(Click the picture above to view or download a bigger copy in a new tab.)From Wikipedia: “The Crowned Clown” (lit. The Man Who Became King) is a 2019 South Korean television series starring Yeo Jin-goo, Kim Sang-kyung, and Lee Se-young. A remake of the 2012 film Masquerade, the series centers on the tale of a Joseon king and his doppelganger, a clown whom he desperately puts on the throne to escape the intense power struggles afflicting the royal court and the royal family. It aired from January 7 to March 4, 2019 on tvN. Genre: historical, drama, romance.
In the 55th Baeksang Arts Awards, Yeo Jin-goo was nominated for the “Best Actor” award. In the 12th Korea Drama Awards, Lee Se-young won the “Excellence Award, Actress.”
How I wrote these episode summaries without spoilers
1. I assumed that you will be reading these summaries and watching the videos chronologically.
2. I narrated some of the main actions in each episode without revealing the plot’s twists and turns.
3. At the beginning of each summary starting with Episode 2, I placed in a table a recap of the major twists and turns of the previous episode. But because you have already watched the video of the previous episode, they aren’t spoilers anymore.
4. I followed this structure all throughout, except for Ep. 16 (Finale) where I included spoilers. Reason — most people want to know if the drama has a happy ending or a sad ending before they invest their time in watching it. And yes, “The Crowned Clown” has a happy ending.
Episode 1
King Seonjo dies, and his fears about the fate of his youngest son Prince Yul come true when his successor Yi Heon (Gwanghae-gun) orders Prince Yul’s arrest for treason. Despite Prince Yul being a mere child, Minister Shin (Vice Minister of War) accuses him of conspiring with the Queen Dowager’s relatives against Yi Heon.
Ha Seon looks exactly like Yi Heon; he’s part of a troupe of clowns that includes his young sister named Dal-rae and an older guy named Gap-soo. To escape from the trouble from their recent performance, he leads the troupe towards Hanyang, the capital.
Because of the assassination attempt against him, Yi Heon orders Chief Royal Secretary Lee, to find a way to protect him against other attempts on his life.
Ha Seon and his troupe reach Hanyang, where he’s able to get a job for the troupe in a gisaeng house (“gibang”). But his troupe is ordered to prepare a routine that makes fun, not of Yi Heon, but of Queen So-woon and Hwa-dang (Yi Heon’s favorite concubine and Minister Shin’s niece).
Despite the appeal of Chief Royal Secretary Lee and Minister Yoo (Queen So-woon’s father), Yi Heon refuses to believe their allegations of corruption against Minister Shin. Later on, however, the remaining assassin confesses to Chief Royal Secretary Lee that it was Minister Shin who masterminded the assassination attempt against Yi Heon.
Episode 2
| Ep. 1 recap:
Prince Yul is poisoned to death. Minister Shin gives Hwa-dang a talisman for fertility and warns her that, if she doesn’t conceive a son, her life is at stake. But Yi Heon wants an heir only from Queen So-woon. The Queen Dowager and Prince Jin-pyung masterminded the assassination attempt against Yi Heon; they also ordered the assassin to implicate Minister Yoo. After meeting Ha Seon in the gibang, Chief Royal Secretary Lee brings him to the palace to meet Yi Heon. |
Ha Seon inadvertently orders the execution by beheading of Minister Yoo, Queen So-woon’s father. Chief Royal Secretary Lee tries to stop the execution, but Yi Heon confirms the order.
Ha Seon makes friends with Gye-hwan, a 15-year old court maid, who reminds him of his sister Dal-rae. Meanwhile, at the gibang, the young nobleman Yi-gyeom becomes frustrated when he finds out that Dal-rae is not a gisaeng.
Gye-hwan is ordered to bring the King’s midnight snack, but someone sneaks into the kitchen and poisons the snack.
Episode 3
| Ep. 2 recap:
With Eunuch Jo’s help, Ha Seon changes Minister Yoo’s punishment from beheading to exile. After Gye-hwan dies from eating the poisoned snack, Ha Seon realizes that he was put in the palace to die in any attempt against Yi Heon’s life. Ha Seon escapes from the palace and finds out that his sister Dal-rae has been assaulted by Yi Geom, who is Minister Shin’s son. After being beaten up by Minister Shin’s men, he goes back to the palace and asks Chief Royal Secretary Lee to teach him how to survive in the palace by trampling people down. |
After the maid who poisoned the midnight snack is found dead, Court Lady Kim tells Minister Shin that the King has not asked for opium for the past several days.
Chief Royal Secretary Lee goes to the gisaeng house to look for Dal-rae; there, he meets Woon-shim, the senior gisaeng, who reminds him of someone named Lord Gil Sam-bong. Later, he meets Yi Heon and tells him of Ha Seon’s plan.
The Queen Dowager blames Prince Jin-pyung for the King becoming suspicious of her. But Prince Jin-pyung says that they still have the chance to kill the King during the upcoming annual hunt. Minister Shin, meanwhile, continues to consolidate his power in the royal court.
Episode 4
| Ep. 3 recap:
At the temple, Yi Heon suffers from hallucinations about Prince Yul. Minister Shin fills the Border Defense Council with his handpicked men. Prince Jin-pyung fires his arrow at Ha Seon, as Ha Seon himself fires an arrow at Minister Shin’s son Yi-gyeom. But Ha Seon explains to Chief Royal Secretary Lee later on that, instead of just killing Yi-gyeom, he will expose his crimes in due time. Ha Seon gets bitten by one of the hunting dogs as he tries to protect Queen So-woon. Later on, he meets Queen So-woon at the pond where he throws the hazelnuts and she makes a wish. |
Ha Seon asks Eunuch Jo to teach him the Chinese characters. Meanwhile, Dal-rae and Gap-soo end up in the temple where the monk has been treating and taking care of Yi Heon.
