Some Thoughts on Bullanseo Photo Studio
As the threat of war looms over Joseon, two lonely souls find a home in each other and meet a tragic end, only to reunite in the future once again. This is how I would describe Bullanseo Photo Studio (불란서 사진관) – a lesser-known story that piqued my interest when I was on the lookout for a tragic romance to keep my nerves at bay before an important exam.
Based on a Korean novel of the same name, Bullanseo Photo Studio is a touching romance about reincarnation, the choices we make, and how free will becomes fate. Driven by a narrative composed primarily of flashbacks, this poignant tale will tug at your heartstrings and make you root for the leads, whose tragic pasts pave the path for a happier, hopeful future.
As of December 2025, this story is no longer available via Manta’s subscription, but it can be purchased with gems. Please click/tap here to read it on Manta.
Review
Overall rating: 3.8 / 5.0 stars
To say that I liked Bullanseo Photo Studio would be an understatement. I was constantly on the edge of my seat, rooting for the leads while contemplating all the possibilities. However, while the plot is solid, there were certain aspects of the webtoon adaptation that I liked and disliked.
The Leads
Seokyeong and Baekjoon are reincarnations of Eunyeop and Eundo, and so, this section will focus on the dynamics between both couples separately.
(+) Eunyeop / Eundo
Eunyeop is young, beautiful and timid when she enters the Gi household as the eldest son’s bride. Her husband is cruel and unfeeling, and he has no qualms about bringing different women home, so Eunyeop resigns herself to the fate of a scorned wife. Although the life of a married woman is not what she expected, she finds comfort in the kindness shown to her by others, like her brother-in-law, Eundo.
Unlike his brother, Eundo is gentle, kind, and harbors an innocent crush on his sister-in-law. As a young scholar, he translates poems and appreciates music whenever he can – two hobbies that he shares with Eunyeop, wanting nothing more than to comfort her as she settles into her new life. As you can guess, the siblings are as different as night and day, so much so that Eundo’s brother seems to exist as a foil, or as someone who is meant to highlight Eundo’s strengths.
What I particularly like about Eunyeop and Eundo is their development. They meet as naïve and innocent individuals in a seemingly peaceful era that has an undercurrent of instability due to the Japanese occupation of the land. Then, as tensions rise and life in Joseon takes a turn for the worse, they harden their hearts to survive, only affording tenderness to their family and each other.
As their lives change drastically, both of them find their purpose – Eunyeop assumes responsibility as the head of the household in her mother-in-law’s place, and Eundo becomes a rebel who risks his life to support the independence movement.
The directions they take in life are drastically different due to the limitations imposed on the sexes. While the widowed Eunyeop is confined to the household, Eundo may do as he pleases, but his hands are tied due to the influence of the Japanese. Despite these differences, both of them are strong-willed and determined to protect each other.
(-) Seokyeong / Baekjoon
In the present, Seokyeong (Eunyeop’s reincarnation) is a strong-willed, independent photographer who takes pride in her work. She becomes the owner of an old building called ‘Bullanseo (French) Photo Studio’, which her mother secures for her at an auction. On the other hand, Baekjoon (Eundo’s reincarnation) is the young heir of a conglomerate with a traumatic past that weighs on him, preventing him from fully trusting others.
The two are neither too different nor too similar to their past selves, but therein lies my problem. With a narrative comprising multiple flashbacks, it becomes difficult to truly connect with the leads, especially since they constantly reiterate that they are not their past selves, which begs the question: what do we know about Seokyeong and Baekjoon, aside from the fact that they’re fated? Very little.
The Writing
(+) History
Bullanseo Photo Studio is what I’d call a rich example of historical fiction. The past is set in the early 1900s — a period of uncertainty in Korea, which was occupied by Japan. Under their rule, the Korean elites left for other countries to make their fortune, whereas those left behind had no choice but to obey the rules set by their oppressors, whether it be learning Japanese against their will or relinquishing their land to the military. Many attempted to rebel, but they were arrested, tortured, and beaten to death following the discovery of their involvement in the independence movement.
Such was the political climate until 1945, and such is the setting of Eundo and Eunyeop’s tragic love story.
What I find truly commendable about Bullanseo Photo Studio‘s portrayal of history is that the author, Shim Yoonseo, paints a vivid picture of life for the rebels, who refuse to renounce their motherland in exchange for success. Eundo constantly puts himself in danger for the independence movement, and he’s actively hunted by the Japanese, yet he refuses to lead a life of comfort – something that he could afford with ease, given his status as a noble.
Moreover, it’s worth noting how duty manifests differently for the men and women of the era. We hear of men who renounce their status as Koreans to become Japanese only in passing, but we see men like Eundo who are fiercely loyal to their country. Similarly, women like Eunyeop are dutiful to their families, in-laws, etc., and assume full responsibility of the household while longing for peace and fearing an impending war.
Before we move on to the next section, I’d recommend reading these articles from Britannica and Seoul Museum, which discuss life for the Koreans under Japanese rule.
(-) Pacing
However, despite the historically accurate portrayal of Korea in the early 1900s, the manhwa adaptation of Bullanseo Photo Studio suffers from one thing: the pacing. Unfortunately, this isn’t exclusive to BPS either as stories that are adapted from novels tend to be assigned a limited number of episodes from the early stages of production, so those in charge must figure out what and just how much they can depict from start to finish.
That being said, Bullanseo Photo Studio is a standalone novel with only a single volume. You can’t help but wonder why the adaptation writer had to cut corners in the first place, given that the source material isn’t particularly lengthy.
It seemed to me that, while reading, the past timeline was quite slow-paced — a wise choice, as each episode comes with bite-sized facts about life for the people of Joseon, and this lets readers better understand the tensions that were rife in the era. On the downside, the present timeline is too fast-paced. Not much happens between Baekjoon and Seokyeong, who are too busy recollecting the past. Consequently, we spend too much of the story in the past and too little of it in the present, and this continues until the last 5 or so episodes, in which our leads finally reunite.
So, while we feel relief over the leads finding their way to each other in the present, there’s no catharsis. Although Seokyeong and Baekjoon are reincarnations of Eunyeop and Eundo, we don’t root for them because they’re Seokyeong and Baekjoon — rather, we root for them only because they’re reincarnations of the characters we come to love.
Final Thoughts
There is no story that is free of shortcomings, and Bullanseo Photo Studio is certainly no exception. However, it delivers a wholly original narrative with common concepts like reincarnation and fated lovers, which is no small feat.
I could tell that the author, Shim Yoonseo, wanted to weave a feminist tale about how free will becomes fate through Eunyeop, who goes so far as to kill and be killed for love, for it is her perseverance that saves Eundo when he is rendered powerless. Contrary to what some men may think, there is no shame to be felt when the woman does the saving, or when two souls save each other from a fate worse than death — eternal loneliness.
All in all, Bullanseo Photo Studio may not be as popular among global readers, but you won’t regret any cent you spend on purchasing its episodes.
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