I have never read the novel that this was based on, so I don't know how faithful it is in regards to the story. The story in the movie is good, interesting and although not a fast paced movie, the pace fits the story. This version seems a little darker than the drama series The Painter of the Wind. The actors were mostly ok. Shin Yun Bok played by Kim Gyu Ri, was really well done. She managed to convey all the conflicting emotions of her character quite well. You could see within her the joy she had for painting, the pain and guilt she carried with her from her family, and the odd mixture of innocence and experience. The other actors did well with their characters, but due to the limitations of time, most of the other characters were pretty flat. I really disliked the portrayal of Kim Hong-Do, her mentor. Kim Nam-Gil had no subtlety in his portrayal. He went from nothing to all, out of no where (Sorry, I can't explain that more without spoilers). Park Shin Yang did a much better job with this role in the drama series The Painter of the Wind. The music went very well with the movie, it swirled in the background like a brush on canvas. I would also note that this movie is quite sexually explicit, and definitely not for younger viewers, though I thought that most of the sex scenes were relevant to the plot, so not completely gratuitous. Overall, if you want to see this story I think I would recommend The Painter of the Wind as a better choice. The series is a piece of artwork in itself, with sweeping cinematography, breathtaking music, and outstanding works of art. The characters are richer and fuller, and the story is all encompassing and not quite as dark. However if you don't have time to commit to the drama and just want a quick movie, this is fine.