A Step Forward in Danmei
The story sticks pretty close to the novel which a lot of fans will totally vibe with. But one big issue is how they handled the non-consensual scenes. Instead of taking those moments seriously - they were kind of romanticized which is definitely misleading. In my opinion they could have been way more thoughtful about this to show a more responsible perspective of those heavy themes but I do not fully blame them because they did follow the book after all.On the flip side - the actors really killed it! Their chemistry brought a lot of authenticity to the adaptation, I really loved how they looked at eachother and the kisses were pretty decent too. And even with a limited budget, the creative team made it look pretty impressive.
So overall I think this adaptation is a promising step for the genre. It features Chinese actors and culturally relevant elements and it sets a new standard for future projects. Its awesome to see a production that respects the source material in the DANMEI world. Sure, there are some areas that need a bit more care and improvement but this is a meaningful move towards more nuanced and culturally accurate representations of danmei literature.
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2Fantasy Healing Fable
I will preface this by saying that this is in all likelihood the best drama I’ve seen all year. By a strong margin. It’s certainly one of the best I’ve seen in the last 12 months. Until Shards of Her, I hadn’t watch any Taiwanese dramas in several years. Yet in the last couple of months, I’ve discovered a treasure trove of good shows. This is perhaps the best one with the widest appeal. While it has whodunit elements, there’s no gore or violence to deter the faint-hearted. It’s a gloriously perfect blend of coming-of-age, fantasy, a touch of horror, detective and family drama. The weakest part I’d say is the police procedural side of things occasionally played for laughs (which doesn’t help especially from the perspective of a seasoned watcher) but all is quickly forgiven because this show is driven by great storytelling and is imbued with plenty of heart. It’s the kind of show that the Koreans call a “healing drama”. Which usually results in an outpouring of eye water once the waterworks are turned on. Good grief. I don’t remembered the last time I cried this much in a drama.The star of the show is Pu Yiyong played by Tseng Jinghua, an underachieving high school graduand whose only talent is calligraphy. It’s hereditary. His grandfather is a renowned calligrapher and a teacher in the art. But that distinct family trait has a habit of skipping a generation. Calligraphy however is a dying art form, quickly being superceded by technology. On the other hand Yiyong’s only ambition is to be a comic book artist after completing high school. One day on his way to a calligraphy competition, Yiyong, his father and grandfather board a bus which unfortunately falls prey to an incoming airplane. The lad survives but wakes up after being comatosed for over 2 years. His grandfather barely makes it and is still unconscious in hospital even after all that time. It is left to Mother, Ye Baosheng (Cheryl Yang) to pick up the pieces.
While time has moved on and everyone else with it, Yiyong is lost at sea with no paddle. Or map. Metaphorically. He has no idea what’s next for him until he becomes entangled with supernatural beings who insist that they need him to settle unfinished business on their behalf. So an almost 20 year old unemployed Yiyong reluctantly takes on “cases” that contain at their heart a riddle that needs to be unravelled. Enter Chen Chuying, a junior police officer (Vivian Sung) to lend him a helping hand and takes the lion’s share of the credit for clearing up these mysteries in front of her colleagues. Still cracking these cases is a team effort. Along for the ride is former schoolmate and med student Cao Guangyan (Peng Cianyou) who coincidentally moves next door with his dad (Mario Pu) when Dad’s days in publishing comes to an abrupt end.
Yiyong becomes a reluctant sleuth as he wrestles with his own future and the loss of his father which has left a gaping wound with guilt at the centre of it. He has nightmares that he can’t make head or tail of. There’s also a shadowy figure in the background determined to test his mettle at every turn. Unlike others who have come before, Yiyong is a reluctant superhero. He would rather get on with life and not be haunted by beings that only he can see. Until he starts drawing them that is.
On a deeper level, like many crime shows, this is about the forgotten people in our communities. Those who have suffered loss. The lonely. The homeless. The victims of crimes. This where the show tugs at the heartstrings effectively. The rollercoaster of emotions that I feel in this comes only very rarely. Beautifully intertwined with all of this is also the message that everyone has something that they’re good at. Even a designated “loser” by current social standards can contribute in unexpected ways. Academic smarts aren’t the be all and end all. Everyone has a part to play in the social engine regardless of social status, education, smarts or rank.
