The Taste of Money
Year: 2013
Runtime: 115 min
Language: Korean
Director: Sang-soo Im
Within Seoul's affluent elite, a lavish mansion serves as the epicenter of power and indulgence. Madame Baek, a shrewd and dominant matriarch, holds considerable influence, with her husband’s political position acting as a facade. Young-jak, an ambitious secretary, finds himself drawn into the family's morally ambiguous world, where the pursuit of wealth and status blurs the lines between right and wrong. He must then grapple with the temptation of easy success and the conflict with his own values.
The Taste of Money (2013) – Spoiler-Free Movie Summary & Plot Overview
Get a spoiler-free look at The Taste of Money (2013) with a clear plot overview that covers the setting, main characters, and story premise—without revealing key twists or the ending. Perfect for deciding if this film is your next watch.
In the sleek outskirts of Seoul, a sprawling mansion stands as both sanctuary and stage for the city’s most privileged. The architecture exudes quiet opulence—marble corridors, manicured gardens, and rooms that echo with the soft murmur of whispered deals. Within these walls, the pursuit of influence and wealth creates a delicate perfume of ambition, where every glance can be a negotiation and every smile may conceal a calculation. The atmosphere hums with a restrained tension, a blend of high‑society elegance and the hidden currents that drive the elite’s relentless climb.
Madame Baek commands the household with an iron will softened by practiced grace. Married to a political figure whose position serves more as a public façade than a source of power, she skillfully orchestrates the family’s fortunes, turning alliances into assets and loyalty into leverage. Her presence is both magnetic and intimidating, a reminder that true authority often lies behind the most polished veneer. The family members—her husband, their children, and longtime staff—navigate a world in which status is both a shield and a weapon, and where the line between personal desire and collective expectation is constantly shifting.
Joo Young‑jak, a diligent secretary, finds himself drawn into this labyrinth of privilege. Tasked with managing delicate relationships and ensuring the smooth flow of high‑stakes transactions, he walks a tightrope between service and self‑preservation. His quiet competence masks a simmering internal conflict: the allure of rapid advancement versus the quiet voice of his own values. As he observes the machinations around him, the mansion becomes a mirror reflecting both the allure of easy success and the moral compromises it demands.
The film unfolds as a study of power’s quiet corruption and the human yearning for purpose amid glittering excess. Its tone balances sleek, almost clinical visual composition with an undercurrent of emotional unease, inviting viewers to peer behind the polished exterior and contemplate what lies beneath—ambition, temptation, and the fragile hope of redemption.
Last Updated: August 10, 2025 at 06:43
Explore Movie Threads
Discover curated groups of movies connected by mood, themes, and story style. Browse collections built around emotion, atmosphere, and narrative focus to easily find films that match what you feel like watching right now.
Movies about wealth and corruption like The Taste of Money
Stories where immense wealth and power lead to moral decay and tragic consequences.If you enjoyed the dark exploration of power and moral decay in The Taste of Money, this thread features similar dramas about corrupt elites, political intrigue, and the destructive nature of wealth. These movies share a heavy emotional weight and a cynical, oppressive mood.
Dangerous Liaisons
2022
Secret Things
2004
Dangerous Liaisons
1988
The Taste of Money
2013
Billionaire Boys Club
2018
Cruel Intentions
1999
Dark Streets
2008
All the King's Men
2006
Dangerous Liaisons (2012)
2012
Wild Things: Foursome
2010
Cruel Intentions
2016
The Truth Beneath
2016
Dangerous to Know
2020
Cast a Dark Shadow
1955
Desire Under the Elms
1958
Narrative Summary
Narratives in this thread typically follow characters drawn into or born within powerful, corrupt systems—be they corporate, political, or familial. Their journeys involve confronting the seductive nature of wealth and status, often leading to profound moral compromise, betrayal, and a tragic loss of innocence or life.
Why These Movies?
These films are grouped by their shared focus on the oppressive atmosphere of immense power, their dark tone, and their thematic exploration of how wealth corrupts individuals and institutions. They create a claustrophobic, morally ambiguous world where traditional values are upended by the pursuit of money.
Movies with a moral descent arc like The Taste of Money
Character-driven stories where an outsider is seduced by a toxic world of power.Fans of Young-jak's journey in The Taste of Money will appreciate this collection of films about characters tempted by power and wealth. These stories feature a steady pacing, a bittersweet or bleak ending, and a heavy focus on the psychological cost of moral compromise.
Me and Orson Welles
2009
Bel Ami
2012
The Taste of Money
2013
Matinee
2012
Poisons or the World History of Poisoning
2001
Stolen Holidays
2007
Another Country
1984
Edge of Doom
1950
The Detective
1968
Darling
1965
Once Is Not Enough
1975
The Root of All Evil
1947
Herod’s Law
1999
The Proposition
1998
An Awfully Big Adventure
1995
Narrative Summary
The central pattern is the character arc of an observer or newcomer who serves as the audience's entry point into a corrupt system. The plot revolves around their gradual seduction and moral compromise, creating a slow-burn tension as they must eventually choose between assimilation or a painful escape.
Why These Movies?
These movies share a specific character journey and emotional trajectory. They are united by a steady pacing that allows for a nuanced exploration of temptation, a morally ambiguous tone, and endings that are often bittersweet, reflecting the high price of the protagonist's choices.
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The Taste of Money Summary
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