Mom.
Can I please take this off?
No.
Why not? We're in the car.
The air outside can't get in here.
Stop whining. All right?
What's wrong?
"Stopping the vehicle due to a police request."
What is this?
"The sound device is disconnected."
Can I see your ID?
KIM JUNG WON, AGE 51, PROFESSOR AT DONGHA UNIVERSITY
What's this about?
Did you pay your loan payment?
Of course I did.
You should be able to check.
Who is...
that person?
She's my daughter.
But your ID says all your family members are Cs.
That's right. We're all Cs.
If she's not an N, why is she wearing a power purifying suit?
She has her reasons.
Wait. Would it be a problem if she's an N?
Are you saying an N can't even ride in a car?
You're an N too, aren't you?
JOAN'S GALAXY
IN 2046, THE EARTH IS PLAGUED BY HEAVY FINE DUST.
THE HUMAN RACE IS DIVIDED INTO TWO CATEGORIES OF C AND N.
C MEANS “CLEAN” FOR THOSE WHO ARE VACCINATED WITH ANTIBODY SHOTS.
N MEANS “NON-CLEAN” FOR THOSE WHO COULDN’T BE VACCINATED.
LIFE EXPECTANCY FOR THE CS IS 100 YEARS,
WHEREAS FOR THE NS, IT'S 30.
AS A RESULT, DISCRIMINATION BECAME A BIGGER DISASTER THAN FINE DUST.
THE CS AND THE NS NOW LIVE COMPLETELY DIFFERENT LIVES.
What was that?
Oh, that?
Because of the bad economy these days...
I think the NCCs are hijacking cars and such.
I guess that's why.
NCC: NON-CLEAN BUT CLEAN
NS WHO RENT POWER PURIFYING SUITS, TRYING TO LIVE AS LONG AS THE CS.
Isn't today the physical exam for the Aerospace Research Institute?
Yes, but it doesn't matter.
So many students want to go there.
You practically got in, so why doesn't it matter?
I didn't actually get in yet.
But you passed the second aptitude test.
Didn't you say the physical exam is just a formality?
But if I go there wearing this,
they would think that I'm an N.
Wouldn't they reject me because of that?
You're not an N.
You're different from them.
Your family background is different.
You were born in...
- Hello, Professor. - Oh, hello.
Wait a minute, Yi Oh.
How have you been?
It's been a long time.
I landed a job recently.
- Good for you. - Yes.
- Well, then... - Is that...
- Mom, I should go. - All right.
Since the earth was plagued by fine dust,
people of our generation no longer travel around the world...
to see and feel things in person.
Let's review the book we read this month.
"A Sentimental Journey Through France and Italy" is a novel...
- from the 18th century which... - Ns are a rarity...
- in a college setting. - It is a novel that focuses on...
the writer's sentimental point of view.
And at the same time,
they are invisible to others.
I want you to pair up...
and choose a scene from the novel.
Then you're going to experience the sensation...
that was described in the novel.
Each team will give a presentation about what they experienced.
It's not that difficult, right?
I'll call out the names in the order listed in the attendance book.
Raise your hand if you hear the name you want to pair up with.
Whoever raises their hand first will get to be partners.
There's no need to think too much.
It'd be better for you to make a quick decision.
Kim Joo Ah.
The Ns will be dead by the time they reach 30.
So why would they want to study in college for four years?
About a month ago...
- Joan. - Me!
I wasn't curious about that at all either.
ONE MONTH EARLIER
But Doctor...
To be honest, I don't understand what you just said.
I got an antibody injection when I was born,
and I've never taken off my headcover when I went outside.
Could there have been something wrong with my purifying suit?
It hasn't developed into a malignant tumor yet.
It's common for people around your age...
who don't have the clean antibodies to have a tumor like this.
- Do you think we don't know that? - Mom.
I saw Yi Oh getting an antibody injection...
as soon as she was born with my own eyes.
But you're telling us that she doesn't have the antibodies?
Every injection is numbered when it's given.
However, Yi Oh's injection was given to another baby...
who had not purchased an injection.
There must have been a mistake...
That's ridiculous.
It's effective only when it's given within six months after birth.
Yi Oh.
Didn't you see me saying we should be partners?
No, I didn't see you.
What? Why are you wearing a power purifying suit?
My mom told me to.
Did they find a new hazardous substance at your dad's laboratory?
Must we all wear power purifying suits like the NCCs?
It's not like that.
What's with you?
You raised your hand to pair up with that N girl.
Do you two even know each other?
