Persona (2019)

Since these are 4 short films by different directors, I’m going to review them separately. (The synopsis is from Netflix)

1) Love Set - Two women get entangled in an intense battle of wills on the tennis court and try to pummel one another, but the stakes are higher than they realise.
Review: I don’t know if it was the plot in general or just my inability to comprehend the message being conveyed but the end left me kind of confused. I’m trying to find a deeper meaning but can’t seem to come to a conclusion. Perhaps there isn’t a deeper meaning behind the plot and what happened at the end, just happened. Other than that, the acting was great.

2) Collector - A befuddled man wants to know why a woman he’s seeing disappeared to go travelling with her male friends - but she demands a gesture of his true love.
Review: This was pretty creepy, a stark contrast to the previous one but I really enjoyed it. This might be my favourite out of all the short films. The plot was different and gripping, the acting was superb and IU is so pretty!

3) Kiss burn - As she listens to her friend’s tale about how the marks on her face are from making out with a guy, the two of them inadvertently cause a mishap.
Review: This one was more light hearted than the other two and even had me chuckling at the end.

4) Walking at Night - A man and a woman take an evening stroll together and ruminate about dreams and their various past moments spent together - as well as death.
Review: I enjoyed the noir style cinematography which added to the eeriness of the film. However, I found myself getting a bit bored halfway through. But the actors again did an amazing job.

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Surreal Food For Thought, Though Some Storylines Were More Striking Than Others...

Netflix’s Persona is a collection of four South Korean short films, all starring Lee Ji-Eun ( IU). Directed by acclaimed Korean filmmakers Lee Kyoung Mi, Yim Pil Sung, Jeon Go Woon and Kim Jong Kwan and partially produced by record- producer Yoon Jong Shin, each episode was inspired from elements of IU’s own personal life and career.

Although there is the initial thought of a vanity project for IU being the main star in each episode, there’s no denying that IU is a talented and versatile actress. Even in storylines which may deliver impactful plot revelations for viewers, IU seemed to add a necessary fair and uniqueness to stepping into the roles of her varied and different ‘’personas’’ in each storyline. Yet due to each episode being vividly different with a new director, story and theme, it is probably easier to assess each episode as a standalone piece before moving on to the overall interpretations of the ensemble.

‘’ Love Set”- Starting off the collection begins with director Lee Kyoung Mi’s strange and surreal storyline on a tennis court. In this fictionalised world, actress Bae Doona is ready to marry IU’s father. Naturally, IU is contemptuous about the matrimony and decides to issue a tennis battle with Bae Doona on the tennis court.
Using minimal dialogue, filmmaker Lee Kyoung Mi turns 19 minutes, into an eccentric , humorous and over-the-top battle of grunts and tennis balls being smacked back and forth in an odd competition of love, rivalry and hormones with a strangely sexual undertone . It is one of the most peculiar shorts in the series with an oddly anticlimactic and abrupt ending. Rather than viewers understanding the reason behind IU’s disagreement, passion and drive to stopping this rivalry, the undeniable relief of not having watch IU’s and Bae Doona’s unexplained and peculiar tennis match instead overcomes the watcher’s mind with just one thought. “ That was weird.”

“ Collector” - Yim Pil Sung‘s film and the second piece of the “ Persona” collection transitions into notably darker territory, with its focus upon an older man named Baek Jeong-u on a date with a notably younger woman, played by IU. As the date goes on, Baek becomes increasingly irked as the younger woman teases him and appears disconnected from their conversion. Pil Sung’s scenes then present the evident discomfort of Baek in a lonely, empty room as he attempts to prepare himself either to relax or to literally be killed by a woman’s subtle emotional jabs. Notably having a more prominent overarching storyline than “ Love Set”, “ Collector” initialises the reminiscent traits of the promiscuous Kumiho ( a nine- tailed fox in Korean mythology) as well as an intriguing critique upon stereotypes of women in South-Korean society. ( Which naturally IU herself has also been subject to in the wider media.) IU’s character is undeniably playful and manipulative with Baek, however, she never goes out of her way to seduce him as Baek practically throws himself at her feet. This subversion reversal of gender dynamics offered both the literal and metaphorical stereotype of the coquette’s ways of playing with a man’s heart. Still oddly surreal and taking time to interpret , the storyline was certainly subversive in this short piece .

