Kim Byungmoon discovers Jang Seung-up’s artistic talent and introduces him to an interpreter, Lee Eungheon, so that Jang can live in the house as a farm servant. Kim encourages Jang to pursue the life of a true artist. Wishing him to become a great artist, he gives Jang a pen name, Ohwon. He soon becomes the best painter in the Joseon Dynasty. The film tells his life story full of paintings and liquor.
* Source: Korean Film Archive
The title means a drunken painter-saint. While Heungseon Daewongun and Empress Myeongseong had power struggles in the late Joseon Dynasty, Catholic churches were persecuted under the closed-door policy and the kingdom suffered from frequent foreign invasions. Depicting the life of a genius painter Jang Seung-up, director Im highlighted his self-destructive aspects. Dissatisfied with his works, the artist released his anger by drinking alcohol and painted while intoxicated. The director experimented with music in his previous film, Chunhyang (2000). In this film, he followed the painter’s traces and emotions with paintings. Thanks to the unwavering support from producer Lee Taewon and cinematographer Jung Il-sung who became his canvas, Im won the Best Director Award at the 2002 Cannes Film Festival for the first time in Korean film history, making the culmination of his career. [HUH Nam-woong]
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