King Gwanghae (Lee Byung-hun) is a strong and forthright ruler in Joseon Dynasty Korea. Fearing an assassination attempt on his life, he instructs his secretary of defence Heo Gyun (Ryoo Seung-ryong) to find someone who looks enough like him to take his place at public engagements. The doppelganger found is a lowly acrobat, Ha-seon (also played by Lee Byung-hun), who knows nothing of etiquette, royal life or indeed how to impersonate a monarch but when Gwanghae is indeed poisoned, Ha-seon is pushed into taking his place as a figurehead 24/7 while the king recovers, nonetheless. However, as he begins to play a part in official proceedings, Ha-seon’s caring nature as a ruler begins to shine bringing questions from the royal court and causing the queen to question which king she truly loves. With Lee Byung-hun being one of the most popular male Korean actors, it is easy to see why became one of the highest grossing Korean movies of all time.

By Paul Quinn