Birdcage Inn

Birdcage Inn (; lit. "Blue Gate") is South Korean director Kim Ki-duk's third film, released in 1998. The drama stars Lee Ji-eun, Lee Hae-eun and Ahn Jae-mo. It was released domestically in October 1998, and screened at the Berlin International Film Festival in February 1999. Plot Jin-a (Lee Ji-eun), a 22-year-old prostitute, arrives at a small seaside motel called the Birdcage Inn to replace the previous one. The inn is run by a couple who have a daughter and a son. They provide Jin-a with room and board and make a living by renting out rooms and taking a cut of the money she earns. Jin-a works at night and spends her daytime drawing and watching the sea. In addition to her circumstances Jin-a has a hard time because of the family. The well regarded, silent, apparently caring, father providing for his family rapes Jin-a. The mother only sees Jin-a as a source of money to make a living and to fund the education of her college student daughter and high school student son. The son, Hyun-woo (Ahn Jae-mo) begs to be allowed to take naked pictures of Jin-a for a photo contest and to have sex with her. At first, Jin-a turns him down. However, after Hyun-woo's long imploration, Jin-a poses for him on the deck of a ship by the seaside and has sex with him. Afterwards he uses his walkman to tap Jin-a's room to listen in on Jin-a and her guests.