At the heart of this barely 50-minute long melodrama is Ae-soon, who leaves her husband and child to begin an affair with a shady rich man in hope of advancing her status. Popular leading actress of the time Moon Ye-bong creates the nuanced portrait of a woman torn between traditional family life and the seductions of the modern world. At the same time, the film’s many exterior shots of cafes, hotels, and department stores convey a unique documentary impression of 30s Seoul.
(Arsenal Kino)