Janghwa, Hongryeon (2003)

Director:

Ji-woon Kim

Writer:

Ji-woon Kim (screenplay)

Release Date:

13 June 2003 (South Korea)

Genre:

Horror | Drama | Mystery | Thriller

Tagline:

Our sorrow was conceived long before our birth

Plot:

Two sisters who, after spending time in a mental institution, return to the home of their father and cruel stepmother...

Plot Keywords:

Evil Stepmother | Delusion | Surreal | Guilt | Sister Sister Relationship

Awards:

12 wins & 3 nominations

Cast

Kap-su Kim	...	Bae Moo-hyeon (Father)
Jung-ah Yum	...	Eun-joo (Stepmother)
Su-jeong Lim	...	Bae Soo-mi (Janghwa)
Geun-yeong Mun	...	Bae Soo-yeon (Hongryeon)
rest of cast listed alphabetically:
Seung-bi Lee	...	Mi-hee

Directed by
Ji-woon Kim

Writing credits (in alphabetical order)
Ji-woon Kim		screenplay

Produced by
SirLaosson Dara	....	co-producer

Original Music by
Byung-woo Lee

Cinematography by
Mo-gae Lee

Film Editing by
Hyeon-mi Lee

Art Direction by
Geun-hyeon Jo

Production Companies

• Masulpiri Films

Distributors

• Chungeorahm Film (2003) (South Korea) (theatrical)
• Bir Film (????) (Turkey) (theatrical)
• 3L Filmverleih (2005) (Germany) (theatrical)
• Arti Film (2005) (Netherlands) (theatrical)
• Aztec International Entertainment (2005) (Australia) (DVD)
• Bac Films (????) (France) (theatrical)
• CDK Entertainment (2008) (Greece) (all media)
• Cineclick Asia (worldwide)
• Comstock (2004) (Japan) (theatrical)
• Europa Filmes (2007) (Brazil) (DVD)
• Future Film (2005) (Finland) (DVD)
• Karma Films (2004) (Spain) (theatrical)
• Medusa Distribuzione (2004) (Italy) (theatrical)
• Metro DVD (????) (South Korea) (DVD)
• TLA Releasing (2005) (USA) (DVD)
• Tartan Films (2004) (USA) (theatrical) (subtitled)
• Tartan USA (2005) (USA) (theatrical)
• Tartan Video USA (????) (USA) (DVD)
• Tartan Video (2004) (UK) (DVD)
• Tartan (2004) (UK) (theatrical)
• Visionary Thinking (2004) (Bosnia-Herzegovina) (all media)
• Visionary Thinking (2004) (Serbia and Montenegro) (all media)
• Zima Entertainment (2005) (Mexico) (theatrical)
• e-m-s the DVD-Company (2005) (Germany) (DVD)

Other Companies

• Dominion3 Public Relations  unit publicity

Also Known As:

A Tale of Two Sisters (International: English title)

Runtime:

Korea:115 min

Country:

South Korea

Language:

Korean

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1

Sound Mix:

Dolby Digital EX

Certification:

Malaysia:U (re-rating) | Portugal:M/16 | Malaysia:18SG (uncut version) | Ireland:18 (re-rating) (2005) | Ireland:16 (original rating) | Peru:18 | France:-12 | Germany:16 | Hong Kong:IIB | Japan:PG-12 | Philippines:PG-13 | Singapore:PG | South Korea:12 | Spain:13 | UK:15 | USA:R | Sweden:15 | Australia:MA | Finland:K-18

Filming Locations:

Yuler-Myun, Bosung, Jeollanamdo, South Korea

Company:

Masulpiri Films

Trivia:

Gianna Jun refused the role of Su-mi because she thought the script was too scary. Ironically, her next project was another horror film, 4 Inyong shiktak (2003).

Goofs:

Continuity: In the hospital scenes, there is no scar on the back of Su-mi's hand.

Quotes:

Eun-ju: As much as you hate it, I'm the only one in this world you can call mother, got it?

Movie Connections:

References Ringu (1998)

Top notch South Korean horror.

"A Tale of Two Sisters" is a brilliant South Korean psychological horror that left me speechless.The film offers some delicious moments of ghastly horror and is extremely creepy.The small cast of actors is truly excellent,with lead Im Soo-jung being especially memorable in the lead role.The direction by Kim Ji-woon is well-handled and the cinematography is absolutely gorgeous.The plot is slightly confusing,but some scenes are wonderfully eerie.The action is rather slow,but I was not bored in the slightest;I was extremely curious and intrigued.The house,where the film takes place looks incredibly menacing and isolated."A Tale of Two Sisters" is along with "Ringu" and "Kairo" one of the most original Asian horror films I have ever seen.Watch this masterpiece as soon as possible.My rating:10 out of 10.