The Taste of Money is a 2016 South Korean drama film directed by Hong so-dong. The film tells the story of a wife Xia Rong (played by Lee Eun-mi), who lost her belly child due to a traffic accident, and longs to change her life under the inferiority and abuse of her husband Pingqiao (played by Zhang Hyunyou).
Through Xia Rong's yearning for red leather shoes, the film symbolizes her desire and fantasy for a gorgeous life. She meets a mysterious and wealthy man, Kim Tae-ho (Cho Myung-hyun), at work, and is attracted to him. Kim Tae-ho gave her a pair of red leather shoes and invited her to his mansion. Ha Young begins to have an affair with Kim Tae-ho and enjoys the material and spiritual satisfaction he gives her.
However, Ha Rong does not know Kim Tae-ho's true identity and purpose. He is actually an underworld boss who specializes in criminal activities such as money laundering and smuggling. He uses Xia Rong as his insider in the bank and asks her to help him transfer large sums of money. When Xia Rong discovered the truth, he was already in a crisis that he could not extricate himself.
The film shows the corrosive effect of money on human nature and morality in a suspenseful and thrilling way. The film also explores themes such as marriage, family, and society, reflecting the common problems of class differentiation, wealth gap, and material desires in contemporary Korean society.
The film has good performance in actors, music, photography and other aspects, especially the two starring actors Lee Eun-mi and Cho Ming-chi, who have created complex and real character images and left a deep impression on the audience.
Overall, "The Taste of Money" is a movie worth watching, which not only provides a tense and exciting plot and visual enjoyment, but also triggers people's thinking about the value of life and moral choices.