“The Last Princess” aka “Princess Deok Hye” 2016 Korean historical movie, synopsis (no spoilers)

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Jump to synopsis of Part 1, Part 2, Part 3, Part 4, Part 5, Part 6; How I wrote this synopsis with no spoilers; Historical backgrounders and other information; Lessons in photography from “The Last Princess”

From Wikipedia: “The Last Princess” is a 2016 South Korean period drama film directed by Hur Jin-ho with a screenplay by Hur, Lee Han-eol, and Seo Yoo-min, based on the best-selling novel by Kwon Bi-young. It stars Son Ye-jin as Princess Deokhye, the last princess of the Joseon Dynasty. The film depicts Princess Deokhye’s life in Japan after she was forced to move there at age 13 by the Imperial Japanese government, and her attempts to return to Korea.

Director Hur Jin-ho decided to make a film about Princess Deokhye after watching a documentary about her on television; he could not forget the scene showing the princess reuniting with her court ladies at the Gimpo Airport, when she was finally allowed to return to Korea after 38 years in Japan. The film’s screenplay was co-written by Hur, Lee Han-eol, and Seo Yoo-min, based on the best-selling novel Princess Deokhye (2009) by Kwon Bi-young. The story is a mix of fact and fiction, as Kim Jang-han is a fictional character. Princess Deokhye’s story had never been made into a film before this.

“The Last Princess” opened in third place at the box office on August 3, and rose to the number one spot during the weekend of August 5–7. Over the weekend, 1.2 million tickets were sold across 961 screens, accounting for 24 percent of all ticket sales in South Korea. The film earned US$12.4 million in a five-day period (August 3–7), with 1.7 million tickets sold. The film grossed US$35.4 million in South Korea. It grossed US$40.35 million worldwide.

The movie and its cast won various awards: Blue Dragon Film Awards (Best Actress); Grand Bell Awards (Best Actress, Best Supporting Actress, Best Costume design, Best Music); Korean Film Producers Association Awards (Best Actress); Golden Cinema Festival (Best Actor); and Baeksang Arts Awards (Best Actress).

How I wrote this synopsis with no spoilers

I divided this movie into six parts, with Part 5 and Part 6 comprising the last 35 minutes. You can just read Part 1 to Part 3 (or even up to Part 4) to learn what the movie is all about. Except for Part 6, I did not include the twists and turns of the plot, and so, they are spoiler-free.

Part 1 (from start to 21:12)

Department Head Kim of Seoul News receives a call from Japan informing him that Princess Deokhye has been found.

Flashback, 1919 ...

Princess Deok Hye is the beloved 7-year old daughter of Emperor Gojong and Royal Consort Yang. As the court ministers pressure Emperor Gojong to approve the union between Korea and Japan, she runs from her attendants, barges into the meeting, and hides behind him.

Worried about the future of Princess Deok Hye, Emperor Gojong arranges her marriage to Kim Jang Han, 2nd son of the late commanding general of the Manchurian Restoration Army.

1925 ...

Advisor Han Taek Su pressures Princess Deok Hye to adopt Japanese customs such as the wearing of a kimono. Later on, he informs King Sunjong that the Japanese government has approved the royal title for Princess Deok Hye and that she must study in Japan.







Part 2 (from 21:13 to 34:14)

1961 ...

Department Head Kim arrives in Japan. As he searches for Princess Deok Hye, he visits the wife of the bedridden King Yeongchin (former Prince Eun).

Flashback ...

Kim Jang Han, now a 2nd lieutenant in the Japanese Imperial Army, meets Princess Deok Hye when he is assigned as the military aide of King Yeongchin. Princess Deok Hye has finished her studies, but Advisor Han Taek Su refuses to send her back to Joseon.

Prince Yi Wu (Emperor Gojong’s grandson) offers Princess Deok Hye a way to go back and, later, brings her to a secret meeting of Korean students in Japan. But the meeting is interrupted when the Japanese police arrive and force their way in.



Part 3 (from 34:15 to 49:40)

Along with Prince Yi Wu, Kim Jang Han and his uncle plan to strike against some top Japanese officials during the “New Era Celebration”; they also prepare a way for King Yeongchin to escape to Shanghai.

Princess Deok Hye is moved by the plight of the children of Korean workers in Japan; she asks Kim Jang Han to help her set up a school for the children.

To stifle the labor unrest among Korean workers in Daito Industries, Advisor Han Taek Su orders Princess Deok Hye to go there and read his prepared speech. When Princess Deok Hye refuses, he says that, if she does what he wants, he will finally allow her to go back to Korea where her mother is critically ill.



