Aema Review: Honey Lee, Bang Hyo-rin's comedy rides on its wow women ready to risque it all

Aema is the big Netflix Korean drama release of the week. It is a period comedy set in the film industry of 1980s South Korea. Actress Honey Lee plays the role of Jeong Hee-Ran, an actress at the peak of her stardom. While she has become the most sought-after actress for her sleazy roles, things change when she refuses to indulge in gratuitous nudity just for titillating the audience. However, her studio head Koo Jung-Ho (Jin Seon Kyu) is keen to go all out as he believes that nothing sells like sex. Aema has come without much hype but the series packs a punch.

Aema - A nuanced story spearheaded by the notion of sex sells

Jeong Hee-Ran (Honey Lee) decides she has had enough of bold sleazy roles without substance. Her studio head Jung-Ho is adamant on making a movie that demands a level of exposure hitherto unseen in Korean cinema. Enter in Sin Ju-Ae (Bang Hyo-Rin), a young woman who works as a dancer in a bar. She has tinseltown dreams and her idol is none other than Jeong Hee-Ran. The two ladies meet and Ju-Ae discovers her idol as a person. She is selected to replace Jeong Hee-Ran in Aema as the leading lady. Demoted to a supporting role, Hee-Ran aims to do a film with a globally recognized Korean arty film director. Ambition, gender politics, activism drive the series, which presents reality coated with innuendo.

Honey Lee and Bang Hyo-Rin go 'hard' with their performances

Actress Honey Lee whom you have seen in The Fiery Priest lives the role of a diva in the film. She is pompous, catty, mean and ambitious as Hee-Ran. The actress’ performance might be a bit OTT for some but suits the overall vibe of the series. Bang Hyo-Rin is also in top form as the rookie who is ready to risk it all to become a star as her idol. The two women are fiery, brutally honest and make no bones about their big dreams.

Filmmaker and writer Lee Hae-Young builds the world of Aema with flourish. The art direction, cinematography and colour grading is first rate. There is a lot of use of natural light in the series, which makes it authentic. The disco music that accompany the whistle-worthy sequences will remind you of Bollywood. Besides the passion for money-making cinema, Aema also brings in other social aspects of the era like the fight of workers for better working conditions and labour unions. Aema does not shy away from showing how women had to fight for a place in the world of showbiz. From casting couch to media manipulation, it has it all.

Aema weighed down by its excesses

There is no innuendo in Aema as demands for sexual gratification from cinema are spelled out in literal terms. Some might find it a little offensive. Also, some of the situations seem a bit exaggerated even for the times. However, there are minor gripes as the series stays engaging and entertaining throughout.

Aema is definitely worth a watch for its performances, story and visual quality. Like Trigger, this is also a under-hyped show that deserves a lot more.