73
Metascore
Generally Favorable
positive
15(83%)
mixed
3(17%)
negative
0(0%)
Showing 18 Critic Reviews
90
A 10-course treat for the eyes and ears.
90
Genteelly erotic, surprisingly emotional, exquisitely made from start to finish.
88
A Frenchman may have thought of the story first, but this Korean film pays tribute to the original while perfectly standing on its own.
83
What it lacks in melodramatic punch it makes up for in unexpected shadings in the characters, predator and victim alike.
80
E J-Yong's transposition illuminates, with satisfying crispness, the hyper-Confucian high society of the time, as well as the underground Catholic movement.
80
Director Lee Je-Yong gives the book a makeover full of wit and startling beauty as a tragicomedy of Korean manners at the dawn of the Chosun dynasty in the late 18th century, a period known for its gravitas.
75
The oft-told story of lust and deception isn't the reason to see Untold Scandal -- Rather, it's the look -- stunning costumes and art direction, lush landscapes, and beautifully framed and lighted sequences -- that make this worth seeking out.
75
Through a subplot dealing with Catholic missionaries, an underlying theme of Western encroachment on ancient Korean culture permeates this lushly filmed tale.
By Robert Dominguez
FULL REVIEW 75
Of all the "Liaisons" adaptations, this may be the most sentimental.
75
Pictorially sumptuous and sexually provocative.
