REVIEW: ‘The Trunk’ Is An Attractive Mystery

The Trunk may be the hook to lure unsuspecting viewers in, but it seldom takes center stage. Instead, it is a Pandora’s Box, opening the gateway into this beautifully shot mystery thriller. With its many twists and turns, sometimes it gets lost in the intricate web it’s weaving. Still, it captivates, with its cast capturing the intricate nuances of their morally grey characters, leaving viewers guessing until the very end.

Han Jeong-Won (Gong Yoo) is deeply lonely and anxious after his divorce, relying on a wide array of sleeping pills in an attempt to combat his insomnia. As a wealthy son of a CEO with a previous record of drug possession,  there’s an additional layer of fear and paranoia in being watched. With his home a prison and the outside world not any better, he’s trapped in his over version of hell. Things change once Noh In-Ji (Seo Hyun-Jin) enters his life.

As part of an agreement with his ex-wife, Seo Yeon (Jung Yun-Ha), in an attempt to win her back, Jeong-Won agrees to a marriage contract with In-Ji. In-Ji, on her end, lives from one husband to another in fixed 1-year marriage contracts orchestrated by the mysterious company, NM.

It’s how she fills the void until she can right the wrong that was done to her so many years ago. While Jeong-Won is resistant, In-Ji wears him down in agreeing to the contract. What neither of them realizes is this marriage will force them to confront their past, reconcile with hard truths, and bury their demons in The Trunk.

The Trunk tells a non-linear story to build mystery.

Bouncing back and forth in time, The Trunk is the keeper of the past and story. As the police dive deeper into solving the case surrounding its questionable appearance, the answers add additional layers to the mystery. Any assumptions made by viewers early on will be easily tossed out the window. The twists and turns taken in developing the characters’ backstories sometimes prove more contrived than not, adding further heat to an already boiling pot.

But, upon reflection, these moments serve the grander theme of leaving the past behind and letting go. Even if it muddies the waters, the tangled web Jeong-Won, In-Ji, and Seo Yeon find themselves in as a result of the initial marriage contract is the catalyst that opens all doors. In particular, how In-Ji’s relationship with Jeong-Won illuminates the toxicity that’s infested Jeong-Won’s life and is contributing to his continued decline is jaw-dropping in how everything unfolds. Things get messy and it is addicting, even when taking in the extent of Seo Yeon’s manipulation.

The cast keeps things grounded yet compelling with their performances, never venturing too far off the deep end into dramatics. Gong Yoo explores the complicated headspace Jeong-Won occupies in The Trunk, plagued by dreams and haunted by memories of his past. The hallucinatory cinematography amplifies this reality, accessorizing Gong Yoo’s performance with all the trappings. Seo Hyun-Jin’s In-Ji is quiet and secretive yet brimming with strength. But when she’s alone, Hyun-Jin is unafraid to show the true depths of In-Ji’s vulnerability.

Above all else, the actors make this Netflix drama succeed.

While Jeong-Won’s and In-Ji’s evolving relationship captivates, Jung Yun-Ha’s Seo Yeon is honestly the best. She’s a self-admitted villain, manipulating and deriving joy from Jeong-Won’s misfortunes. However, for once in her life, and ironically, thanks to her own attempts to drive Jeong-Won further into despair, she loses control of the situation. And seeing how Yun-Ha captures the pettiness and self-destructive tendencies of someone who can’t stand to lose is just so good. Viewers will love to hate her just as much as I did.

Performances and story aside, The Trunk is absolutely beautiful to look at. The usage of colors, the placement of characters, etc., make almost every frame artwork. The chandelier, a central symbol in the story, is dazzling and foreboding. Here, director Kim Kyu-Tae’s camerawork is almost godly, sparing nothing with its gaze and belaying meaning without a word spoken.

Punctuating everything is the score. In a thriller like this, there tends to be an overlying emphasis on tension-driving tones. This is the case, but not for long. No, the discordant tones do not linger. Instead, throughout the course of eight episodes, The Trunk‘s score gradually transforms along with our characters, going from anxiety-inducing guitar riffs and overwhelming drones to something more hopeful by the series’ end—a good study on how to use the score to tell a story in its own right.

The Trunk never lets go, taking viewers on a journey that proves addicting and messy. It gives us characters we’ll love to hate and leaves us wondering what’ll happen next. Fans of mysteries and thrillers should add this K-drama immediately to their watchlist.

The Trunk is now streaming exclusively on Netflix.