Portrait of a Beauty
Born to a family of established court painters, seven-year-old Yoon-jeong is a young girl gifted at painting. However, the pressure is on her brother to carry on the proud family tradition, as women aren’t allowed to become professional painters. While her brother trains to take his place in the court, Yoon-jeong helps him out by secretly painting for him. The little girl’s life is turned upside down when her brother kills himself. In order to preserve the family honor, she is forced to take her brother’s name and lives as a man. Yun-bok’s genius and talent captures the heart of another great master of the time, Kim Hong-do. But her daring depictions of women are condemned by the royal institute as obscene. Yun-bok meets Kang-mu and falls deeply in love. For the first time, she feels the strong desire to abandon everything she has built and simply be a woman in front of the man she loves. Kang-moo sacrifices all for his love as well.
Details
Release Date: 11/13/2008
Runtime: 108 minutes
Languages: Korean
Director: Jeon Yun-su
00Production
Companies: CJ Entertainment, Iroom Pictures, Yedang Entertainment, Sponge
Countries: South Korea
Where to watch · DE
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Reviews
Alunauwie
Portrait of a Beauty, adapted from Jung Myeong Kee’s novel The Painter of the Wind, offers a compelling tale about Yun Jeong, a female painter who disguises herself as a man in the rigid art world of 18th-century Korea. Through sensual and symbolic artworks, she explores her identity and the hidden truths behind beauty, all portrayed with aesthetic direction, strong character arcs, and emotionally resonant performances. While the film is visually and narratively rich, its frequent explicit scenes may not suit all audiences. Read the full review here: (Indonesian version : alunauwie.com)
