Ever had one of those movies that just sits in your chest for days? Honestly, A Man and a Woman (2016) is exactly that kind of film. It’s not your typical flashy K-drama romance with cherry blossoms and accidental hand-holding. It’s heavy. It’s quiet. It’s kinda devastating.
If you’ve seen the posters, you know it stars the legendary Jeon Do-yeon and the internet's favorite "ahjussi," Gong Yoo. But don't let the star power fool you into thinking this is a lighthearted romp. This is a story about two people who are absolutely, profoundly exhausted by their lives.
What actually happens in A Man and a Woman?
The setup is pretty simple, which makes the emotional fallout even more surprising. We meet Sang-min (Jeon Do-yeon) and Ki-hong (Gong Yoo) in Helsinki, Finland. They’re both there for the same heartbreaking reason: they have children with special needs who are attending a remote camp.
Finland in the winter looks stunning on screen—all white snow and blue shadows—but it also feels incredibly lonely. These two strangers end up sharing a car ride to the campsite through a massive snowstorm. They get stuck. They find a sauna. And in that isolated, quiet space, away from the crushing weight of their real lives in Seoul, they have a sexual encounter.
No names. No backstories. Just two souls grabbing a moment of warmth.
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Then they go back to Korea. And that's where things get messy.
The reality of "The Affair"
Months later, Ki-hong tracks Sang-min down at her high-end clothing shop in Seoul. The anonymity of Finland is gone. Now, they have to face who they actually are:
- Sang-min: A successful CEO who is basically a solo caregiver for her autistic son because her husband is emotionally distant.
- Ki-hong: An architect whose wife is struggling with severe mental health issues and whose daughter is showing signs of depression.
They start seeing each other again, and honestly, it’s hard to watch because you can see how much they need this escape. But they’re also destroying everything they’ve built. The director, Lee Yoon-ki, is famous for a "dry" style, meaning he doesn't use manipulative music or over-the-top crying scenes. The silence does the heavy lifting.
Why people are still obsessed with the ending
Let's talk about that finale. If you haven't seen it, maybe skip this paragraph, but the ending of A Man and a Woman is what makes it a masterpiece in the melodrama genre.
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Sang-min eventually decides she’s all in. She tells her husband. She goes back to Finland to find Ki-hong. But Ki-hong? He catches a glimpse of her through a restaurant window while he's with his wife and daughter. He sees his daughter’s face, and he realizes he can’t leave. He stops his car, watches Sang-min's taxi drive away, and just breaks down.
It’s a brutal reminder that sometimes love isn't enough to override the responsibility we have to the people who depend on us.
The Gong Yoo factor
For many fans, this was a huge departure for Gong Yoo. He filmed this right around the time he was doing Train to Busan and Guardian: The Lonely and Great God. In this movie, he isn't a hero. He’s vulnerable, he’s a bit of a "stalker" at the beginning, and he’s deeply indecisive.
Jeon Do-yeon, as usual, is the emotional anchor. She won the Best Actress award at the 2016 Chunsa Film Art Awards for this role, and it's easy to see why. She says more with a single look at a cigarette than most actors do in a ten-minute monologue.
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Is it worth your time?
Look, if you hate stories about infidelity, you’re probably going to have a hard time with this. But if you're interested in a "grown-up" romance that looks at the gray areas of life, it’s essential viewing.
A Man and a Woman doesn't try to justify what they’re doing, but it does make you understand why they’re doing it. It’s about the "chemical dopamine haze," as one viewer put it, versus the cold reality of duty.
How to watch it today
If you're looking to dive into this emotional rollercoaster, it’s often available on streaming platforms like Tubi or Viki, depending on your region. Just make sure you have some tissues and maybe a quiet room to sit in afterward. You’re going to need a minute to process that final scene in the car.
To get the most out of your viewing, try watching it on a rainy or snowy afternoon. The atmosphere of the film relies heavily on the environment, and it hits much harder when you're in that same "muted" headspace. Pay close attention to the sound design—the crunch of the snow and the hum of the car are intentional choices that build the intimacy between the characters.