Part 4 (from 40:41 to 1:28:19)

Because of Advisor Han Taek Su’s increasing cruelty, Kim Jang Han asks his uncle if they can eliminate him.

King Yeongchin refuses the government’s offer for Princess Deok Hye to marry So Takeyuki, who’s from a noble family and a graduate of Tokyo Imperial University. But Advisor Han Taek Su insists that the marriage must push through.

Along with Prince Yi Wu, Princess Deok Hye tries to convince King Yeongchin to go into exile in Shanghai. But Prince Yi Geon (King Yeonchin’s eldest son and an officer in the Japanese Imperial Army) walks out of their meeting.

After King Yeongchin agrees to go into exile, Kim Jang Han, his uncle, and their comrades finalize their plans of creating a diversion for their escape by bombing the “New Era Celebration.”



Part 5 (from 1:28:20 to 1:40:51)

1931 ... The Japanese Emperor forces Princess Deok Hye to marry Count So Takeyuki.

August 1945 ...

Princess Deok Hye now has a daughter named So Masae (“Jeong Hye”). After learning of Japan’s unconditional surrender to the allied forces, she takes her daughter and goes to Shimonoseki Port to sail back to Korea.





Part 6 (from 1:40:52 to the end, or the last 27 minutes)

Kim Jang Han finds out that Princess Deok Hye (now Yang Deok Hye) has been confined in a mental institution where she has tried to commit suicide numerous times. Later on, he launches his crusade to bring King Yeongchin and Princess Deok Hye back to Korea.

In 1962, after 38 years, Princess Deok Hye finally returns to Korea.

Historical backgrounders and other information

1. ‘The Last Princess’ a refreshing historical drama (The Korea Herald)

“The Last Princess” provides a refreshing change from typical dramas about the Japanese occupation of Korea, which are usually intent on delivering a message of patriotism, and tend to be heavy-handed in their emotional arcs.

This film has been handled by a director who is sensitive to the inner turmoil of characters, understands that a muted approach can often evoke greater emotions, and weaves an intensely personal story into historical context.

The core of the film lies in actress Son, who herself invested 1 billion won ($900,000) in the film and once again proves herself a sensitive and technically refined performer. She paints a moving portrait of the princess -- frail, determined, loyal, confused and heartbroken.

2. Late Joseon Princess Deokhye’s life revealed (The Korea Herald)

She was born royal, victimized by history and died in solitude ― having lost her country and sanity.

The life story of Deokhye (1912 - 1989), the last princess of the Joseon Dynasty, is a tragedy that reflects the wretched fate of Korea’s last monarchy. More than 20 years after her death, her life, once written out of history, is making a comeback in different forms and ways.

3. From Wikipedia: Princess Deokhye of Korea (25 May 1912 – 21 April 1989) was the last princess of the Korean Empire

She was born on 25 May 1912 at Changdeok Palace in Seoul. She was the youngest daughter of Emperor Gojong and his concubine, then known as Yang Gui-in. Then, Emperor Gojong bestowed a royal title, Boknyeong, to Yang when she gave birth to Princess Deokhye. Princess Deokhye was not formally recognized as a princess by Japan until 1917, because she was not a daughter of the queen. In 1917, her name was formally entered into the Imperial Family's registry. Her father, Emperor Gojong, loved her greatly and established the Deoksu Palace Kindergarten for her in Junmyungdang, Hamnyeong hall. Girls her age from noble families attended the kindergarten. Princess Deokhye is called Deokhye Ongju in Korea, not Gongju. Gongju refers to the daughters of the queen, and Ongju refers to the daughters of concubines.

She returned to Korea at the invitation of the South Korean government on 26 January 1962, after 37 years. At first, the Korean government refused to allow the return of the last royal bloodline, because president Lee Seung Man wanted to avoid political chaos. However, reporter Kim Eul Han found the princess and persuaded the Korean government to allow her return. She cried while approaching her motherland, and despite her mental state, accurately remembered the court manners. She lived in Nakseon Hall, Changdeok Palace, with Crown Prince and Princess Eun, their son Prince Gu, his wife Julia Mullock, and Mrs Byeon Bokdong, her lady-in-waiting. She died on 21 April 1989 at Sugang Hall, Changdeok Palace, and was buried at Hongryureung in Namyangju, near Seoul.

