The Glory: your next movie night in

A captivating story about high school bullying, long-held trauma, and revenge

amina salah staff writer

The Glory is a Netflix Korean drama directed by Ahn Gil-ho. It features well-known Korean actors such as Song Hye-kyo and Lee Do-hyun, among others. It is a captivating story about a young woman who goes on a mission for revenge against the high school bullies who tormented and tortured her. What is interesting is that The Glory does not follow the story through the lens of revenge being something that ultimately destroys the one seeking it. Rather, the notion of revenge is shown as one that is painful, tedious, and empowering.

Played by Song Hye-kyo, Moon Dong-eun was once a teenager who had her entire life uprooted by her bullies. In her high school years, they abused her so horrifically that it led to trauma. As things get worse, Moon Dongeun eventually leaves her school and promises to herself that she will destroy all of her bullies one day. She crafts a meticulous plan to get back at her bullies.

Over time, Moon Dong-eun works her way up and manages to become a teacher. She ends up teaching at the school one of her high school bullies sends her daughter to. Moon Dong-eun re-introduces herself to her bullies, and things start to go down.

She enlists the help of a dermatologist who is also battling through his own issues after witnessing the death of his father. As the drama carries on, Moon Dong-eun and the dermatologist get closer and closer. The mission of revenge however drives them apart from each other, as they feel their worlds crashing down. It is clear that revenge is taking a toll on Moon Dong-eun and she finds it difficult to navigate her feelings of rage and sadness, but also the guilt she feels from the fact that she is harming some people who do not deserve it along the way.

What I enjoy about The Glory is that it shows how people carry feelings of rage and often are unaware of what they should do with these feelings. Some choose to bottle them up until they explode, whereas others choose to actively pursue them.

Furthermore, the themes of wealth, power, pride, and greed are interesting. At times, people expect apologies from those who

Feel it in your soul

Who else is looking for new music?

If you know me, you know that I very rarely listen to new music. I’ve been listening to the same music for the last three to five years. It’s not often that a new artist really grabs my attention and forces me to listen to them.

Introducing the Scarlet Opera.

The Scarlet Opera has had me in a chokehold for the last two weeks with their new EP Comedy. I first found them through their TikTok account, and that might be where you’ve heard of them, too. Their song “Alive” has been dominating my ‘For You Page’ for a while now. After I found myself constantly singing “Alive” throughout my day, I gave in and listened to Comedy and I am very glad I did.

There’s a sound that the Scarlet Opera has that feels so rare. It makes me feel alive and alight with the sound of music. It makes me want to get up and dance, get up and move, get up and relish in the fact that I am alive every time I play the EP. Their music resonates with joy and energy the likes of which I’ve never heard or felt before. It feels theatrical without ever leaning into the realm of musical theatre.

The energy is truly led by the band’s frontman Luka Bazulka, who also wrote most of the songs on Comedy. Bazulka’s voice draws in the listener, almost akin to the likes of Freddie Mercury. Bazulka’s voice in the music has me hanging on every word waiting for what’s next, waiting to see what adventure he takes me on alongside the band. The band consists of keyboardist Colin Kenrick, bassist Daniel Zuker, drummer Justin Siegal, and guitarist Chance Taylor.

The Scarlet Opera’s name was inspired by The Scarlet Letter, and its intent to outcast people and make them feel misunderstood and misrepresented by society. The Opera is a place for those marked by Scarlet, the outcasts, the misrepresented, and those who just aren’t understood by others, to join together and feel free and alive in a place where they can be and not worry about expectations or societal understandings. The Scarlet Opera is a place for the passionate, a place for the lustful, a place for the furious, and a place for the beautiful. Comedy opens with the song “Riot.” I could not imagine a better opening song for this EP. The words start immediately, calling out to the listener, telling them have hurt them. The sad reality is that a lot of people sleep peacefully at night after harming others. They do not feel guilt. They do not feel sadness. They do not feel empathy for their victims. Rather, they see their victims as nuisances. Even up until the end, Moon Dong-eun’s bullies never apologize for the harm and suffering that they inflicted upon her. that they like it, it gets them excited, it makes them want to shout from the rooftops, and it’s time to riot. But not a riot in the way of violence or protest, it’s a riot in the way of celebration and joyous victory in the very essence of who we are and what we can be. The strong bass line makes you immediately want to dance to the beat and join in on this riot they’re proclaiming.

The Glory is a perfect reflection of life. Many people chase after revenge with the belief that their abusers will one day apologize to them and feel empathy for them. Unfortunately, this is a rarity. Many people carry on with their lives holding onto the pain they went through.

When all you have known is anguish and agony, it is extremely difficult to let go of these feelings. It is something that you have to actively work through. The Glory teaches us that, sometimes, there is no light at the end of the tunnel. Sometimes you have to shine your own flashlight through the tunnel. That is the only way to get through it.

The next song, “The Place to Be,” is my favourite. It’s a great follow-up to “Riot” because it alludes to the idea that the riot is the place to be. It’s telling you to be there, to dance, to live as if it’s your last moment on Earth, and to celebrate in the beauty and boldness of your essence that can only be found at the Opera. The bass line is prominent here too, but it’s emphasized, and it has more details. It almost feels like it’s emphasizing the riot and what it means to you as an individual and discovering that, letting it flourish and blossom within you.

The EP ends with their most popular song, “Alive.” There’s a reason this song is their most popular. It’s an incredible song and has the most Queen-like energy. It keeps up with the theme of the Opera, too – you’re giving something to the world, you’re giving them what they see you as, but there is still the essence of you. Despite how people may see you, “keep the party alive,” as the band proclaims. Don’t let society take away what you are, and don’t let them make you stop the party for their sake.

This EP has acted like a knife and cut straight through the burn-out and exhaustion I’ve been feeling; it held out a hand, and invited me to dance. I said yes, and you should, too. Comedy by the Scarlet Opera is available on Spotify, Apple Music, SoundCloud, and YouTube.