Man on High Heels

The subtitle of the movie translated some quotes like this into English, not sure if that’s accurate but it speaks wisdom. Cannot say about the gays, never had the opportunity to interact, not interested anyway, but I have seen transgender women struggling to make a living.

Whatever.

A few days ago, I was scrolling through the long list of Korean movies based on their ratings and this particular one popped up. Thought it would be a comedy, but the synopsis said differently. It’s not the action genre that attracted me but the underlying story of a hardcore cop direly wanting to be a woman.

WTH.

This might be interesting, I thought. Indeed it is. Backed by an action-packed storyline, the movie represents dualism, homosexuality, and a different view towards gender orientation. Quite traditional yet entirely different when it comes to the feminine side of the protagonist. Fearing societal rejection, he seeks comfort within his room, wearing ladies' clothes in isolation. But his desire to become a woman fails to find solace just under the skirts, he wants physical transformation. To do so, he intakes muscle-softening medicines to allow physicians to put silicone in places where necessary. But being a hardcore fighter, the medicine barely works. For the time being, a sense of comedy releases in the air but soon dissolves as typically, Korean action films get busier with countless gangsters every now and then— fighting makes the most part of it.

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And make no mistake, if you are seeking violence, blood-stained streets or a dining table full of dead bodies, this movie might be your immediate pick. From the beginning to end, the director might have spent a big chunk of bucks to buy red sauce or colours.

However, you will find time to take a breath during the fighting scenes when the movie takes you back to the romantic saga of our teenage hero. Obviously, with another homosexual boy. I am not sure if homosexuality is the right term as the hero is sexually male but prefers his gender to be presented as feminine. But you get it, right?

Anyway, it’s a lengthy movie and despite the interesting story and riveting actions, the ending is a bit blunt. The action scenes start to fall, twists are revealed, the plot becomes predictable, and ends with ambiguity. Nevertheless, it’s a good watch— unless you find it disturbing seeing teenage boys kissing one another or getting intimate with ex-boyfriend’s younger sister. After all, it’s a fictional story, nothing to bother about.