Netflix series 'Aema' revisits Korea's legendary erotic film of 1980s

Actors Lee Ha-nee, left, and Bang Hyo-rin are seen during a press conference for Netflix series "Aema"at Naru Seoul MGallery in Mapo District, Seoul, Monday. Yonhap

“Madame Aema,” the 1982 film widely regarded as the beginning of Korea’s erotic cinema boom in the 1980s, has been reimagined for the 21st century.

During the military regime of Chun Doo-hwan, the government implemented the so-called “3S Policy” — screen, sports and sex — aimed at pacifying the public and diverting attention away from politics, which created the conditions for a rapid boom in the erotic film industry.

The Netflix drama “Aema,” to be released Friday, tells the fraught journey of top star Hee-ran (Lee Ha-nee) and rookie actor Joo-ae (Bang Hyo-rin), who bravely confront the dark realities hidden behind the dazzling spotlight of that time in the process of bringing “Madame Aema” to life.

“In the early 1980s, erotic films were actively encouraged and produced as a matter of policy. Ironically, there was also strict censorship and rampant cuts, meaning there was virtually no freedom of expression. By revisiting this irony from today’s perspective, I thought I could reinterpret it in 2025 and explore its meaning in a way that delivers a new message,” said director Lee Hae-young during a press conference for the drama at Naru Seoul MGallery in Mapo District, Seoul, Monday.

Instead of focusing solely on the film itself, the series sheds light on the turbulent spirit of a time marked by authoritarian control, while also portraying the gentle solidarity between the two women at its center.

Once hailed as a box-office phenomenon, “Madame Aema” came to be criticized in later years for its sexual objectification of female characters.

Actor Bang Hyo-rin is seen a scene from Netflix series "Aema." Courtesy of Netflix

Director Lee said the word “Aema” represents more than just the lead character of the movie. “To me, Aema isn’t limited to that protagonist. I wanted it to represent something broader — an icon that reflects the desires of the 1980s. Living as an Aema back then meant facing prejudice, misunderstanding and violence while struggling to survive. The story I created is meant to support and honor those who endured and stood strong during that time,” he revealed.

Actor Lee Ha-nee, who plays the character Hee-ran, described her role as “the era’s top actress, and a proud and self-assured woman who loudly declares that she will never again do nude scenes, that she intends to reinvent herself in the 1980s.”

But once cast as Erika, a supporting role in the erotic film, she is forced into nude performances and drawn into violent situations, and must struggle to reclaim herself as both an actress and as a person.

When asked if she felt pressure in taking such a role, Lee said that on the contrary, she was actually thrilled.

“Of course, I can’t say I fully experienced the old system myself, but I did catch a glimpse of its ending phase. And I often thought it was such a shame that women were consumed entirely as objects of desire in that industry. Precisely because of that, I could approach this project more boldly,” she said.

“Since this new work lays out a stage that lets us step outside of that narrow lens, I felt it was a chance to interpret things more freely. It was refreshing to realize that times have truly changed, and that we now live in an era where we can look back on the 1980s through a new perspective.”

Actor Bang Hyo-rin plays Joo-ae, a nightclub tap dancer who admires the superstar Hee-ran. She takes part in the audition for “Madame Aema,” ultimately winning the lead role and embarking on her own painful but transformative journey of growth as an actress.

Recalling the task of recreating 1980s Chungmuro, the heart of Korean film industry, the director said he insisted on faithful detail, without allowing himself to be trapped by it. “The more dazzling the sounds and images appear on the surface, the more clearly the violence of that barbaric age would come through as a message,” he said.

He added that although the drama is set in the 1980s, viewers will be able to see surprising parallels with the present. “Some societal ills stubbornly persist today. But at the same time, the violence and cruelty depicted in 'Aema' are being recognized and challenged by society itself. We are in the process of awakening and correcting these wrongs — which, to me, suggests a hopeful vision,” the director said.