Synopsis
The Taste of Money (Korean Title: Don-ui Mat) is an erotic-thriller film from South Korea that was directed and written by Im Sang-soo. The plot is centered around the Yoon family, a chaebol that is both a business conglomerate and a pillar of social and political power in Seoul. The Chairman Yoon is the reigning head of the empire, but it is Baek Geum-ok, his spouse, who is the actual power behind the throne. Baek Geum-ok, as the daughter of an industrial tycoon, exercises authoritarian control over her family and business, and as such, her rule is autocratic.
Joo Young-jak, the family’s secretary, is a low-level employee who is in charge of juggling the personal and corporate matters of the family. Due to his position with the family, it becomes clear that he has certain goals which are at odds with some of their unethical practices. Young-jak’s ambitions put him at odds with the family’s moral decay. While servicing the family’s business, he is required to finalize a prominent contract with American businessperson Robert Altman. The deal will not only require colossal business but also sexual favors—this highlights how deep the family is buried in rot.
The story darkens as Geum-ok catches her husband in a steamy affair with their young maid, Eva, through surveillance cameras. In a form of catharsis, she takes revenge by seducing Young-jak. The intricately woven connections between family members begin to come apart. When the son Yoon Chul gets arrested for money laundering in relation to a business deal, Geum-ok orders Eva’s assassination to avoid scandal. Chairman Yoon bears the weight of the grief and guilt that floods him after losing his wife and in a desperate act of remorse, takes his own life.
As the family unit disintegrates, Young-jak resigns, traveling to the Philippines with Eva’s corpse. Accompanied by his daughter, Yoon Nami, who while morally driven, seeks to break free from the toxic legacy of her family. The film concludes with this ambiguous journey, suggesting both exile and lingering attachment to what once was.
Cast & Crew
Director & Writer: Im Sang-soo – Renowned for his socially critical works, Im further explores issues on power, class, and sexual politics, themes he approached in The Housemaid.
Joo Young-jak (played by Kim Kang-woo) – A young, eager secretary whose quiet ambition shaped him into an active witness and participant in the family’s degeneration into moral decay.
Baek Geum-ok (played by Youn Yuh-jung) – A commanding matriarch of the family who rules with a frosty grip. Through her portrayal of female sexuality in later life, she shatters social taboos.
Chairman Yoon (played by Baek Yoon-sik) – A disconnected and unproductive family member who has suffered a mental delusion, losing all connection to the collapsing family structure.
Yoon Nami (played by Kim Hyo-jin) – The daughter of the family. She is detached and distant after being raised abroad. She represents moral ambiguity while also serving as a beacon of hope.
Yoon Chul (played by On Joo-wan) – The hotheaded and spoiled son of the family. He is the catalyst for a series of unfortunate events through his criminal behavior.
Eva (played by Maui Taylor) – The young Filipino maid who is a stark contrast to the victimized family with her untainted innocence.
Robert Altman (played by Darcy Paquet) – A truly international figure of the family’s corruption is a businessman from the West, further accentuating their reach.
Themes & Style
This movie tackles the taste of money by showcasing the corruption of its people alongside stunning cinematography. Sang-soo tools of choice: South Korean architecture filled with rich, cold mansions emblems and shining emptiness paired dressed faces stripped of warmth.
Wealth and moral deterioration: The film exemplifies how money serves as a trap substituting love, trust, and basic human empathy for greed and paranoia.
Sex and power: Eroticism transcends aesthetics and becomes armament. Characters wield sex as a tool for asserting dominance, control, or vengeance.
Family and Betrayal: The Yoon family only appears to unite as a family. Loyalty is a facade, and betrayal turns into everyday currency.
Social criticism: The film examines class inequality, cultural elitism, and the alienating nature of capitalism. The foreign maid, Eva, starkly contrasts the wealthy protagonists and embodies the lower class’s expendability.
Taste of Money has an approximate IMDb score of 6.1/10. The film premiered in Cannes in 2012, receiving mixed to poorly reviews, especially from overseas critics. While noted for its opulent visuals, the film was critiqued for its lack of emotional and character depth.
Critics were divided. Some praised the bold direction and unapologetic critique of the Korean elite, while others called it cold, melodramatic, and unfocused. The pacing, while intentional, was often regarded as slothful. Even though the characters were meant to be symbolic, they were seen as emotionally disconnected.
Youn Yuh-jung earned accolades for her daring and multifaceted portrayal of a woman who aged compellingly in an explicit sexual and commanding role. Also praised was Kim Kang-woo for his portrayal of a morally compromising conflicted man.
Box Office & Recognition
The film earned a moderately successful domestic box office of approximately ₩7.9 billion. Its international distribution included sales to over 15 countries, especially in North America where it was picked up by an art-house film specialty distributor.
The film received relfected award for Best Music at The Buil Film Awards alongside multiple nominations for cinematography and acting.
Legacy & Conclusion
The Taste of Money remains one of the boldest and most provocative modern pieces of South Korean cinema. It builds further the narrative universe established in The Housemaid, exploring themes of power, sex, and social hierarchy more. Even if it is not universally praised, the film stands as a commentary on the destructive consequences of unrestrained wealth and ambition.
For the audience interested in socially incisive and aesthetically polished films, The Taste of Money provides a distant emotional engagement, but compelling in its critique. It is not an easy watch—but an unforgettable film driven by visual splendor and moral cynicism.
The film poses a haunting question in the end: If everything can be bought, what is there truly left to cherish?
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