Citizen of a Kind

Jeong Seohui (Cinema Journalist): The movie begins with a suspenseful recreation of a true story from 2016 in which Kim Seong-ja, a laundromat owner in Hwaseong, Gyeonggi, was robbed of 32 million won by a voice phishing scam. Deok-hee (Ra Mi-ran) hurriedly arrives at the bank and faints when she realizes that Jae-Min (Gong Myung), also known as Son Dae-ri, who demanded that she pay the loan fee via eight bank transfers, is a phisher. After being tricked into a high-paying part-time job by a voice phishing gang based in Qingdao, China, Jae-min plans his escape, and Deok-hee, frustrated by the police’s foot-dragging response, decides to take matters into her own hands. Deok-hee’s impatience met with Jae-min’s whistleblowing leads the victims and the scammer, or rather, the victims, to work together. Deok-hee, who flies to a foreign land and runs on her feet, is joined by Bong-rim (Yeom Hye-ran), a co-worker from the laundry factory who serves as her Chinese translator, Sook-ja (Jang Yoon-ju), a former K-pop “homma” who photographs the evidence, and Bong-rim’s sister Ae-rim (Ahn Eun-jin), a local taxi driver in Qingdao, as they search for the home base of the crime. When Deok-hee yells, “Is it my fault that I got scammed?” at the head of the phishing operation (Lee Mu-saeng), it reminds us of Mi-young, who relentlessly busts criminals in Ra’s previous film, Miss & Mrs. Cops. Deok-hee refuses to overlook a significant crime and settle for less than justice. She's committed to addressing a substantial victimization without cutting corners. Meanwhile, Mi-young, who now works as a desk officer after pausing her career, initiates an unsanctioned investigation to prevent a digital sex crime scheduled to occur within the next 48 hours. Both women share a common trait: their boldness that catches the bad guys. What they say may be unsophisticated, but they always say the right things. They strive to fight for justice even when they’re covered in blood. The actress with the face of an average citizen shines the most when she’s selflessly indignant. That’s why Ra Mi-ran is often both ordinary and heroic on-screen.

Hyell’s Club (Hyeri)

Lee Yejin C: “You make me feel relaxed.” Miyeon of (G)I-DLE cites Hyeri’s ability to bring out comfort as her greatest strength. Hyeri, who made her debut 13 years ago and who has since been showcasing her talent and skills as a musician, an entertainer, and an actress now widens her appeal in the talk show industry by hosting “Hyell’s Club” on her YouTube channel Hyeri. Her experience as a member of Girl’s Day shines through when she talks to other girl group members like Miyeon or Jisoo from BLACKPINK, and her experience and connections built throughout her creative career of 13 years make out for a relaxed atmosphere like Miyeon says. When asked by Jisoo about the reason she started creating content, Hyeri laughs heartily and says it’s because she’s a “monster created by YouTube,” and when making a Bloody Mary for SHINee’s Key, she ends up asking him for the recipe and making him to mix the cocktail himself. It’s through such uninhibitedness that Hyeri eases the tension in the talk. Despite hosting a drinking talk show, Hyeri admits that she doesn’t drink much and such an attitude is what makes “Hyell’s Club” what it is; she is open and honest and makes a casual and free conversation. In their talk, Key starts by saying that he didn’t come on the show for publicity and that they should simply be able to help each other when one is in need. Then he continues on to talk about his life since his debut as SHINee. The Q&As and TMI talks held through an “Ask Me Anything” on Instagram help guests feel relaxed discussing light topics such as “plans for 2024,” and Hyeri helps her guests feel more comfortable by responding to their comments with appropriate reactions rather than long-winded remarks. Amid a proliferation of drinking talk shows, Hyeri offers a space for experienced idols to come and talk freely without promotion purposes.

The Disappeared: Stories by Andrew Porter

Kim Boksung (Writer): It’s amazing how much light shines through the darkness in The Disappeared, Andrew Porter’s latest collection of short stories. But the shine is all surface: While Porter’s prose borders on the poetic, it hides deep sadness in plain sight. Each story subtly announces another round of quiet rumination with their nearly-always single-worded titles, and all share a similar setup and outlook: a young to middle-aged one struggling to make sense of the present while hopelessly lingering around in one’s memories of the past.

One place where the stories differ drastically is in length, and it’s “Cigarettes,” one of the book’s shortest, that best captures Porter’s intended mood and message. Though the man’s story is brief, its message is clear: He misses his past because he missed his moment. It’s the same struggle that occupies the minds of every one of the stories’ narrators, and they all similarly feel alienated from the women they love and the creative lives they feel they were cheated out of. Porter’s dreary take on lost youth may make the book a slog for some to get through, but it can also be like an understanding friend for those who similarly find themselves removed from the people around them, and serve as a reminder to those living in the height of their lives why seizing every moment is so paramount.

NMIXX – “DASH”

Randy Suh (Music Writer): NMIXX’s music, which felt somewhat undefined and up in the air before, now seems to have firmly landed on solid ground. With a gradual shift toward easy listening since their last album release, they’re back with the new song “DASH,” an easy-to-listen piece that leans toward old-school hip-hop close to punk. The funky drum breaks and a heavy baseline drive the song. The first three seconds are enough to make the song perfect. After Lily’s lead “Dash, I wanna dash, I wanna run it”, a chorus of all members comes in, which is followed by the striking combination of melody and rhythm of the orchestra hit, a signature instrument of new jack swing hip-hop. While a harmonious chorus is characteristic of teams like Red Velvet and NCT, hearing it in NMIXX’s style has its own charm. It’s written with a “percussion with notes” feel like the orchestra hit, which makes it even more captivating. It also testifies to their strong vocals.

Composer C’SA is a newcomer worth keeping an eye on. She has previously participated as a composer for songs with acidic deep house vibes or funky bass lines like “Who Am I” by Weki Meki, “Attitude” by fromis_9, and “Sensitive” by Loossemble. C’SA is a former idol trainee who appeared on Mnet’s Idol School under the name Shin Sia. Also, the sophisticated arrangement of Puff and Strong Dragon stands out, with instruments like brass not being too highlighted.