Isegye Idol
If you thought K-pop was peculiar, virtual idols—humans embodying anime-inspired digital characters through motion capture—will astound you. My favorite is a girl group named Isegye Idol, established by Woowakgood, a Korean VTuber (a streamer who similarly operates as a digital identity). The six members of Isegye Idol are incognito, which appears to allow them to project a rare form of sincerity and humor. They engage in games (League of Legends, Go, Minecraft), chat casually, and perform cheesy music that lies somewhere between anime soundtrack and video game composition. It’s incredibly DIY—and very personal. The group’s astounding popularity reflects the sentiments of Gen Z South Koreans, notoriously isolated and culturally adrift—grappling with joblessness, abandoning dating, seeking friendships online. Isegye Idol illustrates the enchanting online realm that individuals can create when reality fails them.
Mr. Nobody Against Putin
Pavel Talankin faced numerous challenges as a teacher in the copper-smelting town of Karabash, Russia; UNESCO once designated it the most contaminated locale on the planet. However, the footage he captured, partly in secrecy, reveals his affection for it—the smokestacks, the chill, the icy mustache he’d acquire while walking outside, and above all, his spirited students. This makes it even more poignant when a distant, relentless war and government propaganda alter the town. As an anti-war progressive with a democracy flag in his classroom, Talankin had to navigate a new patriotic syllabus, mandated parades, visits from mercenaries—and the loss of the creative environment he had cultivated with his students. Talankin’s footage narrates his tale in this Oscar-winning documentary directed by David Borenstein, and what resonated with me the most was the oddity of being an adult among children. We shape them in deep ways we might not even be aware of.
Repertoire by James Acaster
—because I am optimistic enough to believe that standup will endure. In February, I attended a live performance by British comedian James Acaster … and it was an average show. But Repertoire, his 2018 miniseries on Netflix, is a gem. Filmed shortly after Acaster experienced a breakup, the four-part series showcases him channeling, among other personas, a cop who goes undercover as a standup comic, loses his sense of identity, and undergoes a divorce. From there, things get bizarre. “What if every relationship you’ve ever had,” Acaster inquires, “is someone gradually realizing they didn’t like you as much as they had hoped?” If the finest comedy emerges from observing the chaotic situation you’re in, I wish Acaster countless more misadventures.
