The Trunk

The Trunk could survive without the mystery part.

I have only words of admiration to Gong Yoo and Seo Hyun Jin who really portrayed Han Jeong Won and No In Ji well. ++ to their amazing chemistry. Their chemistry is chemistrying.

Also, I have to mention Jung Yun Ha. She's an amazing one. She annoyed the hell out of me proving that she perfomed Lee So Yeon incredibly.

However, the mystery isn't giving that mystery. As said earlier, this series could survive without it. Side stories also shouldn't have been introduced if they weren't concluded properly. I do do love the soundtrack tough. It is wonderful.

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short incomplete history

This drama deserved more episode and way more time. thats not a bad drama to watch, but dont deserve your time.

the drama is interesting, contrat marriage is always a must watch, but this is a mess somehow. I understand the main point being the tunk, but like, u just see it after 5 episodes. the drama is more dramatic, melacholic n suspicious, however it's a sacrifice understand whats exatcly happening n what the tunk is about.

All of characters are interesting, but they dont have time to be introduced. all of them dont have a proper history introduction, u need (most if time) conect the points alone to really understand whats is happening.

the drama is beautiful, the characters, the places, the houses, the clothes. Everything os beautiful. but, again, most of the times a lot of directors or producers use colors to create a scene where the history is told, but this drama feels just like a beautiful n shallow history.

im little upset because i love most osf the actors here n i love their actings. the saved the drama, but what makes a drama its the history, n not the acting.

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Different but not at all disappointing .... in hopes you don't miss out on this beauty

i loved it personally , i thought it was bad because of all the comments when it was airing but my goodness it blew me away , i found myself loving it so much , it touched me too , the ost was gorgeous , the acting was stellar.
i had been wanting to like a kdrama this much this year and i finally did .. the main couple stole my heart really , the story in itself is very simple and maybe the retelling wasn't what most would like but i will say this it was heartfelt , the pain shared the love felt ...
the main couple relationship just felt intimate, healing and almost inevitable .. which is why i also love the ending and the finale .. please don't let yourself miss out on it , one of a kind , very different and yet , very kdramaawiii in essence , a gem indeed , and for gong yoo lovers , just dive right in , he's such a sight to look at , wonderful actor . never a dull moment .. i enjoyed all his characters until now .. as for the actress .. i added her character to my fave female lead list , i really really loved her tbh , amazing acting and just soothing voice too and very real emotions portrayed here .. but just because i love the actor so much isn't the reason i liked it , nothing stops me from dropping something i can't watch ,even my biases, just wanted to point that out

don't listen to anyone dissing this and watch it, i mean just decide for yourself , if you think it's boring don't give it more than 2 or 3 eps , it picked up around 2 or 3 for me at least, if the sexual content tag annoys you, you can always skip the scenes that annoys you , i thought it was unnecessary too but regardless , there isn't much nudity anyway . just a scene if i remember correctly , idk if this qualifies as a review but let's say it is , rather a general one .. in hopes you don't miss out on this beauty

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Mature drama with great acting.

It is a mature drama about relationships without sugarcoating. I was hooked from the start and could not stop watching it. The storytelling is great, as you will find out more about their past in each episode and understand them more. I don't know why the comments are so negative. I really like the drama.

The acting is amazing. Also, the production and cinematography are great.
They did a great job with casting, as Hyun Jin and Gong Yoo are a perfect fit. I love their chemistry and the way they communicate with each other.

It will make you long for them and hope for him to get away from the toxic relationship. It will make your blood boil as well as it will make you happy to see glimmers of hope.

I recommend watching it if you want to see something totally different from a rom-com.

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Poorly executed.

The story could've been good, like the overall story had something that was kind of good, but so poorly written overall. Everything feels too long and there is some stuff that doesn't make a lot of sense. On the last episode you'll be pressing that +10 seconds button. A ton.

Acting was good and the music were simple but really liked it.
Other than that ... Quite ... bland ?
I wouldn't recommand it, but it gave me a good laugh from time to time cause of some unexpected scene I guess, so if you've got nothing to watch, and you're bored, you could watch that and kill time.

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75% MELODRAMA, 25% THRILLER. Like Love squares, it's Marriage square :)

I have mixed impressions on this drama.

First of all, about the Summary:
There's an entire paragraph about the "Melodrama" in the summary but only "Mysterious Trunk" caught my eye n made me curious to know what is in the trunk, haha.
God, And so I'm stuck with this drama bcz of that curiosity (I prefer thriller to melodrama).

It's more of Melodrama (contract marriage drama) than a Thriller (murder mystery) -- 75% melodrama, 25% thriller.

