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Covering things Korean in London and beyond since 2006

Event news: Kim Ki-young’s Insect Woman screens at the KCC

Having had some classic film from Lee Man-hee during this year’s festival, we now have the treat of Kim Ki-young’s Insect Woman (1972) on 1 December.

It’s unfortunate that we have to choose between this and an interesting talk at the Japan Foundation. But this is Kim Ki-young, and the film is said to be “the finest and cleverest in the series of ‘neurotic films’ he sought to create”. Based on a true story of he murder of the owner of the Myungbo Theatre in Seoul.

The synopsis below is provided by the KCC, in turn taken from the Korean Movie Database. That was the same source which gave such a wildly inaccurate synopsis of Lee Man-hee’s Assassin in the London Korean Film Festival. Similarly, the synopsis quoted below bears not much resemblance to the more detailed description given in KOFIC’s book on Director Kim (whence the above quote is sourced). So treat with caution. But the plot does involve a man caught between his wife and his mistress.

Insect Woman posterFilm title: Insect Woman (충녀 – Chungnyeo)
Director: Kim Ki-young
Cast: Yoon Yeo-jeong, Jeon Gye-hyeon
Running Time: 110mins
Screening Date: 1 December 2011, 7pm
Number of Seats: 130
Theatre: Multi Purpose Hall, KCCUK

Synopsis
Professor Lee is hospitalized after a nervous breakdown. Patients in the same room are schizophrenic caused by extramarital love affairs. Professor Lee hears from a patient that an antiquarian is murdered by his mistress because of love affair. Professor Lee realizes his wife’s love and devotion, and becomes confident of recovering from illness.

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