Korean, Chinese and Japanese Movie DVDs & Blu-ray

Having played everything from romantic heroes and cool villains to vengeful agents and Storm Shadow, Korean superstar Lee Byung Hun takes on the first costume period role of his twenty-plus year career in the mega blockbuster Masquerade. Inspired by two missing weeks in the Annals of the Joseon Dynasty, Masquerade is a riveting The Prince and the Pauper-like drama about a commoner who becomes king after the real king has been poisoned. Lee Byung Hun gives an electrifying dual-role performance, playing both King Gwanghae one of the most controversial monarchs of Joseon history and the peasant who takes his place. Both a critical and commercial success, Masquerade swept 15 awards at the 49th Daejong Film Awards and amassed over 12 million admissions at the box office, making it one of the top five Korean films of all time.

Suspecting that his enemies are conspiring to kill him, troubled King Gwanghae (Lee Byung Hun) orders councilor Heo Gyun (Ryu Seung Ryong) to find someone who can act as his double. Enter Ha Sun (Lee Byung Hun), a crude jester who bears striking resemblance to the king. Ha Sun need only sit in the king’s chamber at night and he gets paid handsomely, but everything changes when Gwanghae is poisoned. Keeping Gwanghae’s critical condition a secret, Heo Gyun plants Ha Sun onto the throne to bide for time while the real king recovers. With each passing day, however, the lowly peasant begins to fit the role of king better and better…

Returning to a period role after her breakout success in the 2010 historical TV drama Dong Yi, Han Hyo Ju plays the Queen caught between the real and fake kings. Ryu Seung Ryong (War of the Arrows), Kim In Kwon (The Tower) and teen actress Shim Eun Kyung (Sunny) also give notable supporting performances in Masquerade. At the helm is director Choo Chang Min, whose previous Late Blossom turned into a sleeper hit in 2011.

This edition comes with a 40-page photobook and special features (commentary, making-of, deleted scenes, trailers).