The Trunk Kdrama Review: The Trunk is a 2024 South Korean mystery melodrama TV series based on Kim Ryeo-ryeong’s novel of the same name. Starring Seo Hyun-jin and Gong Yoo, the story follows two people who enter a one-year marriage contract, with a mysterious trunk playing a key role. The series premiered on Netflix on November 29, 2024.
Plot Summary
Noh In-ji works at NM (New Marriage), a company that arranges contract marriages. Despite having a new contract husband every year, she still feels lonely. On the other hand, Han Jeong-won joins the program in an unexpected attempt to fix his past marriage. However, their lives take a dramatic turn when a mysterious trunk is found in a lake, pulling them into a series of unexpected events tied to the matchmaking service.
A Psychological Thriller on Love & Trauma
The Trunk Kdrama Review: The Trunk is a 2024 South Korean mystery melodrama TV series based on Kim Ryeo-ryeong’s novel of the same name. Starring Seo…
This dark psychological drama/thriller, based on a novel, dives deep into relationships, marriage, and love. It also explores past traumas, emotional manipulation, and the complexities of human connections. The story unfolds slowly but steadily, drawing you in with its powerful and well-acted narrative.
The performances are strong, especially from the leads, who bring raw emotion to their roles as they navigate their past wounds and slowly heal. Their love story, which begins with an unsettling and unconventional contract marriage, evolves into something deeper and more meaningful. After all, isn’t every marriage a kind of contract?
The Trunk Kdrama sets out with an intriguing, moody atmosphere—cold, understated, and melancholic. That’s not necessarily a bad thing, but the show takes itself far too seriously, stretching scenes for the sake of “artistic” depth rather than narrative impact. What could have been a tightly woven thriller instead becomes a slow, drawn-out melodrama that struggles to maintain engagement.
One of the biggest disappointments is how misleading the marketing is. The official descriptions on MDL, Wikipedia, and even Netflix paint The Trunk Kdrama as a gripping mystery about uncovering murder and exposing a powerful company’s secrets. However, that’s far from reality. The mystery and the NM company are barely relevant, taking a backseat to the complicated and dysfunctional relationships between the four main characters.
If you go in expecting a psychological relationship drama rather than a mystery thriller, you might still appreciate its themes. The performances are solid, and the cinematography is stylish, but the execution lacks energy, and the pacing drags. Ultimately, The Trunk Kdrama is not what it promises to be, and for many viewers, that will be its biggest flaw.
A Drama That Collapses Under Its Own Weight
This mini-series starts off strong with an intriguing premise, talented female leads, and stunning cinematography. The first half is engaging and full of potential, making it an enjoyable watch. However, as the story progresses, the script loses direction. The characters’ motivations become unclear, and by the end, the emotional moments feel forced rather than meaningful.
While the stylish visuals and music create an appealing atmosphere, they can’t hide the fact that the plot is a chaotic mix of disconnected elements. The show tries to tackle too many dramatic themes at once—grief over a lost child, a bisexual character navigating his identity, deep family trauma, a fake marriage business, a superhuman stalker, and even a murder mystery. Instead of weaving these elements into a compelling narrative, the story ends up feeling messy and unfocused.
Ultimately, what starts as a promising drama turns into a frustrating watch. It tries too hard to be sensational, leaving behind an inconsistent and underwhelming storyline.
The Trunk Kdrama attempts to blend romance, mystery, and melodrama into a thought-provoking thriller, but its slow pace and convoluted storytelling make it a difficult watch. While the themes of heartbreak, manipulation, trauma, and longing are present, they never truly resonate, leaving the emotional core of the series feeling hollow.
Despite its intriguing premise, the show struggles to maintain engagement. The mysterious trunk, which could have served as a powerful metaphor for the characters’ emotional baggage, ultimately feels underutilized. Even the strong chemistry between the leads isn’t enough to elevate the drama, as the narrative remains frustratingly sluggish and unfocused.
Verdict
What could have been a suspenseful and emotionally charged story instead falls flat. By the end, The Trunk Kdrama seems less like a mystery thriller and more like a commentary on the transactional nature of marriage—one that doesn’t always benefit both parties and often leads to resentment and regret. Unfortunately, while that message is clear, the series itself lacks the depth and intensity needed to make it truly compelling.
Trailer
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