Main characters Bo-ra and Woon-ho in '20th Century Girl.'

‘20th Century Girl’ Review: A Beautiful yet Heartbreaking Story of What It Means to Love Young

Na Bo-ra (Kim Yoo-jung) does everything to get details of her best friend's crush in '20th Century Girl.' But a case of mistaken identity breaks everyone's heart in a story of one's first impactful young love.

by Gabriela Silva

Published on October 24, 2022

3 min read

’20th Century Girl’ tells the story of a best friend falling for the wrong guy

The movie’s premise would pique anyone’s interest. Na Bo-ra (Kim Yoo-jung) is a 17-year-old high schooler with a bright, bubbly, and kind personality. Her family owns the local video store, and her best friend, Yeon-du (Roh Yoon-seo), is leaving for the United States for heart surgery. But Bo-ra’s best friend leaves her a mission. Yeon-du reveals that she has fallen in love with a boy from school.

While away, she wants Bo-ra to learn everything about him. The boy’s name is Baek Hyun-jin (Park Jung-woo). Bo-ra goes above and beyond to know everything about him as a loyal friend, changes her route schedule, does some sleuthings, and more. She even joins the broadcasting club for him until he decides to no longer join. But along the way, she also gets involved with his best friend, Poon Woon-ho (Byeon Woo-seok).

But to learn more about Hyun-jin, Bo-ra accidentally catches his eye, and he asks her out. Like any good friend, she rejects him. Instead, 20th Century Girl soon begins a sweet and wonderful young love story between Bo-ra and Woon-ho. But audiences will find themselves on a journey about the heartbreaking reality of young love.

The Korean movie has the whimsical elements of youth with the complexities of teenage love

20th Century Girl is a must-watch for any K-drama fan or fans who want a resonating storyline. While there are plenty of teen romance K-dramas, the Netflix movie hits home. As Bo-ra begins her first love story with Woon-ho, it comes crashing down. Yeon-du returns from abroad and reveals to Bo-ra that her crush is actually Woon-ho. The movie adds a shocking twist that breaks the audience’s and the characters’ hearts.

In reality, the day Yeon-du met her handsome prince Woon-ho, he was wearing Hyun-jin’s jacket. Woon-ho had recently moved to South Korea from New Zealand and borrowed his best friend’s jacket until the end of the school year. In a case of mistaken identity, Bo-ra gathered details on the wrong boy and started to fall in love with Yeon-du’s crush.

An aspect of the October movie that fans will find hard to watch but impactful is Bo-ra’s decision about the matter. Knowing the truth, she refuses to break her best friend’s heart and never tells her the truth about loving Woon-ho. Instead, she breaks Woon-ho’s heart that she was mistaken about her feelings for him. But Bo-ra’s decisions lead to a rift between best friends and Woon-ho.

20th Century Girl then stabs fans in the heart when seeing the love story from Woon-ho’s point of view. The day she breaks it off, he was going to give her a letter confessing his feelings. Fans learn he fell for her months before school started at her family’s video shop. The movie shows how even young love is sacrificial when Woon-ho watches her pursue his friend, thinking it is what she wants.

’20th Century Girl’ finale shows the woes of a person’s first love that never flourished

If the point of view of Woon-ho’s feelings is not enough, the movie becomes even more heartbreakingly emotional. It soon portrays the true meaning of friendship. Yeon-du portrays her loyalty and love for her best friend in a sob fest. She explains a boy should have never come between them and would have gladly given up Woon-ho if it meant Bo-ra was happy.

But the movie throws in another upsetting twist. Woon-ho is returning to New Zealand and, in true dramatic fashion, races to the train station before he leaves. 20th Century Girl gives one of the year’s most resonating farewells as Bo-ra confesses and Woon-ho promises to return for her.

Bo-ra goes on to college and tries to date but cannot forget Woon-ho. While audiences hope for a happy ending, it does not play out that way. Because of it, the movie becomes a realistic portrayal of unflourished but life-changing love. When the movie starts, fans meet an adult Bo-ra when her father receives a package.

The movie’s story comes full circle in the most tragic way. An adult Bo-ra attends an art show by Woon-ho’s brother. The last installment reveals that the art piece is a memorial for Woon-ho, who died in when he was 18. Woon-ho’s brother reveals to Bo-ra that she was his first and only love. The happiest memories of his life are all thanks to her. Back home, Bo-ra watches the tape. The video is of Woon-ho, who promised to meet Bo-ra of the 21st Century. In the end, he never got to meet her.