| Perfect Proposal | |
|---|---|
Theatrical poster
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| Directed by | Yoon Jae-gu |
| Written by | Yoon Jae-gu |
| Based on | La Femme de paille byCatherine Arley[1] |
| Produced by | Min Jin-su |
| Starring | Im Soo-jung Yoo Yeon-seok |
| Cinematography | Lee Tae-yoon |
| Edited by | Lee Jin |
| Music by | Shim Hyun-jung |
Production |
Soo Film |
| Distributed by | CJ Entertainment[2][3] |
Release date |
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Running time | 110 minutes |
| Country | South Korea |
| Languages | Korean English Cantonese |
| Budget | ₩5 billion |
| Box office | ₩1.13 billion (US$1 million)[4] |
Perfect Proposal (Korean: 은밀한 유혹; RR: Eunmilhan Yuhok; lit. Secret Temptation) is a 2015 South Korean romantic thriller film written and directed by Yoon Jae-gu, based on the novel La Femme de paille ("Woman of Straw") by Catherine Arley.[5]
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Yoo Ji-yeon is a Korean university graduate who is stuck working as a waiter under the name "Jenny Yoo" in a Macanese bar after her colleague stole her credit card and all of her money before running away, forcing her to pay her increasingly rising debt. Her Macanese friend offers her a job interview with Kim Sung-yeol, the illegitimate son of Kim Seok-gu, a successful gambling corporation chairman who owns half of the casinos in Macau. Sung-yeol asks Ji-yeon to become Seok-gu's new bride, so she can inherit his property and divide it for the two of them. Sung-yeol is unable to inherit his property due to his status. Seok-gu has become grumpy since his family's deaths years ago.
Ji-yeon reluctantly learns manners resembling Seok-gu's late wife to better her chance in attracting the old man. Arriving at his yacht, Ji-yeon becomes a part of Seok-gu's attendants that include the Korean ship captain and maid Ji Yoo-mi who takes care of Seok-gu's pet chihuahua, the Russian Viktor, and the Pakistani Khan. Having to endure Seok-gu's constant lashing, criticism, and various other rhetoric, Ji-yeon nevertheless is able to stand up and change him into a less irascible person, even managing to make him play the piano again, an activity that used to be his hobby until his family's demise. Seok-gu in turn reveals about his past as a "circus" player in Macau, his reasons for using the whistle and constantly shouting, and also mentions a woman who helped him achieve his success.
Ji-yeon though is dispirited one night and searches solace in Sung-yeol, with whom she has fallen in love. Khan, however, sneaks on their conversations and begins to keep a watchful eye on the two. The other night, Ji-yeon has had enough and tries to leave, all while stating her discomfort of having to live for 10 years with Seok-gu even if the plan did work, in front of Sung-yeol. To her surprise, Seok-gu proposes to her the next day and has apparently modified his will to include her name. He states to Sung-yeol before the reception that he ignored him as he possesses "90% work, but not 10% luck" and thus not fit to inherit the casinos. At the wedding reception, Seok-gu nicknames Ji-yeon "Cinderella".
However, Ji-yeon discovers to her horror that Seok-gu has died the night after the reception. Sung-yeol tells her that they have to act normal until their arrival to Busan, followed by delivering Seok-gu's body to his home until Sung-yeol can sign his father's modified will that includes Ji-yeon's inheritance. Ji-yeon tries hard to keep the act in front of Seok-gu's personal assistant, Jang Hye-jin, who is beginning to suspect something. Eventually, she is caught by the police and accused as the murderer. She learns that Sung-yeol has prepared to inherit 10% of the estate since five years ago, with 90% of them donated for charity due to the South Korean inheritance law; Sung-yeol has been using her since the beginning so he could not only inherit the business but also to avenge his mother's abandonment by Seok-gu. Escorted to the prison, Ji-yeon sees Khan unsuccessfully trying to reach her and shouting "Camera!".
While scanning the identification papers, Ji-yeon realizes that the woman mentioned by Seok-gu is Hye-jin. Using Seok-gu's wording, Hye-jin frees Ji-yeon into probation so she can attend Seok-gu's funeral. There, Ji-yeon attempts to reach Khan, only to be apprehended, and from the crime scene photos further realizes that Seok-gu's chihuahua has been fitted with a camera that also recorded Seok-gu's real murderer: Sung-yeol. Khan is the only one knowing this, but Sung-yeol kills him to silence him. The chihuahua is currently carried by Yoo-mi, who is hunted by Sung-yeol. Ji-yeon manages to reach their rendezvous place and after a struggle, is able to get the camera and knocks down Sung-yeol with Yoo-mi's help.
Sung-yeol is arrested for the murders while Ji-yeon's inheritance as Seok-gu's wife is realized, making her the new owner of the Macanese casinos. Ji-yeon visits Sung-yeol at the prison to hear his reasons and that he never loved her. Just before she leaves, Sung-yeol tells her that he is the one who made her "Cinderella": Ji-yeon gives a smile.
Perfect Proposal was released on 4 June 2015 and it opened at fourth place in the box office, earning ₩760 million (US$676,000) from 95,700 admissions in its first four days.[7] So far, it has grossed ₩1,135,684,747 from 145,244 admissions.
