They say she's a real live angel.
Everyone in there calls her ms geum-ja the kind-hearted.
One, two, three, four!
My path is riddled
with high walls and deep pitfalls
Who will aid me across these dark obstacles?
The lord's breath
lifts me
over these walls...
What about the winter clothes I sent you?
It's been hard, hasn't it, 13 and a half years?
I'm so proud of you.
Won-mo and I were playing marbles here that day, and I lost.
Won-mo won the biggest marble. Then he ran off to go home...
The investigating authorities
confirmed the details with a woman who confessed to the crime.
Lee geum-ja was first introduced to the public
as the criminal who abducted and killed park won-mo.
She was 20 at the time.
The whole world was shocked by her youth,
her ruthless methods and by her unabashed naivety.
This is where the alleged perpetrator had confined park won-mo.
She claims she only wanted to stop his crying with a pillow.
But what shocked us the most was her beauty.
Clamouring tabloids compared her to Olivia hussey.
A tactless director announced plans for a Lee geum-ja movie.
This created a backlash from the press.
That Autumn, the polka-dot dress became the hottest fashion trend.
I saw you on TV.
Behind that wicked witch's face of yours, I saw the presence of an angel.
An angel.
Could that be true?
Do you really think an angel resides in me?
If so, where was that angel when I was committing such an evil act?
I always wondered about this after hearing what the preacher said.
And then I realised
that the angel inside me only reveals itself when I invoke it.
Where are you? Please come out!
I'm right here.
This act of invoking an angel, this is what we call prayer.
Actually, prison is an ideal place to learn to pray...
Missing: Park won-mo - age 6
because we know that...
We are all sinners here.
Thank you.
It's a tradition to eat tofu upon release,
so that you will live white as snow and never sin again.
Go fuck yourself.
Lee geum-ja time served: 1991-2004
Kim Yang-hee time served: 1998-2002
Meet your new cellmate.
I'm Kim Yang-hee. I'm serving five years.
They said there was someone at kyongju women's prison
whose face would shine.
You were a whore, weren't you?
I heard her nickname was the witch.
Come on in.
You don't usually wear ties.
It's mandatory here.
We have a lot of vips visiting.
Shit, it's too tight. Loosen it up a bit.
He was my pimp.
It felt so good when I was strangling him.
I should've killed myself instead.
Then die. And be born again.
Over and over if you need to.
Prayer is like a scrubbing towel, scrubbing away all your sins.
Then your skin will become as new as a baby's skin.
All right?
Geum-ja taught me how to repent for my past.
It's a little bit noisy, being under the stairs, but this place brings good luck.
Look at me.
Three years of giving unlicensed haircuts to neighbourhood ladies,
and now I have a real salon of my own.
So set your hopes high.
These are old, but at least you'll have something to wear.
I wanted to get you better things.
You do know that, don't you?
Don't you have any high heels?
You never really loved me, did you?
You were just pretending.
You've changed a lot.
You used to be so sweet and talk so kindly.
Are you starting the plan already?
"No. The plan was already started 13 years ago,"
geum-ja murmured to herself.
Farewell.
What is it you want from us?
"Please forgive me. Please."
She was going to beg won-mo's parents
until she had no fingers left.
A woman's sliced her finger off!
Every penny geum-ja earned from 13 years of labouring in prison
had to go to pay for her finger operation.
Then six days later...
Na-ru-sae
for now, just work till noon.
Early mornings are hard for me with my low blood pressure.
Geun-shik, say hello.
I told you about Lee geum-ja, right?
Hello.
I told you she was pretty.
Can I call you "big sister"?
Just call me ms geum-ja.
Lee geum-ja.
When she first came, she cried non-stop, like a new-born baby.
Man, it was so depressing.
Damn bitch!
It brings bad luck. Stop crying!
Some guy once taught her
that whenever she was having a hard time,
she should bend over and take five deep breaths.
Woo so-young time served: 1990-1996
what are you looking at, bitches?
Down on the floor and keep your fucking hands up!
I felt like I was dying because I couldn't be with my love.