One of Queen So-woon’s attendants is arrested and tortured after being implicated in a poisoning and cursing attempt against Royal Concubine Hwa-dang. Concerned that Queen So-woon would be blamed for the attempt against Hwa-dang, Ha Seon goes to the prison, but the attendant has been poisoned to death.
Minister Shin and his allies petition the King to dethrone Queen So-woon, blaming her for the attempt against Hwa-dang’s life and the attendant’s death.
Episode 5
| Ep. 4 recap:
Queen So-woon finds out that the Queen Dowager paid off her attendant to plant a talisman against her. Ha Seon brings the attendant’s letter to the Queen Dowager and threatens to have her deposed. But the Queen Dowager is saved by her attendant, who confesses to everything. Minister Shin and his allies back down from their petition to dethrone Queen So-woon. Chief Royal Secretary Lee’s plan to bring Yi Heon back to the palace fails when he finds that Yi Heon has stabbed himself in the ear and is in a trance. On a cliff, Chief Royal Secretary Lee stabs Ha Seon. |
Court Lady Kim asks the Queen Dowager if she can take the place of the attendant who sacrificed herself to save the Queen Dowager. Later, she reports to Minister Shin that the King probably won’t dethrone Queen So-woon.
Chief Royal Secretary Lee goes to the gisaeng house and asks Woon-shim to relay a message to “the members” asking them to meet.
Queen So-woon reminds Ha Seon of the upcoming death anniversary of the King’s mother. When Ha Seon finds out about the problems that the people have with the tributes because of the corruption of local officials, he asks about stopping the construction of the palace. But Minister Shin objects, saying that the king must assert his authority over the people.
The Minister of Taxation tells Ha Seon that because of the complicated computations necessary for the reinstatement of the rice payment law, they need someone with exceptional mathematical abilities. He suggests recruiting someone named Joo Ho-geol, but he’s wary because Joo Ho-geol has been using his abilities for gambling.
In the woods near the temple, Dal-rae sees a man and follows him to a hut; the door is locked, and she peeks through an opening to look at who the man is.
Episode 6
| Ep. 5 recap:
The members of the organization (“Daedang”) founded by Lord Gil Sam-bong rebuff Chief Royal Secretary Lee, viewing him as a traitor to their cause. Chief Royal Secretary Lee forces Joo Ho-geol to meet Ha Seon; but after winning (through cheating) in a game of chance, Ha Seon tells Joo Ho-geol that he must work for them out of his free choice. After finding out that the Minister of Taxation has visited the King and who Joo Ho-geul is, Minister Shin orders the Minister of Personnel to take over the taxation office. He also proposes to the King that the Inspector General investigate the matter to see who’s at fault between the Minister of Personnel and the Minister of Taxation. Chief Royal Secretary Lee sees Joo Ho-geol attacked by assassins. In the King’s library, as Ha Seon pretends to be asleep, Queen So-woon kisses him. |
Queen So-woon becomes sick, and on Eunuch Jo’s assurance that Chief Royal Secretary Lee would approve it, Ha Seon allows her to leave the palace to recuperate.
While at the market, Chief Royal Secretary Lee is stabbed by someone from a group of young beggars.
At the temple, the monk finds out that Yi Heon and Dal-rae are both missing. Meanwhile, with Eunuch Jo unable to contact Dal-rae, Ha Seon decides to sneak out of the palace and go to the gisaeng house to see Dal-rae.
Episode 7
| Ep. 6 recap:
Chief Royal Secretary Lee and Royal Guard Moo-young rescue Joo Ho-geol from the assassins; later on, at the palace, Chief Royal Secretary Lee presents Joo Ho-geol before the royal court. Ha Seon orders Minister Shin to flog Yi-gyeom 100 times in public. Ha Seon frees Joo Ho-geol from slavery and appoints him to a government position. Royal Guard Moo-young rescues Chief Royal Secretary Lee and brings him to the gisaeng house. At the festival, with Dal-rae following him, Yi Heon sees Ha Seon and Queen So-woon together. |
Ha Seon and Queen So-woon continue to have a good time at the festival. But Yi Heon has made his way back to the palace; later on, he orders Royal Guard Moo-young to arrest Chief Royal Secretary Lee and to bring Minister Shin and Queen So-woon to him.
Before returning to the palace, Chief Royal Secretary Lee tells the monk that, if he doesn’t return the next day, he should take Woon-shim and Joo Ho-geol and run away from the capital.
At the palace, Yi Heon accuses Chief Royal Secretary Lee of treason and orders him to kill Ha Seon. Chief Royal Secretary Lee pleads that they need Ha Seon to unmask the mastermind of the assassination attempt, but Yi Heon refuses to listen; later on, he threatens the Queen Dowager and Prince Jin-pyung.
After reviewing the “sillok” (royal journal) for what happened in the royal court during the time he was at the temple, Yi Heon seeks to undo everything. But Chief Royal Secretary Lee resigns in protest.
Episode 8
| Ep. 7 recap:
On Yi Heon’s order, Royal Guard Moo-young dumps Ha Seon into a pit in the woods for him to be devoured by the tigers. But encouraged by the compass that Queen So-woon gave him, Ha Seon survives. On Minister Shin’s recommendation, Yi Heon reinstates all the governors and magistrates who were dismissed for embezzlement. When he threatens to kill Woon-shim and Joo Ho-geol, Chief Royal Secretary Lee begs him to spare their lives. Relenting, he gives Chief Royal Secretary Lee a letter and orders him to carry out what the letter says. Yi Heon tries to force himself on Queen So-woon. |
Yi Heon suffers from intense pain and stumbles from Queen So-woon’s quarters back to his quarters where he collapses.
