The Treacherous

The Treacherous reimagines the court of Joseon under King Yeonsan, whose appetite for pleasure and power devastates ordinary lives. At the center is Im Sung-jae, a retainer who appears devoted but actually steers royal decisions and manipulates the court. Beside them is Dan-hee, a woman who pursues vengeance against the abuses that destroyed her world. As alliances shift and moral lines erode, the film traces how desire fuels cruelty and how institutions shelter predators. It keeps key revelations close, preferring tension and atmosphere over explicit explanation, and focuses on character dynamics, political corruption and the human cost of unchecked authority, without resolving every question it raises. The pacing varies, swinging between hushed palace intrigue and violent confrontations that expose ruin.

Released in 2015, The Treacherous was directed by Min Kyu-dong and scripted by Bae Young-ik, Lee Yoon-Seong and Byun Hye-joo. The South Korean film stars Ju Ji-hoon, Kim Kang-woo, Lim Ji-yeon, Lee You-young and Cheon Ho-jin, to Korean audiences nationwide.

Its stark depiction of royal excess and court depravity prompted conversations about how filmmakers portray historical tyrants and consent on screen. The Treacherous has been referenced in debates over censorship, artistic responsibility and the responsibilities of dramatizing sexual violence within period dramas in South Korea, fueling discussions about historical portrayal.

Critical response was mixed, reflected in a modest user rating of 6.1 out of 10. Reviewers often praised Ju Ji-hoon and Kim Kang-woo for intense performances and commended production design, while criticizing uneven pacing and graphic content. Major themes include abuse of power, complicity, desire and revenge, and moral collapse.

The Treacherous had a modest theatrical run, drawing attention in South Korea but not breaking international records. Its explicit material and difficult subject matter limited overseas distribution, though it found an audience among viewers interested in darker period dramas abroad.