''Untold Scandal'' (; "Scandal: The Love Story of Men and Women in

Joseon Joseon ( ; ; also romanized as ''Chosun''), officially Great Joseon (), was a dynastic kingdom of Korea that existed for 505 years. It was founded by Taejo of Joseon in July 1392 and replaced by the Korean Empire in October 1897. The kingdom w ...

") is a 2003 South Korean

historical History is the systematic study of the past, focusing primarily on the human past. As an academic discipline, it analyses and interprets evidence to construct narratives about what happened and explain why it happened. Some theorists categ ...

romantic drama Romance films involve romantic love stories recorded in visual media for broadcast in theatres or on television that focus on passion (emotion), passion, emotion, and the affectionate romantic involvement of the main characters. Typically their ...

film directed by

E J-yong E J-yong (; born September 5, 1966) is a South Korean film director and screenwriter. His feature films include ''An Affair'' (1998), ''Untold Scandal'' (2003), ''Dasepo Naughty Girls'' (2006), and ''Actresses (film), Actresses'' (2009). Early ...

, and starring

Bae Yong-joon Bae Yong-joon (; born August 29, 1972) is a South Korean businessman and former actor. He has starred in numerous television dramas, including, notably, ''Winter Sonata'' (2002), which became a major part of the Korean Wave. Bae retired from a ...

Jeon Do-yeon Jeon Do-yeon (; born February 11, 1973) is a South Korean actress. She made her film debut with '' The Contact'' (1997), a melodrama that established her as a leading actress. She continued to gain acclaim with ''A Promise'' (1998), a romantic ...

, and

Lee Mi-sook Lee Mi-sook (; born April 2, 1960) is a South Korean actress. One of the best-known actresses of 1980s Korean cinema, Lee's most famous films from this era include Bae Chang-ho's ''Whale Hunting'' and ''The Winter That Year Was Warm'', Lee Doo-y ...

. Loosely based on the 1782 French novel ''

Les Liaisons dangereuses ''Les Liaisons dangereuses'' (; English: ''Dangerous Liaisons'') is a French epistolary novel by Pierre Choderlos de Laclos, first published in four volumes by Durand Neveu on March 23, 1782. It is the story of the Marquise Isabelle de Merteu ...

'', this adaptation takes place in late 18th century Korea, during the

Joseon dynasty Joseon ( ; ; also romanized as ''Chosun''), officially Great Joseon (), was a dynastic kingdom of Korea that existed for 505 years. It was founded by Taejo of Joseon in July 1392 and replaced by the Korean Empire in October 1897. The kingdom w ...

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

Plot

In the rigidly

Confucian Confucianism, also known as Ruism or Ru classicism, is a system of thought and behavior originating in ancient China, and is variously described as a tradition, philosophy, religion, theory of government, or way of life. Founded by Confucius ...

society of

, where men are expected to embody the virtues of a gentleman and women the virtues of a chaste and devoted wife, Lady Cho defies expectations. A woman of extraordinary intelligence, she has mastered the

Confucian classics The Chinese classics or canonical texts are the works of Chinese literature authored prior to the establishment of the imperial Qin dynasty in 221 BC. Prominent examples include the Four Books and Five Classics in the Neo-Confucian traditi ...

despite the constraints placed upon her gender. Resentful of her imposed role, she outwardly performs the duties of a virtuous wife but secretly indulges in a dangerous game of seduction, asserting control over the very men who seek to control her. Her partner in this clandestine pursuit is her cousin, Jo-won, a gifted poet, painter, and martial artist who rejects the path of political ambition in favor of a

hedonistic Hedonism is a family of philosophical views that prioritize pleasure. Psychological hedonism is the theory that all human behavior is motivated by the desire to maximize pleasure and minimize pain. As a form of egoism, it suggests that peopl ...

lifestyle, openly scorning the patriarchal values of the era. Though bound by an unspoken past, they maintain a delicate alliance in their mutual pursuit of conquest. But their world of secret liaisons and whispered betrayals is upended when Lady Cho proposes a new challenge—corrupting her husband's young concubine, the innocent and untouched So-ok. Yet Jo-won's desires have already been captured by another: Lady Jeong, a widow revered for her

chastity Chastity, also known as purity, is a virtue related to temperance. Someone who is ''chaste'' refrains from sexual activity that is considered immoral or from any sexual activity, according to their state of life. In some contexts, for exampl ...

, who has remained faithful to her deceased husband for nine years and been awarded a '' yeolnyeomun'' (gate of virtuous women) for her devotion. Unlike his previous conquests, Lady Jeong is no easy prey. A devout Catholic and a woman of unwavering principles, she is as untouchable as she is alluring. Determined to break the unbreakable, Jo-won embarks on a relentless pursuit, setting the stage for a battle of wills between the era's most notorious

libertine A libertine is a person questioning and challenging most moral principles, such as responsibility or Human sexual activity, sexual restraints, and will often declare these traits as unnecessary, undesirable or evil. A libertine is especially som ...

and the most unyielding of virtuous women.

