20th Century Girl

Set in 1999, "20th Century Girl" follows Na Bo-ra (Kim You-jung), a bright and loyal 17-year-old high school student. Her best friend, Yeon-du (Roh Yoon-seo), who is about to travel to the U.S. for heart surgery, confesses she has fallen head over heels for a boy named Baek Hyun-jin (Park Jung-woo). To ease her friend's mind, Bo-ra promises to observe Hyun-jin and report back everything she learns about him via email.

In her mission to get close to Hyun-jin, Bo-ra befriends his best friend, the quiet and observant Poong Woon-ho (Byeon Woo-seok). As Bo-ra meticulously documents Hyun-jin's habits, she finds herself drawn into her own heart-fluttering first love story with Woon-ho. The film beautifully captures the confusion, excitement, and poignant moments of teenage relationships, complicated by mistaken identities and the heartfelt bonds of friendship, all against the backdrop of the turn of the millennium.

The core meaning of "20th Century Girl" revolves around the idea that first love, in its purity and intensity, leaves an indelible mark on one's life, shaping who they become even if it ends in heartbreak. Director Bang Woo-ri wanted to explore how first loves are sentimental precisely because they often don't work out, representing a period of youth that will never return. The film suggests that even though time moves on and life changes, the memories of that formative love remain, preserved and cherished. It's a poignant message about the beauty of fleeting moments and the bittersweet nature of looking back at a past that can never be reclaimed, but which continues to define the present.

While the film's ending is tragic, an alternative interpretation focuses on its necessity for preserving the purity of first love. Some viewers and critics argue that by having Woon-ho pass away, the film immortalizes their relationship at its peak. Their love story is never tainted by the potential mundane conflicts or a simple drifting apart that often happens with time. It remains a perfect, albeit heartbreaking, memory. This interpretation aligns with a tradition in Korean romance films where tragic ends serve to heighten the beauty and fleeting nature of the love story. Another reading could focus on the title itself: Bo-ra is forever a "20th Century Girl" because her emotional development in love is frozen in that time. Woon-ho's death prevents her from moving into a "21st Century" love, leaving her symbolically suspended in the memory of her youth.

"20th Century Girl" tapped into a significant wave of 90s and Y2K nostalgia prevalent in South Korean media, similar to popular dramas like "Twenty-Five Twenty-One". Its release on Netflix allowed it to reach a global audience, where it performed strongly, debuting at number 2 on the platform's global non-English film chart within three days of its release. The film was praised for its authentic portrayal of the era, from fashion and technology to the overall atmosphere, resonating with those who grew up in that period and introducing a bygone era to younger viewers. While adhering to some classic Korean romance tropes, critics noted its heartfelt execution and emotional depth. Director Bang Woo-ri also mentioned she was inspired by classic youth films like "Cinema Paradiso" and wanted to create a distinctly Korean story within that genre, as she felt that most youth films she watched were Japanese or Taiwanese.

Audience reception for "20th Century Girl" was largely positive, though emotionally divided, particularly regarding the ending. Many viewers praised the film for its heartwarming and nostalgic portrayal of the 1990s, the compelling chemistry between the leads Kim You-jung and Byeon Woo-seok, and its beautiful cinematography. It was often described as a sweet, funny, and adorable teen romance for its first three-quarters. However, the sudden tragic twist in the final act was highly controversial. A significant portion of the audience expressed frustration and heartbreak over the sad ending, feeling it was an unnecessarily cruel turn after investing in the couple's love story. Conversely, another segment of the audience defended the ending as poignant and realistic, arguing that it elevated the film beyond a simple rom-com and reinforced the bittersweet theme that first loves are beautiful because they are often fleeting and tragic.