Sopyonje (서편제) is an incredibly sad-stricken movie looking into the life of a grief stricken family.  Partly because of the wretched life of poverty and partly because of the intense control of the father.  I personally see this movie as almost something of a dialog of Korean history, a tale of never ending sadness and unavoidable obstacles.  The director Im Gwon-taek (임권택), who directs one of my favorite movies Tae Baek Mountains (태백산맥), never fails to amaze me in his ability to create a world I feel so connected to.  The actors, of which generally show up in all his films, also contribute a lot in the realization of their characters.  Of course the beautiful long shots of the Korean landscape are also breathtaking.  Though I’m sure I’ll enjoy spending most of my time in the city, I can’t wait to visit the rural areas of Korea.

Just a super side note, it’s so funny watching this after I’ve seen some other movies and come to learn more about Pansori.  Near the beginning there’s a sequence you might recognize if you’ve seen Chunhyang (춘향뎐).

Anyways, I really believe anyone wishing to learn Korean needs to watch this movie.  You probably won’t benefit vocabulary-wise, but seeing the traditional culture will help you understand more about the Korean people.  In regards to watching movies to learn about Korean culture, this would be one of the top movies on my list.

The whole movie can be summed up in one word: han (한).  If you don’t know what han is, you will if you watch this movie.  Han encapsulates the idea of existing in a state where you can’t help but live in misery and must learn to just live with it.  A common translation is lamentation.  Many consider this han to be the representative of Korean culture.  I would definitely agree with that analysis.  They’ve suffered invasions and are currently divided, furthering the sorrow many have to live with daily.

Is the movie depressing?  Well, kind of.  I won’t give much away, but pretty much every aspect of the family member’s lives is pure misery.  Part of that is fate, part change in the world, part self-inflicting wounds.  The only thing that brings them joy is being miserable together doing what the father loves.

If you are interested at all in learning about the roots of modern Korean culture, watch this movie.  It may not be exciting or funny, but it is a treasure chest filled with insights into one of the world’s most misunderstood societies.

Cultural Notes

Serving Women

There are multiple scenes where Korean ladies  pour the drinks for the men.  This is a very traditional role for women which continues even to today if you go to certain types of bars.  I personally would never go to one of those places, but that’s just me.

Pansori (판소리)

Pansori, unique to Korea, is a special way of singing and telling a story.  It’s actually been acknowledged by UNESCO as a treasure of Korea.  Along with this film, another great film to watch if you are interested in Pansori is Chunhyang (춘향뎐).

Han (한)

This is one of those words that doesn’t exist in English.  Just read the review about this movie and ask around to other people what they think 한 is.  If you have a good explanation, feel free to contribute a comment so others can read your definition as well.