The Bow
활
“A girl who thought the sea was the whole world, became the whole world to an old man.”
Synopsis
On a fishing boat at sea, a 60-year old man has been raising a girl since she was a child. It is agreed that they will get married on her 17th birthday. They live a quiet and secluded life, renting the boat to day fishermen and practicing strange divination rites. Their life changes when a teenage student comes aboard.
Trailers, Teasers & Extra Featurettes
Official promotional previews, behind-the-scenes footage, and exclusive clips.
Hwal - The Bow (2005) 활 (Trailer)
Type: Trailer • Published 2007-07-26
Top Cast
Explore Star Directory →
Han Yeo-reum
Young Girl
Jeon Seong-hwan
Old Man
Seo Ji-seok
Student
Jeon Kuk-hwan
Student's Father
Kim Ik-tae
Guy 1
Jang Dae-seong
Guy 2
Cho Hyen-woo
Guy 3
Kong Yu-seok
Man 1
So Jae-Ick
Man 2
Shin Taek-gi
Fisherman
Kim Myung-hun
Hoodwinker 1
Lee Jong-gil
Hoodwinker 2
Kim Ye-gi
Hoodwinker 3
Pyo Sang-woo
Hoodwinker 4
Kim Young-jin
Fisherman
Gang Eun-gyu
Boat owner
Release History & Theatrical Window
Montréal Film Festival
Festival / Special Debut
Financials & Box Office Performance
Production Budget
$950K
Filming & production cost
Worldwide Gross
$2M
Total global ticket sales
Box Office Return
2.14x
+$1.1M net gain
Theatrical Status
Profitable
Box office tier
Key Information & Fast Facts
- Director
- Kim Ki-duk
- Screenplay & Story
- Kim Ki-duk
- Original Score
- Kang Eun-il
- Original Title
- 활
- Country of Origin
- Japan, South Korea
- Spoken Languages
- Korean
- Runtime
- 1h 30m
- Production Budget
- $950K
- Worldwide Gross
- $2M
- Production Studios
- Kim Ki Duk Film, Happinet Pictures, Cineclick Asia
Creative Leadership & Key Crew
Kim Ki-duk
Kim Ki-duk
Kang Eun-il
Jang Seong-baek
Kim Ki-duk
Kang Yeong-gu, Kim Ki-duk, Fumiaki Ikeda, Michio Suzuki
Department Leadership Roster
Kim Ki-duk
Screenplay
Kang Eun-il
Original Music Composer
Kang Yeong-gu
Producer
Kim Ki-duk
Director
Kim Ki-duk
Producer
Kim Ki-duk
Editor
Jang Seong-baek
Director of Photography
Kim Hyeon-ju
Production Design
Kim Kyeong-mi
Costume Design
Mun Byeong-yong
Visual Effects Supervisor
Age Classification & Content Advisories
Official viewer rating standards and content warnings across international classification boards.
International Certification Matrix
FSK 12 — Restricted to viewers aged 12 and older.
Production Stills & Gallery
Official cinematic photography and background stills for The Bow.
Featured In Curated Collections
Editorial lists, community rankings, and cinematic collections featuring The Bow.
vison of mind
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Frequently Asked Questions About The Bow
Quick factual answers about cast, synopsis, director, box office, and release information.
What is The Bow about?
On a fishing boat at sea, a 60-year old man has been raising a girl since she was a child. It is agreed that they will get married on her 17th birthday. They live a quiet and secluded life, renting the boat to day fishermen and practicing strange divination rites. Their life changes when a teenage student comes aboard.
Who directed The Bow?
The Bow was directed by Kim Ki-duk.
Who stars in The Bow?
The principal cast of The Bow includes Han Yeo-reum, Jeon Seong-hwan, Seo Ji-seok, Jeon Kuk-hwan, Kim Ik-tae.
When was The Bow released and how long is it?
The Bow was released in 2005 with a total runtime of 1h 30m.
What was the box office and production budget of The Bow?
The Bow had a reported production budget of $950K and grossed $2M at the worldwide box office (2.14 return on budget, classified as a commercial hit).
Who composed the musical score for The Bow?
The original motion picture soundtrack for The Bow was composed by Kang Eun-il.
What is the age rating and content advisory for The Bow?
The Bow holds official age classifications: DE: 12 (FSK 12 — Restricted to viewers aged 12 and older.).