The Book of Fish
{{Short description|2021 South Korean historical film}}
{{Use mdy dates|date=April 2021}}
{{Infobox film
| name = The Book of Fish
| image = The Book of Fish.jpg
| caption = Theatrical release poster
| native_name = {{Infobox Korean film name
| hangul = 자산어보
| hanja = 玆山魚譜
| rr = Jasaneobo}}
| director = Lee Joon-ik
| producer = Kim Seong-cheol
| writer = Kim Se-gyeom
| screenplay =
| based_on =
| starring = Sul Kyung-gu
Byun Yo-han
| music = Bang Jun-seok
| cinematography = Lee Eui-tae
| editing = Kim Jeong-hun
| studio = Cineworld
| distributor = Megabox Plus M
M-Line Distribution
| released = {{Film date|df=yes|2021|03|31|}}
| runtime = 126 minutes
| country = South Korea
| language = Korean
| budget =
| gross = US$2.6 million{{Cite Box Office Mojo |title= The Book of Fish|id=14371900|access-date=August 2, 2024}}
}}
The Book of Fish ({{Korean|hangul=자산어보|rr=Jasaneobo}}) is a 2021 South Korean black-and-white historical drama film directed by Lee Joon-ik. The film starring Sul Kyung-gu and Byun Yo-han, is about an exiled Joseon era scholar and a fisherman and their exchange of knowledge in writing a book.{{Cite news|author=Choi Young-joo|url=https://www.nocutnews.co.kr/news/5465121|script-title=ko:이준익 감독·설경구·변요한 '자산어보', 2021년 개봉|trans-title=Director Joon-ik Lee, Gyeong-gu Seol, and Yohan Byeon,'Sasaneobo', released in 2021|date=15 December 2020|work=No Cut News|access-date= April 12, 2021|language=ko}}{{Cite web|url=https://www.hancinema.net/korean_movie_The_Book_of_Fish.php|title=The Book of Fish|website=HanCinema|date=August 27, 2021 }} It was theatrically released on March 31, 2021.{{Cite web|url=https://mnews.joins.com/article/24022654#home|script-title=ko:'자산어보' 이준익 "과도한 세금, 백성 착취하던 시대 돌아본 건…" |trans-title= Jun-ik Lee,'Asset Looking' "I looked back at the era of excessive taxes and exploitation of the people… " |author=Kang Hye-ran|website=M News|date=March 28, 2021|access-date= April 12, 2021|language=ko}}
The film won the Grand Prize at 57th Baeksang Arts Awards in May 2021.{{Cite news|url=https://n.news.naver.com/entertain/article/003/0010497815 |author= Lee Jae-hoon |script-title=ko:유재석·이준익, '백상예술대상' 대상…'괴물' 3관왕(종합) |trans-title= Jae-Seok Yoo and Jun-ik Lee, Grand Prize in'Baeksang Arts Awards'... 'Monster' 3 crowns (Total) |work=Newsis |publisher=Naver|date= May 14, 2021 |access-date= May 14, 2021 |language=ko}}
Background
The Book of Fish is a black-and-white historical film set in 1801 about the Joseon era scholar {{ill|Jeong Yak-jeon|ko|정약전}} (1758–1816). He was exiled to Heuksando Island during the Catholic Persecution of 1801 in King Sunjo of Joseon's reign. There he wrote a piscine encyclopedia titled {{ill|Jasaneobo|ko|자산어보}}. In the film a fictional character Chang-dae, a young, conservative and eager to learn fisherman is introduced.
Plot
In the first year of King Sunjo's reign, {{ill|Jeong Yak-jeon|ko|정약전}} is exiled to the remote island of Heuksan due to the Sinyu Persecution. Curious by nature, Jeong Yak-jeon becomes fascinated by marine life and decides to write a book about it. To do so, he seeks help from a young fisherman, Chang-dae, who knows the sea better than anyone. However, Chang-dae refuses outright, declaring that he cannot assist a criminal.
Upon discovering that Chang-dae struggles with self-studying, Jeong Yak-jeon proposes an exchange of knowledge. Though reluctant at first, Chang-dae eventually agrees. Despite their frequent bickering, the two gradually become both teachers and friends to each other. But when Jeong Yak-jeon learns that Chang-dae's true motivation for studying is solely to achieve success, he is deeply disappointed. Likewise, Chang-dae realizes that his path is different from Jeong Yak-jeon's and makes up his mind to leave his mentor's side and step out into the wider world.
