Dear Jinri

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Dear Jinri is a 2023 South Korean documentary directed by Jung Yoon-suk. It centers on the final interview of Choi Jin-ri, better known as Sulli, filmed just before her death in 2019. The film premiered at the Busan International Film Festival on October 7, 2023, and debuted on Netflix on November 13 as the second episode of Persona: Sulli. It runs 101 minutes.

The documentary blends the interview with Choi’s writings, artwork, video diaries, and archival clips. In the interview, Choi talks about the pressures of fame, body image, and the feeling of being treated as a product. She discusses the challenge of being a public figure in South Korea, her support for women who speak out, and her decision to forgive one of the cyberbullying perpetrators. The film uses elements from The Wonderful Wizard of Oz as a framing device and ends with the song Dorothy from her album Goblin.

Choi Jin-ri began as a child actress in Ballad of Seodong (2005) and joined the girl group f(x) in 2009. She took a break in 2014–2015 for health reasons and left the group to focus on acting. She returned to music in 2019 with Goblin and was set to star in season two of Netflix’s Persona before her death in October 2019. One episode of Persona had been completed at that time. Mystic Story produced the film, and Jung Yoon-suk worked with psychologists and human rights lawyers to handle the material respectfully.

Before its release, some people worried the film might sensationalize Choi’s death. After its festival premiere, audiences generally received Dear Jinri as a respectful tribute. Critics noted that the film often assumes the viewer already knows Choi’s life, and some felt it didn’t fully explain her backstory. Others praised its honest, quiet moments and the emotional weight of Choi’s words and pauses, which many viewers found moving.