Daehanminguk heonbeob je 1jo

A structurally sound and colourful working-class comedy in which an educated prostitute (Ye Ji- won) runs for a senate seat, causing untold embarrassment to her old-boy political rivals (the comedy) and unintended consequences for some of her hooker companions once the spotlights get a little too hot (the drama). The screenplay by Choi Jong-tae and Kim Jin-su eschews the broad laughs one might reasonably expect from a high concept Korean comedy like this, and instead allows sharp dialogue and realistic situations do the heavy lifting. Probably more remake potential in this film than in the dozen or so Korean horror pictures that were picked up by opportunistic American producers.

There seems to be a lot of movies about prostitutes coming out of Asia recently. This time, they're running for congress in a movie featuring more sentimentally charged moments than are needed to bring a tear to anyone's eye. Simple and predictable, an enjoyable satirical comedy which lasts close to two hours, but never feels too long.