This journey of course isn’t Yiyong’s alone. Chen Chuying and Cao Guangyan, his so-called “superiors” who accompany him have a lot to learn from him as well as these out-of-this-world experiences. Chuying understandably is desperate the climb the ladder and break glass ceilings in the police but is forced to confront her own motives for wanting to a respected detective. And Guangyan, for once in his life doesn’t have all the answers regarding his future.
I am new to most of the cast and Tseng Jinghua who leads the cast is definitely brimming with potential. He brings the right balance of confusion, grumpy frustration and a reluctant compassion to the role. Despite Yiyong’s brusque demeanour Tseng Jinghua manages to keep him relatable and likeable.
To give credit where it’s due, I leave my highest praise for the script and by extension the writer. It’s the kind of story that could easily lose its way or get derailed by all the moralizing but unlike many others it’s unusually disciplined by keeping the main thing the main thing. The result is a coherent piece of storytelling which is undergirded by a surefooted direction. Once it takes off it never falters. Furthermore they also manage not to butcher the finale in order to leave the door open for another series. Which is entirely doable if the will (and a decent script) is on the table.
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Bromance
The first time ever I write a review about a series.So the plot is kinda common, about a cop who hate drugs and try to clean the city from drugs dealer. Then he met a doctor in an incident and both become friends to deal with the master of the drugs dealer. The thing that attract me the most is the bromance between the two main leads. You can say its almost like BL, just got censored. Even so, I still like their bromance as they trust each other so much even when they just met.
So far the story is good enough, lot of things that makes you want to watch more and more. The only problem for now is the subs. From what I read, I think the subs just copy paste from google translate. Even the name sometimes translated. I think this series will have lot of international fans if they could advertise it well and also put proper english subs ASAP.
Two thumbs up. This is one of the drama that i really love and will rewatch it later.
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Incredible Romance
When I first came across Fake Princess, the title sounded cliche and the storyline tropey. I was not familiar with the actors. I thought I would watch the first episode and drop the series. To my surprise, not only I didn't drop it, in fact I was rather enjoying this drama.She is a bandit and he's a crown prince. She wants his telescope so she steals it and they meet, and later marry each other without him knowing the actual identity of the person he is marrying. He has assumed that she's the granddaughter of the Prime Minister, his arch enemy, and a mole planted by him (the Prime Minister). But despite all the suspicions and distrusts, very quickly they fall in love with each other and become inseparable. Everything they do is for each other. Never once they betray the other. Each is always there to save the other. As a viewer, it's hard for me to drop such heart-warming storyline.
I love the Chang Le (Yu Kai Xin/Eleanor Lee) character - altruistic. wise, strong, humble, quick-witted, and intelligent. She is also unusually technologically talented. Yu Kai Xin has that casual expression and body language on her that fits perfectly well for the bandit character she's portraying.
Li Che (Zhao Yi Qin) the crown prince is one of the most adorable crown princes I've ever seen. He doesn't have the normal sharp good look of a crown prince that we are so familiar with. Instead, Li Che tends to have a blank face, a clueless look most of the time, giving the viewers the impression that he's not that smart. Perhaps he's indeed not as smart as his wife, but his devotion and upstandingness capture us all. In front of Chang Le, Li Che is like a teddy bear - compliant, devoted, silly and loving; he becomes a little boy, dependent and gullible. Zhao Yi Qin is new to me but his acting here is wonderful, delivering his character 100%.
My favorite scene of the couple would have been the moment when both try desperately to save the other from the 'poison' both have ingested. The altruism in each is amazing and brings tears to my eyes. Both are faithful to each other with one united heart.
There are 2 incredibly well-developed side couples here - Zhu Yan/Li Heng and Nong Yi/Gong Sun Mo. I have always thought the Zhu Yan/Li Heng couple would have a tragic ending whereas the Nong Yi/Gong Sun Mo a happy one. With a twist of events, they do not end as I have expected, and it's painful to watch the loss.
The villains are despicable characters. Having said that, the Prime Minister is villainous and yet super funny when it comes to his beloved teapots. I laughed so much at those scenes because they are so unexpected of his character. Being mean and nasty but not so intelligent make the villain characters very entertaining and a joy to watch.
