Oasis (2023)

May 29, 2023

Our Take: A tale of family, friendship, and youth set during tumultuous times.

The Premise

Set during the 1980s and 1990s, Oasis follows the stories of two friends, Lee Doo Hak (Jang Dong Yoon) and Choi Cheol Woong (Choo Young Woo), high school students in a small town in Jeolla Province. Doo Hak comes from a family of farmers, but he is quick-witted and kind. In contrast, Cheol Woong comes from a privileged background and feels entitled to getting what he wants. Best friends and sworn brothers, they are also fierce rivals.

Their lives change when they meet Oh Jung Shin (Seol In Ah), a transfer student from Seoul. Jung Shin is brave, independent, and confident. Her strength and personality quickly capture their attention. The trio becomes close friends, but Doo Hak and Cheol Woong both fall in love with Jung Shin, sparking a decades-long love rivalry between them.

As they are about to enter adulthood, an unexpected incident brings tragedy to Lee Doo Hak's family, which sends Doo Hak down a violent path. At the same time, South Korea is facing turbulent times under the military regime of General Chun Doo Hwan. As the trio navigates their teenage years and early adulthood, they deal with the trials and tribulations of their dreams, friendships, and love.

A Brief History Lesson on South Korea

Oasis is a noir drama set in the era of Chun Doo Hwan, South Korea's former military dictator who presided over the deadly Gwangju Massacre. At the intersection of dictatorship and democracy in the '80s and '90s, everyday workers and college students like Doo Hak's younger sister, Lee Jeong Ok (Shin Yoon Ha), and Choi Cheol Woong led protests against the government. Those that got caught were sent to re-education camps, where they faced violent abuse or were forced into hard labor. 

Simultaneously, in the 1980s, a new wave of Korean cinema took form, represented by Oh Jung Shin and her adopted mother, Cha Geum Ok (Kang Ji Eun). Filmmakers started exploring genres such as history, society, and gender while facing intense competition from American films. 

Oasis also tells the story of parental sacrifice and filial piety. Doo Hak's father, Lee Joong Ho (Kim Myung Soo), tragically spends his entire life under Cheol Woong's family and forces his eldest son, Doo Hak, to do the same. Despite gaining independence, he dutifully serves his master for the remainder of his life, even at the expense of Doo Hak's future. Meanwhile, Cheol Woong's mother, Kang Yeo Jin (Kang Kyung Hun), takes advantage of Doo Hak's family every chance she gets and does everything in her power to climb the social ladder, even lying that Cheol Woong is her former lover Deputy Hwang Chung Seong's (Jeon Noh Min) son. In her greed, she uses Deputy Hwang's power to help her son become a prosecutor while buying land the government obtained by forcefully clearing low-income areas. 

An Intertwined Fate

Amidst the rollercoaster ride that was the 80s and 90's, Doo Hak, Jung Shin, and Cheol Woong keep moving forward with their lives. Despite facing countless setbacks, Doo Hak uses his wit and adaptability to become the CEO of a major construction company. After her father passes away, Jung Shin gets under the good graces of Geum Ok and takes her theater company to the next level. As expected, Cheol Woong leverages his family's political and social status to become a powerful prosecutor. 

While the historical dynamics are cleverly intertwined with the characters, the characters themselves are stale in comparison. The characters stay true to themselves, but their development comes too late. Doo Hak's fatal destiny as the son of a former slave to Cheol Woong's family haunts him even as an adult. For a long time, he can't seem to escape his fate. Cheol Woong frequently sabotages Doo Hak out of jealousy and spite despite their brotherhood. No matter how much he gains, he's never satisfied and keeps trying to take more away from Doo Hak. Jung Shin falls for Doo Hak early on, and her love for him never wavers. But, she has a soft spot for Cheol Woong and is ignorant of his wrongdoings. 

As the constraints and circumstances of their time continue to stir up their lives, it's hard to sympathize with or wholeheartedly root for any of the protagonists. Although the cast excels in their roles, the characters feel one-dimensional. There are strong moments, but the characters' plights was not impactful enough to carry the story's darkness.

The Ending

After a long, winding road with our characters, they get sent off on a happy note, and justice gets served. Doo Hak miraculously survives a gunshot wound and prevails. Jung Shin gets her Hollywood ending with Doo Hak and takes over Geum Ok's company while ushering in a new era of cinema. Cheol Woong discovers the truth about his family and turns against Deputy Hwang in the final moment. 

Surprisingly, Deputy Hwang already knew that Cheol Woong was not his real son. But, because he loves Yeo Jin so much, he chooses to bury the secret instead. However, he eventually gets arrested for his crimes, and rather than face jail time, he jumps to his death in the hospital. Despite his heinous crimes, Choong Sung knew how to love someone unconditionally. Even though Yeo Jin repeatedly lied to him, he accepted her with open arms, faults and all, because he didn't want to lose her again. 

Seeing her family and life completely fall apart, Yeo Jin ends up in a psychiatric hospital. With all the lies she's spewed out over her lifetime, she is now delusional and alone in her fantasy world. While Cheol Woong seems to call her to say a final goodbye, it's unclear whether it happened in real life or was just a figment of her imagination. But, at that moment, it's clear that her love for Cheol Woong is genuine. 

In the final scene, the trio is back in their hometown watching a movie, just like when they were teenagers. Doo Hak and Cheol Woong have mostly repaired their relationship, and Cheol Woong has finally given up on Jung Shin. The cops arrive to arrest one of them, likely Cheol Woong, who may finally face retribution. But, for all his offenses, Cheol Woong's ending seemed the most unrealistic, as if he had a 360-degree change in his personality. It's difficult to forgive him for everything he's done to those around him, even if he's about to get punished.

Final Thoughts

Oasis is a story of family and how far you will go to protect your loved ones. Set in the backdrop of unrest in society, Lee Doo Hak, Choi Cheol Woong, and Oh Jung Shin learn how to navigate their lives in this tumultuous environment as they grow up. While the story itself is rich with history and plenty of twists and turns, the characters felt lackluster, and there were many missteps in the character development. But, if you like happy endings and justice, that may be enough to forgive some of the drama's shortcomings.