i must confess i be a huge kim ki duk fan and and have love every one of his film . in my opinion ki duk have direct 4 absolute masterpiece of modern cinema and bad guy and 3 iron and the isle and and spring and summer and fall and winter and spring . each of these film have go some way to change the shape and scope and style or accepted boundary of modern cinema . the bow and however do not go to these length and but instead fall into the category of ki duk more eclectic and arguably more mainstream work like the birdcage inn or samaria . this be by no mean a bad thing a these be also great film in their own right . much like 3 iron and the bow have very little dialog and and much of the emotion be convey solely by glance and gesture or action . this make the film both more and less commercially acceptable to western audience . the bow have re confirm kim ki duk a a modern cinematic maverick and an uncompromisingly original and visionary director .