20th Century Girl: Adolescent Lessons in Love

There's love at first sight And then there's love at first sighting. Don't know the difference? 20th Century Girl is here to make it clear as one of its two besotted teen heroines, Yeon-du (Roh Yoon-seo), becomes thoroughly enamored of their new classmate Hyun-jin (Park Jung-woo) the moment she spots his silhouette in the doorway of her mother's clothing shop. Sometimes, the heart doesn't even need eye contact! Compare this irrational behavior to that of her best friend Bo-ra (Kim Yoo-jeong) who takes a little longer to warm up to his best friend Woon-ho (Byeon Woo-seok). With tearjerking results.

Because these two girls are destined to get these two boys mixed up. They both will fall hard for Woon-ho but with Yeon-du abroad for a heart operation and Bo-ra trailing the wrong guy unknowingly on her friend's behalf, plenty of seemingly innocent hijinks will tangle up Bang Woo-ri's YA yarn — gang fights and falling plums, first kisses and drunken confessions. But... since Bo-ra can't square her divided loyalties, you're not sure who will end up with whom. Or for how long. You see, the trouble with acting on your friend's behalf in high school, at least, is that your actions may be misattributed and misinterpreted. Especially when you're too embarassed to say how you really feel. Well, maybe not just in high school. In K-drama, too.

Exit: Up in Smoke

A little-known film-fact is that you can sometimes catch an in-flight Korean movie that is not currently free to stream at Netflix, Hulu, or Amazon. And so, flying from NYC to Portland is when I unexpectedly came across the A+ disaster pic Exit. Lee Sang-geun's hilarious, heartpounding rom-com follows two recreational rockclimbers who find unwanted adventure and unexpected purpose after a poison gas is released in downtown Seoul. With nowhere to go but up to escape the fumes, unemployed Young-nam (Jo Jung-suk) and disrepected Eui-joo (Im Yoon-ah) find themselves falling in love as they frantically scale walls and jitterily jump from roof to roof while simultaneously working to save a drunken family, a classroom of kids, and themselves...in that order.

Young-nam's not your typical hero — even after he's gained some confidence; Eui-joo's not your typical damnsel in distress — in truth, she's the better cragsman of the two. Yet their bourgeoning romance is pure classic as the pair grow increasingly fond of each other as they navigate endless death-defying risks. And aside from an enchanting cluster of populace-powered drones, these lovers are very much on their own. An eventual "happily ever after" doesn't seem far-fetched either. Who wouldn't fall for someone who saved their lives multiple times in one night. "In sickness, death, and the apocalypse." Is that how the wedding vow goes?

The Bros: Siblings in Death

How many times have I started The Bros? Four times? Six times? More? A comedy you don't find funny is always a tough film to finish, even if it's the only Korean feature in the Netflix lineup that you haven't seen. Yet today, I am committed. And so, once again, I cue up the movie, hit play, and watch the story of two antagonistic brothers seeking resolution and riches at their grandfather's fortune-making funeral. Brother number one is Suk-bong (Ma Dong-seok), an impoverished history professor in search of two gold Buddha statuettes; brother number two is Joo-bong (Lee Dong-hwi), a low-level exec who works for a development company that wants to plow through the hometown.

Once the family secrets come out, as they often do at such occasions, nothing will be as it was: bloodlines will be questioned as well as who is alive and who is dead. Despite the dire predicaments, a happy ending seems inevitably ahead. But this comedy of manners requires a greater understanding of Korean cultural rituals and mores than I have, even with my many years of reviewing Korean movies, in order to generate laughs. Would the slapstick, fashion choices, family dynamics in Jang You-jeong's silly satire be riotous if I understood the references, taboos, and transgressions throughout? Until I get there, I'll have to settle for a kooky mom (Lee Hanee) and fraternal love.