The wuxia scenes are extremely well executed. Beautiful fighting choreography, floating hair and flying clothing making the whole scenes stunning to watch. Absolutely wonderful.
Yes, this is a good drama deserves our valuable time to watch. Don't miss it!
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intense, heartbreaking, beautiful
Overall: this series had me on the edge of my seat every single episode. Never have I been so invested in characters discussing lines. It's in a league of its own. Watched on Gagaoolala.Content Warnings: homophobia, grief about past death, alcoholism, past bullying discussed, age gap (this does not bother me in this instance)
What I Liked
- acting, you could cut tension with a knife at times
- metaphors (bridges, lines, etc)
- layers upon layers with figuring out what all happened, we actually did not learn exactly what all happened in the past and I'm okay with that
- Wang calling his mom out about her way of addressing her friend in episode 1, overall I loved Wang's character and how he was not afraid to be himself or fight for what he thought was right
- cinematography and overall production value
Room For Improvement
- how are there only 2 bedrooms and 2 bathrooms in that huge house?
- the OST was beautiful but it was really the only song played the same way over and over again
- should have removed the commercial breaks
- the blurring of the alcohol (this was likely done for Thai TV but wish they had unblurred it on gagaoolala)
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1Who will spy on the spies?
The Wind Blows from Longxi is an intricate ancient spy thriller that is not for instant gratification audiences. Its biggest hurdle are the first three or four episodes that are weighed down by the introduction of too many bearded and murky characters on both sides of the Shu-Wei conflict. Clearly even Lu Yang couldn't resist romance of the Three Kingdoms lore and goes down the rabbit hole of lingering on defining events and larger than life figures of the day that are peripheral to the otherwise tight plot. Past that, the storytelling simply immerses you in the lonely, tangled, nail biting, heartbreaking, cruel and utterly thankless world of ordinary spies, ants who put themselves in harms way to pave the way for great men to be glorified by history.Recent adaptations of Mo Boyang's works have been orgies of high speed chases and thrilling action scenes that fall short on suspense and in delivering satisfying and convincing motives and twists. This is very much the opposite. The production values are movie like in quality but due to the shadowy palette, this is best enjoyed on a big screen. The camera is often very still and at times comes at avant-garde angles in low light that accentuates the clandestine nature of the interactions, of opaque motives and conveys a omnipresent sense of alone-ness, tension, ambiguity and danger. The action scenes are signature Lu Yang - impressively choreographed, blood thirsty, vicious and up close and personal in the critical moments.
This drama is set during Zhuge Liang's Northern Expeditions, a period of stalemate between Shu and Wei where neither side had a clear advantage or scored decisive victories. It is an apt setting for this kind of story because when the margins are narrow, intelligence and counter intelligence can tip the scales in either direction. The drama opens with Zhuge Liang's first (of five) Northern Expeditions, which was unsuccessful. This led to General Ma Su's decapitation for his failure to hold Jieting and Zhuge Liang's demotion. It allowed his political rival General Li Yan who advocated a Southern campaign against Wu instead of Zhuge Liang's Northern Expeditions against Wei, to gain power and influence. The Northern Expeditions took place in rather complex geographic terrain, where the timely delivery of military food provisions was challenging and made the difference between victory and defeat. That is broadly most of the historical background that is needed to understand this story. Of course Three Kingdoms buffs will be thrilled by the "drive-by" of many legendary figures on both sides of the conflict but the important characters in Ma Boyong's stories are always the little people or the ants.
