Sado (The Throne)

Photo credit: variety.com

Sado (The Throne) is a historical S. Korean film telling the sad story of Sado ( https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Crown_Prince_Sado ) who died confined in rice chest by the order of his father King Yeongjo. Firstly this film affected me a lot. Not only I'm familiar with the story (I have even read the diary of Hyegyong) and it is a sad one where it is not clear who is to blame. Some views that since Sado suffered from mental illness (he killed more than one palace servant) and his father had no other option but to end his life, and some think that the father was jelaous of the son (he treated him very badly in life) and Sado was killed as a result of the court politics. Sado's wife was the daughter of a different faction than the one King was more friendly to. The film is more sympathetic to the latter theory. Sado is shown to kill a servant during a time of mental turmoil but mostly he is depicted as a smart young man whose talents and ambitions are thwarted by his father (who focused his love and teachings to Sado's son). He is very emotional and doesn't take life's harshness lightly. Normally I wouldn't like the film very much since the story structure didn't appeal to me (we see Sado's sufferings in the rice chest and have flashbacks explaining how he came to be in there) but the actors are all my favorites. Song Kang Ho is probably my all time favorite Korean actor. He may not have the model good looks but he has great talent and he acts fantastically well, Yoo Ah In is also a fave of mine ever since Sungkyungwan Scandal and he is perfect as Sado, the emotionally disturbed but sensitive, suffering prince. And as a bonus his son's (King Jeonjo) grown up version is played by So Ji Sub (my all time favorite handsome Korean actor). Lady Hyegyong was acted by Moon Geun Yeong who is not only adorable but also a good actor. I have cried and cried and cried during this film. Yes I think I have suffered from dehydration.