Chief Royal Secretary Lee burns the letter and later on stamps with the King’s seal an order confining the Queen Dowager to her quarters, with no visitors allowed to see her. But he can’t undo the reinstatement of Yi-gyeom and of the corrupt governors and magistrates.
At the palace’s back entrance, Chief Royal Secretary Lee turns Yi Heon over to the monk, promising to visit after a few days.
In the market, Gap-soo thinks Joo Ho-geol is a taffy vendor and shows him the ornate knife that Dal-rae got from Yi Heon’s hut. Joo Ho-geol recognizes the dragon pattern reserved only for the King, but Dal-rae suddenly grabs the knife and runs away.
Just as he had promised, Chief Royal Secretary Lee visits Yi Heon at a cave near a beach that Yi Heon loved as a child.
Episode 9
| Ep. 8 recap:
Ha Seon orders Yi-gyeom assigned to a faraway island; besides ordering the imprisonment of the corrupt governors and magistrates, he also strips Minister Shin of his position. The village head who refused to pay Ha Seon’s troupe recognizes Ha Seon and tells Minister Shin about it. Chief Royal Secretary Lee poisons Yi Heon. |
Dal-rae sees the poster and thinks that Ha Seon is masquerading as the King. At the royal court, the ministers urge the King to order the arrest of all the clowns.
After Court Lady Kim tells him of the wound on the King’s ear, Minister Shin orders her to look for the scar on the King’s body. When she hesitates, he warns her that he has evidence that she poisoned and cursed Royal Concubine Hwa-dang.
A peasant tells Minister Shin that the man on the posters looks like Ha Seon, the clown who burst into his house looking for Yi-gyeom. Minister Shin thus orders that Woon-shim be brought to him; when she says that she doesn’t know Ha Seon, he orders his man to torture her.
Episode 10
| Ep. 9 recap:
Moo-young resigns from his duties as a Royal Guard. The court painter who drew the posters is found dead. Chief Royal Secretary Lee and Ha Seon entrap Court Lady Kim. But after Lady Kim visits Minister Shin according to Chief Royal Secretary Lee’s instructions, she disappears. Despite the ministers’ objections, the rice payment plan is approved. |
While trying to find out what happened to Ha Seon, Dal-rae and Gap-soo meet Joo Ho-geol and the monk at the gisaeng house. Joo Ho-geol remembers them as the ones who had the ornate knife.
Chief Royal Secretary Lee orders Woon-shim to hide Dal-rae and Gap-soo in the temple, but Minister Shin finds out about who Dal-rae and Gap-soo are.
At the library, Ha Seon practices copying Yi Heon’s handwriting; later, he asks Moo-young to teach him how to use a sword.
Turmoil rocks the royal court when Chief Royal Secretary Lee proposes promoting Joo Ho-geol, holding the civil service exams early to replace the officials who were dismissed, and opening the exams to illegitimate sons and those from the lower classes.
Joo Ho-geol goes to the palace on the day after his promotion, but at the palace gate, students from Sungkyungkwan block his way; they also present their petition against allowing illegitimates and those from the lower classes to take the civil service exams.
Episode 11
| Ep. 10 recap:
Chief Royal Secretary Lee warns Minister Shin about Court Lady Kim’s disappearance; later, he entraps Minister Shin at the temple. Ha Seon stands firm against the Sungkyungkwan scholars who oppose the reforms in the civil service exams. Later on, two members of Chief Royal Secretary Lee’s group pass the exams. Queen So-woon is shocked at the disparity in the handwritings she found in the library. Remembering the posters about the King being an impostor, she confronts Ha Seon. |
At the royal court, the ministers inform the King (Ha Seon) about the arrival of the Ming ambassadors in four days and the feasts and tributes that have to be prepared. But Ha Seon doesn’t hear them and suddenly breaks down crying.
The Queen Dowager hears about the King’s breakdown and sees it as opportunity; Prince Jin-pyung promises to find out why the King broke down.
Despite Ha Seon’s pleas, Queen So-woon leaves the palace. When the Queen Dowager finds out about it, she pressures the King (Ha Seon) to dethrone Queen So-woon and order her execution by poisoning.
Things become worse when the Jurchens attack the border.
Episode 12
| Ep. 11 recap:
Chief Royal Secretary Lee tells the spy to inform General Nurhachi that Joseon will not form an alliance with the Jurchens and that Joseon’s alliance with Ming is purely political. The Queen Dowager demands that the King’s royal seal and identification plaque be given to her, but Chief Royal Secretary Lee refuses to give them to her. The Ming ambassador threatens Chief Royal Secretary Lee when the King fails to properly welcome him. At the cliff, Ha Seon stops Queen So-woon from taking her own life. From a distance, however, someone shoots at them with an arrow. Ha Seon turns to protect Queen So-woon, but he gets hit on the back with an arrow. |
Through Minister Shin, Prince Jin-pyung bribes the Ming ambassador and promises that, if he becomes King, he will raise within six months an army of 20,000 soldiers to support the Ming Empire.
With the rice payment law about to be implemented, the King (Ha Seon) decides to go out to the capital and find out the people’s sentiments. Having found out from Joo Ho-geol about the King’s visit, Dal-rae and Gap-soo rush to get near the King’s entourage.
Episode 13
| Ep. 12 recap:
Ha Seon and Queen So-woon come to an understanding about continuing the masquerade. When the Queen Dowager threatens to depose Queen So-woon and have her drink poison, Ha Seon threatens to expose that she tried to take the royal seal while someone was trying to kill him. On their way to see the King, Dal-rae sees Yi-gyeom and tells Gap-soo that it was Yi-gyeom who molested her. Gap-soo grabs a knife and attacks Yi-gyeom. Dal-rae and Gap-soo are captured by Minister Shin’s men. Bringing the ornate knife with him to the palace, Minister Shin confronts Ha Seon. Cornered, Ha Seon reveals that it was him who Minister Shin paid with two yang for Yi-gyeom’s crime against Dal-rae. |
Prince Jin-pyung searches for the letter that Chief Royal Secretary Lee sent to General Nurhachi, hoping to use it to dethrone the King.
