The Crowned Clown is a portfolio piece for Yeo Jin Goo. He carries the story with an electric energy held up by an excellent cast of staid supporting actors.

The drama feels like a theatre piece, as a viewer you are looking into a diorama. I really loved the costume of the clown, and how as a prop it also becomes a doppelganger.

The lasting message of the drama is a really powerful one- that despite having a generous and kind King everyone is still operating within a feudal system, that in itself is corrupt. So Ha Sun's dilemma about coveting the post is valid. His constant back and forth about wanting to be king- these monologues are performed really well. I don't think I have ever seen a British drama about Royal Family that looks at monarchy in a critical way like this- the dramas are usually about characters and their flaws rather than the system which influence them.

Yeo Jin Geo as King Yi Heon is so convincing as a gaslighter and menace that when I saw Yeo Jin Geo as Ha Sun I almost doubted his sincerity and innocence as a viewer. The actor moves between these extremes with such ease.
The arc with the queen is shown in a very sympathetic way. The journey of building trust is a slow one, Yoo So Woon is vulnerable but also holds her ground. She is no pushover and her quiet and dignified strength is complimented by Ha Sun's admiration for her.

I sometimes wonder if Yeo Jin Geo and Kim Min Jae should have acted in this because their vibes feel very similar and they almost look alike!

I love the running sound for the drama Before Fall Down, it's on my 2021 playlist.