Kim Min Hee will have to guard her money and her sanity when she plays the female lead in the upcoming thriller "Agassi."
The model-turned-actress will play an heiress who seems to become the victim of a con man. At least that is how the story starts.
That con man, played by Ha Jung Woo, is pretending to be a Japanese aristocrat. His scheme is to woo and marry the heiress. Once they are married, he plans to have her declared insane and committed to an asylum. Once she is safely committed he can command her fortune.
To accomplish his plan of seduction, he enlists the help of a female pickpocket who he asks to pretend to be a lady's maid. Her job is to become friendly with the lady and persuade her to marry him.
But the pickpocket-turned-lady's maid, played by rookie Kim Tae Ri, grows fond of the lady and begins to feel bad about her involvement in the scheme. In a strange twist of fate, the lady's maid may become the victim of the plot.
The heiress also has an uncle who serves as her guardian but has a strange agenda of his own. Jo Jin Woong, who appeared in "Kundo," will play the uncle.
The novel is based on the 2002 Victorian-inspired novel "Fingersmith" by Sarah Waters, but the setting has been updated to early 20th century Korea, when the nation was ruled by Japan. The novel, which is rich in surprising plot twists, also inspired a two-part BBC series in 2005.
Kim Min Hee is known for her performance in the films "Helpless," Very Ordinary Couple," and "The Crying Man." Her last drama was "Love Marriage" in 2008. She won a 2013 Baeksang Arts Award for Best Actress for her role in 'Very Ordinary Couple."
Ha Jung Woo was last seen in the film "Kundo." He is known for his performances in the recent films "The Terror Live," "The Berlin File" and "Fasten Your Seatbelts."
Park Chan Wook, who directed the classic k-movie "Old Boy," will direct "Agassi." It's his first Korean film following the 2009 film "Thirst." In 2013 he worked in Hollywood, directing "Stoker," the British-American film starring Nicole Widman, Matthew Goode and Mia Wasikowska.
"Agassi" is being co-produced by Park's company, Moho Film, and Yong Film, which is the company headed by "Old Boy" producer Lim Sung Yong.
"Agassi" begins filming in January 2015.
