Pricey Jinri, which premiered on the Busan Worldwide Movie Competition (Biff), revolves round singing star Sulli’s final Netflix mission, an unfinished movie that included an in-depth interview.
Born Choi Jin-ri, Sulli took her personal life in October 2019 at age 25, after an extended wrestle with on-line bullying. The interview within the movie – uncooked, highly effective and heartbreaking – has by no means been beforehand seen.
What Sulli shares in that dialog raises “many essential points in our society”, director Jung Yoon-suk stated after the movie’s Biff screening final Saturday night.
“These could be seen as points associated to girls, or they may very well be issues regarding the susceptible in our society, or associated to issues of equality,” he stated.
Sulli, who started her profession as a toddler actress at age 11, made her debut in 2009 for f(x), which rapidly turned considered one of Okay-pop’s high lady teams.
Identified for behaviour thought-about controversial in South Korea – together with refusing to put on a bra in public – she confronted relentless on-line bullying and was continuously focused by sexually abusive feedback.
The movie additionally explores the singer’s lonely childhood and battles with self-perception as a lady in a world that may be intensely targeted on look.
“Since you might be born as a fairly lady, you don’t should know something,” Sulli says she was advised.
However, she provides: “It’s obnoxious to say your life was laborious as a result of you’re a fairly lady.”
The well-documented pressures of the Okay-pop world are additionally spotlighted, with Sulli explaining how she was advised her aim was to be “the best high quality product”.
She likens her expertise to that of the protagonist in French filmmaker Luc Besson’s 1990 film La Femme Nikita, who undergoes rigorous and harsh coaching to develop into a programmed murderer, utterly lower off from the skin world.
It appeared as if individuals “couldn’t recognise that we have been human beings”, Sulli says within the movie.
The interview is punctuated by frequent pauses because the digicam lingers silently on its topic, the ache and sorrow palpable on her face.
Audible sobs from the viewers may very well be heard all through the screening.
A self-aware artiste
Suicide is the main reason for dying amongst South Koreans aged 10 to 39 and happens at an unusually excessive charge, official figures present.
A number of different younger Okay-pop stars have died of suspected suicide in recent times, together with Goo Hara, Jonghyun and Moonbin. The incidents have prompted requires elevated psychological well being help for younger individuals within the trade.
Sulli’s response to director Jung’s query concerning the on-line bullying she endured – particularly, her choice to grant authorized forgiveness to one of many perpetrators – is arguably probably the most poignant and revealing scenes within the film.
She additionally candidly discusses feminism – a subject nonetheless controversial in socially conservative South Korea – saying she “rooted for ladies who spoke out”, even when their views didn’t align with hers.
In the long run, the movie paints a portrait of a contemplative, resilient determine who, within the methods she might, resisted the strain to adapt, striving as a substitute to forge her personal understanding of the world and her place in it.
The movie takes its title from Sulli’s authorized title, Jin-ri, which implies “reality” in Korean.
“It was extremely essential to view this individual not simply as a celeb or an idol, however as somebody who possesses self-awareness as an artist,” Jung stated. “It appeared just like the film can be significant as the reality itself, simply as (her) title implies.” – AFP
Helplines
Psychological well-being
- Institute of Psychological Well being’s Psychological Well being Helpline: 6389-2222 (24 hours)
- Samaritans of Singapore: 1800-221-4444 (24 hours) /1-767 (24 hours)
- Singapore Affiliation for Psychological Well being: 1800-283-7019
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- Tinkle Good friend: 1800-274-4788
- Chat, Centre of Excellence for Youth Psychological Well being: 6493-6500/1
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On-line assets
This text was initially printed in The Straits Instances.
Supply: Her World
