Painted Fire 2002
In a time of political and social unrest in 19th century Korea, uncouth, self-taught painter Jang Seung-up explores his natural talent amidst the repressive world around him.
In a time of political and social unrest in 19th century Korea, uncouth, self-taught painter Jang Seung-up explores his natural talent amidst the repressive world around him.
A former pansori performer travels across South Korea in search of the student he studied with.
A sprawling story of one man's tumultuous life within the context of the South Korean political situation during the second half of the 20th century.
A courtesan's daughter's fidelity to her husband, the governor's son, is tested when he and his family leave for Seoul and the new governor attempts to possess her.
Sam-po is a gambler living without concern for how his wife will manage their houselhold without his earning money. In order to get food and provisions, his wife An-hyeob, sleeps with various merchants in the village. One of the few men she does not sleep with, a lustful servant named Sam-dol, decides to reveal her activities to her husband for revenge.
Ja-young is a flutist. When her father has a child out of wedlock, her mother regards sex as a sin out of anger towards him. Ja-young grows up under her mother's exceedingly oppressive notions.
In 1980s South Korea, two young nuns-in-training at the same monastery embark on very different journeys towards enlightenment.
A young woman is tricked into prostitution, thinking she is going to sell beverages at a village store. She soon learns about the dark world of Korea's red-light districts, where their pimps and society exploit her.
While awaiting the publication of his fairytale about his dementia-stricken octogenarian mother, an acclaimed South Korean novelist receives news that she has passed away, so he leaves the city and returns to her village to take part in the funeral.
A general goes on a search for a book that reveals the names of revolutionaries in the area, leading to a showdown at a Shaolin temple where he faces off against the revolutionaries.
Upon being released from prison, Kim Du-han begins rebuilding his street gang in the face of Hayashi's Yakuzas and increasing Japanese influence.
Based on the great river story, The Taebaek Mountains chronicles the lasting generational conflict between proprietors and peasants in South Korea.
In Japanese-occupied South Korea, a young man, newly-released from prison, is accepted into a gang for his fighting skills and quickly rises to the top. Based on the life of South Korean mobster and politician Kim Du-han.
A young boy mourns the death of his father, and begins a quest to find his mother. He encounters many people on the way who quote Buddhist precepts: an eccentric monk, a girl who grows up into a young woman, a prison inmate, a foul-mouthed doctor and the young son of a hard drinking astronomer. Each of them tell the boy to seek someone to help him find the truth and his mother.
A well-known womanizer is set to marry the daughter of wealthy business man. However, on the day of the wedding, he goes missing. The police are called and begin an investigation, only to see some surprising witnesses come forward.
R returns from studying in France and reunites with J, whom he used to live with in Paris.
A monk rapes a beautiful young woman who visits his monastery. He quits the monastery, marries the woman, and they have kids. But she despises him all the while and devotes herself to tormenting him.
Lee Jong-se is a third-rate comedian who believes himself to be a creative genius. He desires nothing more than to be a movie director.
First story. Ye-jin is a high school junior from a wealthy family who also does very well in school. But her secret aspiration is to be a back dancer. Although her boyfriend Sang-rok is the class president and a good student, he is very passive. Ye-jin gives up her dreams of back dancing and decides to leave for Canada. Before she does, she gives Sang-rok a farewell kiss. Jun-tae is a problem student with a heart of gold. He quits school for good after he gets into a fight with the Dae-gon the top student at school. Second story. Jun-tae becomes a street kid hustling customers for a local bar. He develops a crush on a fellow street kid named Gigi. Jong-su, born poor and illegitimate, carries a giant chip on his shoulder. He is part of a motorcycle gang and is going out with Titi who works at the local gas station. The two couples take off to the East Sea for a getaway but are tracked down by men sent by Jong-su's father.