A gorgeously lensed homage to classical monochrome cinema, this masterwork by Lee Joon-ik is inspired by real events and infused with poetic humanism. When a Joseon-era scholar and bureaucrat (played with period gravitas by Sol Kyung-gu) is banished to remote Heuksando Island during the Catholic Persecution, he becomes fascinated with the plentiful aquatic life in the Yellow Sea. After initially considering the exile a criminal, a young fisherman (Byun Yo-han) with scholastic dreams of his own agrees to an exchange of knowledge. The unlikely relationship eventually results in the creation of the first encyclopedia on Korea’s indigenous fish. Against the backdrop of history, this coming-of-age morality tale dazzles not only with its lush style, evocative of traditional ink painting, but also with its emotional, structural, and philosophical scope.