Netflix’s teen romance movie 20th Century Girl (20세기소녀) is here and we have witnessed a beautiful first love whose magic never fades with time. Directed by Bang Woo-ri, the film stars Kim Yoo-jung, Byeon Woo-seok, Roh Yoon-seo, Park Jung-woo, alongside other cast members.
20th Century Girl follows the story of a beautiful friendship that makes the path for a heartbreaking love story as four teens relearn the meaning of friendship and love. And this is a lesson that they carry on to the 21st century.
Netflix’s synopsis of the film reads:
IN THIS HEARTFELT ROMANTIC COMEDY, A HIGH SCHOOL STUDENT NAVIGATES LOVE AND FRIENDSHIP IN THE YEAR 1999.
20th Century Girl Ending Explained
As the film slowly approaches the end, we see Na Bo-ra continuing to keep herself in contact with Poong Woon-ho after he leaves for New Zealand. However, right after the entrance exam for colleges, he stops replying to her emails and calls which leaves her bewildered. However, she doesn’t give up on him and waits for him as they had promised when he left back then.
But, the wait goes on for years until one day she cannot bear it and calls him for the last time only to find the number to no longer be in service. The love she has carried with her all these years makes her tired but she is unable to move on after years. We then come back to the opening scene of her hometown where she returns to help her father in moving out of their old house.
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There she finds the parcel that arrived for her and sees the film she once snuck out for Woon-ho and tickets for an exhibition and decides to drop by. Looking at the beautiful scenery captured, she cannot resist the smile blooming on her face. However, she then comes across a scene of the plum tree with a bench underneath it which reminded her of Won-ho’s old house.
But what shocks her then is the message written next to it, “The Eternal Spring, Remembering Poong Woon-ho (1983-2001).”
This leaves her shocked because that was the year when her connection with Woon-ho was cut off. Right then Woon-ho’s younger brother arrives next to her and explains what happened back then.
He tells her that he found his brother’s tape years after his death and finally made the decision to contact Bo-ra so that she does not misunderstand Woon-ho. He thanks him for telling her this or else she would have continued to blame Won-ho and he tells her that it was after watching the tape hidden by his brother did he decide to contact her.
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Bo-ra goes back to her old house and takes a VCR player to play the tape in which she sees the memories Woon-ho collected of his time there. Looking at the many videos he took of her, she smiles until she sees the last video which he takes of the first sunrise of the century.
He stands in front of the camera and tells his wish to grow old together with her in the 21st century which makes her break down and she remembers her first love which she had held for all these years.
With this, the movie comes to an end. What did you think about the film? Let us know in the comments below!
Watch 20th Century Girl on Netflix.
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I was shocked and very saddened at the ending because I watch a lot of kdramas and I like when there is a happy ending because these kids go thru so much growing up and trying to please parents and society they deserve a happy ending. I wish it had had a different ending where they were together in college and did something together to make the world a better place for others. I very seldom have a movie affect me the way this one did. I even woke up in the middle of the night and thinking of the ending, the sadness overwhelmed me and I cried. Obviously the sign of a great entertainment. Margaret
it’s so freaking pain, it’s so hard to get a peaceful sleep everynight, all those years thinking what was happened to him and thankfully she knows what was just happened so that she can now move on, it was like your soul is in another world.. anyway good movie, it’s not always a happy ending that we used to be and that’s it’s nice haha! sorry i just like tragic lovestory.
It’s my second times watching this movie. I loved the story but I cried a lots at the end of the movie. I love kyj
I know it doesn’t change the story but I like details. For example, when her little brother was rushed to the hospital – had he been hit by a car? Was he ill? What? AND MOST IMPORTANTLY HOW DID MALE LEAD DIE? Was he killed in a plane crash on his way back to female lead? A car crash? An illness? WHAT???
Also my question. I’ve been doing my search unfortunately no answer????
The movie made me wonder a lot, how can someone just disappear with no explanation, had to check “how did poong die in 20th century girl”
Although it’s a beautiful movie and it’s something that can possibly happen as the lead actress only had one way to contact Poong. I almost cried! But no, I’m tough????
This should’ve been an series . There are so many unanswered questions leaving the viewer wondering however it had all the strong points that makes us addicted to kdrama I loved it
It is an enjoyable movie remembering your first love which did not have a good ending…even with so many unanswered questions, it is a movie with short viewing time to be enjoyed and saddened by its ending. If it were made into series, then the impacts would be more painful to endure..so it is just nice and memorable.
It’s a saf story… But there’s a lot of unexplainable seen like why his brother rush to hospital and what is the cause of his death… And for my opinion they should stick on the main leading actress.
It’s a sad story… But there’s a lot of unexplainable seen like why his brother rush to hospital and what is the cause of his death… And for my opinion they should stick on the main leading actress.
REPLY
Well, while this does look like a loose end to us all, I would say that these elements were used to make the movie more intense while focusing on the feeling more than the reasons. Her brother was rushed so that the two couldn’t meet. Woon-ho died so that the pain of her first love is left behind.
I loved this poignant film. It hit all the notes of a charming K-drama—charming, funny, delightful characters. The ending saddened me, but in a way, it was preferable to have some explanation for his sudden departure from her life. This was a pure love that can be looked back at with fondness. It’s so tragic that Bora’s fealty to her friend truncated their romance.
HUHUHU This movie got me and now, I cannot move on. There needs to be more information about his death, and I want to see more scenes. I don’t understand how they can end the story when they have just begun. HUHUHUHUHUHUHU
Cried cried..
How can I feel so sad after watching last tap scene..
Its got me to the core…
Thank you,.. finally.. that’s what I’m thinking now.. this is not good, i want to know how he died????
Beautiful movie made even more poignant by the superb performances throughout the movie. I urge viewers to watch this movie, but have a box of Kleenex near you. The actor who played Pong wo did a great job.
I agree with some of the other comments. I like details. I feel like they prolonged the first half of the story line about her stalking boys for her best friend and tried to cram alot in alot in the last half of the movie and kinda summed up his death in 5 mins with no explanation. And the second half was more emotion and significant events, but they were just throwing major situations out and not following through with them like the brother getting sent to the hospital was just added in lol and how Woon-ho died. I guess it’s clues that suppose to point us to it so we don’t focus on the way he died but more on how he loved her. But idk I think the last half coulda been executed better. 5 mins isn’t enough for us to say goodbye to Woon-ho, a character everyone loved and was waiting to come back.
What a sad story, there are so many questions can’t get out on my head after watching this movie.
But it’s a good one, it left me tears.
I’m tired of so much death and wretched sadness in almost every S. Korean film I watch. Doesn’t anything work out well in that country? I wonder sometimes if it is in their history ….the Korean War was so devastating. Anyway, I’d rather the lead make not die, and the leads could be together……for a sequel 21 st Century Couple.
This film started with a good chemistry then y the sad ending, my heart is still hurting because of the sad ending, I hate this movie and also not adviceable to watch