Mandala (1981): Cast & Plot
Mandala is a 1981 drama directed by Im Kwon-taek, starring Jeon Moo-song as Ji-san, Ahn Sung-ki and Park Am. It runs 1 hour 51 minutes.
- Released
- Runtime
- 1h 51m (111 min)
- Director
- Im Kwon-taek
- Genre
- Drama
- Original language
-
Korean - Studio
- Hwacheon Trading
- After the credits
- No No extra scene
What Is Mandala About?
The premise of Mandala without spoilers. The whole story is in the plot summary further down.
A story that follows the lives and interactions of two Buddhist monks living in South Korea.
Mandala Themes & Keywords
· 17 tags- wife raped in front of husband
- buddhism
- nipples closeup
- rape turns to consensual sex
- nihilist
- cuckolded husband
- swinger couple
- wife exchange
- female nudity
- suicide
- zen
- monk
+5 more Show fewer
- korean
- enlightenment
- chogye
- buddhist
- based on novel
Mandala Cast & Characters
Jeon Moo-song leads the cast as Ji-san, with Ahn Sung-ki as Pobun and Park Am. Directed by Im Kwon-taek; 13 actors are credited in all.
- Director Im Kwon-taek
- Jeon Moo-song as Ji-san
- Ahn Sung-ki as Pobun
- Park Am
- Ra Jeong-ok
Also Starring in Mandala
· 9 moreMore from Im Kwon-taek
More films directed by Im Kwon-taek: Revivre, Hanji, Low Life and Downfall.
Mandala Plot Summary
What happens in Mandala from start to finish, spoilers included, with a timeline of 10 key events. The opening is below; the full summary is a 1-minute read.
Spoilers ahead
At a tense border checkpoint, a bus is halted and soldiers begin a careful search of every passenger. Monk Ji-san is found without proper ID, and the young monk Beop-woon quietly trails behind, watching the soldiers’ orders unfold. He is released after Ji-san chants Buddha’s name, a small ritual that the authorities accept in place of formal documentation.
Later, Beop-woon encounters Ji-san again at a temple, where Ji-san drinks and speaks with quiet gravity. He says that Buddha is not found only in Buddhist temples, a line that unsettles Beop-woon and makes him see that six years of practice may not have yielded the spiritual certainty he hoped to gain.
Full summary
The whole story of Mandala, scene by scene
How Well Do You Know Mandala?
10 questions about the story, each with a hint if you get stuck. Pick an answer to see whether you were right.
Question 1 of 10
- Question 1: not answered
- Question 2: not answered
- Question 3: not answered
- Question 4: not answered
- Question 5: not answered
- Question 6: not answered
- Question 7: not answered
- Question 8: not answered
- Question 9: not answered
- Question 10: not answered
In which year was Mandala released?
Mandala Also Known As
5 alternative titles, including “Mandara” and “前塵”.
- Also known as
-
- Mandara
- 前塵
- 曼陀羅
- 曼陀罗
- 만다라
Seen Mandala?
Movies Like Mandala
Films with a similar story, tone or audience, including Mandala, Moebius and Samsara.
Mandala FAQ: Cast, Runtime & Release Date
Runtime, release date, director, cast, post-credit scenes and language of Mandala, each answered in a sentence.
How long is Mandala?
Mandala runs 1 hour 51 minutes (111 minutes).
When was Mandala released?
Mandala was released on September 12, 1981.
Who directed Mandala?
Mandala was directed by Im Kwon-taek.
More films by Im Kwon-taek Who is in the cast of Mandala?
Mandala stars Jeon Moo-song as Ji-san, Ahn Sung-ki as Pobun and Park Am, among 13 credited actors.
Does Mandala have a post-credit scene?
No. Mandala has no extra scene during or after the credits.
What language is Mandala in?
The original language of Mandala is Korean.
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