The second part of Netflix’s new two-part posthumous anthology Persona: Sulli, based on the life of the late K-pop idol Sulli, released on Monday, November 13, 2023. Titled Dear Jinri, the length of this part is 100 minutes.
Sulli, whose legal name was Choi Jin-Ri, was a member of the popular girl group f(x). On October 14, 2019, multiple news outlets reported that the artist was found dead in her home. As per a report by Associated Press, the 25-year-old actress/singer was found by her manager, who went to her Seongnam home after his calls went unanswered.
Persona: Sulli comprises two parts: the first is the opening act, a drama titled 4: Clean Island, and the second is her main documentary, titled Dear Jinri. The project is the final work of the late artist. In the second part of the anthology, Sulli shares her journey as an idol while also contemplating her life as a human being. Viewers can get an intimate look into the dual psyche of the artist and the human.
Trigger Warning: This story discusses suicide. Reader discretion is advised.
Persona: Sulli’s Dear Jinri gives a glimpse of Choi Jinri’s identity as human and idol
In the documentary, Sulli recalls some of her pivotal life moments that influenced her identity and her thought processes as an artist and human. From her childhood, her relationship with her parents, her different identities, and her view of the K-pop industry, you can check out some of the highlights below:
Sulli’s relationship with her mother
Sulli speaks about her dream of making dolls, which arose because of her mother’s absence. Therefore, she wanted to create a doll that looked like her mother. Moreover, the late artist also expressed how her mother never fulfilled her wishes of getting a therapist or wanting to date someone, and not wanting her daughter to be happy. Eventually, she made decisions on her own and separated herself from her mother’s thoughts.
Sulli A, B & C
In one of the other confessionals, Sulli talks about three of her identities. Sulli A loves to stay home and barely goes outside. She hangs out with someone all the time. Meanwhile, Sulli B loves beautiful things and can absorb many different things. Sulli C has a clear sense of right and wrong, but she doesn’t talk much. Sulli isn’t too sure of the future but wants to live a good life with a peaceful mind.
Being a K-pop idol is the worst
Sulli discusses how she thinks of K-pop idols as being laborers and agrees that there should be a labor union to deal with issues in the industry. She explains how people never perceive idols as humans. Sulli recalled how she was constantly labeled as a “product” and feared losing her product value. However, she couldn’t speak her mind and put forth her opinions. The only thing she could do was blame herself and give herself pain.
A few words pop up in the documentary, showcasing a transition in her journey. These include “I am fear itself,” “Happiness -> Addiction,” “Desperate for glamour,” “My Understanding My Truth,” and more.
What is a day ruined?
Sulli records herself on video, where she describes her ruined day. She talks about changing into a new phone and how her adaptation to this new device ruined her day. Sulli recalls not being able to let go of her old phone, clinging to it tight. The recording ends with a crumpled-up charger, indicating her difficulty in adapting to new changes in her life.
Sulli’s views on feminism
In one of her variety show appearances, fellow guests termed her the “attention seeker detector”. She also openly expresses her views on feminism as the guests discuss the concept and its differences with the term humanism. Sulli pointed out that she didn’t quite agree with the guests’ opinions about women not raising their voices or opinions.
She also pointed out how men were applauded for talking openly about their sexual experience while women were disregarded as vulgar or too opinionated for the same. Sulli received immense criticism for going braless in one of her photos. She addresses this issue in a confessional and says, “I go braless because I think it looks more beautiful. If the whole world picks on me and I believe I did nothing wrong…I tend to stick to my beliefs.”
Sulli on her acting career
Sulli expresses that her acting career changed how she observed people and the concept of empathy. She agreed with the director that all her characters fit into the girl-crush archetype but noted that it wasn’t intentional. Sulli hoped to be of use and inspiration to other women, who were subjected to hate and harsh criticism. Furthermore, she understood what fame was but was scared of it. She avoided fame.
At the end of the documentary, Sulli talks about being the third person in her dreams, observing the events like a movie. In the last couple of minutes, she ponders into the void, unable to put words into her thoughts, but saying all at the same time.
Persona: Sulli is available to stream on Netflix.
