The Trunk: Episode 1 (First Impressions)
by lovepark
A one-year marriage, a trunk in a lake, and the murmurs of a lacking physique sign the beginning of this story between a person hoping to rekindle a failed relationship and a girl ready for somebody to return. Will our couple change into one thing greater than the world expects of them or is their break up inevitable on this time-limited romance?
Editor’s observe: That is a gap overview solely. For a spot to talk about the whole drama, go to the Drama Hangout.
EPISODE 1
A trunk sinks into the abyss solely to scrub ashore, and thus, the story begins. Visually gorgeous but peculiar at each flip, nothing is because it appears on this thriller drama a couple of contract marriage. Two empty husks, one signed association, and a slew of unstated feelings bottled up inside — our heroes meet as fakes, however will their finish be the identical?
Rewinding the clock 5 months, the present introduces spouse NOH IN-JI (Website positioning Hyun-jin) in a succinct and highly effective scene: she watches over her dying husband (cameo by Cha Seung-won) till his final breath after which turns to the hospital workers with a enterprise card. As of ten minutes in the past, they obtained divorced, nullifying her of any future tasks.
In-ji is knowledgeable “discipline spouse” — a secretive service offered by a marriage consulting firm that’s forward of the curve. Her newest project differs from the same old purchasers, however In-ji accepts anyhow after wanting on the profile of her new husband HAN JUNG-WON (Gong Yoo), a capsule popping insomniac who prefers loud and crowded golf equipment over his opulent and grandiose home.
Regardless of dwelling in extravagance, Jung-won listlessly floats by means of life, clinging onto an ex-wife who has already moved on to greener pastures. The rationale he signed up for a contract marriage within the first place was as a result of LEE Web optimization-YEON (Jung Yoon-ha) threatened to by no means see him once more if he refused this request — however upcoming nuptials apart, Jung-won begs his ex-wife to rethink as a result of he can not reside with out her.
Whereas Jung-won’s devotion to Website positioning-yeon could have stemmed from love up to now, its present type borders obsession, and his incapability to perform with out her feels suffocating even from the surface. When Jung-won calls her punishment merciless, she spits again, “I’m the one being punished. I’m nonetheless alive in entrance of you.”
Their relationship appears tempestuous with one aspect unwilling to let go and the opposite nonetheless controlling. Jung-won follows, destroys, and pushes Website positioning-yeon to match his tempo and meet his wants, whereas Website positioning-yeon lies, ignores, and coddles Jung-won to get him to behave and do as she needs. This temporary glimpse at their present dynamic reeks of toxicity as co-dependency collides with narcissism on this farce of a bond.
After a failed dinner together with his ex-wife, Jung-won follows her residence and finds the present he gave her discarded within the backseat of her automobile. Seething, he calls her a number of instances, however she ignores all of them, making like to her youthful new husband, as a substitute. Realizing that she is, as soon as once more, dismissing him, Jung-won breaks the window in a match of rage, and a passing officer catches him red-handed.
Due to his impulsive act, our contractual couple lastly meet on the police station, and the air between them tingles with a charged electrical energy, a mixture of confusion, animosity, and — dare I say — curiosity. Although Jung-won makes an attempt to go residence alone, In-ji pulls up in his automobile, so he will get in with an aggravated sigh. Compelled into this marriage by his ex-wife, Jung-won treats In-ji with contempt, mocking her occupation and crossing boundaries, however she stays unperturbed, volleying his invasive questions with a chilly pragmatism that leaves him speechless.
That evening, Jung-won has a nightmare of a girl consuming on the ground and wielding a knife. The bruised lady marches into the bed room of a sleeping man, however earlier than she will be able to plunge her weapon into his chest, Jung-won stops her. He calls her mother and breaks down into sobs earlier than waking up. Within the kitchen — the identical one from his dream — he finds In-ji making breakfast, however unable to abdomen their façade, he tells her that he prefers to eat one thing else (the euphemism not misplaced on her) and leaves.
