La Valigia (2024)

Unique and subtle.

It’s good, a worth watch. But I felt something is missing. I could feel what the director wanted to show, but it sometimes came off guard. The editing is not good, with many things cut out due to fitting it into 8 episodes.

The first half was superb, well-engaged, but later it gets a bit dull as scenes became repetitive without much progression. There’s also an issue with the screenplay—it could have been more intact and expansive. Instead, it felt very congested, limiting the story’s potential. I think it really needed some unanswered questions to be talked upon, so Season 2 is a must.

By the way, I loved this series so much—that’s why I talked a lot about its minor problems. I absolutely loved the performances, the cinematography, the production value, the score, and the direction. Well, that’s it about it.

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A story of marriage, anxiety and a suitcase

finished 8.5/10 🌟
A story full of nuances, it talks about mental health, anxiety and the pain of loss... all wrapped up in a thriller and suspense plot.
What I liked most was the chemistry of the protagonists, although it is not a strictly romantic drama, each and every one of their scenes together was felt
Individually they also had their merits, I liked the references to how humans feel when they suffer from anxiety, hallucinations and substance abuse ✨👏
What I didn't like was that at the end it focused more on the murder, and the chapters seemed excessively long to me and I watched some scenes at x2 speed.
It's not a story for everyone, but it's good for passing the time.

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When your trunk get heavy, let it go

The Trunk stands out as a psychological drama that expertly weaves together themes of emotional healing, trauma, and complex relationships. Featuring stellar performances from Gong Yoo and Seo Hyun-jin, the series is elevated by their undeniable chemistry, which anchors the story’s emotional depth. Gong Yoo’s portrayal of Han Jeong-won, a music producer dealing with past wounds, is as compelling as it is nuanced, while Seo Hyun-jin brings an empowering vulnerability to Noh In-ji, a woman navigating the world of contract marriages.

What sets The Trunk apart is its intricate exploration of the characters' psyches. Rather than relying solely on surface-level romance, the series delves into deep, often painful, emotional experiences, exploring how past traumas shape personal growth and future relationships. This psychological depth allows for rich character development, making the relationship between Jeong-won and In-ji feel both believable and magnetic. Their gradual bond, layered with both tension and tenderness, keeps viewers invested in their journey of healing and redemption.

In addition to the strong character work, the cinematography plays a crucial role in enhancing the drama’s atmospheric tone. Beautifully shot, The Trunk uses its visuals to underscore the internal struggles of its characters, adding another layer of emotional resonance to the storytelling. The cinematographic choices help to create an immersive experience, drawing viewers deeper into the characters’ world of mystery, suspense, and psychological turmoil.

The plot itself is an exciting mix of psychological thriller and character-driven drama. The series does an excellent job of keeping the suspense high while also providing moments of deep introspection, balancing action and quiet character exploration effectively.

Overall, The Trunk is a masterful example of psychological storytelling, driven by top-tier performances and a deeply engaging plot. The integration of romance, mystery, and personal growth creates a compelling narrative that not only entertains but also provokes thought and reflection. This is a show that stays with you long after the credits roll.

For all these reasons, I would confidently rate The Trunk 8.5/10. It’s a captivating, thought-provoking series that excels in emotional depth, character development, and atmospheric storytelling, making it a must-watch for fans of psychological dramas.

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A hot Mess plot with good actors

I never rate but I literally made an account just to rate on this trash. I woke up at 1 am and I was gravely disappointed. The plot holes where too many to ignore . I don’t even know how to explain what a mess it was . The main characters had no essence that I ended up rooting for the second female lead because at least her story was more intriguing than the MC
For example the male lead in the fiat half was obsesesed with ex wife then 1 episode he just decides oooh I hate her actually like please what happened . Them with the female lead 1 expression through out is she even in love .

and the trunk ?????? it should be called the CONFUSION

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Edge of Your Seat Thriller

It's a romance embedded into a psychological thriller and murder mystery. Raw, gripping, sexy, and even sweet at times. A who-dun-it mystery that will keep you glued until the end. You have to watch it to the end because it will be a surprise, one I did not see coming. The musical score is good and helps with the tense, mysterious, and dramatic scenes. I would say my only complaints are that it shifts between present, past, and future and sometimes it s hard to tell which moment in time you're in. Also, there are awkward transitions between some of the scenes that I'm not sure make sense and add little to the story. Over all though, it was really good. Congrats to the actors--these roles were dark at times and could not have been easy to play--also the production value was outstanding, clothes, sets, lighting, camera angles, it was all done well.

