Opening Day: 11 May 2006

Synopsis:

The movie revolves around Eun Sook (MOON So Ri), a lovely but promiscuous professor in a University, who has all the male professors wrapped around her finger. It also helps that she has slept with most of them! When a popular comic book artist Suk Gyu (JI Jin Hee) joins the environmental awareness group that she belongs to, he attracts the jealously of Mr Yoo, a group member who fears that he would steal Eun Sook from him, even though Eun-Sook does not return his intense love. What is not known to the rest is that Eun Sook and Suk Gyu attended the same junior high school where they share a secretive tragic history. Back then, Eun Sook was the girlfriend of Suk Gyu's older brother and the the three rebellious teenagers indulged in sex promiscuously. Eun Sook worries that her past may be revealed. When Mr. Yoo starts snooping around Eun Sook and Suk Gyu's pasts, will their secret be kept and will they be together again?

Movie Review:

Although the Koreans are reputed for producing the most tear-jerking melodrama on both television and film, they also have a sense of humour, especially where sex is concerned. Sure, there were serious sex dramas like Untold Scandal but Bewitching Attraction, the latest sex comedy fits right into its category with the likes of Sex is Zero and Wet Dreams.

However, while the latter were campy and fun, Bewitching Attraction tries to deal with a more mature look at sexuality and deals with issues like keeping the demons from our past buried and secret affairs that happen in the office. The film tries to play these issues with black humour, maintaining the comedy tag.

Moon So-Ri is Professor Eun Sook who teaches textiles at a creative college and has the other male professors of the same school lusting after her. Possibly having had sex with the lot, of course with each others’ knowledge, a colleague grows suspicious of her when a new comic illustration lecturer, Suk Gyu, played by Ji-Jin Hee (Perhaps Love) joins the college.

While you would expect Eun Sook to charm Suk Gyu, exactly the opposite happens. As secrets of their past is revealed slowly, you will come to understand why they want each other but having to stay apart at the same time. Similarly, Eun Sook is seeing a television producer who happened to interview her for an environmental awareness show.

Despite there sounding as if there was actually a plot, pace of the film was so slow that it took ages for the two supposed leads to meet or have a confrontation. When they eventually met, the film careened towards a premature death as it lost all its bearings, appearing directionless.

The film does have its merits in its humour. For a film as such, the comedy was surprisingly dark and it added a much needed effect with witty banter between characters, to keep one awake enough to last through the show. The other surprising highlight would be two death scenes which are totally unexpected and twisted.

Unfortunately, for a film that has been touted as “The Most Revealing Sex Comedy”, it is a far cry from that. Sure, an unclothed Moon So-Ri is a sight to behold but there was nothing revealing about the film as a whole. Also, the sex scenes come at random moments and despite a hard hitting opening, the sex that follows will seem to be a common case of failure to launch. Bewitching Attraction will leave you more bemused than bewitched.

Movie Rating:

(Bewitching Attraction is a sex comedy that fails to sustain its momentum and in turn, culminates in a premature end)

Review by Mohamad Shaifulbahri