The Koryo Dynasty (918-1932), one of the most interesting eras in Korean history, is in its final stages. The king is young and strong-willed, increasingly unwilling to adopt the Koryo rulers' traditionally subservient position towards China. Around him he has gathered a group of warriors, headed by the fanatically loyal and talented Hong-rim. But the king's failure to produce an heir has left him vulnerable, and Yuan Dynasty rulers in China have demanded that the king's cousin be installed as crown prince. The potential for an outbreak of violence, either from inside or outside the palace walls, appears to be high.
From inside the monarch's private quarters, however, things are even more complicated. The king, it turns out, is gay, and locked in a love affair with Hong-rim. When the lack of an heir becomes untenable, he makes a daring proposal: for Hong-rim to secretly impregnate the queen. This, however, will not work out as he envisions...
Rising director Yoo Ha's first foray into period dramas is a heady mix of gaudy costumes, sharp weapons, jealous obsession, betrayal, bloodshed and lots of sex. It's a film that you experience viscerally. It is not out to reinvent the genre, or to introduce arthouse sensibilities to a medieval setting. It is simply an engaging story: a big, juicy steak of a movie.
A Frozen Flower's primary strengths lie in the realm of storytelling, not only in the grand sweep of the narrative, but on a micro level as well. Director Yoo seems particularly skilled at maintaining dramatic tension even in the simplest of scenes. As for the characters he creates, it's not that they are especially unique or memorable, but the gradual shift in the relationships between them is handled so smoothly that they are fascinating to watch.
The film's flaws too sometimes come into view. Although fairly high budget by Korean standards, some local viewers have criticized the art design and costumes as looking somewhat cheap and inauthentic. The plot also loses some of its momentum in the later reels, which were originally even longer before the director tightened them up just prior to its theatrical release.
Nonetheless even the film's critics have had positive words for the lead actors, who turned in some of the most solid performances of their careers to date. Zo In-sung as Hong-rim is perhaps the most crucial contributor in that it is his inner turmoil that mirrors the major developments of the plot. Until his breakout role in Yoo Ha's previous film A Dirty Carnival, Zo was better known for his good looks than his acting talent, but here he manages to portray his character's emotional vulnerabilities without ever coming across as weak. His suffering eyes are one of the film's indelible images. Joo Jin-mo (200 Pound Beauty) as the King is also unexpectedly effective, capably portraying both the admirable and menacing aspects of the ruler's personality. Finally, Song Ji-hyo (Some) as the young Queen brings a quiet intensity to her role. Her developing relationship with Hong-rim is charged, but there is also a slightly detached, cold quality to their passion that suggests it is more the product of desperation than genuine affection.
One senses fairly early on in the film where all of this is headed, but it is exciting nonetheless to watch the various opposing forces play out. Although he has yet to achieve much international recognition, Yoo Ha demonstrates again in this film that he is one of contemporary Korean cinema's most interesting voices.
Darcy Paquet