en Detective K: Secret of the Virtuous Widow

Detective K: Secret Of Virtuous Widow
Detective K: Secret Of Virtuous Widow
Korean name
Hangul	조선명탐정: 각시투구꽃의 비밀
Hanja	朝鮮名探偵: 각시투구꽃의 祕密
Revised Romanization	Joseon Myeongtamjeong: Gaksitugukkochui Bimil
McCune–Reischauer	Chosŏn Myŏngt'amjŏng: Kaksit'ugukkoch'ŭi Pimil
Directed by	Kim Sok-yun
Written by	Lee Chun-hyeong ; Lee Nam-gyu
Based on	The Secret of the Virtuous Widow; by Kim Tak-hwan
Produced by	Kim Jho Kwang-soo ; Lee Seon-mi
Starring	Kim Myung-min ; Han Ji-min ; Oh Dal-su
Cinematography	Jang Nam-cheol
Edited by	Kim Sun-min
Music by	Kim Han-jo ; Eom Gi-yeop
Production; company	Generation Blue Films
Distributed by	Showbox/Mediaplex
Release date	27 January 2011;
Running time	115 minutes
Country	South Korea
Language	Korean
Box office	US$32.3 million

Detective K: Secret of the Virtuous Widow (Korean: 조선명탐정: 각시투구꽃의 비밀) is a 2011 South Korean period action comedy film based on the novel by Kim Tak-hwan, starring Kim Myung-min in the lead role.^[2] It is the 4th highest-grossing Korean film of 2011.^[3]

Plot

In 1782, 16 years after Jeongjo became the King of Joseon, a series of murders occurs. King Jeongjo believes the murders may belong to a conspiracy by government officials to cover up tributary payments. King Jeongjo then gives Detective K (Kim Myung-min) a secret order to find out who is behind the killings.

When Detective K goes to question the jailed city governor, he discovers that the governor has just been murdered. Detective K then pulls out the murder weapon: a long metal needle that is jammed into the back of the governor's head. Furthermore, Detective K discovers a clue to the murderer's identity. Remnants of the regional Wolfsbane flower are found near the long metal needle. But, while Detective K is holding the murder weapon, prison guards come into the cell and assume that Detective K murdered the city governor. Now imprisoned, Detective K awakes to find dog fancier Seo-pil (Oh Dal-su) standing over him. Seo-pil helps Detective K escape from prison.

Because of this incident, King Jeongjo demotes Detective K and reassigns him to Jeokseong to investigate the case of a woman thought to have killed herself after the death of her husband. But, this reassignment is more of a ruse for Detective K to get to Jeokseong – the area where the Wolfsbane flower blooms.

As Detective K and Seo-pil investigate in Jeokseong, they come across lady Han Kaek-ju (Han Ji-min), who works as a commission agent and controls large groups of merchants. Detective K and Seo-Pil suspect that Han Kaek-ju and the head of the Noron political party Minister Im (Lee Jae-yong) are embezzling taxes to pay off politicians. Meanwhile, Detective K also investigates the case of the woman who reportedly committed suicide after the death of her husband and comes to the conclusion that these two cases are somehow related.

Cast

Kim Myung-min as Detective K
Han Ji-min as Han Kaek-ju
Oh Dal-su as Han Seo-pil
Lee Jae-yong as Minister Im
Woo Hyeon as Mr. Bang
Ye Soo-jung as Im's wife
Choi Moo-sung as medical guru
Jung In-gi as magistrate
Lee Seol-gu as servant 4
Choi Jae-sup as Lee Bang
Moon Kyung-min as old blacksmith
Kim Tae-hoon as Im Geo-seon
Nam Sung-jin as King Jeongjo
Yang Han-yeol as Young slave
Lee Chae-eun as Young slave
Kim Young-hoon as Priest

Release

The film was released in South Korea on January 27, 2011. It received a theatrical run in 10 cities in the U.S. and Canada in March 2011, including Los Angeles, San Francisco, Atlanta, Seattle, Chicago, Dallas, Hawaii and Vancouver.^[4] It was also sold to Australia, China, Taiwan, Thailand, Germany, Austria, and Switzerland, and screened at the Hawaii International Film Festival.^[5]

Sequels

The sequel was released in February 2015. Kim Myung-min and Oh Dal-su reprised their roles, and are joined by Lee Yeon-hee as a femme fatale.^[6]^[7]

A third film, Detective K: Secret of the Living Dead, was released on February 8, 2018.

References

^ "Chosun Myungtamjeong (Chosun's Detective) (2011)". Box Office Mojo. Retrieved 2012-06-04.
^ Lee, Hyo-won (20 January 2011). "Actors enliven uncanny period adventure". The Korea Times. Retrieved 2014-06-11.
^ "The Best Selling Films of 2011". Koreanfilm.org. Retrieved 2012-06-04.
^ Lee, Hyo-won (4 March 2011). "Detective K to open in N. American theaters". The Korea Times. Retrieved 2014-06-11.
^ "Is Hollywood Ready for Korean Comedies?". The Chosun Ilbo. 4 March 2011. Retrieved 2012-07-27.
^ Kim, Hee-eun (10 June 2014). "Detective K team returns to set". Korea JoongAng Daily. Retrieved 2014-06-11.
^ Tae, Sang-joon (16 June 2014). "DETECTIVE K: LABORER'S DAUGHTER to Crankin in June". Korean Film Biz Zone. Retrieved 2014-06-16.

External links

Official website (in Korean)
Detective K: Secret of the Virtuous Widow at Naver (in Korean)
Detective K: Secret of the Virtuous Widow at the Korean Movie Database (in Korean)
Detective K: Secret of the Virtuous Widow at IMDb
Detective K at HanCinema

[1] "Chosun Myungtamjeong (Chosun's Detective) (2011)". Box Office Mojo. Retrieved 2012-06-04.

[2] Lee, Hyo-won (20 January 2011). "Actors enliven uncanny period adventure". The Korea Times. Retrieved 2014-06-11.

[3] "The Best Selling Films of 2011". Koreanfilm.org. Retrieved 2012-06-04.

[4] Lee, Hyo-won (4 March 2011). "Detective K to open in N. American theaters". The Korea Times. Retrieved 2014-06-11.

[5] "Is Hollywood Ready for Korean Comedies?". The Chosun Ilbo. 4 March 2011. Retrieved 2012-07-27.

[6] Kim, Hee-eun (10 June 2014). "Detective K team returns to set". Korea JoongAng Daily. Retrieved 2014-06-11.

[7] Tae, Sang-joon (16 June 2014). "DETECTIVE K: LABORER'S DAUGHTER to Crankin in June". Korean Film Biz Zone. Retrieved 2014-06-16.

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