20th Century Girl (2022) User Reviews

Lovely cast but didn't like the ending

[phd_travel · 7/10 · 4 November 2022]

Firstly the cast is great. Kim You Jung needs to do more movies like this. She is lovely sweet and acts so well lights up the screen like a young Son Ye Jin. Great that they used the beautiful Han Hyo Joo to play her older self. Looks right.

Roh Yoon Seo of Our Blues convincingly looks thin and ill. Liked the way her character turned out.

Byeon Woo Seok as the romantic lead can still pull off a high schooler.

The story is quite charming and involving considering it's only movie length, not drama length. A lot is due to KYJ's winning performance.

More explanation at the end would have been better. Actually the sad ending seemed tacked on. Didn't anyone in his family contact her or his best friend? Couldn't she have contacted his family or his father? Unnecessarily sad.

Cute but..

[TheodoraEh · 7/10 · 22 October 2022]

First of all this really reminded me of 2125 and that's a good thing because I loved 2125. Even the female lead's acting a lot of the times, not just the era it is set. I didn't mind, no idea whether one was inspired from the other or not, but there were a lot of similarities overall.

Secondly and most importantly. Why the ** did it have to get so dark and sad in the end!? I seriously wonder why. The only reason I can think, not that it makes it any better, that we are so sad by the whole relationship thing right before so when the death issue comes up we almost don't even mind. Which isn't true but could explain it, I guess.

All in all, I liked it right until that. But the ending really annoyed me. It felt sad but meaningless, no point in it.

Wholesome, Sweet, and Sad

[DrProcrastinate · 8/10 · 30 October 2022]

Well let's just say that this was... a really good movie.

I watched this movie due to hearing about how good it was from social media. Combine that with my sister giving me the idea of watching it and here we are... This was definitely an emotional rollercoaster. There were many cute and wholesome moments throughout the movie and ofcourse how can we not talk about the sad ones ;(. The leads had amazing chemistry and the way they just were was wholesome.

This movie tell's us about the joys of one's first love and how unpredictable life can be at times. It tell us that we should enjoy everything while we still can and are able to, before it's too late.

Let me give you a minor spoiler alert, and that is that this is a sad movie. How I would've loved for it to have a happy ending but alas we do not always get what we want.

I'd definitely recommend this movie to anyone who wants a sad cute romance.

Profound beauty of first love

[suneelwildearthnepal · 7/10 · 21 October 2022]

After watching the trailer, i understood the story had nothing new to offer. As the narrative moved ahead, the plot became quite predictable. But there wasn't a moment of cringe, dullness nor any scenes felt generic. The protagonist kim yoo jung has the required depth of convincing in every scene, she is the catalyst and the chain that binds the plot and the characters together. She is backed by terrific young cast who play their part with utmost sincerity.

See this movie if you are into romantic genre adorned with nostalgia. I thoroughly enjoyed every second of it, all in all a poignant ode to the first love.

Cute, emotional and endearingly sweet.

[hanalisss · 10/10 · 21 October 2022]

I found this movie exceptional for what it is.

This tells a simple story and it is well told. And let me tell you something, you might be thinking that the end will be predictable and cliché, well nothing like that!! It got me crying!

It's lighthearted but at the same time emotional and deep and you get to feel what the characters are feeling. I loved how much chemistry and connection the leads had. I have seen Kim Yoo-jung in many dramas already and I absolutely love her energy when portraying characters, she has a great capacity for comedy as well and that makes watching her very enjoyable. I also enjoyed watching Byeon Woo-seok and there was something deep and magical in the way he looked at her ( maybe his experience in life since he is already 30, but it was so powerful).

My favorite thing about this drama is that they portray what a real love should be, this love story is deeper even when they are so young because their reason of loving each other is not just having a crush and liking how one looks ( like the secondary lead for example) they fall in love when they spend time together and their feelings grow while they share interests and hobbies and that's beautiful. I loved seeing their relationship developing.

I do recommend you to watch this. Its a very amazing watch that will get you emotional and nostalgic and will make you feel the delight of these teens falling in love for the first time.

Beautiful movie with unnecessary tragedy

[krishar-13335 · 6/10 · 26 October 2022]

Spoiler alert

This is a beautiful beautiful movie. So amazing. But the ending just kills it all. That was so tragic and unnecessary. That was so not required to kill off the main male lead - wouldn't have mattered even if they don't end up together but why, dear writer? Why carry us along on this fun, light hearted and adorable story and then BAM! Suddenly plunge that knife in our unsuspecting hearts.

The good feelings that the first half of this movie gave was completely washed away with this sudden deliberate twist that seemed like a forced attempt to make the movie seem more mature and artsy.

