The first feature fiction film by director Sora Neo, who made documentary Ryuichi Sakamoto / Opus (2023), invited to the Busan International Film Festival last year. Happyend has been invited to many film festivals including Venice, Toronto, and New York, attracting attention. Set in Japan in the near future, the film depicts the conflict between an oppressive high school and rebellious students. Close friends Yuta and Kou witness the school principal entertaining government officials and play a prank with the principal’s car. The angered principal is eager to find the culprit and doesn’t hesitate to make discriminatory remarks towards Kou, who is of Korean descent. The school introduces a system that immediately gives demerits to students who misbehave using surveillance cameras, but ultimately faces resistance from the students. Happyend, which shows a miniature version of the entire Japanese society through the school, raises questions about the system that justifies dictatorship and oppression. Disadvantaging those who are not Japanese and suppressing those who rebel with public power is no different in school or society. The film movingly depicts the teenagers trying not to hurt their hearts in such a harsh environment. (NAM Dong-chul)