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One day while investigating a fake painting, Yoon Seo (Han Suk-kyu), a renowned Chosun-era scholar, comes across a dirty book secretly circulated among the lower class. Yoon Seo starts writing erotic novels himself and later asks ranking government official Gwang-heon (Lee Beom-soo) to draw the illustrations for his book. When Jeong Bin (Kim Min-jung), a favorite concubine of the king (Ahn Nae-sang), develops a crush on Yoon, it provides the perfect fodder for his racy stories.
The movie 'Forbidden Quest' is filled with a refreshing humor rare in Korean films. Parodies of today¡¯s Internet postings and Chosun-era ¡°room salons¡± -- a take on the hostess bars where nubile waitresses serve clients in their séparé -- are delightful. But, just like in ¡°The King and the Clown,¡± the racy jokes are told in a sophisticated manner without damaging the dignity of the noblemen. Director Kim Dae-woo has added his own experiences as a screenwriter in some scenes, such as when Yoon Seo is stressed by an impending deadline or anxious how readers will react to his erotic stories.
Common in Western films like ¡°Quills¡±, ¡°Swimming Pool¡± and ¡°Basic Instinct¡±, such drawing on the screenwriter¡¯s own life is unprecedented in movies made in Chungmuro. In that sense, ¡°Forbidden Quest¡±, though full of vitality, is an artist¡¯s movie. Han Suk-kyu chose a perfect part for himself, and his slow and dreamy manner of talking perfectly convey both the weariness of a high government official and the desires of a racy novelist. A stunning performance from Oh Dal-su as an erotic book distributor and the stable presence of Kim Ki-hyeon as a scribe provide excellent support.
However, the biggest flaw is the inconsistency of mood. It is hard for the audience to follow the story without losing the beat. Distractions and a lumbering pace in the beginning and the sudden shift from comedy to melodrama leave the viewer with an inexplicable craving for something more. The king laments that ¡°the one who loves more is the vulnerable one:¡± romantic enough, but the words sound hollow on screen. The less than passionate chemistry between Han Suk-kyu and Kim Min-jung is another disappointment. An abrupt action sequence and overly brutal scenes also get in the way of a consistent mood.
¡°Forbidden Quest¡± picked the right time to hit the screens on the back of the soaring popularity of ¡°The King and the Clown¡±, another period movie, and director Kim Dae-woo, despite the unfinished touches in this one, definitely raises great expectations for his next film.
(englishnews@chosun.com )
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