The Bell Tower

Directed by Yang Ju-nam (양주남)

Written by Cheongnam (청남)

96min | Release date in South Korea: 1958/08/30

Synopsis
An old bell-maker Seok-seung (Heo Jang-kang), who made the legendary bell of Goryeong Temple, lives in a temple with a female neighbor named Yeong-sil (Moon Jung-suk). One day, Yeong-sil hears about his past. The story is as follows. He was a grandson of a famous bell-maker, and became a servant. He promised his girlfriend Ok-boon (Moon Jung-suk) that he would make a bell with the most beautiful sound in the world. When she suddenly died, he set about making the bell to keep his word. Ten years passed since he had learned how to make a bell. When his master died, he wandered around until he started living with the widow (Moon Jung-suk). His grandfather killed himself when he was defeated by his rival who had made a better bell. Seok-seung ran away taking the two bells with him; one was the rival's, and the other his grandfather's. While he was away he thought about making the best bell. His wife died as soon as she gave birth to a baby girl. In the end Seok-seung succeeded in making the best bell by melting the two bells and making a new one. Unfortunately he lost his daughter. Meanwhile, hearing his story, Yeong-sil suspects that he might be her father. As an orphan she heard that her father was a bell-maker. It is during World War II, when the Japanese government loots all Joseon iron, that the bell of Goryeong Temple is doomed to be taken away. Seok-seung is so worried that he takes it off and tries to hide it, but falls off a cliff and dies in Yeong-sil's arms.

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