It seems I have a very different interpretation of Oasis than many people. While the film is technically classified as a romance, I don’t find it romantic in the slightest. A film can be a romance without being romantic, and that’s exactly how I see Oasis. It’s a film that made me feel sick to my stomach—largely, though not exclusively, because of that notorious scene. Without getting into spoilers, I’ve seen people interpret the film as redeeming its lead character, played by Sul Kyung-Gu. I strongly disagree. While he does commit some acts of kindness, I think that only adds to the film’s complexity. Bad people are capable of doing good things, and vice versa.
This is a deeply uncomfortable film that isn’t interested in giving its audience easy answers. To me, its central theme is how societally alienated people—in this case, Moon So-Ri’s character—can become so desperate for affection, or even basic attention, that they’ll seek it wherever they can, even in dangerous places. Oasis explores this idea in one of the most extreme ways imaginable, making it an immensely challenging viewing experience. To put it bluntly, it’s a fucked up film, and understandably not for everyone. I completely understand why many viewers are turned off by the direction the story takes, but I don’t believe the film is meant to be taken at face value.
It seems I have a very different interpretation of Oasis than many people. While the film is technically classified as a romance, I don’t find it romantic in the slightest. A film can be a romance without being romantic, and that’s exactly how I see Oasis. It’s a film that made me feel sick to my stomach—largely, though not exclusively, because of that notorious scene. Without getting into spoilers, I’ve seen people interpret the film as redeeming its lead character, played by Sul Kyung-Gu. I strongly disagree. While he does commit some acts of kindness, I think that only adds to the film’s complexity. Bad people are capable of doing good things, and vice versa.
This is a deeply uncomfortable film that isn’t interested in giving its audience easy answers. To me, its central theme is how societally alienated people—in this case, Moon So-Ri’s character—can become so desperate for affection, or even basic attention, that they’ll seek it wherever they can, even in dangerous places. Oasis explores this idea in one of the most extreme ways imaginable, making it an immensely challenging viewing experience. To put it bluntly, it’s a fucked up film, and understandably not for everyone. I completely understand why many viewers are turned off by the direction the story takes, but I don’t believe the film is meant to be taken at face value.
