The Swordsman (2020)

The Swordsman (Korean: 검객; Hanja: 劍客; RR: Geomgaek) is a 2020 South Korean period action film directed by Choi Jae-hoon, starring Jang Hyuk as the titular character.

Plot:

Tae-yul, the best swordsman in Joseon who serves King Gwanghaegun as his bodyguard, refuses to join a rebellion of the King’s top officials, who believe him too weak to lead the nation against foreign invaders. One of the rebellion’s leaders, Min Seung-ho, challenges him to a duel, during which Tae-yul’s sword shatters and shards of metal pierce his eyes. The King personally stops the duel, declaring that he will abdicate the throne, and releases Tae-yul from his service. Years later, an older Tae-yul now lives with his teenage daughter, Tae-ok. The two live and work as trappers, but Tae-ok is increasingly frustrated with her father’s refusal to let her experience life outside of their home in the mountains;

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Tae-yul retorts that the world is far more dangerous than she understands and that he only wants to protect her. Tae-yul’s injuries have grown worse, and a local monk warns Tae-ok that unless his eyes are treated with special herbs, he will go completely blind in a few days. The monk sends them to the trader Hwa Seon, but Seon reveals that the herbs are both too expensive and only available to those with political connections. The Joseon royal court receives a visit from Gurutai, a relative of the Qing emperor who has enriched himself by enslaving and selling captives taken during the recent Qing invasion of Joseon.

With their nation already suffering under the corrupt rule of the Qing, the King and his advisors fear that Gurutai will soon force them to hand over their own children as “tributes” to Qing nobles. Lee Mok-yo, a respected member of the court, decides to write a petition to the King to start openly resisting the Qing and their demands. He also makes a request to Seon for help finding a young girl to care for his aging mother; Seon recommends Tae-ok, who is both excited at the prospect of being adopted by a wealthy family and earning the herbs her father needs.

Main:

Jang Hyuk as Tae-yul, Joseon’s swordsman
Kim Hyun-soo as Tae-ok,
Joe Taslim as Gurutai
Jung Man-sik as Min Seung-ho
Lee Na-kyeong as Hwa Seon,
Lee Min-hyuk as Gyeom Sa-bok

Production, Release.

Script reading was held on June 9, 2017, principal photography began on June 15, 2017 and filming wrapped up in September 2017. The film was originally scheduled to be released on 17 September 2020 in South Korea. However due to the COVID-19 pandemic in South Korea, its release was postponed by a week to 23 September 2020. The film has been pre-sold to 55 countries, invited to the 40th Hawaii International Film Festival, as well as selected as the opening film for the 2020 Korean Indonesian Film Festival. It was released in Singapore on 15 October, Taiwan on 16 October, Indonesia on 29 October, Vietnam on 13 November 2020 and Japan on 2 April 2021. The film also took part in the Glasgow Film Festival 2021 and Sydney Film Festival 2021. In July 2022, it was invited at the 21st New York Asian Film Festival, where it was screened at Lincoln center on July 19.