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KOREAN FILM FESTIVAL 2023
OPENING NIGHT FILM
THE NIGHT OWL

The Korean Film Festival is back in 2023 from 24-29 August at Event Cinema George Street, Sydney. Its opening night film is that grand historical murder mystery thriller, THE NIGHT OWL, amidst familial jealousy and political intrigue of Korea's bygone kingdom.

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Based on a popular Korean legend about the mysterious death of an actual prince, the film is set in the 17th-century Joseon dynasty and features a fictional, partly blind acupuncturist, Gyeong-su (Ryu Jun-yeol), hired by the royal family. In 1645, when Gyeong-su witnesses the murder of the crown prince Sohyeon (Kim Sung-cheol), the tension begins involving King Injo (Yoo Hae-jin), his physician (Choi Moo-sung) and the premier (Jo Sung-ha). Gyeong-su’s situation is complicated by his emotional ties with the prince, the prince’s 10-year-old son, Yi Seok-cheol (Lee Joo-won), and the widowed princess Minhoe (Jo Yoon-seo).

Think Agatha Christie plotline with a truth-is-more-shocking-than-fiction treatment of a murder within the royal family. Set this as a period piece in ancient Korea. Prince Sohyeon is returning to Joseon after being captive in the Chinese kingdom of Qing, and this is greeted by suspicion by his father, the very ill king, who fears his son has been brainwashed by the enemy. 

Sohyeon is the king’s direct heir as well as his grandson. Joseon has a history of invasion from Japan and the Manchus, and the king wants to protect his kingdom at all costs. When the king reluctantly welcomes his son back, he becomes sceptical when the prince speaks of a peaceful compromise between Qing and Joseon. Mistrusting Westerners, the king is even more dismayed that the prince has been adapting to Western customs. These are the facts behind the Korean legend, which is the basis of this engaging narrative. 

And for those intrigued with acupuncture, who would have thought that needles into the body could be more powerful than just relieving pains and headaches? Gyeong-su uses his acupuncture skills as a weapon at the heart of his confrontation with the perpetrators of the murder. He tries to save his life to support his 10-year-old brother Kyung-Jae (Kim Do-wan), who has a medical condition requiring a costly herbal medicine.

Nearly two hours in length, this debut film from South Korean writer-director Ahn Tae-jin is fast-paced, with its suspenseful plot twists and turns. It explores themes of determination and survival through humility and wit as the partially blind witness of a royal crime conflicts with royalty. With co-writers Soo-in Bang and Gyu-Ri Hyun, Ahn has moulded an intriguing story that is as dark as the legend it was based on. The audience witnesses who killed the prince, but how Gyeong-su proves this as a blind man who is also being framed as the murderer is the film’s exhilarating roller coaster ride.

With good direction and excellent performances, THE NIGHT OWL is a fitting opening night film after that excellent reception at Event Gold Class in Sydney George Street.

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Picture of Rolmar Baldonado

Rolmar Baldonado

Films for the cineaste. Were you moved, transported? Did you laugh, cry? Was it cathartic? Were you disturbed, affected, riveted? Did it make you think?Freelance film editor, cineaste and cinephileTwitter: @film_critik Twitter: @rolmar Facebook Page: https://www.facebook.com/filmcritik/

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