Bedevilled is a South Korean thriller film released in 2010. The film revolves around a woman named Hae-won who works at a bank in Seoul. Hae-won is a cold and distant person who is alienated from her colleagues and family. One day, while Hae-won was processing a transaction, a customer tries to grab her, and she fights back using self-defense techniques. Her actions resulted in the customer being hospitalized and Hae-won getting suspended from work.
Overwhelmed and feeling isolated, Hae-won decides to take a break from her everyday life and escapes to a remote island where her childhood friend, Kim Bok-nam, lives. Kim Bok-nam, who is also a woman, has been living on the island her entire life and takes care of her mentally disabled daughter. Bok-nam is constantly being beaten and exploited by her abusive husband and the other male inhabitants of the island, and she pleads with Hae-won to help her escape.
Hae-won initially refuses to get involved in Bok-nam's problems, but as time goes by, she begins to empathize with her friend's plight. Hae-won witnesses the abuse that Bok-nam has endured her entire life, including sexual abuse by her husband, brother-in-law, and the other men on the island. Over time, Hae-won grows increasingly rebellious towards the patriarchal system in place and eventually takes action to help Bok-nam.
The film portrays the issues of domestic violence, misogyny, and social oppression, and exposes the desperate situation of the marginalized women of South Korea. Bedevilled, with its excellent screenplay and excellent performances, was critically acclaimed and won various awards, including the Best Director award at the Fantastic Fest.