Sopyonje: A Cantora Cega

Every time you look at this wonderful movie, be sure not to be disturbed by anything or by anyone. Especially if you are looking for the first time! In this case, it may be you find it boring for a short while, but don't you dare to give up! You must realize that the "slow motion" of this movie and the long silences are exactly some of the characteristics that make it one of the most wonderful movies I ever saw. You WILL find extraordinary contrasts at certain times. IN ANY CASE, KEEP CONCENTRATED AND CONTINUE LOOKING TILL THE VERY END!! You will not regret! I am a man, 55 years old, father of two big boys, and I am not ashamed to say that every time I look at this movie a few tears run over my cheeks... Thank you so much, I'm Kwon Taek !

The story, not bad in itself, is not the main point. The music is. The main characters - a father and his daughter and son - are all folk music performers, and the musical numbers, dispersed throughout the film, make up an integral part of the film. It is not easily accessible for those used to the ordinary Hollywood stuff, but well worth the time if the musical genre presented - pansori - a form of Korean folk music, and actually the main character of the picture - appeals to you. Those who don't like the music will probably be very bored and should not waste their time on this. I loved it, but I know people who would fall asleep fast if they tried to see this.

Just like its Chinese brother 'Huang tu di' by Chen Kaige is 'Sopyonje' driven forward by its songs, but unlike the former is not the content of the songs most important, the art of the singing is. This art is called pansori, and is a Korean tradition with cousins in China and Japan. In 'Chiwaseon' did I'm Kwon-Taek portray the mad drunken master of a special calligraphy school, here he portrays the mad father that refuses to let go of the art as new times are dawning and has ambitions higher than anyone could accomplish and end up hurting his closest.

I'm Kwon-Taek is a true master at display here. Granted that you are interested in these arts, this movie will hold a strong grip on you from beginning to end by the power of its songs. The lead actress did an amazing job full of emotion through small gestures. Now, please get me one of those scrolls and a record of pansori, please.

Sopyonje brought me to my knees before a tradition that previously was unknown to me - pansori. The power, tenderness, and pain that lies in art, in life, longing, and the music was conveyed in full force and with beauty. I couldn't directly understand the Korean words (subtitled) that were spoken or the songs that were sung, but i could feel and was in awe of the emotions especially in the second half of the movie. I can still hear the melodies, voice, and the drum.

I got the chance to see Seopyeonje in a Korean class in school. Our Korean professor was a bit excited to let us watch this film. So we sat in the speech laboratory and devoted our attention to the projection screen at the front.

I have to admit, after the first 30 minutes or so of watching this movie, I expected no more development in the plot, thinking that all the flatness of the story will endure until the end. I was bit by bit becoming impatient of watching it, annoyed by the (for me) dreary atmosphere of the 50s and rustic setting, not to mention the ear-splitting and irritating singing of the lead characters. I am also neither a fan of Asian flicks or Asian TV "novelas" and have no great tolerance of hearing characters speak languages alien to me, even if there were English subtitles flashing at the bottom of the screen. So I had to prolong my patience.

But lucky to be seated on a chair in the front row, I had my attention not taken away from the movie which if otherwise I might have given up watching and fallen asleep because of drastic tedium. Then I began to realize, a movie like Seopyeonje is not one of the typical contemporary flicks, hyped and high-budgeted, only to deliver shallow entertainment to the audience. It then registered with me that I was becoming critical of the film too early. So I gave myself another chance and continued watching, this time with a different perspective. Thus my reflections go.

Seopyeonje is not easy to watch without the watcher's religious attention. It is slow-paced and languorous at times, and I am convinced it is designed this way to convey exactly and completely its meaning. This meaning is the splendor of the arts, culture and tradition, inherent not only of Korea but of every nation. This movie would like us to appreciate and recognize the value of traditions and heritage slowly fading away while modernization advances and continues to overrun this world.

The movie talks of pain, longing, passion and fortitude without much talking and melodrama. The actors' portrayals of their characters are unaffected and what are typical of real life. Their gestures, singing and expressions fit so perfectly that there needed to be not anything more to communicate what they needed to communicate. The singing is by far the key element of the film, being a musical and one centered on Pansori, a traditional Korean folk music. I confess I did not bear the tones and screams of the Pansori reciters at first but my perception gradually changed as the movie progressed.

The culmination of Pansori art, as explained in the movie, is attained by overcoming grief and suffering. I can't help but be sympathetic about Songhwa (the female lead character) and her plight, but as she reached the peak of her art, my sympathy changed into admiration and the once annoying sound of Pansori transformed into a sublime and haunting melody to my ears.

Seopyeonje is one of the finest cinema I have seen. It is characteristically sad and somber but all at once beautiful, emotional and moving. It certainly left an indelible mark in me. I recommend it to those who love art, culture and traditions and bored of mainstream Hollywood movies and to those who simply want to stray from convention.