The Shameless (2015 Film)

The Shameless (Korean: 무뢰한; RR: Moorwehan) is a 2015 South Korean neo-noir drama film directed and written by Oh Seung-Uk. The film premiered in the Un Certain Regard section of the 68th Cannes Film Festival in May 2015 before its theatrical release in South Korea on May 27, 2015.

Promotional poster for The Shameless — Promotional poster for the film The Shameless.

Plot

The story follows Kim Hye-Kyung (Jeon Do-Yeon), a woman working at a bar who is waiting for her boyfriend, Park Joon-Kil (Park Sung-Woong), to return after he commits a murder and goes into hiding. Detective Jung Jae-Gon (Kim Nam-Gil) is assigned to the case and attempts to manipulate Hye-Kyung to track down and capture the fugitive.

Production

The film was produced by Sanai Pictures. Principal photography commenced on June 11, 2014, and concluded on September 14, 2014. The role of Detective Jung Jae-Gon was originally offered to actor Lee Jung-Jae, who withdrew from the project following a shoulder injury sustained during training for the film Big Match.

Jeon Do-Yeon as Kim Hye-Kyung — Jeon Do-Yeon portrays Kim Hye-Kyung.

Kim Nam-Gil as Jung Jae-Gon — Kim Nam-Gil portrays Detective Jung Jae-Gon.

Park Sung-Woong as Park Joon-Kil — Park Sung-Woong portrays Park Joon-Kil.

Kwak Do-Won as Moon Ki-Bum — Kwak Do-Won portrays Moon Ki-Bum.

Kim Min-Jae as Min Young-Ki — Kim Min-Jae portrays Min Young-Ki.

Reception and Awards

The Shameless received critical attention for its atmospheric direction and performances. Jeon Do-Yeon was recognized for her performance with the Best Actress award at the 52nd Baeksang Arts Awards in 2016. The film was also screened at several international events, including the 20th Busan International Film Festival and the 10th Korean Film Festival in Paris.

Still from The Shameless — A scene from the film.