Bedevilled
Endemoniada
2010 · South Korea · 111 min
- Director
- Jang Cheol-soo
- Music
- Kim Tae-seong
Cast
What it is about
Hae-won is a tense, ambitious bank employee in Seoul, emotionally distant from the people around her. She takes an unplanned vacation on Mudo, a remote southern island where she spent her childhood. There she is warmly greeted by Bok-nam, a former friend she has long ignored, who lives under harsh conditions with her husband and in-laws. Hae-won finds a community built on abuse and silence, and is forced to face her own indifference.
How it was made
Jang Cheol-soo directed the film, his feature debut, after working as an assistant director on Kim Ki-duk films. It was selected for Critics' Week at the 2010 Cannes Film Festival. Seo Young-hee and Ji Sung-won lead the cast, and Kim Tae-seong composed the score. The film blends thriller and social drama with graphic violence, using the isolated, underdeveloped island as a setting that heightens its oppressive atmosphere.
Reception and legacy
It was a runaway box-office hit in South Korea, earning far more than its budget. The film collected numerous awards at fantasy film festivals and Korean ceremonies, most notably for Seo Young-hee's performance, and Jang Cheol-soo won best new director honors in several competitions. Its international circulation places it among the genre works that brought wider attention to Korean cinema in the 2000s.
Stills
Trailer
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Trivia
A director's debut
It is Jang Cheol-soo's first feature as director, following his earlier work as an assistant on Kim Ki-duk films.
An unexpected hit
The film was a box-office success in South Korea, earning far more than its budget.
Original Cinematopedia text based on Wikipedia (en) and Wikidata.