Turned out that I was suffering from chronic kidney failure.
But it felt like I was dying anyway.
Then this bitch suddenly says she'll give me one of her kidneys.
It's not as if a kidney is a bit of pocket lint you give away so easily.
Damn bitch.
It brings me bad luck. Stop crying.
Honey, geum-ja's here!
You've really changed a lot.
You heard my wife. Stay down!
That's when I realised
I was married to a goddess.
With this man by my side...
I was never afraid.
Right, honey?
Yeah, but we couldn't go in together.
They should have couples' prisons.
But then that would be paradise, not jail.
I don't know how to thank you.
Honey...
Geume-ja has this magnificent plan.
You can help her, can't you?
The dhammapada
Where did you get this?
It's really old.
Comrade geum-ja, it's no use.
Go save yourself.
Okay, right after I finish cleaning this.
Finish the chicken later.
And be careful. Don't let the dogs have the chicken bones.
Pass me that yellow book.
Ko sun-sook time served: 1967-1991
a spy from North Korea, ko sun-sook, had Alzheimer's
and was a problem for the prison.
So when geum-ja volunteered to look after her,
the prison warden was relieved.
People were trying to avoid stepping on me.
And they whispered, "the spy, she's dead."
But the pride in my heart wouldn't let me die.
You said living is a struggle, too. A struggle not to die.
I give this flower to you...
Because you have an enemy.
You shouldn't be out so late!
I asked for you at na-ru-sae.
What were you thinking?
I don't want every Tom, dick and Harry dropping by!
Fine. I'll see you tomorrow.
How could you have changed so much?
This isn't like you.
Could we start over again?
Come to church. Please?
I've converted to buddhism.
- I bet you're here for adultery. - How did you know?
It's all over your face, bitch.
Please crawl over here.
Please take them off.
Oh su-hee time served: 1993-1994
Can you see it well?
Say hello to each other.
Hello.
This damn bitch is that infamous witch.
She killed her husband and his mistress. Then she ate them.
So I guess I'm not the unluckiest.
I'll suck on her for five minutes and cry it off.
I hate them skinny bitches.
So go and tell geum-ja to start eating more, okay?
Your style has changed.
What's with the blood-red eye shadow?
I don't want to look kind-hearted.
People order them from me, modelled on guys' photos.
They're very popular. Shall I make you one?
Can you make it in silver?
- Did you find that bastard yet? - I did.
- Did you kill him? - Not yet.
- Why not? - I've been busy.
Saving the best for last, is that it?
- This one. - Excellent choice.
Is it true that the owner studied pastry-making in Japan?
She's the one who made this.
You've changed so much, I hardly recognised you.
- Who was she? - Who was he?
She's pretty.
The detective that was in charge of my case.
When I was exactly your age,
that is, when I was twenty and you were six,
I kidnapped and killed a six-year-old boy.
My goodness!
Don't worry, I didn't eat him.
How can I eat this? It was made by the hands of a killer!
I'm telling you I killed him.
How many times do I have to tell you?
Okay, then, tell me what that marble looked like.
What?
Just now, you told me that you saw the marble
but didn't know where it went.
It was won-mo's favourite marble.
What colour was it?
Light green.
Come on! Why would anyone confess to a murder they didn't commit?
Why don't you believe me?
Is it because I'm a murderer?
- Believe in Jesus! - Believe in Jesus.
- Go to heaven! - Go to heaven.
Begone, you devil!
On top of that, I killed again in prison.
Geum-ja wondered...
If geun-shik might be stupid.
I understand what you're saying,
but it's against regulations to give out that information.
There's a counselling service I can refer you to.
Could you at least tell me whether she was adopted or not?
Didn't you receive the notice?
I was in prison, you see.
I'd like to show you the 19-year-old Lee geum-ja.
A pretty girl who would turn any head,
but who wasn't the least bit picky.
This poor girl was on the verge of going mad.
She tried to comfort herself with the thought
that it happens to every woman sooner or later.
Teacher? Mr baek? This is Lee geum-ja.
