Chunhyang

Rating:
Summary: Poetry on Film
Review: "Chunhyang" is living art. Narrated in the Korean tradition of Pansori in which a story is told through sung verse, it's the timeless classic tale of two young people who fall in love at first sight, are separated through adversity, and come together again. Chunhyang is the daughter of a courtesan, and in the ancient Korean class system she is therefore considered a courtesan herself, and Mongryong is the son of an upper-class nobleman; they meet, fall in love, and marry secretly. Mongryong's father, however, has plans for his son that don't include marrying a courtesan's daughter, and the couple has to split up while Mongryong prepares for a state examination. Chunhyang spends the three years of their separation fighting off the advances of a venal provincial governor; she's about to die for her resistance when her long-lost husband returns to save her. Virtue has its rewards. The film succeeds on every count. The cinematography is splendid, the two young lead actors, both of them teenagers, are excellent, and the haunting tones of the Pansori singer draw us into the film and make us a part of it. Unlike those reviewers who felt that the singing distracted from the movie, I thought it helped to underscore the ancient tradition of story-telling, a part of so many cultures, in which a tale is narrated through song and verse as well as prose. We not only enjoy "Chunhyang" as a brilliant example of Korean film making, we feel it on a fundamental level as a love story anyone can relate to. It's a great movie that deserves a much wider audience.

Rating:
Summary: Korean Romeo and Juliet
Review: "I try to examine serious aspects of Korean life and not just aim for commercial success. I try to make films about the real life of Korea." ~ Im Kwon-Taek

If "keeping promises" and "writing promises" intrigues you, you will be seduced by the romantic nature of this movie. This movie reminds me of Romeo and Juliet only because Chunhyang and Mongryong wed secretly and enjoy a brief, yet passionate interlude before fate sends them on separate paths.

Mongryong decides he wants to marry Chunhyang and within a few hours he has succeeded in his mission. As Chunhyang spreads out her orange skirt, the governor's son, Mongryong (Cho Seung Woo), takes a brush, dips it in ink as dark as death and writes symbols that represent: "Like the sun and the moon, my love will never change."

Chunhyang (Lee Hyo Jung) is full of sweet innocence and although she is the daughter of a courtesan, seems rather shy in the world of men. She is reluctant, but then finds her true ecstasy in marriage. Just when she has discovered this new world of pleasure, her husband must leave Namwon with his father and study for an exam while living in Soeul.

After Mongryong leaves her to follow his career, we realize how vulnerable Chunhyang is without the protection of her husband. The corrupt governor (Lee Jung Hun) has heard of Chunhyang's beauty and decides to maker her one of his courtesans. At one point, the brutality is rather shocking, yet the violence does seem to have a point and this makes the impact much stronger. We cannot help but admire Chunhyang's devotion to her husband.

While this movie is stunning in its beauty and romantic appeal, the facts are, this is a cultural experience. Im Kwon Taek has taken the ancient operatic tradition of pansori (storytelling) and fused it with a modern film. He believes pansori is the best form of traditional Korean art and believes Korea is neglecting their own music and culture.

In this movie, Im Kwon-Taek seems to want to create a marriage between pansori and visual intoxication. The entire 300-year old fold tale is narrated by Cho Sang Hyan, who is accompanied by a gosu playing a drum (puk).

The movie is exquisite in places, but the voice of the narrator was at times rather jarring in contrast with the vibrant images and sensitively romantic moments. There were times when the drama did not need to be heightened. The images were powerful enough.

The viewer must at times be as patient as Chunhyang. We wait for the quiet moments with a sense of anticipation, while Chunhyang waits for her lover. It would have been nice to have an abundance of silence in this movie as the story almost unfolds on its own.

There is a moment when snow is falling and Chunhyang is thinking of Mongryong in a scene of mystical beauty. The colors, costumes and scenes of nature are exquisite. I loved the little "chest" that held the food and had little drawers and a place for a drink. Quite an elaborate little lunch box.

