Student Body President paints a vivid picture of South Korean society, cleverly portrayed through high school life’s lens. It’s is a compelling tale that prompts viewers to introspect on today’s societal challenges. It is now available for streaming on our website at http://www.terafty.com.
Now, let’s explore the film with the insightful perspectives of Ambassadors Hannah and Nurul.
Student Body President: A Face of Unruly and Uncertain Votes
Written by Hannah Tibayan
Student Body President is a 21-minute short movie that depicts the reality behind the growing society in South Korea, particularly in politics, media influences, and the responses of the general population. It clearly focuses on the students who are candidates for the student council, which is separated into two parties and led by Gi-Yeol Choi (Jae-Hyeok Choi) and Han-kuk Kim (Tae-Gyu Yoo). Students who are involved in the broadcasting club and teenagers who are the receivers of information and actions are also included.
The movie genuinely tackled the concerning problems in every country, which usually start with official candidates and, later on, reside in the government through the medium of student council. The plot involves students with different personalities and beliefs. I initially thought that through this kind of set-up, the movie would appear less heavy and easier to comprehend.
Aside from the candidates themselves, they narrated the huge impact media has to the public through the broadcasting club. Since student journalists have the power to create daily newspapers including articles for the candidates, they can easily insert and minimize information to the readers whether it might be based on facts or just random rumours. As seen in the film, students’ votes are highly affected based on what they have heard and read. This alone is an example of how we should interpret the overall importance of media outlets/organizations. People who work in this profession should be reminded to use caution when releasing news because it has the power to instantly change people’s opinions. This might create long-term chaos in the future if false news is believed to be the truth.
High school acts as the setting for the movie. All of the characters are students, which makes it more realistic and exciting to watch for someone like me who was a student officer in previous years. As I mentioned before, I have had comparable events. When winning-obsessed candidates gain the upper hand, people may hurt others’ reputations or tarnish their records in order to gain an advantage. It’s an unfortunate reality that, just like in the show, individuals who run for power with the intention of promoting corruption typically prevail over those who seek to correct social injustices and create better policies for the population as a whole. Everyone thus endures a long time of suffering.
The basic theme of the story is topical and relevant to who we are, how we perceive right and wrong, and how we make decisions in regard to our own and the greater good; therefore, viewers of the film may find it to be an eye-opener. This movie is both amusing and educational in a variety of ways since it features excellent actors, thoughtful dialogue, and well-matched music. The cinematography has a hint of the glaring reality where society is shrouded in hazy darkness. The overall message was significantly impacted by the presets and camera angle choices.
I would highly recommend Student Body President, especially if you are a keen citizen with the desire to understand more of this society’s aspects on a lighter spectrum. This is just a short film that has a common flow of scenes on a day-to-day basis for student candidates, but will surely provide you with realizations of how politics and media would never be friends at all; they should be neutral and never be comrades when it comes to bad intentions.
For people who are concerned with improving themselves and the community in which they live, perhaps their educational institution or society, this short film is essential to be watched with your eyes and soul.
‘Student Body President’ review
Written by NURUL AMEERA BINTI IMI SAIRI
The “Student Body President” film directed by Dokyoung Lim shook me so much I almost regret ever seeing it — it’ll ruin every other movie I’ll be watching after it. Here is my take on it:
“Student Body President” is a story about two students, Giyeol and Hankuk, who are running for the next Student Body President position. Each candidate has their own vision and promises – Giyeol wanted to serve the students and school, whereas Hankuk wanted to change the school for good causes. 🎒📚
Giyeol wanted to make school’s life easy, by extending break times and allowing the usage of phones during lunch which. It’s the kind of campaign promises that would win any student’s vote, right? I couldn’t help but chuckle and scoff at the audacity of Giyeol’s campaign.
Meanwhile, Hankuk is a reformist with a heart of gold who wanted to bring fairness by changing the school’s corrupt system. I subconsciously found myself rooting for Hankuk, hoping for a change that felt long overdue.🤯❤️
While other films would sprinkle humour and slapstick comedy, this film takes a different route. It’s serious, straightforward, and it means business. Even so, it’s so appealing that you can’t look away, always wanting to know what’s coming next.
What makes this film particularly intriguing is how it portrays that even in high school, people can play dirty games, just like in the real world. There’s a scene where Giyeol tried to find something bad about Hankuk to win more votes for himself. But Hankuk is clean and all he have are achievements and awards. So, Giyeol instructed his friends to make up lies. “If it’s clean, then make it dirty.” Those words, coming from a high school student, I couldn’t help but feel a chill down my spine. My heart sank, realizing that high school politics might not be too different from the outside world – where individuals will do anything to achieve their goals.
Now, here’s where “Student Body President” gets genuinely captivating. The film isn’t about shallow laughs or high school drama, it’s a reflection of the world outside those school walls. The film’s ability to mirror the current societal realities really struck me the most. The corrupt tricks played in this high school election reflects the dirty tactics we see in Korean society – and the world at large.
As the film reaches its climax, brace yourself for the epic showdown – who will win the student body president election? You will be left wondering and in suspense, just like real-life politics.
The film resonated with me long after it ended, making me reflect on how far people are willing to go to protect their own interests, even if it means bending the rules and making up lies. The emotions it stirred in me are something, it’s a feeling that you need to experience for yourself. Let’s be honest, we’ve all got a little Giyeol and Hankuk in us. And that’s exactly why “Student Body President” should be on your must-watch list. 📽️🍿
One question remains: “How far will you go to win?”
Terafty 
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