Cast: Lee Hyo Jeong, Cho Seung Woo, Kim Sung Nyu, Lee Jung Hun, Cho Sang Hyun
Director: Im Kwon Taek
Screenplay: Kang Hye Yun, Kim Myung Gon
Cinematography: Jung Il Sung
Music: Kim Chong Gil
U.S. Distributor: Lot 47
In Korean with subtitles
Chunhyang is a motion picture where those with a certain cultural background will have a more rewarding experience. In this case, the greater appreciation a viewer has for the Korean performance art of pansori, the more he or she will take away from the motion picture. Pansori is a traditional method of storytelling involving a singer and a drummer. As the singer (in this instance, Cho Sang Hyun) relates his tale to an audience, the drummer accompanies him. In Chunhyang, the story is narrated by Cho, with his singing heard as a frequent voice-over throughout the entire two hour running length. On several occasions, director Im Kwon Taek even breaks away from the period piece drama to show Cho performing on stage in front of an awed audience.
But there's a barrier with this approach, especially for Western viewers (one that I'm sure won't be shared by those who possess a refined appreciation of pansori). Call me a philistine, but I was less than enraptured by Cho's vocal stylizing. There's no doubting the raw passion in his voice, but his tones are anything but mellifluous, and hearing him "sing" (it's actually more a combination of barking, yowling, and shouting) is about as pleasant as listening to a cat fight. Added to that is my general disdain for the technique of the voiceover narrative, and I found Im's storytelling method to be a serious drawback to enjoying his film. It seemed that every time I was becoming immersed in events, Cho would begin caterwauling and I would be rudely jerked out of my reverie. (Admittedly, for those who enjoy pansori - or perhaps are more familiar with it than I am - Chunhyang's unique structure may offer a treat. But, much as I admired the underlying concept of the movie's construction, I didn't relish the execution.)
The basic storyline for Chunhyang is as old as the human race: forbidden love taking precedence over all social and political associations. The film takes place in 18th century Korea, where Mongyoung Lee (Cho Seung Woo), the noble son of the local governor, falls in love with Chunghyang Sung (Lee Hyo Jeong), the daughter of a courtesan. After a short but tumultuous courtship, the two marry in secret, because knowledge of the liaison would force Mongyoung's father to disinherit him for marrying outside of his caste. When the governor is transferred to Soeul, Mongyoung must accompany him for a time, forcing the lovers to part. The new governor takes a fancy to Chunghyang, but, when she refuses to become a courtesan and states her intention to remain faithful to her husband, he imprisons her and subsequently sentences her to death.
Without the pansori, Chunhyang would have been an engaging, if somewhat familiar, melodrama. Even with all of the interruptions and the voiceover, it is still moderately compelling (at least in the same way that movies like Gone With the Wind are compelling). Perhaps the most fascinating aspect of the movie is not the love story, but the glimpse we are accorded of the 18th century customs and lifestyles of Korea. As one might expect, the story is very male-centric. The woman preserves her chastity for her husband, and the man fills the role of protector and rescuer. But there is a hint of female emancipation here, as Chunhyan defies traditions that make her a pawn to the whims of a powerful man. And, thrown in are some pointed and barbed attacks on the political system that existed during the Chosun dynasty.
As a filmmaker, Im has been working for four decades and has something like 90 films to his name. Aside from sporadic showings at film festivals, his work has never been seen in the United States until now. His mastery of his craft is evident, especially from a visual standpoint. Chunhyang is never anything less than stunning, with vibrant colors and dynamic compositions consistently arresting our attention. His choice of lead actors - Lee Hyo Jung as Chunhyang and Cho Seung Woo as Mongyoung - seems motivated more by physical appearance than by acting skill. Neither is a great performer (although they are both good enough to allow us to believe their characters), but both are exceptionally easy on the eyes.
I left the theater with a more ambiguous response than I typically experience after a movie. I enjoyed the film's ripe beauty and even riper folk story. But the appeal of pansori eluded me (it surely must be an acquired taste), and its inclusion didn't work. Because of the importance of pansori to the film's effectiveness, individual reaction is probably going to vary strongly along cultural lines. If you know that you like pansori or have a pension for eclectic films, give Chunhyang a try. Otherwise, proceed with caution.
© 2001 James Berardinelli