This retelling of a Korean Classic is a combination of fading ancient art forms, modern movie making and universal themes that transcend cultural boundaries. It is a story of eternal devotion, youthful passion and lyrical promises.

I didn't see the actions of Chunhyang as a complete symbol of undying loyalty to marriage. For me, her actions represented undying love in impossible circumstances.

Rating:
Summary: Legend Retold
Review: All I can say this movie is SUPERB!! No wonder it got the Cannes Palm D'Or in 2000. The story is based on Korean famous legend, Chunhyang who stood for her rights to devote all her love only to 1 man despite of the traditional custom that a decendant courtesan (she was the daughter of a retired courtesan) was a coutesan and must be available in serving other men.

I have been told there was a story like this but have never known the real plot. I feel very lucky to be able to watch this artpiece. As a woman, I really admire ChunHyang and her guts in keeping to her promise and to her heart.

The traditional and moral value of this legend is magnified by the cinematography and the way it is told which presents the story as it was sung by a traditional singer (pansori). Highly recommended.

Rating:
Summary: Social Commentary, Unjust Laws, and Old Fashioned Romance
Review: As a summary, Korean director Im Kwon Taek brings to the screen (in this case DVD) a visually stunning fairy-tale about ill-fated lovers. Chunhyang has a very Romeo and Julietesque theme to it but with a twist - two twits actually. The story is framed on two basic premises: (1) That there is a class divide and never shall the tenet be breached and (2) The issue of unjust laws. In a nutshell, Chunhyang (Yi Hyo Jeong) is a daughter of the former courtesan Wolmae (Kim Sung Nyu) who unwittingly spellbinds Mongryong (Cho Seung Woo) who is the son of the current governor of Namwon province.

The colorful sets, and costumes are the basis for a very Zhang Yimouesque visual feast. However, the movie stands on its writing and editing - the constant return to the themes of a socially constructed class divide and the endurance (no matter how naïve) of love is the DVD's defining moment. As mentioned previously, Chunhyang is the descendant of a retired courtesan and a former governor, which somewhat determines her fate. Completely enamored, Mongryong pledges undying commitment to Chunhyang, etches on her gown, "Like the sun and the moon, my love will never change." The couple secretly marries. The love scenes of their first wedding night are both tender and discrete making the play both sensual and innocent.

Unfortunately, Mongryong has not fully dealt with the family/class issue pre-marriage and is called upon to follow his father to Seoul - where his father has been promoted to a Cabinet member position and will have to give up his governorship. In the interim, Byun (Lee Jung Hun) arrives to replace Mongryong's father as the new Governor of the Namwon province. Almost on queue - the story turns Greek tragic. Byun falls in love with the beautiful Chunhyang and demands she give himself to him as a courtesan. Predictably she resists gaining the ire and the full extent of the law, as it is treason to deny the Governor. She invokes another law - which falls on deaf ears that it is unlawful to sleep with another man's wife. Byun commands her to be whipped until she act in accordance with the law. However, the worst-case scenario happens as after rebuffs he deems she must be put to death.

In his three years absence young Mongryong tops the government exam and is appointed the king to test out on the management of the provinces. Masquerading as a poor vagrant, Mongryong sets his sights on Namwon province and comes home to find oppressed town folk and his wife beaten, incarcerated and in anticipation of the carrying out of her death sentence. One would wonder that in the three years apart no one tried to contact Mongryong but it would not bode well for the story as he needs to gain in prominence sans the worry of a wife who was already deemed unfit for him.

Don't forget for a moment that Mongryong is establishment and in carrying out his corrective action still clings to the notion that it is illegal to deny the governor - ironies within ironies. This is not a simple narrative and in it is embedded plots and subplots that are worthy of a place as a national narrative. Besides who are we kidding, Yi is hot in an almost innocent sort of way and her defiance of the Governor's edict is stellar. I was left with the memory of vibrant colors that reminded me of such epics as Hero and Ju Dou proving that East Asian have a real handle on the element of color. Who can deny that the combination of tragedy/love/color/social commentary is nothing short of a masterpiece? No one, I guess.

