Moana 2
Oh Minji: “I’m not a princess,” Moana pointedly insists in her first movie, and it’s a sentiment the titular character finds herself having to prove throughout the sequel, Moana 2—and in the end, she manages just that. The first film saw a Moana who was the very image of a Polynesian voyager, reading the stars and sea as she sails across the vast ocean in her canoe, and in her role as the daughter of the chief of the island of Motunui, where she was destined to become its next leader. Though she wanted to “play along” with her duties as set out by her father to be the “perfect daughter,” she was irresistibly drawn to the forbidden stretches of the sea, and when the island was plunged into crisis, she set out on an adventure to make things right. With her sailing skills still budding, she faced a series of challenges at sea, found her stubbornness leading her and Maui into danger, and worked with the demigod to ultimately restore the Heart of Te Fiti. Now, in the latest entry in the film series, Moana must go beyond her predestined birthright as chief-in-waiting and embarks on a journey to the missing island of Motufetu to become the Tautai, or navigator of the seas—a title bestowed on she who saves the ocean and the island from danger.

Our protagonist’s adventure in Moana 2 is also about the hardships she faces and how she overcomes them as she becomes a grown woman who goes beyond things like titles and positions bestowed upon her to properly prove herself. Unlike when she was young and left home in a hurry and almost clueless, she now has the trust of everyone around her and a crew to accompany her. Still, Moana finds herself buckling under the weight of having the fate of her people in her hands, and whereas before she had no way of knowing what she might gain or lose, she now knows she’s leaving everything that matters to her behind when she sets off. Personal growth now has less to do with thrill, curiosity, and confidence as it does with fear, burden, and uncertainty. The stars she believed would lead her without issue to Motufetu suddenly disappear, and the waterway that she could once rely on to help her out no longer points the way for her. As she draws closer to Motufetu, her loyal crew falls into danger, while whirlwinds and lightning prevent her from approaching the island. But, recalling advice from Matangi to let go and let herself “get lost,” Moana roams freely, breaking all the plans she had laid out for herself, and finally reaches the sunken island of Motufetu against all odds. Ultimately, Moana is both chief and Tautai, and like she told Maui in the first film, she has become a hero under her own terms, not through a decision by the gods. While the first Moana taught children that no prejudice, be it about gender or otherwise, should stop a person from becoming a leader, and that even inexperienced folk can keep making progress so long as they “know the way,” Moana 2 teaches them where to go from there. The movie shows how, by overcoming fear and never settling for what seems to be destined, anyone can find their own path, and that it’s even okay to get lost now and then along the way.

Garion 3 (Garion)
Kang Ilkwon (music critic): MC Meta and Naachal, together known as Garion, are hailed as pioneers and legends in the Korean hip hop world. They played a particularly pivotal role during the early 2000s as underground hip hop culture first began to flourish, and MC Meta has long been considered the very model of a rapper, both in terms of lyrics and flow. It’s now been over 25 years since they first came onto the scene. Most of the other first-generation Korean hip hop artists disappeared from that scene either by choice or from a failure to keep up with changing times, but Garion continues to channel their creativity and passion into work that gets at the heart of that scene. And thanks to that, we can now say hello to their third studio album. The duo’s had a somewhat tumultuous time since they released their critically acclaimed previous album back in 2010. They put out some singles that used experimental production techniques to try and capture a shift in musical direction, but a lack of polish meant they never quite captured their vision. A series of singles the two put out as solo artists failed to make of an impression as well. Fortunately, the direction behind Garion’s latest album is crystal clear. The mantra adopted by the two rappers was ongo-jisin—learn from the old to find the new. They called the artists they grew alongside as well as newer ones from the “post-Garion generation” together in one place, reviving the magic of old-school sampling and four-bar loops, and discussing hip hop’s past, present, and future. The unique lyrics are another part of what makes the duo’s work so appealing, rapping in a way that favors metaphor over direct language. That also makes a song like “01410,” where they recall their rise to becoming rappers in unembellished language, a unique treat on a Garion album. Their decision to bring in Deepflow to executive produce—himself known for crafting outstanding albums—greatly contributed to the album’s amazing sound as well. Garion doesn’t obsessively follow trends, focusing instead on the rapping and beats they know best. Hopefully the time between this album and their next one won’t be quite as long.