Queen So-woon finds out that the flower tea that she has been drinking has made her incapable of having children.
Episode 14
| Ep. 13 recap:
After Court Lady Kim appears as a witness, Ha Seon orders the arrest of Minister Shin; he also orders that Yi-gyeom’s crime be branded on his face. Ha Seon reveals himself to Dal-rae and Gap-soo; instead of the punishment of 80 lashes because of Gap-soo’s crime against Yi-gyeom, Ha-sun orders him to serve in the navy near his and Dal-rae’s childhood home. Ha Seon confronts the Queen Dowager about the flower tea, but she remains adamant that Queen So-woon be dethroned for failing to bear an heir. Chief Royal Secretary Lee finds Queen So-woon’s father dead, stabbed in the heart. |
Minister Shin mocks Ha Seon, saying that he’s Chief Royal Secretary Lee’s puppet; he also shocks Ha Seon by revealing that Chief Royal Secretary Lee killed Yi Heon.
Ha Seon tells the court that he will issue a royal decree deposing the Queen Dowager, but the ministers object, saying that the Confucian scholars will rise in opposition if there’s no justification for the decree.
With the impending war between the Ming Empire and the Later Jin Dynasty, Chief Royal Secretary Lee offers to resign as Chief Royal Secretary and to go help at the border. Despite his reluctance, Ha Seon allows him to go to the border.
Episode 15
| Ep. 14 recap:
Ha Seon and Queen So-woon visit a place near the ocean where they pledge their love for each other by passing through the intertwined trees. Chief Royal Secretary Lee and Moo-young fabricate the evidence against Prince Jin-pyung. Chief Royal Secretary Lee admits to Ha Seon that he indeed killed Yo Heon. Later, he tricks the Queen Dowager into confessing her crimes, and she is deposed. After breaking Minister Shin out of jail, Prince Jin-pyung leads his 3,000 soldiers into the capital. |
Minister Shin bargains with the Queen Dowager that, if he can make Ha Seon surrender and deliver to her the royal seal, he must have a say in who becomes the next King.
Royal Concubine Hwa-dang decides to inform Ha Seon about the letter that Minister Shin took from Chief Royal Secretary Lee’s messenger to the Jurchens.
Minister Shin sends a letter to Ha Seon, saying that he will stop the rebellion if Ha Seon opens the palace gates and orders the execution of Chief Royal Secretary Lee. But Ha Seon makes a counter offer — he’s willing to meet Minister Shin and Prince Jin-pyung inside the palace with the ministers of the royal court as witnesses.
Later on, Royal Concubine Hwa-dang is found murdered in her quarters, and despite a diligent search, Chief Royal Secretary Lee’s stolen letter can’t be found. Ha Seon orders Moo-young to arrest and interrogate Royal Concubine Hwa-dang’s chief attendant.
Episode 16, Finale (with spoilers)
| Ep. 15 recap:
Chief Royal Secretary Lee stabs Prince Jin-pyung, but he’s killed by Prince Jin-pyung’s guard. |
Ha Seon tricks Minister Shin into the palace and kills him. Later, the Queen Dowager is deposed and sentenced to die by poisoning.
With the rice payment tax now being implemented and peace reigning over the kingdom, Ha Seon abdicates and hands over the throne to his chosen successor. Two years later, he and So-woon finally reunite.
Historical / cultural backgrounders and other information
1. Lee Se-young plays the role of “Queen So-woon” in this drama. You might remember her as the young Keum-young in Eps. 3-5 of the classic historical drama “A Jewel in the Palace.”
2. The character “Yi Heon” is based on historical figure Gwanghae-gun, the 15th king of Joseon.
 |
| Yi Heon’s head gear is called “myeonryugwan.” It was worn during special events by the Joseon King and Crown Prince. |
From Wikipedia: The Japanese invasions of Korea of 1592-1598 or Imjin War comprised two separate yet linked invasions: an initial invasion in 1592 (Imjin Disturbance), a brief truce in 1596, and a second invasion in 1597 (Chongyu War).
The conflict ended in 1598 with the withdrawal of the Japanese forces from the Korean Peninsula after a military stalemate in Korea's southern coastal provinces. It ultimately resulted in Joseon Korean and Ming Chinese victory and the expulsion of Japan from the peninsula.
During the Imjin War, the Joseon king was Seonjo (1552-1608); he was the 14th king of the Joseon Dynasty of Korea from 1567 to 1608. Known for encouraging Confucianism and renovating state affairs at the beginning of his reign, political chaos and his incompetent leadership during the Japanese invasions of Korea marred his later years.
The Crown Prince during the Imjin War was Gwanghae-gun or Prince Gwanghae (1575-1641). He reigned 1608–1623 as the fifteenth king of the Joseon dynasty but was deposed in a coup.
Gwanghaegun was the second son of King Seonjo, born to Lady Kim (Gongbin), a Royal Concubine. He had a younger but legitimate brother Grand Prince Yeong-chang.
Gwanghae-gun has been portrayed in numerous movies and dramas such as “Warriors of the Dawn” (2017) starring Yeo Jin-goo; “Masquerade” (2012); “Goddess of Fire” (2013); “The King’s Face” (2014); “Splendid Politics” (2015); and “Kingdom” Seasons 1 and 2.
