Workout Zzang (Mdromeda Studio)
Kim Rieun: Diligence, passion, self-management. These are qualities that are essential for idols who are loved for the way they are portrayed in the media. “Workout Zzang” is a show that constantly challenges them. The host of the show, BEOMGYU of TOMORROW X TOGETHER shows us how proud he is of his physical fitness and motor skills in the opening of each episode. But even an idol who practices his choreography for four hours a day is no match for the “real” workout kings and queens. The unstoppable “jumping machine” experience with comedienne Kim Hye-seon, and a hike with Julien Kang, who insists that they climb to the top of Yongmasan Mountain hauling a 10kg kettlebell, push BEOMGYU to come up with creative ways to avoid these missions. He tries to conduct an impromptu interview with Kim Hye-seon in a desperate attempt to reduce the amount of exercise and tells Julien Kang who’s seen the stacked stone towers for the first time to close his eyes and pray for his wishes then runs away, which are all good fun to watch. However, BEOMGYU who willingly takes on the role of the rule breaker throughout the program ironically translates to professionalism as an entertainer. He competes in a passionate dance battle with Kim Hye-seon even after moaning in pain from jumping on the trampoline. He frets over filming enough scenes that might make it to the final cut after acting out a goofy skit, contorting his face to the point of earning the subtitle that reads: “giving up his identity as an idol in favor of funny scenes” with his guest KCM as they performed their bungee fitness mission. BEOMGYU was able to nail the “peter pan” twirl that KCM asked of him down to the way he angled the tip of his toes because he is an idol who dedicated a large chunk of his life honing his performance skills on stage. 

Being an idol as a profession means that he must live up to whatever the general public expects of him. But when BEOMGYU laid down to rest after he was done with the jumping machine, and told everyone to go home, that he wanted to be alone for a while, he presented himself as an ordinary human being who just wanted to catch his breath. “Workout Zzang” takes the human desires that are hidden behind what is “expected” of an idol and flips it into entertainment, yet the fact that it is not unrelated to the responsibilities of an idol who has appeared in a variety show is subtly portrayed. That makes BEOMGYU’s endless attempts and ploys to flee, his unrelenting energy that solicited Kim Hye-seon’s comment: “You’re out of your mind,” the goofy facial expressions he made to get a few chuckles are incredibly lovable. They are utterly charming betrayals that none of us anticipated.

A Difficult Year (Une année difficile)
Jeong Seohui (Cinema Journalist): Go back all the way to 1974, and we still see news that looks back on a demanding year or predicts a tough year ahead. There never was a year that was not “difficult.” Director duo Éric Toledano and Olivier Nakache link the two themes of excessive debt and the ecosystem to mock the hardships that we face every day, based on Italian style humor. “Sonic Riots” by the Grandbrothers that is played in the opening sequence intensifies the energy of the climate activists led by Cactus (Noémie Merlant) who are shouting out in unison in front of the shopping center on Black Friday. Albert (Pio Marmaï) and Bruno (Jonathan Cohen) wait for their debt payment to be approved by the French bank, unable to free themselves of debt. Having borrowed from anyone they could, the two men are crestfallen, yet they shamelessly lie and fib their way out of tight corners. It may be complete coincidence that the two men who participate in a debate on social justice, enticed by the prospects of getting free beers, find themselves a part of a network led by Cactus who happened to be making a speech on how consumption and onlooking is nothing short of a “crime against humanity.” But just like the actress Noémie Merlant mentioned, this situation is a part of the pathos that is planted in the film by the directors who are familiar with combining various tones like humor, concern over social issues, humanism and more. Cactus, who was able to pursue her academic career without much difficulty thanks to her affluent background, completely changes lanes after reading a report on climate change while preparing for a presentation. She suffers from severe depression due to her extreme fear over the seriousness of environmental pollution. She considers herself a perpetrator and victim and struggles to find ways that can reduce the gap in this paradox. The film doesn’t simply portray Cactus who suffers from fundamental fear as a dreamer, nor Albert and Bruno who rely on cheap tricks to make ends meet as scoundrels. Cactus’ spacious home is empty due to her values as a minimalist, but so is Bruno, who is in fact a maximalist but is in poverty. These two people who have different intentions are pushed to the fore, and interconnect. They know they will be stopped and caught, but still they move forward. Beautiful prophets and pitiful materialists coexist in this world. They always have and will. This is reality. This film that portrays reality expands farther in a pas de deux into a distant fantasy.
 
※Pas de deux: A dance duet in ballet

TOMORROW X TOGETHER - “I’ll See You There Tomorrow”
Randy Suh (Music Writer): You get an earful of soda pop refreshing feeling from the very start. The ornamental sounds that swing left and right are effervescent like a carbonated beverage. The verse and pre-chorus minus the base drums rely on the back beat to carry the melody. It teeters on the edge, but it feels free. The song starts off like a B major with the B as “do” which slides into B minor by absorbing the B into a “ra” at the first line of the pre-chorus “mesmerized by the sparkle.” But it feigns a B major with whole tones (“dropping your hands (다 놓친채”) and picardy thirds (“meant to be” “I'm always here (난 늘 여기)”). The four beat bass drum that finally appears in the chorus, and the UK Garage style shuffling beat create a summery image that crackles and fizzes like popping candy. Each of the five members taking turns to repeat the same line “There’ll be no more sorrow / I’ll see you there tomorrow” was an intelligent decision that highlights the strength of a five-member boy band. The dance break that showcases the boys’ vocal chops clearly demonstrates the members’ growth from performing in larger venues while on tour. This was a team that showed good dancing skills to a song that is quite tough, but now they’ve grown sleeker than ever. They are flawless.

TOMORROW X TOGETHER’s songs feel refined with pop clichés down to a minimum. I have a theory that if the melody sounds catchy but without sounding cliché, it’s usually generally loved by everyone, including those who like the sleek feel of the song, and those who enjoy the hooks. “I’ll See You There Tomorrow” is one of these songs. I can’t wait for summer when I can cool down while I listen to this song.

Go as a River by Shelley Read
Kim Boksung (Writer): Virtually all domestic and farm duties fall onto the shoulders of 17-year-old Victoria “Torie” Nash after nearly everyone in her support network is taken from her when author Shelley Read’s debut novel, Go as a River, opens. Readers looking for a pick-me-up read as the cold weather lifts and brings us closer to the upbeat days of summer will have to look elsewhere, as tragedy falls as relentlessly and seemingly endlessly as monsoon rains. Similarly, would-be readers on the fence about picking up the book should keep in mind that Read’s new novel gives far less weight to dialog and much more to vivid description—imagery and metaphors of the book’s rugged Colorado setting are so plentiful that the landscape is arguably one of the novel’s most important characters. And while protagonist Torie may not always feel as fleshed out as she could be, she’s still someone to aspire to, positioning herself in opposition to the sexism and racism rampant in her small 1950s American town and surviving on her own will alone through some of the harshest emotional and environmental challenges that a mountainous, post-war US can throw at her. In that sense, in addition to being a tragic love story and a period piece, it also functions as something of a self-help book—one wrapped in a bitter pill and coated in sweet descriptions of nature.