The lines between fact and fiction blur as Siwencao, Shu's intelligence agency, suspects that compromised military intelligence had led to their defeat at Jieting. Siwencao hastily concludes that Chen Gong (Chen Kun), a Shu spy code name Baidi (White Emperor) under deep cover at Tianshui (a Wei stronghold) must have defected and sends Xun Xu (Bai Yu), Deputy Chief of Internal Affairs to deal with him. But Xun Xu is not convinced of Chen Gong's culpability; they are intimate friends, related by marriage. Together, they discover that the highest echelons of Siwencao has been infiltrated by Zhulong (Wax Dragon), a Wei spy. They can trust no one and go rogue with a bold ploy to lure Zhulong out into the open with Shu's crossbow design, long coveted by Wei. They are forced down separate paths that are fraught with danger, under resourced and alone with nothing but their absolute trust in and knowledge of each other. But nothing ever goes completely to plan and everyone has secrets. When the rubber meets the road, will they still have each others' back? How well can one really know someone? This also applies to Chen Gong's relationships with both Mi Chong and Guo Gang, which are as riveting and illuminating has his relationship with Xun Xu. After all, this is about two states at war with each other, there is really no good or bad or right or wrong side. All of the characters on both sides are patriots to their own cause; fascinating, layered, suspicious and disingenuous characters practiced in the art of deception. Were it not for an accident of birth, Guo Gang could well have been a Xun Xu to Chen Gong.
The role of such a cunning, duplicitous and morally ambivalent character such as Chen Gong must have been written with Chen Kun in mind. He dominates the screen in every scene and had my heart in my throat at his ability to turn around dire situations and the glimpses of his ferocious, raw pain and rage that is quickly disguised by indifference or conviviality. The wildness and the violence of his emotions when he takes revenge, where his veins literally popped out of his forehead is frighteningly intense and breathtaking. Bai Yu's Xun Xu is Chen Gong's conscience, a sincere and persistent truth seeker whose bottom line is not flexible. Xun Xu's most consequential mis-calculations are with those he loves best and his regret and unspeakable guilt and sorrow are among the most moving performances I have seen from Bai Yu. While Chen Gong and Xun Xu don't actually get that much screen time together, their screen chemistry is tangible and conveys a bond that transcends dialogue with undercurrents from their body language and their unguarded manner with one another. When Chen Gong starts to play a lone hand, Xun Xu senses it and their dynamics shift and become subtly more stilted, again showcasing the sheer virtuosity of their performances.
The most outstanding aspect of Longxi's storytelling is how masterfully the narrative builds up to the plot twists and the reveals. It is so insidious that by the time the reveals happen it is already sitting on the edges of my mind and thus seems to be organic. This is very compelling because I feel that I am part of the process, and underneath all the surrounding complexity the solutions are rather straightforward and should have been obvious. The characters are so fully actualised that their decisions are characteristic and the outcomes are inexorable. Unlike many other conspiracy heavy plots, this does not succumb to too many twists with overly convoluted or illogical outcomes.
The ending is gut wrenching and yet oddly triumphant and fitting. What is clear from the get go is that Chen Gong and Xun Xu are just expendable pawns caught in a high stakes game where they are besieged by both the enemy within and the enemy outside. As a result of serendipity and his own deviousness, Chen Gong is able for a moment, to seize control of the chess board. He plays the White Emperor's gambit, trading one life for three, empowers a righteous man and writes his own ticket home. His decisions are completely in character and in doing so, he finally articulates his own bottom line. But I won't lie, my first reaction to the ending was ".And that is why those dumb f*cks lost the war!" Because I am not sure the greater good was served. While one traitor is felled, the other villain with equally dishonourable tactics gets off largely unscathed and Siwencao remains a weapon that can be both used and abused. The age old question - "Who will spy on the spies?" remains.
While the start is dense and lacks finesse and the dialogue is on the heavy side, this is a drama that rewards the patient viewer. It is not a masterpiece, indeed many of the criticisms about accessibility and the dialogue that is heavily littered with modern phrases are more than fair. Yet I find the immersive storytelling, the suspenseful plot, the stellar acting and the unconventional camerawork immensely enjoyable. This is not something likely to enjoy mass appeal but for me, I would be surprised if I watch a better drama in 2022. I can happily give this a 9.5/10.
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Real definition of "Dark Comedy".
This is exactly what you call dark comedy or black humor; perfect combination of comedy elements & morbid satire. Inspector Koo, in my opinion, is also the investigative thriller of the year 2021 and I am amazed to see an immense investigative drama after a long while.Inspector Koo (구경이) got a simple yet "not so basic" storyline. The title clearly indicates about the drama being centered by single person, i.e. Inspector Koo Kyung Yi. She's an ex-cop who now works as an insurance investigator at a company after retiring from police due to a tragic incident involving her personal life. Her desire to perceive truth behind different cases is so high that she can do literally anything to get her work done. She ferociously chases down a university girl, who seems to have been connected to a serial murder case, all of them staged as either suicide or accicent.
