In 2019, Netflix brought some good dramas and movies to suit anyone’s taste and many of them became my favorites this year.
Since I started my journey in 2013 watching Korean movies and dramas, I hadn’t come across a TV series concept that Netflix showed this years with its series: ‘Persona’ and even though it is quite an unpopular opinion I absolutely loved this series.
My first reason for falling absolutely in love with it, is IU (Lee Ji-Eun). She plays the main character in all of the short films and I’m just in awe of her acting skills. She is not just an amazing singer, composer and writer but also a very skilled actress.
The thing that initially caught my attention about Persona was the structure itself. There are 4 short films that all have their own director and own plot. It’s similar to how ‘Black Mirror’ works.
Because there was such a variety of themes and storylines, there’s something for everyone. You have light-hearted episodes and heavier, darker ones. They all had such a good flow in their storytelling that you immediately get absorbed.
‘Love set‘
Let’s start off with ‘Love Set’. This short film starring IU, alongside with the veteran actress Bae Doona, shows them playing a very intense tennis match. It’s not just a random match, the stakes are high. If she wins, Bae Doona gets to marry IU’s dad, without her opposing the marriage. That is pretty much the storyline of the first story in ‘Persona’, but the sequence of the film is stunning, well thought out and definitely built up the emotions until the end. You could feel her playfulness, devotion, frustration and anger, which made this short film even more captivating.
‘Collector‘
Second on the line is ‘Collector’. In this film I was completely amused by IU’s acting. The storyline is about a carefree girl who doesn’t want to have any attachments to anyone. She wants to be her own person and do what she pleases. The story takes a turn with the inclusion of Baek Jeong-u (played by Park Hae-Soo).
He’s a guy that is in love with IU’s character. A lot of scenes in this film shows him and his memories with her. It gets a bit complex when he starts to listen and argue with a woman who I assume lives in his head. I don’t want to give too much of the storyline away, but I do want to say that this episode tackles a lot of sensitive subjects related to feminism and gender dynamics.
‘Kiss Burn’
‘Kiss Burn’ is the third film in ‘Persona’ and after the previous one, I was glad we got something light-hearted. This time IU plays a schoolgirl trying to meet her best friend. She goes to her friend’s house in the rural side of the city to find out about why she wasn’t at school. The dynamics of the friendship is absolutely cute, and I loved the playfulness of both characters.
‘Walking at night’
The last episode in ‘Persona’ is ‘Walking at night’. For me, this one got me the most emotional. IU’s character passed away and she visits her ex-boyfriend in his dreams. They take a long walk around the city while they speak about life, their memories, family and so on.
The film was shot in black and white which makes it even more striking. If you add in some sad dialogue and great acting, tears are guaranteed.
Final thoughts
‘Persona’ wasn’t the most popular series in 2019, but I believe it showed off IU’s talent as an actress. I couldn’t see any similarities between the four characters she portrayed and even though the films were part of the same project they were completely different from each other in complexity, flow and storyline.
What about you? Have you watched ‘Persona’? Let me know in the comments what your thoughts are. And if you haven’t, make sure the check the link below.