So Thriller fans, like me, would be disappointed initially but later realise that only 25% of thriller is right to this plot and that mystery is good.

Good that I gave a try! :)

***
Now about Pacing of the drama:

Dropped this twice bcz of Sloth-Paced episode 1.
Couldn't pass through the first episode twice but bcz of my "Watching Tradition" of not to drop a drama/movie, once I start watching n for Gong Yoo, gave another try.

It got Very Interesting from ep 2.

Other than the Pacing, Everything else, is Very IMPRESSIVE about this drama.

*** STORY (Melodrama) :
Usually, I am not into melodramas much but this is Very Interesting to watch.
The Contract Wife/Husband for a year theme is New and different ;)

This melodrama concentrates more on how Love is developed between two complete strangers, who are emotionally hurt from previous relationships, unable to move on n yet due to the contract marriage, how these two met n started forming a deep bond.

Usually, U see Love Triangles or Squares, here it is "Marriage Square" haha (though not exactly).

*** CHARACTERS:
In Ji & Jeong Won healed together and they are made for each other.
Their rapport is Good n their chemistry is Sweet.

Jeong Won and his ex wife, Seon Yeon are not at all compatible.
Actually, she is not compatible with anyone, haha.

Poor guys, Jeong Won n Yun Ji (her second husband / contract husband)! :|

I feel sorry for Yun Ji more, Poor guy!
He is ready to accept that twisted lady :/

All the scenes of ML, FL, ex wife n her 2nd husband are Interesting, whereas stalker scenes are Irritating :o

FL n evil ex wife's conversations are like tug of war, a battle of words creating a tensed vibe n exhausting to everyone around them, including the viewers, haha.

Liked character In Ji a lot, especially the way she handles the evil ex wife, ruthlessly and the emotionally hurt Jeong Won with past trauma, smoothly, though herself, has a disturbance in her life.
She is Sassy with that Cold & Calm face :)
Her character impressed me n kept me interested to watch.
But Poor In Ji, her fiancee, her contract husbands including Jeong Won and her stalker, all guys are odd n crazy :|

The actress as ex wife with twisted personality, acted very well.
(BTW, she is pretty.
Also, There are a lot of handsome men in this drama, including the guest actors 🤭).

*** STORY (Mystery) :
Really loved the writing of how a mystery theme is included in this melodrama -- a compelling storyline overall.

First two eps are complete melodrama, the interesting murder mystery and the suspense start from ep 3.

The Mystery and the Suspense about the murder -- who is murdered and who murdered, is Well Maintained.

The Twists and Turns in this mystery part are many and good, making the viewer to suspect everyone to be the murderer, haha.
Also, at one point, I suspected the murder victim to be In Ji or ex wife, haha.

Even when the Mystery of who the actual murder victim is revealed, the suspense of who killed, is still maintained well.

Surprise Twist - The most unexpected Killer! Haha

Also, in Finale ep, that suspense whether ML & FL do get a Happy ending or no, killed me, haha God!

***
Direction, Plot, Story Writing, Story Narration, Cinematography and Production are Good.
Locations are Lovely.

8 episodes run time is Right (Good that they wrapped up in 8, not more, haha).

Each ep starts with few scenes of the Past of In Ji, then followed by the actual Main story and in the end, few scenes of the present time period of the murder -- this Format is Cool.

Wrapped up the drama Good and Clean, without leaving any point unanswered.
Every character got a smooth ending n got whatever it deserves.

*** SPOILER ***
The ending for In Ji & Jeong Won is little disappointing.
Hmm, even my mom is frustrated with this Open Happy Ending for them. She expected an Exclusive Happy Ending, haha.

***
My RATING is 8.5 / 10
(9 or 9.5, if the Pacing is Right.
BTW, my Rating for ep 1 is 5 / 10).

Overall, One Time Watch!
(I watched it for Gong Yoo :) )

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Different because of the way it was shot

I actually found the drama really interesting to watch, and I am surprised by the amount of really bad reviews here on MDL.

So first the plot. In the world of Korean dramas, it was certainly not more weak that 95% of dramas out there and it had no weird device plots like amnesia, deus ex machina where some inexplicable event happens and no one knows where it came from, or people acting out of their character. In the context of this show and the world that was built in it, the characters' actions were weirdly logical, which is not always true for many other, better received dramas.

Now, in terms of the chemistry or lack thereof between the leads, I actually think that the understated, slow realization that love is when people are good for each other's mental health and sense of stability was portrayed very well. The idea of wild passionate love in the context of the lives that the characters were living would make absolutely no sense whatsoever. Being there for one another and not making each others' lives more difficult could be the ultimate definition of mature love, or what marriage ultimately is about. Let's not forget that we are watching two supposedly complete strangers forced in an impossible situation and living arrangement who are just barely starting to see each other as equally traumatized companions.

