at the end. I don't know why she died and why her corpse is on the boat filled with water? and him too. did he died?
what happened to them after they leaved that place?
or they did not leaved?
I love this film . but I don't know what happened at the end.
please help me.
Kind of made me think of Horton Hears a Who. Ya know how he finds that ball of lint that's an entire world? The way the guy is walking into that isolated patch of reeds, and it turns into her pubic hair. I have no idea what they're trying to say by this - just my impression.
George Washington's brother was the uncle of our country. - George Carlin
yeah I am not figuring that out either. But my guess it that it represented some kind of shelter or hiding place.
shareIn my opinion, writer/director Kim Ki-Duk wants to show by this that men get lost in women's sexuality and that actually she is the one who seduces him. This is a rather difficult decision because, on the one hand, most horror movies/thrillers show acting men and helpless women, but, on the other hand, in "Seom" it looks as if men get helpless as soon as they are coming near a vagina. One can read this as a misogynically tendence.
Also, Hyun-Shik hurts himself by swallowing the fish hooks - Hee-Jin could have done the same, but because she is a woman, she hurts herself by injuring her vagina. That's strange, isn't it?
Although it was a pleasure to watch the movie, I don't like the end very much, because it makes the film one of many others that present men as some kind of helpless little animals and women as evil creatures driven by instinct. You see, those card playing men "used" Hee-Jin as a group as if it would be normal, but Hee-Jin gets very jealous as soon as Hyun-Shik has an affair with the prostitute.
In regard of Hee-Jin's death, I guess she knows that there is nowhere they can run and hide anymore, it's very clear that she and Hyun-Shik have got no future. It could only have been a part-time affair and because she knows, she commits suicide.
I don't know if I entirely agree that she was the only one who committed suicide. As it was shown in the beginning when Hyun-Shik is experiencing a nightmare (it isn't clear, but I think he found his wife cheating and killed her and her lover), soon after he attempts suicide. I believe they both engaged in suicide and then it showed them in almost their afterlife, Hyun-Shik hiding within the isle that no one could find him for what he did. And the boat for Hee-Jin, as an emotional attachment to her everyday life, as though the boat was her life partner and she was to be buried with it when she passed on. I dunno, then I also read that it was possible that Hyun-Shik was already dead. His motorcycle was left deteriorating in her backyard, and she had all of his clothes. Yet then again, those clothes could have been from a former lover that she had lost, thus would explain her silence. Anyway, there are many interpretations, but I do believe that the ending was a seeking of sanctuary for their spirits after they committed suicide.
Thanks for your reply, your thoughts seem pretty interesting to me. Unfortunately, it's been over a year since I watched the movie for the first time (and last time so far), so I guess I have to watch it again to be able to think about your comment.
"Pacifism is not something to hide behind." (Walter)
The mouth and vagina injuries are both at first mutually inflicted (she bites him/he kicks her), so I kind of read the subsequent hook injuries as signifying the characters' acceptance of each others' pain-inflicting: hence also their dependence on each other for removing the hooks. As to why his mouth gets hooked rather than his dick, it's true that throughout the movie men's speech is characteristically coarse and hurtful and almost always means trouble.
As for the ending, I was also perplexed but my best guess is that what is being represented is a sort of mutually achieved solace where both are at peace with their sexuality and emotions: he symbolically enters her but simultaneously she is separate from him--inviolate--and free in the water (which throughout the movie is her world, the place in which she is the most powerful). I think they probably are literally dead as well: she obviously; he, if not immediately dead, will probably die in the wild or else continue in a totally primitive fashion and--having achieved this sexual perfection/solace symbolized by entering the rushes--not really be a man or human in the normal sense.
Top marks that man. I would take the mutual suicide as a convincing finale, and the floating boats being taken as a kind of afterlife. This would certainly seem true to form given Kim Ki-Duk's similar resolution in both Bad Guy and Spring, Summer, Autumn, Winter, Spring, where in both films the main protagonists commit suicide in the sea or on a boat in a lake.
This guy has issues. Maybe his Dad forced him to take swimming lessons against his will?
www.breheny.com
I believe that there was a previous lover whom she lost, and therefore she had the clothings etc. Look at the scene where he wears one of them, it seems that it's a bit to big for him. That may also be the reason why she remains silent. She also looks quite hurt, sad, lonely.
shareHallo Reimweh!
I wonder if we have seen two different movies with the same name? I've seen a movie in which men abuse women and vice versa, and in which the abused strike back in their different ways - using their power when they get their chance. To be honest, I couldn't really point out one person who is more to blame than any other. All got their egoistic motives and personal handicaps (Hyun-Shik - prior bad experience with at least one woman and his situation in life; Hee-Jin - not able to articulate herself and her job including prostitution; etc.). So who is week or helpless, strong and superior in 'Seom'? All are and nobody is, I guess.
