Synopsis
“Obsessed” (Ingan Jungdok) is an erotic romance drama fiction film from South Korea in 2014, it was Directed by Kim Dae-woo. Set in 1969, it is another bleak chapter in South Korea’s history during it’s involvement in the Vietnam War. The love story is tragic, full of desire yet unfulfilled, exploring themes of personal sacrifice for one’s ardent pursuits in life. It portrays the love story’s unfulfilled sensual longing under the enormous weight of the ceaseless war, alongside a punishing military structure.
The storyline highlights Colonel Kim Jin-pyong (played by Song Seung-heon), the head of a decorated military officer. Vietnam war veteran Jin-pyong married to Soo-jin (Jo Yeo-jeong), who plays the role of a dutiful and reserved military wife, is actually emotionally dry and deadened internally. Jin-pyong’s PTSD alongside severe insomnia and lack of emotional response to life’s normal stimuli heavily impacts their relationship. As the story unfolds, the married couple’s emotional disconnect becomes starkly apparent.
Lim Ji-yeon plays the role of Ga-heun, a beautiful and calm woman who is married to the Colonel’s subordinate, Captain Kyung Woo-jin (On Joo-wan). The couple meets at a military function and by the end of it, their eyes are already glued onto one another. From that moment onward, the ga-heun and the colonel nurture their unexplainable mutual attraction, and their infatuation makes it more dangerous and obsessive.
Jin-pyong’s Stolen Heart
Jin-pyong, regardless of his position, faces conflict with his urges. He starts to tail Ga-heun. She is reluctant, but Ga-heun is ultimately swept away by his weakness and intense part of his persona. Their relationship evolves into an intense yet intense secret affair, kept hidden from their spouses and the rigid military structure.
The consequences and the affair’s intensity both escalate. Ga-heun starts to emotionally break down as she tries to juggle her allegiance to her husband and love for Jin-pyong. Meanwhile, Jin-pyong starts acting irrationally as he risks everything for their affair. Their efforts to be with each other causes irrevocable damage to their lives.
The interservice rivalry among their respective officers and spouses, with the added scrutiny of the military, escalates suspicion. Mountains of pressure prompt the lovers to face their stark reality. They succumb to betrayal as their love dissolves in the face of stark blame and guilt, parting ways forever to detach from societal expectations.
In the final analysis, Obsessed tells the tragic tale of love untethered to reality—and the astonishing consequences of unchecked lust in a setting where reputation and obligation reign supreme.
Cast & Performances
Song Seung-heon as Colonel Kim Jin-pyong
Song Seung-heon is best known for his well-groomed hairstyles and clean attire. His role as Jin-pyong reveals a bold and uncharacteristically emotional performance for the South Korean actor. He plays a character who is a quintessential war figure struggling between his burdens and bowing down to his primal desires. His change from a withdrawn military lover to a tormented figure is the emotional essence of the film.
Lim Ji-yeon as Ga-heun
In her breakout role, Lim Ji-yeon takes on the character of Ga-heun and is the embodiment of a blend of innocence and quiet strength. She balances sensuality and restrain, illustrating the struggle within a woman torn between honor and love. Many critics praised her performance and she went on to win several Best New Actress awards.
Jo Yeo-jeong as Soo-jin
Jo Yeo-jeong plays the colonel’s wife and brings depth to the character with her subtle yet impactful performance. While too much emphasis placed on a military spouse’s duties can make her character cold and prideful Soo-jin, she cannot be considered a passive character. There is an unkind compression extending Shrewdom, often joyless near-miss, with the unflinching and inflexible expectation of the military spouse’s façade upholding acceptance and perfection.
On Joo-wan as Captain Kyung Woo-jin
On Joo-wan plays Ga-heun’s husband, a Captain Kyung Woo-jin, a loyal and somewhat dim-witted officer. Performed with noble but rough around the edges Jin-pyong, his moral decay is a stark contrast to his integrity.
Directed and written by: Kim Dae-woo
After working on Forbidden Quest, Kim Dae-woo is still delving into themes of eroticism and restraint within historical frameworks. His direction of Obsessed weaves together ethereal beauty and the human spirit.
Visual Style and Cinematography
The film Obsessed is visually striking, showcasing stunning graphics and enhanced emotional and sensual themes. Soft lighting and rich color palettes, along with period-accurate set designs, place the audience into the setting of 1960s South Korea. With the characters intensely emoting, each frame painstakingly captures a dreamy feel in stark contrast to the atmosphere.
The love scenes carry an explicit nature, yet are shot with a narrative focus and do not serve to sensationalize. The raw emotionality of the scenes capture the fragility and the deep connection of the characters’ relationship.
Themes and Analysis
- Forbidden Desire and Repression
The core of Obsessed is deeply linked to the themes of repression, delving into the world of Jin-pyong and Ga-heun. Within the characters lies a deep, raw emotional reservoir, yet traditional, socially acceptable lives crush them. Their love, while genuine, is fraught with peril in a world hostile to their pursuit.
- The Trauma of War
Jin-pyong’s internal battlefield is as tormenting as the physical one he experiences. His PTSD, along with the emotional numbness he feels towards life, creates the risk of him engaging in compulsive behavior. The film critiques, in a subtle way, the inhumanity of the war – as it prevents people from constructing meaningful relationships.
- Duty vs. Passion
The characters are perpetually skirting the gulf of personal desires and social obligations. On the one side, Jin-pyong serves as the epitome of a distinguished soldier. On the other, his personal life indicates that this hardly offers a fulfilling existence. The curious yet loyal Ga-heun showcases the convergence of individual joy and social compliance.
- Patriarchy and Female Agency
The film’s set might be a patriarchal one, yet it gives the freedom of action, albeit limited, to its women. Ga-heun exercises agency. While making painful choices, they remain her choices. So too does Soo-jin exercise agency when she feels her pride is snubbed. These moments provide a glimpse countering the notion that women are wholly passive victims of the decisions made by their husbands.
Critical Reception
Obsessed is a film that, mixed as the critiques might be, it nonetheless wants to be praised for its captivating left and right performances as much as its haunting, beautifully crafted, and emotionally arduous scenes. Where Obsessed is greatly lacking is in the strictly regimented pacing as well as leaning too heavily into melodramatic tropes. What is clear, and will surely generate further discussion, is the very way in which eroticism and taboo love is presented in a conservative society.
Lim Ji-yeon gained prominence as a leading performer after winning numerous awards for Best New Actress. Song Seung-heon, who gained fame from numerous romantic dramas, was appreciated for his different approach in this film.
Though the film was not a blockbuster hit, it was a magnet of attention for both local and international audiences because of the tragic romance intertwined in a sensual narrative.
Conclusion
Cinematically, Obsessed is a visually striking film with brilliant narrative depth as it delves into the dark corners of devotion, responsibility, and human frailty. It portrays how even the most regimented lives can collapse under the weight of fervor. The film is a distinguished and powerful contribution to the collection of romantic dramas produced in South Korea because of the strong performances and rich themes.
Obsessed portrays the disintegration of a psychologically complex human being with suppressed emotions. It reminds us of the most profound conflicts that exist without weapons, far from the battlefield—within the hearts of those desperately longing to balance love and duty.
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