20th Century Girl

Sad alert. Pass on this if you are not into tear jerkers.

6/10 is my rating. This is a 2022 coming of age romance movie with a run time of 119 minutes.

First I provide a Unique synopsis then review

Synopsis

At 17, Na Bo-ra’s (Kim Yoo-jung) world centers around her best friend, Yeon-du (Roh Yoon-seo). They have been friends since childhood and Bo-ra is particularly protective as her friend has a chronic heart condition. On the eve of going to the US for life changing heart surgery, Yeon-du vows to skip out as she just met a boy, who she believes to be Baek Hyun-jin (Park Jung-woo) whose kind act caused her to develop a crush on him. To get her friend to go, Bo-ra promises that she will find out everything about Baek Hyun-jin and send the information, video and pictures to Yeon-du. True to her word, Bo-ra starts to follow Hyun-jin and records facts about him to send to her friend. This also brings her into close contact with Hyun-jin’s friend, Poong Woon-ho (Byeon Woo-seok). In a bizarre twist both boys develop feelings for Bo-ra who seems to be everywhere they are which causes them to notice her. To be a good friend, Bo-ra immediately rejects Hyun-jin but does not see a reason to contain her feelings for Woon-ho. But when Yeon-du returns they discover they had the names switched and the boy Yeon-du liked was Woon-ho. Can Bo-ra give up the boy she came to love for her friend?

Review

If you want to know how this ends, scroll to the spoilers. I liked 3/4 of this movie. A lot. Liked the characters, thought the love story was believable amd thought it was well paced. But the last of the movie ruined it for me. I will not watch it again and do not personally recommend it.

Spoilers

If the story had stopped when she finally admitted her feelings for him at the train station I would have liked it. If he returned from New Zealamd and they had a heartfelt reunion I would have loved it. But I do not like sad endings and this had an extremely sad ending.

I seriously dislike sad movies. Every once in awhile I get suckered into one. This was a heart warming love story where the lead couple goes through all this stuff then finally get to be together. I know I know I just described practically every romance. But it is a solid formula that I like. But in this one, he has to go abroad and tells her he is coming back for her. That is a common trope, the separation trope. I do not like the separation trope but can deal with it if they get back together. So she waits, and waits and you think they are just drawing it out for dramatic effect but nope. Turns out he died. That is why he doesn’t come back. And I am like what in the Nicholas Sparks just happened here? But wait, there is more. She pops in this video and it is all about when he first saw her and fell in love with her which is way earlier than she thought. And then what in the “P.S. I Love you” in a “Notebook” hell, he has this videography of all their time together and ends with I love you and I am coming back. No in the “Nights in Rodanthe” you are not. You freaking “Bridge to Tarabithia” died, we know that. But it continues just “Lovely Bones” long enough to give us very false hope that it was not true. And my heart sank like the Titanic. And it made me a little sad but mostly mad.

I did not find much to like about the ending. For some reason they decided that Kim Yoo-jung would play the teenage Bo-ra and Han Hyo-joo would play the adult Bo-ra. Normally I would’ve hated that. It’s not that hard with hair and make up to make a 20 something year old look a little older so they could have kept the same actress. But given that the male lead character dies, it was actually easier for it not to be the same actress as it sort of felt like a different character and didn’t make me as sad. But I don’t think that is why they did it. They seemed to enjoy evoking tears. Still it worked out for me, it seeming like a new character, because it did not feel like the Bo-ra I had grown attached to was suffering.

What was the deal amd what was the point of him dropping the note to her in the rain? I thought maybe she, or maybe her best friend would find it and it would reveal that he liked Bo-ra before Yeon-du liked him. But they never found it. So I guess the point was just for the viewer which was pointless.

#TwentiethCenturyGirl #KimYooJung. #HanHyoJoo #ByeonWooSeok. #ParkJungWoo #RohYoonSeo

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Loving someone is hard!

So when I started watching the movie, I didn't know anything about the plot. I just decided to watch it because of the hype it got at that time. And to be honest, I thought it would be some mediocre film which only did well because the main leads are pretty (lol).

But, it proved me wrong. The story is so beautiful. As the story progresses, you could feel the the growing love of Woon-ho for Bo-ra. The actor who played Woonho did an amazing job in showcasing the emotions.

Of course it was not easy for the main leads to be together, but even their shortest scenes together were mesmerizing to watch. The actors had great chemistry and the love between them sparked in every freakin scene.

Poong Woon-ho is the sweetest bub you can ever see in a korean movie. He is so lovable. Also, Bora did an amazing job as well. She really potrayed the emotions with her eyes.

The ending scene is where you need tissues. Many people said that they were dissatisfied with it but c'mon, not every story is meant to be completed. Some stories remain beautiful despite of being incomplete. Bora and Woon-ho story is just like that.

I really liked that they used different actors to potray the diffetent stages of life instead of puting tons of makeup on the same actor. All the actors did an amazing job!

One thing that makes the film more beautiful is the cinematography. The scenes are a bit blurry type which will make you feel nostalgic and you could really feel that the story is set in 1999. The background music is soothing as well and sometimes gives you chill.

So, overall, if you want to see what true love is, this movie is definitely for you. Re-watching it will also make you happy because thats how good the story is!

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"You shouldn't be sad that it's over, you should be happy that it's happened"

There's something really authentic and beautiful about this movie. It hits you very hard in the best way possible. I went into this thinking it was just a deep romantic movie where the male lead dies, and it's sad but really good. But I genuinely underestimated this movie's depth. I really appreciate the fact that both of the relationships have so much depth in them, which is both the platonic relationship and the romantic relationship. In here, you really can't compare those two because they have their own stories, yet the basis of this is that love is so pure in this movie.

