Chunhyangdyun (2000)

86% of critics liked it
(42 reviews)
70% of users liked it
(985 ratings)

Renowned Korean filmmaker Im Kwon Taek offers his own unique take on a classic romantic fable with this 13th century tale of a stunningly beautiful young woman torn between the man she loves and the governor she's obligated to marry. The film uses the framing device of a present-day narrator who,… More Renowned Korean filmmaker Im Kwon Taek offers his own unique take on a classic romantic fable with this 13th century tale of a stunningly beautiful young woman torn between the man she loves and the governor she's obligated to marry. The film uses the framing device of a present-day narrator who, accompanied by a drummer, sings the story of Chunhyang in front of a responsive audience. The film flashes back and forth between the singer's presentation and scenes of Mongryong (Cho Seung Woo), a young nobleman who falls captive to the beauty of the commoner Chunhyang (Yi Hyo Jeong). They profess their undying love to each other and elope, soon after which, Mongryong is forced to accompany his father to Seoul for three years. In the interim, a tyrant named Byun (Lee Jung Hun) comes to power in Chunhyang's province and demands that the beauty marry him. She refuses, and Byun schedules her for execution -- just as Mongryong returns to the province to reclaim his true love. Chunhyang made its North American Premiere at the 2000 Toronto International Film Festival. ~ Michael Hastings, Rovi

Play Trailer

Rating, Runtime: R, 2 hr. 1 min.
Directed By: Kwon-taek Im
Written By: Myoung-Gon Kim, Sang-hyun Cho, Hye-yun Kang
Genres: Art House & International, Drama

In Theaters: Dec 29, 2000 Wide
On DVD: Oct 16, 2001
Studio: Wild Bunch

Critic Reviews

Geoff Pevere, Toronto Star
A seductively watchable, mythically resonant experience.
Liam Lacey, Globe and Mail
A premodern folk tale in a postmodern form that refreshes both the eye and our ideas about storytelling.
Michael Atkinson, Village Voice
Im's movie approaches a seething, primitivist beauty that evokes Makhmalbaf and parallels the contrapuntal textual investigations of Resnais.
, Hollywood Reporter
Lingers long in the memory, its rich colors and striking images giving off an iridescent afterglow.
Joe Baltake, Sacramento Bee
Here's your chance to savor the work of Im Kwon Taek, the finest living chronicler of Korean culture.
Eleanor Ringel Gillespie, Atlanta Journal-Constitution
Admiration gives way to something like enthrallment. Be patient and you'll see that this picture casts its own peculiar spell.
Burl Burlingame, Honolulu Star-Advertiser
Reminded of 'Ever After,' a film that took a standard western myth and updated it with wit, verve and relevance. This is in that league, and rather more elegant and adult.
Prairie Miller, NewsBlaze
Part Disney, part Karl Marx, the movie might be characterized as a North Korean post-revolutionary blockbuster. And though the persecuted protagonist is hardly a shrinking violet but not quite a budding feminist, hey, we're talking centuries ago.
Jeffrey Overstreet, Looking Closer
Chunhyang is a gorgeous, elaborate film that feels like a fairy tale with a fresh coat of paint. Unfortunately, the paint is the most interesting part.
Michael Dequina, TheMovieReport.com
[The] film is handsomely mounted--from the sets and costuming to the appealing young stars--and ultimately a lot of fun.

Read all 10 critic reviews

Critic ratings and reviews powered by RottenTomatoes.com

Fresh (60% or more critics rated the movie positively)

Rotten (59% or fewer critics rated the movie positively)

Featured Audience Ratings

Mark A

A highly stylized telling of a Korean folk tale from another time concerning love and loyalty. A singer, almost operatic in his delivery, tells most of the tale from a stage in a concert setting and as a voice over to the action. The actors also tell part of the tale in dialogue. Very… More
A highly stylized telling of a Korean folk tale from another time concerning love and loyalty. A singer, almost operatic in his delivery, tells most of the tale from a stage in a concert setting and as a voice over to the action. The actors also tell part of the tale in dialogue. Very slow paced, as the action had to fit to the singing, and not the other way around. Intrigue and treachery and brutality and, at last, justice, with a bit of humor mixed in, came together to teach us of this woman's love that cut across the traditional dividing line of class. That love enabled her to bear up under the suffering she experienced as a reward for her loyalty. Beautiful cinematography, breathtaking scenery, and lovely actors were on constant display. At nearly two hours, however, it did begin to get tedious. This simple tale could have been told with less pomp, but then maybe we would not have felt so immersed in Korean culture.
Jojo S

Korean culture and storyteller in cinema. Ancient story with moral teachings. To be with one love and break every obstacle and boundry.
Leo L

One of my all-time favorites! Love this movie.