​“Game Caterers 2 X SEVENTEEN”

Kim Jieun: “Watch out for some occasional ear-splitting sounds.” This warning that pops up before the video is a brief summary of “Game Caterers 2 X SEVENTEEN” episode. The first game of “character quiz” finally begins at 8 minutes and 58 seconds of the third clip of the first episode, which is because SEVENTEEN “had an unprecedentedly long chat before they could start,” according to the production crew. Even after all the hassles, when the quiz finally gets started, SEVENTEEN have so much to add to every word said by their members, and the production team gets in a bind as the audio overlaps while they argue over(?) which side dish to leave out. On top of that, DINO mimics actor Song Gang-ho which seems “inappropriate to air on the show” to get a chance to take the quiz, JOSHUA makes some weird squeaks, going “Yikes,” and gets a muscle cramp, and JEONGHAN cracks everyone up with his answer “omega-3.” Watching SEVENTEEN in Game Caterers seriously envying each other whenever they do something hilarious, you’ll agree with Producer Na Yeong-seok who said, “Why is the boy band “so obsessed with being funny?” and find yourself laughing. But the real charms of SEVENTEEN gets complete with the following end-credit scene. When one of the staff spills coffee, they joke, “Are we on Candid Camera?” but stick around to help clean it up, and they show consideration for one another and consult with each other before “picking out the members’ shortcomings.” It makes you realize that there is always something kind and caring about their smiles, just like in their self-produced content “Going SEVENTEEN.” You can watch the final episode of Game Caterers 2 X SEVENTEEN tonight, on May 19, at 11PM (KST).

​“Tori and Lokita”

Im Sooyeon (CINE21 reporter): Some of the weak people in society have no choice but to take part in crimes to legitimately survive. African immigrants Tori and Lokita claim to be siblings so they can get a residence permit in Belgium, but administrative officials don’t believe them. Tori and Lokita, who are still minors but are not guaranteed any proper shelter from the government, are pushed to the edges of society, and join a criminal group that abuses illegal immigrants to grow cannabis and distribute drugs. Jean-Pierre Dardenne and Luc Dardenne’s Neo-realism has always dealt with the world of those who are marginalized from the social safety net, but following their latest film “Young Ahmed,” “Tori and Lokita,” which also stars non-white immigrants, is a more socialist drama that directly connects with the present era. Another notable change in this film is that the social accusation aspect has been highlighted more compared to their early dramatic films which delved into individuals’ dilemma which can’t be judged dichotomously. The Dardenne brothers, who won Palme d'Or at Cannes Film Festival for “Rosetta” and “The Child,” won the 75th Anniversary Special Award at Cannes Film Festival for “Tori and Lokita” last year.

Playlist:​ “Replay Japan” on YouTube Music

Seo Seongdeok (Music Critic): The recent attention to Japanese music, or more specifically, the singer-songwriter market, in contrast to J-pop, isn’t something unique to Korea. The production of short-form content is a global phenomenon, regardless of regions. This comes at a time when the Japanese music community has dramatically increased the accessibility of YouTube and global streaming services by taking a more proactive stance. The singer-songwriter market in Japan didn’t just come out of nowhere, and it has some tradition and steady progress of its own. But the achievements by new artists in recent years has created a kind of portfolio titled “new Japan music.” A more organized way to look at this market than through algorithms is through playlists. “Replay Japan” on YouTube Music collects hit songs from the past several years and reads the current trends. Playlists of recent popular songs are too narrow, while anthologies organized by a decade is too broad. Once you have found an artist or songs that you particularly like from the playlist, then the algorithm will guide you.