In Wonderland, technology bridges the gap between life and death. An app service, aptly named Wonderland allows you to stay in contact with your loved ones, even after they’ve passed away. The surreal concept comes to life through multiple touching stories in the latest Netflix film, which is not just a film about the possibilities of AI and technology; but also a deeply humane story about love, loss, and grief. One such story is that of Bai-li, who suffered from a terminal illness that led her to death. But the virtual version of her is desperate to connect with her young daughter, Jia. Unaware of her mother’s passing, Jia clings to the hope of having Bae Li back in her life. Even in her afterlife, workaholic Bae Li is torn between her ambitions and her love for her daughter. The Wonderland Service becomes a medium for her to try and balance her priorities—her dream job and her daughter. Let us take a look at what ultimately happens to Bae Li and her daughter, Jia.
Spoilers Ahead
Who was Bai-li?
Uniquely named after both her father (Bai) and mother (Li), Bae Li was a workaholic single mother of a seven-year-old daughter, named Jia. Working as a fund manager, Bae Li used to travel around the world, until she tragically fell ill. It was a terminal illness and her time was up. The worse part was that her dedication to work made her forget about her family, especially Jia. Even when she was alive, she left Jia in her mother’s care while she buried herself at work. Time after time, when Jia needed her the most, Bai-li chose work over spending time with her daughter. However, the diagnosis of her terminal illness forced her to deeply reflect on her choices. Knowing she didn’t have much time left, she turned to Wonderland Services. This was a service that allowed her to stay connected to Jia in virtual form after her death. She wanted to be a better, more attentive mother to Jia, which she failed to do when alive. There was another reason Bai-li was drawn to Wonderland Services. She had always dreamed of being an archaeologist. The Wonderland app let her create a delusional, imaginative world where she could work any job she wanted. So, she chose to live out her dream of being an archaeologist in this virtual world. The best part was that in Wonderland, she never knew she was dead, which was a kind of blissful escape for her. Through Wonderland Services, Bai-li found a way to be the mother Jia deserved. She balanced her dream job and her responsibilities as a mother in this virtual reality and hoped to make up for the times she wasn’t there when Jia needed her.
Why Did Bai-Li’s Mother Want To Take Jia To China?
Bai-li’s decision to live on in the virtual world of Wonderland, even after her death, was something her own mother never approved of. She believed that by doing this, Bai-li was creating unrealistic expectations for little Jia. It was important for the child to experience grief and understand the truth about her mother. Bai-li’s mother thought this was bad for the child. Jia still believed that her mother would come back home and play with her. The problem was that Jia didn’t know the woman she was talking to through the app was already dead and would never return to the real world. Bae Li’s mother couldn’t handle the emotional strain it was causing. Seeing Jia’s hope that her mother would come back to life was heartbreaking for her. Upon realizing this was preventing Jia from moving on and having a normal childhood, she decided to take a big step – ending the Wonderland Service for the little one. She planned to take Jia back to China, where Jia could have some semblance of an actual life, instead of searching for her dead mother. This decision was made out of love and concern for Jia’s well-being solely. Even though it was hard, Bai-li’s mother knew it was the best thing for Jia.
Was Bai-Li Able To Tell The Truth?
The problem was, Bai-li didn’t know about her mother’s plan to end the Wonderland Service. She didn’t even know she was dead. Bai-li only knew that she was in the desert, working to find out about the Tree of Life. But when her time in Wonderland was over and her system crashed, she found out that Jia was being taken away from her and was going back to China. Bai-li couldn’t handle it. Eventually, Bai-li realized she was dead. Before the Wonderland Service ended for good and she lost the chance to talk to Jia forever, she wanted one last chance. Even after her power in Wonderland was gone, she managed to connect with her daughter one final time. Because a mother’s love and desperation are so strong, not even virtual reality could stop it. The system might have crashed, but with the help of Hae-ri and Hyeon-soo, who managed the Wonderland Service, Bai-li found a way. They rebooted the system and opened the network of the Wonderland Service just for her. Eventually, Bai-li managed to connect to Tae-ju at the airport, who was there for his own story with Jung in. Bai-li begged Tae-ju to keep her daughter safe. Jia had gotten lost in the airport on her way to China because she didn’t want to go far from her mother. With Seong Jun, Hae-ri, Hyeon-soo, and Tae-ju’s help, Bai-li managed to stop Jia for a moment and finally tell her the truth—that she was dead and wouldn’t be able to see her anymore. Bai-li thought her little girl wouldn’t be able to take it, but Jia was stronger than she seemed. She just wanted her mother to read her bedtime stories, and know her mother loved her.
Bai-li’s final message gave Jia the closure she needed, which allowed both of them to find peace. But the problem was, rebooting the system of Wonderland Service made Bai-li forget everything about her life. At the end of the movie, we see her waiting at an airport, only to be met by Seong Jun, her deceased husband yet again. Even though death had separated them, they found each other again. The issue was that while Bai-li didn’t recognize him, Seong Jun remembered her. Maybe it was the beginning of a new romance for both of them —who knows?