| Scarlet Innocence | |
|---|---|
![]() Theatrical release poster  | |
| Directed by | Yim Pil-sung | 
| Written by | Yim Pil-sung  Jang Yoon-mi  | 
| Produced by | Seo Jong-hae | 
| Starring | Jung Woo-sung  Esom Park So-young Kim Hee-won  | 
| Cinematography | Lee Sung-jae | 
| Edited by | Kim Sang-bum | 
| Music by | Mowg | 
Production company  | Creative Group Animal Planet  | 
| Distributed by | CJ Entertainment | 
Release date  | 
  | 
Running time  | 111 minutes | 
| Country | South Korea | 
| Language | Korean | 
| Box office | US$2.8 million[1] | 
Scarlet Innocence (Korean: 마담 뺑덕; RR: Madam Bbaengdeok) is a 2014 South Korean thriller co-written and directed by Yim Pil-sung, starring Jung Woo-sung and Esom.[2] It is a modern-day retelling of the classic Korean folktale Simcheongga.[3][4][5][6]
Plot
After getting caught in a sex scandal, literature professor Shim Hak-kyu (Jung Woo-sung) is forced to leave Seoul to teach in a small, rural town, until the matter is settled, leaving his depressed wife (Yoon Se-ah) and daughter, Chung-yi (Park Seo-yeon). Hak-kyu becomes involved in a relationship with Deok-yi (Esom), a naive ticket seller for a soon-to-be-dismantled amusement park. Their relationship quickly spreads to the town residents and greatly disturbs Deok-yi's deaf mother (Kim Nam-jin). Eventually, Hak-kyu's name is cleared with the help of his friend, Dong-woo (Lee Chang-hoon), allowing him to teach at his university. Before he departs, Deok-yi reveals that their previous intimacy had made her pregnant. After aborting the baby, Hak-kyu leaves, promising to return for Deok-yi. Instead, he goes back home and gives respite to his miserable wife.
Though Hak-kyu is still going to the rural town for a while, he avoids Deok-yi, telling her to "wait". One night, Hak-kyu visits her home to bribe her into never speaking their relationship again for a sum of money. During the conflict, Deok-yi forgets to turn off the stove, which engulfs her house with her mother still inside. Receiving distressing calls from Chung-yi, Hak-kyu returns home to find that his wife has committed suicide.
Eight years later, Hak-kyu has become a successful writer, but is leading a wild lifestyle, including drinking, smoking, and gambling, becoming heavily indebted in the process. At the same time, he learns that an illness is threatening his vision. Chung-yi (Park So-young), meanwhile, is beginning to slip away and go to a club, where she meets Deok-yi, who has taken up the identity of "Yoon Se-jung" and is moving as the Shim's new neighbor. Deok-yi starts to frequently tend to the Shim as Hak-kyu spirals down due to his debt and his firing from his university, also recommending him an ophthalmologist (Yang Jin-woo), who only makes him blind. Eventually, the gambling boss, Mr. Choi (Kim Hee-won), forces Hak-kyu to sign a contract sending Chung-yi to Japan to work as a prostitute in return for a hefty sum of money. During Hak-kyu's period of mourning, Deok-yi reveals her identity and her anger to him, saying she will continue to make him suffer until he dies. She is also revealed to have learned Hak-kyu's location and condition from Dong-woo in favor of a sex with him.
However, Deok-yi is horrified when the now-experienced Chung-yi manages to return home. Chung-yi reveals that she already knows what Deok-yi had done to her family, including recommending the mock ophthalmologist, promising to return her revenge back to her. Through her client, a Japanese man (Shinjo Huta) who controls Mr. Choi's casino, Deok-yi's contract with Mr. Choi is concluded. Chung-yi then forces Deok-yi into a surgery (surgery conducted by the ophthalmologist after he was beaten), to give her eyes to her father. Before the operation, Hak-kyu apologizes to the tearful Deok-yi, telling her that he will make everything right for her and Chung-yi.
The film closes with the now blind Deok-yi sitting near a lake and grabbing her hand was Hak-kyu, who watches her and says "Deok-yi, I love you".[7]
Cast
- Jung Woo-sung as Shim Hak-kyu[8][9][10]
 - Esom as Deok-yi
 - Park Si-woo as Chung-yi
 - Kim Hee-won as Casino Mr. Choi
 - Kim Nam-jin as Deok-yi's mother
 - Lee Chang-hoon as Dong-woo
 - Yang Jin-woo as Ophthalmologist
 - Shinjo Huta as Japanese chairman
 - Park Seo-yeon as young Chung-yi
 - Kim Ja-young as Mom-and-pop store owner
 - Yoo Soon-woong as Elder in novel writing class 1
 - Im Hyeong-tae as Elder in novel writing class 2
 - Eo Joo-seon as Elder in novel writing class 3
 - Lee Sang-hwa as Middle-aged man in novel writing class
 - Han Joo-young as Ji-eun
 - Park Pal-young as University president
 - Park So-dam as Chung-yi's friend at the club
 - Cho Yoon-woo as Handsome guy at the club
 - Kim Do-yeon as Innkeeper
 - Son Suk-ku as Casino henchman 2
 - Yoon Se-ah as Chung-yi's mother (cameo)
 
Awards and nominations
| Year | Award | Category | Recipient | Result | 
|---|---|---|---|---|
2014  | 
51st Grand Bell Awards | Best New Actress | Nominated | |
| 35th Blue Dragon Film Awards | Best New Actress | Nominated | ||
2015  | 
51st Baeksang Arts Awards | Best New Actress (Film) | Nominated | |
| 15th Director's Cut Awards | Best New Actress | Won | ||
| 24th Buil Film Awards | Best New Actress | Nominated | ||
References
- ↑ "Scarlet Innocence (2014)". Korean Film Biz Zone.
 - ↑ Chung, Joo-won (20 August 2014). "Jung Woo-sung's sensual film poster hails autumn romance". The Korea Herald. Retrieved 2014-08-20.
 - ↑ Conran, Pierce (11 December 2013). "JUNG Woo-sung Eyes New YIM Pil-sung Film". Korean Film Biz Zone. Retrieved 2014-08-13.
 - ↑ Kim, Hee-eun (13 March 2014). "Jung Woo-sung takes on classic folk tale". Korea JoongAng Daily. Retrieved 2014-08-13.
 - ↑ Jones, Julie (12 March 2014). "Jung Woo Sung Stars In A Modern Fairy Tale". KDramaStars. Retrieved 2014-08-13.
 - ↑ Conran, Pierce (12 August 2014). "TIFF Reveals City to City: Seoul Lineup". Korean Film Biz Zone. Retrieved 2014-08-18.
 - ↑ Bailey, Cameron. "Scarlet Innocence". TIFF.net. Retrieved 2014-08-13.
 - ↑ "Jung Woo Sung Picks Up Smoking Again For Role in Madam Bluff". Soompi. 2 September 2014. Retrieved 2014-09-12.
 - ↑ Lee, Eun-sun (14 October 2014). "Jung is red hot in Scarlet Innocence". Korea JoongAng Daily. Retrieved 2014-10-18.
 - ↑ Choi, Song-hee (22 October 2014). "Scarlet Innocence A Classic Man, Jung Woo Sung". BNTNews. Retrieved 2015-01-04.
 
External links
- Official website (in Korean)
 - Scarlet Innocence on Facebook (in Korean)
 - Scarlet Innocence at the Korean Movie Database
 - Scarlet Innocence at IMDb
 - Scarlet Innocence at HanCinema
 