I used to Polish your shoes when you were a student teacher for my class last year.
You didn't know it was me?
You told me I was sexy, remember?
Yes. You remember me, right?
Pardon? Well, it's nothing much.
You see, sir, I'm pregnant.
Pregnant.
No, pregnant.
Yes, I am. Can I come and live with you?
Please?
I can't go to my mum's.
And it's even worse at my dad's.
Him? He's just a big kid, not ready to be a father.
"Don't worry, little baby, your mummy's right here,"
the poor girl murmured to herself.
There's a drug called timing. It suppresses sleep.
When I first got back from Tokyo, I was managing a huge bakery.
Whenever it was really busy,
I took a timing pill first.
The other workers hated me for that.
You have to be careful when riding a bike after taking it.
Hello.
Have you eaten?
Geum-ja, what brings you here at this hour?
I need an advance on my salary.
No advances.
I went to kyongju, where my parents lived.
I volunteered to teach at the women's prison there,
because my parents worried that I couldn't get married with my lame leg.
But in my third year there, I wanted to die
after tasting a raspberry mousse cake that a kidnapper had made.
The ingredients given to the inmates were miserable.
But she'd used them to create a cake fit for a king.
Three months' advance.
Do you know you've changed?
Eventually, I packed up and moved to Seoul,
because I was motivated to open up my own bakery.
What are you doing?
Writing my account number.
I want to start a family early.
And I hope to marry someone I can respect.
So, you did something wrong.
Then you pay your dues and promise never to do it again.
Isn't that right?
That's just how life goes.
It's just another experience gained.
Isn't that right, ms geum-ja?
I'm planning to kill another person.
What?
Do you think I'm sexy?
Yes... no.
Yes.
I was hoping we could talk some more.
Maybe later?
You're trying to scare me, aren't you?
You're trying to make me lose interest in you.
Do you lose interest when a woman does this?
No.
Please go ahead.
It was all right for me.
How was it for you?
Was it good?
I've been told I'm so-so.
No way.
Mr baek said there are good kidnappings and bad kidnappings.
What?
He said it was a good kidnapping if the child's returned safely.
And since they're rich,
a little ransom wouldn't make much difference.
Although they'd worry for a few days, the reunion would make the family closer.
He said that, but then he went and killed won-mo.
The boy kept crying.
Mr baek said he'd kill him if he didn't stop in five minutes.
But then he really killed him.
If he were alive, he'd be your age now. But he's dead.
Then the police found a witness.
Someone saw me taking won-mo to a public bath.
When I came back from the market one day, my daughter was gone.
I got a call from mr baek.
He told me to confess and take the blame, otherwise my girl would die, too.
So the kidnapper had kidnapped a kidnapper's kid.
Isn't it funny?
I thought it was.
The house key is the middle one.
Make sure these candles don't go out.
Touch anything else and I'll put a hole in your head.
Going somewhere?
Ms geum-ja.
It'll sound like a Cannon.
With lots of smoke, too.
The design's so primitive.
What's the use of all this fanciness? Better to have a strong, solid shot.
It has to be pretty. Everything should be pretty.
It has a very short range,
so get up close when you shoot.
It's good if you can hear his heart beating.
And it's even better if you see the sweat on his forehead.
It's like playing golf.
You get good shots with good form.
Got somewhere to practise?
Tomorrow...
Let's go on a picnic.
Yeah, a picnic.
For a long time,
geum-ja had wanted to meet with won-mo
and ask for his forgiveness.
If she found out that won-mo had appeared to Jenny instead of her,
she would have been very sad.
Weekends with the family and the dog, too. Right?
"Brother."
Brother.
"Father."
Father.
Jenny.
Honey...
I'm meeting with friends later today.
I'll have your dinner ready before I leave.
Would you mind?
Don't you be the one who pays for dinner.
Right.
Park li-jeong time served: 1998-1999
Hey, you whore, you parasite, living off men's blood...
I've got just the job for a slut like you.
You know how itchy it is when you get bitten on the sole of your foot?
What did I tell you? What did I say?
