18×2 Beyond Youthful Days

If there's one thing that drew me to this film, it's Greg Hsu.

The Taiwanese actor, who seems to be on a roll this year, has once again delivered another ray of sunshine. He’s back in his sweet spot—effortlessly portraying characters with his boyish charm, which always syncs perfectly with the colors of summer.

The first time I saw him, he played the quirky yet well-intentioned Li Cheng in the Chinese remake of the hit Korean movie The Wedding Day. He did justice to the character, making it easy for me to recognize him when I coincidentally stumbled upon a fan-edited video. The clips were probably pulled from one of his previous films or dramas. Despite my curiosity about his filmography, I hesitated at the time to dive in. After all, I wasn't really into Taiwanese dramas. However, one random night, I felt the urge to finally watch the drama series that had been buzzing on Twitter—Someday or One Day. I suppose this has always been his signature: effortlessly summoning his boyish charm, making it hard to believe he’s twice the age of the roles he plays. Greg Hsu, exuding the warmth of summer, is actually 33 years old. I had to look it up after watching his latest film, just to confirm he was at least close in age to Jimmy from 18×2 Beyond Youthful Days. I was partially right—Jimmy in the present is 36, twice the age he was when he first met Ami one random summer day, just as he was late again to his part-time job.

He was playing basketball alone, the sweltering summer afternoon only intensifying his frustration and making his expression even more sour. Another day, another disappointment. He had thought that working at a KTV bar would bring him closer to a summer romance, but instead, he found himself opening one door after another, revealing a mix of customers: annoying students, drunken uncles, kissing couples, and weird groups of friends—everyone at their silliest. Not a single door ever revealed a cute girl he could impress. What a bummer! His dream was simple and nothing extraordinary: he just wanted to enjoy his summer vacation before heading off to college. Was that really too much to ask?

But as the ball rolled away after a missed shot, he was stopped by a refreshing gust of summer air—along with a cute "breeze" from Japan, who introduced herself as Ami. A pocket-sized traveler, kawaii as they say in her language, with a gummy smile, and the very person he'd been longing to meet. Finally, it seemed the universe had answered his wishful thinking! He was more than ready to fall in love.

Kaya Kiyohara, the actress who played Ami, was a new face to me. However, something about her seemed familiar, as if I’d seen her somewhere before. Throughout the film, she was bubbly and always smiling, almost convincing me she'd stay that way forever. After losing her wallet, though, she had no choice but to find ways to make ends meet. She knelt in the temple and whispered her prayers, but it seemed fate was determined to challenge her. Then she spotted a KTV bar, and that’s where fate led her to the rolling ball—and to Jimmy.

How fortunate she was that the boss of the KTV bar knew how to speak Japanese. Feeling sympathetic toward her situation, he welcomed Ami as a new member of their crew. Jimmy, a die-hard fan of the anime series Slam Dunk, also knew a bit of Japanese. This connection even pushed him to study the language more so he could communicate with Ami, who didn’t know how to speak Taiwanese.

For more than half the film, everything was going smoothly. Nothing major hinted at any upcoming revelation or twist that would completely turn the story around, and it was clear that the production wasn't aiming for that kind of narrative. Predictably, like many films in this genre, we eventually reached the point where things started to go downhill for Jimmy.

Ami had to go back to Japan.

Switching between past and present, we catch glimpses of Jimmy’s life. At the start of the film, we had a sense that he had lost his business, and a video of him had surfaced and spread online. While still in Japan, he decided to travel, having no clear idea what life had in store for him next. Along the way, he met people who offered him generosity, kindness, and valuable life lessons. As we approached the end and Jimmy reached his final destination, we learned, despite his hopes, that he would never see Ami again. One thing I noticed was how effortlessly Jimmy found people willing to help him during his travels in Japan. First, he met a cook who also happened to be Taiwanese and grew up in the same city as Jimmy. The friendly man accompanied him on a nighttime stroll, where they had a deep conversation about life. Next, he met a Japanese net café clerk who was playing a game he had created. When she learned that Jimmy wanted to attend a lantern festival, she offered him a free ride. Then, Jimmy encountered an 18-year-old traveler who invited him to hop off the train to experience the snow, which reminded him of the Japanese romance film he had watched with Ami 18 years ago. That movie night, he had missed the chance to hold her hand because he was too engrossed in the story. Lastly, he met an elderly man upon arriving in Ami’s hometown, who also offered him a ride. The man revealed that he knew it was Jimmy who had accompanied Ami on her trip to Taiwan.

