CJ Entertainment's The Piper Makes Its DVD Debut On Feb. 2

It seems, on the surface, to be an adaptation of a timeless fairly tale borrowed from the Brothers Grimm, but Korean filmmaker Kim Gwang-tae's The Piper goes much deeper as he builds to a horrific climax of unforgiving retribution. 

CJ Entertainment announced this past week that The Piper will be making its domestic DVD debut on Feb. 2, 2016.

The Korean War has ended and two survivors, a father (Ryu Seung-ryong) and his son traverse the landscape bound for Seoul in search of medical help for the boy.   They happen upon a village, cleverly hidden in the woods, and ask to spend the night … a simple beginning.

We soon learn that the village is both infested with rats and that the villagers guard a terrible secret.   On both counts, despite its picturesque location, it is not a happy place.   

The story unfolds in measured paces as the “Piper” (aka: “The Guest”) gets to know the villagers, including the alluring Mi-sook (Chun Woo-hee — Sunny), and offers his special skills to them that will drive out the ravenous vermin.    

A deal is struck, he sets about to create a mysterious potion from materials that he gathers in the nearby woods and when ready he begins to play his pipe … the rats, as legend tells, are duty-bound to follow.

He is their savior, but they quickly renege on the deal, denounce him as a North Korean spy and viciously maim him, his pipe-playing days appear to be at an end.   The third act of The Piper is especially cringe-worthy as our hero exacts a revenge that will have you hiding your eyes in terror!

The Piper is presented in Korean with English subtitles.