HWAL (THE BOW)

Korea, 2005, 90 minutes, Colour.
Directed by Kim Ki- Duk.

Kim Ki- duk has built a strong international reputation in the last six years as one of Korea’s pre-eminent directors. He is not afraid of unconventional themes. His film, The Isle, was beautiful to look at but was a study in sado-masochism. He has ventured into the world of crime and gangsters. In recent years, he has reached a wider audience with his meditative Spring, Summer, Autumn, Spring and his imaginative ghost story, Binjip (3 Iron).

His themes and style come together in The Bow. Set entirely at sea and on a boat, it is a portrait of an old man who has kept a foundling on the boat for ten years and is about to marry her when she turns seventeen. He plays a quaint stringed bow – which also serves for arrows when a growing number of his rich business clients who come aboard for fishing make advances on the girl. He also uses the bow to shoot arrows at the side of the boat where the girl rides on a swing, a method by which they are able to tell fortunes.

The inevitable happens when a young man comes aboard. The drama concerns the reactions of the old man, the changes in the girl. What happens is not quite predictable and makes for dramatic intensity in the resolution. Ki- duk offers images of the Buddha and wedding ceremonials which give his film not only an exotic beauty but invite religious as well as mythic interpretations of what is happening.

1. The work of Kim Ki- Duk, his acclaim, the range of his films? Violence, sexuality to Buddhist contemplation? These themes gathered together here?

2. The title, the bow that was played, the bow for the arrows?

3. The limited locations, the sea and the boats? The detail of the boats, the cabins, the deck? The open sea?

4. The musical score, the piano and the strings, the bow and the old man playing it?

5. The visual images with Buddhist overtones, the suggestion of myths and legends? And the realism of the characters and story? The fact that the two central characters did not speak (except for the whispers of telling the fortune to each other and to the clients)?

6. The situation, the old man and the girl, people thinking she was his granddaughter? Ten years on the boat? The story of her being found, staying on the boat for the ten years? The daily routines on the boat? Her relationship with the old man, the two bunks, his holding her hand? The preparation for the wedding?

7. The wedding plan, her seventeenth birthday, his marking the calendar – and cheating? Buying the dresses and clothes, storing them?

8. The old man, his age, his having the girl on the boat, wanting to marry her? His absolute devotion to her? Bringing the clients, the rich fishermen? Their asking for their fortune, the girl on the swing, his firing the arrows, whispering the fortune? The attitude to the men making advances, his shooting the arrows at them? His shopping, storing? Washing the girl, sleeping? The day-by-day routine?

9. The character of the girl, from six to sixteen on the boat, no other world, her innocence? Sleeping, waking, eating, on the swing? The arrows fired at her? The molestation – and her curiosity, attraction, repulsion?

10. The clients, rich, coming to fish, their attacking the girl, the two trying to rape her, the innocent man to whom she made advances, the range of people and the arrows being shot at them, their being ousted?

11. The young man, coming with the group, fishing, his attention to the girl, giving her the CD player, having his fortune told? The return, her advances, on the boat with him, the old man and his reaction? Bringing the papers, the story of the parents searching for her? His staying, love, observing the wedding, with her at the end?

12. The gift of the CD, the old man stopping her listening to it, her anger, growing spite, not wanting her hand held? The change, putting on the clothes while he was away? Her advances to the young man? Joy at his coming?

13. The old man, his grief, the couple leaving, getting the rope, trying to choke himself, trying to cut loose, the girl realising what was happening, cutting loose, the return? Her comforting him, bathing him?

14. The ritual and ceremonial of the wedding, the young man watching? The clothes and the solemnity? The old man and the girl together?

15. The young man, the chickens, his waiting?

16. The old man, the marriage, his diving overboard and disappearing? The girl and the young man going away, happy forever? His self-sacrifice?