Untold Scandal (2003)
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87% of critics liked it
(30 reviews) -
64% of users liked it
(2,213 ratings)
Writer/director E J-Yong transposes Choderlos de Laclo's novel Dangerous Liaisons to Korea during the repressive 18th century Chosun Dynasty for his costume drama, Untold Scandal. Lady Cho (Lee Mi-Suk, who also starred in Yong's debut, An Affair) decides to get revenge on her husband when he… More Writer/director E J-Yong transposes Choderlos de Laclo's novel Dangerous Liaisons to Korea during the repressive 18th century Chosun Dynasty for his costume drama, Untold Scandal. Lady Cho (Lee Mi-Suk, who also starred in Yong's debut, An Affair) decides to get revenge on her husband when he procures the services of a young, virginal concubine, Lee Soh-ok (Lee So-yeong). She asks her womanizing cousin, Jo-won (Korean television superstar Bae Yong-Jun, in his first starring role in a feature film), to seduce the girl and impregnate her. Cho-won doesn't see this as enough of a challenge. He has his sights set on an honorable young widow, Lady Sook (Jeon Do-Yeon), nicknamed "The Gate of Chastity." Lady Cho makes a wager with Jo-won, offering herself to him if he provides proof that he has succeeded in seducing the widow. While Jo-won struggles to ingratiate himself to Lady Sook, manipulating her handmaiden, and donating money to her Catholic church, Lady Cho works to get the innocent Soh-ok in trouble. But things take an unexpected turn when Lord Jo-won begins to develop genuine feelings for his prey. Untold Scandal was a huge box-office success in Korea, and it was shown at the Film Society of Lincoln Center and the Museum of Modern Art as part of the 2004 edition of New Directors/New Films. ~ Josh Ralske, Rovi
- Directed By
- E J-Yong, Je-yong Lee
- Written By
- E J-Yong, Kim Dae-Woo, Hyun-jung Kim
- Genres
- Drama, Art House & International, Comedy
Unrated,
- In Theaters
- Oct 22, 2004 Limited
- Studio
- Kino
Critic Reviews
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Marta Barber, Miami Herald
A Frenchman may have thought of the story first, but this Korean film pays tribute to the original while perfectly standing on its own.
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Tom Keogh, Seattle Times
An elegant yet unassuming variation [Les Liaisons Dangereuses].
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Michael Booth, Denver Post
Adds a vibrant cultural framework to a familiar story, and it turns out nothing becomes a legend like an Asian makeover.
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Michael Wilmington, Chicago Tribune
Pictorially sumptuous and sexually provocative.
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Ty Burr, Boston Globe
Of all the Liaisons adaptations, this may be the most sentimental.
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Cast
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Bae Yong-jun
as Lord Jo-won
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Mi-suk Lee
as Lady Cho
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Jeon Do-yeon
as Lady Sook
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Jo Hyeon-jae
as In-ho
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Lee So-yeong
as Lee Soh-ok
- Lee Mi-sook
- Cho Hyeon-jae
- Lee Soh-yeon
- Ha-kyeong Kim
- Lee Mi Suk
- Ban-ya Choi
- Sang-wu Pyo
- So-yeon Lee
