These movies and TV shows put girls’ stories on the screen

NoW

Check out our drama, film and song picks for the week

2022.09.23

Credit

Article. Yun Huiseong, Im Sooyeon (CINE21 Reporter), Seo Seongdeok (Music Critic)

Photo Credit. HBO

©️ HBO

Betty (Wavve)

Yun Huiseong: The parks are all full of boys and the outside world is governed by norms put in place by adults. It seems like girls who skateboard should be able to go as far as they can dream, and yet they can’t go anywhere easily. HBO’s Betty is a spin-off series of the movie Skate Kitchen, which is in turn based on real stories of female skateboarders who keep facing letdowns. These skateboarders struggle and fall continuously, looking for places to practice even while the rain comes down, eschewing uncomfortable frilly clothing and sometimes falling in love with a male friend’s girlfriend. But it’s the ones who fall and get back up again—the ones who learn through trial and error—who end up skateboarding the best. And it’s easier to get through the painful times that follow a bad decision when those around you are patient and avoid criticizing you. You might be in a rush for such days to finally be behind you, but once they’re gone, you’ll miss them as terribly as distant summer days. In Korea, Wavve is carrying season two of Betty exclusively—just before the summer dies down.

©️ ATNINE FILM

Kim Min-young of the Report Card

Im Sooyeon (CINE21 reporter): High school friendships are made out to be more important than they really are. In fact, because they’re so glamorized, they tend to be interpreted in only the narrowest sense and with preconceived notions in mind. Kim Min-young of the Report Card is a nuanced, honest reflection on a friendship that can never be forgotten—one that falls apart after CSAT results send them different ways for university as what was thought to be everlasting begins withering away. The film opens 100 days before the exam as three dorm roommates temporarily suspend their acrostic poetry club that has been up and running for 15 months straight. The movie leaves the intimacies of the past in the realm of speculation, focusing instead on the mounting evidence for the cracks that form. For most people, turning 20 marks a turning point in their relationships. With Min-young (Yoon Ah-jung) going off to university, Jung-hee (Kim Ju-a) working part-time at a tennis club in her hometown and Susanna (Son Da-hyeon) studying abroad, the girls diverge onto three different paths. Though they try to keep the friendship alive through video calls, the physical distance allows the disappointments to pile up ever higher, and their eventual reunion is much more awkward than it is affectionate. The beauty of Kim Min-young of the Report Card arises from its refusal to shy away from moments that are rough around the edges. It’s precisely this sincerity that lends the girls an air of multidimensionality. By drawing on the art of cinema that realistically portrays everyday teenagers, as well as techniques from sitcoms, the movie’s bold experimentation capably pulls off an exquisite harmony that avoids trivializing youth and instead tells it as someone might themselves experience it. The film is the latest in a series of Korean independent films including The World of Us and House of Hummingbird to bask in the limelight after winning the Korean competition grand prize at the Jeonju International Film Festival and the audience award at the Seoul International Women’s Film Festival.

“Kill for Your Love” (Labrinth)

Seo Seongdeok (music critic): Although he debuted in 2010, Timothy Lee McKenzie, better known as Labrinth, rose to fame after writing the soundtrack for the popular HBO series Euphoria. His years of experience include producing for artists like the Weeknd, Sia and Noa Cyrus and collaborating with Sia and Diplo as a member of their group, LSD. As a result, Labrinth takes an emotional approach to different genres like R&B, hip hop, jazz and electronic music and blurs the lines between them. It’s no surprise Euphoria became popular for its soundtrack on top of the subject matter of the show and its striking visuals. Though still working for the show, Labrinth continues to release his own material as well. He recently put out “Kill for Your Love,” a track off his upcoming album. The lyrics add a flair of ’80s genre film to the British R&B pop. Director Ernest Desumbila’s elaborate color choices and cosmic imagination are on full display in the song’s music video, and actress Nathalie Emmanuel’s earnest determination adds emotional strength. The result is an explosively romanticized video. If you lost your way after “Running Up That Hill” aired on Stranger Things, try giving Labrinth a listen.