Once criticism that I have is that this show was definitely more about a tragic low burn romance than a whodunnit (a murder mystery), or a thriller. The mystery of who killed one of the characters was kind of in the background, not that important to the actual story, and felt like it wasn't really solid or interesting. The other criticism is the one-dimensionality of the characters - my god, give those people some depth and make them at least somewhat human - most of them sounded awful and very flat.

All in all, I actually enjoyed the show, mostly for it's cinematography and the weirdness of it. I guess that I am a fan of stories that take place in the world that is almost devoid of any basic human decency, and how different characters try to deal with being pushed to their absolute limits of pain, unfairness of life or saneness.

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More weird than thriller...

The Trunk

Genre: Mystery, Romance
Episodes: 8
Streamed on: Netflix

Plot Summary:

A mess. A big sloppy mess. So you have a divorced couple, using a marriage company for societies “elites” as the ex-wifes punishment (you’ll find out later) to the ex-husband. So while she’s manipulating and cucking him at the same time, she’s paired him up with a woman she thinks he’ll hate, but they end up falling for each other. There’s also a creepy stalker and the wife-for-hire has other issues. A sloppy mess.

Characters & Cast:

Main Characters: Ships.

Gong Yoo ⇒ Han Jeong Won
Seo Hyun Jin ⇒ No In Ji

Villains: Notable actors.

There really aren’t many good characters in this story, and depending on which aspect of the story you’re focusing on, there are villains everywhere.

Best of OST:

Ok, one of the most redeeming things about this whole drama is this track.
https://youtu.be/T8CvJNt8ILI?si=j_wzYkBVteWhLJ8l

And the Kyuri version is just as good, both earn a spot on your Spotify playlist.
https://youtu.be/PM09KnppR3w?si=JrHdnL7eMU5glS-X

Most of the rest of the OST is pretty average, or worse it feeds into the awkward silences. But a couple other tracks are interesting, but not something I’d listen to regularly.
https://youtu.be/a-mdCYLMq5M?si=2aULUzaAkdLc1hx5

Gripes:

I don’t know if they where trying to portray sexual tension, but I swear half the drama was just awkward silences. For an 8 episode drama, this felt like it dragged on far too long. I think we get an editor in, and make this a 2-3 hour movie, and I wouldn’t feel like I wanted all these hours of my life back.

Like I mentioned above, there are really no likeable characters in this drama. Likeable actors for sure, Seo Hyun Jin is one of my all time favourite actresses, and I hear Gong Yoo is pretty popular too I guess. But I like to like at least one person in the drama’s I watch, otherwise I just don’t feel invested.

Re-watch:

**Would I watch it again?**
No… well maybe part of episode 2—am I right guys!?— but really, no.

**Would I watch it with my brother?**
Not even close to anything he’d be interested in.

**Would I watch it with my kid?**
No… just no.

Final Thoughts:

A sloppy mess. Half of the running time was awkward silences, the other half was mostly horrible people doing horrible things to each other. Edit this down to a movie and I think it would serve the audience much better. It’s a short drama, that was too long. It’s such a shame, because I feel like I was looking forward to this drama for so long.

Rating:
5.5/10

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Love or Obsession?

The Trunk was a lot more than I expected it to be, and I mean that in a good way. Contract marriage plotlines aren't typically something I go for, but this one seemed interesting enough to get me to watch it, and the shorter length of it made it especially easy to watch. I didn't expect to get so hooked on it!

Han Jeongwon (Gong Yoo) is currently going through a divorce that he doesn't want, and he's so desperate to keep his wife that he will do whatever she wishes to convince her; however, she insists on signing him up for a one year-long contract marriage with a woman of her choosing, and tells him that if he makes in through, she'll take him back. Jeongwon agrees, believing it the only way to win back his now ex-wife. The contract marriage should be straightforward, but it's anything but. Between the anxious drug addict main character, a contract wife with too many secrets, a controlling and manipulative ex-wife, and the ex-wife's new boytoy, there's bound to be conflicts. Things escalate further when the characters are towing the line between falling in love and convincing themselves obsession is the same thing as love.

This show did a great job at portraying the relationships. What I thought was super interesting was the dual timelines: one starting at the beginning of the contract marriage, and one about 5 months into the contract where the police are investigating the found trunk in the lake. The back and forth allowed for some excellent foreshadowing and parallels, though it did feel like they could have tied it all together a bit better. I thought that the contract wife's storyline was super interesting, but I just wish it had been a little more worked into the show. I actually quite liked the ending of the show, though it wasn't what I had expected for this one. I would say that it's best if you watch not just for the romance, but more for the rich people drama. Overall I'd say it's worth the watch considering how much they manage to do with only 8 episodes.

