Jeon Do-yeon returns with a remake of a classic
by javabeans
One of Korea’s top actresses, “Cannes Queen” Jeon Do-yeon, is returning to film her next project following a yearlong break (during which she’d given birth to her first child). She’ll take on a remake of the highly regarded 1960 film The Housemaid [하녀], which gets updated with a modern take.
The original sounds pretty fascinating: a housemaid moves in with a family of four and things take a dark turn. Seducing the husband is only the beginning of the trouble, as the maid’s bizarre behavior escalates and the wife tries to assert her place. Although its themes may seem familiar today — adultery, murder, twisted ambition — the provocative thriller was made in the “Golden Age” of Korean cinema, back before the censorship code descended upon the film industry. Jeon will play the maid character.
The Housemaid, widely seen as one of the top Korean movies of all time, is noted for its solid structure, shocking and erotic storyline, and the casting of top actors of the day (Kim Jin-kyu, Joo Jeung-nyeo — and even a young Ahn Sung-ki as the son, who is now a respected veteran actor).
The original was directed by Kim Ki-young, who directed numerous films in his long career from the fifties through his death in the nineties; the new version will be taken on by Im Sang-soo (A Good Lawyer’s Wife).
I think the tricky part of remaking the film is probably in setting it apart from so many similarly-themed contemporary works, and in finding what made the original so great while being able to update it for modern times. As we know, many a Hitchcock remake has failed to do justice to its source material. But I have to say that I’m intrigued by the idea, and you can count on Jeon Do-yeon to knock it out of the park. (You can read more about and/or buy The Housemaid from Hanbooks.)
The husband and wife characters will be younger in the remake (what a surprise), and the roles are currently in the process of casting. The film will begin shooting in January 2010. Jeon’s last film was the 2008 My Dear Enemy (with Ha Jung-woo); prior to that was the film that won her Best Actress at Cannes, Secret Sunshine.
Via Star News
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Tags: Jeon Do-yeon, remakes
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1 michi
October 31, 2009 at 1:12 PM
oh wow! plot sounds interesting esp with JDY playing the title role!
looking forward to this movie!
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2 birdscout
October 31, 2009 at 2:43 PM
wow, the stills from the original black and white movie look fascinating. Thanks for posting these photos, javabeans!
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3 anonymous
October 31, 2009 at 3:22 PM
I have the Housemaid and it is a very good old movie... Looking forward to this remake with Jeon Do Yeon. I am wondering who would be playing the husband and the wife???
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4 Bonnie
October 31, 2009 at 7:25 PM
Yeah, the original is a great film. Very creepy and very well-made.
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5 tinyviolin
October 31, 2009 at 9:16 PM
Oooh..thanks for posting this. I'll have to see the original now.
It sounds kind of like "Ivy", except that girl was a step/foster child?? And, of course, this was made before that. Well, the crazy homewrecker idea has been done frequently over the ensuing fifty years. Hopefully they can raise the bar. ;)
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6 Jenna
October 31, 2009 at 11:03 PM
Interesting! JDY is a fabulous actress that classic remake is totally her!!
yeah ..i'm so curious about the male and the other female lead. Ha JungWoo is tops on my list but that man has other movies in the making too.
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7 pabo ceo reom
October 31, 2009 at 11:09 PM
she definitely knows how to pick her projects!
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8 belleza
November 1, 2009 at 1:08 AM
Wish Jeon Do Yeon would do TV again. Maybe "Haters in Prague", or the "President's Daughter Is a North Korean Spy"
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9 Rovi
November 1, 2009 at 2:00 AM
Missed Jeon Do-yeon...
Didn't knew that she gave birth...that's why she's missing for so long...
Last seen her act in "Scandal"...
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10 belleza
November 1, 2009 at 2:11 AM
"Didn’t knew that she gave birth…that’s why she’s missing for so long…"
She did a movie with Ha Jung Woo last year. Haven't yet seen it (yeah, yeah , Belleza lazy . . .), but it's written and directed by Lee Yoon-Ki, who made Charming Girl with Kim Ji Soo.
Actually glad she didn't give up acting. Seems that whenever you hear news of an actress marrying a businessman, that's the end.
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