Miguel Llora

Rating:
Summary: Korean Love Story
Review: Chunhyang is a must see! Whether you are Korean-American, Asian-American, African-American, or American-American, this movie will capture your heart. Filmed as an operatic folk love story, you'll get a introduction into Korean culture and history. However, the reason to watch Chunhyang is because it is indeed a picture that is masterfully directed, written, and filmed.

Chunhyang left me deeply moved, and a deep admiration for the strength of (Korean) women was undeniably formed. In addition, this movie should be the prelude to upcoming Korean movies entering the US Foreign market.

Rating:
Summary: Loved it!
Review: I am a romantic, so I really enjoyed this film. The only part I didn't like was the guy telling the story. It didn't really seem to fit in with the story. If you just had the flashbacks as the movie, it would have been at its absolute best.

Rating:
Summary: Great Movie!
Review: I didn't buy the dvd..I just happened to switch to the Sundance channel after the movie had just started. I've never seen a movie like this, I think it's great! The storyline is really good, and the images/scenery throughout the movie are really nice. I think the Pansori narrative is really interesting, i've never seen a movie like it. I think it's worth checking out, I would love to see this movie again... it's a great love story.

Rating:
Summary: Beautiful Epic
Review: I love this epic movie. I first saw it on The Sundance Channel. What drew me to watch the movie was the cinematography showing a beautiful landscape of a bed of roses and a couple passionately making love. I had to see what this movie was about. The story was told to an audience in present day Korea going back to another century picturing the landscape of Korea before. The love between two persons from different backgrounds made this an interesting watch because the son of a governor would be married to someone of his rank but he chose to be with the daughter of a courtesan. Chunhyang stood by her faith refusing to succumb to a cruel governor. If death is what one has to go through then so be it. Chunhyang is a greatly portrayed epic of love and fidelity.

Rating:
Summary: Confucian fealty never looked so good
Review: I saw this at the Hong Kong film festival in 2001, and the film went over well with the Asians and the Westerners in the large hall where it was shown. Probably the best film I've seen in the last three years...

I tried to describe it for friends as a 13th-Century(?) Korean version of Star Wars with less swordplay. Substitute Confucian fealty (how relationships of elder-younger, husband-wife, mother-daughter, leader-follower should work, perhaps ideally) for the Force and corruption for the Dark Side of the Force and, strangely, it fits.

The cinematography is great, and the story is introduced via the Korean operatic form for the first ten minutes, but then largely fades out to allow the story to unfold.

What the Western is to American culture, this is to Korea's. Better than you'd expect, unless you've seen a lot of Asian cinema. Deserving of a wider audience...

Rating:
Summary: Good, but...
Review: I was pretty torn in my final analysis of this film. On the one hand, I loved this film for its colourful and poetic cinematography. The girls in the film were beautiful, and who doesn't like to look at beautiful girls in beautiful costumes? But I felt guilty for enjoying this film because as a feminist this story clearly doesn't reinforce feminist values, but rather, traditional, patriarchal values that seem to characterize Korea even up until this day. Sure, Chunhyang might seem like a heroine for choosing to face death to protect her virtue, but why should this be her defining moment? And I didn't like how Mongryong was able to pluck her out of crowd and take her for his wife like she were just some object for the taking. To me this reinforces man's desire, man's pleasure, and the preeminence of man. Although, on the other hand, Chunhyang clearly finds pleasure in sex with Mongryong, and in this way finds comfort in her own sexuality. Nevertheless, Chunhyang's life revolves around Mongryong and more importantly, she has no personhood or value so long as she is unmarried. In this context, the film seems pretty shallow and empty. But of course, if you get past the feminist agenda (that women deserve personhood in their own right, regardless of whoever's daughter or wife they are, and that women have their own desires outside of masculine constructions), this film is wonderful eyecandy. The historical setting also provides a glimpse into traditional Korea, although I can't say how accurate everything was.