It was then that we finally learned what happened after Ami returned to Japan. After Jimmy passed his university exam, he moved to Taipei for college. There, he found new friends and a group of people who shared his interests, allowing him to pursue his dream. Meanwhile, Ami’s condition was revealed—she was bedridden, suffering from a terminal illness. A series of flashbacks showed that despite her illness, she continued sketching, and her final work was given to Jimmy when he met her mother. The heartbreaking truth was finally revealed: Ami had passed away. She died on the day Jimmy received the phone call and broke down. From there, we saw how Jimmy’s life unfolded after her death. He achieved his dream, but his grief consumed him. He dedicated all his energy to his work, which led to great success but eventually slipped away as he got fired from his own company.

The dream Jimmy had been searching for at the beginning, he finally found after losing Ami, but he lost it again when he lost himself. He only rediscovered himself when he began traveling, just as Ami had done. It was true what Ami said to him when they went to a lantern festival: Let’s meet again after we realize our dream.

Despite its predictable storyline, I still enjoyed the film. One thing I’ve noticed is that I don’t get as excited about romance films as I used to. On the other hand, I wonder if both actors had chemistry, or was it just me who didn’t feel it? Still, I’d like to commend Greg Hsu—he has this contagious energy that makes his films enjoyable, even when they lack something. As for Kaya Kiyohara, she was a revelation. Throughout most of the film, we only saw her with her signature gummy smile, and I wondered if that was her usual disposition. But later on, when we finally saw her break down during her private moments, it was clear she had been suffering all along. She was so good at hiding it, but when she broke down, it was heartbreakingly beautiful. As much as she excels at smiling, she’s just as powerful in her emotional scenes. Though she wanted to be with Jimmy, circumstances prevented her from doing so.

Ami made Jimmy’s youth unforgettable. She was the one who made his summer memorable and left a lasting impact on his life.

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Puffs and Hopes

He went to the terrace,

lit his cigarette,

breathed in another hope

as he puffed a mouthful of smoke.

He stooped a little,

whispered about his life like a riddle,

puffed a mouthful of smoke,

as he breathed in another hope.

He stared into the distant sky

recalled how many has already been his countless tries,

breathed in another hope

as he puffed a mouthful of smoke.

He heaved a sigh,

wondered whether he would cry or die,

puffed a mouthful of smoke,

as he breathed in another hope.

He looked down the empty road,

felt it in his heart the heavy load,

breathed in another hope,

as he puffed a mouthful of smoke.

He watched the passing moment,

wondered how his time quickly went,

puffed a mouthful of smoke

as he breathed in another hope.

He stood straight, eyes forwarded,

Said to himself, tired but hopeful, but I am needed

puffed the last mouthful of smoke

breathed one more hope.

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Exhuma

Earlier this year, I met Vanessa and Elah for an afternoon dine-out. It was the first time we had met after a long while (the last time was at Ryan’s post-birthday celebration in Bulacan, and Elah wasn’t there). It was quite funny that we set our get-together on the very last stretch of Holy Week. This meant some establishments were still closed, there was no traffic but fewer transportation options available, including train commutes, and the roads were eerily deserted, almost like a red carpet welcoming serial killers after months of hibernation.

This was the exact scene that greeted us in the afternoon at SM Sta. Mesa upon our arrival. It was breezy and muted, with a few plastic bags adding to the unfamiliar horror of the area, which was probably riotous with a busy crowd and honking roads just a week ago. Still, it was peaceful to walk down the once-familiar sidewalk with Elah, who was with me at PUP, along with the rest of the squad. This sidewalk was no stranger to our rigorous footsteps during those moments when we felt like marching our way to the air-conditioned mall. It was usually packed with sweaty scholars, briskly walking in their sun-touched shirts, hoping that the vicinity would cool down their deep worries as striving students and laborious commuters. But that day, we were neither of these; we were promoted to slaves for capitalism (in case the term “money whore” is not appropriate). Such a promotion is also lawfully bestowed along with an annual holiday break (if the employer follows Philippine holidays) to reflect during Holy Week. Since Elah, Vanessa, and I were all available, we took the chance to finally catch up. I met with Elah first at PITX, and together we journeyed along the people-less route to SM Sta. Mesa.

