We were born and raised in different places, but we feel like we've been together all along. Even if we don't explain it in words, we understand each other well as if telepathy were really possible. Just being by each other's side is a source of joy, comfort, and love. Also, we show what's in the depth of our minds and embrace each other. In the name of friends, in the name of friendship, we are strongly connected.
 

 

Book

"We don't hang out together just because we need friends. We really like each other."
-Juna

 

<A Person Innocent to Me (2019)>

A Person Innocent to Me is a book consisting of a total of seven short stories. Among them, a story called "Confession" depicts the realities of friendship. This story begins with the main character, Miju. Miju met Juna and Jinhee in the same class when they were in the first grade of high school, and they all became best friends. Because of the intensity of the friendship between Miju and Juna, ironically, Miju used to be on the receiving end of both warmth and evil intentions from Juna at the same time. On the other hand, Miju felt calm and stable with Jinhee, who was exceptionally soft and introverted and cared for others unlike Juna. Miju believed that Jinhee was a harmless, innocent person who could never hurt her. However, Miju did not realize that she was actually hurting Jinhee by believing so. On Jinhee's 18th birthday, she confesses to her best friends in the world, Miju and Juna, the secret she has hidden so far. What would be Miju and Juna's reaction to hearing her secret? Will they be able to continue their friendship?
 

Recommendation

Usually, when people think of the word friendship, they think of happy memories with their friends. However, this novel is unique because it makes the point that friendship can hurt a close partner as much as love, and separation can occur. Just as Miju, Jinhee, and Juna view each other differently as friends, the kind of feelings they share with each other in their friendship is also different, and indescribable loneliness and jealousy can coexist. Also, even if they think that their friendship is very deep, they may not fully understand each other's deep pain. When a friendship that was believed to be very tight collapses in an instant, people realize that there is a friendship as passionate as love. Since it captures the characters' emotions that come and go in a very delicate way, this reporter recommends this book to those who want to slowly approach their emotions and empathize with them.
 

 

Movie

"I'll talk it over with Brenda"
- Jasmin

 

<Bagdad Café (1987)>

In the middle of the US desert is Bagdad Cafe. Brenda is the owner of the cafe where only a few people come and go. In contrast to the still air there, she spends her days distraught because of her lazy, immature husband Sal. One day, she kicks Sal out of their home after a fight and collapses crying. In front of her, a woman named Jasmin suddenly appears. Jasmin is a tourist and is looking for a room alone in this unfamiliar city due to also having a fight with her husband while on their trip. So, Jasmin stays with Brenda for a while. However, they, whose skin color, language, and personality are all different, have some problems while living together. Brenda is initially suspicious of the stranger, Jasmin, after a misunderstanding. And even after the misunderstanding is cleared up, she still does not like her. However, Brenda slowly opens her mind as she hears about Jasmin's heartbreaking situation. After that, Jasmin, with her social skills, has become a great energizer of the Bagdad Cafe, being a best friend not only to Brenda but also to the people in the neighborhood. After a short period of happiness, Jasmin must leave the cafe as her tourist visa expires. Brenda has no choice but to watch her leave. The cafe is silent again. Will Brenda and Jasmin ever meet again? Can the warmth of the Bagdad Cafe return?

 

Recommendation

<Bagdad Café> is a comedy film directed by Percy Adlon. The film was recognized for its cinematic quality, winning the Bavarian Prize in 1987 and the Deutsche Filmpreis Prize the following year. It is about two different women who meet in similar situations and create a strong friendship with each other. It's a rather simple plot, but the director made it fun by setting the two main characters as opposites. Brenda, a tough American woman, and Jasmin, a friendly German woman, are so different from their appearance to their personality. However, they are in a similar situation and have similar concerns. Their friendship grows as they overcome several hurdles and come to understand each other's situation. As such, the friendship created among the different characters brings a kind of freshness. It is also noteworthy that they show the process of strengthening their relationship through the actors' eyes, facial expressions, and actions, rather than the lines. Even if they don't speak, they feel a warm friendship with each other. Therefore, people can observe their behavior and the atmosphere of the cafe as time goes by. Due to the nature of classic movies, this movie has neither fancy props nor wonderful visual effects. However, just focusing on the emotions between the two characters, the pleasant atmosphere of the Bagdad Cafe and the vintage visual beauty will resonate strongly with viewers.
 

 

 

Park Sung Iyoung / Editor-in-Chief
smt_siy@sookmyung.ac.kr
Kim Lee Jiwon / Society Section Editor
smt_ljw@sookmyung.ac.kr