High Society (2018) is a South Korean film that intertwines drama with social themes, directed and written by Byun Hyuk and featuring Park Hae-il and Soo Ae in the leading roles. The film was released on August 29, 2018, in South Korea. This film follows the intricate, morally disturbing pathways of a married couple trying to navigate through Korea’s elite political and cultural echelons. Its 119-minute running time is packed with the interplay between ambition and ethics and social corruption, depicting the disheartening reality of gaining modern-day Seoul’s privilege and power.
Synopsis
The story focuses on the characters Jang Tae-joon, an economics professor at Seoul National University, and his wife Oh Soo-yeon, who works as a deputy director in one of the country’s leading art galleries. The pair are astute, principled, and driven. Tae-joon hopes to one day become a politician to “fix” the system from the inside, while Soo-yeon aims for the director position of the gallery which would secure her as part of Korea’s cultural elite.
To an extent, the couple appears to mark the integrity and ambition stemming from merit. However, when Tae-joon receives attention for saving a man from self-immolation and subsequently enters the political spotlight, both of them come to the realization that ideals alone won’t suffice. Climbing the social ladder requires a underhanded blend of compromise, moral transgressions, manipulation, and puppet strings.
Drawing from the aspirations, the couple gets closer to the orbit of Han Yong-seok, a dubious businessman connected to politics, organized crime, and the underworld. He offers to back Tae-joon politically with the expectation of loyalty and control in return. At the same time, Soo-yeon finds that advancing forward in the art world is collaterally tethered to her husband’s political progress, as well as to her ability to navigate a sea of influence, seduction, and subtle coercion.
As the narrative progresses, the couple’s moral lines begin to blur. What begins as idealism and integrity contorts into the rot of political favors, elite manipulation, and personal betrayal. The marriage of Tae-joon and Soo-yeon unravels as the weight of their decisions pushes down on them, exposing the societal decay underlying the world they desperately wish to inhabit.
Cast & Crew
The role of Jang Tae-joon, an academic who methodically critiques the sociopolitical landscape only to find himself absorbed in its intricacies, is performed by Park Hae-il. He embodies the slow erosion of character that comes with enduring pressure remarkably well.
Oh Soo-yeon is played by Soo-Ae; she is an art curator known for being a shrewd go-getter. Her character contains duality as well; she also struggles with the brutal realities of power and control within the upper echelons of the art world. Soo-Ae’s performance revealed a complex blend of power and fragility.
Taking the role of Han Yong-seok is Yoon Je-moon, a sinister character with more than enough wealth to finance a patron and still hold power as a menacing benefactor. He is intense and unsettling as he exemplifies some of the worst aspects of power: complete control and demand for total surrender.
Other supporting characters include Ra Mi-ran as Soo-yeon’s boss at the gallery and Lee Jin-wook as Shin Ji-ho, helping round out the world of intertwining politics, art, business, and society.
After almost a decade away from the silver screen, director Byun Hyuk returned to deliver a film that intertwines ambition, identity, and corruption within a tightly woven narrative. The film also features remarkable cinematography by Park Se-seung, who marks the character’s moral decline with lighting and color motifs. The quasi-silent score by Jang Young-kyu is thematically aligned with the film and features a minimalist and poignant soundscape.
Detailed Plot Development
The film begins with the characterization of Tae-joon and Soo-yeon as professionals who are genuinely sincere and hard-working. Their hope and professional upward mobility is reflected in the film’s aesthetics through bright lighting and modern architecture. However, as the characters get into deeper dealings with more powerful people, the visual tone of the film changes for the worse. The lighting starkly muted, colors drained, and the framing tight; visually capturing the suffocating descent atmosphere.
A public heroic act catalyzes Tae-joon’s political rise, capturing the gaze of the media and public. Han Yong-seok, a political mentor and financier, seizes the opportunity. Disregarding ethics with loose funding controls, Tae-joon starts making compromises by accepting dubious funds and campaign strategies. Even Soo-yeon takes off the gallery’s facade and starts navigating through backdoor deals and hidden agendas.
The tipping point comes when both protagonists rationalize their actions and state that they will work to instigate change when they succeed. However, their actions already inflict irreversible self-inflicted harm by this point.
The emotional climax shows the couple achieve the zenith of their goals but lose their integrity, relationship, and emotional wellbeing in the process. There is no sweet victory lap—only sober realization that the society they wished to belong to is rotten at the core.
Critical Reception and Ratings
In IMDb, High Society has a fair rating and is viewed along limitation boundaries of both appreciation and critique. The film was praised along its stylistic direction for strong performances, but the pacing and structure faced scrutiny. Some viewers found the themes and characters engaging only to be disappointed by unresolved plots. The film was critiqued for its emotional detachment at times despite its dramatic focus.
The film “High Society” debuted in second place at the South Korean box office, earning $775,270 on its first day across 867 screens. It grossed over $2.4 million during its opening weekend and brought its total earnings to roughly $5.6 million with more than 766,000 admissions. Despite being a commercial success for an R-rated film, it fell short of breakout hit status.
Final Analysis
“High Society” is a striking visually and intellectually provocative drama that examines the price of ambition and the ethical compromises people make in the pursuit of gaining influence. Despite remaining a captivating examination of class, power, and corruption within contemporary South Korean society, its pacing can feel uneven and its resolution lackluster.
The film shines in regards to performances, particularly Park Hae-il’s and Soo Ae’s, who strengthened the narrative through visual storytelling. It offers no simplistic answers to its questions, providing instead a stark portrayal of the reality of ‘making it’ within a rigorously classed society characterized by privilege and silence.
“High Society” poses the question to the audience of whether the cost of success is ever truly worth paying. For those seeking politically charged dramas featuring rich character studies and social commentary, “High Society” is a viewing necessity.
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