Korean Cinema Retrospective 165 KOREAN CINEMA RETROSPECTIVE In the mid-19th Century in Korea, the people of the Joseon Dynasty welcomed the new religion Donghak. After its founder was executed, Choi Si-hyeong succeeds as Donghak’s second-generation leader and successfully propagated the sect, establishing Donghak as a nation-wide organization. However, Choi found himself in a difficult predicament due to government suppression and Jeon Bong-jun, the radical’s disobedience. This film earns a greater reputation as a masterpiece as time passes. If Sopyonje is a film of sensitivities, Fly High, Run Far is a film of reason. The most amazing aspect of Fly High, Run Far is the seemingly passive camera work and careless compositions that evoke profound sadness and bitterness all the more for it. 19세기 중반, 조선 민중은 새로운 종교운동인 동학에 열광한다. 1대 교주가 사형당한 뒤 2대 교주가 된 최시 형은 포교에 성공해 동학은 전국적인 조직을 갖추게 된다. 그러나 정부의 탄압이 심해진데다, 무장 봉기를 주장하는 전봉준의 항명으로 최시형은 곤경에 처한다. 개봉 당시에는 상대적으로 저평가되었지만 날이 갈수록 평판이 높아지고 있는 또다른 걸작. <서편제>가 감 성의 영화라면 <개벽>은 이성의 영화다. 기승전결의 구성은 완전히 버려지고, <취화선>에서와 마찬가지로 사건들이 병풍화처럼 배열된다. <개벽>의 가장 놀라운 점은 무심해 보이는 카메라워크와 불친절한 구성이 오히려 심원한 비애감과 쓰라림을 불러일으킨다는 것이다. Fly High, Run Far 개벽 Director IM Kwon-taek 임권택 Producer HAN Yong-su 한용수 Script KIM Yong-ok 김용옥 Cinematographer JUNG Il-sung 정일성 Editor PARK Gok-ji 박곡지 PARK Soon-duk 박순덕 Cast LEE Duk-hwa 이덕화 LEE Hye-young 이혜영 PARK Ji-hun 박지훈 Gaebyeog Korea | 1991 | 146min | 35mm | color Seopyeonje unfolds in a back and forth pattern, toggling between the past and present as we follow Dongho, an herbal medicine shop employee, on a visit to Sorijae pass. Years before a wandering singer called Yubong traveled around the country with his adopted daughter and son, Songhwa and Dongho. Dongho left Yubong, sick and tired of poverty, and Yubong blinded Songhwa so that she would have no choice but to remain beside him. Dongho meets the blind Songhwa at the end, but they part after sharing a pansori song. Pansori’s amazing emotional influence, the lives of the Korean people fragmented and uprooted by Western civilization, a pseudo-family’s tragic history and an isolated artist’s madness merge against beautiful scenery that makes the film sad and cruel.