Movie that make me depressed for several days

[amiraidora · 10/10 · 27 October 2022]

How's I'm in love with this movie really much. Cry until morning. I already a fan of yoo jung but after seeing this movie I'm know she's worthy to be crowned as global first love. I hoped to see more of her drama soon. The most broken scene is when she knows he's died and the video tape of won ho keep. After watch this movie I realised that live is not exactly as we plan. As she's really love won ho and waiting for him after several years but cannot be together. I really like the chemistry between the actors and the lines that catch my attention is when bo ra speak with her father and her father said you have a good eyes for man. I can see the love between her father and her.

not bad

[pinkeusy · 7/10 · 22 October 2022]

This film give me butterfly while watching it. I enjoyed that but the plot is too fast. I cant feel the character building deep relationship toward each other. Also the plot i cant see that coming. Like everthing is tooo fast😭 maybe if they do that, it will be creating a good story. There is a black hole, poong woonho death is mysterious. All of sudden he died and in the end they dont explain why he's death.

But all the actors did a good job. They know how to control their expression and body language. I always impresses with kim yoojung acting.

Its my first time reviewing film in this platform soo i cannot express my thought well.

You think you knew about the ending but you don't

[brendadomingo · 10/10 · 21 October 2022]

I've seen Yoo Jung in most of her KDramas and I know her ability to make the audience laugh & cry. Also, knowing that this is the launching movie of the director who was given the opportunity to write the screenplay, direct the movie and pick the actors, makes me want to watch it even more.

But I wasn't ready to sob and almost drown with my own tears. It kept me hooked from start to finish, hoping that the movie would not end yet. I still wanted to see the interaction between Yoo Jung & Woo Seok, they had such a heart-fluttering chemistry. The cinematography was superb. Support cast was good.

Nonsense

[AJ_McAninch · 7/10 · 20 December 2022]

I was happy with the movie and actors until that ending. Not because it's sad, but because it was tacked on, made zero sense, is not explained, revealed nothing at all....and was simply there to hurt the audience. Shame on the cynical writer.

When you offer a love story about two really sweet people who take care of others and are devoted to one another, you do not then tack on a deliberately hurtful ending without explaining anything at all. Nothing. We don't know why he died. We don't know why the writer killed him off almost immediately, and we don't know why she never tried to find him, ask about him. For so many years......Nothing. Yet the couple the writer and crew taught us to love never would have done that to one another, nor would a good writer have done it to the audience who loved them. Shame!

Very entertaining

[droche-49966 · 9/10 · 23 October 2022]

I honestly did not have high expectations of this movie, expecting it to be a "teen" romance but I was pleasantly surprised. Yes, it's all about a teen romance but it is also about a deep friendship, not only between the two girls but also between all of the main characters. It is a very entertaining film, full of comedic moments but also will invoke those strong pangs of a first love. It is well acted, particularly by the two main teens who fall in love. The subtitling will not distract you from the story nor will you lose the emotion of the movie. Make sure you watch it to the very end. I would highly recommend it to women of all ages.

Cliche story, but still works

[pranayjalvi · 6/10 · 28 October 2022]

Romantic comedies have been both a topic of interest and ridicule over the years. It is ridiculed by those who find it to be a candy-glossed version of reality. It is praised for its heartwarming rendition of romantic fantasies that feel wonderful to witness on a silver screen. Bang Woo-ri's '20th Century Girl' is a bit of both. The movie seemed to be alternate of Twenty Five Twenty One, with a small change in the end.

The eye to detailing in the film is well done. We are in fact taken on a ride down the memory lane. As heart-warming as the 20th century romances looked like, relationships were also marred down due to lack of cell phones. Relationships were forgotten, first love rarely became last love, friends lost touch and the yearning.. never ending. The climax of the film is a painful example of how things were different back then. However, the film quite stretches itself way more than it should. Quite unlikely for a repetitive culmination of that kind, it's indeed the climax that works in favour of the film. Although the whole movie felt cliched, it does have some old school vibes and the feeling of first love being a teen.

In short, 20th Century Girl is a one time watch. If you're a nostalgia merchant and if you dig yearning and doomed romances, the film would work for you. The biggest quip of 20th Century Girl is that its just another forgettable love-story that banks way too much on yesteryear love, since we have seen a few of this kind in dramas over the years, with more effectiveness in the story.

My Rating : 6.5/10.

Not a Fell Good Movie

[PalmBeachG · 5/10 · 31 October 2022]

Well, Netflix ruined my Sunday night as this is not what I was expecting and I am sorry I watched it. I saw alot of hype about it and really love K-Drama and was surprised to even find out it was a movie not a series. Watched it since it was a little over 2 hours long and am sorry I did. I am not blaming the actors at all as they did a good job with the Neflix movie script that they had but if I had known it would turn out like it did I wouldn't have put it on at all. Now will have to find something else to watch before going to bed to get me out of a bad mood. You can check how many reviews I have done and rarely give a bad review.