The drama has 3 stages in total:
i) know it all but no proof.
ii) have proof but can't catch.55
iii) oh! everything is a messs.
Koo Kyung Yi (Lee Young Ae) is a crazy woman; to say it in Korean, 'michin yeoja'. Food, alcohol and gaming are what she lives for, and can go insane when not provided with them. She got severe mental health issues due to past incidents, and can be sensitive when mentioned about them. Song Yi Kyung (Kim Hye Joon) is a university student with abnormal behaviours and considered a psychopath by many. She's a dramaclub member too and her past has made her like this. She avenges victims of several incidents who have been unfairly compensated by the law, by doing what? Killing the guilty. She's also know as Ms. K.
This drama infact is a all female story and is dominated by women all over; amazing actresses playing major characters. We have here, Chief Yong Sook (Kim Hae Sook) as the chairperson of a charity foundation. Na Je Hee (Kwak Sun Young) as the team leader of the investigative team B, Director Kim (Jung Suk Yong) as Chief Yong's right-hand man, Oh Kyung Soo (Jo Hyun Chul) as an investigator in the Team B, Santa (Baek Sung Chul) as Kyung Yi's assistant, Ahn Keon Wook (Lee Hong Nae) as K's helper, etc in the major roles. These are all profound actors, and hence the acting department has done very well in the drama.
The plot development is stupendously set up in the drama and the progression is very pleasing. The first impression from the 1st episode is sooo intriguing that you'll definitely move to the next without hesitation. This is something that'll keep you hooked throughout and never ran outta substances. There are places where you might feel like the consequences might be become uninteresting, but that's where the table turns and they start over again. That's the beauty of the drama. There are several peaks in this 12 episode script and I loved how they were able to keep the moods & vibes up till the very end of the show.
I don't want to believe that the writer is actually a rookie and it's their debut script as the main jakka. Sun Cho Yi jakkanim have done a great job such a mind blowing script with a compelling plus captivating progression. The character dynamics for each and every major character is very well drawn and everyone has got a fair share of importance, I feel. You're gonna love Koo Kyung Yi, Song Yi Kyung, Santa, etc. Special mention to the cute-acting namja Santa who'll melt your heart multiple times with his acts TT. There's also a portrayal of homosexuality (gay character) for one of the major roles (won't spoil) and I am happy they didn't use it in bad light.
Director Lim Jung Heum, known for the critically acclaimed thriller drama "Nobody Knows" did take the responsibility for Inspector Koo and was able to do a fabulous job there. This is clearly evidebt from the 1st episode of the show. Screenplay management, coordination, screen-editing pacing and execution is amazingly handled and the entire crew deserves credit for it too.
The sound production department as well as the composer for this drama Kim Tae Sung needs some serious praise. Loved how the drama has so many enraging OSTs that perfectly fit the mood of the drama and were appropriately used at instances. A major part of OST album is sung by TRPP, a Korean Indie trio, known for their rock, alternative and garage elements. The songs by TRPP are "Yeah (Round and Round)", "Coming After", "Sins", "Patience", "Liars (I feel Alive)" and "Limbo".The speciality of TRPP is that are the electronic instrumentals used in their songs plus their harmonic vocal line up, which is totally visible here.
Other than that we have "Up" by Hajin, "Watch Me" by SURL and "SURF" by INNI. Additionally TRPP has collaborated with Wayco and Mollo separately to remake Yeah (Round and Round). I swear to my life, there couldn't be any other song to accurately suit the drama and the mood it wanted to deliver. Music for Inspector Koo deserves 10/10.
The sense of choosing from right or wrong is the main concept of this drama. This drama reminded of this quote which I don't remember was said by the person, but it goes like, "Right is right even if no one is doing it; wrong is wrong even if everyone is doing it.". Everyone who has their standards to differentiate between the two and in case they committ mistakez they come up with certain prenotions to defend themselves by which the whole concept of righteousness itself is wronged. Perceiving the drama from this way, Inspector Koo is secondarily a revenge game where someone tries to avenge the right by unlawful means and another who tries to stop the former because righteousness can never be achieved when you commit the same mistake.
