In the landscape of South Korean cinema, the "Sageuk" (historical drama) genre is typically reserved for tales of honor, loyalty, and royal lineage. However, director Min Kyu-dong’s 2015 film The Treacherous subverts these tropes by focusing on one of the most vilified monarchs in Korean history: King Yeonsan (Joo Ji-hoon). The film chronicles the King’s descent into madness and the plot by his subjects to overthrow him.

Yeonsangun ordered a nationwide conscription of young women and horses to serve his personal pleasures. He transformed the Sungkyunkwan (the prestigious royal university) into a personal brothel.

The narrative focuses primarily on the toxic dynamic between the volatile King and his most trusted retainers, the sycophantic father-son duo Im Sa-hong (Cheon Ho-jin) and Im Sung-jae (Ju Ji-hoon). Appointed as royal recruiters, the Ims use the King's insatiable lust to solidify their own political power, arresting and exploiting beautiful women under the guise of serving the throne.

The film is intentionally dark and morbid. As one IMDb user put it, “the characters are not redeemable and most of the film is extremely violent”—a warning for anyone expecting a lighthearted historical fantasy.

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Ju provides the emotional anchor of the film. His journey from a cold, calculating opportunist to a guilt-ridden man trying to salvage his humanity offers the audience a lens through which to view the chaos.

A 6.1 rating is intriguing. It suggests a film that some viewers found compelling despite its flaws, while others dismissed outright. Let’s break down what the numbers don’t tell you: the deeply polarized reactions that define the film’s reputation.

The King appoints his confidant, Im Sung-jae (Ju Ji-hoon), and Sung-jae's father, Im Sa-hong, as "Beauty Recruit Officers" (Chae Hong-sa).

This article provides a comprehensive look at the film’s IMDb presence—its rating, user reviews, controversies, and more—while also placing it within the broader context of South Korean cinema and the real-life history that inspired it.

to other South Korean historical thrillers like The King and the Clown .

Drastic, whiplash-inducing shifts between politics and erotica. Considered jarring and highly polarizing.