I always knew that street performances would be a source of entertainment during that era but this movie surprised me with the vulgar content of the performers comical scenes. Half the time I felt uncomfortable, probably because I am used to the "conservative" nature of Korean historical dramas and movies. The idea of using jesters to expose the corruption in the court seemed like a harmless idea but how things quickly go wrong surprised me and left me heartbroken in the end. Kam Woo Sung did an awesome job portraying the brave, brash Jang Seng. I feel that this character is most notable for his undying loyalty to Gong Gil. Which makes me wish they had integrated a bit of a back story to really convince people why he accepted the punishment in the end. I found myself screaming "Leave him alone" or "don't touch him" whenever Gong Gil was asked for. He is such a fragile and pure character that I hated the fact that he was pimped out to perverted assholes. However, what happens between him and the king starts off adorable but eventually goes down hill. Jeong Jin Yeong, who plays the king, has officially become one of my favorite actors. His portrayal of the unstable, depressed king with mother issues left me speechless. Especially at times when the role of the "king" was broken (when he interacts with the performers, I was just as uncomfortable as the characters were.) What I really liked about this movie is the demonstration of the idea of being the most powerful man in the country somehow dehumanizes the person. It's like when you become king you have to suppress your emotions, hopes, and pain. I don't think anyone ever thought the king could be miserable despite his lavish lifestyle and ultimate status. The street performers may have had little and a harsh life, but they were much happier and had more freedom than the king. Or maybe people knew, but no one did anything about it. Overall, I enjoyed this movie, despite feeling uncomfortable every now and then. I think the main idea behind this movie is brilliant - using performance to expose corruption and ,unexpectedly, bringing out the wounded and emotionally unstable persona buried deep within "the king".