Lessons in photography from “The Last Princess”

Sidelighting, natural frame, out of focus foreground element as partial frame

Balance and symmetry

Low angle shot, keystoning

Converging lines, hidden geometric patterns

Dutch angle or Dutch tilt

Dutch angle or Dutch tilt

Establishing shot

Establishing shot

Natural frames, balance and symmetry

Aerial perspective

Balance and symmetry

Balance and symmetry

Decisive moment

Converging lines

Quality and direction of light

Dutch angle, keystoning

Dutch angle

Establishing shot

Sidelighting, partial frame

Foreground blur, sidelighting

Foeground blur

Line of direction, conveying depth

Linear perspective

Low angle shot

Quality and direction of light

Shallow depth of field

How the cinematographer shows sense of isolation

“Queen In-Hyun’s Man” aka “Queen and I” synopsis by episode (Eps. 1-16, no spoilers)

Jump to synopsis of Episode 1; 2; 3; 4; 5; 6; 7; 8; 9; 10; 11; 12; 13; 14; 15; 16 (Finale); How I wrote these episode summaries with no spoilers; Lessons in photography from “Queen In-Hyun’s Man”

“Queen In-hyun’s Man” is a 2012 South Korean television series (genres: rom-com, time travel, historical). The story centers around obscure actress Choi Hee-jin (played by Yoo In-na, in her first leading role) who falls in love with Kim Bung-do (played by Ji Hyun-woo), a time-traveling scholar from the Joseon Dynasty who jumps 300 years into the 21st century.

This drama was also broadcast in the Philippines, Mongolia, Singapore, Malaysia, Thailand, Hong Kong, Macau, and Sri Lanka. (Wikipedia)

How I wrote these episode summaries with no spoilers

1. I assumed that you will be reading these recaps and watching the videos chronologically.

2. I narrated some of the main actions in each episode without revealing the plot’s twists and turns.

I followed this structure all throughout except for Ep. 16 (Finale) where I included some spoilers. Reason - some people want to know if the drama has a good ending or a sad ending before they invest the time in watching it.

I used this same structure in my synopses of “Gokusen” (2002, Japanese classroom drama-comedy) and “IRIS” (2009, blockbuster Korean espionage-action drama).

Ep. 1

April 1694 ... Gim Bung Do foils an assassination attempt against deposed Queen In-Hyun; after reassuring Queen In-Hyun about her safety, he promises her that he will expose to King Sukjong the complicity of Lady Jang (the current queen) and Minister Min Am in the assassination attempt.

On his way to the palace, Gim Bung Do stops by a gisaeng house to visit Yun-wol, a musician-gisaeng who was his late wife’s devoted slave. Despite his protest that he doesn’t believe in talismans, Yun-wol urges him to take the talisman that was given to her by a temple’s head monk.

While waiting for King Sukjong in the palace library, Gim Bung Do is ambushed by Ja-soo, Minister Min Am’s chief assassin. He stumbles and falls on the floor, but when Ja-soo presses his sword against his chest, he suddenly disappears.

300 years into the future ...

Gim Bung Do finds himself transported to modern-day Seoul.

Choi Hee-jin is a struggling actress. Her manager Soo-kyung has scheduled her to audition for a new drama about Lady Jang, but she arrives late. To make matters worse, the actor who has been chosen to play the role of King Sukjong is Han Dong-min, her egotistic, former boyfriend.

Ep. 2

After meeting Hee-jin on the filming location, Gim Bung Do goes to a secluded room; as he reads the words in the talisman (“time, road, communication, call, space, need, rescue, man”), he’s transported back to Joseon times. Later, he looks for the head monk who wrote the talisman.

Minister Min Am thinks that Gim Bung Do is acting on King Sukjong’s orders. He remembers how Gim Bung Do’s family was implicated and executed because of a treasonous plot. Later, together with his bodyguards, he visits Yun-wol in the gisaeng house.

Modern times ...

Hee-jin faces pressure not only from Han Dong Min who wants to restart their romantic relationship but also from Na-jeong, the actress who plays the role of Lady Jung.

During the press conference, Hee-jin begins to feel dizzy; to clear her head, she takes a walk by herself, away from the actors, staff, and reporters. In the woods, however, she sees Gim Bung Do fighting another swordsman.

Ep. 3

In the hospital, Hee-jin finds that her cellphone is missing; in her bag, however, she finds Gim Bung Do’s blood-spattered talisman. Using the GPS locator of Soo-kyung’s phone, she leaves the hospital and goes to the filming location; there, she meets Gim Bung Do, who’s all dressed up in modern-day clothes.

