I was instantly excited when I saw "The Trunk" pop up on Netflix. Gong Yoo and Seo Hyun Jin are favorites from two of my most rewatched KDramas ever ("Coffee Prince" & "Another Miss Oh"), so I just knew this short drama would be a new favorite of mine. Their performances lived up to my expectations but unfortunately, this drama did not.

"The Trunk" is a romantic but melancholy thriller whose plot deals with heartbreak, manipulation, trauma, and longing, and yet the slow pace and convoluted story made this difficult for me to finish. I kept hoping as more of the plot was revealed that I would connect more with the story but I never did. Even the concept of the actual trunk, which seemed like a literal representation of the emotional baggage the characters carried with them, didn't live up to the importance the title suggested. Even as a melodrama it falls flat, despite the great chemistry between the leads. I hoped that the suspense would eventually make me care, but it didn't. The strongest message ended up being that marriages are transactions that don't always benefit both parties, creating resentment and regret.

Gong Yoo, plays a much darker character than the more comedic KDrama romcom characters he is usually known for in earlier dramas, which is nice to see. He plays Jeong Won, an addict who's obsessed with his ex-wife and consumed with childhood trauma. Seo Hyun Jin on the other hand plays a depressed and heartbroken character who is similar in some ways to her role in "Another Miss Oh" without the comedic moments. No In Ji is abandoned by her Fiance which leaves her detached emotionally and leads her to become a contract wife for hire. Both of these actors play well off of each other with chemistry that is undeniable but because these characters spend so much of this drama being either emotionally unavailable or melancholy, instead of being excited to watch their relationship develop I felt drained.

Then there is Jung Yun Ha as Lee Seo Yeon, Jeong Won's manipulative ex who is also a great character with a character arc that I just didn't get. It also doesn't help that this drama is told out of sequence which made her motivations even harder to follow and understand or empathize with. She and her Boy Toy contract husband had their own interesting chemistry but as the drama dragged on I became less and less interested in them.

Even the main villain, Kim Dong Won from another favorite of mine "The Smile Has Left Your Eyes" was played well but was written to be so one-dimensional that his character was more boring than menacing.

If I'm honest I didn't care about any of the supporting characters or cameos, even though some talented well-known actors were nice to see.

Would I watch this again? No, or at least not without a full explanation that makes the story suddenly more interesting. This is meant to be part suspenseful crime drama but I could barely even understand what they were investigating and why. We experience that part of the story mainly through flashbacks, and we are meant to see situations from different perspectives. The Trunk is the catalyst but It also felt like a red herring. Maybe a second viewing knowing how the plot unfolds would make me like this more, but I still think the slow drawn-out pace would make it hard to actually enjoy. The two leads are the only reason I would even consider giving the drama a 2nd try.

Overall, this drama is beautifully shot and the actors are great, but it's a buzz kill. Maybe my expectations were too high, but where the acting and direction excelled the writing was a failure for me. This drama is heavy on symbolism and light on plot. If you're looking for character development or a thrilling mystery I think this drama missed the mark on both. The romance is decent if you like the premise of two dysfunctional people exploring love and healing past hurts but don't expect a satisfying payoff. Even the soundtrack tried too hard to be "interesting" and at times felt too over the top to take seriously. Even dealing with my own grief recently, I couldn't relate to these characters or their pain, especially through fragmented flashbacks that were hard to piece together. I also finished it in a day and a half but it felt like it took a week, which isn't great for an 8 episode drama. Binging shouldn't feel like work.

This drama isn't the worst but I can't recommend it, even for the performances. Maybe if you're just in the mood for something slower-paced, and grown up you will enjoy this more than I did. Seo Hyun Jin stoic poker face, and Gong Yoo's emo puppy dog eyes have their limits for me, so I think this would have been MUCH better as a movie with a faster pace. "The Trunk" as a drama left me frustrated and drowning in boredom and watching the time way too often. I like a good noir vibe but not a turn-out-the-lights-and-snore vibe. I struggled my way to the end which took a lot of patience and I wouldn't try to convince anyone else to do the same.