20th Century Girl is a South Korean romantic drama film that premiered on Netflix in October 2022. The film, directed and written by Bang Woo-ri, follows the story of Na Bo-ra, a teenager who falls in love with a new student named Poong Woon-ho in 1999. However, their romance ends abruptly when Woon-ho moves to New Zealand and stops contacting Bo-ra. Years later, Bo-ra receives a VHS tape and a letter from Woon-ho’s younger brother, who reveals the shocking truth about Woon-ho’s fate.
The Plot of 20th Century Girl
The film begins with Bo-ra, a voice actress, receiving a call from her father, who tells her that she has received a package with an old movie inside. Bo-ra goes back to her childhood home and finds the package, which contains a VHS tape and a letter from an artist named Joseph. The tape and the letter trigger Bo-ra’s memories of the year 1999, when she was in high school and met Woon-ho for the first time.
Woon-ho is a quiet and depressed boy who lives with his father in Korea, while his mother and younger brother live in New Zealand. He transfers to Bo-ra’s school and becomes friends with Hyun-jin, Bo-ra’s classmate. Bo-ra’s best friend, Yeon-du, has a crush on Hyun-jin and asks Bo-ra to find out more about him before she leaves for America to have heart surgery. Bo-ra agrees and starts following Hyun-jin around, but she also gets closer to Woon-ho, who thinks she likes Hyun-jin and tries to help her.
However, Bo-ra soon realizes that she has feelings for Woon-ho instead of Hyun-jin. She confesses to him when she gets drunk on a school trip, but she forgets about it the next day. Woon-ho also likes her and kisses her after they spend a lovely afternoon together. However, their relationship faces a challenge when Yeon-du returns from America and tells Bo-ra that she still likes Hyun-jin. Bo-ra decides to break up with Woon-ho to protect Yeon-du’s feelings, even though she still loves him.
Woon-ho is heartbroken and plans to move to New Zealand to live with his mother. He meets Bo-ra at the train station and tells her that he loves her and will keep in touch with her. He also gives her a necklace with his name on it. They promise to attend the same college in Seoul after he finishes high school in New Zealand. They continue their long-distance relationship through emails, but on New Year’s Eve of 2000, Woon-ho stops replying to Bo-ra’s messages and calls.
The Ending of 20th Century Girl
Bo-ra is devastated by Woon-ho’s disappearance and thinks that he has forgotten about her or found someone else. She tries to move on with her life, but she never stops loving him. She becomes a voice actress and lives alone in Seoul. She never watches the VHS tape that Woon-ho sent her before he left Korea, which contains footage of their happy moments together.
In 2014, Bo-ra receives another VHS tape and a letter from Joseph, who invites her to his art exhibition. She goes to the gallery and meets Joseph, who turns out to be Woon-ho’s younger brother. Joseph tells her that he is an artist who makes paintings based on old movies. He shows her his latest work, which is inspired by the VHS tape that Woon-ho sent to Bo-ra.
Joseph then reveals the shocking truth: Woon-ho died in 2000, shortly before he was supposed to come back to Korea to meet Bo-ra. He does not specify the cause of death, but he implies that it was an accident that happened during his travel. He says that he regrets that Woon-ho never got to see Bo-ra again and that he wanted to give her closure by sending her the tape and the letter.
Bo-ra is stunned and heartbroken by the news. She goes back to her childhood home and watches the VHS tape that Joseph sent her. The tape contains Woon-ho’s final message to Bo-ra, in which he professes his love for her and says that he will see her soon. He also tells her to watch the other tape that he sent her before he left Korea, which has his name on it.
Bo-ra finds the other tape and plays it. The tape shows Woon-ho recording himself as he talks about his feelings for Bo-ra and how much he misses her. He also shows her the necklace that he gave her at the train station and says that it is a symbol of their love. He ends the tape by saying that he loves her and that he will always be with her.
Bo-ra cries as she watches the tape and realizes that Woon-ho never stopped loving her. She wears the necklace and hugs the tape, feeling Woon-ho’s presence. The film ends with a montage of Bo-ra and Woon-ho’s happy memories, as well as Joseph’s paintings of them.
The Meaning of 20th Century Girl
20th Century Girl is a film that explores the theme of first love and how it can affect one’s life. The film portrays the innocence and intensity of Bo-ra and Woon-ho’s romance, as well as the pain and sorrow of their separation. The film also shows how Bo-ra and Woon-ho cope with their distance and loss in different ways.
Bo-ra tries to forget Woon-ho and move on with her life, but she never succeeds. She remains loyal to him and keeps him in her heart, even though she thinks that he has abandoned her. She becomes a voice actress, which is a way of expressing her emotions through words. She also keeps the VHS tape that Woon-ho sent her before he left Korea, but she never watches it, because she is afraid of facing the truth.
Woon-ho, on the other hand, never stops loving Bo-ra and tries to stay in touch with her. He sends her emails and calls her, but he also makes a VHS tape for her, which is a way of preserving their memories. He also plans to come back to Korea to meet her, but he dies before he can do so. He leaves behind his necklace and his tape, which are his final gifts to Bo-ra.
The film also reflects on the nostalgia of the 90s, which is the era when Bo-ra and Woon-ho met and fell in love. The film uses various elements from that decade, such as the music, the fashion, the technology, and the culture. The film also contrasts the 90s with the present day, showing how things have changed over time.
The title of the film, 20th Century Girl, refers to Bo-ra, who is a girl who belongs to the 20th century. She is a girl who experienced love in the 90s, which is considered to be a simpler and more romantic time than the present day. She is also a girl who never grows up, because she never lets go of her first love. She remains a 20th century girl in her heart, even though she lives in the 21st century.
The film is a tribute to the power and beauty of first love, as well as a reminder of the fragility and unpredictability of life. The film shows that first love can be both a blessing and a curse, depending on how one deals with it. The film also shows that life can be cruel and unfair, taking away one’s loved ones without warning. The film teaches us to cherish our love and our memories, because they are precious and irreplaceable.
20th Century Girl is “a romantic drama film that will make viewers nostalgic about the yesteryears”. The film has received positive reviews from critics and audiences alike, who praised its story, its performances, its music, and its emotions. The film has also touched many hearts with its tragic ending, which left many viewers in tears.
20th Century Girl is a film that will make you laugh, cry, smile, and sigh. It is a film that will make you remember your first love and how it changed your life. It is a film that will make you appreciate your present and your future. It is a film that will make you feel alive.
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