Gobaekeui yeoksa

I just needed something warm and fun, and this movie is exactly that. A simple school romance, sweet and innocent, with a great cast that seems to click really well. You shouldn't watch it for Cha Woo-min, though, he has like three minutes screen time. Of course, the plot is not surprising. If you want plot twist and lots of drama, it's not the right movie for you. But that's quite obvious from the start, I didn't expect anything more than a nice teen love story, and the movie delivers that perfectly.

I had much fun watching it, with laughter and giggling and a few tears as well. Especially the group of friends is just so funny, I really loved them and their chaotic, supportive friendship. They could have dived a bit deeper into the characters and their stories, but you can only do so much in two hours.

I already watched the movie twice (yes, it was this kind of a weekend). It's just the perfect comfort watch whenever you need it, overall very well done.

64/100

The film attempts to explore romantic entanglements, but its execution is uneven. The plot is predictable at times, and the dialogue often lacks the depth needed to make the characters' struggles compelling. While there are moments of charm, the story rarely surprises, leaving a sense of missed potential.

Acting is serviceable but not outstanding. The leads convey sincerity, yet their chemistry feels muted, and supporting roles contribute little to elevate the narrative. This makes the emotional beats less impactful than intended.

Visually, the movie shines with some well-composed shots and thoughtful framing. Sound and music are adequate, complementing the scenes without standing out. A small but interesting detail is the use of recurring visual motifs to reflect emotional states, even if they don't fully land-an attempt at artistry that slightly redeems the overall mediocrity.

Thanks to LB I found out that it's a movie and not a series. I was sure it was a series and I never would have touched it otherwise. But I can deal with two hours of silliness no problem :))) It's got all those teen tropes but is somehow still fresh? I don't know how that happens, cause it's not the first 90s Asian drama I'm seeing, but most of those do work somehow. Probably simpler, more innocent times. The characters felt real and they weren't too perfect looking or anything, the look in general was very natural. Personally I don't get the hate for big hair, but anyways. Yes, this is the happy ending version of Twentieth Century Girl in a way. I also burst out laughing a few times, which is always nice. The actors did a nice job, although Se-ri's tone of voice was a little exaggerated IMO, but still, as tropey as her whole personality was, I enjoyed her character, she'd be a nice friend. Yun-seok is a walking green flag, as you'd expect.

As the story goes, it appears that the film use similar K-Drama template which is friend to lover.

But the best thing is the nostalgic vibes of late 1990s school and love live. It appears innocents, sweets, and overall far from the toxic and buzzing social medias.

There are bunch of references, such as paper crane wish, Pager, film cameras, songs, to unique hairstyles.

It add various fun elements to the rather simple storytelling.

Great cast increase the rate! Shin Eun Soo once again proven her capabilities to act as a young teenager from 1990s, just like her role in Twinkling Watermelon!

For its genre, this movie is Perfect!!

I'm not giving it a 10 as in it tops all other movies of all genres, but for the First Love, Teenage, School kind, this movie was perfection in my opinion.

I liked the Busan accents and background with the beach and sea, the era. It was fun but also had emotional elements that weren't over the top.

For girls and boys of that age, I think this movie is great! I'm not that age but I appreciated it and had a fun time watching it!