After Gim Bung Do asks Hee-jin for his talisman, they drive to the hospital. But because Han Dong Min has spread a rumor on the Internet about her, Na-jeong also goes to the hospital to confront Hee-jin.

Ep. 4

Joseon times ...

Minister Min Am is called to an audience with King Sukjong; to his shock, Gim Bung Do is also there. Meanwhile, Yun-wol is dumped in the woods by Minister Min Am’s men.

Along with his servant Han-dong, Gim Bung Do goes back to the woods; thinking that the talisman saves him every time he’s in mortal danger, he orders Han-dong to shoot him with a bow and arrow.

Modern times ...

Gim Bung Do is transported right back to Hee-jin’s hospital room; when he tries to leave the bathroom, Han Dong Min sees him. As they fight, he loses the talisman and gets locked up in the shower. Later, the nurses, security men, and Han Dong Min’s manager arrive; they guard the room and call the police to report a “psycho stalker.”

Hee-jin also arrives; alone in the bathroom with Gim Bung Do, she agrees with his request to get hold of the “Annals of the Joseon Dynasty.” They agree to meet in a park and go to the library.

Ep. 5

After seeing Hee-jin and Gim Bung Do in the library, Suk-yoong insists on taking Gim Bung Do to where he wants to be dropped off. Along the way, she interrogates him about his background.

Hee-jin’s pictures in the library start appearing on the Internet; when she confesses to Soo-kyung that she kissed Gim Bung Do in the elevator, they become afraid that the security camera recorded it. They go back to the library and plead with the man in charge to review the security footage. As they’re talking, Hee-jin sees Gim Bung Do sneaking back into the library.

Joseon times ... Having read in the Annals what will happen to him, Gim Bung Do orders his servant Han-dong to escape with Yun-wol. After his arrest and trial, he’s exiled to Jeju on King Sukjong’s orders; meanwhile, Minister Min Am sends his assassins to kill him.

Modern times ... having learned from the drama's scriptwriter what happened to Gim Bung Do in Jeju, Hee-jin becomes deeply depressed.

Ep. 6

Along with Soo-kyung, Hee-jin flies to Jeju to meet Gim Bung Do. But unknown to them, Han Dong Min and Na-jeong are also in Jeju for a photoshoot.

As they spend some time together before flying back to Seoul, Gim Bung Do and Hee-jin talk about what really happened; Soo-kyung, on the other hand, interrogates Gim Bung Do about his family and educational background.

On the flight back to Seoul, Han Dong-min and his manager spot Gim Bung Do in the back of the plane and recognize him as the “psycho stalker” in the hospital. When he sees Gim Bung Do approach Hee-jin, Han Dong-min runs down the aisle and attacks him with a flying kick.

Ep. 7

Hee-jin saves Gim Bung Do by saying that he’s her boyfriend. Later on, Han Dong-min harasses her for making him look like a fool before everyone in the plane and on the Internet. Afraid of the negative publicity, the drama’s director asks her to make up publicly with Han Dong-min. Soo-kyung also orders her to contact Gim Bung Do for a lunch date with Han Dong-min, but she says that there’s no way that she can contact him.

Joseon times ... Gim Bung Do warns Queen In-Hyun that Minister Min Am and his allies will try to assassinate her that night. After writing a letter, he sneaks into the palace to wait for King Sukjong.

Gim Bung Do goes to Minister Min Am’s house and forces him to write letters that implicate himself and lady Jung’s brother in the assassination plot against Queen In-Hyun.

In Queen In-Hyun’s house, Minister Min Am’s assassins led by Ja-soo find no one guarding the house.

Ep. 8

After going back to the filming location, Hee-jin checks the Annals on the Internet when she becomes confused with the changes in the script. Meanwhile, Gim Bung Do is still in the restaurant, asking Soo-kyung on what’s the corniest thing that he can do for Hee-jin. But Soo-kyung mocks him, saying that he can’t afford Hee-jin’s expensive tastes. Later that night, he meets Hee-jin and promises to come back in a month.

Joseon times ... As he’s being carted off to jail, Minister Min Am orders Ja-soo to find out everything about Gim Bung Do.

Gim Bung Do transports himself back to Joseon times, but in the woods, he’s immediately ambushed by Minister Min Am’s men. As he fights them off, the talisman gets slashed into two pieces.

Ep. 9

As her memory of Gim Bung Do and everything that has happened between them becomes fuzzy, Hee-jin becomes disoriented and crashes her car against a tree. She wakes up in a hospital, suffering from a concussion; worried about delaying the drama’s schedule, she calls Soo-Kyung. Afterwards, she’s visited by Han Dong-min who immediately embraces her.

