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The Book of Fish

The Book of Fish

History · Drama · 2021

When the scholar Jeong Yak-jeon is exiled to Heuksando Island during the Catholic Persecution of 1801, he decides to write a fish-based encyclopaedia.

Movie details

The Book of Fish

“Born as noble, one dreams to be humble. Born as humble, the other dreams to be noble.”

2021 History · Drama 2h 6m

Critical arithmetic

One number, for now.

TMDB

7.8 / 10

Community rating

When the scholar Jeong Yak-jeon is exiled to Heuksando Island during the Catholic Persecution of 1801, he decides to write a fish-based encyclopaedia.

CriticWise case file

What this film says about your taste.

Not a recommendation score. A measure of how closely the film’s taste signals resemble yours.

The archetype split

Who fights over The Book of Fish?

The split comes from the same five-axis model used by the test, not audience ratings or review sentiment.

Taste neighbourhood

Nearby on the taste map.

TMDB supplies the candidates. CriticWise reorders them by craft, strangeness, prestige, emotion, and pace.

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Names above the title

The people responsible.

Directed by

Lee Joon-ik

Written by

Kim Se-gyeom

Sul Kyung-gu

Sul Kyung-gu

Jeong Yak-jeon

Byun Yo-han

Byun Yo-han

Chang-dae

Lee Jung-eun

Lee Jung-eun

Mrs. Gageo

Min Do-hee

Min Do-hee

Bok-rye

Cha Soon-bae

Cha Soon-bae

Poong-heon

Kang Ki-young

Kang Ki-young

Lee Gang-hoe

Ryu Seung-ryong

Ryu Seung-ryong

Jeong Yak-yong

Court is in session

Put The Book of Fish on trial.

Two incompatible taste archetypes. One film. Read the arguments, then issue a completely binding cultural ruling.

The defence The Auteur Devotee

“Ambition earns the room.”

The film reaches for consequence and scale, accepting the risk of seriousness instead of shrinking from it.

The prosecution The Popcorn Loyalist

“Importance has entered the chat.”

The production keeps announcing its significance, as though awards-season posture were proof of insight.