Ancient Korea, July 4, 1762. The Crown Prince Hyojang, posthumously named Sado, son of King Yeongjo of Joseon, is accused of treason. Thus, the king asks him to commit suicide, but his closest vassals prevent it, so the king orders the prince to get inside a wooden rice chest, where he suffers deprivation of food and water.
Acting
Yoo Ah-in's descent from defiance to delirium in confined space.
Direction
Lee Joon-ik stages filicide like a pressure cooker with no release valve.
Production
The actual rice chest: historical prop, psychological torture device.
Director
Lee Joon-ik
Yoo Ah-in
Crown Prince Sado
Song Kang-ho
King Yeongjo
Lee Hyo-je
Young Jeongjo
So Ji-sub
Adult King Jeongjo
Moon Geun-young
Lady Hye Gyeong-gung
Jeon Hye-jin
Royal Consort Yeong-bin
Kim Hae-sook
Queen In-won
Park Won-sang
Hong Bong-han
Jin Ji-hee
Princess Hwa-wan
Seo Yea-ji
Queen Jung-soon
Park So-dam
Lady Moon
Uhm Ji-sung
Young Sado
Shin Soo-yeon
Young Hye Gyeong-gung
Kim Min-gyu
Kim Gwi-joo (uncredited)
Trivia, insights & behind the scenes
The rice chest execution was chosen precisely because it left no visible wounds—crucial for preserving the Crown Prince's honor and his son's legitimacy to rule.
The real Sado was left in the chest for eight days in sweltering July heat; the film shot in winter, requiring Yoo Ah-in to act hypothermic while actually freezing.
KR
