it be not surprising that this film be make by i be at the time it be . i be examine the early beauty and tragedy of chosun dynasty life in seopyonje and delightfully explore a well known korean folk tale in chunhyang and and these comprise his last two film . what be most surprising be that chi hwa seon and his 2002 offering and be not present in the pansori style of those previous two film . nonetheless and the experienced hand of i be come through . we explore together the life of a real person represent a late nineteenth century chosun dynasty painter who rid on the edge of modernity but who be not a noble and who and because of that and cause a stir in contemporary korean society with his fame and his public and artistic expression of disdain for the old korean noble class and his contempt for would be japanese ruling colonial alike . the painter and chang seung up and know popularly a oh won ( perform magnificently by choi min sik and the famous star of park chan wook already legendary oldboy ) become more and more influential and therefore more dangerous throughout the film . contemporary korean audience will back a hero like this despite the fact and or maybe because of the fact and that he be so ostracize in his time . i be sense of simultaneous beauty and tragedy in history remain intact . i be be a master at capture his country past idiosyncrasy and and in this film he almost outdo himself . a expect in an i be film and the cinematography be breathtaking and the editing be precise and the story be central . plot be set against seung up and family tie be test and break and scandalous behavior be allege ( and be sometimes real ) and all to bring down the man who paint fire . but against all the intricacy of i be detail but sometimes convoluted account of seung up life and seung up himself somehow manage to survive . he become legendary because of his ability to perfectly copy famous chinese painting after only one look . art dealer and agent then besiege him and try to make money off oh won . in other word and line of people and who wish to take advantage of the real seung up and an artistic star and begin to form . but he refuse to be manipulate . his cleverness in stave off both the massive horde and the imperial lackey impress the audience and if not the cast . what do seung up think . he possess powerful emotion and opinion about paint and such a the aesthetic belief that painting be live thing and be never truly finished . he despise those who would try to turn art into profit . and he care not for politician who use their might to bring artistic beauty around them and then cast off the artist a traitorous . but he also think that paint play a role in the coming upheaval . horrid scene involve foreign invader from france and japan be present . i be signature historical epic motif and and his influence in the realm and remain on prominent display in this multi million dollar epic . the protagonist cause great grief for himself and those who care for him when he refuse to paint . this be when the story take on a whole new meaning and one that be not just political and but social in nature . i be take on the issue in laudable realist fashion . he and oh won and become a jesus figure . the people believe him capable of artistic miracle and the government feel it need his artistic support and but the protagonist remain fiercely independent and contemptuous of what others want him to do or be . eventually and both government and people come down upon seung up in a manner take straight out of the bible . his holiness become human while his humanity be not accept while he die for ( or escape from ) the sin of the commoner and the art critic and the politician and who hound him . but do he die . a with most of i be film and a question remain . in this case and do seung up really become an immortal hermit . the film do not tackle that question while it merely present a possible end for the real man of chang seung up and or oh won . no death be depict because no death be know . it be difficult to find fault with this film and but i be have become so good at present various historical absurdity in his culture that when he do and it hardly surprise anymore . a usual for i be film and the cinematography and the editing and the writing be all first rate . it a well craft film imbue with i be uncanny story tell ability . grant and he may be best at do this through the ancient korean musical art of pansori . still and the film contain stretch of this admirable art form and and by the end and viewer feel a if they have become privy to a great and untold story . and they have and because that and precisely and be i be gift .