We take the same class. Of course, we know each other.
But she's a TN, not even an NCC.
The only one at our school.
I'll get going.
I'LL GET GOING.
Gosh.
I had been a C my entire life.
But I became an N overnight.
Probably only a quarter of my life had passed.
I thought I had enough time left.
Death...
felt like something at the end of a long road that I couldn't see,
and I thought I didn't even have to imagine that.
But I was wrong.
Death was much closer to me...
than I thought it was.
And I realized it too late.
I could've taken an electric bus with my cousins.
I'm sorry for wearing this. My mom made me wear it.
I should be thanking you for coming when you're not even my relative.
Are you holding up well?
Yes.
My mom lived for over 40 years.
She lived 10 years longer than the average N lifespan.
So I should accept it.
But...
if my mom hadn't had me, she would've lived longer.
My family couldn't afford three power purifying suits.
So my mom didn't wear it after I was born.
I had been shortening her life span little by little.
Come on. I'm sure your mother didn't think that way.
Anyway, I won't have to wear this darn power purifying suit...
a month later.
As soon as my mom passed away, I called TRS...
to terminate the lease on my power purifying suit.
Why did you do that?
I worked hard to become a doctor, but my salary...
is not enough to cover the monthly rental fee and loan payment.
It feels like my debt won't get any smaller because of itself.
Don't give me that look.
I'll rent it again once I partially pay off my debt.
N TOWN, 15KM
Maybe I should move to N Town too.
N Town?
Isn't it too far to commute to work?
It's okay. Many people commute from there.
I want to go there too.
Sorry?
If you're going to live there,
I want to see the town. That's what I meant.
It seems like the air is clean enough to breathe.
I know. They must be fine without any protective suits.
CHEONYEONJANG HOTEL
Hey, girls. Oh, sorry. One of you is a guy.
How about a complete tour of N Town?
I'm a veteran tour guide who gives you the key points.
Here. Plug this into your suit.
Here you go.
- Can you hear me? - Yes.
Okay. That's good. Let's go.
As you know, the average life expectancy of Ns is 30 years.
When we were first divided into Ns and Cs,
the Ns' birthrate was much lower than that of the Cs.
Back then, the Ns wanted...
the misery of being unable to enjoy the normal life span...
to end within their generation.
Don't feel sorry for us though.
The new generation of Ns...
created their own lifestyle.
Once we finish the basic education at the age of 13,
we make our own decisions on career, marriage, and childbirth.
In fact, most Ns around that age have lost their parents,
or have to be prepared for their parents' deaths.
And that gives Ns something of their own.
We Ns have the energy to enjoy the moment under any circumstances.
It's something that Cs can't even dream of.
You know that Ns have been...
globally outstanding in fields like the arts and sports.
Pianist Shin Yi Jeong,
Landscape Artist Choi Joon...
It wouldn't matter...
if they are not that famous or successful.
Even if they're not globally famous,
as long as they can laugh and breathe like that...
- Why? - You had something in your hair.
and touch each other like that.
I already told you that there are many famous artists from N Town.
This house you're looking at right now is...
Why? How serious is it?
- What's going on? - I don't know.
I see. Wait here. I'm really sorry.
A kid in my house is very sick.
I should go now. I'm sorry.
Wait. Shall I take a look? I'm a doctor.
Really? So Ni.
It might take a while, so go ahead. Your mother must be worried.
- But... - He'll help us. Let's go.
What are you doing here?
Please, please...
The headcover is not equipped properly.
Please check the connection of the oxygen inlet.
Are you fascinated by me?
Danger.
Please inject oxygen.
Danger.
Your oxygen inlet is open.
Danger.
Please inject oxygen.
Welcome, Ms. Yi Oh.
Where is the destination?
- Home. - Are you Ms. Yi Oh?
Just go home! Home!
Joan!
What's wrong with you?
I'm sorry but...
I called your name...
Give me your hand.
What?
You can speak now. I'll be able to hear you.
Well, I'm...
- I'm leaving. - I'm an N!
I thought I was a C my whole life.
But my antibody injection got switched at the hospital.
And now I have a tumor.
I thought I had 70 years left to live.
Now I don't know how much time I got left.
So I was wondering...
how the Ns deal with all this.
How can you ask me that?
I'm sorry.
I didn't know how else to say it.
I guess you've had a hard time.
What?
I guess you've had a hard time.
No?
"I guess you've had a hard time."
Joan said it like it meant nothing.
When we first found out that I was an N,
Mom cried a lot saying that...
she can't live without me.
