Kim Min-hee joins Park Chan-wook's new film Agasshi

12 December 9, 2014December 9, 2014

Kim Min-hee joins Park Chan-wook’s new film Agasshi

by girlfriday

Casting has been finalized on director Park Chan-wook’s next movie Agasshi (or Young Lady), and it looks like we’ll finally get that Kim Min-hee (Crying Man) and Ha Jung-woo pairing that almost happened for Kundo: Age of the Rampant. Kim Min-hee will be headlining the period crime melodrama alongside newcomer Kim Tae-ri (pictured below), a model who won the role via auditions that were held for months to cast the central character.

The movie is an adaptation of Sarah Waters’ Victorian crime novel Fingersmith, transplanted to 1930s Korea and Japan, during the Japanese occupation. The story is about a young girl who was raised as a petty thief, who becomes an accomplice to a con man. Kim Tae-ri has been cast as the pickpocket, and Ha Jung-woo will play the con man who poses as a gentleman suitor to try and marry a young lady out of her fortune.

Kim Min-hee will play the titular agasshi, whose personal fortune comes from her wealthy uncle, played by Jo Jin-woong (We Are Brothers). Kim Tae-ri will enter her service as a maid in order to help persuade her to elope with Ha Jung-woo, and if the story follows the novel’s general trajectory, his plan is to have her committed to an insane asylum once they’re married and run off with her inheritance.

The original is described as a story with twist upon twist, and among them is a loveline between the young lady and the maid. Well that’ll throw a wrench in the plans big time, if the maid falls in love with the mark when she’s supposed to convince her to marry Ha Jung-woo, which will end in the young lady’s ruin. I’m already curious to know where the story goes; maybe I’ll check out the 2-part BBC miniseries. In any case, I’m sure Park Chan-wook will find ways to make the twists even more twisted.

Now that the lead cast has been secured, Agasshi plans to enter shoots in the new year.

Via TV Report

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1 harmonyfb

December 9, 2014 at 1:27 PM

Sarah Waters' novel was excellent; I'm looking forward to seeing how they handle the (extensive and important to the story) lesbian content.

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rinoak

December 9, 2014 at 3:22 PM

I watched the movie and I don't know but to me, Kim Tae-ri seems too young to have that part of the story developed much, but who knows, it may surprise me.

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2 Hurrahhurrah

December 9, 2014 at 3:16 PM

Kim Min Hee and Ha Jung Woo! Can't wait. He's officially going to act with all the actresses he's wanted to act with.

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3 girlatsea

December 9, 2014 at 5:02 PM

헐...Park Chan-wook, Ha Jung-woo, Kim Min-hee...Where could it go wrong? Plot sounds really interesting, might have to check out the book or the BBC mini-series myself!

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4 Janey

December 9, 2014 at 6:06 PM

I haven't read the novel nor watched the series, but the story sounds so interesting.

I'll watch anything with Ha JungWoo in it. He hasn't disappointed me yet. And with Park ChanWook directing and Kim MinHee in the cast, I'm pretty sure this movie will be more than impressive. I can't wait!

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Rachel

December 9, 2014 at 8:46 PM

Same here! I trust Ha Jung Woo's tastes in projects. Can't wait to see how this turns out.

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Janey

December 9, 2014 at 9:18 PM

Yes! He picks really good project, so I always expect his movie to be great. :)

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5 PeepsLeAwesomePotato

December 9, 2014 at 10:03 PM

Eeps! Commit her to an asylum and run with her money? That's too cruel, isn't it?

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6 DramaDevourer

December 9, 2014 at 11:16 PM

It reminds me of a film I saw with a similar plan, excepting the mark was dying already (thus no insane asylum needed)and they were both a little in love with their mark. I've forgotten the name, but if it's anything similar I can see plenty of room for interesting twists.

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Shy

December 10, 2014 at 12:29 AM

Henry James' Wings of the Dove is a little similar. Not so much in love though as much as the title character is goodness personified making the marking very conflicted.

Fingersmith was so Dickensian. Wonder who's doing the Imelda Staunton role, always fun to watch older women in meaty parts. And the kinky uncle role. Hope they don't shy away from the lesbian storyline though generally Korean films are more willing to take on diverse topics than dramas I think. Still this is one movie to look forward to.

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7 A

December 10, 2014 at 5:13 AM

God. There is going to be all sorts of violence and splattered blood I feel.

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8 knewbie

December 10, 2014 at 6:22 AM

This reminds me of a game my friends and I used to play: we'd pick some novel or film or TV show and try to cast or re-cast it with performers from various [other] countries. IMO Kim Min-hee and Ha Jung-woo are perfect for Maud and Gentleman. In fact I think Ha Jung-woo might be a better fit for the character than the actor in the BBC adaptation.