3. “Eunjangdo” (small silver knife)
In Ep. 2, Queen So-woon protests the death sentence imposed on her father by trying to stab herself with a small knife known as “eunjangdo.” Ha Seon stops her by grabbing the knife away; in Ep. 16, he gives the knife back to her.
From “A weapon to test fidelity and soup” (Korean JoongAng Daily, March 2006):
Where the Swiss had traditional red pocket knives, Koreans from the Joseon dynasty had eunjangdo, a silver knife, which developed into another form of norigae.
They are about 10 centimeters (four inches) long, covered in a fancy silver sheath. Records say both men and women carried them as a means of self-defense, although, towards the end of the dynasty they were used more frequently as a fashion statement for the upper class. Men fastened them on their waists, while women used them as large pendants with hand-made trinketry.
But due to its delicate features and small size, the eunjangdo was considered to be a female accessory. Eventually it became a symbol of chastity for unmarried women while married women carried it as a symbol of fidelity. Eunjangdo were kept underneath the hanbok top to be drawn if a woman felt that her life was threatened. They became a necessary accessory for all refined ladies to carry, along with a comb and a mirror.
Some folklore experts say eunjangdo were not designed for self-defense. They say a woman would use her eunjangdo to stab herself rather than submit to an attacker.
From “Eunjangdo, Symbol of Unwavering Fidelity” (November 2019):
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| Ep. 8: Joo Ho-geol examines Yi Heon’s eunjangdo. |
4. In Ep. 1 and other episodes, poison (“sayak” ) is depicted as a means of murdering someone (for example, Prince Yul in Ep. 1) or as a means of execution (for example, the Queen Dowager in Ep. 16). Death by “sayak” was reserved for royals, nobles, and high-government officials.
From “Ingredients of poison used during the Joseon Dynasty to kill traitors” (KBS World): The main ingredient of “sayak” was arsenic. Also oftentimes used was “wolfsbane” (with hooded bluish-purple flowers, its roots contain a toxic alkaloid compound called aconitine, which causes muscle paralysis). The same substance is used on poison arrows in Africa.
Interesting discussion on “sayak” as depicted in Korean historical dramas: “Old School Executions Part 1: Sayak (Korea/Joseon Dynasty).”
5. Joseon system of justice and torture during interrogations:
In Ep. 1 and some other episodes, you will see people in this drama being tortured. For more information about the Joseon system of justice and of the various means of torture during interrogation, please read “Joseon Dynasty's system of justice: Torture the criminals until they confess!” (my reddit article).
From “The Penal Code in the Joseon Dynasty: Harsh Punishments”:
Besides flogging, the most common method of torture that we see in K-historical dramas is leg-twisting with two long wooden poles (“juri-teulgi”).
The article also mentions “branding” or tattooing a person's crime on his face. In Ep.13, Ha Seon orders that Yi-gyeum's crime to be tattooed on his face.
The article states: “In any case, the facial tattoo was a severe punishment and forced the bearer to spend the rest of their life with the stigma of being a convicted criminal. Tattooing was abolished in the 16th year of the reign of King Yeongjo (1740), when he destroyed all tattooing tools by royal decree.”
6. In Ep. 16 (Finale), Ha Seon abdicates and transfers the throne to his chosen successor. As he leaves the palace, he stops and then steps off from the elevated pathway.
Ha Seon did this because he realized that he’s no longer the King and thus could no longer walk on the elevated pathway known as “Sam Do,” which was reserved for the King. (In Ep. 1 of “A Tree With Deep Roots,” Chae-yon, played by Jang Hyuk, planned to use the “Sam Do” to reach and assassinate King Sejong because he knew that the royal guards won’t dare to step on the “Sam Do.”)
The article “Jongmyo Shrine” states:
The trail leading to the shrine is known as the “spirit path,” or Samdo (lit: “three paths”). It is paved with stone in such a way that it forms three tiers, or three distinct paths (hence its name). The eastern path (oedo) is for the king to walk, the western path (sejado) is for the prince, and the middle tier (sindo), higher than either of the other two, is for the spirits to walk. Visitors can walk on the eastern or western side but are not permitted to walk on the central path.
Lessons in photography from “The Crowned Clown” with in-depth analysis of its cinematography
I. In-depth analysis of this drama’s cinematography
A. Some preliminary statements about the dynamic between the director, the cinematographer, and the editor
What’s the relationship or dynamic between the director, the cinematographer (aka DP or “Director of Photography”), and the editor? In simplistic terms, the director creates the shot list, blocks the actors, and sets up the scene; the cinematographer lights the scene and shoots it; and the editor takes what the cinematographer has shot to create a meaningful, logical, or creative series of shots that make up the various scenes in a movie or drama.
Can the director be the cinematographer at the same time? Well, the critically acclaimed and award winning movie “Roma” was written, directed, and shot by Alfonso Cuarón. But this is the rarest exception rather than the rule.
Sonycine.com has an excellent three-part series on the relationship between the director and the cinematographer. Here’s an excerpt from Part 1:
The relationship between the director and the cinematographer is central to the success of a film.
The auteur theory suggests that directors are the authors of their films, and I think that is right. But it is authorship that comes as much from the management of other artists as it does from a singular vision. It is more useful to view the director’s job as a unifying intelligence rather than a single creative font. The director is undoubtedly the final decision maker, and there are thousands of decisions to be made each day, but filmmaking is complicated, and the origins of good ideas come from many sources. The production designers, the actors, the writers, the editors, the costume designers, and more people than I can mention here, make profound and significant contributions to a film.
For more information about “auteur theory” and “auteur directors,” please watch the YouTube video titled “The Prestigious Who’s Who List of Auteur Directors: How to Become A Film Genius.”
