Two Men Who Bet Their Lives on Kabuki: Will Japan's 'National Treasure' Craze Catch On in Korea?
Creatrip Team
4 months ago
A powerful new film, 'National Treasure' (based on Yoshida Shuichi's novel), opens in Korea on the 19th. Directed by Korean-Japanese filmmaker Lee Sang-il, the 175-minute epic about two men who devote their lives to kabuki has already drawn over 12 million viewers in Japan. The story follows Kikuo, the son of a yakuza boss who becomes a kabuki apprentice, and Shunsuke, the biological heir of a kabuki star, whose fates clash as tradition, bloodline and talent collide. The film highlights kabuki’s visual splendor with striking color contrasts evoking ukiyo-e (traditional Japanese woodblock prints) and classic cinema, while exploring themes of jealousy, legacy and sacrifice. Despite its long runtime and strongly Japanese cultural tone, the human drama is accessible even to viewers unfamiliar with kabuki. (Onnagata: male actors who play female roles in kabuki.)