“ Kiss Burn”-A clear critique to the oppressive natural of youths in rural Korea, the third entry of “ Persona” brings Jeon Go Woon’s focus on arguably the most ‘’lighthearted’’ short of the ensemble. IU plays a conniving schoolgirl named Han-na, who visits the rural house of her friend Hye-bok. Hye-bok’s father, a forest fire lookout, is strict with Hye-bok and greatly dislikes Han-na under the impression she’s a bad influence. Out of anger and revenge, Han-na helps Hye-bok pull various pranks, but naively ignites other unintended consequences. Go Woon’s filming- style is notably the most basic and simplistic out of his counterpart directors, yet the usage of screenwriting through approachable storytelling, pacing and jokes makes the story easier to follow than the last two predecessors of the collection. The one flaw of this piece is that whilst the storyline was easier to follow behind the reasoning of Ha-na and Hye-Bok’s vengeance, it is harder to truly define what made their characters original or intriguing.

“ Walking at Night”- Persona concludes with Kim Jong Kwan’s monochrome-filmed short tackling the most poignant segment of the entire ensemble. IU plays a deceased woman who appears in her former boyfriend’s dream. In that dream, the couple takes a walk at night, reminiscing about bygones and musing about the nature of love, life, and death.The scenery is kept simplistic with a simple interaction of walking and a succinct soundtrack . The only true uncertainty which may strike viewers as harrowing can be seen through the mysterious figure as the two characters walk into the night- something symbolising the unknown just behind them. Out of all the shorts, this final piece tackle arguably the most heartfelt and profound themes of the series with focuses upon existentialism as well as the social issue of suicide in South-Korean society, giving the piece a sense of deeper meaning and reflection for viewers.

Ultimately, IU is the main star of each storyline and plays each one of her roles with diverse brilliance and talent. Whilst each episode has its own flair, there’s no doubt that some shorts were a lot better than others. “Walking At Night” offered arguably the most touching, harrowing and profound themes of the shorts in literal black and white , closely followed by the surreal, yet social critique of women’s roles in ‘ Collector’. ‘ Kiss Burn’ pointed out an undeniably ironic and twisted ending, but lacked intrinsic character depth, whilst arguably the weakest of the series was ‘ Love Set’. Attempting to weave in too many sociocultural metaphors and messages into one short, the storyline was weakened by its lacking sense of purpose, context and ending.

Overall, the ‘ Persona’ collection was fairly entertaining- IU is a talented actress and the artistic licensing by different directors gave us a fresh feel to each episode. On the other hand, as a collection, the weaker storylines of the piece ultimately complicated episodes and character depth - ultimately not a bad show to binge watch out of boredom, but probably not worth committing time towards if you’re expecting to watch an ensemble of well-written and profound collection of shorts.

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The 4 directors of Persona drew inspiration for their stories from their first meetings with IU; a legendary Kpop artist who’s just 27 and the lead actress of this series.

Love Set
Most viewers find this tennis match between Doona and IU unsettling but mediocre. Well, I’ll just say; change your heteronormative world view and rewatch it. Kudos to Doona and IU for taking on a sensitive topic and delivering a compelling performance. I love this pairing and can only pray for more from this duo.

Collector
Inspired by IU’s song Jam Jam, this takes you on a freaky ride. IU’s character is very mysterious and unconventional. In the end, you realize karma really is a bitch. Is her actions ethical? Is she supernatural? I won’t say much more because the story relies heavily on the shock factor to deliver its story.

Kiss Burn
IU became a kpop idol at 16 and a national sensation at 18. She didn’t have a normal school life and the director wanted to give her the chance to experience the kind of friendships you build in school. IU’s character sets out to take revenge on behalf of her best friend and in the process offers us a glimpse into the innocent mischievousness of ordinary youth. It’s a light watch and a good break before you dive into the next story.

