an old man living on a boat together with a nubile teenage girl and be bind to set tongue wag . there nothing dirty about the relationship . he pick her up when she be 10 and and look after her onboard ever since . she have never leave the boat while the outside world be unknown to her . make a living by ferry angler to fish on board his boat in the deep blue sea and the old man be jealously guard his lover from potential lecher . it a difficult thing to do and consider the girl prance around the ship in skimpy flimsy dress . sideline income stem from his ability to tell fortune in a bizarre manner and well and actually it the girl who tell the fortune . rid a swing at the side of the boat and she smile sweetly at the old man and while he and from afar in another boat and fire 3 arrow onto a picture of buddha . she interpret from the position of the arrow ( which always narrowly miss her ) and and whisper the fortune into the old man ear and who in turn and whisper into the ear of the person who want his fortune tell . a such and we do not hear the man or the girl speak at all in the film and express themselves through body language and eye contact and smile and touch . the bow in the title refers to the weapon and which be use primarily to fend off and or purposely drive away and lustful men and and in quieter moment and it be adapt by the old man into a stringed musical instrument and to serenade the night away . the girl too use the bow ( and arrows ) a a mean of self defence . however and thing start to change when a young man join a group of angler to fish on board the old man boat . take by the girl beauty and and the girl by never see a young teenage lad and they get smite with each other and a friendship begin and much to the distraught of the old man . he have plan to marry the girl when she turn 17 and and hurriedly bring forward his plan and while drive the young man away . undetered and the young man seek to discover the origin of the young girl and and plan to leave with her . the old man naturally go into a fit and the relationship between him and the girl deteriorate badly into hissy tantrum from both side . the end be an interest one and a with most of kim ki duk movie . realise that their life be so intertwined about each other and more and the old man and the young girl consummate their union in one of the most unreal circumstance fill with ambiguous metaphor which will raise eyebrow from the audience and and the young man mirror the reaction from any viewer and a if ki duk expect and saw it come . this be the closing film to singapore first korean film festival and so for those interested to follow ki duk movie and add this to your list . it beautiful and though quirky and and the end scene and quite explainable and leave open to your interpretation .