"An exquisitely photographed film which centers around a beautiful young Shaman priestess in early twentieth century Korea. Shamanism is an indigenous religion which predates Confucianism, Taoism and Buddhism in Korea. Shamanism is a form of animism in which it is believed that all things, animate or inanimate, have spirits. Rituals are performed by Shamans who act as intermediaries between the living and the spirit worlds... One...practice is...the now obsolete custom of taking dying people to a remote cottage, the peemak. This insured that their souls, if dissatisfied in any way, would not return to harass the living, but would if necessary be drawn to one remote locus, the peemak. "In Peemak, a suspenseful story of revenge and retribution set in a context of a struggle between reason and faith in a remote mountain village, director Dooyong Lee examines the sexual frustration and violence beneath the graceful and calm surface of Korean noble life in the 1920s. Sexuality and violence are tastefully conveyed through splendid, sensual cinematography. The dynamic, rhythmic camera movement of the action-filmmaker enhances this exotic tale of aristocratic pride, revenge and ghosts. "Dooyong Lee, born in 1942, made his directorial debut in 1969. He has made more than 70 films, and is particularly noted for his action features. Peemak was awarded a prize at the Venice Film Festival in 1981." --Asia Society