It’s always refreshing to see someone who’s known for making great horror movies follow their hit horror movies with something different, much like some of Yeon Sang-ho’s work since they made one of the best Asian horror movies in recent times . Train to Busan. The latest from the South Korean filmmaker to begin producing anime is a new Netflix Original film called Boy, which is unlike anything he’s done before and has captivated audiences since it was released. See why and what’s known about the streaming hit before you try it for yourself in our spoiler-free breakdown.
Jung_E is a South Korean futuristic sci-fi thriller
Yeon’s third Netflix exclusive – following the 2018 fantasy comedy psychokinesis and the original Netflix horror TV show infernal from 2021 — Boy Set in the 22nd century, years after mankind fled an uninhabitable earth for shelter in outer space, civil war broke out. Captain Yun Jung-yi (Kim Hyun-joo) rose to fame for leading the Allies to victory against the rebellious Republic of Adrian until a failed mission left them in a coma. Years after her family decided to digitize her consciousness, a major tech company begins cloning her brain in hopes of creating the perfect combat AI, nicknamed Jung_E.
At its core, it really is a mother-daughter story
The theme of estranged or strained relationships between parents and children is common in some of Yeon’s films, such as B. How Train to Busan was essentially a story about a father and daughter struggling to survive. Boy is truly a story about a woman who through unusual circumstances is reunited with her mother – in this case, Captain Yun’s daughter, Seo-hyun (Kang Soo-yeon), who grows up to lead the team completing the task has to use her mother’s memories of the war to train her digitized brain into a combat AI, leading to some of the strongest and most emotional moments in a film otherwise dominated by action thrills and cyberpunk visuals.
The tone is mainly dark and dystopian, but with bursts of humor and hope
I would recommend Boy to fans of black mirror, which also deals quite frequently with the concept of digital consciousness. Much like one of the best episodes of the technophobic anthology series San Junipero, the film posits a more hopeful outcome for the possibility of the technology becoming a reality, yet doesn’t shy away from shedding light on its more malevolent and inhuman potential. This actually leads to some of the film’s more humorous moments as well.
Sees Kang Soo-yeon in her final performance
Kang Soo-yeon gives a moving performance as Seo-hyun in Boy for her last film appearance. The film is dedicated to the memory of the award-winning veteran actor who – according to The Korean Herald – died of a brain hemorrhage in May 2022 after being hospitalized for cardiac arrest. She was 55.
Jung_E is rated TV-14
While much of Yeon is known for its extreme and unrelenting violence, Boy is rated TV-14 for anxiety, speech, and violence, according to Netflix.
The film is 98 minutes long
The film is also a perfect choice for a relatively quick movie night. After just one hour and 38 minutes Boy is the perfect length for a fun little sci-fi extravaganza.
The film is available dubbed or subtitled
As is usual with other international Netflix original programs, Boy can be viewed dubbed in multiple languages. You can also watch the film in the original Korean but with subtitles in your chosen language.
Jung_E is streaming on Netflix
As already stated, Boy is available exclusively with a Netflix subscription. In fact, it would quickly top the Netflix Top 10 chart after its debut on Friday, January 20, 2023.
Stream Jung_E on Netflix (opens in new tab).
