Highest rated reviews for Chihwaseon

Korean period drama

A customer from Sussex, England , 07/03/2005

For visitors to modern Korea, this is an opportunity to see traditional costumes in a period drama. However, there was little character development in the leading character, who just seemed to drink and draw, whilst late 19C Korean history swirled around him. In spite of this, there was actually little historical context and the events had minimal impact upon the artist. The film has novelty value, but not much depth.

A must-see for all those interested in Korea

A customer from Grantown-on-Spey, Scotland , 18/07/2005

Chiwaseon is based upon a real painter, Jang Seung-up, who lived during the end of the Chosun Dynasty (1392-1910).

I have to disagree with one of the critiques here. I think the film was a pretty accurate representation of how the Korean people were affected by the changes occuring in their country at the time. The peasant uprising near the end of the film was probably based upon the Tonghak Peasant Revolt.

I watched this film as I was in the process of writing a 2000+ worded essay for my acceptance to Sheffield University to go on their Korean Studies course. It was very inspiring and gave me the insight I needed.

People in the UK don't know very much about Korean history and I think this film gives a wonderful insight into The Hermit Kingdom.

Rory#17 from TOTNES , 18/10/2004

Gorgeous photography but the characters seemed cold and I could not empathise with them, so ultimately the film left me pretty uninvolved.

Korea first

Stephen from North Cornelly, South Wales , 12/06/2009

Despite 100 features under his belt, Im Kwon-Taek is new to me and a very welcome find, as is the cinema of South Korea. Really enjoyable period drama, beautifully filmed with stunning set piece images and nice soundtrack. One that I’ll look to explore in greater depth.

Creative pain

GwydionM from Peterborough , 30/06/2008

This came across as very convincing. If the man behaves badly, he also has a genuine ambition to do something new, when he had a secure living repeating old stuff. For me, that was a reason not to lose sympathy.

I also noted the very hierarchical nature of the society, and the fact that it was under threat from the Japanese, who were later to secure total control.

I don't know enough about Korea to say how far it is accurate about the man or his times, but I certainly believed in it.

Beautiful but not spectacular

ELWisty from Leeds , 06/05/2008

There were some beautiful aspects to this film. The film is enjoyable enough and the scenery and the paintings were wonderful, but overall it didn't quite reach the heights. The free spirit and destructive sides of the artist were always apparent in the portrayal, but I always felt we were looking in from the outside rather than really understanding what the artist was about. The huge social upheavals in Korea were represented, but often seemed quite peripheral to the artist's life, and few of the other characters really established themselves in the film.

It is a good film, and worth watching, but doesn't have quite enough for me to demand a higher rating (although I would have given it 3.5 stars if I'd had the option).

Educational & Entertaining

SILVERHARP from Edinburgh, Scotland. , 28/01/2008

This film is interesting not only in terms of presenting the life-story of one of Korea's greatest artists but for its insights into 19th century Korean society, its social structure, politics, dress, economy and relations with its neighbors.

It is also quite enlightening in terms of raising issues about art itself, its essence, its purpose, its commercialization, its control and cross-national influences, etc.

That said, for me, there was the unintended additional feature of engaging my sympathies for all the victims of socially wayward artists (beaten wives, abandoned children et al). Not that all artists beat their partners or abandon their children, or that all who beat their partners and abandon their children are artists. It's just that it grates on me that there are some artists (including singers etc.) who suppose that the price we should be willing to pay for their creative contribution is anything they care to thrust upon us; vandalism, abuse, drug-taking, violence, or whatever - and i, for one, never remember signing-up to that deal.

Otherwise, a great film though.

truest art

Koppert from Scarborough , 23/11/2007

Incredibly beautiful period drama epic about the young peasant who became one of the most famous artists of Korea. While the country is facing political upheavel he searches constantly for his perfect art and finds his own heartbreak along the way

mesmerising

A customer from Ireland , 23/03/2006

a masterpiece - not of this world

Am I bothered?

A customer from London, UK , 10/05/2007

If you are a selfish, drunken, not that attractive man who happens to be quite artistic ( and maybe a bit obsessed with beautiful oriental women, hmmm - so you may also be a gay woman, true) - then go ahead.

Personally , I didnt make it to the end, I just lost any motivation and couldnt care less what happened to him...!