Green Chair (Korean: 녹색의자) tells the story of Kim Mun-hee (played by Shim Hye-jin), a 32-year-old married woman who falls into a statutory relationship with Seo Hyun (played by Kim Jin-geun), a 19-year-old boy. After being released from prison (where she was sent for “corrupting a minor”), she continues her affair in a rented apartment, isolated from society. The film explores taboo love, boredom, and the blurred line between maternal affection and erotic desire.
In the mid-2000s, South Korean cinema was experiencing a golden era, known globally for its visceral revenge thrillers and harrowing dramas. Yet, amidst the violence of films like Oldboy and A Bittersweet Life, director Kim Ki-duk protégé Park Chul-soo delivered something far more intimate and controversial: Green Chair (녹색 의자).
Starring the fearless Shim Hye-jin and newcomer Ji Sung-hee, the 2005 film remains a landmark entry in the genre of erotic drama—not merely for its explicit content, but for the way it dissects the uncomfortable boundaries between societal taboo and human longing.
Major cities with Korean cultural centers (LA, NY, London, Tokyo) occasionally screen Green Chair.