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Untold Scandal

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Untold Scandal
Theatrical poster
Hangul
스캔들 - 조선남녀상열지사
Hanja
스캔들 - 朝鮮男女相悅之詞
Revised RomanizationSeukaendeul - Joseon namnyeo sangyeoljisa
McCune–ReischauerSŭk'aendŭl - Chosŏn namnyŏ sangyŏlchisa
Directed byE J-yong
Screenplay byKim Dae-woo
Kim Hyeon-jeong
E J-yong
Based onLes Liaisons dangereuses
by Pierre Choderlos de Laclos
Produced byLee Yoo-jin
Oh Jeong-wan
StarringBae Yong-joon
Jeon Do-yeon
Lee Mi-sook
CinematographyKim Byeong-il
Edited byKim Yang-il
Han Seung-ryong
Music byLee Byung-woo
Production
company
Bom Films
Distributed byCJ Entertainment
Release date
  • October 2, 2003 (2003-10-02)
Running time
123 minutes
CountrySouth Korea
LanguageKorean
Budget$5 million[1]
Box office$5,762,801[2]

Untold Scandal (Korean: 스캔들 - 조선 남녀 상열지사; lit. "Scandal: The Love Story of Men and Women in Joseon") is a 2003 South Korean historical romantic drama film directed by E J-yong, and starring Bae Yong-joon, Jeon Do-yeon, and Lee Mi-sook. Loosely based on the 1782 French novel Les Liaisons dangereuses, this adaptation takes place in late 18th century Korea, during the Joseon dynasty.

In South Korea the film was given an R-18 rating by the Korean Film Ethics Commission.[3] The film was a major commercial success, and became the fourth highest grossing domestic film of 2003 with 3,522,747 tickets sold nationwide.[4]

Plot

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A beautiful but cynical and manipulative noblewoman makes a bet with her free-spirited womanizing cousin that he can have sex with her if he is able to seduce a young woman of great virtue. He accepts the challenge with enthusiasm though not suspecting the nasty trap he is walking into.

Cast

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  • Bae Yong-joon – Jo-won (Vicomte de Valmont)
  • Jeon Do-yeon – Lady Jeong (Présidente de Tourvel)
  • Lee Mi-sook – Lady Cho (Marquise de Merteuil)
  • Lee So-yeon – Lee So-ok (Cécile de Volanges)
  • Jo Hyun-jae – Kwon In-ho (Cécile's music tutor, Chevalier Danceny)
  • Lee Mi-ji – So-ok's mother (Madame de Volanges, Cécile's mother)
  • – Madam Jo's husband (Merteuil's former lover, the Comte de Gercourt)
  • Choi Ban-ya – Chu Wol-yi
  • Choi Sung-min – slave
  • Jeon Yang-ja – Vice-Premier's wife
  • Seo Yoon-ah – Jung-geum
  • Han Yi-bin – Eun-sil
  • Jung Jae-jin – elder 2
  • Kong Ho-suk – elder 3
  • Na Han-il – Nobleman Yoo

Differences from the original novel

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Monsieur de Tourvel (Madame de Tourvel / Lady Jeong's husband), who was away for a court case in the novel, is deceased in the film, making Lady Jeong a widow of nine years. Furthermore, Lady Jeong lived in Ganghwa Island, but is sojourning in Seoul to avoid a plague in her hometown.

Jo-won (Vicomte de Valmont) and Lady Jo (Marquise de Merteuil) cousins are in the film (Jo-won being the younger cousin), and it is revealed that Jo-won's first love was Lady Jo, whereas in the novel, they were former lovers and new rivals, yet using the same tools for their revenge: sex.

Marquise de Merteuil (Lady Jo)'s former lover, the Comte de Gercourt, is arranged to be Cécile's future husband in the novel, while in the film, his character is attributed to Lady Jo's husband. In So-ok's case, she is being made into a concubine of Lady Jo's husband for the continuity of the family lineage, with the elders' consent.

Lee So-ok (Cécile de Volanges) was ushered into Lady Jo's care to be the concubine of her husband. Lady Jo is conspiring with Jo-won to make her pregnant for revenge, intending to reveal to truth to her husband on his deathbed.

Chevalier Danceny was originally Cécile's music tutor in the novel, but in the film, Kwon In-ho is the youngest son of Lady Jo's neighbour, and also Lady Jeong's cousin.

Awards and nominations

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2003 Pusan International Film Festival

2003 Blue Dragon Film Awards[5]

2004 Baeksang Arts Awards

2004 Verona Film Festival

  • Stefano Reggiani Prize (from the Veneto's Order of Journalists)
  • Best Artistic, Technical, or Creative Contribution

2004 Grand Bell Awards

  • Best Costume Design – Jung Ku-ho, Kim Hee-ju
  • Nomination – Best Film
  • Nomination – Best Director – E J-yong
  • Nomination – Best Actress – Jeon Do-yeon
  • Nomination – Best Actress – Lee Mi-sook
  • Nomination – Best New Actor – Bae Yong-joon
  • Nomination – Best Planning – Lee Yoo-jin
  • Nomination – Best Adapted Screenplay – Kim Dae-woo, E J-yong, Kim Hyeon-jeong
  • Nomination – Best Cinematography – Kim Byeong-il
  • Nomination – Best Art Direction – Jung Ku-ho
  • Nomination – Best Music – Lee Byung-woo

2004 Shanghai International Film Festival

2004 Korean Film Awards

  • Best Art Direction – Jung Ku-ho
  • Nomination – Best Actress – Lee Mi-sook
  • Nomination – Best Director – E J-yong
  • Nomination – Best Cinematography – Kim Byeong-il
  • Nomination – Best Music – Lee Byung-woo

References

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  1. ^ "Untold Scandal". Korean Cinema 2003. Korean Film Commission(KO FIC). 2003. Retrieved January 2, 2024.
  2. ^ "Box office by Country: Untold Scandal" Box Office Mojo. Retrieved 2012-06-04.
  3. ^ "Bae Yong-jun's 'Scandal' Causing Scandal in Japan". The Chosun Ilbo. 5 April 2004. Retrieved 2011-10-22.
  4. ^ "The Best Selling Films of 2003". Koreanfilm.org. Retrieved 2012-06-04.
  5. ^ "Untold Scandal - Awards". Cinemasie. Retrieved 2012-06-04.
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