Have you wondered what it would be like to live the life of a cartoon character going to school? Imagine also if while you attended school, you fell into a sweet romantic love story. This SMT reporter’s university days had become mundane and routine. She had no love story nor were there any exciting daily activities. However, everybody can imagine what they want through books and movies. To escape the trap she was in, SMT reporter looked to books and movies, which gave her the chance to dream. Let’s take a trip back into the past to enjoy our school days together.
Famous Lines
There’s no such thing as a soulmate... and who would want there to be? I don’t want half of a shared soul. I want my own damn soul.
- Ely
Synopsis
Naomi Mills and Ely Diamond have been best friends since they were young. They lived next door and always shared their pleasures and secrets with each other. As they matured and aged, Ely realizes he is a gay and starts dating men. To remain best friends, Naomi and Ely come up with a 'No Kiss List', which is a list of men they both feel a level of attraction towards but vow not to kiss. Naomi knows that Ely is gay and tries her best to be considerate of his sexual orientation. However, Naomi is still confused because she is in love with Ely and fantasizes about being with him now and forever. The story really begins when the vow is broken. Naomi invites Ely to her date with Bruce. Ely later kisses Bruce even though Bruce has just started dating Naomi. Naomi feels betrayed by Ely, but Ely continues to think of Bruce. He falls deeper and deeper in love with Bruce. As a result, the crack spreads and a rift comes between the two best friends. Will Naomi and Ely be able to recover their friendship? Or will this love triangle be the end of their friendship?
Recommendation
Naomi and Ely's No Kiss List is a book written by Rachel Cohn and David Levithan. If the movie 'Our Times' is the epitome of the boy-meets-girl story in Northeast Asia, 'Naomi and Ely's No Kiss List' is the height of liberal views towards love. The book deals with several sensitive topics such as family troubles and sexual orientation, but the authors’ delicate description of the characters' thoughts touch readers’ minds. Moreover, ‘Naomi and Ely's No Kiss List’ was recently made into a movie in 2015. This SMT reporter was deeply impressed by the acting ability of the two main actors. For those who prefer the movie version, it’s currently available on Netfl ix, but for booklovers, the original English language text is available at most bookstores. Because the book has yet to be officially released in the Korean language, you must read it in English. Therefore, for those who feel burdened having to read an English book, Netfl ix is the way to go as it offers watchers Korean subtitles. Whether you opt for the movie or book, both are a great chance to think deeply about love and friendship.
Famous Lines
Only we can tell who we are, and only we can determine who we are.
-Truly Lin
Synopsis
Truly Lin is an ordinary high school girl who loves Ryu Deok-hwa, her idol. One day, she receives a letter that states that she has to send the letter on to another to avoid bad luck. She sends the letter to TaiYu, the another main character. After TaiYu reads the letter, he has an accident. Eventually, he finds out the person that sent him the letter. He contacts Truly Lin and suggests the two form a friendship. However, his concept of friendship involves doing his homework and running small errands for him. They started to have a fling and gradually began to fall in love, but they don’t realize each other’s mind. On Lin’s birthday, TaiYu gives her a collection of music and tell her to listen to the tape after the College Scholastic Ability Test (CSAT). After the CSAT, Lin listens to the collection and hears TaiYu confess his love for her. Return to the present, Lin goes to Ryu Deok-hwa’s concert without having purchases a ticket beforehand. She runs into Ryu Deok-hwa by chance, and he gives her a number to call. Can you guess who answers the phone?
Recommendation
The film is great for people into vintage work and wish to recall their first love from past school days. Since it is a story set in the 1990s, it is similar to the Korean drama “Reply 1994”. If you enjoyed that drama, this film is surely for you. Taiwan is famous for creating movie settings that depict school days of long ago, and it has outdone itself with this film. With the 1990s as its backdrop, moviegoers are reminded of days gone past and it brings a smile to their face. The main characters really shed light on high school students’ love. Throughout the film, audiences will smile by the main characters’ emotions changing. When Truly Lin misunderstands TaiYu intent, you may even feel empathy for TaiYu and wish to clear up the misunderstanding. The film runs more than two hours, but immerses the audience in a tide wave of emotion and you will not realize how fast the time passed. A sequel is expected to be made later this year, so this SMT reporter recommends seeing this film quickly and increase your anticipation for the coming sequel.
