Is “Obsessed” one of the most visually impressive erotic melodramas Korean cinema has produced?
In this episode of Bad Accent Video Reviews, Asian Movie Pulse takes a closer look at Kim Dae-woo’s “Obsessed”, starring Song Seung-heon and Lim Ji-yeon in a forbidden romance set inside a Korean military base in 1969. Kim Dae-woo would later return to similar adult-oriented territory with “Hidden Face”.
A decorated colonel seemingly has everything: status, a promising career and a privileged marriage. But trauma from the Vietnam War and his encounter with the wife of a subordinate gradually push him toward an affair that threatens to destroy the carefully controlled world around him.
We discuss the film’s treatment of PTSD, repression, desire and military hierarchy, as well as the fascinating way gossip among the officers’ wives creates an atmosphere where nobody is truly free from surveillance.
We also examine Byun Bong-seon’s gorgeous cinematography, the retro production design, the carefully staged erotic sequences, the use of classical music and the performances of Song Seung-heon and Lim Ji-yeon.
While the forced comedy and excessive melodrama of the final act prevent “Obsessed” from reaching its full potential, its visual elegance, sensual atmosphere and polished production values remain difficult to ignore.
What do you think of “Obsessed”? Is it one of the better Korean erotic melodramas of the last decade? Let us know in the comments.
