With a modest budget, this film generated the biggest box office receipts in the history of Korean cinema, reaffirming Im Kwon-taek’s commercial and artistic reputation. Yu-bong leads a family troupe of traveling musicians who pursue the traditional music of pansori despite its waning popularity in contemporary society. When his son also decides to leave the family tradition behind in favor of Western music, Yu is pushed to commit a sin that is both unforgivable and unforgettable. Sopyonje explores the director’s trademark themes such as the humanist discourse, the search for national identity and the tensions between modernity and tradition.