Rating: 
Summary: Beautiful timeless classic, yet ...
Review: This movie was hauntingly beautiful, yet so frustrating to watch at times. The scenes were just breathtaking and the narration read like a poetry with excellent English translation. The costumes were wonderful and true to its time (credits to university professors in Korea). Unlike other reviewers, I found Pansori singing interesting at first. Unfortunately, I felt that it became too frequent and detracted me from enjoying the story. I found myself turning down the volume and reading the subtitle whenever the Pansori singer appeared later. I'm fairly certain the singer was a designated national treasure in Korea. Still his omnipresence all throughout the movie was overdone. I also found the two main characters lacking in raw emotional drama. In particular, when Myoung confronts the corrupt governor who wanted to execute Chunhyang for not sleeping with him, he had this nonchalant attitude, asking the soon-to-be ex-governor to understand her reasons for not giving in to his wishes. I would've slapped Myoung had I been Chunhyang listening in on the conversation. Nevertheless, it was an enjoyable movie that I appreciated more afterwards.
Rating:
Summary: The Pansori didn't really bother me
Review: What really bothered me was the ending! The first 95% of the film was very high quality, very cinematic, engaging, sensual and beautiful. The use of color was notably pleasant. The characterizations were deep for most Korean films. This is one of many movies coming out of the country that attracts attention from Westerners, thus resulting in the phrase "Korea: the New Hong Kong." The ending was a throwback to the cheesiness of Korean films in the 80s til the mid 90s. However the ending is not what makes or breaks a film, however disagreeable. To appreciate this film, you need to take note of the historical and cultural significant of the Pansori sung-narrative. Appreciate the costumes, the colors, the gestures of the culture at the time.
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