Lipstick (2019)

IN MEMORY OF YOOK WOO DANG (1984-2003)

That’s what it says at the end of this short film, so I read about him. Yook Woo Dang is the pen name of Yun Hyon-seok, a South Korean LGBT poet-writer-activist. He took his own life in protest against discrimination against gays in South Korea.

The short film is also about contemplating suicide. Jin Joon Won is bullied because he is gay. The girl who he fights with is not his girlfriend but his true self, which he blames for his troubles. But he makes peace with her (or himself) before attempting to end his life.

The initial scene in which Jin Joon Won is eating lots of fried chicken, to me, shows that he is not enjoying what he is doing anymore. He is eating, yes, but his eyes are blank and his mind is not in it.

This 12-minute film says a lot in such a short time. Acting is good, and so is the direction, cinematography, editing and overall look. Definitely worth a rewatch.

The lead actor here, Yoo Jun, is also lead in COLOR RUSH, another great show (this one is a BL series of 8 episodes) from South Korea.

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The way the story was told

It is very sad to known how much this kid has to deal with about his sexuality and then to get bullied by some bastards excuse my language but I hate that this is what happens in real life and it is really just sad and to not have support and have to face this yourself is so hard and the fact that it got to the point where he wanted to kill himself at least he didn't die because he life is worth it and he is worth it to or her what ever she/he prefers to be. the fact also that this is to show in memory of Yook Woo Dang and may he rest in peace he story was told in this film of how hard life hits you when you are seen as different and not normal sad to know this is the kind of world we live in. He deserved much better and hopefully he is glad to see some change in the world we live in today and that this is what he wanted.

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When men are idiots, other people suffer

This is a short and powerful film that made me want to google stuff... but in short it is about a girl who dropped her lipstick in the wrong place... And about her struggles to come to peace with herself living in a world where dropping ones lipstick while in a body that is perceived by others as male is one of the most scary things one can do.

Her struggles with her inner-self can come off as a bit confusing, and has several points that are left for the audience to interpret as one could wonder if she has a person beside her or multiple personalities. However as I understand this it is supposed to be a portrayal of her inner struggles with her true self, so you may want to bear that in mind when you watch it.

This short film can be perceived as a bit slow, but if you pay attention to the music and details you will notice that you need every second of it for the full affect to kick in. And is certainly worth those 12 minutes it takes to watch it... and the other minutes it takes to google stuff too.

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This is only 12 minutes long, but it is long enough to get a point across. In the 12 minutes it airs, it has abuse, lack of self acceptance, sadness, suicide, and society not accepting someone being “different.” It’s heart breaking to think of what people have to go through mentally and physically, just because they are not society’s idea of “normal.” What gives anyone the right to decide for someone else what they think is right or wrong about any individual?! The ML acting is very believable, very well acted. This, to me, was more interesting than dramas I’ve watched that run 1+ hours. The ML was also in Color Rush, and he was also excellent in that. Give it a watch, it’s very short and very well done.

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Brief and intense, sadly poetic and in memory of Yook Woo Dang

This short film (only 12 minutes !) manages to do so much in so little time. The cinematography was on point with many metaphors and vivid pictures. The way the water and the lipstick are central to the storytelling, as well as the sad tale of the turtle... I find it quite beautiful and poetic.

I did not know who was Yook Woo Dang (Yun Hyon-seok :1984-2003) (to which this movie is dedicated) and I did some research afterwards to understand who he was. That brought an additional layer to my understanding of the movie, and that's definitely a plus as a viewer.

I would recommend this to people looking for an impactful and beautifully gut-wrenching short film. It is very worth 12 minutes of your time. If you have any trigger, be mindful of the tags as it is a pretty sad and brutal story approaching very sensible topics in a mindful and purposeful way.

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Short film by the Main character of 'Color Rush'

This was based on the true story of Yook Woo Dang(real name Yoon Hyon Seok,and it's sad that he died in real life. I'm not a part of the lgbtq community but I want people to normalize it.

The type of film “Lipstick” aspires to be is clear. It wants its audience to know loud and clear that it is perfectly ok to be yourself, and that whilst some may not take to it, you should be undeterred from showing your true identity to the world.

VERDICT _ All in all, “Lipstick” is not a particularly rousing film, but it does have a strong, supportive message towards a community who find themselves marginalised in society.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=L7IimAhjo9Q

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