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‘GOING SEVENTEEN’ for the summer
Movie, music, variety show, and book recommendations for this week
2022.08.12
Credit
Article. Im Sooyeon (CINE21 reporter), Randy Suh (pop music critic), Myungseok Kang, Kim Gyeoul (writer)
Design. Jeon Yurim
Photo Credit. SEVENTEEN Youtube

Hunt

Im Sooyeon (CINE21 reporter): Hunt marks Lee Jung Jae’s directorial debut and first reunion with Jung Woo Sung, together known as the “Cheongdam Couple,” since City of the Rising Sun 23 years ago in 1999. This film overturns the misunderstanding that he sailed through his debut as a director and easily cast the lead role. After 28 years in the field, Lee knows how a blockbuster should be shot. In 1983, Korean Central Intelligence Agency (KCIA) Foreign Unit Chief Park Pyong-ho (Lee Jung Jae) and Domestic Unit Chief Kim Jung-do (Jung Woo Sung) receive orders to uncover a North Korean spy, known as Donglim, who has infiltrated the agency, and start a game of chicken for their survival. Hunt was inspired by the terrorist bombing in Yangon but boldly exercises creative license instead of being tied to the real story. As such, it is liberated from the ethical burden of historical accuracy and maximizes the emotions of doubt and betrayal during the Cold War and within the intelligence agency, using them to set the scene for a spy action flick. Moreover, it poses universal questions by capturing dilemmas occurring between diverse groups and the contradiction of justifying procedural flaws for the sake of results. This surprising debut film by Lee Jung Jae can be read as a footnote on contemporary Korea. 

“MORE” – j-hope 

Randy Suh (pop music critic): It was “Hope World” throughout July. As the first release of BTS’s solo projects to open the group’s  chapter, j-hope had his second encounter with the world with a surprisingly well-made self-produced album. The pre-released single “MORE” was enough to amplify expectations for his first studio album that he prepared with determination. It was surprising that he saved his major weapon – dance, but it was all the more shocking that his winning move was the chorus with a grungy rock band sound. j-hope, who made his presence felt with his signature shouting-style rap in the early years of BTS is again showcasing his “shout” as he starts his new solo career. The narratives of dark desire that he preannounced before the release of the album is distinct from the approach of the “dark (but actually messy) desire” that male artists commonly take when they transition in their career. Observing both extreme aspiration and the soul that is exhausted behind it, this album reflects the simple but unavoidable irony where things done for oneself lead to self-destruction. “MORE” was undoubtedly an effective start of these messages.

​“WONWOO's Diary” and “Christmas in August” of GOING SEVENTEEN 
Myungseok Kang: “WONWOO's Diary” of SEVENTEEN’s self-made variety contents GOING SEVENTEEN is, according to WONWOO (as he said to Weverse), a situational scenario based on ad-lib with only the general situation given to the members. While it is already unusual that idol stars can act for around an hour in two situational episodes, the stories are even more unusual. The situation follows the viewpoint of WONWOO, who is a student videorecording the daily lives in the farming village Sevong 2(i)-ri, and becomes a farm-village drama parodying Country Diaries. This is suddenly interrupted by National Singing Contest, becomes Capture the Moment How Is That Possible, then morphs into a mystery program combining X-Files and Stranger Things, before wrapping up with an ending slightly reminiscent of Twin Peaks (it is a very detailed story and any more description will make this a spoiler). All of these come around one-third of a second later than the timing for laughter, which leaves both laughter as well as a weird awkwardness. This mysterious ability for variety shows makes us wonder and then enlarge the screen to see if they really are the team of artists that sold more than 3.18 million units in the first week of releasing their studio album and repackaged album this year. 

The “ending” that was very funny and then weirdly chilling left CARAT with diverse imaginations, and like it expected such a response, GOING SEVENTEEN released “Christmas in August II,” which is a kind of horror special, the following week. The members make teams of three or four and play horror games with PCs in a dark room. One might expect scenes of the members being surprised as they play the game. But SEVENTEEN is different. Instead, WONWOO is good at playing games, and S.COUPS gives the other members a chance to play the game although he could quickly win and go home since he has played the game before. Meanwhile, the youngest member DINO (aka Pi Cheolin) is running around and never getting tired in the beginning of the episode. It may scare you with the episode thumbnail sign that reads “Do not watch this alone in a dark room.” However, “Christmas in August II” is more about the personalities of the members unveiled through the horror games and the teamwork where other members seamlessly complement the episode while one of the members is playing the game so there is no dead air. When you watch “WONWOO's Diary” again after understanding their personalities through “Christmas in August II,” you will roll with laughter. You will then ask “How can this team be so good-looking, talented, and even funny?” They will soon embark on a world tour, including the dome tour in Japan. 
Speed of Dark - Elizabeth Moon
Kim Gyeoul (writer): If you like the drama “Extraordinary Attorney Woo,” you may need to read this novel. This first-person narrative of an autistic person shocked the literary world in 2002 when it was published, being named a finalist for the Arthur C. Clarke Award and winning the Nebula Award for Best Novel. In the near future world, where autism can be cured with medical technology if found at an early age, Lou Arrendale, who is among the last autistic generation, goes to work every day and attends a fencing club every week as he leads his own life. From such aspects, he is regarded as “normal.”  However, his autism is certainly part of his identity. Then, is he “abnormal?” While his boss Mr. Crenshaw is trying to eliminate benefits for autistic people and treat them forcibly, a “normal person” Don, who is jealous of Lou, is keeping an eye on him. 
 
Author Elizabeth Moon is actually the mother of a boy with autism spectrum disorder. The novel itself began with her son’s words. However, he is not a “genius with autism” like Lou or Woo Young Woo. Of course, everyone is different, which applies the same whether you are autistic or not. How can we be so sure who is normal and who is not normal? The novel poses this question to the readers as they start to get used to the way Lou thinks and even feel comfortable with his thought process. This could be an experience of getting into the mind of an autistic person. But no two autistic people would have the same experience. Not forgetting this painful fact and the diverse experience between empathy and distance are the biggest gifts of this novel. And of course, it is just a fun read.  
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