Dad got the news over a video call...
and he hung up the phone saying that he was sorry.
Gyeong just held my hand without a word.
But I could feel his hand shaking the whole time.
But Joan was...
So what's your plan now?
Plan about what?
If you really don't have much time left,
you should do the things that you like.
I go to bed only after I'm done doing three things that I like.
What were the three things for today?
"Cook and eat something I like."
"Write a poem" and " Get wet in the rain".
In the rain?
There are so many toxic substances in the rain.
So what are the things that you like?
There's one thing.
What is it?
The person who got my antibody injection.
I want to know how that person is doing.
And I want to know the plans for his or her life.
That's depressing.
It's not cool.
Right?
Do you know the name?
Yes.
I found out the name through a friend who works at the hospital.
Lee Hyun Soo.
I'll find that person for you.
If that person is an N, it's likely that we're neighbors.
Even if that person is an NCC and lives in the city,
at least one of the relatives will live in this town.
Most Ns are connected with each other.
Yes.
There was a place like this on our campus?
I've never been here before.
Only the Ns who work here use this stairway.
The cleaning ladies and maintenance crew.
Among the Lee Hyun Soos that live in my neighborhood,
I picked the ones that are our age.
And I took pictures of them.
But I couldn't take a picture...
of this one particular person.
What is it?
Does the fact that one of them...
got your antibody injection...
make you feel strange?
No.
I just smelled something nice.
Isn't it coffee?
Yes, it is. Would you like to try it?
Right. The Cs don't do anything bad for their bodies.
Coffee won't do you any harm though.
I'm not a C anymore, so it's okay.
I want to try it.
Okay.
It's good.
What's it like to live as an N?
I don't know.
The other Ns won't think that I'm one of them.
I only have 2 or 3 years left to live.
But I went to college at my age anyway.
I went to a company that has never hired an N...
to submit my resume.
You saw me that day, didn't you?
- Attended an academic conference... - In artificial intelligence...
To study the next generation's...
Thank you for applying to the Aerospace Research Institute.
If you're ready to take your aptitude test,
press the start button.
Excuse me. If you need more time for preparation,
can I take the test first?
- And I am eager to... - Oh, okay.
The field of space center development...
This is how I live my life.
- Those are the main... - Every day, at every moment...
I have to run toward the things that I love.
I don't think about the results.
I don't think it's because I'm an N.
I think I was just born this way.
Here it is. Thank you.
Joan.
Hey. Give me a second.
Do I look funny?
No. You look like you were born an N.
It looks good on you.
- Thank goodness. - Let's go.
What should I say to this person?
Why don't you be honest?
Just say that you're looking for an N who might be a C.
And that you want to know which hospital he or she was born in.
Don't you think it's rude?
They would think of you as someone with a winning lottery ticket.
Or maybe not.
Come on.
My goodness.
Were you born at Jeil Hospital by any chance?
- No. - Okay, thanks.
Yes?
Were you born at Jeil Hospital by any chance?
No, I was born at a maternity center near here.
Okay.
Thank you.
TAILORED SUITS, ALTERATIONS
- What did she say? - She says no.
She wasn't even born at a hospital.
She was born at a maternity center.
We only have one more to go.
I couldn't even get this person's picture last time.
Hey.
Why don't we find this person later...
- and go somewhere together? - Where?
Someplace fun.
People in my town share these cars.
They might not seem like much, but we keep them clean.
But you have to drive manually.
Can you drive?
Of course. Even with my eyes closed.
Are you scared?
No.
- Are you ready? - What?
Joan!
Wait for me!
- Hurry up! - Hey!
What's that?
- Joan, I think I know who she is. - Really?
Yes. She's Shin Yi Jeong, the classical pianist.
My mom is a fan of hers, so we watched her videos often.
This is so cool.
Next up is a song I first made when I was around 10.
I didn't make the song by myself. My younger sibling and I...
sang a few bars one after the other, just for fun.
It's still nice to sing this song as it reminds me of those days.
Today, I want to sing the song...
with my little sister to make it special.
Come on up here, Joan.
Please give my sister Joan a round of applause.
Really? Is it you?
The voice that called me
The breath I heard in my sleep
The smiles of my mom and dad
That were as warm as cotton
The stars still remember
The days when we were together
Although we cannot see
The blue sky
You are far away from me
And I don't know where you are
But I can see the planet
That looks like me and you
Shining in the sky
Although we cannot meet
If we keep walking at the same time
My voice and my dreams
Will reach you someday
When will you come home?
I should go to the house in Seoul for the recording.
