The Trunk

Came for Gong Yoo and Seo Hyun Jin, then left with Jo Yi Geon

The gist of the story would have you go 'Okay, that sounds interesting...' and that is what happened to me. Then I got more enthusiastic after seeing Gong Yoo (Silenced) and Seo Hyun Jin (Why Her?) in the cast. The first episode's opening moments got me hooked and at its end, I was feeling for Jeong Won (Gong Yoo) the most.

IMO the writer and its director struggled with the backstories. The presentation just did not flow seamlessly which made my experience with the series quite unsettling and unfulfilling. Like how episode 2 opened with a totally new character and you're thrown in the past grasping at straws to make sense of it all.

Then there is Yun Ji Oh (Jo Yi Geon/ Cho I Geon) who was forgotten in limbo land for most of the episodes. He was, for most of the time, the a$$holic man candy who was quickly shoved into a hero position to save every one.

Then there's the abusive father. His hospital bed scenes were so unnecessary. It would have been more effective had he been in his virile and vile self, in Jeong Won's and Seo Yeon's (Jung Yun Ha) flashbacks.

The acting I enjoyed. No surprise there. It's what carried me through to the last episode. I just will specially mention that as much as No In-Ji raged to protect Jeong Won, it was her soft moments that I find special. I melted every time No In-ji smiled. But I still enjoyed her several displays of physicality.

The music is enjoyable too. Now where is that rock music available?

Unfortunately, there is little chance I will rewatch The Trunk. But I will look out for a spin off. I am curious about Yun Jin Oh. His transition from keeper to husband-for-hire for one. Also, he was tagged by the writer as cruel. To me he was the most straightforward character amongst the lot. He knew what/who he liked and he expressed it. He also was loyal to the very end. There's very few people in the world like that and I am intrigued how he came to be and why he is so devoted to the crazy selfish bish.

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Old School Cool with a Few Bumps in the Road

The Good: Finally, Grown-Ups!

Honestly, it feels like forever since we've had K-dramas featuring actors who can actually, you know, act! For a while there, it was all perfectly sculpted noses and pretty faces, but not much in the way of actual talent or personality. (I could name names, but my therapist says I should work on my anger issues.) "Trunk" was a breath of fresh air, a shining example of "old is gold." The seasoned actors here brought such maturity and screen presence, it was like a masterclass.

The whole vibe of this drama was just chef's kiss. The color tones, the mood, the melancholic sounds and sights, the camera angles, and the OST — all perfectly executed. Even though it was marketed as a mystery, it never gave off that creepy, eerie feeling. The director clearly has an eye for design, going for that edgy mid-century style in Han Jeong-won's houses and the entire production set. And don't even get me started on the cars – they practically screamed "wealthy ML," and they were on point.

The Bad: Where'd the Episodes Go?

K-dramas are known for being quick and easy binges, but I honestly think "Trunk" could've used a few more episodes, say 10 or even 12. The story had so much potential to be developed and expanded. But then again, if you look at Gong Yoo's drama history, he does seem to pick projects with shorter episode counts. And like practically everyone else, I wasn't thrilled with the ending. But let's be real, with only 8 episodes, what were we even expecting?

One thing that felt a bit underdeveloped was the ML's career as a producer. Unless you were paying super close attention, you might have missed what he actually does. Him just showing up at the studio and lounging on the sofa while his assistants do all the work didn't really sell his "boss" status. His actual "boss," O Hyeon-cheol, seemed to represent him more on the career front. I would've loved to see at least a scene or two where he was actually immersed in his production role.

The Ugly: Mystery? What Mystery?

Okay, full disclosure: I'm not usually a fan of the mystery genre. So the fact that I actually enjoyed this drama means one thing: there was no real mystery. The whole time, you feel like the director is building up to some big, twisted reveal, but then... crickets. If you're a hardcore mystery fan who loves shocking twists, turns, and maybe a dash of psychotic elements, you'll probably snooze through this one.

Overall: A Mature Romance with Good Looks

My personal take? I went into "Trunk" looking for a mature romance and some solid acting, and that's exactly what I got. Plus, they threw in some great visuals and top-notch production. So yeah, I'm pretty satisfied.
What are your thoughts? Did "Trunk" hit the mark for you, or were you left wanting more?