B. Elegant camera movements and editing; memorable shots
IMO, the most elegant shots in this drama are (1) in Ep. 1 when Chief Royal Secretary Lee meets Ha Seon at the gisaeng house and (2) in Ep. 7 with Yi Heon, Queen So-woon, and Ha Seon, who’s trapped in the deep hole in the woods.
Ep. 1, pan shots and dissolves (cross fades): Chief Royal Secretary Lee confronts the clown troupe at the gisaeng house. The ways the camera moves and the use of dissolves accurately depict how shocked he is by Ha Seon’s similarity to Yi Heon.
I will be discussing dissolves (cross fades) in a separate section below; you can learn more about dissolves by watching the YouTube video titled “The Film Dissolve: The Hardest Cut.”
Ep. 7, cut and dissolve (cross fade), cross cutting: Yi Heon looks up, his mind clouded by drugs. The shot cuts to Queen So-woon, who’s in her quarters; bewildered by the drastic change in the King’s behaviour towards her, she’s looking up while holding the hazelnuts in her hand. The shot then cross dissolves into Ha Seon, who’s at the bottom of the hole in the woods, looking up.
These cross cutting shots of Yi Heon, Queen So-woon, and Ha Seon are so moving and so meaningful. They also depict how the writer, the director, the cinematographer, and the editor worked together in creating these shots. The writer conceptualized the shots; the director envisioned how the shots would be as a finished product; the cinematographer lighted the scenes and took the shots; and the editor combined the shots to uphold the director’s vision.
Note: “Cross-cutting” is an editing technique most often used in films to establish action occurring at the same time, and usually in the same place. In a cross-cut, the camera will cut away from one action to another action, which can suggest the simultaneity of these two actions but this is not always the case. (Wikipedia)
A BBC article titled “Cross-cutting and narrating - Explorative strategies” says: "Cross-cutting is an excellent way to explore the contrast between situations by making differences clear for the audience."
For more information about cross cutting, please watch these YouTube videos: (1) “Film Techniques - Cross-cutting/Parallel Editing” with examples from “American Graffiti” by George Lucas, among others; and (2) “Crosscutting: Christopher Nolan’s Biggest Strength.”
Ep. 7, push in: After returning to the palace, Yi Heon reads from the journals what Ha Seon has done during his absence. To depict his anger and Ha Seon’s shock and terror, the cinematographer pushes in the camera alternatively towards Yi Heon and Ha Seon. (Of course, it was the editor during the post production who took what the cinematographer shot and then arranged/combined the shots to create this tension-filled scene.)
The article “Types of Camera Movements in Film Explained: Definitive Guide” (Studio Binder) defines what a push-in shot is: “A push-in moves the camera closer to a subject typically with a dolly camera movement or Steadicam. Push-ins can draw the audience’s attention toward a specific detail. Filmmakers also push-in toward characters to try and infer what is occurring internally. This can be a reaction, thought process, or internal conflict.”
Ep. 10, push in: Queen So-woon finds the piece of paper that Ha Seon has been using to practice his handwriting. The camera pushes in on her slowly to depict her conflicting thoughts and feelings as she realizes that the man she thought was the King was actually the clown.
Ep. 4, fade to black: “Fade to black” is usually used to transition from one scene to another. But in Ep. 4, the editor uses fade to black to transition from one shot to another to increase the dramatic tension as Chief Royal Secretary Lee helps Ha Seon, whom he had just stabbed in the chest, to walk off from the cliff.
Ep. 7: As Yi Heon starts to undress her, Queen So-woon stops him by grabbing his hand with her left hand. At that same time, as Royal Guard Moo-young uses his torch to see where Ha Seon is, Ha Seon suddenly grabs hold of Moo-young’s hand with his left hand to climb out of the hole.
Ep. 3, tracking shot: At the temple, Yi Heon goes into an anxiety attack, not having taken his drug for some time; as he frantically looks for his pipe, the camera tracks him as he retreats and cowers into a corner. Yeo Jin-goo’s great acting as the drug-crazed King is reinforced by the tracking shot.
Simply stated, in a “tracking shot,” the camera follows the actor or an object in a scene. For more information, please watch the YouTube video titled “Back to Basics: Tracking and Dolly Shots | Cinematography Techniques.”
Ep. 4, tracking shot: Several shots first show Chief Royal Secretary Lee surprised by a non-responsive Yi Heon. As he moves to his left to see what’s wrong with Yi Heon (as viewers, we also don’t know what’s happening to Yi Heon), the camera tracks him and then shows Yi Heon with blood oozing out of his right ear.
Ep. 7, camera roll: Ha Seon has been dumped into a deep hole in the woods. To depict his hopeless situation, the cinematographer shoots him from a high point of view; the (counterclockwise) camera roll reinforces that sense of hopelessness.
The article “Types of Camera Movements in Film Explained: Definitive Guide” from Studio Binder explains what a “camera roll” is:
“The camera roll is a rotational camera movement that rotates the camera over its side on its long axis. Rolls can be dizzying and unnatural. For this reason, filmmakers use it to disorient the audience or create uneasiness. It’s specific effect makes it a very intentional camera movement that should only be used when wanting to elicit a discomfort in the audience.”
Ep. 8, cross dissolves: Chief Royal Secretary Lee leads Yi Heon towards the beach. The first shot is a bird’s eye view drone shot which dissolves into a wide shot at eye level, with the friends at frame right. The shot dissolves into another wide shot, with the friends now at frame left. The shot finally dissolves into a much wider shot.
Ep. 8, rack focus as a foreshadowing device: With tears streaming down his eyes, Chief Royal Secretary Lee burns Yi Heon’s royal decree deposing Queen So-woon and sentencing her to die by poisoning. As he burns the letter, he becomes out of focus, while the King’s robe becomes in focus.
