Love, Lies () is 2016 South Korean period drama film directed by Park Heung-sik, reuniting The Beauty Inside co-stars Han Hyo-joo, Chun Woo-hee and Yoo Yeon-seok. The story takes place in 1943, during the Imperial Japanese occupation of Korea. In the film, best friends Jung So-yul (Han Hyo-joo) and Seo Yeon-hee (Chun Woo-hee) are two of the last remaining gisaeng. Although they enjoy pop music, they are committed to singing jeongga, or classical Korean songs. So-yul's life falls apart when her lover, pop music producer Kim Yoon-woo (Yoo Yeon-seok), falls in love with Yeon-hee and helps her debut as a pop singer. The story follows So-yul's downward spiral as she is heartbroken after getting betrayed by her bestfriend and her lover.
The film was released on April 13, 2016. Critics particularly praised the film for its meticulous reconstruction of 1940s Seoul, with period-correct sets, props, costumes and music.
Plot
In Imperial Japanese-occupied Korea, Jung So-yul is a gisaeng-in-training at one of the last remaining gwonbeon, learning to sing jeongga, the classical songs of Korea's upper class. Jung is the daughter of a famous gisaeng, who is also the institution's headmistress. Seo Yeon-hee arrives at the school after she is sold by her father, who cannot take care of her. The young girls become best friends, and are two of the best students in the school. They both enjoy the popular songs of the day, but promise each other to keep their dignity as the only gisaeng who sing jeongga. So-yul's natural talent and beauty make her the center of attention, and she receives invitations from important people, including the Japanese chief of police.
One day in 1943, So-yul meets the top pop songwriter, Kim Yoon-woo, and the two fall in love. Yoon-woo asks So-yul to sing a song he is writing to encourage the Korean people suffering under Imperial Japanese rule. However, things begins to fall apart when he hears Yeon-hee sing and becomes mesmerized by her voice. Yoon-woo writes the song for Yeon-hee, and encourages her to leave the gwonbeon so he can help her become a pop singer, because pop songs speak more to the common people instead of just the upper class. Yeon-hee takes his advice, and So-yul feels betrayed. After spending much time together for the production of Yeon-hee's album, Yoon-woo fell in love with her. Fueled by the feeling of being betrayed, So-yul attempts to regain what she believes her friend stole from her, destroying the lives of those around her, and ultimately, herself.
Cast
Han Hyo-joo as Jung So-yul
Kim Su-an as young Jung So-yul
Chun Woo-hee as Seo Yeon-hee
Yoo Yeon-seok as Kim Yoon-woo
Park Sung-woong as Japanese police chief, Hirata Kiyoshi
Jang Young-nam as San-wol
Lee Han-wi as Purser
Ryu Hye-young as Kim Ok-hyang
Jang In-sub as Hong-seok
Oh Ha-nee as Gyeongseong club employee
Kim Bo-yoon as Yawn senior
as Military police
as Sampae student 1
as Councilor
as Japanese army general
Cha Ji-yeon as Lee Nan-young
Kim Young-min as Producer
Production and release
Filming began on June 21, 2015 and finished on October 17. The three lead actors had previously worked together on the 2015 film The Beauty Inside. Han Hyo-joo accepted the role of So-yul because Love, Lies is female-dominated, unlike most recent successful Korean films. She also wanted to try a more challenging role, as this is the first time she played an antagonist. To prepare for the role, she learned Japanese, dancing, and traditional Korean songs.
The film was launched in October 2015 at Busan International Film Festival's Asian Film Market. In March 2016, it was promoted at Hong Kong International Film & TV Market, securing distribution deals in Japan (KlockWorx), Taiwan (KBro Media) and the Philippines (Viva Communications). The VIP premiere was held on April 11, 2016 at Lotte Cinema in Songpa-gu, Seoul, and it premiered nationwide on April 13. It opened in fifth place at the box office, with 133,563 tickets sold across 572 screens. The film earned US$1.67 million in a five-day period (Wednesday to Sunday).