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Heavy Stuff

It should be said from the very beginning that this film presents a very different point of view on marriage, from the common perception. This is for those who took very, very hard blows from life, and it won't speak too much to those who were speared. One needs to go through some hellish experiences to fully understand this series' philosophy on marriage, and relate to its characters and events.
Personally, I very much enjoy fairy tales-like love stories, but once in a while I come across these heavy stories which remind me of my own stuff. They give me the opportunity to contemplate my own path so far, and a sense of self-satisfaction knowing I somehow managed to get through hardships, move on and retain my sanity, at least to some degree. 😁 It's a hard film to watch, even if you "have been there", as the saying goes.
Except for the music, I liked everything about this film. Although it was as unbearable as the experiences presented, it was for a purpose: it had to add to the arduousness of the events.
The story was good, and believe it or not, real. Such twisted people do exist, and they put others through hell. I can even state that this being a film, it quite embellished facts and the whole atmosphere.
The acting was perfect, each artist stirring up emotions according to the nature of their respective characters. Although the series is filled with sadness, grief, desperation, anger, frustration, injustice, helplessness, still the characters are very much embellished and idealized. If we take No In Ji for example, which represents the type of strong person who rescues themselves and heals others in the process, it's evident that she possess so many more qualities than a real person in real life. I mean, who can possibly be so level-headed and so self-controlled when they have to deal with life-threatening situations and so much heartbreak? And more than this, she even gives her all to heal and rescue a wreck (Han Jeong Won). And is this even possible? I mean, how immature must one be to not know that we cannot actually heal and save anyone, unless they want to do it themselves? Luckily, Han Jeong Won provided that ideal situation when somebody was actually willing to save themselves and accept help in the process. Now, this being given, it isn't impossible (for No In Ji to save him), but there's bound to be some mistakes in the process, some setbacks. Yet, we only see the steps forward, the advancement on the path to salvation. This is why I say that everything was embellished. Real people are more fragile, less ideal than No In Ji. Her behaviour was very classy, always speaking only what was important, refusing to wallow in gossip or pointless conversations, answering only to the questions which carried sense or served a constructive purpose. This is another ideal behaviour. Let's be serious, who wouldn't slip out a few curses now and then, a few blamings here and there? 😁
I close my review with the hope that everybody has at least a peaceful life, if not happy. And if people cannot relate to this film, it's a good sign, it means my wish came true. ☮️

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More Psychology than Thriller

First allow me to confess that I am a huge fan on Gong Yoo and I have loved him since Coffee Prince. Further, I lean more towards soft romances, with a gentle storyline and I shy away from dark and grotty stories. So, fact that I watched this, says a lot about it. Also, I have rewatched multiple times as is recommended because the story is so layered, even if simple.

I feel the series tried a little too hard on the mystery side and people who enjoy this genre saw through it fairly quickly resulting in boredom. However, I think the story was heavy on psychological themes and the mystery just added an extra layer of flavour to what was already cooking.

This is what I think I saw. There are those who go through life fearfully, some who are unable to communicate their needs and some who do not know or recognize their needs, some lack of self awareness even. We can find each of our characters in these descriptions. Loving from a place of fear is characterised by constant worry that you will be left and to prevent that from happening, an enormous amount of control is exerted onto the love interest and relationship. Depending on who they are, the result could be catastrophic. In this instance, the control was met with abandonment issues and lack of communication skills. How do I tell you what I need from you and be sure that you will not leave me?

What I appreciated the most from here, was the character development. We see our male lead emerge from under the thumb to become his own man who feels sufficiently secure to say this is what I need and only you can give it to me. Of course, sweet romance never killed anyone and so to add to that and say ' I will wait for you' has many of us swooning. The love scenes between our male lead and his current wife, had me levitating off of my couch, they felt so real to my body. Mainly because these are characters fairly close to me in age and so I could relate so much to the need for touch and for emotional connection. The other couple's love scenes did not reach me at all.

There were moments when I felt the female lead was not meeting the male lead emotionally and I was not clear if this was the acting or how the character was written, but this is negligible. All cast members brought their a-game and it showed.

I recommend this series if you are into growth, finding love and connection at any age, but most especially during the middle ages.

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there are better but this was good too

The Trunk is a suspenseful thriller that draws you in from the start with a complex story full of secrets and unexpected twists. The series does a great job of creating an atmosphere of uncertainty – you never know who to trust and what is really true. I loved how the characters’ hidden motivations are gradually revealed and how every detail can be crucial.

The series’ greatest strength lies in its suspense and clever storytelling. The story is dark but engaging, with visually powerful scenes and a thoughtful pace. If you like mystery thrillers with elements of psychological drama, The Trunk is definitely worth watching.

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Loved the show, hated the ending

initially, after finishing this show, I gave it a 10 rating. But after sitting with it for a few hours, I realized I was really upset by the ending and lowered my rating. I really don’t understand why she left him in the end. I mean, at first it was to protect him, right? Once the threat was gone, what was her reason? If it was because she needed some time alone after years of suppressing her trauma, then okay why didn’t she just say that she needed some time and space? I never understand these dramas where people leave each other like this. He was nothing but supportive, protective, and loving to her, even through dealing with all his trauma. Such an unsatisfying ending.
Other than that, I enjoyed every episode up until the end.

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Boring ending

Everything was going well until we got to chapter 6, from then on the story started to seem boring to me. The story about the murder and the stalker, I found it very ¿? what are you trying to tell me, how to find out who the murderer is is very boring, the reason why he does it is also boring (personally). Maybe if the story had a stronger motive about the murder it would be much better, but well, the ending was not a big deal and leaves you very much like, I watched 8 chapters for this?

I had read bad reviews when I was on the 4th or 5th chapter and I thought they were exaggerating by giving it a bad rating, but no. I was not.

It's ok to pass the time, but you'll probably be disappointed by the ending, or maybe not.

