A Tale of Two Sisters (2003)
"Janghwa, Hongryeon" (original title)

A family is haunted by the tragedies of deaths within the family.

Director:

Jee-Woon Kim (as Kim Jee-woon)

Writer:

Jee-Woon Kim (screenplay) (as Kim Jee-woon)

Stars:

Kap-su Kim, Jung-ah Yum, Su-jeong Lim

15 wins & 2 nominations.

Cast

Credited cast:
Kap-su Kim	...	Bae Moo-hyeon (Father)
Jung-ah Yum	...	Eun-joo (Stepmother)
Su-jeong Lim	...	Bae Soo-mi (Janghwa)
Geun-young Moon	...	Bae Soo-yeon (Hongryeon)
Rest of cast listed alphabetically:
Seung-bi Lee	...	Mi-hee
Park Mi-Hyun	...	Mrs, Bae (Su-mi's and Su-yeon's Mother)

Storyline

Two sisters who, after spending time in a mental institution, return to the home of their father and cruel stepmother. Once there, in addition to dealing with their stepmother's obsessive and unbalanced ways, an interfering ghost also affects their recovery.

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Plot Keywords:

stepmother | tragedy | death | ghost | conspiracy | 

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Taglines:

Every family has its dark secrets.

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Genres:

Drama | Horror | Mystery | Thriller

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Motion Picture Rating (MPAA)

Rated R for some violence and disturbing images

Details

Official Sites:

Official site [Italy] Tartan Films [United States]

Country:

South Korea

Language:

Korean

Release Date:

13 June 2003 (South Korea)

Also Known As:

A Tale of Two Sisters

Filming Locations:

Yusin-ri, Yureo-myeon, Boseong-gun, Jeollanamdo, South Korea

Box Office

Opening Weekend:

$94,923 (Hong Kong) (22 August 2003)

Gross:

$95,697 (Hong Kong) (22 August 2003)

Company Credits

Production Co:

B.O.M. Film Productions Co., Masulpiri Films

Technical Specs

Sound Mix:

Dolby Digital EX

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1

Did You Know?

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), which was translated into English as "The Uninvited." Coincidentally, "The Uninvited" is the title of the American remake of this film.

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Goofs

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

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Quotes

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

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Connections

Version of Janghwa Heungryeonjeon (1956)

User Reviews

Psychological Thriller, Horror, and Drama, all at their best

'A Tale of Two Sisters', or 'Janghwa, Hongryeon', is a true masterpiece. Brilliant psychological thriller, heart-wrenching drama, and gripping horror all wrapped up in one beautifully orchestrated package. From the intricate plot, to the beautiful cinematography, to the absolutely perfect casting, every aspect of this film is extraordinary.

For fear of revealing too much concerning the plot, I will just say it is very satisfying. While it may appear to be a little difficult to understand at first, it does a good job of explaining things in the end. And whether you prefer psychological thriller, drama, or horror, I promise you will not be disappointed.

From a technical standpoint, its nearly flawless. The set, the cinematography, lighting, and especially the soundtrack, all are captivating. The waltz seemed an odd choice at first, but proved to be an ingenious choice.

As for the casting, we're talking absolute perfection. I'm Su-jeong is totally convincing as the defiant, yet troubled Su-mi. Mun Keun- yeong is equally convincing as her emotionally traumatized sister Su-yeon. These two girls were magical on the screen. I will certainly be looking into their other films. Yeom Jeong-ah is deceitfully cheerful and hauntingly evil as the stepmother. Finally, Kap-su Kim gives an excellent performance as the weary, broken father.

I truly love this film. If you have yet to see 'A Tale Of Two Sisters', I strongly recommend locating a copy. It is a real gem, worthy of anyone's collection.

(10/10)