‘Love and Leashes’ movie review: When public relations go private

For those who haven’t watched Love and Leashes on Netflix but, now stands out as the time to provide it a go. The Korean film – directed by Park Hyun-jin, is an adaptation of the webcomic Ethical Sense by Gyeowool. Spoiler alert: it isn’t a raunchy romantic film stuffed with loopy love-making scenes. The film revolves round a person’s secret fetish for BDSM (bondage and self-discipline, domination and submission, sadism and masochism).

Jung Ji-woo (Seohyun) and Jung Ji-hoo (Lee Jun-Younger) are colleagues at a public relations agency. Ji-woo develops emotions for her co-worker, however doesn’t specific her emotions till issues take an surprising flip, when – as a result of their related names – she receives a package deal supposed for Ji-hoo. Because the package deal has a canine leash, Ji-hoo explains to her about his S&M (submission and masochism) inklings and that he likes taking part in a submissive position. Shocked that Ji-woo doesn’t move any judgment about his fetish, Ji-hoo is shocked he asks if she would turn out to be his dominant or ‘grasp’, however with out the involvement of intercourse. She ought to, as a substitute order him round throughout their role-play. The 2 agree on a three-month relationship, by contract.

Ji-woo and Ji-hoo present nice on-screen coordination in relation to expressing and following by means of on not simply their wishes, but in addition their curiosities.  

Although Love and Leashes goals to be a romantic comedy, it lacks mild moments and fails to induce any laugh-out-loud comedy. Nevertheless, like different Ok-dramas, it admirably discusses selection, the best to select, in addition to consent and choice.

Intimacy by means of dialogue

For instance, there’s a scene the place a pissed off Ji-Woo cries as he remembers how his ex-girlfriend couldn’t perceive his preferences and broke up with him, and wonders if he ought to have mentioned it together with her.

In one other scene, Ji-woo’s buddy, Hye-mi (Lee El), who can also be into BDSM, goes out on a blind date with a person who construes BDSM as consent for sexual abuse. After being rescued by Ji-Woo and Ji-hoo, she tells her date, “Simply because I’m a pervert, you haven’t any proper to mistreat me.” She provides that she didn’t take an image of the man to show him, despite the fact that he mistreated her; Hye-mi doesn’t need to tarnish his picture as going out with him was her selection.

Within the age of titles resembling Intercourse/Life, Bridgerton and Love Tales, Love and Leashes definitely forays into grownup territory, however with out a lot raunchiness, apart from the role-playing props, attires and a few S&M scenes. Nevertheless, it’s notable for some mature conversations by means of the characters’ interactions and self-exploration.