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The Bow

Original title: Hwal
  • 2005
  • Not Rated
  • 1h 30m
IMDb RATING
7.1/10
12K
YOUR RATING
The Bow (2005)
DramaRomance

On a fishing boat at sea, a 60-year old man has been raising a girl since she was a baby. It is agreed that they will get married on her 17th birthday, and she is 16 now. They live a quiet a... Read allOn a fishing boat at sea, a 60-year old man has been raising a girl since she was a baby. It is agreed that they will get married on her 17th birthday, and she is 16 now. They live a quiet and secluded life, renting the boat to day fishermen and practicing strange divination rite... Read allOn a fishing boat at sea, a 60-year old man has been raising a girl since she was a baby. It is agreed that they will get married on her 17th birthday, and she is 16 now. They live a quiet and secluded life, renting the boat to day fishermen and practicing strange divination rites. Their life changes when a teenage student comes aboard...

  • Director
    • Kim Ki-duk
  • Writer
    • Kim Ki-duk
  • Stars
    • Han Yeo-reum
    • Seo Ji-seok
    • Jeon Gook-hwan
  • See production info at IMDbPro
    • IMDb RATING
    7.1/10
    12K
    YOUR RATING
    • Director
      • Kim Ki-duk
    • Writer
      • Kim Ki-duk
    • Stars
      • Han Yeo-reum
      • Seo Ji-seok
      • Jeon Gook-hwan
    • 38User reviews
    • 70Critic reviews
  • See production info at IMDbPro
  • See production info at IMDbPro
    • Awards
      • 2 wins & 3 nominations

    Photos

    View Poster
    View Poster

    Top cast5

    Edit
    Han Yeo-reum
    • The young girl
    Seo Ji-seok
    Seo Ji-seok
    • The student
    • (as Ji-Seok Seo)
    Jeon Gook-hwan
    Jeon Gook-hwan
    • The student's father
    Jo Seok-hyeon
    • Third Man
    Jeon Seong-hwan
    • Old Man (no name)
    • (as Seong-hwang Jeon)
    • Director
      • Kim Ki-duk
    • Writer
      • Kim Ki-duk
    • All cast & crew
    • Production, box office & more at IMDbPro

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    Storyline

    Edit

    Did you know

    Edit
    • Trivia
      Director Trademark (Kim Ki-duk): Despite whispering to other characters and one another, both the Old Man and Young Girl remain inaudible to the audience, rendering them silent for much of the film.
    • Crazy credits
      Title card before end credits: "Strength and a beautiful sound like in the tautness of a bow. I want to live like this until the day I die."
    • Connections
      Referenced in Arirang (2011)

    User reviews38

    Review
    Review
    Featured review
    6/10

    "The same procedure as every year, James..."

    An elderly fisherman lives with a young girl, he wants to marry on her 17th birthday. But shortly before that day the girl falls in love with some student and that ultimately leads to problems in the relationship between her and the old fisherman.

    In beautiful pictures the movie reflects on the dialectics of refuge and prison, tenderness and sadism, love and violence. The 12th Kim Ki-duk-picture comes up with the same metaphors and symbolisms his older films were filled with, which (at least for me, as I've seen all of Ki-duk's works)leads to a déjà-vu-like experience and therefore to slight boredom.

    Rating: 6 out of 10
    • dazzling-niam
    • Aug 3, 2006
    • Permalink

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    FAQ19

    • How long is The Bow?Powered by Alexa

    Details

    Edit
    • Release date
      • May 12, 2005 (South Korea)
    • Countries of origin
      • South Korea
      • Japan
    • Official site
      • TFM (France)
    • Language
      • Korean
    • Also known as
      • El arco
    • Production companies
      • Happinet
      • Kim Ki-Duk Film
    • See more company credits at IMDbPro

    Box office

    Edit
    • Budget
      • $950,000 (estimated)
    • Gross worldwide
      • $2,032,404
    See detailed box office info on IMDbPro

    Tech specs

    Edit
    • Runtime
      1 hour 30 minutes
    • Color
      • Color
    • Sound mix
      • Dolby Digital
    • Aspect ratio
      • 1.85 : 1

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