MAI

Darn it, that stuntman deserves a raise.

I was having the exact same thoughts while watching this movie! Sure, the transgender plotline makes for an interesting, thrilling story but its does so by sacrificing all elements of realism and accuracy. Besides the blatant disregard of biology, it also remains unclear whether Soojin was simply gay or whether she always had the desire to be a woman. The plot seems to imply she solely went through this transformation for the stake of her first love, which would be a bit insensitive considering the real pain and actual struggles transgender people go through during the lengthy process of transitioning. But the storyline also fails to do Soojin justice, not only because the movie doesn't end up challenging the medical records which have pegged her as mentally ill, but even more so because the over-the-top, unrealistic suicide mission of Kyung Yoon reinforces the idea that a conventional, healthy life is unachievable for queer minorities. Even that last scene, during which Eun Ju leaves the lighter on the bridge in commemoration, only seems to demonstrate a feeling of empathy-- not understanding or support (or a desire to change the status quo). This film definitely ought to be watched solely as a murder mystery and not as an accurate representation of queer life and/or romance.

Pro: Ji Il Joo has actual lines this time around.
Con: Ji Il Joo has actual lines this time around.

Since the guy actually needed to act in this instalment (rather than only looking sulkily in the distance) it became increasingly clear that his acting just needs some more work: I'd swear the dude only managed to show two expressions throughout the whole movie.

This was like a Filipino rendition of A Christmas Carol. But with a helluva lot more characters. And a whole lot more violence. We follow three recently deceased ghosts as they try to discover what has caused their unfortunate demise. Through flashbacks they encounter a broad range of characters-- a plant-loving bodyguard, a BDSM-crazed senator, and a bunch of accidental high school killers-- all of which are entrapped in a cycle of misery, violence, and poverty. Although all of these characters (and their storylines) are drastically different, their lives eventually coincide in the last 10 minutes of the movie, making for a satisfying (yet somewhat schizophrenic) ending. The story is bound to send you into a sense of existential dread but, when the movie departs from its melodramatics, its humour is satirical and witty without going overboard. After all, in the end, the movie seems to suggest that humour, misery, love, and hope are all emotions that characterise human life.

Don't think you can yet, I watched it on vimeo!

Great takeaway message but a somewhat disappointing plot. I was moved more by the ending credits-- which shows real life segments of South Korea high school students during exam season-- than by the movie itself. The character development was somehow lacking so we don't really get to fully empathize with characters and their desperation about their grades. Although it's a good story it does not add anything new to its genre.

Me and my plot expectations: oh fun, yet another conventional, university based BL
Bad Buddy writers: let's shoot our main character

Bish, when did this become a crime show lol

Google the actual torrent and you'll be able to watch it in HD (although it's probably too late now lol)!

Ah yes, yet another director who fell pray to the shaky camera trend of the early 2010s! Only watch this if you have a cinematic kink for motion-sickness. Gotta love that 'I feel dizzy and wanna throw up' vibe during action scenes.

Shame, they don't seem to work for me. Thanks, tho! I guess this is my time to shine and brush up on my Korean then lol

Did the subs work for you?

I liked it! It is funny and light-hearted but, at the same time, it is not afraid to depict some (often quite taboo) topics such as kinks, the mechanics of gay sex, and the sexual life of a mother. The actors did well in portraying their characters; I especially liked their facial expressions during the inner monologues (I imagine filming these can be quite challenging). There is not necessarily one overarching, grand take-away message but I also think this was not the directors intention either. The only thing I am a bit disappointed by-- and this does not even necessary pertain to this movie or its plot itself-- is the fact that this short film is part of a larger project of queer 2021 productions which could have been a tad bit more inclusive. While we do see films about polyamory, asexuality, and the middle-aged gay experience (awesome!), they all have a predominantly male cast. Unfortunately, lesbians in film remain quite under-represented still.

Would definitely have loved a McDonald's sponsorship tho (although that would be pretty ironic considering the message that the director seems to convey) it would have def improved the budget, lol!

I'm pretty sure they did not lol. I think the director wanted to use McDonald's as a symbol for capitalism, globalisation, and modernity. We also see other references to modernity (e.g. Yong Joon's American Dream t-shirt, a Captain America t-shirt, the UK flag in the house, even that freaking abandoned amusement park etc.). In my interpretation, these symbols are used to instil a sense of irony or contrast since modernity is often associated with freedom, wealth, and overall happiness, but it is clear that the characters in this movie are anything but happy. The defectors came to South Korea in pursuit of a better life, but despite being implicated in the new modern Korean society, they still live in poverty and they are still oppressed (sure, maybe not by an oppressive political regime, but now by the endless pursuit of money-- they're modern slaves). I think that's also why Yong Yoon refuses to eat the McDonald's meal at a certain point; he has become disillusioned by what capitalistic South Korea has to offer him. It's also kinda funny that every single time that same McDonald's bag shows up it looks increasingly old and crumpled, as if it some sort of visual representation of his increasingly crumbling dreams.

