"The
Throne" is a Korean film, released in 2015, and it stars Song Kang-Ho
as King Yeongjo and Yoo Ah-In as Crown Prince Sado. It is based on
true historical events surrounding the father and son during the
Joseon Dynasty.
- Memorable
Quote: “In
the palace, parents think of their children as enemies.”
The
public is divided on what really happened between the king and his
son. Most agree that their relationship was tense and often
contentious. But isn't that often how it is between the older
generation that wants to hold on to customs and traditions and the
younger generation who dare to think differently?
Many
believe that other royals, powerful nobles, and court officials who
were happy with their comfortable lives schemed to be rid of the
crown prince because ... what's wrong with the customs and traditions that have lasted for 400 years? How dare he challenge the status quo? If
the crown prince's suggestions or reforms were implemented, they could
lose “their place in line”. Commoners and slaves could get in
and might get ahead of them because they are treated equally? That
can NOT happen.
One
fact that nobody disputes is that the Crown Prince Sado suffered a
horrible, cruel, and inhumane death. And to think that it was his
own father who buried him alive by nailing him into a rice chest. No
matter how many times and how many ways I hear this story – via movies,
TV series, documentaries, written articles, etc. - it's still hard to
digest.
NO THRONE IS WORTH YOUR CHILD'S LIFE.
NO COUNTRY IS WORTH
YOUR CHILD'S LIFE.
PLOT
SUMMARY:
“The
Throne” (2015), directed by Lee Joon ik, is a devastating
historical drama that examines one of Korea’s most infamous royal
tragedies: the death of Crown Prince Sado, ordered by his own father,
King Yeongjo. The film opens with a shocking moment—Sado attempting
to assassinate his father. Though the attempt fails, it sets the tone
for a story steeped in tension, fractured loyalty, and generational
trauma.
The
narrative unfolds through interwoven timelines, shifting between
Sado’s final days trapped inside a wooden rice chest and flashbacks
that reveal how the father-son relationship deteriorated. As a
child, Sado is portrayed as bright, artistic, and emotionally
expressive—traits that clash with the rigid expectations of King
Yeongjo, a ruler obsessed with scholarly perfection and Confucian
discipline. The king’s affection for his son is genuine but
conditional, rooted in the belief that a prince must embody flawless
academic and moral virtue. When young Sado admits he studies only
“once or twice a year,” Yeongjo interprets this as rebellion
rather than honesty, planting the seeds of resentment.
As
Sado grows older, the pressures of royal life intensify. He becomes
increasingly unstable, torn between his desire to please his father
and his inability to conform to the suffocating expectations placed
upon him. The film suggests that political factions within the court
exploit this tension, further isolating Sado and deepening Yeongjo’s
mistrust. Meanwhile, Sado’s wife, Lady Hyegyeong*, and his mother
attempt to shield him from the king’s wrath, but their influence is
limited within the palace’s rigid hierarchy.
- *Later, the crown princess defied customs and traditions and wrote her memoirs. One can only believe she wanted to set the record straight about her husband, if only so that her son knew what happened. He was very young when his father was put to death.
The
film’s emotional core lies in the tragic miscommunication between
father and son. Yeongjo, shaped by his own traumatic past—including
accusations of fratricide and witnessing palace murders—believes
harsh discipline is the only way to protect the throne. He famously
remarks that royal parents “think of their children as enemies,”
revealing how deeply fear and paranoia have shaped his worldview.
Sado, on the other hand, longs for empathy and freedom, turning to
painting and socializing as escapes from the suffocating court life.
When
Sado is accused of treason—partly due to political manipulation and
partly due to his deteriorating mental state—Yeongjo faces an
impossible dilemma. Executing his son would brand him the father of a
traitor, destabilizing the monarchy. Sparing him could embolden
political enemies. Ultimately, Yeongjo orders Sado to take his own
life. When Sado’s loyalists intervene, the king commands that he be
sealed inside a rice chest, where he suffers for eight agonizing
days.
Inside
the chest, Sado hallucinates, reliving childhood memories and
confronting the emotional wounds inflicted by his father. These
scenes are some of the film’s most haunting, blending psychological
horror with historical tragedy. By the time Sado dies, the audience
understands that both father and son are victims of the monarchy,
of political machinations, and of their own inability to bridge the
emotional chasm between them.
This film ultimately portrays a royal family destroyed not by
treason, but by expectations, fear, and the crushing weight of
tradition. It is a deeply human story wrapped in the grandeur and
brutality of Joseon Era politics.
(NOTE: This movie is very hard to watch.)
---
SOURCES:
Contributors
to Wikimedia projects. “The Throne (Film).” Wikipedia,
4 Mar. 2026, https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Throne_%28film%29.
“The
Throne.” BaiduWiki,
https://baike.baidu.com/en/item/The%20Throne/1412280.
“The
Throne.” KoreanDrama.Org,
https://www.koreandrama.org/movie/the-throne/.
“The
Throne.” The Movie Database,
https://www.themoviedb.org/movie/315439.
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