Why is it a foreshadowing device? Well, we know that at the end of Ep. 8, Chief Royal Secretary Lee kills Yi Heon.
Ep. 1, establishing shots, extreme closeup, cross dissolve, push in: Yi Heon honors Minister Shin for his service in rooting out Yi Heon’s political enemies. The closeup of Yi Heon cross dissolves into the shot of Minister Shin walking into the quadrangle. The camera pushes in to track Minister shin as he walks towards Yi Heon. The shot then cuts to the reverse angle, showing Yi Heon’s back; the camera pushes in towards him and then moves up (probably on a jib) to show Minister Shin.
Ep. 1: The first shot is a partial shot of Yi Heon wearing the “myeonryugwan” (ceremonial head gear for the King and the Crown Prince) as the camera moves down. Then there’s a cut to Ha Seon, wearing his clown’s mask, as the camera moves upwards.
Ep. 1, push in/tracking shot: Yi Heon terrorizes his attendants after he suspects that his food has been poisoned.
Ep. 14, pull out and rack focus: Chief Royal Secretary Lee is surrounded by Prince Jin-pyung’s men. The camera pulls out, and he becomes out of focus as the lock to Minister Shin’s jail cell becomes in focus.
The article “Types of Camera Movements in Film Explained: Definitive Guide” (Studio Binder) says: “A pull out is a smooth camera movement that moves the camera further away from a subject. This movement causes the subject to grow smaller while simultaneously revealing their surroundings. Pull outs can be used to reveal setting and characters.”
C. Ramping up the romance between Ha Seon and Queen So-woon through cross dissolves and other devices
Ep. 3: Ha Seon and Queen So-woon are on the small bridge at night; there’s a series of cross dissolves that lead to a wide shot of them on the bridge as fireflies flit all round them.
Ep. 4: Queen So-woon is in the gazebo at the Aryeonji Pond, while Ha Seon is in another place opposite the pond. In his mind, Ha Seon pleads with Queen So-woon not to smile. But Queen So-woon does smile at him.
Ep. 5: At the library, Ha Seon bumps into Queen So-woon; as he catches her as she’s about to fall, the medium shot cross dissolves into a wide shot. It then cross dissolves into another medium shot of Ha Seon and Queen So-woon, with Ha Seon clearly surprised by what’s happening. From the reverse angle, Ha Seon stares at Queen So-woon. From the reverse angle, Queen So-woon stares back at Ha Seon, with the camera slightly pushing in on her. The next shot is a wide shot of Ha Seon and Queen So-woon holding each other close, with the camera slightly pushing in on them. From the next wide shot, there’s a medium shot of Ha Seon and Queen So-woon staring at each other, followed by a close up of Ha Seon’s right hand clutching Queen So-woon’s left wrist and two more close ups of Ha Seon and Queen So-woon staring at each other.
Notes:
“A cross dissolve is a post-production video editing technique in which you gently increase the opacity of one scene over the previous one. In contrast to the jarring transition of a plain jump cut, one scene fades into the next, and the two images briefly overlap.” (Wikipedia)
The article “Cross dissolves for gentle transitions” says that the gentle, dreamlike quality is what makes cross dissolves effective. A Berkeley University article, on the other hand, says that cross dissolves are a way to slow down action, creating a gradual and therefore comforting effect.
D. Recurring kinds of shot - (1) characters framed by converging lines, (2) wide shot from low angle POV, and (3) lower quadrant composition
(1) Characters framed by converging lines with the character at or near the vanishing point:
From “Filmmaker’s Handbook: What is one-point perspective?”: “One-point perspective is a way of crafting cinematic shots with near-perfect symmetry. The composition of these shots draws the viewer’s eye to a specific focal point within the frame, absorbing them into the dimension of the shot and manipulating the experience by telling them exactly where to look.”
(2) Wide shot usually from a low angle point of view
(3) Lower quadrant composition
E. Rack focus: A K-drama isn’t a K-drama if it doesn’t have rack focus shots.
Ep. 3: As Ha Seon walks around the palace, he sees Queen So-woon; as he becomes out of focus, Queen So-woon and her attendants become in focus. From the reverse angle, Queen So-woon becomes in focus as Ha Seon becomes out of focus.
Ep. 7: As Queen So-woon serves Yi Heon, she becomes out of focus as Yi Heon’s reflection on the mirror becomes in focus.
Ep. 7: Yi Heon becomes outraged as he realizes that Queen So-woon has fallen in love with Ha Seon; as his reflection on the mirror becomes out of focus, Queen So-woon becomes in focus.
Ep. 7: Yi Heon is shot with an extreme close up as Queen So-woon keeps talking about how happy she has become in the palace; as the camera trucks (moves parallel) to Yi Heon, his right eye becomes out of focus as his left eye becomes in focus. As the camera stops trucking, his right eye becomes in focus again as his left eye becomes out of focus. (I donhttps://the-take.com/watch/filmmakers-handbook-what-is-one-point-perspectivet think this was done in camera; this was probabluy edited during the post production stage.)
F. Transition devices - dissolves or cross fades, fade to black, etc.
Ep. 4, fade to black: “Fade to black”is usually used to transition from one scene to another. But in Ep. 4, the editor uses fade to black to transition from one shot to another to increase the dramatic tension as Chief Royal Secretary Lee helps Ha Seon, whom he had just stabbed in the chest, to walk off from the cliff.
Ep. 4: The shot shows Minister Shin telling Court Lady Kim that there’s nothing that bribes cannot do. As the camera moves past Court Lady Kim, the image of Minister Sin is replaced by the image of a Royal Physician.
Ep. 4: The shot first shows Court Lady Kim smirking. As the camera moves past her, she becomes out of focus as her background becomes in focus; she completely disappears in the shot, and in the background, we see two attendants appear, moving from frame left to frame right. (In the last shot, we see the two attendants bowing to Court Lady Kim.) I think these two shots were stitched together.
