramatic ending feels a bit awkward to you considering what would happen later in the history, even though the movie openly recognizes the gloomy historical facts through its epilogue subtitles.

None the less, “Masquerade” remains entertaining as a whole. As a period drama, its production design and costumes are exemplary, and I enjoyed the performances as well as the story. Although I do not deny that it could have been better considering the rich potential inside its intriguing premise, at least we get a good entertainment, if not a great one.

cr: http://kaist455.wordpress.com/2012/09/14/masquerade-2012/

[Guest urie]

until now, Gwanghae still no 1 box office movie in South Korea. Gwanghae reach 3.38M viewers
This image has been resized to fit in the page. Click to enlarge.
cr: DCHHJ

if this record sustainable, at least 150.000 viewers each day, not impossible Gwanghae can reach 4M viewers in this week, coupled with chuseok holiday Sep 30-31 and Oct 1 more expectation can reach 4-6M viewers.. 

FIGHTING GWANGHAE aka MASQUERADE

can't wait to see the best epic movie of the year..   

[rubie]

September 25, 2012
‘Gwanghae: The Man who became King’ continues to lead at Korean box office
By Korea Star Daily | Kpop Fighting
Korean film ‘Gwanghae: The Man who became King’ continues to have a commanding lead at the Korean box office thanks to its hundreds of screens nationwide.
According to statistics released by the Korean Film Council (KOFIC), ‘Gwanghae’ had 154,901 admissions on September 24th, bringing its accumulated admissions to 3,382,820. The film has been No.1 on the box office chart since its release, and is airing at over 784 screens.
‘Gwanghae’ takes place during the 8th year of the reign of King Gwanghae back in the Joseon Dynasty. King Gwanghae is the victim of a failed assassination plot and needs time to recuperate from the poisoning. A man called Ha Sun who looks exactly like Gwanghae is called into the palace and rules the nation instead. Confusion ensues when it appears that Ha Sun is ruling the nation even better than the real King Gwanghae.
Meanwhile, ‘The Spy’ had 37,636 admissions to place 2nd, bringing its accumulated admissions to 453,056. Hollywood film ‘Resident Evil 5: Retribution’ had 12,198 admissions to place 3rd, bringing its accumulated admissions to 513,586. Kim Ki Duk’s ‘Pieta’ film had 11,960 admissions to place 4th, bringing its total admissions to 517,704.

^ Gwanghae 2 Million Admission Cake, capture copied from HHJ Facebook