I told you to stay at my place when you go to school.
Isn't it too far from home?
The house has memories of our mom and dad.
But of course, I miss you very much as well.
Joan.
Yi Jeong, this is my friend from school.
Oh, I see. It's nice to meet you.
I thought Joan was the only N at school.
No, she isn't the only N at school.
She isn't.
My mom must be freaking out.
Can't you call her?
It's okay. I won't call her.
Hey. You hate getting rained on.
Now that I'm standing in the rain, it's not so scary.
You're acting tough.
Hey!
Come over here. I said, come here.
- What are you doing? - This is fun.
My gosh. I'm soaking wet.
Let's wait here until it stops raining.
Okay.
Your parents must have liked Jupiter so much,
seeing that they named you after one of Jupiter's moons.
I don't think that was the case.
- Are you sure? - Yes.
Although my dad is a biological researcher,
neither he nor my mom is interested in stars or space.
That's quite a coincidence.
I thought your name had something to do with Jupiter's moon.
That never crossed my mind.
Still, whenever I call your name,
I'll think of the vast universe.
Io, the closest moon to Jupiter,
and the fourth largest in the solar system.
By the way,
there's something I couldn't tell you.
Go ahead.
I...
got hired at the Aerospace Research Institute.
That's great. Congratulations.
I didn't really care about which job I got,
as long as it's stable and pays well.
I applied here and there, but I just happened to get in.
I'm sorry.
I'm fine. You don't have to apologize to me.
It's not like I would've been hired just because you didn't apply.
As I already told you, I don't keep applying there...
because I think I will get hired someday. I just...
You're more qualified than me.
That's not true.
You got the job because you're capable.
Shall we go and check if it stopped raining?
If the rain stopped,
I will show you real stars.
Even at the best observatory in the world,
you may not be able to see the stars in a normal sky.
However...
It's different right after the rain stops.
It's just dark.
To be honest, I've never seen stars before either.
Could that be...
Is that a star?
Where?
Never mind. I think it's dust.
Hey.
Shall we do it now?
Do what?
The assignment for the 18th-century British literature class.
Oh, right.
You mean, reenacting a scene...
in "A Sentimental Journey Through France and Italy"?
I completely forgot about that assignment.
What shall we do?
There's something I wanted to try.
Okay. What is it?
You know... When Mr. Yorick...
is passing by a store in Paris,
he sees a woman sewing in the store.
Then he goes into the store and tells her,
"I'd like to feel your pulse."
Right?
Yes.
Surprisingly, the woman indifferently says, "Go ahead."
And Mr. Yorick grabs her wrist...
with his fingers.
He feels her pulse for one minute.
And then...
as if nothing happened,
he continues on his way.
I wonder how they felt during that one minute.
I wonder too.
What would that feel like?
Do you want to try it?
Sure.
Found it.
I can see...
the stars.
Me too.
Mom.
I didn't mean to stay out late.
Look at yourself.
You see...
Do you get a kick out of seeing me worried sick?
You don't even have clean antibodies,
yet you went out bare-skinned and got soaked in the rain.
What on earth were you thinking?
Right, I don't have antibodies.
Despite that, I've been wearing...
the C-type purifying suit for the past 26 years, Mom,
which means I've practically been walking around bare-skinned.
Going out like this once...
won't change anything.
I got a call from the hospital.
Your tumor...
It has become malignant.
They said it needs to be treated immediately.
You may have to undergo surgery!
I'll never wear a purifying suit again.
Whether it's the C-type or the N-type.
Hey!
Yi Oh! What's going on? Are the rumors true?
Rumors? About what?
That you've been hanging out with the N girl and...
And now, I'm an N?
Yes.
You can't become an N just because you've been hanging out with one.
So?
Why do you ask?
Were you going to avoid me if I had become an N?
How could you say that?
I was just worried about you. That's all.
Thanks for your concern.
Then do you want to step out with me?
But...
Will he come today?
The theater was closed for a few days,
but it's open today.
To tell you the truth,
I still have no idea what I'd say to him.
Do you have to say something?
We just want to see whether he's a good person.
Right.
It's that guy.
Let's go.
- Dad! - Dad!
Yes. Hi, kids.
Your hair looks nice today.
- So he has two kids. - How adorable.
He must be family-oriented. He seems nice.
Look, if you do this...
Thanks to you,
he'll live a happy life until his kids become adults.
Oh, my.
- Let's go see Mommy. - Okay.
Go talk to him.
No, it's okay. I saw him, so it's all good.
What?