Thought this was a feel good movie... I was incorrect

[danisbelmm · 7/10 · 28 December 2022]

Boy I was not expecting that ending and I felt it was almost awkward for me to watch 😅... The movie starts out with a very silly plot, typical to what you'd expect from your classical old kdramas. As the story progresses it picked my interest more as the couple starts to get to know each other. I'd say middle of the story was peak for the movie. The cinematography was very nice and I think the actors were pretty good.

The ending, however, felt flat, also kinda weird... Yes okay people die, but the way she goes on for so many years without knowing his death and how sudden it was was pretty unrealistic, even for the 20th Century. I get this is a not supposed to be realistic but, come on, they studied on the same school and had multiple friends in common. It made it even worse when they didn't even explain what happened to him and why he died. Man mind as well tell the audience, we've been watching this for 2 hours.

Precious love story. Hearwarming, dynamic, silly, and honest

[selenagw-64725 · 10/10 · 22 October 2022]

This was an incredible film centered around themes of youth, friendship, honesty, selflessness, trust, patience, suffering, and love. The message is really beautiful and wholesome.

The lead actress, Kim Yoo Jung, portrays her character with so much genuine emotion. It's humorous, honest (almost embarrasingly so..in a good way), and raw. The actors are fantasitc at delivering a precious situation with tasteful humor and a nice touch of realism.

The story is very heartwarming and hits close to home with many relatable situations. It's very bittersweet, but in a satisfying way. The meaning of this film is deeper than what I originallly assumed. Highly recommended.

Something to watch in the weekend

[ting0319-629-177231 · 7/10 · 21 October 2022]

It's kind of cheesy, but I enjoyed this predictable romantic movie. This reminds me of the classic Japanese film, Love Letter (1995). The nostalgia of the late 90's setting brought me some warm fuzzy feelings as an east-Asian who also grew up around the same time as these protagonists were. We all remembered that very first heartache, first farewell to our first love. The intense feelings that we used to experience when we were young eventually passed. The pains, the sorrows, the heartache, and the one-hundred questions about why those things had happened were so far-fetched until one day we found a piece of evidence from the past, and we realize that we can smile at it and are even grateful for all what had happened ao far. The actors and actresses in the film did a quite good job for this type of movie. It can sometimes look a bit too dramatic, but this is also the characteristic of this sort of movie.

All in all, If you enjoy k-drama from time to time, this is something to spend your Friday evening on. Also, if you are a fan of Kim You Jung as I am, you will certainly enjoy her performance in this film.

Good ROMCOM with no shortcomings

[fhshvdhfth · 8/10 · 23 October 2022]

I watched this movie on Netflix.

A good thing about 20th Century Girl is its pacing. There is no boring moment in the entire movie.

The story is a little bit similar to Indian Film, 'Mujhse Dosti Karoge', or any movie where love is a result of mistaken identity or miscommunication. However, a bittersweet twist is introduced at the end of the film which may attract contrary but equally strong opinions from viewer based on type of endings they like. Such endings are common in K dramas though.

The protagonist is really, really attractive looking. In fact, I started watching her K Drama 'Backstreet Rookie' because of her only.

All the characters have their witty scenes where they bring smile to your face, be it Titular Character's romantic and emotional best friend, her caring and love interest and love interest's sarcasting best friend, love interest's little brother, protagonist's typical classmates, strict and eccentric teacher, cool father, annoying mother, irritating little brother and even the blink and miss school doctor character or the blind date introduced near the end of movie.

The romance in the movie is subtle and natural, does not feel forced at all. This may be a simple but rare feature in any movie.

Despite all the good things as above, my only grouse is that the movie does not show you any extraordinary or iconic scene.

In conclusion, this is a two times or may be three times watch and can be recommended to your friends with you joining them.

Here comes some cursing for the ending

[rocijov · 6/10 · 26 November 2023]

Well, I have a couple things to say for this one. First of all, I was casually enjoying it from the beginning until closure part comes up and changes my idea. Don't get me wrong, on an emotional level I cried and enjoyed the unnecessary death of the ml anyway BUT still, It left me disappointed and kind of lost regarding the plot in general. On top of every hole throughout the plot that they didn't bother to fill up, they left us uninformed(!) about the reason of the main lead's unnecessary sudden death. Like why did they even do it, how come it serves the plot or anything? It started as a high school sweet&silly romance and for a dramatic ending, there would have been many other ways to make the audience emotionally impressed.

Despite the poor ending, acting performances are great and it is okay to watch if you are looking for a light movie with some high school romance.

