From Hope to Survival: Hani and Na Aeri Return After 40 Years [Slate]

Animated Film "Bad Girl: Run Hani"
A Contemporary Portrait of Youth through the Reinterpretation of Na Aeri

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The 1980s TV animation 'Run Hani' embodied the values of Korean society and became a symbol of youth at the time. The protagonist, Hani, though young, positively influenced those around her through her innocence and perseverance. The show delivered a message of hope to young viewers, telling them that effort would be rewarded. It also had a significant impact on the animation industry. At a time when Korea relied heavily on Japanese companies, it was a rare case of building an original narrative through domestic production. When TV animation was seen primarily as an educational tool for children, the show presented an ideal image of a girl as if it were a national project. At a time when the social status of female athletes was low, it was groundbreaking to portray an 'athletic girl' in a positive light.

Recall the scenes of sprinting: the close-ups of facial expressions and sweat, the sound of heavy breathing. The camera zooms in on feet running on the track, and as the finish line approaches, the scene shifts to slow motion. These techniques dramatically expressed Hani's psychological tension and journey toward achievement. They served as devices to show how goodness, effort, and perseverance could connect to hope in real life.

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Esrun and the Korean-Style Antihero

The theatrical version 'Bad Girl: Run Hani,' released on October 7, 2025, maintains continuity with the original while reflecting the context of contemporary youth. Set in Seoul in the 2020s, it introduces 'Esrun,' a parkour-based street race through alleys and between buildings, enhancing visual dynamism. Esrun is not just a visual upgrade. The way characters leap over alleys, buildings, stairs, and rooftops points to the complexity and unpredictability of modern competition. There is no set path. Each person must find their own route.

Another notable aspect is the centralization of Na Aeri's narrative. In the original, she was a character who embodied meritocracy focused on winning. In contrast to Hani, she subtly conveyed the message that 'being good is not enough.' This time, she is reinterpreted not just as a rival but as a subject of growth and self-discovery. Until now, she ran for victory but never answered the question of 'why she runs.' As she teams up with Hani to defeat a new competitor, Ju Nabi, she begins to find meaning in both competition and self-discovery. She resembles today’s youth, who live life on their own terms, unbound by conventional social standards.

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This transformation aligns with the recent global content trend of reinterpreting villains not as simple antagonists but as 'another protagonist.' 'Joker' (2019) depicted a monster created by society, 'Maleficent' (2014) portrayed a misunderstood witch, and the musical 'Wicked' showed the relativity of good and evil. Na Aeri is part of this trend. In a competitive society, she was forced to make 'bad' choices. She became a 'survival-type villain' not from innate evil but due to structural pressures.

The scene where she runs alone through the night streets illustrates this well. Her expression is tense beneath the neon lights, and only the sound of her footsteps echoes in the emptiness. She tried so hard to win, to be recognized, and not to lose, but the joy is nowhere to be found. She does not even know what she has been running for. This reflects a generation exhausted by the discourse of 'hard work.' It is a portrait of the Millennials & Gen Z in their 20s and 30s, who are driven without even the space to ask 'why they run,' and who may not be rewarded despite their efforts. She is called a 'bad girl' for rejecting the existing rules. The desire to 'escape' seen in phenomena like 'quiet quitting,' 'the FIRE movement,' and 'Isengmang' (This Life is Ruined) among Millennials & Gen Z is embodied here. The film offers comfort to those who have lived diligently but lost their way, to young people in a reality where effort and victory are not always guaranteed.

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Questioning a Winner-Takes-All Society

In the original, 'running' was a metaphor for achievement and perseverance. In this film, it expands into a tool for self-discovery and enjoyment. Hani and Na Aeri each run with different motivations, but through each other, they rediscover the meaning of running. Here, the modern setting, parkour scenes, and various action sequences do more than serve as visual elements. They symbolize the characters' freedom and challenges, as well as the anxiety and tension of youth. In particular, the moment of floating in the air when leaping from one rooftop to another represents a brief sense of liberation from the gravity (competitive pressure) of reality.

Within this new framework, the quality of competition inevitably changes. The message of 'effort leads to success,' emphasized in the 1980s, reflected the optimism of Korea's high-growth era. At that time, effort often led to upward mobility. This film, however, embodies the realization of the neoliberal era: 'Even hard work may not be enough.' It critically examines the culture of Korean society that remembers only the winner.

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Director Heo Jeongsoo neither glorifies nor demonizes competition. Hani runs with the goal of victory, but even in defeat, she continues running and grows. Na Aeri initially pursues only results, but through her interactions with Hani, she discovers the joy of running. The film breaks away from the typical sports movie formula where everything ends with a championship. It prioritizes 'why we run' over the cheers of victory. The focus shifts from results to process, from external rewards to internal motivation. It reflects a fundamental shift in the values demanded by the times.

The change from an era when female athletes were expected to embody both perseverance and beauty to one where they run freely with their own bodies is also noteworthy. In the 1980s, Hani was packaged as a 'cute and good girl.' In the 2020s, Hani and Na Aeri no longer run 'for someone else.' They run for themselves, in their own way. The very act of sweating, falling, and getting back up is beautiful in itself.

The Courage to Question-That Is Hope

This sequel, created by the generation that loved the original, is not a nostalgic longing for the past but a reflection on how to bring the past into the present. In this sense, the film can be seen as a model of successful IP expansion. While maintaining the original's DNA of innocence, perseverance, and competition, it incorporates the new zeitgeist of self-discovery, escape, and questioning.

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In 2025, Korean society still forces young people to 'keep running'-through college entrance exams, job hunting, promotions, marriage, and childbirth. The fear of being left behind the moment you stop pushes young people forward. But unlike forty years ago, now it is possible to ask, 'Why must we run?' This question itself is hope. The film leaves us with a question: What are you running for right now? Is it for joy, like Hani? To win, like Na Aeri? Or simply because stopping feels like dying? The very process of answering this question is the beginning of self-discovery. And that, perhaps, is the real reason Hani has returned to us after forty years.