JUNG_E | Korean Sci-Fi Movie

Jung_E is a Korean sci-fi movie, released in 2023, and currently streaming on Netflix. It is set in the post-apocalyptic world in the 22^nd century (the year is 2194) and an institute is working on a special project to create the ultimate soldier who will always win!

Is JUNG_E Dead or Alive?

The movie begins with a female soldier fighting for her life, and she’s winning over the enemy until … WACK! Yep. She goes down. It was a simulation; not a real fight during a real war.

JUNG_E is a robot modeled after the real Captain Yun Jung-yi (played by Kim Hyun-joo), a legendary mercenary. Researchers experiment by copying her “consciousness” or brain data into androids. The android fails each time the critical moment when the real Jung-yi was injured in battle is recreated.

Is JUNG_E Dead or Alive? The hope is that Jung-yi will be able to live on as JUNG_E. The research team is led by Yun Seo-hyun, the daughter of Captain Yun Jung-yi.

A Legendary Warrior or Just a Mother?

Why was Yun Jung-yi even fighting as a soldier? The answer was simple. She was a mother of a sick child who needed medical treatment, and who willingly signed up to fight in the civil war to earn money. The aim was not to become a hero or a legend. Jung-yi agreed to fight and also agreed to clone her brain because she just wanted to earn money and pay for the medical treatments that could save her daughter’s life.

An Objective Scientist or Just a Daughter?

Captain Yun Jung-yi’s daughter, Yun Seo-hyun, lived long enough to grow up and become a brilliant scientist. It was her privilege to lead the team of scientists in charge of the JUNG_E cloning project. She said that she would be objective and not allow her personal feelings and love for her mother to interfere with the project. But of course, that wasn’t true. How could she not want to keep her’s mother alive? 

Yun Seo-hyun learns that the purpose of her research has changed. Instead of creating the perfect soldier for combat, her mother’s consciousness was going to be placed into androids to perform “other tasks”, such as serving as a porn toy. Yun Seo-hyun comes up with a plan to rescue her mother. She attempts a daring rescue, knowing that she would likely die and that the rescue could fail. This wasn’t a mindless android she wanted to save. This was her mother.

Viewership and Ratings

• A review by M.N. Miller of Ready Steady Cut probably explains why the film got such a low rating. Miller stated that the film “sometimes struggles to merge its dystopian themes with a melodramatic storyline.” (M.N. Miller (January 21, 2023). “Jung_E Review – an adrenaline fueled dystopian tale of mothers and daughters”. Ready Steady Cut. Retrieved January 21, 2023.)
• Per a review per Rotten Tomatoes stated: “The problem of the film is that everything looks CGI. This is a film that looks totally composed on a computer.” (NA. “Jung_E.” Rotten Tomatoes, 20 Jan. 2023, www.rottentomatoes.com/m/jung_e.)

However, not everyone feels this way.

• CNET describes this film as a ‘A Beautifully Heartrending Sci-Fi Thriller‘.  (“‘Jung_E’ on Netflix: A Beautifully Heartrending Sci-Fi Thriller.” CNET, 2023.)
• Kdramastars said it was a compelling story and magnificent production.  (Collins, Shai. “Kim Hyun Joo’s “Jung E” Receives Recognition Abroad after Topping Netflix Worldwide Ranking.” KDramaStars, 23 Jan. 2023.)‌

Using my own words? “(Yawn.)”  But it did pose an interesting question.  Would you clone your mom?

It was no surprise to find this movie had an average rating of 3.9 out of 5 stars. I agree.