Cast

– Lady Cho (Marquise de Merteuil) *

– Lady Jeong (Présidente de Tourvel) *

– Jo-won (Vicomte de Valmont) * Jo Hyun-jae – Kwon In-ho (Cécile's music tutor, Chevalier Danceny) * Lee So-yeon – Lee So-ok (Cécile de Volanges) * 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

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 Ganghwa Island (), also Ganghwado, is an island in Ganghwa County, Incheon, South Korea. It is in the Yellow Sea and in an estuary of the Han River. The island is separated from Gimpo (on the South Korean mainland) by a narrow channel spanned ...

, 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

2003

Pusan International Film Festival The Busan International Film Festival (BIFF; ), formerly the Pusan International Film Festival (PIFF), held annually in Haeundae District, Busan, South Korea, is one of the most significant film festivals in Asia. The first festival, held from ...

* NETPAC Award 2003

Blue Dragon Film Awards The Blue Dragon Film Awards () is an annual awards ceremony that is presented by ''Sports Chosun'' (a sister brand of the ''Chosun Ilbo'') for excellence in film in South Korea. The Blue Dragon Film Awards considers only blockbusters and popula ...

"Untold Scandal - Awards"
''Cinemasie''. Retrieved 2012-06-04. * Best New Actor –

* Nomination – Best Actress –

2004

Baeksang Arts Awards The Baeksang Arts Awards (), also known as the Paeksang Arts Awards, are awards for excellence in film, television and theatre in South Korea. The awards were introduced in 1965 by Chang Key-young, the founder of the newspaper ''Hankook Ilbo'', ...

* Best New Actor –

2004

Verona Film Festival Verona ( ; ; or ) is a city on the River Adige in Veneto, Italy, with 255,131 inhabitants. It is one of the seven provincial capitals of the region, and is the largest city municipality in the region and in northeastern Italy. The metropolit ...

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

2004 2004 was designated as an International Year of Rice by the United Nations, and the International Year to Commemorate the Struggle Against Slavery and Its Abolition (by UNESCO). Events January * January 3 – Flash Airlines Flight 60 ...

Grand Bell Awards The Grand Bell Awards (), also known as the Daejong Film Awards, is an awards ceremony presented annually by The Motion Pictures Association of Korea for excellence in film in South Korea. The Grand Bell Awards retains prestige as the oldest co ...

* Best Costume Design – Jung Ku-ho, Kim Hee-ju * Nomination – Best Film * Nomination – Best Director –

* Nomination – Best Actress –

* Nomination – Best New Actor –

* Nomination – Best Planning – Lee Yoo-jin * Nomination – Best Adapted Screenplay –

Kim Dae-woo Kim Dae-woo (born 1962) is a South Korean film director and screenwriter. Kim started his filmmaking career by winning the 1991 Korean Film Council Screenplay Contest. He was an accomplished screenwriter with a number of hit scripts, including ...

, 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 The Shanghai International Film Festival (SIFF, , French: ''Festival international du film de Shanghai'') is the largest film festival in Asia and China's longest-running international cinema event. The first festival was established in Octobe ...

Best Director Best Director is the name of an award which is presented by various film, television and theatre organizations, festivals, and people's awards. It may refer to: Film awards * AACTA Award for Best Direction * Academy Award for Best Director * As ...

–

* Best Music – Lee Byung-woo * Best Visual Effects – Lee Jeon-hyeong * Best Sound Effects – Lee Seung-chul 2004

Korean Film Awards The Korean Film Awards was a South Korean film awards ceremony hosted by the broadcasting network MBC from 2002 to 2010. History Originally named the MBC Film Awards, the ceremony was first established in 2002. It was renamed the Korean Film Awa ...

* Best Art Direction – Jung Ku-ho * Nomination – Best Actress –

* Nomination – Best Director –

* Nomination – Best Cinematography – Kim Byeong-il * Nomination – Best Music – Lee Byung-woo

References

External links

*
''Untold Scandal''
at Tiscali UK/

TalkTalk Group TalkTalk Telecom Group Limited (formerly New TalkTalk plc from 2009–2010 and TalkTalk Telecom Group plc from 2010–2021; commonly known as TalkTalk Group, trading as TalkTalk) is a British telecommunications company that provides pay televi ...

(website created by UK actor and designer

Adam Jennings Adam Richard Jennings (born November 17, 1982) is an American former professional American football, football wide receiver. He was selected by the Atlanta Falcons in the sixth round of the 2006 NFL draft. He played college football at Fresno Sta ...

) * * {{Les Liaisons dangereuses 2003 films 2003 romantic drama films South Korean romantic drama films South Korean historical drama films Films set in the 18th century Films set in Joseon Films based on French novels Films based on works by Pierre Choderlos de Laclos Films directed by E J-yong Films with screenplays by Kim Dae-woo 2000s Korean-language films Works based on Les Liaisons dangereuses 2000s South Korean films