For some reason or another, Korean scribes wrote down everything their kings did, even the instances that they wanted struck out of the record. So when a section of fifteen days is missing, one has to wonder: What happened in those fifteen days? Masquerade takes that missing section to craft a familiar fantasy where a king is temporarily replaced by a more kind-hearted lookalike. It’s pretty hilarious, since the film uses the situation to poke fun at the unusual practices of the royal household. And Lee Byung-hun seemed to have fun, depicting both the king and Ha-sun with ease. Ultimately though, the film works because of how it follows through with the premise. Ha-sun’s reign doesn’t completely transform the government, but the story demonstrates that it doesn’t really matter who sits on the throne, so long as they act for the common good.
"a somewhat sentimental tale of royal intrigue and romance; a crash course on the claustrophobic, often bizarre details of courtly life; and a showcase for the acting talents of Korean superstar Lee Byung-hun, in dual roles."
— Anton Bitel
Though it places his own life in danger, a look-alike commoner secretly takes the place of a poisoned king to save his country from falling into chaos.
