Chunhyang (2000)

In order to fully appreciate the Servant, you may want to see Chunhyang first...

Chunhyang is the folk tale. The movie is beautifully and artistically sung to poetry. It's one of my all time favorites. Servant is another spin on this old story of love and loyalty.

Both films are based on the popular South Korean folk tale The Story of Chunhyang. Chunhyang is an adaptation of the original story whilst The Servant is a retelling. It's not mandatory to see one in order to understand the other, but I'd recommend seeing both nonetheless. They're interesting, romantic and totally worth your time. I loved both of them for different reasons.

The New Yoshiwara pleasure district, in the twilight years of the Edo Period. Popular prostitute Asagiri will soon be freed from her indentured service. One day at a local festival, she meets young artisan Hanjiro who changes her destiny. Asagiri feels love for the first time in her life, but the history involving Hanjiro's client leads to tragic circumstances.

Chunhyang is basically the movie about the South Korean folktale of a girl named Chunhyang who belonged to lowest the tier of society and fell in love with an aristocrat. Bang Ja Chronicles is actually adapted version of the folktale with a twist in the tale where Chunhyang fell in love with the Servant Bang Ja instead of his master.

-Korean historical setting -Star-crossed lovers -Same vibes