Fans of Bae Yong Jun beware! K-drama's Bae Yong Jun is irresistible in Untold Scandal, with clothes and spectacles stripped. Bae is Chosun's most infamous playboy in E J Yong's adaptation of the controversial French novel "Dangerous Liaisons". This film has topped Korea's box office chart for two consecutive weeks, so no self-respecting Bae Yong Jun fan should miss this!

Against the backdrop of the Chosun dynasty, Untold Scandal provides a voyeuristic view of sexual appetites bubbling beneath the surface of rigid Confucianism in 18th century Korean high society. Bae Yong Jun stars as Jo Won, an accomplished scholar and womaniser bent on breaking down Lady Sook (Jeon Do Yeon), a staunch Catholic and chaste widow of nine years. Complicating the picture is Lady Cho (Lee Mi Sook), Jo Won's cousin and first love, who tempts Jo Won into deflowering her husband's 16-year-old concubine Soh Oh (Lee Soh Yeon) by wagering herself as a reward. A chaste widow, a tempting first love and a nubile innocent. Three unexplored frontiers for Jo Won. Can he survive his explorations into forbidden territory and learn the true meaning of sex?

The thrill lies in how Jo Won wooes and traps his victims. The effect is amusing, as his victims fall one by one into his traps. Towards the end, the mood becomes more sombre, as the plot shifts into serious considerations of love and its consequences.

As in the novel, the film excels in depicting different facets of Chosun society. The surface is one of strict morality while behind doors sexual romps are commonplace. Kindness is meant to dupe innocents, while pure love is repressed. At all times, a sexual hunger waiting to be unleashed lurks within every character,

Lee Mi Sook stands out in conveying the multi-faceted character of Lady Cho. Jeon Do Yeon, as the chaste widow, is beautiful, innocent and endearing in her tragedy. Even a minor character like Jo Won's servant is given a substantive role with a complex personality.

Of course, the biggest star of the show is Bae Yong Jun. Proving his critics wrong, he successfully transforms into a lascivious Casanova, with measured poise and confident seduction. His performance in the film is superb. He can seduce, elicit laughs and even sympathy.

The sex portrayed in the film is distinctively Korean - restrained, tasteful and brief. Bae Yong Jun looks professional and comfortable in the sex scene. Fans will be excited to know that they'll get a good view of his buff bod.

Set in lush scenery and grand buildings of Chosun with authentic Korean costumes, the film is elegant yet colourful.

However, the film fails to leave much impressions on viewers, especially towards the final third of the film. There is a lack of emotional interaction between members of the cast to leave a story in the minds of viewers after leaving the theatre.

Still, Untold Scandal is quite an enjoyable film, even for non-fans of Bae Yong Jun. It manages to merge complexity and elegance into an amusing illustration of a playboy's life.