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Overview
User Rating:
Director:
Writer:
Yong-Kyun Bae (writer)
Contact:
View company contact information for Why Has Bodhi-Dharma Left for the East?: A Zen Fable on IMDbPro.
Release Date:
23 September 1989 (South Korea) more
Plot:
Three people live in a remote Buddhist monastery near Mount Chonan: Hyegok, the old master; Yong Nan... more | add synopsis
Awards:
2 wins more
User Comments:
A meditative picture more (13 total)
Cast
(Credited cast)| Myeong-deok Choi | |||
| Hae-Jin Huang | ... | Haejin (the little monk) | |
| Hui-yeong Kim | |||
| Su-Myong Ko | ... | abbot | |
| Eun-yeong Lee | |||
| Seon-hye Lee | |||
| Yi Pan-Yong | ... | Hyegok (the old monk) | |
| Sin Won-Sop | ... | Kibong (the young monk) | |
| Byeong-hui Yun | ... | Ki-bong's mother |
Additional Details
Also Known As:
Why Did Bodhi-Dharma Leave for the East?
Why Has Bodhi-Dharma Left for the East?
Why Has Bodhi-Dharma Left for the East?: A Zen Fable (International: English title)
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Parents Guide:
Runtime:
137 min
Country:
Language:
Color:
Sound Mix:
Certification:
Company:
Fun Stuff
Trivia:
Film took seven years to complete, using a single camera, and was edited entirely by hand. more
Quotes:
[first lines]
Hyegok:
Haejin! Haejin! There is no beginning and no end. Nothing is immutable, everything changes. That thing which does not come into being does not die.
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FAQ
This FAQ is empty. Add the first question.more (13 total)
Message Boards
Discuss this movie with other users on IMDb message board for Dharmaga tongjoguro kan kkadalgun (1989)| Recent Posts (updated daily) | User |
|---|---|
| New Director's Edition DVD from Milestone | tigersnest |
| sublime film | gk_891 |
| Where to find the DVD? | moviereviewcomment |
| Questions about this movie (and SPOILERS) | ubik-11 |
Recommendations
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| Kundun | Bom yeoreum gaeul gyeoul geurigo bom | Bulletproof Monk | The Steel Helmet | Mandala |
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Related Links
| Full cast and crew | Company credits | External reviews |
| IMDb Drama section | IMDb South Korea section | Add this title to MyMovies |

I first saw this movie back in 1990, being played in Switzerland. to understand and appreciate this movie, you need to face the fact that western and eastern story-telling differ a lot. And since Bodhi-Dharma, who never appears in the picture, is the first patriarch of Ch'an Buddhism in China, meditation is not only a subject of the movie but also became an inspiration for the makers. The story is therefore told in an extremely slow manner, including several flashbacks. It's a perfect introduction to Zen, but also a relaxing and beautiful movie to enjoy alone.