My sincere response to the film😁

[ononujuodiah · 8/10 · 21 October 2022]

The movie had a retro vibe to eat, it was nostalgic, romantic and most importantly, was driven by friendship. I enjoyed every bit of the typical storyline (although it seemed predictable at first... It wasn't so predictable.) While watching the movie, I was able to reminisce back on the school days😂 full of fun and exuberance!

The casting was superb! I'm not really a fan of watching an actor (Character) grow up, and then become another actor (playing the same character) because both actors usually put up different performances. However, watching this was different, both actors succefully played that one character and it was believable.

I highly recommend this film for those who are ready for a subtle adventure!

Wonderful storyline, despicable ending

[lili_s-750-215458 · 7/10 · 1 July 2023]

The honest, pure, wonderful portrayal of Bo Ra is totally endearing. The friendship of everyone involved really keeps you attached to the screen waiting for all to develop the connection, the discoveries, the tenderness, is all there. The places and outfits work perfectly providing the needed nostalgic for the 90's referral. And by the end you are so heartedly involved with the main character and how she suffers that you end up pouring out with her, but after the perfect manners of the guy you look for the reason of his behavior, so is a total shock knowing the truth (specially when is not clear).

Good Enough

[PennyReviews · 8/10 · 11 November 2022]

Korean movie " 20th Century Girl " is a romantic comedy with a bittersweet feeling.

The story is masterfully presented, by utilizing the misunderstanding twist and making it work. It is youthful, nostalgic, and presents a sweet love story.

The performances, in addition, were all great by all the actors and actresses in the cast. But the leading lady stole the show admittedly.

However, the ending could have been handled better, as it left a lot of plot holes and it wasn't as good as the rest of the movie. Not that the conclusion wasn't interesting, but it wasn't explained. Rather, it was rushed.

So, overall, eight out of ten.

A nostalgic journey to your teenage

[Pranali_Patil · 7/10 · 18 February 2024]

"20th Century Girl" is a charming film that resonates with the teenage experience. It took me back to my own adolescent years-the excitement of first love, school trips, and the rollercoaster of emotions with best friends by your side. Despite being set in South Korea, the themes are universally relatable.

The lead actress captivates with her beauty and delivers a convincing performance, while the lead actor charms with his handsome looks and amazing portrayal. Their chemistry adds depth to the storyline, making it all the more engaging.

The ending surprised me. I won't spoil it.

It is the perfect pick-me-up when you're feeling low. It's a feel-good movie that reminds us of the joys and struggles of youth, leaving a warm and nostalgic feeling.

Another netflix craptacular original

[kmhlbeavis · 5/10 · 30 October 2022]

The introduction. Girl A tells her friend. Girl B to keep tabs on a boy she likes while she gets a heart transplant in america. Girl be starts keeping tabs on the wrong guy and winds up falling in love with the intended target. Girl A comes back from america with a new heart then realizes that her friend fell in love with her crush then gets mad but later realizes that she rather give him up than lose her friend. So girl B finally confesses to the guy and he says he is going to New Zealand but will come back for her. He leaves to New Zealand on a train from Korea. That's impossible, you have to take a plane to get to New Zealand I pretty much knew what that meant. You got it !! He never comes back. The friend new and years later invites her to the exhibition where she realizes that her crush is being memoralized because he is dead. The problem with this is no explanation to how he dies, you never see any of his parents and only get a glimpse of his brother that the girl watches in the vcr at the end. What a crappy, incomplete and depressing ending. The ending !! Netflix needs to throw this in the garbage with the other crap they makie. It seems like for every good netflix program or movie they churn out 4 or 5 crappy ones. Terrible.

a lovely sweet film

[LetsReviewThat26 · 6/10 · 22 December 2022]

This movie was simply just so sweet and nice. It had a kind of retro vibe to it and almost sepia tone which I thought added a lot to the movie and made it even better and visually appealing. In this movie. Kim yoo- jeong plays. Na bo- ra. A girl that has to keep tabs on a classmate for a friend, but as always things up transpring and she finds herself falling for him. The man in question is poong woon- ho who is played by woo seok nyeon. I njoyed both very much and I thought this film had quite a few funny parts that in a way were just sweet. But really when it comes down to it. This movie is wholsome and fun.

Loved the Movie but the bittersweet end, killed me.

[thammylagares · 9/10 · 22 October 2022]

Great performances from the cast, very believable acting, storyline with a plotwist I wasn't expecting.

But at the same time was really inspiring and nostalgic, I remember the new millennium day, like it were yesterday, this movie bring a lot of bitter memories about my past, nevertheless like in the movie despite the sadness, we keep studying and working and trying to be better persons to us self and the ones around us.

I hope this director, writer and producer keeping doing inspiring movies, maybe even series, to make everyone think about the importance of inspiring the new generation of being better to themselves and to one another.