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The Story of Ong-nyeo
Movie

The Story of Ong-nyeo

2014 • Drama

Woke Score
3
out of 10

Plot

Ong-nye had a world of men wrapped around her finger, until, one day, a horrific injury leaves her handicapped, and she retreats to the mountains. But one man may break her loneliness.

Overall Series Review

The Story of Ong-nyeo is a 2014 South Korean historical erotic comedy based on a classic folk tale from the Joseon Dynasty. The narrative centers on the protagonist, Ong-nyeo, a woman of legendary sexual appeal and power who has left a trail of sexually disabled men in her wake. The plot opens with her social exile after her reputation and the 'curse' on her relationships become too much for the village to bear. She retreats to the mountains until she encounters Byeon Gang-soi, a man famed for his matching, legendary sexual stamina. The film focuses heavily on the extreme gender and sexual dynamics of the time, rooted in a local folk legend, and serves as an exploration of the power struggle between exceptional male and female sexuality. The film's themes are entirely localized to Korean historical and spiritual tradition, and it operates outside of modern Western sociopolitical debates.

Categorical Breakdown

Identity Politics1/10

The movie is a South Korean historical drama set in the homogenous Joseon Dynasty. The cast is entirely ethnically Korean, and the conflict revolves around social and sexual mores within that specific culture. There is no critique of 'whiteness,' no 'race-swapping,' and no reliance on an intersectional hierarchy that maps onto Western identity politics.

Oikophobia2/10

The story is an adaptation of a core Korean folk tale, signaling a focus on the national cultural tradition. While the narrative critiques the patriarchal social judgment and superstition of the Joseon-era villagers who exile the heroine, this self-criticism is internal to the culture. The film does not exhibit hostility toward Western civilization, nor does it frame Korean heritage as fundamentally corrupt in a modern, external way.

Feminism8/10

The main character is established as superior to all men, described as a 'God-given sexy woman' whose 'real lust' no man can satisfy. The core conflict is created because every man who sleeps with her becomes sexually disabled, portraying the male gender as incapable and incompetent. The heroine is vilified and exiled by the community for her inherent, powerful female sexuality, which serves as a strong indictment of a patriarchal, restrictive society. This narrative champions a radical form of female sexual dominance and power, although the plot eventually introduces a complementary male figure of equal stature.

LGBTQ+1/10

The entire story revolves around extreme heterosexual dynamics—the most sexually potent man and woman in the Joseon Dynasty finding a match for their respective powers. There is no presence of centering alternative sexualities, discussion of gender ideology, or deconstruction of the nuclear family as a modern political act.

Anti-Theism1/10

The film's spiritual elements are derived from traditional Korean folk religion and animism, particularly the supernatural power of local totem pole spirits (jangseung) who punish one of the main characters for a social and spiritual violation. The plot acknowledges an objective, transcendent spiritual law and power, which is diametrically opposed to modern Anti-Theism or the vilification of Christianity.