Crime-drama “Innocence,” featuring actresses Shin Hye-sun and Bae Jong-ok, is ready to hit local theaters on Wednesday. Originally slated to open in February, the film has been postponed twice due to the outbreak of the novel coronavirus.

In the upcoming film, Shin plays a hotshot attorney from a big law firm, Jeong-in, who defends her long-estranged mother Hwa-ja, played by Bae, in a murder trial. Hwa-ja, suffering from dementia, is accused of tampering with makgeolli served to guests at her husband’s funeral, leading to the death of one of the guests. Delving into the case, Jeong-in finds suspicious signs of a scheme surrounding the town’s Mayor Chu In-hoe and several townspeople in relation to the construction of a casino in the region.

Veteran actor Heo Joon-ho also stars as Mayor Chu.

The film is the first commercial movie to come from director Park Sang-hyun, who previously assisted direction of well-recognized films “Forever the Moment” (2007) by director Yim Soon-rye and “Bloody Tie” (2006) from director Choi Ho. 

Shin, 30, an aspiring actress who made herself known to Korean viewers through 2017 smash-hit tvN drama “Stranger” and KBS’ 52-episode “My Golden Life,” is taking up her first lead role on the big screen in the upcoming film. She was honored for best actress by KBS last year for her role in the broadcaster’s romance-drama “Angel’s Last Mission: Love.”

During the film’s premiere Thursday at the CGV cinema in Yongsan, central Seoul, the director explained he had Shin in mind from the start to lead the cast.

“I saw Shin’s acting in ‘Stranger’ and the flow of her emotions and her diction were very impressive. After Shin accepted the script, Bae naturally came to mind as Shin’s mother, but I was cautious since she has always taken up intelligent characters,” the director said. “Fortunately, Bae, who says she has had a thirst for acting, took the role with no hesitation.”

Bae, 56, made her debut as a television actress in 1985. Over time, she expanded to film and theater, winning the best supporting actress prize at the prestigious Daejong Film Awards in 1991 for her part in “Passion Portrait” and the best actress prize at the Baeksang Arts Awards in 1993 with “Walking Up to Heaven.”



By Choi Ji-won (jwc@heraldcorp.com)