Hwanyeo '82

Woman of Fire '82 (1982) (Korean Thriller)

This is a variation of the classic "The Housemaid" (1960) (from the same director), but it takes place on a chicken farm. The life of the husband and wife is thrown into turmoil when a young woman comes to work as a maid. If you thought "The Housemaid" was over-the-top, this one will blow your socks off! This film is flat-out ridiculous, but its also oddly riveting and blackly comical. There are some laugh-out-loud moments to be found here, especially near the end. There are also some eye-pleasing sets and more atmospheric architecture, with lots and lots of ticking clocks. The visual style of the film really won me over and made it a very engaging experience.

This is the most entertaining of the "Housemaid" installments and I'd go so far as to say that it's the most entertaining pre-1990 South Korean film I've seen to this point. Definitely worth checking out.