Green Chair

Green Chair-360P

Green Chair-480P

The director being Park Chul-soo (301/302) and the plot being compared to the media-blitzed saga of Mary Kay Letourneau, it was hard to have any definite preconceptions about this film. Still, I didn't expect such humanity and, more importantly, the scope of the central relationship, which conveys the romantic idea that love is knowing and loving every last thing about your partner. Those expecting kinkiness and power dynamics will be disappointed, as the relationship is a model of unusual egalitarianism, and the sex scenes only confirm this. Their connection, rocky at first, becomes ever more real and intimate, even when faced with a Greek chorus of outsiders who would condemn their union. Also, a lot of hot sex scenes and a lot of tension-breaking humor. A true and real romance, highly recommended.

I feel from even the raunchiest versions of this type of film (or characters it portrays) to the most solemn, context is important. There are, of course biases, whether in real life and/or fantasy, such as this film. I feel the 'fantasy' for fiction is fine as long as the context is well-defined; good or bad, it always seems to lay on context. As an example: two 'adults' are fine given by the laws of one nation (or state) to the other as long as both parties are mature enough (not only physically but mentally as well) but that's a bit troubling for this film because the age of consent in South Korea (where this film was made around 2005 when released) is 13 years old (their laws are based on the Western Calendar). So, either they have laws that are different based on gender or this film is considerably fictional since the 'underage' male in this is well over the age of 13 (he's actually 19 in the film). I know this sounds, perhaps ridiculous on my part, but it doesn't seem as a reason for her arrest to begin with. So, if the main character of the 'boy' is supposed to be 12 or younger in this, this film is ridiculous on that alone but he obviously is more to the age of 15- 17 (even though, as stated: he's 19); and most other things that require an age requirement in South Korea is 19 years old (drinking, smoking etc.,) and that's the problem for me and this film: no law has been broken. So, why did she get arrested? Why the 100 hrs of Community Service? I don't get it. I read once about a South Korean 45 year old man who apparently had consensual sex with a 15 year old girl in an elevator. At first he was charged and sentenced but since the 15 year old girl sent him love letters, the guy was let go because it was 'consensual'. That's why I mention the development of the person (physically/mentally) because that actually plays a big role in determining whether something is actually consensual or not. If you separate that part from the film then it's an average erotica film about one person older having an affair with someone younger. The sex scenes are mildly entertaining, especially since they have conversations during them; and also the realization of one character noticing perhaps it's not love but lust, and perhaps it was just a risqué thing to begin with but takes home a life lesson for the better or not. My biggest problem is the fact no law has been broken (except, at the time, adultery but I only remember that once and the police/reporter dialogue was about the 'young boy' not adultery); and since that's a major plot point: this movie is below average.

Green Chair has little to offer other than the beauty of the stunning Jung Suh. The start of the film seems pointless by the end, like she was never convicted. For a film in which one becomes an adult and a point made of it, it's riddled with immaturity throughout. Funny enough by Kim in particular, frequently having spats for no reason. Her throwing his phone out the window of the car and then going back for it, realizing gee... he might need that, really. Tying up the reporter, is just silly stuff as well. Then you've got the entire party segment, what a load of nonsense that is. It is what it is, heh.

The love story among a grow up woman and an under aged guy. The movies starts from the moment she is released from jail, and follows the next steps of the love, and sex, affair. In the surrealistic ending of the movie, all the main characters are called to express their point of view on the uncommon relation of the couple. Even though not formally perfect, this movies scores a point. It gives a great representation of sex as joy and communication, without being too-sweetly romantic. Nothing is "stolen" to any one, no tragic-ending is waiting there to punish people that give themselves to passion. It gives a new, and joyful, point of view to the whole thing. Deserves to be seen...