It tickles when you scratch,
and it itches when you don't scratch.
It itches if you don't scratch, and tickles when you do!
Right? You slut!
It itches if you don't scratch and tickles when you do.
I used to have a strong stomach.
- I don't know what the problem is. - Here.
Sorry.
Nasty, huh?
That's quite all right. I enjoy helping you.
Thanks, geum-ja.
You really are kind-hearted.
You understand that I only like...
Plump girls, right?
I'll eat a lot too, and plump up for you.
So you just keep eating and taking your medicine...
And die quickly.
- She fed her bleach? - Really?
- For how long? - Three years.
What a clean stomach she must've had.
Geume-ja the kind-hearted.
Well done!
After that, geum-ja inherited the "witch" title,
but was also still referred to as geum-ja the kind-hearted.
Everyone wanted to help geum-ja the kind-hearted,
and no one could refuse the witch any favours.
It has to be tonight. I can't take it any more. Not even for you.
Noh soo-kyoung, a thief who was released before me,
found out where baek was working.
Kim seong-eun, a smart university graduate, was released later
and got a job at the same place.
Then she told me that baek was planning on getting a new car.
Later, baek was visited by a pretty car dealer, park yi-jeong.
It'll be used wisely for the lord's work.
Hello?
Darling...
Have you had dinner?
I'll wait and have dinner with you.
You can go ahead without me.
I'll wait for you... so hurry back.
He hasn't eaten yet.
I'll go and make him eat first.
It's okay. Don't worry.
He really wants to kill her.
- Why is he killing her? - Wouldn't you do the same if it were you?
Geum-ja held her breath and struggled to break free.
Even in this desperate situation,
she never forgot the gun's firing range.
Where's the Korean-english dictionary?
Don't think that I forgive you.
I think mothers who dump their kids should go to jail.
When I was younger, I often thought of taking revenge on you.
But I couldn't imagine killing you,
because I didn't know what you looked like.
Anyway, since we're on better terms now,
give me your reasons at least.
Apologising once is not enough.
You should say sorry at least three times.
Not generously, your daughter, Jenny.
Left turn.
I remember when I first had you, Jenny.
As you grew in me, I felt good, like a wallet getting fatter.
Understand?
What are you going to do about him?
I'm truly...
Farewell.
Teacher! Get up!
Time to go to work!
Teacher!
Get up!
Time to go to work!
Teacher!
Geums-ja...
What's with that eye shadow?
Do you know why those kids...
Hey! Another one!
Hello?
These children wouldn't have died if you'd found the real killer back then.
Right?
You know how this feels.
There are four kids!
I told you I can't come to work today.
It's not that.
- Someone's here looking for you. - Who?
- Well, the thing is... - They won't say who they are?
I don't know what they're saying.
Well...
Can you speak Japanese?
Mummy!
Please hurry and come and get me.
Mummy!
Mummy, please hurry.
Mummy, I want to go home.
Please hurry, mummy.
Mummy, where are you?
I know it's difficult,
but take a good look at this man.
Next is se-hyun, killed in 1995.
Mummy, I can't...
Mummy!
This is eun-joo in 1996.
I can't breathe.
I'm scared.
Please...
Don't kill me, sir! Wait just a minute.
This is yoo jae-kyoung, 2000.
He was a teacher at english schools in affluent neighbourhoods.
He'd pick his victim, kidnap and kill them,
then move on to another school.
He'd never pick a child from one of his own classes,
which is why he was never under any suspicion.
Children annoyed him.
So he'd tape them right after kidnapping, and kill them soon after.
The voices of children you heard over the phone
while you were negotiating with the criminal...
It was played back from the video, after they were already dead.
Now, you have two options.
If you want lawful punishment,
I will hand him over to detective choi here.
But if you want a fast and more personalised death for him,
you can have it right here, right now.
Does he have a child of his own?
He is supposed to be sterile.
Then why did he need all that money?
He saved it. Of course, the money will be returned to you...
With no child, what did he need all that money for?
He was going to buy a yacht.
The police have big sticks, but they don't know how to use them.
