Hello everyone and welcome back to another Korean movie review by EonTalk. Today’s review will be on the erotic Korean film, <Serve the People>.
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Directed by Jang Chul Soo, the director of <Secretly Greatly> and <Bedevilled>, <Serve the People> was a highly erotic film that starred the likes of Yeon Woo Jin, Ji Ahn, and Cho Sung Ha. Not the most flashy cast, but still actors you’ve probably seen in smaller roles in other productions. And because this is a very sexual film with lots of erotic scenes, the movie is, of course, rated 18+. But was the film overall worth watching? Or was it just another highly sensual movie that has steamy scenes for the sake of having steamy scenes? Let’s get into the review of <Serve the People>!
The synopsis is as follows:
Moo-Kwang is a model soldier that took on the role of a private chef of the Division Commander. His one and only goal in life was to provide for his wife and child. Then, one day, the Division Commander leaves on a business trip, and that’s when the dangerous temptation begins. The young wife of the Division Commander, Soo-Ryun, comes onto Moo-Kwang, seducing him and conflicting his goals and beliefs. Will Moo-Kwang be able to keep his morals, or will he fall for the seduction and temptation of the Commander’s wife, risking his military role, relation with his family, and basically his entire life?
Trailer
Source: EonTalk Media YouTube Channel
The Good
The movie overall was a very quiet one. Now, this is neither a good nor bad; it’s just the tone of the film. The first 10 minutes or so of the film hardly had any dialogue, and I was a little afraid that the movie would end up not having any dialogue, but that wasn’t the case. But yes, in general, the film was on the quieter, less dialogue-heavy side; this is why the music and auditory elements played a crucial part for the movie.
The movie’s cinematography had a very… how should I put it… “unique” characteristic. At times, I really enjoyed the camerawork and the angles it provided. But then again, in other times, it left me asking why they would change tones with the cinematography like that… Mmm, but overall, I think I’ll give this a pass, which is why I included it in the good parts.
And the two parts of the movie being generally quiet and the uncommon cinematography gave this movie a vibe and tone of its own. There were parts with abnormal suspense and thrill, which derived from the two elements mentioned, and I’m pretty sure I haven’t seen a film like this, especially out of Korean cinema, in a very long time.
Moreover, the movie was very, very erotic. There were a lot of sexual scenes, and if you’re planning to watch this with your family and/or someone that you’re not 100% comfortable watching eroticas with, then stay away from this. But if this is the genre and type of movie you’re looking for, there’s definitely a lot of what you’re looking for. Now, was this satisfactory is a question I’ll get to in the bad parts as well, as there are different layers to it.
The Bad
The sensual scenes, from an artistic standpoint, was… how should I say this… not very artistic. Films such as <The Handmaiden> did a superb job at showcasing the sexual scenes not only in a very erotic way, but also in a very beautiful way. From the way it was shot to the way it’s able to integrate it into the story and the overall movie was what made it incredibly great. However, this can’t be said about <Serve the People>. Maybe because the focus was too much on the intimate scenes and less the narrative, but wasn’t very satisfying for me personally.
And in relation to the narrative, there were some parts that were a little confusing. The movie overall felt like it lacked focus on the storyline, and felt like it jumped around in spots that ultimately wasn’t solved even when the ending credits came on.
Furthermore, the ending and the extra scene it had was a little weird. There was a pause in the scene, but that was really confusing… Was it done on purpose, or was there a screening error in the theater I watched at… If it was on purpose, it has me asking… “But why?” And that question came up very frequently throughout the duration.
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Verdict
Overall, <Serve the People> was a highly sensual movie with a unique tone to it. It had it’s own atmosphere, but it also had it’s own flaws as well.
Ticket Price Value: $8
(Ticket Price Value is the price I would pay to watch the film again for the first time)
What were your thoughts on the movie? Do you agree or disagree with my review? What would your ‘Ticket Price Value’ be? Leave a comment down below!
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Disclaimer
Please keep in mind this review is composed of solely my own opinions, and should be taken with a grain of salt. I am in no way a professional writer, nor have I majored or studied journalism. This is for informative entertainment purpose only, representing my personal views. I do not own the images and/or videos used in the review. No copyright infringement intended.