The fascinating world of ‘Poong, the Joseon Psychiatrist’

NoW

TV, movie, book and music recommendations for the week

2022.08.26

Credit

Article. Im Sooyeon (CINE21 reporter), Choi Jieun (writer), Kim Gyeoul (writer), Kim Yoonha (music critic)

Design. Jeon Yurim

Photo Credit. tvN

The Worst Person in the World

Im Sooyeon (CINE21 reporter): Julie’s fluctuating interests move her from studying medicine to psychology and then photography, and her love life is equally inconsistent. The film could easily be described as “Frances Ha in Oslo,” but The Worst Person in the World is an instant classic that persistently dives into the very essence of romance—an impulse that seeks the best but invariably moves toward the worst—better than any film set in New York. In a confusing, information-saturated, post-#MeToo world, straight women necessarily have a lot of questions and contradictory feelings about love. Julie welcomes the chaotic world with open arms and senses a desire in herself that’s neither completely physical nor emotional, romantically roaming between Eivind—an ideal sex partner—and Aksel, who shares similar artistic sensibilities with her. The movie takes a very cinematic approach to the insights it arrives at, dividing the plot into 12 chapters connected to the irrevocable march of time and the existential crisis behind romance. The film represents the final installment in director Joachim Trier’s Oslo Trilogy, an exploration of the city’s dazed and confused youth. Renate Reinsve, the actress who plays Julie, won the Cannes Film Festival Award for Best Actress when it premiered in 2021.

Poong, the Joseon Psychiatrist

Choi Jieun (writer): Yoo Seyeop (Kim Minjae) is an ace medical practitioner who loses everything after being wrangled into a conspiracy. Seo Eun-woo (Kim Hyang-gi) has become a widow after her sick husband died immediately following their marriage. The two, deprived of any future and with no will left to live, first meet on the edge of a cliff, and end up turning to Doctor Gye Jihan (Kim Sang Kyung) and meeting patients in the process, solving their problems and helping to save each other. Though the series takes place in the Joseon era, at its core is an unshakeable faith in humanity with a dream of better connecting our modern society through stories surrounding society’s most vulnerable, including abused children, wartime sex slaves, immigrants and date rape survivors.

We All Believe Something a Little Strange (Skeptic Korea editors)

Kim Gyeoul (writer): Everyone has something they believe in that isn’t entirely scientific. These beliefs can range from that which can’t be explained scientifically, like ghosts and other spirits, to those already disproven by science, like the idea that the Earth is flat. As the name suggests, Skeptic is a magazine for those who view the world through a scientific lens, and takes a hard-line stance against unsubstantiated claims. The editors at Skeptic Korea compiled various articles from their magazine dealing with unscientific beliefs and published them in a single book, including pieces on personality theories based on blood type, astrology, geocentrism, prophetic dreams, astral projection, with the very first being about (surprisingly or not) MBTI. The personality test has actually been unscientific from the outset and has several flaws because it sets pairs of traits that aren’t strictly opposites against one another. Maybe the reason we’re so gung-ho about MBTI is because it makes for a good conversation starter when we introduce ourselves and helps us to understand others. In that sense, it’s perhaps practically impossible to free ourselves of all unscientific beliefs, but we also need to be rational thinkers to get along in the modern world.

“Illusion” (Bronze with Kim Sarang and Jason Lee)

Kim Yoonha (music critic): The toasty air, warmed all day by the midsummer sun, hangs over you. As you’re overcome with desire for a cup of iced coffee or a cold beer, a chill beat pours out from the distance. Somewhere out there, you hear a nostalgic synthesizer, a melody that twinkles like starlight and, if you listen closely, a saxophone and a catchy chorus. You already know from the description alone: The music you’re hearing is a kind of city pop.

Bronze, a producer and member of the new jack swing musician KIRIN-led label 8BallTown, is considered one of the top producers of city pop in Korea. His perfectionism is apparent even on his album covers, from his debut East Shore (2019) to his third album, Skyline (2022), designed by illustrator Hiroshi Nagai, who is considered a very part of city pop himself. The track “Illusion” is a perfect display of Bronze’s meticulous vision, incorporating elements of Korean pop into his own style. The vocals provided by Kim Sarang, an icon of youth at the turn of the century, seem to drive down a grey asphalt road as Jason Lee, who’s been adding his touch to Bronze’s music since his first album, layers on with his relaxed saxophone, and a groovy bassline casually radiates from deep within. The neon signs of a trifling city fly by you—another familiar, tender summer night in Seoul.