Despite its falling popularity, a father teaches his two children the Korean musical tradition of Pansori (one singer accompanied by one drummer).
User Lists
Related lists from IMDb users
Share this Rating
Title: Sopyonje (1993)
Want to share IMDb's rating on your own site? Use the HTML below.
12 wins.
See more awards »
Learn more
More Like This
Chunhyangdyun
(2000)
Drama
|
Musical
|
Romance
Director:
Kwon-taek Im
Stars:
Hyo-jeong Lee,
Seung-woo Cho,
Sung-nyu Kim
Painted Fire
(2002)
Biography
|
Drama
|
History
Director:
Kwon-taek Im
Stars:
Min-sik Choi,
Sung-Ki Ahn,
Ho-jeong Yu
Palwolui Keuriseumaseu
(1998)
Drama
|
Romance
Director:
Jin-ho Hur
Stars:
Suk-kyu Han,
Eun-ha Shim,
Goo Shin
The Surrogate Woman
(1987)
Drama
Director:
Kwon-taek Im
Stars:
Soo-youn Kang,
Gu-sun Lee,
Yang-ha Yun
Hanyo
(1960)
Crime
|
Drama
|
Thriller
Director:
Ki-young Kim
Stars:
Jin Kyu Kim,
Jeung-nyeo Ju,
Eun-shim Lee
Obaltan
(1961)
Drama
Director:
Hyun-mok Yoo
Stars:
Mu-ryong Choi,
Jin Kyu Kim,
Jeong-suk Moon
Bakha satang
(1999)
Drama
Director:
Chang-dong Lee
Stars:
Kyung-gu Sol,
Yeo-jin Kim,
Jung Suh
Milyang
(2007)
Drama
Director:
Chang-dong Lee
Stars:
Do-yeon Jeon,
Kang-ho Song,
Yeong-jin Jo
Iodo
(1977)
Mystery
Director:
Ki-young Kim
Stars:
Hwa-shi Lee,
Jeong-cheol Kim,
Yun-seok Choi
Taebaek sanmaek
(1994)
Drama
Director:
Kwon-taek Im
Stars:
Sung-Ki Ahn,
Dong-joon Choi,
Jin-wan Jeong
Delta Boys
(2016)
Musical
Director:
Bong Soo Ko
Stars:
Seung-hwan Baek,
Choong-gil Kim,
Woong-bin Lee
Edit
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) | |
Edit
Plot Summary
|
Add Synopsis
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 ... Written by Jay Lee <webmaster@beauty-of-korea.com>
Certificate:
See all certifications »Parents Guide:
Add content advisory for parents »
Edit
See full technical specs »
Details
Country:
South KoreaLanguage:
KoreanRelease Date:
10 April 1993 (South Korea) See more »Also Known As:
Sopyonje See more »Company Credits
Show more on
IMDbPro »
Technical Specs
Runtime:
Sound Mix:
DolbyColor:
ColorAspect Ratio:
1.85 : 1Frequently Asked Questions
This FAQ is empty. Add the first question.Contribute to This Page
Watch Hollywood hits and TV favorites for free with IMDb Freedive. Start streaming on IMDb and Fire TV devices today!
Explore popular action and adventure titles available to stream with Prime Video.
One of the very best films to come out of South Korea. SOPYONJE tells the tale of pansori singers trying to survive in a world that no longer cares about them. The plight of the pansori singers is an allegory for traditional South Korea, a country being overrun by modernization and the Western world in the aftermath of World War II.
The film's soundtrack alone is worth watching. I've never heard such haunting and beautiful singing in my life. Truly, a masterpiece that deserves to be remembered.
10 out of 10
(go to www.nixflix.com for a more detailed review of this film and reviews of other foreign movies)