Walking at Night
When the director first met IU, he says what he recognized most was her loneliness. In tune with that, we get a black and white film, focusing on a sedate conversation between lover. As the story progresses we understand that IU’s character is having her last conversation with her lover. It’s a sad and heavy tale, set a little slow to make you feel the passage of time. This also tackles a unorthodox situation, showcasing the trauma of being left behind.

All in all, you’re left with quite a bumpy ride, and I must confess that I had to watch it a couple of times to understand the subtlety and the lessons. The experience of watching Persona may not be amazing but the provocative afterthoughts you’re left with are most rewarding.

Definitely a must watch.

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Weird but okay since you'll experience some scintillating acting till the end!

So basically, there are 4 different stories and the first two are damn too awkward, especially the first one which may prevent you from progressing further! But don't do it cuz the last two stories are quite good and I personally liked the 3rd one most.
My pick:- Kiss Burn (3rd) > Walking at Night (4th) > Collector (2nd) > Love Set (1st)...
Story-wise, you'll be disappointed most of the time since a lot has been left for the audience's imagination and these types of stories are not a piece of cake for all viewers but acting-wise. you'll enjoy some serious acting since the stories are quite dark and demand captivating acting.
I'm personally very happy about IU for choosing this series and portraying different types of emotions and expressions. "My Ajusshu" has literally boosted his acting career a lot and deserves a huge credit...Maybe, she started to believe in herself about acting, who knows!
Watching an Idol-Turn-Actress portraying complicated characters so well is definitely a huge plus point and proud moment for us, Uaenas...Long live, our queen and continue to bless us with your magic in the upcoming projects.

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The deeper you get, the more interesting it is.

I was a little confused about what the underlying message behind all the four short films was... so I did a little search for it and then I found some interesting stuff...

The first film, Love Set, is basically a tennis match with IU's father's marriage at stake. But in reality, it's a power struggle between the two women. They hardly pay any attention to IU's father and IU's supposed 'boyfriend' throughout the course of the match, making it more about them and their fight for dominance over each other with the father's 'marriage' as an excuse to do so. It brings out the proud side of human nature... Love Set basically portrays how we deal with conflict in our life.
But another theory is that IU and Doona (the English teacher) go way back in time and have had a past before Doona and IU's father even met.

Collector is a short film about a 'Kumiho' (a nine-tailed fox that turns into a beautiful woman who seduces men and eats their liver or heart). Collector shows the dominance of women in society and portrays the darker side of woman empowerment. In the film, IU uses her sexuality to her advantage and seduces Beak Jeong U until he's so in love with her that he's willing to rip out his heart and give it to her. This shows the manipulative side of women that society doesn't really talk about.

Kiss Burn, the lightest of all four films, is a short depiction on youth, friendship, loyalty, mischief, oppression and rebellion. IU plays the role of a loyal friend who helps Hye Bok take revenge on her oppressive father. IU and Hye Bok try various methods to take revenge on Hye Bok's father and find amusement even in the smallest of things which shows the innocence of childhood. As the film progresses, it's clear that IU and Hye Bok have a strong bond of friendship and admiration for each other. As an act of rebellion, IU encourages Hye Bok to smoke a cigarette which results in the fire in the chicken coop. During the incident, we can see a chicken escaping the coop with its tail on fire which, in the end, leads to the massive forest fire we see in the end of the film. This shows that the Youth neglect the bigger picture of what their actions do to society.

Walking at Night is a take on depression. In the film, IU, who is dead, visits her boyfriend in a dream and they talk about things they didn't get to talk about when IU was alive. IU confesses that she committed suicide because she felt lonely. Her boyfriend hardly keeps his tears in, partly blaming himself for what happened despite IU's constant reminder that her death wasn't his fault. IU confesses that he did help her, but the loneliness she felt when she was with others overpowered the feelings her boyfriend made her feel. Then the two former lovers go on to talk about how they'll be eventually forgotten and how life is uncertain for death is not the end.