Hee-jin goes into an emotional tailspin when she finds no trace of Gim Bung Do; Soo-kyung tells her that everything — the trip to Jeju, the car that Gim Bung Do bought her — is all a dream.

Joseon times ... As he is restored to his office and is led back to the capital, Gim Bung Do becomes confused about what’s happening; his servant Han-dong also scoffs when he mentions the talisman and its magical effects.

Modern times .... After making regular visits to a psychiatrist, Hee-jin becomes convinced that everything that she remembers about Gim Bung Do is just a figment of her imagination. On an impulse, however, she drives to the park where she and Gim Bung Do promised to meet.

Ep. 10

Joseon times ... King Sukjong meets Gim Bung Do for the first time after his return from exile in Jeju; to make up for his errors in judgment, he sets up a match between Gim Bung Do and the Prime Minister’s 3rd daughter.

After meeting Queen In-Hyun in the palace, Gim Bung-do becomes anxious when he has flashes of memory of him kissing a woman dressed in a queen’s attire.

Modern times .... Hee-jin becomes obsessed with knowing about Gim Bung Do by reading the Annals. But her obsession frustrates Soo-kyung and angers Han Dong-min.

Joseon times ... Gim Bung Do goes to see the monk at the temple; to his surprise, the monk remembers their previous conversation about a fairy-like woman whom he met in the other world. But as the monk explains to him the talisman’s power, they’re attacked by two of Minister Min Am’s men. Gim Bung Do captures one of the men, but the other man runs off to the mountain and reveals to Ja-soo the talisman’s secret. Gim Bung Do confronts the men on the mountain, but Ja-soo taunts him by holding out the talisman.

Modern times ... As Hee-jin prepares for the awards ceremony, her phone rings; when Soo-kyung answers it, she’s stunned when the person on the other end introduces himself as “Gim Bung Do.”

Ep. 11

Soo-kyung meets Gim Bung Do in a coffee shop outside the venue of the awards ceremony; unable to believe that he traveled through time, she pleads with him not to mess up Hee-jin’s life.

When Soo-kyung returns to the venue, Hee-jin demands to know if it was Gim Bung Do who called her on the phone. Hee-jin then rushes out of the venue; failing to find Gim Bung Do in the coffeeshop, she takes a taxi to the park.

Joseon times ... Gim Bung Do orders his servant Han-dong to deliver a message to the Royal Investigation Bureau about Ja-soo. He also tells Yun-wol that he found the talisman.

Modern times ... As Han Dong-min searches for her, Hee-jin escapes from the nightclub where the awards ceremony party is being held. In her house, she meets Gim Bung Do, but their reunion is cut short because a tipsy Han Dong-min has followed her home.

Ep. 12

Gim Bung Do and Hee-jin spend the night together in a hotel. Later on, after breakfast, they happily go on a bicycle ride together, but their conversation turns serious about what the future holds for them.

Hee-jin gets a call from Soo-kyung about Han Dong-min being confined in a hospital. Despite Gim Bung Do’s caution, she decides to go the hospital.

Joseon times ... Yun-wol visits the monk at the temple, who tells her that Gim Bung Do has made up his mind to stay in the future world. Meanwhile, Ja-soo begins to carry out Minister Min Am’s plan for revenge against Gim Bung Do.

Ep. 13

Hee-jin begins buying the things that Gim Bung Do asked her to buy — cell phone, clothes, a house near her own ...

Joseon times ... Yun-wol warns Gim Bung Do that the talisman’s power will turn against him if he uses it for selfish reasons; she tells him about the head monk’s warning that the talisman could bring either great fortune or misfortune.

An officer from the Royal Investigation Bureau leads Gim Bung Do to the market to clarify some things about Ja-soo’s wanted poster. While they’re talking, several men with bows and arrows appear on the nearby rooftop; they shoot at Gim Bung Do, who gets hit with two arrows on his shoulder and on his back.

Gim Bung Do is transported to Seoul; despite his injuries, he rides on a taxi and asks the driver to take him to a library. But when he falls unconscious, the driver rushes him to a hospital.

Joseon times ... The news that Gim Bung Do mysteriously disappeared while he was being attacked reaches the royal court and King Sukjong; they become convinced that he used some sort of black magic. Worse, King Sukjong suspects that it was Gim Bung Do who was seen visiting Queen In-Hyun several times. He orders that Minister Min Am be released from his imprisonment and that Queen In-Hyun be investigated for immorality.

