The Scarlet Letter (2004 South Korean Film)

The Scarlet Letter (Korean: 주홍글씨; RR: Juhong Geulshi) is a 2004 South Korean suspense-thriller film directed by Byeon Hyeok. The film explores themes of infidelity and obsession, centering on a detective caught between his professional duties and a complex personal life.

The Scarlet Letter movie poster — Promotional poster for The Scarlet Letter (2004).

Plot

The narrative follows Ki-hoon, a detective who is tasked with investigating a murder case. Simultaneously, he navigates a complicated extramarital affair with his lover, Ga-hee. As the investigation progresses, the boundaries between his professional responsibilities and his private life begin to blur, leading to psychological tension.

Cast

The film features a central ensemble cast:

Han Suk-kyu as Lee Ki-hoon
Lee Eun-ju as Choi Ga-hee
Sung Hyun-ah as Ji Kyung-hee
Uhm Ji-won as Han Su-hyun

Han Suk-kyu portrays the lead detective, Lee Ki-hoon.

Lee Eun-ju plays the role of Choi Ga-hee.

Production

Directed by Byeon Hyeok, the film was released in South Korea on October 29, 2004. It has a runtime of 115 minutes and was distributed by Showbox. The screenplay was written by Kang Hyun-joo and Byeon Hyeok, drawing inspiration from the novel by Kim Young-ha.

Scene from The Scarlet Letter — A still from the production of The Scarlet Letter.