Love and Leashes Movie Review: It's more than whips and handcuffs

Handcuffs, whips, and collars are the things that would come to one's mind on hearing the acronym BDSM. This lifestyle offers so much more but the general perception among audiences is that it is a perverse kink that individuals enjoy in bed. Something that is not spoken of in public. To take this kink, and present it in a manner palatable for audiences who may not have the same inclination towards this sexual preference is what Love and Leashes excels in.

Director: Park Hyeon-jin
Cast: Seohyun, Lee Jun-young
Streaming on: Netflix

One might expect Love and Leashes to be a Fifty Shades of Grey-Esque film. However, it is a romantic comedy that explores BDSM in a space free of prejudice. Sex is not what BDSM is about. While BDSM play may lead to this, the preference goes beyond copulation. With Jung Ji-woo (Seohyun) and her new colleague Jung Ji-hoo (Lee Jun-young), the film portrays the journey of a woman who is introduced to the world of bondage, discipline, dominance, and submission for the first time.

Ji-woo is unaware of the world of Doms and Subs. Her brush with it happens after Ji-hoo's courier — a collar he orders for future plays — is mistakenly taken away by Ji-woo. Initially, Ji-hoo tries his best to convince her that the collar belongs to his poodle. However, a discount poster, featuring the collar on a woman along with the toy itself clues her into its actual purposes. This worries Ji-hoo as the outing of his sexual kink at the workplace could lead to him getting fired. However, Ji-woo doesn't find his preference to be strange or sees it as perversion.

The fact that she doesn't look at him with disgust attracts Ji-hoo. Not romantically! No. He wants Ji-woo to be his Master. He wonders how exciting it would be if she orders, punishes him with whips while he is gagged with 'out of mouth gag breathable ball'. This excitement gives him the courage to approach her, and Ji-woo, who is attracted to her new colleague, gives it a serious thought. She researches and learns how to be a good Dom to her Sub and decides that it is worth giving it a try. Ji-woo even draws up a three-month contract, and they surprisingly decide to keep sex out of it.

Her exploration of BDSM is not forced, and the excitement she feels with each new play is sensual. There is the build-up that hints at great sexual tension. This progression from being a newbie in the world of BDSM, to enjoying every new play comes naturally to Ji-woo. She explores this new avenue of physical attraction like a new hobby. This treatment puts us off-guard. We are open to accepting this lifestyle as just another way of appreciating a physical relationship than looking at it through the filter of social construct built around BDSM. This is one of the biggest victories for the film.

Love and Leashes also chooses to add the element of romance without hindering the overarching theme of the film. Ji-woo's romantic interest in Ji-hoo stems not only from emotional compatibility but sexual compatibility as well. The only obstacle in their relationship is the risk of being discovered. When that happens, the distasteful looks of their colleagues and their creepy questions don't affect them because of their acceptance of each other.

This acceptance and mutual understanding set in the backdrop of BDSM make up for an entertaining and eye-opening experience. Yes, the romance is cheesy as the two head towards something substantial, but in the grand scheme of things, Love and Leashes is liberating.