Two male idols, Jung Woo-sung and Jo In-sung, uncover a web of money, power, and sex

By MOOK Scenic Spots, compiled and reported

Korean film history has never seen an acting powerhouse duo like this — Jo In-sung, Jung Woo-sung, Ryu Jun-yeol, Bae Sung-woo, Kim Eui-sung, and Kim Ah-young — all sharing the screen in a fierce battle of talent, exposing a web of money, power, and seduction, and posing the compelling question to society: “Who is the real king?” Directed by Han Jae-rim, who won the Grand Bell Award for Best Director for The Face Reader, his powerful 2017 new work, Money, Power, Sex, tells the revenge story of a young prosecutor played by Jo In-sung, who climbs the ladder of power by cozying up to the elite and manipulating both the legal and underworld worlds, only to be betrayed. The film surpassed 5.33 million admissions in Korea, setting the highest box office record for January in history, and topped the charts for eight consecutive days after its release!

The protagonist Park Tae-soo (played by Jo In-sung) was originally a small-time troublemaker, frequently causing disturbances and hanging out in shady places with Choi Du-il (played by Ryu Jun-yeol). One day, after witnessing his father being humiliated by a prosecutor, he becomes aware of the importance of power and, relying on his exceptional intelligence, passes the bar exam and embarks on a path to chase power.

Essentially a man of justice, Tae-soo, after becoming a prosecutor, investigates a sexual assault case that had been buried. Unexpectedly, this catches the attention of senior prosecutor Yang Dong-cheol (played by Bae Sung-woo), who persuades Tae-soo to turn a blind eye and teaches him the best timing to expose secrets. He then brings Tae-soo into the sphere of influence led by Han Kang-sik (played by Jung Woo-sung), tying him to various profit-driven schemes. Through multiple regime changes, the power base of Prosecutor General candidate Han Kang-sik becomes even more solidified, and his right-hand men, Park Tae-soo and Yang Dong-cheol, rise rapidly as well.

By a twist of fate, Tae-soo reunites with his old friend from his hometown, Choi Du-il (played by Ryu Jun-yeol), who has now become the successor of a gang and is responsible for eliminating Tae-soo’s rivals through illegal means. Later, Tae-soo marries the daughter of a chaebol, Sang-hee (played by Kim Ah-young), which naturally brings him closer to the center of power, allowing him to wield influence across both legal and criminal worlds.

But in an instant, Tae-soo falls from heaven to hell. Because of Du-il’s mistake, Han Kang-sik angrily cuts ties with Tae-soo, and at the same time, his wife Sang-hee leaves him upon discovering evidence of his infidelity. Tae-soo realizes he has always been nothing more than a pawn to be used and discarded, and thus begins planning an earth-shattering revenge...

In an era of prolific star output, Jo In-sung resists the trend, refusing to act in subpar roles and choosing scripts carefully before committing. Director Han Jae-rim admitted that he was initially worried about being rejected when approaching Jo In-sung, given that it had been eight years since Jo’s last film and his standards for a “comeback” would undoubtedly be high. However, this is a biographical-style movie told from the perspective of the protagonist Park Tae-soo, so the actor playing Tae-soo must possess exceptional acting ability and screen charisma to portray this man over a span of 30 years. Therefore, director Han Jae-rim had set his sights on Jo In-sung as soon as the script began taking shape three years ago. After reading the script, Jo In-sung found the story and the stellar cast behind and in front of the camera impeccable, giving him “no reason to refuse.” As Money, Power, Sex received widespread acclaim following its release, director Han Jae-rim and Jo In-sung confidently stated that the film met Jo’s expectations for a comeback project, underscoring the high regard for this work.