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A Good Lawyer's Wife

Original title: Baramnan gajok
  • 2003
  • Not Rated
  • 1h 44m
IMDb RATING
6.1/10
2.1K
YOUR RATING
Moon So-ri and Hwang Jung-min in A Good Lawyer's Wife (2003)
KoreanPsychological DramaSteamy RomanceDramaRomance

Bored, horny, and frustrated, a woman begins an affair with a teenage boy.Bored, horny, and frustrated, a woman begins an affair with a teenage boy.Bored, horny, and frustrated, a woman begins an affair with a teenage boy.

  • Director
    • Im Sang-soo
  • Writer
    • Im Sang-soo
  • Stars
    • Moon So-ri
    • Hwang Jung-min
    • Youn Yuh-jung
  • See production info at IMDbPro
  • IMDb RATING
    6.1/10
    2.1K
    YOUR RATING
    • Director
      • Im Sang-soo
    • Writer
      • Im Sang-soo
    • Stars
      • Moon So-ri
      • Hwang Jung-min
      • Youn Yuh-jung
    • 12User reviews
    • 24Critic reviews
  • See production info at IMDbPro
  • See production info at IMDbPro
    • Awards
      • 14 wins & 12 nominations total

    Photos4

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    Top Cast23

    Edit
    Moon So-ri
    Moon So-ri
    • Eun Ho-jung…
    Hwang Jung-min
    Hwang Jung-min
    • Yeong-jak…
    Youn Yuh-jung
    Youn Yuh-jung
    • Hong Byung-han
    • (as Yeo-jeong Yoon)
    • …
    In-mun Kim
    • Joo Chang-geun…
    Bong Tae-gyu
    • Shin Ji-un…
    Jeong-rim Baek
    • Kim Yeon…
    Joon-yeong Jang
    • Joo Soo-in
    Sung Ji-ru
    • Postman
    • (as Ji-ru Sung)
    Lee Bong-gyu
    • Town Chief
    • (as Bong-gyu Lee)
    Kim Byeong-chun
    • Jang Woon-joo
    Lee Cheon-hee
    Lee Cheon-hee
    • Yeon's New Lover
    Jo Deok-jae
    • Detective
    Choi Dong-hoon
    • Cop
    Kim Eung-soo
    Kim Eung-soo
    • Yang Taek-sik
    Lee Jae-goo
    • Park Jae-goo
    Jung Jae-jin
    • Projectionist
    Jeong Jin-gak
    • Shin Gye-dong
    • (as Jin-gak Jeong)
    Kim Jin-min
    • Cop
    • Director
      • Im Sang-soo
    • Writer
      • Im Sang-soo
    • All cast & crew
    • Production, box office & more at IMDbPro

    User reviews12

    6.12.1K
    1
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    10

    Featured reviews

    6michael@piston.net

    Extended Soap Opera

    This is less of a movie than a very extended soap opera. An apparently conscientious young Korean attorney has an affair while his sexually frustrated wife goes looking elsewhere for fulfillment. Apparently he's lousy in bed since both of his women seem to spend an inordinate amount of time in post-coital masturbation. Meanwhile his mother finds love elsewhere as his father lies dieing while his young and tasty assistant yearns for the day when she can make his triangle a square. Altogether it provides a fascinating insight into Korean society, that being - they're just like Americans - or maybe, more specifically, just like Manhattanites - those in Sex and the City, for example.

    If this movie has anything deeper to say than "get it while you can" it keeps it well hidden. The tragedy which brings the attorney's marriage - and the movie - to its inevitable conclusion seems to have nothing to do with the plot other than to provide it with a convenient resolution. Still its refreshing to see sexual relationships, marital and otherwise, portrayed in such a frank and nonjudgmental manner. Pity that the film continued about 45 minutes beyond the point that I stopped caring.
    7afterdarkpak

    Almost true to life Now in asian countries.

    Its a korean movie, so definitely well written , well performed , directed, and quality somehow is so so.

    it does have some side line stories like korean war, some legal battles and some crime scene investigation stuff, but the main plot is about a lawyer and his wife. husband has some fling going on with someone else and wife is starting having some sexual connection with young kid next door.

