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ssang-hwa-jeom-aka-frozen-flower-2008
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Set in Korea under
the sway of the Mongol Yuan empire established by Kublai Khan in the
13th century, the historical drama A Frozen Flower (2008) tells the
story of the king (Jin-mo Ju) whose homosexual repationship with the
head of his bodyguards, Hong-rim (In-seong Jo), is shaken up when his
queen (Ji-hyo Song) begins sleeping with Hong too. Song shows T&A
repeatedly, and that’s hot enough.
Song
Ji-Hyo Nude in A Frozen Flower Showing Breast and Butt.
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Homosexuality
is no longer a hush-hush topic for Korean filmmakers. But depictions
of sexuality take another turn in "Ssanghwajeom" ("A
Frozen Flower"), as a relationship between two men becomes a
triangle of jealousy with an addition of a woman.
But the
movie, to be released on Dec. 30, is not limited to sexual
entanglement. Sex is used as a key tool to prod the plot forward,
often at a rapid pace. To that end, director Yoo Ha includes plenty
of explicit scenes of sex and graphic violence. The result, however,
is somewhat mixed. The film's poetic justice produces an unlikely anti-hero.
Although
the movie sets itself out as a historical drama set in the late
Goryeo Dynasty, viewers should bear in mind that the story is purely
fictional. The nation is now under the virtual rule of China's Yuan
Dynasty, and Goryeo's king (Joo Jin-mo) has to produce a son to keep
his position. The only problem is that he cannot sleep with a woman,
much less have a romantic relationship with one.
The
king's real romantic partner is none other than his chief bodyguard
Hong Lim (Jo In-Seong). The two have sex in the inner sanctums of the
Goryeo court, and we are shown a graphic kiss scene between the king
and Hong Lim, which is bound to shock some Korean viewers.
But the
real shocker comes when the king decides to ask Hong Lim to sleep
with his wife - the queen (Song Ji-hyo). This idea is based on his
assumption that all his political problems will go away once there is
a royal son.
The
king's miscalculation, of course, is that passionate romantic
feelings sometimes form after sex. Hong Lim, who has never slept with
a woman before, hesitates to touch the body of the queen at first,
but once the physical bond is initiated, he finds himself totally enslaved.
Love
triangle established, the plot sprints ahead with a portrayal of the
uncontrollable anger and jealousy of the king, leaving heads rolling
in the process.
Director
Yoo seems to suggest that Hong Lim has long been subjected to a sort
of coercion, rather than a real romantic relationship with the king.
Hong is a mere subordinate, while the king has all the power,
including the right to order his death.
The
queen, for her part, discovers the liberating exhilaration when she
falls in love with Hong Lim after years of neglect and inattention.
She suffers a deep sense of guilt initially but she finds herself
indulging in the dangerous liaisons with Hong Lim.
What is
notable is that sex in "Ssanghwajeom" ("A Frozen
Flower") is deeply associated with death. Eros is often depicted
in literature and film as being able to overcome everything. The
feelings that interconnect Hong Lim and the queen could backfire
lethally because they are cheating on the almighty king. |
