Sopyonje (1993)

Despite its falling popularity, a father teaches his two children the Korean musical tradition of Pansori (one singer accompanied by one drummer).

Director:

Kwon-taek Im

Writers:

Myung-gon Kim, Chung-Joon Lee (novel)

Stars:

Myung-gon Kim, Jung-hae Oh, Kyu-chul Kim

12 wins.

Cast

Credited cast:
Myung-gon Kim	...	Youbong
Jung-hae Oh	...	Songhwa
Kyu-chul Kim	...	Dong-ho
Sae-kil Shin
Byeong-kyeong Ahn
Rest of cast listed alphabetically:
Jae-Hyun Cho	...	Dong-ho (as Jae-hyeon Jo)

Storyline

The specifically Korean tradition that is reclaimed in Sopyonje is the type of folk-song known as pansori, described as a musical sublimation of South-West Korea's collective grief and suffering - in other words, a kind of blues. The film's three central characters are itinerant pansori singers in the 1950s, a time when many aspects of Korean culture came under siege from Japanese and western influences. The story unfolds through flashbacks. A man named Dong-ho is roaming the rural hinterlands, ostensibly to find rare herbal medicines for his employer back in Seoul, but actually in search of Song-hwa, the woman he grew up with. Orphans, they were both apprenticed to the pansori master Yu-bong who pressured them to sacrifice everything for the art. Dong-ho rebelled and ran away, to become the man he is now. Song-hwa stayed, lost her sight, and outlived Yu-bong. Rumor has it that she is still traveling and still singing pansori... The tale has one truly shocking twist, but the overall ...

---

Plot Keywords:

korean | korea | one word title | south korea | asian culture | 

---

Genres:

Drama | Music

---

Details

Country:

South Korea

Language:

Korean

Release Date:

10 April 1993 (South Korea)

Also Known As:

Sopyonje

Company Credits

Production Co:

Taehung Pictures

Technical Specs

Runtime:

112 min

Sound Mix:

Dolby

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1

User Reviews

Art of pansori

Just like its Chinese brother 'Huang tu di' by Chen Kaige is 'Sopyonje' driven forward by its songs, but unlike the former is not the content of the songs most important, the art of the singing is. This art is called pansori, and is a Korean tradition with cousins in China and Japan. In 'Chiwaseon' did I'm Kwon-Taek portray the mad drunken master of a special calligraphy school, here he portrays the mad father that refuses to let go of the art as new times are dawning and has ambitions higher than anyone could accomplish and end up hurting his closest.

I'm Kwon-Taek is a true master at display here. Granted that you are interested in these arts, this movie will hold a strong grip on you from beginning to end by the power of its songs. The lead actress did an amazing job full of emotion through small gestures. Now, please get me one of those scrolls and a record of pansori, please.