Ep. 14

Joseon times ... Gim Bung Do is arrested by the Royal Investigation Bureau; later, King Sukjong orders that he and Minister Min Am be interrogated. To find out whether the talisman is really black magic, he places the talisman on Gim Bung Do and orders several archers to shoot him.

The royal physician informs King Sukjong that Gim Bung Do died because of his wounds; in his anger, King Sukjong draws a sword to kill Minister Min Am. Meanwhile, Gim Bung Do’s servant Han-dong takes his body to the forest.

Modern times ... As Soo-kyung reads in the Annals how Gim Bung Do died, Hee-jin becomes hysterical and then faints. Soo-kyung loses control of the car, and they crash into a pole.

Ep. 15

Gim Bung Do and Hee-jin begin enjoying their life, free from all worries about assassins and Joseon politicians. Hee- jin teaches him how to put on tie, and later on, they go out on a date in a restaurant where he tries out some fettuccine.

Nighttime, they visit the park, still talking about their plans for the future. Gim Bung Do notices the cotton-candy cart and goes over there to buy some. Hee-jin looks away for a moment, but when she turns to look for Gim Bung Do, he has disappeared.

Joseon times ... Gim Bung Do finds himself back in Joseon, with the talisman having turned black. Alarmed, he goes to the gisaeng house to look for Yun-wol, but in her room, he finds the floor streaked with blood. Later on, he looks for Ja-soo and his men and engages them in a swordfight.

Modern times .... After having waited in the park in vain, Hee-jin sinks into despair, thinking that she will never see Gim Bung Do ever again.

Joseon times ... After weeks of travel on horseback, Gim Bung Do reaches the temple. But to his utter disappointment, he learns that the head monk who wrote the talisman is dead.

Ep. 16 Finale (with spoilers)

One year later .... With the talisman having been burned up, Hee-jin has lost all of her memories of Gim Bung Do.

Impressed by Hee-jin’s performance in the Lady Jang drama, the producer of a documentary titled “Queen In-Hyun’s Man” appeals to her to do the narration. He explains to Hee-jin that the rumor about Queen In-Hyun having had a secret lover could possibly be true because of a recently-discovered document written in 1695 by a Joseon minister. Hee- jin accepts the assignment and soon becomes engrossed with the story of Queen In-Hyun and her lover named Gim Bung Do.

Joseon times ... Gim Bung Do is arrested for the killings in the gisaeng house a year ago; he’s later brought to the palace for interrogation.

Modern times ... in the palace, Hee-jin continues to film her part for the documentary. As she walks on the path, she senses a body passing through her. On her way home that night, she's filled with an unexplainable loneliness.

Joseon times ... in jail, Gim Bung Do realizes that if his identity is revealed, it could endanger King Sukjong and Queen In-Hyun. He takes the necktie that Hee-jin gave him and uses it to hang himself.

Modern times ... Hee-jin breaks down in her car, with memories of Gim Bung Do flooding into her mind. She remembers the number of the cellphone that she bought for Gim Bung Do and calls him.

Hee-jin goes back to the studio and asks the documentary producer if she could view the footages. As she listens to the narration of Gim Bung Do’s letter, she suddenly realizes that the letter was meant for her.

As she sits crying in the darkened viewing room, Hee-jin hears the door open behind her.

Lessons in photography from “Queen In-Hyun’s Man”

Background blur, hidden geometric pattern

Aerial perspective, cool colors

Low angle shot

Lens flare, low angle shot

Natural frame, silhouette

Sidelighting, low angle shot

Background blur, bokeh (aesthetic quality of blurred areas in a photograph)

Reflection

Direction of light, lead room

Sidelighting, bokeh (aesthetic quality of blurred areas in a photograph)

Line of direction, warm colors

Foreground and background blur

Low angle shot

Local frame

Background blur, bokeh (aesthetic quality of blurred areas in a photograph)

Natural frame, red is a dominant color

Balance and symmetry, low angle shot

Low angle shot, Dutch angle

Low angle shot, red is a dominant color

Low angle shpt, Dutch angle

High angle shot

Linear perspective

Lead room, background blur,
bokeh (aesthetic quality of blurred areas in a photograph)

Vertical lines, converging lines

Fill the frame

Partial frame, foreground and background blur

Partial frame, foreground and background blur

Low angle shot, Dutch angle

High angle shot

Out-of-focus foreground element as natural frame

High angle shot

Partial frame, foreground and background blur

Balance and symmegtry

Compressed perspective