Strengthening ties: Korean film screened at PNCA

South Korean ambassador offers condolences to Peshawar school attack victims

ISLAMABAD: A Korean Film Festival to strengthen Pakistan and South Korea’s ties was held at the Pakistan National Council of Arts on Wednesday evening. The screening was hosted by the Korean Embassy in collaboration with Ministry of Information, Broadcasting and National Heritage.

In his opening speech, Song Jong-Hwan, the South Korean ambassador expressed sorrow and offered his heartfelt condolences to the grief-stricken families who had lost their loved ones in the recent Peshawar school attack.



“We are hosting several events to further strengthen ties” he said. “We want the Pakistani audience to experience our culture and know about our history” he further added.

Set during the second Manchu invasion of Korea, “War of the Arrows” is a two-hour long, action-packed flick directed by Kim Han-Min. The plot revolves around Nam Yi (Park Hae-il), the finest archer in Korea, who goes up against the Chinese Qing Dynasty and risks his life to save his younger sister Ja In. She had been kidnapped by the Manchu on her wedding day and is forced into slavery, along many others under Prince Dordon’s rule.

Nam Yi, the lone hero, sets out on a journey to save his nation, carrying only a bow and a quiver full of arrow. The choreography and cinematography beautifully captures battles between arrow slinging warriors. From the chases through the woods to the gallantry of the archers, one barely gets a moment to catch their breath.

The movie ends once the war is finally over. Nam Yi is about to reunite with Ja-In when she sees Jyuushinta, the kidnapper, aiming at her brother from a cliff.  As Nam-Yi and Jyuushinta face off, Ja-In runs in between them in order to save her brother but is unable to do so. In his dying moments, before his eyelids flutter and close, Nam Yi tells his sister and brother-in-law to sail back to their home in Seoul.

“I really enjoyed every second of the movie” said Amina, an audience member. Such informative movies depicting culture of various countries should be screened more often in future, she added.

Even though it runs over two hours, the movie is a must watch for Asian action film enthusiasts. “War of the Arrows” received The Grand Bell award as well as the Blue Dragon Award in 2011.

The screening was thoroughly enjoyed by a packed house including a number of dignitaries such as Indian High Commissioner TCA Raghavan and his wife, and Bosnian Ambassador Nadeem Makarevic.

Published in The Express Tribune, December 26^th, 2014.