We were supposed to meet around 2 pm. As expected, the prettiest girl always arrives late. It wasn’t clear, however, if she should come one hour past the discussed time. We were finally complete at 3 pm.

Of course, to compensate for her beauty, Vanessa offered to shoulder a portion of our combined bill. We ate in a Korean-inspired restaurant, and I only enjoyed the taste of tteokbokki. Initially, we planned to go to the cinema and watch the then-trending Korean movie called Exhuma. However, to our surprise, it was no longer available for showing. Our plan was disrupted, and with no other option left, we decided to just fill our disappointment with Korean dishes.

Four months later, I found myself rating the same film with four stars on Letterboxd. While writing my mini-review on my IG story, I breathed a sigh of disappointment:

Exhuma was yet another film that I wish I had seen in the cinema.

Despite the lingering thoughts left with me, I still found myself satisfied with how the film concluded. Sure, I didn’t completely understand the gruesome history of the Japanese general and everything entailed. Yet, it didn’t feel like there was a big hole in the story for that reason. Perhaps it was the overall experience that convinced me that this wasn’t enough of a hindrance to liking the film.

I guess I have seen a handful of faces of horror across different movies that, throughout the years, I no longer feel the chill of seeing a ghost when I watch a horror film. Of course, I still get haunted to an extent, but I feel disappointed that it can only do so on a surface level.

I get scared, but what’s next about it?

Usually, I will just sleep the horror away, and like any other film, it will be a forgettable experience. However, with Exhuma, I felt at ease with the discomfort and was driven by curiosity.

I appreciated that the ghost in Arc 1 was not the usual ghostly face to jump scare people. It was inexplicably fuzzy and kind of shadowy but still looked like a human form. I really liked that it mostly appeared in the reflection of mirrors. By doing this, I tended to be more attentive to the scene, especially when there was a chance for me to spot the ghost in a reflection. This touch of interaction, whether intentional or not, made me engaged in the course of the first act.

The readily thrown shaman jargons from the outset might throw someone off. As for me, it wasn’t an issue but turned out to be a source of curiosity. I was also genuinely amazed at how they performed the ritual (if that’s what they call it) in an authentic way. It was, yes, performative, but it felt like an honest ritual that wasn’t made just to impress the viewers for another layer of entertainment. Kim Go Eun has proved her artistry once again in this film. I couldn’t see a peeping trace of her previous characters, and she gracefully introduced Hwa-Rim to us. She had a bold disposition and seemed to be very focused on something when she set her mind to it. And with Go Eun’s acting, I had a glimpse of how a shaman looked and how they drove bad spirits away. She didn’t look awkward performing the ritual, and her devouring the pig’s clotted blood was truly mesmerizing.

Of course, the whole cast was exceptional and provided great support to Go Eun. I got honestly distracted whenever Lee Do-Hyun flashed his tattoos, as they were such a perfect match for his man bun. This film almost convinced me to become his fan. And the Feng Shui Master, Sang Deok, who I later found out after searching the cast, was the Old Boy!!! (I haven’t seen it, but his face is familiar). Was it a star-studded film then?

Regarding the Japanese general, I actually liked that it was a giant instead. I didn’t find it corny as some redditors revealed in their testimonies. Even the fireball was really cool and such a unique element for a horror story.

I guess my age might be a factor for this reasoning, but I really enjoy films when they are intentional but not too overt with their theme. When one hears horror, the first thing that comes to mind is probably ghosts, demons, and exorcism with loads of jumpscares to scare the hell out of you. And throughout the years, more and more productions have been dutifully serving them to the cinema. Sadly, not everything they put out there has lived up to what horror means. With Exhuma, I really appreciated that it has a combination of Japanese and Korean folklore, ghosts in a nebulous form, family traditions and superstitions, Feng Shui, and shamans. These elements were effectively executed to create a horror masterpiece in a day and age where this genre is starting to lose its core and value.

If you are into this kind of horror, I strongly recommend Exhuma for you to try.

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