Failan is a 2001 South Korean film written and directed by Song Hae-seong

Song Hae-seong

Song Hae-seong is a South Korean film director and screenwriter. He made his feature film debut in 1999 with Calla, but didn't become more widely known until the success of his second film, Failan...

. The film was adapted from a Japanese novel

Japanese literature

Early works of Japanese literature were heavily influenced by cultural contact with China and Chinese literature, often written in Classical Chinese. Indian literature also had an influence through the diffusion of Buddhism in Japan...

 by Jiro Asada. It stars Choi Min-sik

Choi Min-sik

Choi Min-sik is a South Korean actor. He is best known for his critically acclaimed roles in Oldboy and I Saw the Devil.-Movie career:...

 and Hong Kong

Hong Kong

Hong Kong is one of two Special Administrative Regions of the People's Republic of China , the other being Macau. A city-state situated on China's south coast and enclosed by the Pearl River Delta and South China Sea, it is renowned for its expansive skyline and deep natural harbour...

 actress Cecilia Cheung

Cecilia Cheung

Cecilia Cheung Pak-Chi is a Hong Kong actress and cantopop singer. She is the ex-wife of Nicholas Tse, thus being the daughter-in-law of Patrick Tse and Deborah Lee. She and Nicholas have two sons, Lucas and Quintus Tse...

.

Plot

A Chinese woman named Failan comes to Korea after the death of her parents in search of her remaining family. Finding they have immigrated to Canada, she arranges a fake marriage to obtain a work permit in order to stay in the country. Though tricked and pressured toward working as a prostitute, Failan escapes this situation to work for an old woman at a laundromat. Tragically, it isn't long before Failan becomes fatally ill.

Meanwhile, her legal husband, a low-level gangster, deals with his own troubles. He dreams of returning to his hometown with his own fishing boat, but his situation seems to be hopeless as he feuds with other gangland associates and drinks excessively. He later on decides to take on the blame of murder for his boss who promises him a handsome reward.

One day he receives a notification from the police regarding the death of his wife whom he has never met. What follows inspires him to reassess his deplorable life...

Awards

Grand Bell Awards

Grand Bell Awards

The Grand Bell Awards is an awards ceremony presented annually by The Motion Pictures Association of Korea for excellence in film in South Korea....

 2002

• Grand Bell Award for Best Director

Deauville Asian Film Festival

Deauville Asian Film Festival

The Deauville Asian Film Festival takes place annually in Deauville, France since 1999 and focuses on Asian cinema...

 2002

• Lotus for Best Film

Cast

• Cecilia Cheung
  Cecilia Cheung
  Cecilia Cheung Pak-Chi is a Hong Kong actress and cantopop singer. She is the ex-wife of Nicholas Tse, thus being the daughter-in-law of Patrick Tse and Deborah Lee. She and Nicholas have two sons, Lucas and Quintus Tse...
  
   (장백지)
• Choi Min-sik
  Choi Min-sik
  Choi Min-sik is a South Korean actor. He is best known for his critically acclaimed roles in Oldboy and I Saw the Devil.-Movie career:...
  
   (최민식)
• Son Byeong Ho (손병호)
• Kong Hyeong-jin (공형진)
• Kim Ji Yeong
  Kim Ji Yeong
  Kim Ji Yeong is a South Korean voice actor. She joined the Munhwa Broadcasting Corporation's voice acting division in 1999.-Broadcast TV:*E-Mark *Magical DoReMi *Digimon Frontier...
  
   (김지영)
• Min Kyeong Jin (민경진)
• Ji Dae Han (지대한)
• Kim Hae Gon (김해곤)
• Kim Kyeong Ae (김경애)
• Kim Kwang Sik (김광식)
• Kong Yoo Seok (공유석)
• Jeong Dae Hoon (정대훈)
• Kim Su Hyeon (김수현)

External links

• Failan at HanCinema
• Review at koreanfilm.org