I summarised what I understood from reading two-three articles explaining each film because I was jobless and really curious. I initially gave this anthology an 8/10 but after deciphering what it truly conveys, I'm changing it to a 9/10 because it genuinely impressed me. IU's acting was really good but so was Park Hae Soo's in Collector. He stood out to me the most among all four shorts.

I wouldn't rewatch it, but I'd say if you're a commuter, you just found yourself two days worth of entertainment.

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HAD Potential

This series HAD the potential to be something so unique and great, but ultimately ends up being confusing and half the time a very boring time to watch through. Good acting, good premise, but ended up being a whole lot of nothing. I feel like if it had more of a time for the stories to develop (e.g 60 minutes long for each) then it could have been a more positive experience.
I'm glad I tried this, as I did like the fresh approach, but I just feel like it could have been better. Although the 6/10 overall rating, I still think everyone should approach this series with an open mind as there is a definite chance that you can love this!

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I can't say that I enjoyed Person. At least, not all of it.

For what I liked :
The performances were excellent in all the short films. IU is proving to be a great actress, shading away the idol persona.
The second film was the best for me, although the ending was confusing. The third and fourth were okay as well.
The cinamatography was amazing in all of them

But, there were some facts that I can't overpass:
I did not enjoy the first one, as it was either too deep and I didn't get it, or too wierd.
The stories were kind of wierd full stop.
The final one, even though it was interesting when it came to the camera work and the idea, it was boring.
The second one was gorish unecessarily.

So, four out of ten for this project.

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The acting was great. Too bad it was wasted on this.

The acting and the cinematography were great, but I found these stories to be "just okay". On the plus side, it's short enough to watch without feeling like you wasted a good chunk of your life so if your interested I'd say give it a try, you may like it more than I did.

Love Set was odd, to say the least. There are all sorts of theories about this one. One thing's for sure, there's something not quite right in the relationship between the father and the daughter. I thought it was about a spoiled teen princess who is used to being number 1 in her single father's life and is jealous of the first woman his father has become involved with who's a threat to her position... but other people think uglier going on.

The Collector was also a little strange, but once I found out it was about a nine-tailed fox it made much more sense.

Kiss Burn was the most normal story of the bunch, which doesn't mean that it's normal, in that the story is laid out there and it is what it is.

Walking at Night was a sad story about a depressed young woman and the man who loved her.

Maybe I've been spoiled by Montey Python, The Carol Burnett Show, and The Twilight Zone/Outer Limits... (you know shows where you don't have to do research to figure out what they were trying to say) but I only gave this a 6.5/10.

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Firstly, the messages within this were very deep and complicated. I found it hard to understand the meaning behind each story. Other than that it was pretty great. I would say though, I would not rewatch this at all. If I did it would be for the filming and not the actual story. As I said the storyline for each film was confusing and unclear, I believe they are meant to be this way though so you can discover their deeper meaning. The acting in this was amazing, IU portrayed the character in each story so well. The other actors were very talented too, this made it must more interesting to watch. If you weren’t interested in the story, you would definitely be captivated by how it was filmed and directed. The whole thing was beautifully filmed. It kept me interested even if I found the story boring.

Just going to say, some of the stories were very weird, gory and just plain confusing. I feel you would need to really listen and watch each story to actually get the meaning behind it. It is also a more mature series to watch due to not only it’s references and gore but it’s difficult story line.

Despite this I enjoyed it, the acting was great and it was filmed beautifully. This took away from the confusing story lines. I probably wouldn’t watch this again but if i did it would be for the visuals rather than the actual stories.

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short and sweet

I don't know if I can call it sweet but I enjoyed this show. They were short and enjoyable, all including different vibes (good for me with a short attention span). My favourite is proably kiss burn, them thinking they failed in getting revenge when they actaully kinda did the worst thing possible. It was refreshing to watch, the acting was great. Not a lot to say. I totally recommend, considering its short it won't take a lot of your time if you find it was a waste in the end. Its different though, more psychological. So if youre looking for action, romance anoything in that direction this is not it.

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