Helen's Blog /

Frozen Flower, an epic blockbuster of a love triangle involving the King and Queen of the Goryeo Dynasty with a General, directed by young Korean, Yoo Ha, takes you into a world of betrayal, honour and feudalism in ancient Korea, at war with China.

With 364 young lads raised at the Castle stronghold to be trained as soldiers for the Palace Guard to protect the young King (Joo Jin-mo), it is little wonder that the King is gay, entertaining an over 10 year romantic relationship with his childhood friend and leader of his mighty army (Jo In-sung).

The problem though, is that without an heir and selfadmittedly ,unable to take a "woman" the King finds himself threatened with losing his throne to a cousin. That is when he entrusts his friend to empregnate the Queen (Song Ji-hyo).

The first trial conception however, proves unsuccessful but the two guinea pigs quickly become passionate lovers. When the King finally becomes aware that the Queen is expecting a child, his reaction is cruel, not having expected to lose the attentions of his partner, who has falled in love with the Queen. What follows is a whirlwind of visual fencing scenes, graphic love scenes, and even castration...Director Yoo Ha manages to maintain a pleasing pace where you scarecely even get a second to ask yourself what,s next. As in most epics, torture scenes, sword brandering and blood gushing are not spared. In one sequence, the Queen even requests the King to take down the human heads on stakes planted in front of the Castle Gates.

A box office hit in Korea, Frozen Flower displays the robust nature of the South Korean film industry.