Cast
{{Cast listing|
- Sul Kyung-gu as Jeong Yak-jeon
- Byun Yo-han as Jang Chang-dae
- Lee Jung-eun as woman from Gageo
- Min Do-hee as Bok-rye
- Cha Soon-bae as Poong-heon
- Kang Ki-young as Lee Kang-hwe
- Dong Bang-woo as Magistrate of Naju
- Jung Jin-young as King Jeongjo
- Kim Eui-sung as Official Jang
- Bang Eun-jin as Changdae's mother
- Ryu Seung-ryong as Jeong Yakyong
- Jo Woo-jin as Byeol-jang{{Cite news|url=https://entertain.naver.com/movie/now/read?oid=241&aid=0003105761|author=Jo Yeon-kyung|script-title=ko:[무비IS] 류승룡·조우진, 이토록 특별한 '우정| trans-title= [Movie IS] Ryu Seung-ryong and Jo Woo-jin, such a special'friendship' |work=Daily Sports| publisher=Naver|date=April 6, 2021|access-date=April 12, 2021|language=ko}}
- Choi Won-young as Jeong Yak-jong
- Yoon Kyung-ho as Moon Soon-deuk
- Jo Seung-yeon as Yi Byeok
}}
Production
The Book of Fish is a black and white film, which are making a comeback in South Korea.{{Cite web|url=https://www.hancinema.net/hancinema-s-news-black-and-white-films-making-a-comeback-in-south-korean-film-149874.html|title= [HanCinema's News] Black-and-white Films Making a Comeback in South Korean Film |website= HanCinema |author=William Schwartz |access-date=April 12, 2021|date= March 17, 2021|language=en}}
;Filming
Filming was wrapped up on November 15, 2019.{{Cite web|url=https://www.hancinema.net/photo-wrap-up-still-added-for-the-korean-movie-the-book-of-fish-135649.html|title= [Photo] Wrap-up Still Added for the Korean Movie "The Book of Fish" |website= HanCinema |author=William Schwartz |access-date=April 12, 2021|date= November 15, 2019|language=en}}
Release
The film was theatrically released on March 31, 2021 by Megabox.
The Book of Fish has been invited at the 20th New York Asian Film Festival. It was featured in 'Standouts' strand and screened at Lincoln Center and SVA Theatre in the two-week festival held from August 6 to 22, 2021 in New York.{{Cite web|url=https://www.forbes.com/sites/joanmacdonald/2021/07/20/20th-new-york-asian-film-festival-screens-several-south-korean-films/ |title= 20th New York Asian Film Festival Screens Several South Korean Films |last= MacDonald |first= Joan |date= July 20, 2021 |access-date= July 25, 2021 |website= Forbes}}{{Cite web|url=http://kobiz.or.kr/eng/news/news.jsp?blbdComCd=601006&seq=5576&mode=VIEW|title= Korean Films on Show at 20th Anniversary of New York Asian Film Festival |last= Conran |first= Pierce |date= July 15, 2021|access-date= July 25, 2021|work= KOFIC}} It was also selected in 'Korean Cinema Today - Panorama Section' at 26th Busan International Film Festival and will be screened in the festival in October 2021.{{cite web|url=https://www.biff.kr/eng/addon/10000001/page.asp?page_num=3345|title=2021 Program |work=BIFF|date=September 15, 2021|access-date=September 15, 2021}} The film was also screened at 10th Korean Film Festival Frankfurt on October 23, 2021.{{Cite news|url= https://projectkffm.de/en/film-the-book-of-fish|title= The Book of Fish / 자산어보|work= Korean Film Festival Frankfurt|publisher= WordPress|date= October 23, 2021|access-date= December 29, 2021|archive-date= December 29, 2021|archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20211229111528/https://projectkffm.de/en/film-the-book-of-fish|url-status= dead}} On May 6, 2022, it was screened at the Habitat International Film Festival (HIFF), at the Habitat Center in New Delhi.{{Cite news|url=https://n.news.naver.com/entertain/movie/article/001/0013155521 |script-title=ko:인도 순수예술영화제에 '자산어보' 등 한국 영화 5편 상영 |trans-title= Five Korean films including 'Jasaneobo' screened at the Indian Fine Arts Film Festival|author=Kim Young-hyun |work=Yonhap News Agency |publisher=Naver|date=May 3, 2022|access-date=May 3, 2022|language=ko}}