    As i lived some years in asian countries like china , thai , japan from 2010 to 2018 , this story is kinda real close to reality. busy lives, sexually frustrated husband n wife, and sometimes or many times, either one or both goes for filling that sexually frustration with someone else. and yeah, "cheating / adultery always ends bad" . it does . its always,
    9miffymental

    a memorable film

    This South Korean film dealing with the traumas of a fading marriage is deftly written, acted and shot. It deals with universal issues related to certain life stages with courage and sincerity, the characters are superbly drawn, the plot subtly moves and leaves the viewer with deep feelings and thoughts only such well-crafted and memorable films can.
    9Mark-129

    Not for Children

    First, although A Good Lawyer's wife is billed as a comedy-drama, it is not. There's little humor to be found in this story of the end of a desolate marriage. Sexually abandoned by her cheating and emotionally indifferent husband, a housewife takes a casual interest in a 16 year old neighbor boy, whose raging hormones give her the passionate interest of a male, something that has disappeared in her marriage. This leads to teenage rituals involving kissing and groping. After a family tragedy, events lead to the culmination of this relationship and a starting point for a new and better life for her.

    Beautifully written, acted and directed, the loose ends only add to the film's allure. Not for all tastes. Be warned this is an adult film with graphic nudity and frank dialog throughout, but very rewarding for the mature viewer.
    samvit-89252

    Empty relationships and everyday boredom

    Honestly, if you up for an entertaining movie, choose something else.

    The story of the lawyer and his wife might deserve accolades for it's honest and frank depiction of a not so rare frustrating everyday life. It does it that well you want to scream and escape. A marriage with lost connection, sexual frustration, emptiness... The husband has affairs but seems incapable to perform well, leaves his wife alone with all the care tasks and in sexual desert.

    Despite nudity there is no real connection, no sensuality, romance, excitement or comedy, except for the teenager's part maybe, like an injection of fresh blood that may or not bring the desired change, as he is not yet jaded and a reminder of our own youth, when we swore we'd never become like this.

    As the movie depicts the daily drama that well, it conveys boredom, lack of interest, dullness. Definitely no rewatch for me.

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    Related interests

    Choi Min-sik in Oldboy (2003)
    Korean
    Jim Carrey and Kate Winslet in Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind (2004)
    Psychological Drama
    Dakota Johnson and Jamie Dornan in Fifty Shades of Grey (2015)
    Steamy Romance
    Naomie Harris, Mahershala Ali, Janelle Monáe, André Holland, Herman Caheej McGloun, Edson Jean, Alex R. Hibbert, and Tanisha Cidel in Moonlight (2016)
    Drama
    Ingrid Bergman and Humphrey Bogart in Casablanca (1942)
    Romance

    Storyline

    Edit

    Did you know

    Edit
    • Alternate versions
      Similar to "Oldboy" (2003), the initial South Korean release of the film saw extensive cuts in the explicit scenes which were either replaced with alternate footage or slightly trimmed. The runtime remained the same. These cuts were later waived in re-releases and the film was released fully uncensored on Blu-ray/DVD.
    • Connections
      References Casablanca (1942)
    • Soundtracks
      Twinkle, Twinkle, Little Star
      (uncredited)

      Music is French melody 'Ah! vous dirai-je, maman', author unknown.

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    FAQ16

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    Details

    Edit
    • Release date
      • August 15, 2003 (South Korea)
    • Country of origin
      • South Korea
    • Language
      • Korean
    • Also known as
      • Baramnan gajok
    • Production companies
      • Myung Film Company Ltd.
      • Myung Films
    • See more company credits at IMDbPro

    Box office

    Edit
    • Gross worldwide
      • $80,940
    See detailed box office info on IMDbPro

    Tech specs

    Edit
    • Runtime
      • 1h 44m(104 min)
    • Color
      • Color
    • Aspect ratio
      • 2.35 : 1

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