At 8 episodes it's just the right length. I can easily recommend this one.

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Gong Yoo shines brilliantly in the dark

A melodramatic thriller centred on 2 leads and the collision of the utter snakepits each of their lives have become individually. Psychologically claustrophobic plot. Gong Yoo (as Han Jeong Won) and Seo Hyun Jin (as Noh In Ji) work brilliantly together as 2 anti-heroes who yearn for happiness but are trapped not just by manipulative and abusive friends and family, but by their own numbed and stilled psyches. Gong Yoo, suffocated and angry, as always emotes with every careful move of his body and gaze. Seo Hyun Jin's character uses her beautiful closed face to survive so the actress clearly indicates her thought processes by her timing and her movements. When Inji loses control and starts in on the usual FL idiocy (taking all the blame on herself etc.) it doesn't last long.

The main set, the home of Jeong Won's dead parents is one of those architectural excesses symbolically perfect for the hermit-crab existence of JW in the grandiose ruins of his horrible family history. The central element is a modern chandelier of grotesque Versailles proportions hanging over a two story central space off which open all the living areas. In Ji is inserted into this cave-like structure by a semi-sinister version of a matchmaking bureau which specializes in discreet temporary contract-marriages for transactional reasons. JW's ex, a malevolent architect herself, also fits into this set as an absent presence, since she herself actually engineered the whole premise of the show, the dual contract-marriages. The strengths of the performances of Jung Yun Ha and Lee Woo (as her own temporary husband) are central to the plot and to the success of the show overall.

This is a good watch for fans of kdrama for whom plot doesn't matter as much as camerawork, soundtrack and the play of formulaic expectations. A great watch for Gong Yoo fans who always knew he would be smoking hot in bed. But a show which bends the rules for the OTP so far that it will be up to you to decide whether or not you have been emotionally deceived and how cynically this was done.

At 8 episodes of 1hr ea. we are looking at one of the new lengths for a kdrama. At this point writers and directors have to decide which standard elements to keep, how much time to allot to them etc. In my timid opinion (timid bec the extremely distinguished director, Kim Kyu Tae is obviously fully intentional in his choices) this type of story needed a 10 ep. structure in order to more firmly establish a key anchor for kdrama, the relationships of family and friends over time as context. At 8 eps, the show was way intense, and the standard time-jump later on in the show felt more jarring than usual. I didnt feel ready for it.

My advice for getting around this is not to binge the whole show at once and go to sleep unhappy, as I did, because I woke up the next day with a completely different perspective and decided I loved the Trunk. The next day I disliked it, the next day...I needed time to appreciate it, and in a classic 16 ep form that appreciation would have been done in tandem with the usual chorus of observers (families, friends and village idiots) within the drama itself. Those characters were in the story but I literally felt they needed their own small corners (time, musical themes etc) to thrive in. Therefore the discussion and perspective has to be internal to the spectator, as in a movie....



The kdrama phenomenon is built on 3 pillars. 1/ Technical power of the soundtrack combined with careful editing to produce a range of emotions swiftly and exactly. 2/Extremely sophisticated comic sensibility combined with essential theatrical structures and astoundingly skilled camerawork to produce real aesthetic satisfaction, 3/The imaginary reintegration of a positive and hopeful society via the love of family and friends and communal meals and other rituals. I think that 3/ is not satisfied here. The fans love the weird romantic formulas but they occur ontop of the engine for producing those feelings.

On sex. love and formulas: Kdrama love is built on an exchange of symbolic promises of care and support. These include bandaiding, tentative and sometimes complicated handholding, sleeping together without sex mainly so that love can be awoken by watching the partner's childlike and vulnerable face, gift-giving, and feeding. Near-death experiences of one of the pair are often necessary. The actual protestation of love is couched in terms of care and protection - I will always be by your side, etc. Sex has to occur very near the culmination of most of this. The weakness of this show is the placement of these elements out of sequence, when one of the basic pillars of kdrama is a little weak. Modernizing kdrama is always perilous but necessary, so kudos for the effort.