Ep. 4: Ha Seon lies unconscious in the King’s quarters, with blood on his robe. As the camera trucks (moves parallel to) him to the left, the shot transitions to Yi Heon with his bloody ear, with the monk checking his pulse.
G. Visual cues
“Visual cues” are explained in an excellent series of articles from “My Drama List” written by someone with the username “3GGG.”
Popular Visual Cues found in K-Dramas, Part 1: visual ways to establish a conflict, division, or fight between two or more character
Popular Visual Cues in K-Dramas, Part 2: boxing to establish a character’s vulnerability, solitude, or fear; comfort and respite; change; danger; showdown
Popular Visual Cues in K-Dramas, Part 3: Dutch angle
Popular Visual Cues in K-Dramas, Part 4: Interpersonal cues (using cues simultaneously or one after another)
These MDL articles on visual cues will help you better understand and appreciate K-dramas. (I prefer, however, the term “framing” instead of “boxing.”) I used these visual cues in my analyses of the cinematography of dramas such as “Flower of Evil” and “Start-Up.”
Ep. 15: In their confrontation over the royal seal, Ha Seon and Queen Dowager are divided by the post. The Queen Dowager then moves (to our right) where she and Ha Seon are now divided by the post in the foreground. This is an elegantly blocked scene.
Ep. 2: Ha Seon clutches the blanket around him as the court attendants approach him to help him wash up and change clothes. Notice that he’s framed by the attendants.
Ep. 2: Queen So-woon is framed by the door of the secret passageway in the King’s quarters.
Ep. 2: Notice the lines that separate Ha Seon and Chief Royal Secretary Lee.
Ep. 9: Ha Seon and Queen So-woon in the King’s library (frames)
Ep. 10: Ha Seon and the Head Eunuch in the library
Ep 10, Queen So-woon and Ha Seon enclosed by frames
Ep. 10: Queen So-woon in her quarters
Ep. 11: Queen So-woon leaves the palace as Chief Royal Secretary Lee tries to stop her; Dowager Queen demands that the royal seal be turned over to her.
H. The ugliest, most inelegant shot in “The Crowned Clown”
At the end of Ep. 10 (and at the beginning of Ep. 11), Queen So-woon is shocked out of her mind when she finally realizes that the man she has fallen in love with isn’t Yi Heon, the King, but a mere clown posing as the king.
After several close ups of Queen So-woon and Ha Seon, the next shot is an overly dramatic Dutch angle shot of Queen So-woon as she steps back from Ha Seon.
The next shot shows Queen So-woon dropping the piece of paper (in complete silence), and that paper then makes a huge rustling sound as it hits the floor. From a low angle point of view, we then see Ha Seon looking in shock at the piece of paper.
In my previous analyses, I’ve ranted against the sometimes nonsensical Dutch angles of “Mr. Sunshine.” But I’ve also said that the Dutch angle shots in “Hotel Del Luna” are appropriate considering the drama’s plot and tone.
In this scene from Ep. 10/Ep. 11 of “The Crowned Clown,” the director, the cinematographer, and the editor decided to beat the viewer’s head with an overly dramatic Dutch angle, which destroys the elegance of the scene. It’s as if the director, the cinematographer, and the editor couldn’t trust the viewer to be intelligent enough to realize that the tension is high and the scene is crucial to the whole drama, and so, they used an overly dramatic Dutch angle shot.
Contrast this scene in Ep. 10/Ep. 11 with an earlier scene in Ep. 10 when Ha Seon sits alone in the King’s quarters; as he ponders the warning of Chief Royal Secretary Lee about deceiving Queen So-woon, his somber mood is reinforced solely by the mournful sound of a cello. That’s an elegant scene.
Contrast this scene in Ep. 10/Ep. 11 with the scene below from Ep. 14 when Queen So-woon finds out from Chief Royal Secretary Lee that her father has been murdered. There’s no overly dramatic Dutch angle shot; the scene only has medium shots of Queen So-woon, Ha Seon, and Chief Royal Secretary Lee, silence and music, slow motion, and excellent acting by Lee Se-young as expressed though her eyes. That’s such an elegantly shot scene.
The director and the cinematographer could have avoided using that overly dramatic Dutch angle shot by using only a slightly noticeable Dutch shot. Or the editor could have deleted that overly dramatic Dutch angle shot. In the GIF below, by deleting that Dutch angle shot, I restored the scene’s elegance.
(You might remember in my analysis of “Kingdom: Ashin of the North,” I said that this special episode used only around six or seven hardly noticeable Dutch angle shots. Also, watch Episode 46 of “Six Flying Dragons” where Bang-won and his men launch the historical incident known as the “First Strife of Princes” by marching towards the house where Jeong Do-jeon is meeting his allies. Except for one or two hardly-noticeable Dutch angle shots, there isn’t any other Dutch angle shot in the whole sequence. But the scenes are filled with tension for several reasons — the scenes take place at night; some of the men are carrying torches; Bang-won’s group becomes bigger as more and more men join him; Bang-won, Moo-hyul, and the others march with grim expressions; and the haunting, wailing background music seals everything.)
II. Lessons in photography from “The Crowned Clown”
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| Background blur, compressed perspective |
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| Sidelighting, foreground and background blur |
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| Converging lines, symmetry and balance |
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| High angle shot, lines |
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| Foreground and background blur, lines of diection |
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| Low angle shot |
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| Reflections |
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| Shooting against the light |
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| Sidelighting, compressed perspective |
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| Warm colors |
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| Converging lines, low angle shot |
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| Aerial perspective |
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| Lower quadrant composition |
