[HanCinema's Film Review] "The Joseon Magician"
Hwanhee (played by Yoo Seung-ho) does stage magic. Not just any old stage magic- the slick kind. There really is something delightful about watching Hwanhee pulls balls out of nowhere, pull off convincing disappearance acts, manipulating pulley systems, and faking his death. Yoo Seung-ho really charms in this role, so it's little surprise that Hwanhee is able to catch the attention of Cheong-myeong (played by Ko Ah-ra). She's an incognito princess who resents her mandated destiny.
"The Joseon Magician" is an adaptation of an Internet novel, and that much is unsurprising given the basic layout of the plot. "The Joseon Magician" is a classic romance where the main distinctive elements are the Joseon setting and the magic tricks, and these plot elements exist for one purpose alone- to make the scenes Hwanhee and Cheong-myeong have together really, really cute. Hwanhee makes such a self-conscious determined effort to woo Cheong-myeong it's easy to forget the fact that his technique consists entirely of sleight of hand.
The plot? Well, various Chinese characters are after both Hwanhee and Cheong-myeong for various reasons- not that any of this really matters. I liked watching Hwanhee and Cheong-myeong together so much that I wasn't really paying attention to the Chinese guys. Truthfully I was dreading the inevitable violently climactic finale. Yet even throughout that ultimate setpiece I couldn't help but love the other main boon to "The Joseon Magician"- it looks great.
Pay attention to the layout of any given scene- the set design is excellent, and frequently the individual shots are of a caliber you'd expect to see dissected in a film studies course. There's majestic open landscapes, a performance stage that appears to be beautifully lit with candles alone, backdrops that meld Chinese and Korean influences into a fascinating hybrid form, shadow play with blood-red curtains. And let's not forget the magic tricks themselves, which are always presented in unbroken shots.
I frequently got the feeling during "The Joseon Magician" that the main motivating process for the cast and crew was just to show off. Yoo Seung-ho really does get into the role. He's a cocky little punk who doesn't know when to quit, and that makes him attractive because a guy like that is very loyal in a clutch situation. To a young woman like Cheong-myeong, who's used to following orders, there's something quite refreshing about a man who understands that trust has to be earned. Because he's a magician, you see, and a magician is only effective insofar as he can convince people the magic is real.
As an overall narrative arc the contrast is a fitting one. Admittedly, "The Joseon Magician" isn't perfect, and there are definite spots where, be it in the special effects or in the story department, there are obvious holes. But "The Joseon Magician" isn't about perfection- it's about providing a compelling, engaging fantasy world that we don't really want to leave. Cheong-myeong makes a self-conscious decision to let Hwanhee manipulate her with magic tricks, and director Kim Dae-sung is asking us to do the same. Don't overthink. Just enjoy.
"The Joseon Magician" is drected by Kim Dae-seung and features Yoo Seung-ho, Ko Ah-ra, Kwak Do-won and Jo Yoon-hee.
