V-Carded! An Twenty-something adult male's struggle with virginity and sexual frustration

Try a foreign slice of pie.

Although I don’t watch it too often, I like Asian foreign drama. When I was in Hawaii on business a few years ago, I spent some time at night in my hotel room after hours on the Japanese stations. Anyway, just recently I watched the 2002 South Korean comedy called “Sex is Zero.”

Sex is Zero is basically a South Korean raunchy sex comedy in the same vein as American Pie and Porky’s. The lead character is Eun-sik, a 28 year old man entering college late due to mandatory military service amongst other things. Just like Jason Biggs in American Pie, he’s a dorky guy who is always trying to steal provocative glances off the girls in revealing situations and gets himself into the most awkward sexually related situations. Much of these situations involve a high gross-out factor that actually manages to outdo American Pie in some ways. Who knew semen could be fried like eggs?

The majority of the movie revolves around his interest in a girl named Eun-hyo who barely gives him the time of day. Instead her affections lie with the school stud Sangwook and they eventually sleep together while Eun-sik can’t help but hear them moaning in the next room.

The movie takes a much darker and sinister turn when Eun-hyo gets knocked up and Sangwook abandons her. She tricks the older Eun-sik to take her to the abortion clinic (who innocently believes they’re going on a date) in order to get around parental laws, but she is left in a bad state after the abortion (think Penny in Dirty Dancing) which leaves Eun-sik to play her nurse/clown and entertain and cheer her up.

This movie did indeed have it’s funny moments, such as when two characters in the movie - known for their chronic masturbation - are doing their thing to downloaded porn and they are interrupted by the Windows BSoD. The problem with the movie is with the last third, where it got overly dramatic for what started out as a comedy and I don’t think it worked very well.

Not to mention it fell into the same old romance traps again, although that didn’t surprise me. Eun-sik was not confident at all, was too eager to please Eun-sik and even cried right in front of her. Naturally she “comes to her senses” at the end of the movie and as she realizes her “feelings” she gives him a fucking hug. Yeah…that’s not “friend zone.”

Ah well, that’s the movies for ya…we watch them to escape reality, after all. I still give this movie a mild recommendation. I’ll warn you though…it’s not for everybody like those who can’t stand watching subtitles. (As one of my friends gripes, “if I wanted to read I’d pick up a book.) But if you’re curious, you can get this on a domestic region 1 DVD on Amazon.

Posted May 18th, 2008 in Media

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