Netflix’s latest Korean romance-mystery drama, The Trunk, questions the basis of conjugal relationships in a time when increasingly fragmented lifestyles have created an existential crisis—pitting self-centered endeavors against the notion of companionship. The idea of marital relationships functioning solely on the basis of personal necessities, as a transactional affair, is an extension of issues like fear of commitment, emotional baggage, lack of self-reflection, and acceptance of personal drawbacks. Needless to say, exploring topics such as these will need the backing of strong performances by the cast, something which The Trunk doesn’t lack one bit. The complexities of the emotional intricacies of the narrative were expertly handled by the ensemble cast, allowing viewers to relate with the characters and even the supporting cast, a number of whom played the role of comic relief, proving their excellence with the roles they were given.
Han Jeong-won Played By Gong Yoo
Korean actor Gong Yoo is an extremely well-known face among movie buffs; his portrayal of Seok-yoo in one of the best zombie movies in recent years, Train to Busan, had won over viewers worldwide. Aside from the horror classic, Gong Yoo has starred in acclaimed Korean movies like Silenced, The Age of Shadows, and Netflix’s hit series Squid Game. In The Trunk, Gong Yoo portrays the role of lead Han Jeong-won, a prolific music producer haunted by his childhood trauma, resulting in him failing to even live a life in peace, let alone form a meaningful connection with his wife, Seo-yeon. Given how much of an emotional wreck Jeong-won used to be during his younger days, having to witness his abusive father tormenting his mother and driving her to take her life, it is understandable as to why he became hopelessly dependent on Seo-yeon, his childhood friend who was the only presence in his life who could offer him some solace. But this emotional dependency increased to such a level that it became toxic for both Jeong-won and Seo-yeon, resulting in a bad break, and Jeong-won was forced to accept his wife’s deal of engaging in a yearlong fake marriage with Noh In-ji to save his real one. In a sense, Jeong-won was kind of a manchild, who refused to face his problems head-on by sheltering himself behind his affluent life. The fact that Seo-yeon was drawing sadistic pleasure while playing with his insecurities was aggravating his problems even further.
However, with In-ji’s help, Jeong-won started to recognize his mental hindrances, got rid of his demons, and most importantly, he started becoming more independent by the end. Jeong-won had fallen for In-ji, but this time his love wasn’t marked by a desperate sense of emotional fulfillment. Which is why even when In-ji left Jeong-won at the end, he was not shackled by his woes and improved himself as a person. Gong Yoo’s performance as a troubled Jeong-won and his chemistry with Seo Hyun-jin, who played Noh In-ji in the series, was top-notch.
Noh In-ji Played By Seo Hyun-jin
Korean singer/actress Seo Hyun-jin appeared in the limelight as the lead singer in the M.I.L.K. girl group, and after shifting her focus to acting, she has appeared in a number of romantic melodramatic TV series like Dr. Romantic, The Beauty Inside, You Are My Spring, etc. In The Trunk, she played the role of Noh In-ji, an employee of the secretive matchmaking company NM, who is coping with the failure of her real relationship by moving through fake ones. In-ji is self-sufficient, emotionally mature, and quite practical, but she wasn’t like this from the beginning. She too used to wear her heart on her sleeve during her relationship with her fiancée Do-ha and, at times, acted too overbearing, which had caused a rift in their relationship long before everything went downhill after Do-ha’s sex tape with someone else was leaked online. For a person as pragmatic as In-ji, her effort to hold on to the good old times by waiting for her fiancée appears pitiable.
In-ji connected with Jeong-won quite easily because, like him, she too was marred by parental woes, and to some extent, she tried to find Do-ha in him, empathizing with his predicament of being controlled by his ex-wife. But despite falling for Jeong-won, she feared getting emotionally attached to him. In-ji was also concerned about the presence of her stalker, Tae-seong, and her own life experiences had started to make her believe that she was the root of all problems for people close to her. In-ji’s experience at NM has solidified her belief that conventional relationships are bound to end up in misery, which is why she consciously avoids acknowledging how she truly feels. Her hobby of kayaking alone, where she feels floating on the lake like an island, speaks of how she has adapted to the isolated existence, and it will not be any hassle for her to live the rest of her life alone. But still, she knows she can hide from her true feelings for so long, which is why she leaves the decision of reuniting with Jeong-won to fate.
Lee Seo-yeon Played By Jung Yun-ha
Actor Jung Yun-ha has previously appeared in movies like Keys to the Heart and Ashfall, with her most recent appearance being in the supernatural horror Exhuma. In The Trunk, she plays the role of Jeong-won’s ex-wife, Lee Seo-yeon, whose control freak, manipulative nature ends up ruining everything for her. Seo-yeon ruins her chance of having a good life with Ji-o, solely because she wanted to see Jeong-won suffer and enjoy her position as the controller of his life. Seo-yeon had mistaken her need to assume control as love and tried to return to Jeong-won’s life after asking for separation in the first place. Not to say that Jeong-won’s issues were not extremely burdensome for her already, given how her prenatal anxiety affected her, and she couldn’t share her plight with an immature Jeong-won, resulting in her making an attempt to take her own life and of the child as well. But Seo-yeon was too vindictive to begin with, which makes it difficult for the audience to sympathize with her completely.
Eom Tae-seong, Played By Kim Dong-won
Actor Kim Dong-won has played significant roles in movies like The Kidnapping Day and December, and in the series, he plays the role of In-ji’s stalker, Eom Tae-seong, a total psychopath who equates his extremely possessive, forceful tendencies towards In-ji as a form of devotion/love.
Miscellaneous Characters
The supporting cast left a major impact in The Trunk, highlighting the joys and miseries of marital life by offering different perspectives. Especially actors Hong Woo-jin and Joo Min-kyung, who played the role of Jeong-won’s manager Hyeong-cheol and his wife Yun-a, respectively, showcased the banality of marital life with a touch of crude reality. Actor Jo Yi-geon impresses as Ji-o, the NM-appointed husband of Seo-yeon, who falls for his client eventually. Lee Ki-woo plays the role of In-ji’s fiancée, Do-ha, and his tragic portrayal left a mark within the short screen time he was given. In a small role as In-ji’s neighborhood elder lady, actor Lee Jung-eun acted both as a comic relief and a worldly-wise presence.Â
