REVIEW: ‘Painter of the Night’ Is A Restrained Love Affair

The much-anticipated live-action adaptation of Painter of the Night has arrived. For fans of the original manhwa created by Byeonduck, this live-action does sacrifice onscreen character development in favor of speed, with storylines and relationships adjusted accordingly to the vertical short format.

However, despite its abbreviated format and limitations on the spicier moments in the series, this adaptation, directed by Choi Bo-kyung and co-produced by Kidari Studio, Lezhin Entertainment, Doodoong, and Mongjakso, still tugs at the heartstrings.

Painter of the Night follows the young painter Na-kyum (Ji Min-seo), who, at the start of the series, has given up his craft. He’s not just a painter; he paints erotica. However, because of his affection for his former tutor, Jung In-hun (Hwang Dong-hee), who finds such paintings disgusting, he has given it up. Fate has other plans, however, when the nobleman Seung-ho (Kim Kang-jae) seeks him out to paint exclusive erotica for him and him alone.

Even in the shorter format, Kim Kang-jae imbues his performance as Seung-ho with nuance.

Seung-ho’s reputation precedes him. With his penchant for lewdness and ungodly acts of lust, along with his constant mood swings, he is a man to be wary of.

And, from the start of the series, he is. He takes pleasure in tormenting the young Na-kyum, who, despite the subject of his paintings, is actually quite innocent. Over time, though, Seung-ho softens towards the painter, and a love is born between the nobleman and the lowborn painter, one that is constantly put to the test.

Given the titillating nature of the source material, expectations going into this live-action adaptation of Painter of the Night should be tempered. With each episode lasting roughly 90 seconds each, not much time can be spent on these moments.

Given the limitations of vertical cinematography, subtle tricks are employed to insinuate and simulate the acts the manhwa is known for. It’s just enough to paint a picture of what’s happening, with key scenes used to build the relationship between our leads. But, where those more sensual moments aren’t necessarily needed to move the story along, expect those to be cut.

As the leading pair in Painter of the Night, Kim Kang-jae and Ji Min-seo capture their characters’ energy well. Of the two, Seung-ho shows more emotional transformation in the live-action, with Kim Kang-jae adding nuances to his performance that show Seung-ho’s feelings towards Na-kyum.

By comparison, Ji Min-seo’s portrayal of Na-kyum comes across as more straightforward, with the character’s timid nature and innocence brought to the forefront. His portrayal can easily be perceived as one-note, and it’s not helped by what’s been stripped away, story-wise.

Some of Na-kyum’s development in Lezhin Snack’s Painter of the Night is hampered by story cuts.

Part of this is due to Jung In-hun’s limited screen time in Painter of the Night. That’s not to say his presence is erased. His impact lingers over Na-kyum, rightfully spilling over into the dynamic between the young painter and his patron.

Even in his brief time onscreen, compared to Kim Kang-jae and Ji Min-seo, Hwang Dong-hee nails the character’s manipulative nature. He does so to the point where, after only a couple of scenes, viewers will undoubtedly not trust him. 

Yet the complicated nature of the relationship between student and tutor is reduced to the point where the eventual conclusion of their relationship doesn’t feel as earned as it did in the manhwa. Similarly, other characters and storylines are reduced or cut entirely for time and flow. This is nothing new in adaptations, but certain character adjustments from book to screen ultimately made them more generic and forgettable. 

Despite these criticisms, the performances and pacing still trigger an emotional connection towards the lovebirds in Painter of the Night. Na-kyum’s lowborn status and Ji Min-seo’s commitment to portraying the characters’ vulnerability and honest, pure nature make it impossible to hate him.

And as Seung-ho grows warmer and falls deeper in love with Na-kyum, each new obstacle they face in their relationship frustrates. This is all to say, the emotional investment still clicks into place.

Would the story have benefited from a longer format? Yes. The relationship is much deeper and richer in the Painter of the Night manhwa than it is in this live-action series. Still, even with the restrictions placed on the story, the romance in the live-action version of Painter of the Night generates a flutterkick or two. And that’s truly a testament to the performances we see onscreen and the time spent on the relationship between our protagonists. 

The live-action adaptation of Painter of the Night is now available on Lezhin Snack.