This is about as high wattage as it gets for movie premieres in South Korea. The upcoming Joseon-era sageuk movie Gwanghae: The Man Who Became King (English title Masquerade) starring Lee Byung Hun, Han Hyo Joo, and Ryu Seung Ryong held its star-stubbed movie premiere in Seoul this week which was attended by a veritable who’s who of actors young to old alike. Conspicuously missing from the guest list is Lee Min Jung, the recently confirmed girlfriend of lead actor Lee Byung Hun, which probably is for the best since the media will turn into a frenzy waiting to snap the first official together pictures of the couple as opposed to focusing on the movie. I was captivated by the trailer and found Lee Byung Hun’s first sageuk performance in his long career to be as intense as expected. He plays a dual role in the movie, as King Gwanghae and the commoner brought in to masquerade as him. Think Dave but without the comedy or likely happy ending. Whether this movie turns out to be good or does well at the box office, it’s already off to a rollicking start by collecting star friends by the truckload to attend the glittery premiere. Continue reading →