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Broken people searching for closure and trying to heal.

This was dark perhaps but not in a bad way; the darkness added dimension to the inner turmoil of the characters.
Han Jeong Won played by Gong Yoo and his ex-wife have a mutually destructive relationship, she's manipulative, controlling and quite frankly unhinged; He's rudderless, tormented and searching for an anchor - the two of them are completely wrong for each other as neither one has what the other needs.
The arrival of Noh In Ji into Han Jeong Won's life starts the process of healing for both of them because she is also a wounded soul; we get insight into her life and her struggles with stalker Eom Tae Song.
Han Jeong Won and No In Ji gradually fall in love as they create a safe space for each other, and help each other deal with the antagonists in their lives (his ex-wife and her stalker)

The story telling is non-linear, so the story line jumps forwards and backwards without any cues for the viewer to keep track, I quite liked this element though it's probably not for everyone.
Han Jeong Won's house is architecturally impressive and can actually be considered a character in the story as it plays such a big role in the narrative.
The music is good, some of it is suspenseful and the rest is so emotive and beautiful, It really accentuated the story beautifully.

Some cons from my perspective: it took me up till episode 3 to figure out the flow of the story - the murder investigation, the flashbacks and the current narrative were shown interchangeably as scene progressions with no "2 years ago" or "5 years later" markers for the viewer.
Also, I though there were too many unfinished conversations especially between the male and female leads, I understand that this is a dramatic device, but I found it frustrating when the female lead left a lot of questions which were posed to her unanswered.
Something else that isn't explored adequately is the backstory of the ex-wife. What exactly led to her derangement prior to the baby story?

I like dramas that explore the inner landscape of characters, Trunk did so evocatively, and I was drawn into the emotional and mental turmoil of the characters. The slow burn love story is portrayed in a human and realistic way with unfinished sentences and hanging questions. Right up to the end Han Jeong Won and Noh In Ji were so wary of their love that they required a double confirmation of its existence, I thought this was very apt considering the emotional terrain that had been travelled by the characters.

The acting in this is excellent by all especially the main leads, the ex-wife and the stalker. Hats off to the cast.
I gave this drama a well deserved 8/10.

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The Arranged Marriage Trope takes a Dark and Twisted Turn

Love does blossom in these arranged marriages as it always does, but not before it’s revealed what these arrangements are truly all about.

Seo Yeong, SFL, has been married to Jeong-won for a mere three years when she decides it’s more fun to divorce him and punish him for making her miserable by immediately marrying someone else, via an arrangement, while arranging for him to take on a new wife, which she claims will ultimately save their relationship. Though divorced, she keeps a close eye on his new marriage via hidden cameras, uses his past trauma to gaslight him and supplies him with copious amounts of drugs to keep him malleable to her manipulations.

The ML, Jeong-won, is utterly pathetic until the FL, Noh, accepts the job as his new arranged wife. She immediately upsets his life, in a good way, which facilitates much needed growth for him and an interesting relationship between the two. In the mist of all the manipulations, cat fights and trauma,, there is a stalker, who is somewhat at the center of the story. His obsession with Noh is exactly what you’d expect out of someone who is delusional and deranged. However, as crazy as he was his actions brought an interesting yet terrifying element to the story.

Though the ML was a pitiful mess, the reasons for his brokenness made him endearing and thus a character to root for. The FL had her own traumas that had left her stuck and in a dark place, but she was not one to tolerate BS. The way she took on the manipulative SFL was perfect. And for once in a K-drama she , the FL, did not allow herself to be mercilessly slapped and bullied. Loved it!

The acting in this was very good as was the writing. All of the characters had great chemistry. It is a mature series so there is foul language, violence, sex and some nudity. It’s only 8 episodes. Thus easy to binge. Really good series.

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If I cant have it, I will destroy it

I'm a fan of Kim Kyu Tae director's dramas. I followed his dramas since A love to kill. I especially love his collaborations with Noh Hee Kyung writer, like on Its Okay Thats Love & Our Blues. Their collaboration drama show excellency on potraying human fragility & raw emotion within beautiful yet bitter atmosphere. Paradoxically, this "bitter & ugly truth" tendency become a healing drama.

When I watched The Trunk trailer, I wondered why Kim Kyu Tae become director for thriller/crime drama. I know that it is not impossible, because he had directed Iris, one of the memorable action-conspiration drama.
After finished watching The Trunk, I feel like this drama is remind me to A love to kill, also seems like dark version of Its okay thats love.

The trunk depicts dark and depresive side of human mundane life. Love has destructive side, that as powerful as, its ability to empower and heal human scar. From someone who give up in life & powerless in relationship, then our hero & heroine become someone who protect their partner bravely. Allso finally they have clarity about the problem, & their own flaws.

The acting, directing, cinematograhy, & editing are top notch. But the script would be better if it can give audience more layer for Um Tae Seong character. The chemistry between Gong Yoo & Seo Hyun Jin is beautiful. I want to praise Kim Dong Won (Um Tae Seong), & especially Jung Yung Ha (Lee seo yeon) for their great performance.

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