Tinker Wife

While on his way to the local temple to ring an ancient bell which will grant his dying mother safe passage to the afterlife, Jong-du's father is killed by a Japanese soldier who was looting the temple. Out of respect for his father and grandmother and to help their spirits rest in peace, Jong-du tries to join the temple and cast a new bell to replace the one that was stolen however his obsessive behavior gets him kicked out of the temple. He marries Suk-hie who helps him scrounge for copper so he can make a new bell on his own.

Directed by Park Cheol-su, Tinker Wife leans on a strong ensemble — Jeong Yun-hui, Kim Dong-hyun, Hwang Hae — to carry a story that balances spectacle with character.

The film landed with audiences for its craft and performances, and remains one of the most talked-about screen titles of 1983.