The Trunk – Kim Ryeo-ryeong: The book was brought to life by Netflix as a hit television series of the same name in 2024.
The Trunk Book Review: When Marriage Becomes a Contract and Loneliness Has No Expiration Date
An in-depth review of The Trunk by Kim Ryeo-ryeong — a powerful Korean novel exploring contract marriage, emotional isolation, and modern identity.
Introduction: Why The Trunk Is Not a Typical Love Story
In recent years, Korean literature has gained global recognition not only through popular genres but also through quiet, psychologically rich novels that reflect modern society. The Trunk by Kim Ryeo-ryeong stands firmly in this category.
This is not a romance novel. It is not a thriller in the conventional sense. Instead, The Trunk is a slow-burning, introspective narrative that examines what happens when marriage is stripped of love and reduced to a temporary agreement — and what that reveals about loneliness in contemporary life.
At its core, The Trunk asks a deeply unsettling question:
What remains of a relationship when commitment has an expiration date?
• A Striking Premise: Marriage as a Service
One of the most compelling aspects of The Trunk is its premise. The novel introduces NM (New Marriage), a company that offers contract spouses to clients who want the social benefits of marriage without emotional commitment.
How Contract Marriage Works in The Trunk
- Marriage duration: One year
- Terms are clearly defined and legally binding
- Emotional attachment is discouraged
- After the contract ends, both parties become legal strangers
This system does not feel like distant science fiction. Instead, it feels disturbingly plausible — especially in a society where marriage is often shaped by social pressure, appearances, and emotional exhaustion.
Kim Ryeo-ryeong does not present this system as shocking or dystopian. She presents it as functional, which makes it even more unsettling.
Noh In-ji: A Woman Who Lives by Emotional Detachment
A Professional Contract Wife
The novel’s protagonist, Noh In-ji, works as a professional contract wife for NM. She has entered multiple one-year marriages and treats each one as a role to be performed with precision and restraint.
In-ji is:
- Emotionally distant
- Highly controlled
- Resistant to attachment
She follows the rules meticulously:
- No curiosity about her partner’s past
- No emotional dependence
- No expectations beyond the contract
For In-ji, detachment is not indifference — it is self-preservation.
An Unlikable but Honest Protagonist
Many readers struggle to connect with In-ji, and that discomfort is intentional. She is not written to be sympathetic or inspiring. Instead, she represents a type of modern individual who has learned to survive by shutting down emotionally.
In-ji embodies:
- Burnout from repeated emotional failure
- The fear of permanence
- A refusal to believe in lasting intimacy
Her emotional restraint is not coldness — it is fatigue.
Han Jeong-won: A Man Trapped in Memory
In contrast to In-ji’s emotional control, Han Jeong-won, her current contract husband, is deeply fractured.
- A music producer
- Lives alone in a house by a lake
- Haunted by his former marriage
Jeong-won does not seek a relationship — he seeks relief. He enters contract marriage not to move forward, but to avoid confronting unresolved grief.
This pairing creates the novel’s central tension:
- A woman who avoids feeling
- A man who cannot escape it
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Plot Development: Quiet, Slow, and Introspective
A Story Without Traditional Climax
Readers expecting dramatic twists or romantic escalation may find The Trunk challenging. The novel deliberately avoids:
- Sudden revelations
- Emotional explosions
- Conventional narrative payoff
Instead, the story unfolds through:
- Short, restrained chapters
- Minimal dialogue
- Long silences
The tension lies not in what happens, but in what remains unspoken.
When the Contract Fails to Contain Emotion
Despite their mutual agreement to maintain distance, daily coexistence erodes boundaries:
- Shared meals
- Small routines
- Subtle emotional shifts
There is no clear moment of falling in love. What develops instead is emotional leakage — feelings seeping through cracks in the contract neither party fully controls.
The Symbolism of the Trunk
The “trunk” in the novel functions as a powerful metaphor rather than a mere object.
What the Trunk Represents
- Buried memories
- Unresolved trauma
- Emotional baggage deliberately sealed away
Each character carries their own metaphorical trunk — a container of pain they refuse to open. The novel suggests that the danger is not what lies inside the trunk, but the lifelong effort required to keep it closed.
Core Themes of The Trunk
Marriage Does Not Heal Emotional Damage
One of the novel’s most striking assertions is that relationships cannot fix broken individuals. Love, proximity, and legal commitment are insufficient substitutes for personal reckoning.
Loneliness Persists Even in Shared Spaces
The Trunk dismantles the comforting belief that companionship eliminates loneliness. The novel shows that:
Loneliness is not caused by being alone — it is caused by emotional disconnection.
Modern Identity as Performance
In-ji’s professional role highlights a broader social reality: modern individuals often perform expected identities while suppressing their authentic selves. The novel critiques a society that values function over feeling.
Writing Style and Reading Experience
Minimalist and Unsentimental Prose
Kim Ryeo-ryeong’s writing is sparse and controlled. She avoids emotional manipulation, leaving interpretation to the reader. This style may feel distant, but it reinforces the novel’s themes of restraint and isolation.
Reading Experience
- Not fast-paced
- Emotionally heavy despite minimal action
- Best read slowly and reflectively
This is a novel that lingers not through plot, but through emotional residue.
Strengths and Weaknesses
Strengths
- Original and thought-provoking premise
- Strong psychological depth
- Subtle social commentary
- Realistic, flawed characters
Weaknesses
- Slow pacing
- Ambiguous ending
- Limited emotional accessibility
Who Should Read The Trunk?
Recommended For:
- Readers interested in Korean literature
- Fans of psychological and social fiction
- Those who appreciate ambiguity and introspection
Not Recommended For:
- Readers seeking romance or escapism
- Fans of fast-paced thrillers
- Those who prefer definitive endings
Final Verdict: Is The Trunk Worth Reading?
The Trunk is not an entertaining novel in the conventional sense. It offers no catharsis, no easy hope, and no romantic resolution. What it offers instead is honesty.
It reflects the quiet reality of emotional exhaustion, the fragility of connection, and the limits of human intimacy in modern life.
If you are willing to engage with discomfort and emotional ambiguity, The Trunk is a novel that will stay with you long after you close the final page.
