The Chonnam Tribune has published this page in collaboration with the members of student clubs at Chonnam National University since 2022. The eighth club is the United Nations Students Association, founded to spread the value of the United Nations in 2023. – Ed.
By The United Nations Students Association
Ember: Head to bed. I’ll close things up.
Dad: Still have much to prepare for Red Dot Sale.
Ember: Dad, I’ll take care of* it. You need to rest.
From Elemental
*Take care of: It means that someone attends to his or her well-being, health, and other things. When someone has burn-out symptoms or looks tired, the person should get some rest. Then, tell him or her “You should take care of yourself.” However, when we expand its meaning, it can be used to say goodbye. “Take care!” is an example. The expression of ‘take care of something’ is also used in the context of conducting work.
“Elemental” depicts the story in a metropolis called "Element City," which is home to the four elements: fire, water, air, and earth. Fire can burn trees, and the water will evaporate when it meets fire, which causes many difficulties in their life together. Because of these problems, the fire has to establish their home area a safe distance from the metropolis. The two main characters, Ember and Wade, happen to meet each other. At first, Ember keeps Wade at a distance because of her element, though she opens up to him as time goes by. The movie, directed by Korean American Peter Sohn, shows a touching love story between them.
Movie Review
Chung Jai-hoon: In the real world, fire and water stand at opposite points. Nevertheless, fire and water try to keep a good relationship with each other in the movie. The water element Wade sacrifices himself for the fire element Ember. I was able to learn about the importance of harmony between opposites. Although it seems difficult, we need to appreciate others. When we do it, the world will be beautiful. ★★★★★
Lee Sang-hyeob: Unexpected encounters between fire and water can lead to development when someone challenges themselves to a seemingly impossible event. From this perspective, I felt that if cultural elements were naturally melted into society, the story could be developed in a unique way. Additionally, scenes that reflected Korean emotions were interesting. ★★★★☆
Park Jeong-hyeon: “Elemental” is a fascinating film that beautifully explores the forces of nature and their impact on human beings. It shows unity and harmony between opposing elements through great cinematography and a poignant story. The characters' struggles to survive are both harrowing and inspiring. It also taught me about the principles of nature that I did not know about through scenes like fixing a pipe using fire. ★★★★★
Park Hye-jin: In the scene where Ember and Wade date each other, citizens show unity in the community and respect their culture, which warms my heart. It is true that there is discrimination against people from different cultures in the current generation. I hope our society also creates a society that respects, cares for, and coexists with different cultures, just like the elements of “Elemental.” ★★★★★