But you should check if it really is him.
I think it is him. That's what my gut is telling me.
Let's go.
Excuse me.
You've been spying on me for the past few days.
Why are you doing this?
Well...
That was already four years ago.
A fire broke out at the factory where my brother worked.
He should've just escaped.
But instead, he tried to wake up his colleagues who were asleep,
so he inhaled too much smoke and couldn't get out.
But I still thought...
he had lived over two-thirds of his allotted lifespan.
Who knew he actually had that much time left?
This is bitter.
No, it's refreshing.
But...
if he had known that he was actually a C,
would he still have saved all those lives...
and sacrificed his own?
It's pointless to talk about such what-if scenarios.
Lee Hyun Soo did not know that he was a C,
and that's what made him who he was.
If he knew the truth,
his family would remember him...
very differently.
I have to say, life is...
The more you know, the more bitter it becomes. Don't you think?
No.
I like learning new things every day.
Where's Mom?
She stepped out so we can talk.
She'll be home later.
Talk about what?
I met with your doctor.
Your condition isn't hopeless. Don't give up so easily.
I'm not giving up on anything.
I have a precious amount of time,
so I don't want to have to give it up because of the treatment.
Then spend some of that time to do me a favor, okay?
- Get the surgery. - Gyeong.
Even if there's only a slim chance,
it's still a chance.
Your doctor thinks he can do it, so why would you give up?
Why are you so quiet today?
It's nothing. Don't mind me.
Are you ready to present the assignment tomorrow?
Yes.
It'll be fun.
Our presentation will be the most interesting one.
I couldn't tell her...
that I have to undergo surgery tomorrow.
That I have no idea how long...
I'll have to stay in the hospital even if the surgery goes well.
And that I can't be with her...
when she's telling others...
about our most beautiful moment.
Most people say that "A Sentimental Journey"...
is like a plotless novel...
and a travelogue without a destination.
But while reading it,
I thought it was so much like...
how life is.
In life, we often go with the flow without direction,
but we still encounter brilliant...
You got this!
Even if it's a fleeting moment...
that is less than a minute...
Hey!
Come over here. I said, come here.
I can see...
the stars.
Even if it's a fleeting moment...
If it's remembered forever...
All right. Then...
who's next?
And...
there's something else...
I couldn't tell her.
A YEAR LATER
It's safe to think that the treatment is almost over.
But you'll stay on your medication for the rest of your life.
Just take good care of yourself, and you can enjoy freedom.
I suppose I was born with the ability...
to beat the odds no matter the circumstance.
The surgery went well.
It took me a long time to recover,
but I now have the freedom to enjoy the rest of my life...
like other Ns do.
Hello, I'm a new researcher...
who specializes in astrobiology at the Aerospace Research Institute.
My name is Shin Joan.
This is my first year at the Institute,
so I still have a lot to learn.
But I'm studying a new technology...
that can solve the fine dust problem,
and it has been such a rewarding experience.
I joined the Institute last year, and I barely made the cutline.
- That woman... It's her. - At first, I couldn't believe...
that I managed to get everyone's dream job.
The person who got my antibody injection.
I want to know how that person is doing.
And I want to know the plans for his or her life.
Do you know the name?
He's the same age as us. He died so young even for an N.
LEE HYUN SOO, THE HERO OF N TOWN RESTS HERE.
I found out the name through a friend who works at the hospital.
Lee Hyun Soo.
I could've gotten fired for this.
I hope you know that.
What?
- It's this person? - What's wrong?
I know her.
SHIN JOAN
This red liquid here contains nutrients needed...
- for the cell culture... - Did you tell her that she got...
the injection in your place?
No, I didn't.
Why not? To get back at life for its twisted tricks?
Something like that?
No, it's a gift.
The most valuable gift...
that I can give.
Now, I'm going to show you...
the cells.
This is where the cells are stored,
- and we also... - I've never seen anyone...
who shines more brightly than Joan does.
- We observe the cells here... - I thought Joan would lose...
that radiance if she was no longer herself.
When I get tired at work, I always...
think about those who could've taken my position instead of me...
and the countless things they could've achieved.
And I remind myself of the fact that this might have been...
a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity for some people.
Maybe all of us are connected like that.
JOAN'S GALAXY
SF8
Is there a look that you prefer?
Let's just go with the basic model.
Man One. Image optimized.
AN AI ROOKIE COP
Hey, what are you doing?
Detective, I detect danger.
Don't you want to know what kinds of abilities I have?
Starting the hacking process.
BLINK
SF8