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A portrait of a Joseon-era artist
Im Kwon-taek’s 2002 film “Chihwaseon” traces the life of Jang Seung-eop, a 19th-century painter credited with helping redirect the course of Korean art. Jang, widely known by his art name Owon, is played by Choi Min-sik.
Released in South Korea on May 3, 2002, the 120-minute historical drama was rated for viewers 18 and older. It was produced by Taehung Pictures, distributed by Cinema Service and written by Im, Kim Yong-ok and Min Byung-sam.
The cast also includes Kim Yeo-jin as Jin-hong, Ahn Sung-ki as Kim Byung-moon, Yu Ho-jeong as Mae-hyang and Son Ye-jin as So-woon. Choi Jong-sung and Jung Tae-woo portray Jang as a child and teenager, respectively.
From wanderer to painter
The film opens with Jang questioning the motives of a Japanese art enthusiast who praises his work, then moves back to the artist’s childhood. Kim Byung-moon recognizes the rough young man’s extraordinary ability and later introduces him to interpreter Lee Eung-heon.
Jang begins as a wanderer with a gift for copying other artists, but he is challenged to develop a style of his own. Working in Lee’s home sharpens his eye for painting. He falls for Lee’s sister, So-woon, but their relationship ends when she marries. Later, after hearing that the ailing So-woon has asked for one of his paintings as she nears death, Jang rushes to see her.
Kim gives the artist the name Owon in hopes that he will grow to rival the great painters of earlier generations and remains his lifelong adviser. Jang’s rise is far from smooth, however. He drinks heavily and sometimes lashes out at those trying to support him, as the film examines the difficult transformation of raw talent into a distinctive artistic voice.
Cannes recognition
“Chihwaseon” competed at the 2002 Cannes Film Festival, where Im shared the best director prize with Paul Thomas Anderson for “Punch-Drunk Love.”
The film later earned an 83% positive rating from 42 reviews compiled by Rotten Tomatoes. The site’s critics described it as an artfully made biography that offers an unusually persuasive account of a singular creator. Metacritic assigned the film a score of 78 out of 100 based on 21 reviews, placing it in the generally favorable category.
Art amid political upheaval
Jang’s story unfolds against a Korea caught between China and Japan and divided over political reform. Kim is depicted as rejecting the entrenched political order while imagining a new society. Japan’s 1910 annexation of Korea falls outside the period covered by the film.
In 2020, The Guardian ranked “Chihwaseon” No. 13 on its list of classics of modern Korean cinema.
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