In 2022, it was selected as one of the films in 'The Actor, Sol Kyung-gu' special exhibition event at 26th Bucheon International Fantastic Film Festival to honour actor Sul Kyung-gu.{{cite web|url=http://www.bifan.kr/eng/program/program_list.asp?sc_category_seq=5012|title=26th Bucheon International Fantastic Film Festival: THE ACTOR, SEOL KYUNG GU|website=Bucheon International Fantastic Film Festival|date=June 16, 2022|access-date=June 14, 2022}}
Reception
=Box office=
The film released on March 31, 2021, on 1250 screens.{{Cite web|url=http://www.koreanfilm.or.kr/eng/films/index/filmsView.jsp?movieCd=20197434|title=KOFIC, KOBIS (Korean Box Office Information System) The box office for The Book of Fish (2021)|access-date= June 1, 2021|work=KOFIC}} It was at the number 1 place at the Korean box office by collecting 54,000 audiences on the weekend, taking its total commutative audience to 255,000 persons in the second week of its release.{{cite news|url=https://n.news.naver.com/entertain/article/001/0012321915|script-title=ko:[박스오피스] '자산어보' 개봉 2주차에 주말 1위(종합)|trans-title=[Box Office] Ranked #1 on the weekend in the 2nd week of 'Sanjango' opening (Total)|author=Han Mi-hee|access-date=12 April 2021|work=Yonhap News Agency |publisher=Naver 영화|language=ko}}
According to Korean Film Council data{{dagger}}, it is at 14th place among all the Korean films released in the year 2021, with gross of US$2.71 million and 342,540 admissions, {{As of|2021|12|11|lc=y|df=us}}.{{Cite web|url=http://www.koreanfilm.or.kr/eng/news/boxOffice_Yearly.jsp?mode=BOXOFFICE_YEAR&selectDt=2021&category=ALL&country=K|title=KOBIS (Korean Box Office Information System) Korean films box office for Year 2021|access-date= December 11, 2021|work=KOFIC}}
- {{Dagger}}The system of KOBIS (Korean Box Office Information System) is managed by KOFIC.
=Critical response=
Going by Korean review aggregator Naver Movie Database, the film holds an approval rating of 9.11 from the audience.{{cite web|url=https://movie.naver.com/movie/bi/mi/basic.nhn?code=189075 |script-title=ko:자산어보, The Book of Fish|access-date=19 April 2021|website=Naver 영화}}
Kim Boram reviewing The Book of Fish for Yonhap wrote that the film keeps interest of the viewers alive as the tone is not serious. He considered that the beautiful scenery of Heuksando Island made the viewing pleasurable. He praised the performances of Sul Kyung-gu as an open-minded scholar and Byun Yo-han as Chang-dae, a young but conservative fisherman. Concluding the review Boram said, "The black-and-white cinematography makes the movie feel like a Joseon Dynasty ink painting, .... and the viewers even get the sense that color is not really important in the script-driven and performance-based piece."{{Cite web|url=https://m-en.yna.co.kr/view/AEN20210319005600315|title=(Movie Review) 'The Book of Fish' tells story of struggle during historic upheaval in black and white |first=Kim |last=Boram|date=March 19, 2021|access-date=April 12, 2021|website=Yonhap News Agency}}
Awards and nominations
References
{{Reflist}}
External links
- {{hancinema film|The_Book_of_Fish}}
- {{kmdb film|22196}}
{{Lee Joon-ik}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Book of Fish, The}}
Category:2020s Korean-language films
Category:South Korean historical drama films
Category:South Korean biographical drama films
Category:South Korean black-and-white films
Category:Films postponed due to the COVID-19 pandemic
Category:Films about Catholicism
Category:Films about marine biology
Category:Films about teacher–student relationships
Category:Films set in South Jeolla Province
Category:Films set in the 1800s
Category:Films set in the 1810s
Category:Films directed by Lee Joon-ik