The Murky Stream

Official selection

Action/Martial ArtsHistory/War

“When the people keep their mouths shut, that is when peace reigns.” Written by Chun Sungil, the screenwriter of The Slave Hunters, The Murky Stream marks his return to the action period drama after 14 years. The film depicts the ruthless struggles of ruffians over the rights to Gyeonggang, the hub where all the money and goods of Joseon converge. Si-yul (Rowoon), who hides his past while earning a living at Mapo ferry dock, suffers under the tyranny of the thug Mudeok (Park Jihwan). Meanwhile, Choi-eun (Shin Yeeun), a bold young woman determined to succeed her father’s merchant guild, and Jeong-cheon (Park Seoham), an upright new official aspiring to integrity, come together with Si-yul. The fateful encounter of these three unleashes turbulence across the Gyeonggang region. Director Choo Changmin’s meticulous mise-en-scène, which maximizes the earthy textures of life and place, is especially striking. The tension that arises from entangled relationships further heightens the film’s immersive power. As the first-ever Korean period drama produced as a Disney+ original series, it offers a stable narrative structure while taking bold steps to pioneer elements rarely seen in traditional historical dramas.

Programme note by SONG Kyung-won