Set during the reign of King Yeonsan — historically known as Korea’s most tyrannical ruler — the film follows a twisted love triangle. Im Sung-jae (Ju Ji-hoon) is a master swordsman and artist. King Yeonsan (Kim Kang-woo) is a paranoid, pleasure-addicted lunatic. When the King sees a portrait of Im’s wife, he must have her. But this isn't just a simple "take the girl" story. Im agrees to become the King’s right-hand man to get revenge, resulting in a spiral of beheadings, betrayals, and shocking violence.
★★½ (But I can’t stop thinking about it) the treacherous 2015 imdb
The Treacherous (2015): Lavish, Brutal, and Utterly Exhausting – An IMDB Deep Dive Set during the reign of King Yeonsan —
Don't watch this for the romance. The title isn't just about the King. Every single character betrays someone else by the 45-minute mark. The swordsman betrays his morals. The wife betrays her husband (depending on how you read the scenes). The concubines betray each other. When the King sees a portrait of Im’s
Have you seen The Treacherous ? Drop your IMDB hot take in the comments below.
By the end credits, I wasn't sure who I was supposed to root for. Usually, that’s a sign of complex writing. Here, it just felt like narrative exhaustion.
Here’s my honest take after finally watching this film based on its IMDB summary.