No, this has nothing to do with alcoholism. As well, movies with sweating, panting sex scenes are a dime a dozen. The accent here is aristocracy. The party in a tireless pursuit of amorous encounter here is as much of an artist as Diego Rivera is (remember the chap in Frida who is "physiologically incapable of fidelity"). More than that, he is a nobleman, one Jo-wan (Bae Yong-Jun), accomplished in not only painting, but also poetry, calligraphy and martial arts. And, for good measure, he paints scene of his own licentious encounters.
Untold Scandal is yet another adaptation of 18th century classic Les Liaisons Dangereuses, better known to moviegoers as Dangerous Liaison (1988). The scene, however, is transported to feudal Korea. The main story line is Jo-wan's bet with his cousin Lady Cho (Lee Mi-sook) that he can seduce virgin widow Lady Suk (Jeon Do-yeon). Along the way, we are privy to Jo-wan's other exploits, including his painting model, Lady Suk's maid, and an adolescent concubine-to-be So-ok. In the last case, Lady Cho also got her prey in So-ok's young admirer, through a wicked conspiracy she and Jo-wan executed over the innocent young couple.
So much for the pleasure of the flesh. The light, comic tone turns dark when a measure of affection develops between Jo-wan and Lady Suk, ending in a fatalistic tragedy.
Comparison with Dangerous Liaison seems inevitable. Both Li Mi-sook and Glenn Close gave an excellent portrayal of this intelligent, cultured, completely bored and thoroughly wicked high-born lady. In Dangerous Liaison, the woman's brilliant performance is perfectly matched by the man's, in John Malkovich's cunningly charming nobleman. In Untold Scandal, however, Bae Yong-Jun, despite his immense popularity in Korean soup operas, is coming short. His Clerk Gable style charm and wit are rather superficial, rendering the successful seduction of this immovable lady rather unconvincing.
With the character of Lady Suk, it's yet another story. Michelle Pfeiffer and Jeon Do-yeon both did a marvellous job, but it's not meaningful to compare them because their style is so different. Here I'd rather concentrate on Jeon Do-yeon, who must be considered one of the best actresses in Korea today. To fully appreciate her brilliant versatility, one has to see both the shy, innocent, lonely girl yearning for love in Cheob-sok (1997) and the scheming, reckless adulteress in Happy End (1999). Those who consider her lovemaking scene in Untold Scandal daring (for a Korean movie) should see the first ten minutes of Happy End for an eye-opener.
The story of Untold Scandal is told in a simple manner, with conspicuous, frequent use of voice off. Art direction and cinematography are the forte of this movie. At the close range, we see a meticulously detailed shot of a serving tray with a sumptuous Korean meal served in some thirty bowls and dishes. A similar shot, but on a different subject matter, is the make-up tray for the high lady. In the medium range, the colourful Korean consumes and architecture become the star. Finally, there are breathtaking views of sea and snowfield that accentuate the poignancy towards the end. Ref.:Harry T. Yung (harry_tk_yung@hotmail.com)
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