The Fortress

For Westerners, 17th-century Korean politics may seem complicated and irrelevant, but The Fortress makes clear how a footnote in world history can be a welcome and exciting lesson for contemporary viewers. The lavish historical film is set against the beautiful wintry backdrop of historical Namhan fortress (now a UNESCO site), where the Joseon dynasty (Korean) King Injo and his court have taken refuge from an invading Qing (Manchu) army, led by General Ingguldai, but find themselves surrounded and increasingly cold and hungry.

Between the Minister of the Interior, who emphasises the king’s duty to protect the lives of his subjects regardless of humiliation, and the Minister of Rites, who maintains that they must fight to the death for the greater cause, the king must make a grave choice. If you know you are going to be defeated, what is the best way to lose?