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Not Your Typical Kdrama

I enjoyed this show immensely. The story was fresh, the production was beautiful, and the ending was satisfying. I can only think that all the negative reviews are from people that were just looking for a different kind of show.
I felt that chemistry abounded between the main leads. It was made very clear that the desire was not for passion but for contentment.
I'll admit that I didn't understand why Ji-O loved Seo Yeon, but I believed he did. The side characters built a contrasting world convincingly.
I won't forget these characters. I was left feeling peaceful.

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highly underrated!

i hardly give 10s, but this easily tops my top list. because this is one masterfully done show!

everything in this show is done on such a nuanced and subtle level, that it was utterly disarming to experience. so much so, that i was left completely in awe of it.

if you liked “call it love” and “the glory”, i definitely recommend this to you in particular. it’s kind of a mixture of both: more eerie and mysterious than the first (back stories are only slowly uncovered and it's also a whos-done-it), less clear-cut revenge, slower and more healing/genuine romance between broken people than the latter.

rarely will you come across a show, where everything - from the story, dialogue, cinematography, the way the scenes are cut, the music (or lack of it) up to the acting - is mend together so masterfully that it can create such a pain drenched, twisted and at times eerie atmosphere only for it to be genuinely saved by the tender grace of two characters. the simple truth, that innocence is not lost but being buried within us and therefore resurrectable, if we are mindful, is uncovered breathtakingly slow. so in my opinion, at it's core, this is a romance.

the trunk depicts - and very elegantly so - the difference between deeply hurting people choosing the untwisted path of wanting to love genuinely and longing for one's own return to innocence over obsession and self destruction. slowly, and only bit by bit, unraveling the consequences of the leads’ choices, light is shed on on how fated relationships can play into one's own healing process if we are conscious enough to recognize and allow them into our life.

i tend to rather dislike how the idea of fated human bonds is used in stories as it is often boiled down to the hollow idea of this one-in-a life-time-match of eternal love, that needs to culminate in a lifetime’s happy marriage to count as such. i don't deny fate. but depictions hardly match my experience of it. this one does.

love in and of itself is eternal by nature. but it's not exclusive or single minded. it just doesn't flow as humans wish. its nature is to be left free so it can flow towards you in it’s own time and way. we can’t control or force it, but despite knowing that, it’s the most common human thing to try bend the will of the one’s closest to us towards what we want. making them stay by our side by whichever means possible, so we’re not lonely, is the first step towards that. much later, tainted by pain, anger and our own history with each other, we are no longer able to see what we once loved in our counter parts. or ourselves. but cynically enough we seem unable to let go, so love would find us again, clinging to that one person beside us. now merely a stand-in, a reminder of the beauty we once found in each other and deep down long for, we choose to sacrifice everything for it, despite knowing it's an illusion.

one massively complex matter to work through! but the trunk manages brilliantly.

it very distinctively shows, where boundaries lie within a loving relationship to be able to keep alive and around what we love within each other. and they apply to any kind of emotional state we are in. orbitting around the fl, an excellently written and acted character, who perfectly balances her strength with vulnerability, it understands exactly where a person ends and another begins and what it needs from one side to the other to keep a relationship in whichever state a healthy one. deeply hurt and despite her own impactful history on relationship/marriage, with the smallest of movements, the least words said, the fl knows exactly how to stay herself in every situation she's placed in, simultaneously creating a surrounding where others are put into place or shown what belonged to them before it was taken from them. to pull this off with a character, that's anything else but perfect, is nothing other than stunning to watch. the stage being cleaned up like that is much different from doing it by trying to control it. hence, the tango - a perfectly matching metaphor.

the development of the show is slow, there’s only a few brawl-ish scenes and there’s no real suspense. so it mainly runs on subtleness. so you do have to like that. but, and in defense: it never ran boring as i have experienced it with other slow-burners.

last, i should mention that for asian standards it should be quite mature in terms of nudity/bed scenes. not so extraordinary for western standards, though. as a western raised watcher i think the physical aspect of a relationship has equal impact as the emotional ones towards the quality of the bond between people and is an important aspect to recognize underlying dynamics of couples - exactly as is shown very excellently by comparison of all couples depicted. so in my eyes it’s a necessity to understand the message carried throughout the story.

masterpiece, no less. so, enjoy!

ps. and one tiny hint towards expectations, because the plot summary is indeed rather misleading: the trunk acts more like a metaphore than as the keeper of the big secret to be revealed. so keep an open mind and you won't feel betrayed!

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