Marriage is a Crazy Thing (KOR 2002) – A Korean Love Story

Content:  In this podcast, we talk about the South Korean film “Marriage is a Crazy Thing” by director Ha Yoo from 2002, which tells the story of an unequal relationship between Jun-young, an unmarried man, and Yeon-hee, a woman who desperately wants to get married.  Their affair develops despite their different life goals and values, with Yeon-hee marrying a rich doctor while continuing her relationship with Jun-young.  The movie shows the complexity of the relationship and the consequences of the protagonists' decisions. The focus is on Jun-young's perspective and his role as the lover of a married woman.  Plot:  Jun-young is a man in his early 30s whose friends and even his brother have gotten married. However, he himself has no desire to enter even into a serious relationship.  Yeon-hee is a woman approaching 30 who is desperately searching for a suitable husband. She is more interested in her partner's social and financial suitability than in love, which, if at all, comes in third place for her.  The two meet on a blind date and quickly realize that while they are not a good match, they are physically and emotionally connected.  We’ve already discussed a few films of this genre, and it does seem that the two protagonists always end up together in the end—at least if it’s a Hollywood film. The apparent motto is to give the audience what it wants.  In “Marriage is a Crazy Thing”, the question is raised: Is it crazy to get married? Is this film different from typical Hollywood films of this genre?