Love in the Big City (TVING)
*This article contains spoilers.
Park Soomin: “Even tonight, countless people will fall in love and break up in this big city called Seoul.” Protagonist Go Young (Nam Yoon Su) is one of those countless Seoulites, meeting new people every day and giving them his love in earnest. There’s Namgyu (Kwon Hyuk), whom he has no choice but to say goodbye to as their awkward relationship comes to an end; Yeongsu (Na Hyunwoo), with whom it feels like “there’s no one in the universe except us” when they’re together; Gyu-ho (Jin Ho Eun), who keeps things between them light for the first time in his life; and Habibi (Kim Won Joong), who makes him reflect on the past. Split into distinct parts, each episode of Love in the Big City emphasizes each of Go Young’s unique loves, and through the stories the author protagonist writes, the show also casts a light on love as a universal emotion—one defined by what is shared between people. The show also shifts between Seoul and Bangkok, expanding on the idea that young people in big cities share one world where they all experience things and emotions together. Cities across the world develop and change in the blink of an eye, making the loneliness their inhabitants feel that much more pronounced. They bottle their “love with nowhere to go” up inside and become the kind of people “you thought you’d be with forever but who you can’t ask how they’re doing anymore.” Therefore, Go Young’s question, “Do you think there’s such a thing as eternal love?” goes beyond self-reflection due to his being gay—it’s also a question for everyone living the hustle and bustle of city life. Love in the Big City is a delicate portrait of how someone comes to love and, in the process, discover who they really are, and it’s something that can make any viewer feel better about themselves. As Go Young writes, “maybe love is about fully opening up about yourself just the way you are”—in other words, the key to love is to be true to yourself.

“APT.” (ROSÉ feat. Bruno Mars)
Randy Suh (music writer): Language transcends borders and evolves in the process. When the word “apartment” made its way to Korea, it became “apateumeonteu,” and then simply “apateu.” The title of ROSÉ’s latest song is spelled “APT.” and is proudly pronounced “apateu.”

The structure of the song is simple, with an exciting drumbeat continuing through from start to finish. According to THEBLACKLABEL, it takes the Toni Basil song “Mickey” and interpolates it (borrows or rerecords part of an existing song to create a new one). The melody and overall movement are uncomplicated and you can easily feel where the song’s headed. Joining the BLACKPINK member is hitmaker Bruno Mars, known for his stylish take on simple, nostalgia-driven pop melodies. ROSÉ, meanwhile, has a reputation for a uniquely stylish way of singing. Although “APT.” draws on something as unserious as a drinking game, the singers’ snazzy vocals elevate the track from a silly number to a seriously cool pop song. The single is simultaneously approachable and an amazing display of how cool its stars are.

There’s no denying that plenty of people have developed an interest in what social life is like in Korea over the past decade thanks to the media. And by filling the song with ROSÉ’s, or Park Chaeyoung’s, youthfulness, it cleverly piques the same interest in listeners almost effortlessly.

Marigold Mind Laundry (Jungeun Yun)
Kim Boksung (writer): The fact that Jieun, the protagonist in author Jungeun Yun’s healing novel Marigold Mind Laundry, has the power to help others isn’t especially unusual—just about everyone from her ancient village has some sort of magic. But the fact that she has two is fairly unique, and it’s this second power of hers—the power to turn dreams into reality—that both sets into motion and resolves the plot of this book (though as a cozy read, story beats aren’t the main focus).

After accidentally dreaming her family out of existence, Jieun lives 1,000 years’ worth of lives before she finally settles down in a new town to dream up the titular laundromat, where she uses her healing powers to help others. The story itself takes a backseat to the self-help approach to fiction through the characters Jieun meets and the community around her that eventually helps her help herself rather than disappear into another life.

Like many books in the genre, the good vibes are what take center stage here (once you get past the downer opening). If you liked the magic realism of Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind but wished it were less of an emotional roller coaster ride and more of a relaxing vacation, Yun’s book is for you.