The main character loves so purely, I just don't know how to explain it. She will do anything for her best friend, even if it breaks her own heart. And I really don't need to go on at length about how beautiful that is. And on the same side of the coin, we have the best friend who will also do anything. I didn't really sob towards the ending as much as I sobbed when those two fought because their bond is so beautiful, and it broke my heart to see them fighting when, at the end of the da,y they love each other so much, and both were hurt, yet would do anything to make the other person feel better because that's just how pure their love is.

The ending to me was such a bittersweet moment because you can see that Bora has moved on. She's an adult, she has a job, she has her own responsibilities, but at the end of the day, she will always remember him, no matter how much time has passed. And when she was watching the movie, she wasn't devastated at the fact that he was deceased, but she took it very well, I would say. Obviously, yes, she was heartbroken, but I think in the back of her mind, she probably knew or thought that something might have happened. And the ending of this movie was so beautiful that, yes, even though it hurts, it's a good thing that it happened.

There's this one quote that says, "You shouldn't be sad that it's over, you should be happy that it's happened". And I think that is the best way to put this movie. And yeah, such a beautiful, beautiful movie. It broke my heart a little bit, but I think people are giving it a lot more credit than it deserves in the sadness department. Of course, it was devastating, but I think the ending was really bittersweet, and I loved it. It did not make me bawl my eyes out, but it made my heart ache in a good way.

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?

HOW COULD YOU, I mean why, why would you do this to me. Their chemistry is just so utterly beautiful. The way they portray and picture such beautiful and talented actors pursuing what needed to give is so special to me.

this move got me all smiling and giggling like i would have the opportunity to acquire the passionate love storying. which this move had given me the thought of the idea of something I most desperately desire.

This Movie has truly made me crying full onrivers, repeatingly provocatively stupid. Because I hate showing this side of me, processing & showcasing the adversity and vulnerability of my weakness

THIS COULD’VE ENDED DIFFERENTLY GIJGKGKGKHKGKG

this move would’ve had so much potential to bring a perfect high school romcom (not saying that it’s not💔)

I hated how movie producers would quit separating two obsessive and lovable teenage high schoolers. everything is visually astonishing
The acting is pure and well proficient, the acting is very good which i can’t get mad. + kim yoojung is the it girl in the making i'll definitely tune in for her next hit drama and also hi miss han hyojoo we forever will be missed, truly.

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you have to keep a bucket with you bcoz your tears will come out nonstop?

I like this movie so much, i like how their love story began and the ML character is just like my type. He is kind hearted and cool and has a sweet charming when he's smile. But i felt so bad for him coz he died when he was trying to see the FL lead and caused him an accident (maybe not), i really hope for him to have a happy ending....

I like this movie so much, i like how their love story began and the ML character is just like my type. He is kind hearted and cool and has a sweet charming when he's smile. But i felt so bad for him coz he died when he was trying to see the FL lead and caused him an accident (maybe not), i really hope for him to have a happy ending....

I like this movie so much, i like how their love story began and the ML character is just like my type. He is kind hearted and cool and has a sweet charming when he's smile. But i felt so bad for him coz he died when he was trying to see the FL lead and caused him an accident (maybe not), i really hope for him to have a happy ending....

I like this movie so much, i like how their love story began and the ML character is just like my type. He is kind hearted and cool and has a sweet charming when he's smile. But i felt so bad for him coz he died when he was trying to see the FL lead and caused him an accident (maybe not), i really hope for him to have a happy ending....

I like this movie so much, i like how their love story began and the ML character is just like my type. He is kind hearted and cool and has a sweet charming when he's smile. But i felt so bad for him coz he died when he was trying to see the FL lead and caused him an accident (maybe not), i really hope for him to have a happy ending....

I like this movie so much, i like how their love story began and the ML character is just like my type. He is kind hearted and cool and has a sweet charming when he's smile. But i felt so bad for him coz he died when he was trying to see the FL lead and caused him an accident (maybe not), i really hope for him to have a happy ending....

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Heartwarming yet heartbreaking

The actors did great, they made me hooked to the story pretty much from the start. There was some misunderstandings, but it get cleared soon, and the story progressed in the right way. They delivered what we are yearning for.
When Woon-ho was leaving, I was crying and waiting for a good ending, atleast a meet up.
And I was certainly not ready for a heart breaking death, that too with a beautiful clip in the end.

I watched a film yesterday and it too has a bad ending, but no one died in that, just the ML left for good, and I was tramatized by that ending for whole day.
I want to see some comforting story after that , but it turns out to be more heart wrenching, now I want to cry like shit. I am not watching anything for a while. This is so bad. 😞😞

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A deeply romantic, atmospheric, nostalgic story packed into two hours . . .

In 2 hours, I loved and connected more with these characters than I do for dramas that are 16 hours in length.

It's a simple story just enough hurdles, love triangles and other dynamics to keep it interesting. But it isn't the plot points, it's the way the actors, writing, and director were able to build out full characters that grow to love each other on screen. It's also the way this is it shot with a poetic, dripping with golden nostalgia, millennial way.

By the end, this show hits on the high school dreams of many of us, to find love, unexpected, spontaneous and early with someone caring and mature and good looking. It's the thrill of realising that you can have a crush on someone and they can have a crush on you back. It's the knowledge that some of our best life moments are behind us, and there is no way to get them back.

For lovers of slice of life, love set in a short period of time, stories tinged with equal hope and sadness, this one is for you.

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