Off the clock, In-ji steps away from the luxuries of her faux residence to enter the standard abode of her runaway fiancé the place she retains the place tidy but untouched. Her noisy neighbor (cameo by Lee Jung-eun) advises her to forgot about him, however Jung-won is just not the one one unable to maneuver on from the previous. In-ji hides from demons of her personal, however her technique of coping with them could also be extra violent as evident by the taser she retains in her trunk.
As knowledgeable spouse, In-ji continues coaxing Jung-won right into a relationship and tells him to not overthink issues since their time collectively expires in a 12 months. Attempting to impress her, he wonders if her companies are just like a maid’s or if different facilities can be found. Would she have intercourse with him? Would she be fantastic with a dishonest husband? These questions, although, solely disarm Jung-won as In-ji asks him if these are what he really needs.
Retreating to his room, Jung-won tries to sleep till the low sound of the tv wakes him. He discovers In-ji watching soccer in the midst of the evening and berates her for disturbing an insomniac. Like at all times, she offers together with his feelings with a relaxed formality and presents up an answer: he can keep up and have drinks along with her, then. Her response exasperates Jung-won who needs she would simply depart, however In-ji tells him to cease worrying. Until he likes enjoying arduous to get, she has no plans on seducing him, so he ought to act as himself round her.
As if reacting her to remark, Jung-won chucks the can of beer she tossed him into the chandelier he hates, inflicting the drink to spurt all around the ground. She flinches on the sudden outburst and watches Jung-won warily as he steps nearer to scrub up the mess. Whereas he goes to select up the can, he sees the chandelier falling as if to swallow him complete, however as he braces for the influence, it by no means comes. Wanting up, he sees In-ji standing over him, and blood trickles down her arm.
Returning to the current, Jung-won sits in an interrogation room, and the detective answerable for this uncommon case — a gunshot at a lake, blood on a stolen boat, and a trunk with no physique — asks him about his relationship to the proprietor. He solutions, “I’m her husband.”
An odd premise with an much more perplexing plot, the primary episode of The Trunk units the scene for an odd pair of misfits and an overarching thriller. Neither Jung-won nor In-ji are instantly nice — he’s risky and brash; she is aloof and uncanny. Nevertheless, I discovered each of their characters intriguing. The appearing in addition to the directing seize two deeply flawed but immensely human people that made me surprise about their previous and their future. Jung-won is trapped inside an costly birdcage, however did his ex-wife hand him a key to be let loose or one other lock to maintain his wings clipped? As for In-ji, she appears unable to maneuver on from a person who left, and as consequence, she shifts from one faux marriage to the following, forgoing emotional attachments. Is she placing on a masks, or has the act change into actuality?
Whereas the rapid draw of The Trunk is the 2 leads — great performances throughout to date — what caught my consideration all through the primary episode was the visible storytelling from director Kim Kyu-tae. Particularly, Jung-won’s home is such an fascinating setting, full of curves from the winding staircase to the arched doorways. Characters are framed so the attention naturally turns in the direction of them, however somewhat than really feel inviting, the varied slopes and actions appear to entrap our heroes on this house. Even the haunting chandelier, at first look, is round, however upon nearer inspection, its elements are sharp, angular objects. The home, despite its ridiculous riches, is just a gilded cage.
I additionally wish to give credit score to cinematographer Park Jang-hyuk who labored on the good political thriller The Whirlwind in addition to the visually evocative Little Ladies and the moody Our Blues. He is aware of learn how to use colours to convey feelings, and The Trunk is one other instance of his eager expertise. The varied reds of In-ji stand starkly in opposition to the cool blues of her environment — her kayak, her coat, the trim of her trunk, and the blood that flows to the bottom. In distinction, Jung-won is washed in hues of inexperienced and blue to replicate his melancholic state, however when these two colours meet, their world turns purple. Nevertheless, will their relationship create one thing new and significant to heal these damaged souls or is their finish destined for doom? No matter lies forward, at the least I do know The Trunk can be a feast for the eyes.
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