The Crowned Clown: Nothing Funny About this Historical K-Drama

“Standing in for an unhinged Joseon king, a look-alike clown plays the part but increasingly becomes devoted to protecting the throne and the people.”

— Netflix

“The kingdom of Joseon is plagued by disorder, with violent political uprisings breaking out, and a power struggle surrounding the ruthless King Lee Hun (Yeo Jin Goo).

To avoid assassination attempts on the king’s life, a clown named Ha Sun (Yeo Jin Goo), who happens to look exactly like the king, is brought to the palace to act as his double. As Ha Sun takes the throne and tricks the court into believing he truly is the king, he begins to fall for the beautiful Queen Yoo So Woon (Lee Se Young).

This series is an adaptation of the movie “Gwanghae: The Man Who Became King” (also known as “Masquerade”).”

— Viki

The Crowned Clown (Netflix)

Don’t get me wrong. There are definitely humorous moments in The Crowned Clown but maybe not what you might expect with the word clown in the title. This K-drama is one of three set in the Joseon period I was watching at the same time. That in itself was a bit confusing—but unlike the other two this one I was able to watch at my own speed—no need to wait for episodes because it originally aired in Korea in early 2019. It took me a bit to get into but when I finished I was honestly sad to let it go.

I remembered Yeo Jin-Goo who plays the dual role of the king and the clown, from The Moon Embracing the Sun. In that K-drama released back in 2012 a 15-year old Jin-Goo played the younger version of Kim Soo-Hyun’s character—which also happened to be a king in the Joseon period. I was really impressed with this young actor so I was thrilled to see him all grown up and in a lead role. He did not disappoint.

My daughter Taylor and I were recently discussing what determines if an actor is good. When it comes to entertainment everything is subjective and it’s no different when it comes to people’s opinions about their favorite K-dramas and Korean actors. Taylor said for her a good actor is someone who keeps her in the story. It may sound somewhat simplistic—no long-winded discussion of nuances, training, or types of roles—just do you believe they are their character? Yeo Jin-Goo definitely kept me in the story.

왕이 된 남자, this Korean title translates to “a man who became King.” The look-a-like storyline isn’t something we haven’t seen before—in fact, one of the other three Joseon period dramas I’m currently watching also deals with switching a prince with his look-alike (his thought to be killed-at-birth twin sister). One of the reasons it took me a bit to connect with The Crowned Clown is because Yeo Jin-Goo was too believable as 전하 aka his majesty. He was mean and ruthless. It wasn’t until we were introduced to the look-alike clown, Ha Sun 하순, that I really started to enjoy this story. What can I say? I’m a sucker for a bleeding heart—someone who wants to do good—especially when they’re in a position of power. I feel what Ha-Sun was trying to accomplish as King is something we’re still fighting for today. One need look no further than Squid Game to know even in modern times we still haven’t solved the issue of social injustice and inequity—in Korea, America, and around the globe. Jin-Goo was very convincing swapping between the two divergent personalities—I disliked one as much as I liked the other.

Watching K-dramas is piquing my curiosity about the history of Korea. Obviously, just because a drama set in the Joseon period is considered a historical drama doesn’t mean everything portrayed is historically accurate. But if it causes me to dig into the history of Korea it’s one more positive side effect of watching K-dramas. Interestingly enough, when I was very young a native Korean told my parents they thought I had royal blood—whatever that means. So far 23andMe and Ancestory.com have not found any royal roots but I do share the same last name as current President Moon Jae-In, and he’s from Busan, the same city where I was supposedly born.

The Crowned Clown has a nice ensemble cast—something I think K-dramas do really well because rarely can a story be told with only a couple of people—it takes a team. The Chief Royal Secretary Haksun (Kim Sang-Kyung), Eunoch Jo (Jang Gwang), and the Queen (Lee Se-young) all captured my heart. The Left State Councillor (Kwon Hae-Hyo), Queen Dowager, (Jang Young-nam), and Prince Jin-Pyeong (Lee Moo-Saeng) were perfect agitators.

Fashion is something else I’m drawn to in K-dramas. The Joseon period has given me an appreciation for hanboks and all the clothing, hats, headpieces, and hair ornaments we see in the royal court. They’re simply beautiful. I love how Korea honors their traditional dress and we still see people wearing hanboks for special occasions.

If I could travel back in time I would choose to spend one day in the palace during the Joseon period not only so I could experience the beautiful hanboks but also to see the historical sites come to life as I’ve seen in The Crowned Clown and other historical K-dramas. As that’s highly unlikely I’ll have to settle for visiting some of the filming locations once I finally make it back to Korea. Knowing some of the real history will make it that much more meaningful.

If you’ve not watched a historical K-drama The Crowned Clown is a good one to start with because it has a little bit of everything. While there’s definitely romance it’s not typical in that the love story consumes everything. There’s also intrigue and mystery, action, and humor. Very well-rounded. If you’re not into clowns (as I am not) fear not—back in the Joseon period (as translated in English) clown could also be substituted for comedian or even actor. Ha Sun was part of a comedy or acting troupe that entertained people in the marketplace or at events. In those days the troupe members wore a mask so I think this is why it translates to clown in English.

20 Korean Words Every Historical Drama Fan Should Know

Would I watch it again? Absolutely. I may have to add this one to my go-to sleep list. If you haven’t read any of my other reviews go-to-sleep K-dramas are ones I’ve seen already that keep my attention enough to clear my brain but because I already know what happens I don’t feel the need to stay awake for fear I’ll miss something.

Which actor is in Hotel De Luna, also available on Netflix?
Which actor is also in Goblin, Itaewon Class, and Vincenzo?
Which actor won Best Child Actor 2012 MBC Awards for his roles in The Moon Embracing the Sun & I Miss You?