Sa Bang-ji
6/10
Rating
94 min
Runtime
1988
Release Year
Song Gyeong-sik
Director
Cast
Lee Hye-young, Bang Hee, Kwak Jeong-Hee, Park Am, Lee Kyeong-hui
Quick Synopsis
Sa Bangji, an intersex individual living during Korea's Joseon Dynasty, is taken in by a compassionate benefactor and resides in a monastery. One day, a young widow named Lee So-sa arrives at the monastery while mourning her late husband. Their meeting feels fated, and the initial erotic attraction between Sa Bangji and Lee So-sa develops into a deeper and more complex relationship that carries significant risks. The film portrays this story with stylized depictions of female actors and intimate scenes reflective of its era, but it stands out as an important work for its honest portrayal of the severe social stigma faced by Sa Bangji as an intersex person.
Detailed Synopsis of Sa Bang-ji
Sa Bangji was an intersex person who according to historical records lived during Korea’s Joseon Dynasty. Taken in by a kindly benefactor, Sa Bangji lives in a monastery that is one day visited by a young widow, Lee So-sa, who is in mourning following the death of her husband. The pair’s meeting seems predestined, with the erotic attraction between Sa Bangji and Lee So-sa soon evolving into something far more transcendent – and dangerous. While aspects of the film – its stylised depiction of female actors and sex – identify it as a product of its time, Sa Bangji is undeniably a milestone in screen representations of intersex people, a film that refuses to shy away from the horrendous stigmatization faced by its titular character.