The vagina theory was interesting... but neither the prostitute nor Hee-Jin are acting quite the same (and reasonable) when meeting Hyun-Shik. They too are caught by Hyun-Shik's aura. So I'd like to a 'penis' to the theory = it all comes down to the basic vagina-penis theory then.
I also wonder where Hyun-Shik could have put the hooks instead of his throat. The female body presents some more posibilities there. Both tried to hurt themselves to the max - and succeeded in my eyes. To push it further Kim had to have Hee-Jin put the hooks where she did. To me it was the logical place in terms of dramatisation.
Little animals and evil creatures - Kim captures stereotype males - who do exist of course (the card players and the fat one with the gold watch), and Hee-Jin who tries to brake out her role as prostitute, she isn't satisfied with. Her jealousy based on her own double standards is a common thing among human beeings. In other movies men happen to be in the same conflict - so please... little animals and evil creatures... it's not that simple.
In my opinion neither a macho nor a feministic point of view serves the interpretation of this movie!
Yeah, I saw it coming too - the hooks in the vagina. In fact, I was a little disappointed to see the previous scene mirrored, with him returning to take the hooks out and tend to her while she recovers.
Why she dies? Some of these ideas have already been expressed, but I'll advance my formulation: her boat and that lake were her entire life and now that she was hunted, she could no longer return there to keep living. So she returned to die.
The getting lost in women's sexuality is an interesting idea, but I wouldn't go as far as to say that one dominates the other. I believe that Hee-Jin is the stronger character, the one with true power. But that doesn't leave Hyun-Shik defenseless.
Didn't Hee-Jin intended the affair? In some way... I mean she called the prostitute. She wanted him to sleep with her... why, I don't know. Maybe no feelings at that time?
That Hee-Jin got very jealous... it reminded me of Dogville. Nicole Kidman "had no problem" with getting raped by all men from the town, but never slept with her lover, and didn't want to sleep with him. I suppose that Hee-Jin had feelings for Hyun-Shik, that made the difference.
Someone else has already explained why Hee-Jin hurt her vagina, a very good point. Mens mouth did bad things... hmm... maybe the womens vaginas did the same and were causing trouble? One might interpret it that way IMHO.
i don't think she died at the ned. remember they left that boat behind.
i think that was just the directors way of geting a point across.
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I just saw the movie and it was pretty clear to me that the end was just a symbolization - a superflous, and in my opinion, unnecessary addition to the movie. I believe the only reason they showed that one last scene was to make people think and get into the illusion that she commited suicide. But in order for such a thing to be proven then we, as an audience, must have been shown reasons and clues by the director to why she would commit suicide and I could find no such things.
As to why she ordered the prostitute for him was to give revenge in a dark way. She was really pissed off after him throwing himself on top of her when she just really wanted to get to know him or just sit next to him, like any female would who just started to like a guy, really. But after he just jumped on her she came up with the conclusion that he really just wants sex from her and saw her more as a materialistic view. To prove her theory she called the prostitute to see if he really just wanted sex and in a way it was an act of revenge as it's kind of an insult. For example, if you're hitting on a chick and you throw yourself on top of her then she gets pissed and runs away then sends you her friend instead, isn't that insulting?
Just some thoughts...
She was really pissed off after him throwing himself on top of her when she just really wanted to get to know him or just sit next to him, like any female would who just started to like a guy, really. But after he just jumped on her she came up with the conclusion that he really just wants sex from her and saw her more as a materialistic view.Martin...Martin...Martin...
But it kind of hurt the movie. I guess he wanted a bittersweet ending. Or just bitter. But why so confusing? Nothing else was that way.
It just didn't work for me. Should have left it with the music playing and them floating off. We know bumpy waters are ahead for them. The ending was unnecessary.
Still a great film.
We're going to get a seal here, and a seal here; and run the ball, right up the alley!
well, my opinion is that the final scene was kinda "epilogue". they simply sailed away and the body in the water was a symbol of the past. throughout the whole film they had kind of animalistic relationship and after they went through all of this suffering and misunderstandings, they left the "old selves" behind [the boat and the body]. or at least the woman did... i know this theory is not perfect, but which one is?
shareI actually kinda like this take on it, ventriloman, though like many others that this movie should have just ended with them sailing away on that house float into a precarious future.
shareyes but if it ended this way it would meant that they remained the same [and it's a kind of cliche nowadays], while this ending represents the change [at least in my opinion]. it's, of course, open to interpretations, maybe it should meant something completely different. however, it only looks pessimistic, but if you take it as a symbol of change, it's far more optimistic that if they just sailed away.
share[deleted]
Not everyone uses English as their first language. You should be more respectful of others.
shareRegardless of the meaning for that ending, you have to admit that was some serious bush she got there. Looked like a raccon was coming out of her *beep*
shareThat is what Korean cinema is all about.They make the audience think and discuss.They aren't like Hollywood wherein it ends well,everything in the story is clear and there is nothing to discuss when the end credits roll.
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