Films/DVD Asylum

"The Scarlet Letter": Brilliant Korean Filmaking, The Taking of a Briliant Actress

208.148.210.47

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This film contains two distinctive plots: the love life of detective Ki-hun and the murder case of Kyong-hi's husband. The both stories share adultery as a common denominator of the two intertwined plots. Ki-hun becomes re-involved with his wife's best friend, Ga-hee, from high school and pushes the affair to the limits while the widow, Kyong-hi, reveals her story as the murder investigation deepens. There are several plot twists with a most grisly end to the detective's story. The cinematography, direction, and acting was first class. This is an Asian classic.
The actress, Lee Eun-joo, plays the pretty, sexy, blues singing "other woman" (Ga-hee). She has a strong presence and gives a love scene performance that made even me feel self-conscious without her exposing any naughty bits.
Eun-joo's performance begats a classic real-life tragedy. About a year after the film debuted she graduated from a Korean university. Several days later she was found dead in her apartment by her brother. It is generally accepted that Eun-joo (just turned 25) had been long depressed over her parent's reaction to her nude scenes. In a scene befitting Asian Horror, she slashed her wrists, wrote two suicide notes with her blood, then hung herself. (Details in Wikkipedia).
This is a worthwhile film, especially since it was the last for Lee Eun-Joo---a brilliant and promising talent.
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Complicit Constapo Talibangelical since MMIII

Edits: 08/20/07

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