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Painted Fire (2002)

Chihwaseon (original title)
Unrated | | Biography, Drama, History | 10 May 2002 (South Korea)
Painted Fire Poster
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3:05 | Trailer

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In a time of political and social unrest in nineteenth-century Korea, an uncouth, self-taught painter explores his natural talent amidst the repressive world around him.

Director:

Kwon-taek Im

Writers:

Kwon-taek Im, Yong-ok Kim | 1 more credit »

Stars:

Min-sik Choi, Sung-Ki Ahn, Ho-jeong Yu | See full cast & crew »
78
Reviews
6 wins & 4 nominations. See more awards »

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Photos

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Edit

Cast

Credited cast:
Min-sik Choi ... Jang Seung-up
Sung-Ki Ahn ... Kim Byung-Moon (as Sung-kee Ahn)
Ho-jeong Yu ... Mae-hyang
Yeo-jin Kim ... Jin-jong
Ye-jin Son ... So-woon
Rest of cast listed alphabetically:
Tae-hee Kim Tae-hee Kim
Jin-Seo Yoon
See full cast »
Edit

Storyline

The struggles of an artist. Jang Seung-up (1843-1897), also called Owon, focusing on the years 1882 to 1897, when Korea was in political upheaval, caught between China and Japan, the conservative dynasty dying, and peasant revolt at hand. Jang, born poor, has genius; a merchant, Kim, becomes his patron, finding him a teacher. Jang must convince others that a commoner can have talent, then move beyond his ability to copy old masters and find his own style. He's bedeviled by a temper and alcohol, arguments with patrons as he seeks commissions, and relationships with kisaeng, particularly Mae-hyang, that start and stop. It's the life of a restless spirit producing great art. Written by <jhailey@hotmail.com>

Plot Summary | Add Synopsis

Plot Keywords:

burning a portrait | army | kiln | china | porridge | See All (171) »

Taglines:

The Life of Painter Jang Seung-up

Genres:

Biography | Drama | History

Certificate:

Unrated | See all certifications »

Parents Guide:

View content advisory »
Edit

Details

Official Sites:

Official site | Official site (Korean, some English)

Country:

South Korea

Language:

Korean

Release Date:

10 May 2002 (South Korea) See more »

Also Known As:

Painted Fire See more »
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Box Office

Opening Weekend USA:

$9,302, 16 February 2003, Limited Release

Gross USA:

$59,413, 22 June 2003
See more on IMDbPro »

Company Credits

Production Co:

CJ Entertainment, Taehung Pictures See more »
Show more on IMDbPro »

Technical Specs

Runtime:

Sound Mix:

Dolby Digital

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1
See full technical specs »
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Did You Know?

Trivia

Chosen by "Telerama" (France) as one of the 10 best pictures of 2002 (#10) See more »

Frequently Asked Questions

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User Reviews

 
Very beautiful film about an even more 'beautiful' person
29 November 2002 | by maciejczubak – See all my reviews

That's right. Ohwon (the painter and the main character) is an exceptional person. What strikes me most is the message this film might address to all of you people there. And the message is sad. It says that, it's very difficult to do anything that's amazing or maybe even genius without having to obey the governments, establishment and other VIPs of this world. And even if you try, you might not be able to bear it. It is about the battle of a single person with a system. With many systems.

A great film of this wonderful Korean director. Please see it if you do have an opportunity.
1 of 4 people found this review helpful.  Was this review helpful to you? | Report this
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