Love Exposure (Eoggaeneomeoeui Yeoni)

Sleeping Over

I think I had absolutely no clue as to how high the "chick" factor of this chick flick would be, as it primarily centered upon two women who share different philosophies and attitudes toward love. Think Sex and the City, but instead of a quartet, we have a duo of best friends forever (sheesh) who are buddies because their conflicting attitudes means they are unlikely to fall for the same type of persons, avoiding situations where both would want to go after the same guy.

Jeong-wan (Lee Mi-Yeon) is a rising star photographer who just couldn't keep her hands off the married Young-hoo (Kim Jun-Seong), husband of a rich wife who owns the building Jeong-wan works in. They meet in secret in hotel rooms for their frequent trysts, and to Jeong-wan, one who doesn't believe in long term relationships and commitment, this is something of a perfect arrangement to have someone at your beck and call to talk to during lonely nights, or for no strings attached pleasure.

Hee-su (Lee Tae-Ran) on the other hand, is married to an average Joe, because she thinks that being average, he would be faithful to her since she's attractive, and that he would not be willing to risk their marriage by flirting with other women who made a pass at him. She prides herself at being someone who is non-jealous even if her husband were to have an affair, but we see how this nonchalance gets put to the test when the husband does incessantly pursue a pretty young thing. We'll observe some peeling of the onion to reveal, not surprisingly, some lack of self-confidence given her need to feel wanted.

In some ways, the movie highlights the modern woman's insecurities toward love and relationships, and at some points, the somewhat hypocritical nature of how friends would practice double standard in dispensing "good" advice, so long as it doesn't mirror or become parallel to their own personal predicament. Hee-su encourages and wistfully dreams of the carefree life that Jeong-wan has in her non-commital relationship with a married man, but when she learns of her husbands infidelity, turns on Jeong-wan and riles her as a typical home-wrecker. The first half of the movie was the more engaging section, before it coasts through for the usual satisfying finale that dumbed it down a notch or two.

Although rated M18, this movie steers clear of any blatant parade of flesh. Perhaps it is the message from within the movie that got it slapped with a higher rating for mature audiences, given after all it isn't really conventional relationships that the movie deals with. In actual fact, it plays out almost like two separate films, each following a particular lead character through their respective trials and tribulations, occasionally having the characters interact to exchange notes.

Nothing fancy in its presentation, so for those who can't get enough of watching some alpha-females strut their stuff and assert their individuality in relationships, or for those who enjoy chick flicks, then Love Exposure would probably be your choice when you hit the cinemas.