In my interpretation the characters of Jae Sung and Tae Kyu symbolise North and South Korea. Much like the love triangle, Yong Yoon finds himself torn between two different worlds and identities. On the one hand, there is capitalist, modern South Korea with its promises of glory and wealth but, on the other hand, there is North Korea which is familiar and continues to haunt him (as his first love). Even though Yong Yoon tries to adopt a South Korean way of life, its society (and its dreams of glory and wealth) don't welcome him but, rather, seek to exploit him wherever he goes: he is bribed, his boss looks down on him, and he lives in a perpetual cycle of poverty. Tae Kyu is the human embodiment of this exploitation: he demands love and attention but, in his selfishness and sadism, he doesn't offer Yong Yoon anything but the pretence of a conventional South Korean relationship and life (I think this is also why Yoon Kyu is always so freaking needy when it comes to his relationship with Yong Yoon; because capitalism is needy too. Capitalism both produces desires but also needs these very desires to function in the first place. It's an never-ending rat race). However, North Korea (and Jae Sung) is depicted as somewhat naive, old-fashioned but equally needy. Although Jae Sung openly expresses his frustration with Yong Yoon's exploitation, he is fascinated by Seoul's glamour and wishes himself to transform and modernise while still seeking to claim/own Yong Yoon. Unable to choose between these two identities/people, Yong Yoon dabbles into both relationships, not fully committing to either of them (or maybe wanting both). Of course, this doesn't fare well with either partners/countries, and they resort to pretty extreme measures to make Yong Yoon choose (hence the extremely violent ending). In the end, both Jae Sung (North Korea) and Tae Kyu (South Korea) reveal themselves as equally broken, violent, and destructive.

I think it is also for this reason that the sex scenes in this movie are so incredibly explicit: they are not meant to be expressions of love and romance but, rather, of greed and ownership. They symbolise the way that countries/economic systems lay claim to the bodies of its subjects (and these subjects may actually enjoy being 'owned'). Each time Tae Kyu and Jae Sung have sex with Yong Yoon (while the other powerlessly gazes through the crack of the door) they see this as a confirmation that Yong Yoon has now become theirs.


TLDR: just me rambling about my interpretations.

This was actually so good! A wonderful, subversive commentary on notions of freedom, modernity, and capitalism. The director had a clear vision, and he delivered with sensible dialogue and some great visual symbolism. Sure, on a surface level this is a movie about a gay romance (and a love triangle) but, in my interpretation, this is actually a story about a North Korean defector who must negotiate two conflicting identities, (failed) dreams, and a general sense of disillusionment vis-a-vis modernity. For him, escaping the oppressive political regime of North Korea has only meant being implicated into yet another system of exploitation and servitude: modern capitalism. Rather than finding freedom and agency, he finds himself (yet again) impoverished and exploited. South Korea, if we follow this line thought, might not necessarily emerge as a safe haven for the defectors in this movie; its government and neoliberalist economy demand its own sacrifices. Evil has merely replaced another evil.

A true classic in the making! The movie follows a bunch of obnoxious teenagers who doubt the severity of the Martial Law era, only to be submitted to its violence themselves. I've seen my fair share of horror movies, including those that offer a social commentary on Filipino politics, but this may have been the most disturbing one yet (maybe exactly because the violence is so realistic). I had to pause the movie multiple times to be able to digest the exceedingly graphic scenes. But, besides that, the cinematography is great: the director knows how to build suspense with lighting and sound, and the scenes set up an interesting contrast between the co-existence of violence and the mundane (which is also indicative of the contemporary political reality in the Philippines). The ironic twist at the end was the icing on the cake and suited the overall plot (and represents the general inability to speak of political horrors and trauma).

Dang, no joke, I will need at least a week to recover from this.

Ridiculous and kinda superficial but hella funny!

Hm, this was a bit predictable and trope-y. Although this had much going for it-- I am a sucker for dark, atmospheric settings with good traditional/historical elements-- it just didn't end up presenting anything original. At this point I'm kinda done with horror movies that use mental health and psychological disorders as a scapegoat to explain away supposedly supernatural phenomena.

Tbh, I passionately hate this series and all of its characters but, still, I find myself watching every episode. How they plan on redeeming this hot mess in the following 3 episodes remains a mystery to me.