By Elizabeth Shin

Director Im Kwon Taek, the Akira Kurosawa of Korea, has established an eminent, fatherly presence in Korean cinema. Born in1936 in Jangsung, Korea, Im began his working life as a bootmender. Im? film career began in the early 1950s, when he was recruited as an errand boy for the film Chunhyang Jun,which coincidentally became a big commercial success. Im made his directing debut in 1962 with Farewell to the Duman River and An OldMan in the Combat Zone. Since then, he has devoted over four decades to honing his craft as a filmmaker, earning for himself a distinguished reputation for celebrating Korea? rich and vibrant cultural heritage in his masterfully constructed pieces. With over 90 films to his credit before Chunhyang, Im has yet another to add to his list. He has now directed the first Korean film in the history of cinema to enter the competition at Cannes. Replete with 8,000 extras and 12, 000 costumes, Chunhyang boasts of being Korea? largest cinematic production.

Chunhyang is set in the provincial town of Namwon, Korea in the 18th century. The governor? son, Mongryong, sees the female protagonist, Chunhyang, the beautiful daughter of a former courtesan and falls in love with her instantly. Their differences in social classmake it forbidden for the two love-struck adolescents to marry publicly. They decide to marry in secret, as Shakespeare? lovers Romeo and Juliet opt to do, but unlike the tale of Verona, the couple is forced to separate due to Mongryong? sense of duty to his family and the value he places on completing his training to become as scholar, then synonymous to becoming a noble man.

Mongryong? father is transferred away from Namwon to Seoul. Chunhyang? love is faced with a difficult decision, one that could require Mongryong to separate from his beloved Chunhyang. The young man decides that he must leave with his family for the time being to earn his title as a nobleman. Mongryong promises her a swift return upon passing the national exams. He is unaware, however, that Chunhyang will be left to face the aggressive sexual advances made by the new governor,Lord Byun, who replaces his father? position in Namwon. The governor hears of Chunhyang? beauty and begins a relentless pursuit to have her as his lover, refusing to accept that she is Mongryong? devout wife. Lord Byun uses the fact that Chunhyang is a daughter of a former courtesan to justify his unwillingness to acknowledge her right to be legally married to any one man, especially because that one man is not him. Lord Byun is offended by Chunhyang? quick-witted remarks, ones not unlike another one of Shakespeare? protagonist Katherina in Taming of the Shrew.

Chunhyang continues to injure Lord Byun? pride by refusing to sleep with him.The governor has her flogged repeatedly and ultimately sentences her to death. Chunhyang? only hope is that her love Mongryong will come in time to save her from the governor? ruthlessness.

Im uses Pansori, a highly-stylized, traditional Korean style of narrative song developed in the rural towns of Korea. It is a traditional Korean operatic form of song, dance and percussion that Im incorporates into the film to narrate the story of Chunhyang, one of Korea? most loved tales, filmed in various ways by over a dozen other filmmakers.

The story of Chunhyang was used for Korea? first sound film as well as for the mid-1950? box-office hit that was credited for reviving Korea? post-war film industry. Im? version of Chunhyang is particularly striking in its theatrical framework, structured as a story within a concert, where the camera moves between a live theatrical performance and the story it narrates. Even the film? editing rhythms are designed to match the rhythms of the Pansori. The deep-voiced, operatic narrator is accompanied by a drummer, who propels the narration of the story with the intense,pounding beats in the music.

It is interesting to note that the version of Chunhyang made for international release is different from the one released in Korea. The international version omits three Pansori scenes originally featured in the domestic version and includes scenes with sexual content not present in the first. While the Pansori rendition attempts to bring out the film? Korean identity, the added scenes with erotic sexual content make the Cannes version, according to some critics, a voluntary conformation to the flawed notion of Orientalism, a departure from Im? original idea of creating a film that celebrates the distinctly Korean art form of Pansori.

Chunhyang succeeded in claiming a spot at Cannes, but received criticism as a film that is at once ?oo Korean?o show universality, and too foreign to be called Korean

Nonetheless, one cannot deny the fact that Im? intentions were realized in Chunhyang. Even with the controversy surrounding the film, there is no doubt that Im has achieved a workof cinematic genius. He presents a classic tale of love and devotion through a highly experimental film that captures the best elements of cinema and live theatrical performance a fusion made with both beauty and elegance.

Im has given something to the medium of film, something that Lars Von Trier has said to be one of the most important things a filmmaker can aspire to do.

Im said, ? would like to compare the earth to a garden of flowers. As a director, and having lived my whole life in Korea, I promised myself I would one day?hrough cinema?ake this garden blossom, with no thought of cultural barriers. As a Korean,Chunhyang has lived inside me for a long time. I wanted to show this classic tale...to convey the fascination and powerful emotional charge which the story of Chunhyang holds for me and my countrymen.

Chunhyang is scheduled for release in Los Angeles in early January 2001.