“I’ll protect him…no matter what”

Unfairly promoted and hyped up as “the film in which a famous actress strips for sex scenes,” it would be a mistake to dismiss this as a shallow exploitation movie. This instead is a stylishly crafted erotic period thriller that expertly portrays the complex behind the scenes drama at the royal courts. It is a tale of never-ending love, lust, jealousy, ambition and revenge, all to vie for the most powerful seat.

The conspiracy begins from the opening scene. An older concubine (the magnetic screen presence, Park Ji Young) with no relation to the current king is plotting to have him killed to instead seat her own son on the throne, to be a puppet king under her influence. She succeeds, and soon she has king Sung Won (Kim Dong Wook) wrapped around her fingers.

Threatening this setup is the widow of the now deceased king, Hwa Yeon (Jo Yeo Jeong), who has a young child (and technically the heir to the throne) of her own to look out for. To make matters more complicated, king Sung Won has his eyes on Hwa Yeon, something his mother very clearly disapproves of. Arrival of an old flame of Hwa Yeon adds yet another player to the mix, as does the social climbing blind ambition of Hwa Yeon’s maid. It goes beyond an emotional love triangle, to something far deadlier.

One misstep in this delicate powerplay can destroy everything you have worked hard for, something the characters fully understand. The ultimate goal is survival, in a place where you cannot trust anyone. There is not a moment of break from someone plotting, and the allegiances are constantly shifting, which means the tension never lets up. Despite the numerous characters each playing their own angle, the tight plotting keeps the story moving at a healthy pace. It never loses sight of the key individuals and their back stories, which is a true testament to the screenplay that keeps you guessing at all times. Even the subplots that may not seem significant at the time all weave together for a much suited dramatic grand finale.

As is often the case with period dramas, “The Concubine” is no exception to the rule when it comes to being a visual feast. The lavish sets of the palace filled with people in grand colourful costumes and sumptuous hair are all things to expect, but do not get any less impressive even on repeat viewings of films of the same genre.

At the forefront of this potentially deadly political climate is Jo, recently better known thanks to the “Parasite” acclaim. Throughout, her character is put through a roller coaster of emotions, and even in the smallest changes of her expression, Jo shows she was unjustly snubbed by the awards season of that cinematic year. Starting off as a naive young woman with hopes and dreams of her own, she is slowly moulded by the rules and priorities of the palace, once a queen by the king’s side, then finding herself reduced to a concubine with enemies against her in every corner. She becomes as calculating and ruthless as the king’s mother, a product no doubt of her harsh surroundings.

Going through the most dramatic change and meltdown is the excellent Kim Dong Wook. Initially suffocated by an overbearing mother, his obsession towards Hwa Yeon grows, as does his contempt towards anything that gets in his way, that turns him into someone unrecognisable.

From start to finish, the gripping turmoil in the palace never eases, providing endless entertainment, ranking among the best of the genre.