The Netflix original film 20th Century Girl, directed by Bang Woo Ri, perfectly captures young love and camaraderie. On October 21st, 2022, the movie that had been in the works for a year was eventually released on the streaming service.
We are taken on an emotional journey by the film, which combines happy and sorrowful moments to create a beautiful but devastating love story. After its premiere, 20th Century Girl allegedly remained in the top five Netflix movies for almost a week.
Critics have largely given 20th Century Girl positive reviews for the acting and the expert execution of the situations. Although this sad tale is well received, some critics feel that the movie could have moved along more quickly and should have provided a more in-depth look at the lives of the individuals.
20th Century Girl: A Quick Synopsis
The adult Na Bo-Ra receives a call and letter from her father requesting her to return home and assist with their move to a new house at the start of the film. Additionally, he tells her about a gift from “Joseph.” She also receives an old movie cassette with the letter, which reminds her of 1999, when she was only 17 years old.
She recalls how, in 1999, her best friend Kim Yeon-du had to travel to New York for heart surgery, but just before she left, Kim Yeon-du said that she liked someone in Korea and that she had real feelings for them, not just a simple crush.
She agrees to keep a watch on him and let her know if she finds anything about him because she doesn’t want Yeon-du to stay back rather than go for surgery. Following Yeon-departure, du’s Bo-Ra makes an effort to get to know Hyun-Jin, the man her buddy is crushing on.
The buddy of Poong Woon-Ho becomes involved with Bo-Ra as well, but deduces from her behaviour that she might be interested in Hyun-Jin. Hyun-Jin thanks him for helping her meet Bo-Ra, but she vehemently denies ever liking him. Poong Woon-Ho makes an effort to approach Hyun-Jin after realising that Bo-Ra is not in love with her.
The two share some incredible experiences together, including eating ripe plums, enjoying ice cream, and participating in the same school broadcasting club. This only lasts for a brief period of time because when Yeon-du returns, she shows Bo-Ra the man she has a crush on, who is Poong Woon Ho.
She thought his name was Hyun-Jin because he was wearing his friend’s jacket the day she first saw him. Bo-Ra tries to put some distance between Yeon-du and Poong Woon-Ho despite being completely shocked and not wanting to hurt Yeon-feelings. du’s
Before he departs to live with his mother in New Zealand, he admits his sentiments after noticing the difference in Bo-behavior. Ra’s He admits that both of Yeon-du and Hyun-pals Jin’s have feelings for one another when they are by themselves. Bo-Ra irritates Yeon-du, who claims she values their friendship beyond all others.
Bo-Ra informs Poong Woon-Ho that she likes him just before he departs, and they make plans to talk again. After exchanging messages for a few weeks, Poong Woon-Ho stops responding. Bo-Ra is depressed, but she doesn’t reflect on it until the 21st century.
Joseph, Poong Woon-younger Ho’s brother, summons her to a gallery and informs her that Poong Woon-Ho has passed away and left behind a cassette. When Na Bo-Ra listens to the cassette, she discovers her videos among those of her classmates and other events, as well as Poong Woon-desire Ho’s to visit her soon. She understands that the most memorable times in his life were spent with her.
What Happened To Poong Woon-Ho?
Poong Woon-father, Ho’s who never seemed to be around, moved to Korea with them. He and his brother had to live apart after their parents got divorced, with him in New Zealand and Woon-Ho in Korea. Before she ever knew about him, Bo-Ra was the first person he started to fall for. His sibling and the cassette he left behind both provide evidence of this.
In the midst of the movie, Poong Woon-Ho abruptly announces that he is moving to New Zealand to live with his mother and brother. We aren’t told why there was this sudden decision to move back, but it may have been because he wanted to meet his younger brother or for other legal reasons because his parents were divorcing.
However, it appears from the cassette and from Woon-Ho himself that he planned to return to Korea soon. Sadly, this never occurs because he dies shortly after the new year and the start of the twenty-first century (2001).
The authors omitted to provide a cause of death for Poong Woon-Ho, just as they did not provide a reason for moving back. We must infer the cause of it because that is not the focus of the narrative. The goal of the film was to give audiences an understanding of how teenage or youthful love generally feels.
These exact lines shattered me and had me in tears.
I now understand why they chose 20th-century girl as the title of the movie because, in the end, Woonho failed to meet the 21st-century version of Bora. pic.twitter.com/VEuoIiSlVb
The movie will initially only be accessible via Netflix because it is a Netflix Original. Being almost two hours long, 20th Century Girl will take you on a sad but wholesome emotional rollercoaster, so be prepared with a box of tissues.
