The Taste of Money

Keeping It In The Family: A Korean Drama About Greed, Infidelity, And Duplicity
No one is an innocent in the Korean drama "The Taste of Money" and that's a decidedly good thing. While I was a fan of director Im Sang-Soo's "The Housemaid," it had a chilly remoteness that kept me at arm's length throughout. I had no such qualms with "The Taste of Money." Hard edged, cynical, and merciless, this family saga plays out to almost Shakespearean proportions. There are enough bad acts committed within the central clan of this film to fuel several other movies. From suspicious business deals, to underworld crime connections, to scandalous sexual escapades, the lifestyles of the rich and privileged have never looked so cold hearted or depraved. It's eat or be eaten, any sign of weakness may spell your demise. This is exactly the type of adult soap opera that I crave. And set in the opulent surroundings of luxury, the film has a style and a visual splendor to spare. In case you couldn't tell, I quite liked this one even if I felt a little dirty for doing so.

Set...

Another View Into the Lifestyles of the Rich and Shameless
I always find it more than a bit ironic when rich, artsy types feel the need to expose just how far money corrupts. On occasions - such as in Im Sang-soo's stellar 2010 remake of THE HOUSEMAID - it's particularly effective, insightful, and downright scathing. In fact, one has to wonder how these rich, artsy types go about finding the money and the financiers to put together such a visual indictment about how money destroys things, but, thankfully, I'm not a part of that world. All I have to do as a viewer is sit back and watch how the world unravels, confident in my assessment that I'll never have the kind of `scratch' to live the lifestyles of the rich and shameless. I guess it's true that money can't buy you happiness, but, boy, if THE TASTE OF MONEY is any indication, it sure can buy you tragedy.

(NOTE: The following review will contain minor spoilers necessary solely for the discussion of plot and characters. If you're the kind of reader who prefers a review...

Keeping It In The Family: A Korean Drama About Greed, Infidelity, And Duplicity
No one is an innocent in the Korean drama "The Taste of Money" and that's a decidedly good thing. While I was a fan of director Im Sang-Soo's "The Housemaid," it had a chilly remoteness that kept me at arm's length throughout. I had no such qualms with "The Taste of Money." Hard edged, cynical, and merciless, this family saga plays out to almost Shakespearean proportions. There are enough bad acts committed within the central clan of this film to fuel several other movies. From suspicious business deals, to underworld crime connections, to scandalous sexual escapades, the lifestyles of the rich and privileged have never looked so cold hearted or depraved. It's eat or be eaten, any sign of weakness may spell your demise. This is exactly the type of adult soap opera that I crave. And set in the opulent surroundings of luxury, the film has a style and a visual splendor to spare. In case you couldn't tell, I quite liked this one even if I felt a little dirty for doing so.

Set...

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