“A masterpiece about betrayal. You can feel the director’s pain in every frame. A shame what happened behind the scenes. But art is sacrifice. 10/10.”
On IMDb, the film is frequently described as a difficult watch due to its explicit depictions of violence and sexual exploitation. However, its dedication to historical accuracy regarding the King's infamous purges and the sheer scale of its production make it a notable entry in modern South Korean historical epics.
More importantly, the film serves as a pre-requisite for modern K-drama fans. If you enjoy the political backstabbing in Kingdom or The Crowned Clown , this is the R-rated, unhinged grandfather of those shows. the treacherous 2015 imdb
The core narrative follows (played by Ju Ji-hoon), a seemingly loyal courtier who, alongside his ambitious father Im Sa-hong, subtly manipulates the mad king to consolidate his own power. The Treacherous (2015) - IMDb
The film paints a portrait of a kingdom where beauty is a curse, and loyalty is nonexistent, according to Wikipedia's summary of The Treacherous . “A masterpiece about betrayal
For a film this violent, the pedigree is surprisingly high. The reveals:
The film's production budget was approximately ₩7 billion (about $6.4 million USD). The final product justifies every penny. The ornate costumes, elaborate set designs, and meticulous attention to period detail bring the treacherous Joseon era to a vivid, beautiful life. However, the film's ultimate reward at the box office was respectable but not a massive blockbuster. It grossed over ₩8.92 billion (US$8.09 million) domestically, drawing more than 1.1 million admissions. While it achieved profitability, it was not the culture-dominating smash hit that some of its contemporaries became. But art is sacrifice
The Treacherous is an audacious, visually stunning piece of Korean cinema that pushes the boundaries of historical drama. While its graphic content and chaotic narrative make it challenging, its exploration of power, desire, and corruption is compelling. It serves as a stark look at a dark chapter in Korean history, presented with remarkable artistic ambition.
The Treacherous is available on various streaming platforms, including Prime Video (where it holds the same 6.1/10 IMDb rating) and Google Play, where it is listed under the German title The Treacherous: Die 10.000 Konkubinen . Runtime options vary: the theatrical cut runs about 2 hours and 10 minutes, while longer versions exist, clocking in around 2 hours and 13 minutes. Users advise checking which cut you are watching, as the longer version may include additional scenes (though it remains unclear what was trimmed from the theatrical release).
In 2015, the "treachery" on IMDb wasn't a corporate scandal, but a cinematic one. The South Korean film The Treacherous
The drama intensifies with the introduction of Dan-hee (Lim Ji-yeon), a woman with a hidden agenda, who must endure rigorous training to survive in a ruthless game of seduction and become the ultimate courtesan.