The film is not for everyone. Critics at Cannes (where it premiered in competition) were divided, with some calling it overwrought and gratuitous. The pacing lags in the second act, and the plot occasionally strains credibility. Additionally, the treatment of its Filipino character—while sympathetic—leans into stereotypes of the exotic "other."

Youn Yuh-jung’s ferocious performance, shocking imagery, and a soundtrack that throbs with unease. Just be sure to have a palate cleanser ready afterward.

★★★½ (3.5/5)

The Taste of Money is a difficult, decadent meal. It is bitter, spicy, and leaves a metallic aftertaste. If you prefer neat moral resolutions and likable characters, look elsewhere. But if you are fascinated by films that dare to look into the abyss of wealth and see nothing staring back but hunger, this is a must-watch.

In the landscape of South Korean cinema, few directors have dissected the dark underbelly of wealth and desire as ruthlessly as Im Sang-soo. His 2012 film, The Taste of Money (도둑맞은 집중력), serves as a spiritual companion to his earlier work, The Housemaid , but where that film was a tense chamber drama, this one is a sprawling, venomous satire of the super-rich.

The story is told through the eyes of Young-jak, a loyal secretary to the family’s aging matriarch, Mrs. Baek. When the elderly Chairman Yoon, Mrs. Baek’s husband, takes a young, beautiful Filipina maid as his live-in nurse, the household erupts. Mrs. Baek, a terrifyingly composed woman who wields her inheritance like a weapon, retaliates by seducing her own chauffeur and plotting to seize full control. Caught in the crossfire is Young-jak, who finds himself drawn into a dangerous affair with the Chairman’s mistress, plunging him into a world where loyalty is just another commodity.

At its core, The Taste of Money asks a simple, uncomfortable question: What does power really taste like? For the infamous Baek family, who control a sprawling conglomerate, the answer is a cocktail of blood, sex, and betrayal.