20th Century Girl
2022 · Directed by Bang Woo-ri
Original language: Korean
- romance
- drama
The story
In 1999, a teen girl keeps close tabs on a boy in school on behalf of her deeply smitten best friend – then she gets swept up in a love story of her own.
What it’s like
Warm, sun-washed 1999 Seoul, rendered with soft pastel tones, pink and yellow school uniforms, cramped apartment interiors lit by low lamps, and a constant hum of dial-up modems, cassette players and rain on tin roofs. The camera stays close and easygoing, with bright hand-held shots of classroom chatter and lingering, slightly nostalgic frames of streets at dusk. The score leans on gentle piano and bubblegum-era pop, dropping into quiet during the emotional beats. Its vibe is wistful, bittersweet and affectionate, the kind of film that suits a rainy Sunday, a comfort rewatch or a night in when you want to feel something tender. The pace is unhurried, built around friendships, crushes and small rituals, and its arcs follow a teenage girl learning that first love can hurt and still matter. Intensity is low: some teen drinking and smoking, a few sad moments and an illness subplot, but no violence, gore or sexual content. It suits viewers who love coming-of-age stories, heartfelt tearjerkers and the ache of youthful longing.
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