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The Trunk could survive without the mystery part.

I have only words of admiration to Gong Yoo and Seo Hyun Jin who really portrayed Han Jeong Won and No In Ji well. ++ to their amazing chemistry. Their chemistry is chemistrying.

Also, I have to mention Jung Yun Ha. She's an amazing one. She annoyed the hell out of me proving that she perfomed Lee So Yeon incredibly.

However, the mystery isn't giving that mystery. As said earlier, this series could survive without it. Side stories also shouldn't have been introduced if they weren't concluded properly. I do do love the soundtrack tough. It is wonderful.

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Slow-Burn + Contractual Marriage

Beautiful cinematography; the acting and chemistry are top-tier. I normally don't watch slow-burn type of drama because its not my cup of tea; the story is unique but lacking something, in my opinion. There's some stuff that is still unclear to me, especially the trunk. and I don't think killing the stalker and all the investigation were necessary; maybe sending him to jail was a much better consequence. and the ex-wife needed punishment; they let her off the hook pretty quick, considering what she did.

Overall, I really enjoyed this. Seo Hyunjin x Gong Yoo acting & chemistry really carried the show; they got me blushing, giggling, and kicking my feet like a high school girl.

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Edge-of-Your-Seat Suspense? No. Compelling Drama? Yes!

Gong Yoo and Seo Hyun Jin, two of my favorite actors, brought their A-game to this series, delivering deeply nuanced performances as emotionally flawed characters. Their chemistry and range truly elevated the story.

I also enjoyed the ensemble cast and appreciated how the writers explored the complexities of relationships, though I felt the script could have delved deeper into the these themes.

The flash-forwards to the investigative timeline initially added some intrigue, but they ultimately felt purposeless as the series progressed. I haven't read The Trunk, so I'm not sure if solving the 'crime' was a key element in the original story, but in the show it came across more as an afterthought than a meaningful part of the narrative.

Overall had a good time.

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Acting Master Class

Masterful Acting from every actor involved Awesome to see Gong Yoo back on the big screen He emotes better than actor All the actors were amazing in this series Unfortunately the story line, pacing & overall enjoyment lost it's luster with the messy plot. There were just too many anti-climax's The one year marriage contract that apparently only the wife got to enjoy , while the husband grieved the loss of his marriage and as the story evolves their unborn child There was no redemption for the wife character at all , she was portrayed as selfish calculating vindictive, the husband was a rather pathetic character from start to finish really. The 2nd contract wives story line, her marriage to a bisexual which apparently was the worst thing ever. The murderer who was murdered just so much going on way too much Of course the nude sex scenes which just stimulated but done nothing for the movement of the story All in all if the acting wasn't top notch it would have been a definite pass

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Aku mumet nonton ini, nontonnya pakai speed 1,5x karena slow banget alurnya. Tapi demi Seo Hyun Jin dipair sama Gong Yoo (kapan lagi?!) yaaa gaskeun dong. Tema utamanya kawin kontrak, ini pemerintahan korsel kayanya sengaja naikin tingkat pernikahan warganya melalui drama-drama pasutri LOL.

Gong Yoo di sini diceritakan produser musik super kaya yang insomnia berat (aw, aku, tapi sugihnya ngga). Pakailah jasa vendor kawin kontrak bernama NM Wedding selama setahun. Genrenya nih engga romance, tapi thriller. Karena ada kasus misteriusnya. Spoiler dikit, aku nangisin part sup rumput laut :')) dan tiap Gong Yoo nenggak sleeping pills.

Abis nonton ini berasa hampa ya. Dramanya gloomy, mana cuacanya begini. Depressed banget, tiati yang mentalnya lagi low. Benar lah kata sebagian psikiater, bahwa kadang buat tidur nyenyak kita ngga selalu perlu obat-obatan kimia, tapi manusia🥹🥹

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