TThe Last Princess (2016) was released in Australia on 22 Sep. This Korean film tells the story of Princess Deokhye, last Princess of the Joseon Dynasty. The film is directed by Hur Jin-ho, and based on a novel by Kwon Bi-Young. The film starts off in 1961 as a journalist Kim Jang-han played by Park Hae-il going to Japan in search of Princess Deokhye, then it flashback to 1919 when the Princess is a child, when time Korea is part of Japanese Empire.

The Princess father dies suddenly, and story pick as Deokhye as an aged 13 in 1925, where she is force to leave Korea and go to Japan. Then bulk of the story about adult Deokhye and her struggle to get back to Korea played by the beautiful Son Ye-jin.

The film is beautifully made that captures the era of the period, the politics of the Korean Independent movement, the film weaves the tale of historical and fiction with a running time 127 minutes did not feel that long, as the story hooks you in. For the second time this year a film took my emotion. There some really funny moments in the film to break up the tense of the film.

All the actors brought to the film real powerful performances. Park Hae-il as our fictional hero Kim Jang-han just wants to protect princess and bring her back to Korea.  To the three actresses who the princess in the three stages of her life; as a child, Shin-Rin-ah she just so cute, as a teen Australian born, Kim So-hyun gives a delightful and defiance against the rule of Japanese. As for Son Ye-jin shows her struggles as a young woman slowly breaking down to an aged princess just amazing. Those in the cinema shed tears at same point of the film.

And for Yoon Je-moon who plays Hans Taek-soo as pro-Japanese minister creates most vicious cruel character I have seen on screen.

It’s best dramatic film I seen in years and go see the film before ends. I'm hoping that will get a DVD release in the future or showing on SBS.