If we leave it to them, there'd be nothing but never-ending trials...
And those bloody reporters.
How about we leave it to geum-ja?
It'd be easier, since she's been to jail and all.
That's being cowardly! They're our kids.
Then let each person choose if they want to be in or not. I'm for individual choice.
Why don't you just let him choose his own death or trial, then?
Leave it up to him.
First you wanted to hand him over to the police.
Then you wanted to leave it up to geum-ja. Now you want to be left out of it?
What the hell do you want?
Won-mo's family has to follow the majority, too. You know that, right?
She has a weak heart.
Mine's weak, too.
Then won-mo's father can represent the family.
What if won-mo's mother accuses us later?
She wouldn't. Her husband's involved, too.
They could always get divorced.
We can leave some evidence, then.
How about we all take a picture?
So that even if we feel guilty later...
Guilty?
Guilty for killing that bastard?
We'd feel guilty if we didn't kill him when we had a chance!
That's guilt!
Let me say something.
I killed when I was in prison.
I'm also the one who caught baek after 13 years of planning.
If anyone here informs the police...
I won't say any more.
Shall we go in one at a time, or all together at once?
One at a time for what? Let's just finish him off.
There's no need to share such a personal matter with other families.
Isn't that right, dad?
Won't it be scary going in alone? And it could be dangerous.
Just think of it as using the toilet.
In any case, it's a private affair.
Let's do whatever each person wants.
We don't all have to get the same set menu.
We're divorced. This isn't a couples thing.
We don't have to go in together.
Excuse me.
I think it would be... Too easy for him if we did it all together.
Darling...
I brought along a sedative.
You couldn't even touch geum-ja's finger, remember?
All right, then.
Eun-joo's grandmother will go in alone,
se-hyun's will go in alone, jae-kyung's and dong-hwa's are going in together.
- Is that right? - Yes!
Let's do jt!
Wait! Just a second!
Shouldn't we decide what order you go in?
Will that be enough for you?
Do you want to use mine after I'm done?
Well...
I think I'll be fine.
Darling...
Everyone, pay attention.
If you grip it like this,
the tip of the knife will slip and not penetrate deeply.
You could also cut your own hand.
So, grip it like this at all times, please.
Or you could just stab him.
Like this.
Why did you do it?
You look like a normal person.
Why?
What for? Why?
Ma'am...
There's no such thing as a perfect person.
This isn't going to bring...
Our son back.
Is it, dear?
Right?
You all look very well-off.
Take a look at dong-hwa's mother.
She took her boots off so that blood wouldn't get on the suede.
Does that make any sense to you?
My mum had to scrub hotel floors
to send my brother to that school.
We ran around like dogs to come up with the ransom.
Now we've lost our house, and our relatives won't see us.
My daughter-in-law killed herself, and my son left the country.
We all have our own stories to tell.
Dad!
We're not the last, dad.
Eun-joo's grandma is still waiting for her turn.
Dad!
Come on, give me a hand.
Mister, get up. Get a hold of yourself.
Please, get a hold of yourself.
I'm sorry...
But could you step aside a moment?
Thank you.
Happy birthday to you
happy birthday
dear...
Happy...
I'm sorry...
It felt like a birthday to me.
We can say it is, then.
Happy birthday
to you
Will you wire the money into our accounts?
My account number.
In France, when there's a break in the conversation like this,
they say an angel is passing over.
It's snowing.
It's snowing a lot.
- When did it all pile up so much? - What time is it now?
The traffic! The roads will freeze soon.
Won-mo...
Wave...
Down a harrow Lane
I can hear the click-clacking
of the lady in red heels
where are you going?
Won't she look back...
Are you really going to send Jenny back?
My way for a glance?
Are you?
One step, two steps, three
are you only counting your steps?
The lady in red heels
takes another step away, alone
Lee geum-ja made a great mistake in her youth
and used other people to achieve her own goals.
But she still couldn't find the redemption she so desired.
In spite of this,
actually, because of this, I liked ms geum-ja.
Farewell...
Ms geum-ja.