The drama also focuses on mental health issues. Abnormal and morally dangerous personalities induced by lonliness and trauma can harm the society in many ways and the drama is yet another portrayal of that. I am happy they has also emphasized on that.
The 2 important elements of Inspector Koo are investigation and comedy. Again, thia drama is a great treat for the lovers of investigative thrillers. Although you known who the culprit is, it really takes a great effort and time to figure the situation, motive and consequences. Connecting the dots and drawing a figure is all yoh have to do and this drama did it brilliantly. There are several highs and lows in the status but what matters is the end, and I assure it was as compelling as the entire show. Many shows claiming to be of dark comedy genre actually fail to understand what dark comedy is but the writer of Koo has done a good job in doing her homework. The main source of comedy is Koo herself and anything involving her might look serious but they simultaneously make you burst into immense laughter too. Several scenes which scare you off about the consequences, also seem weirdly funny, and that's how it should have worked, I mean that's how it happened. I had a good time watching the entire show.
Overally, Inspector Koo is an amazing drama and it has also those entertaining factors. I thoroughly enjoyed the show and honestly wanted more episode tho I don't wanna complain. The basic storyline of chasing after villain is not something new but the screenwriting and plus the execution along with music surely make it a stupendous thing. It's a must watch in my opinion with high reawatch value, so definitely coming back to it.
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Sageuk of the year 2021.
A quote from Oscar Wilde goes like, "Women have a much better time than men in this world; there are far more things forbidden to them." Indeed the women of the world have been chained with rules created by bigoted individuals, for which they're made to sacrifice their wills, rights and aspirations. This drama, too, is based on the story of a woman who, till the very end, did her best not to fall into the patriarchal system's confinement.In Joseon era, the court ladies chosen for the palace to serve the King, his family as well as to carry out different matters, were more like slaves. Bound to stay single until death, once chosen, they had to wear clothes with crimson red coloured sleeves. This red sleeve was more like a handcuff to hold back them from leaving the palace as well to remind them of their limitations. So the drama is based the love story of a King and his court lady turned royal concubine and it truly lives upto it's title throughout.
"The Sleeve's Red Cuff" (옷소매 붉은 끝동) is a live-action adaption of the famous Korean novel with the same title, by Kang Mi Kang (강미강). With a fictional script, the drama is the true love story of King Jeongjo, the 22nd monarch of Joseon dynasty and his royal concubine Sung Ui Bin. Some historical facts about major events found later is also included in the drama to maintain the most possible accuracy.
To simply put the plotline, the drama is set in the Joseon premise of history from mid to late 1700s (18th century), with only 1st episode taking place in 1764 and the rest after a couple of decades, with flash backs from both 1762 and 1764. The basic story is about Yisan (Lee Jun Ho), the Crown Prince of the kingdom trying to persue his handmaiden, court lady Sung Deok Im (Lee Se Young) to become his royal concubine. Although they're in love with each other, circumstances stand in their way to unison and this what the story is about.
Yisan is the Crown Prince of Joseon, very intelligent and aware of his duties and responsibilities, he strives to be a better ruler than his grandfather, the King. Deok Im is a quick-witted, strong-willed and free-spirited girl who has progressive mindset and believes in living an independent life; she's a medieval feminist. Both the characters are stupendous in their own places and their arcs are beautifully drawn by the writer; couldn't help but fall for them. Romance? Well, I won't call it romance. To me, it felt like an amazing chemistry buildup, growth of mutual understanding and blooming of untold emotions. Even though they were not together as couples for most part of the story, but whatever amount of togetherness we witnessed, it sufficed my heart bcs I had been savoring myself with the bonding throughout.
Lee Se Young is already a proved actress who has won us over through her skills for years in different roles, and she, as Deok Im in here has done very well in bringing out the truest essence of it. This is not her first Sageuk so I'm sure the experience has helped. Junho came back after his enlistment with this and I can say with confidence this'll be a turning point in his acting career. Even with less than 10 dramas, he was a decent actor but his acting graph went really really high in here and I am very happy about it. Lee Duk Hwa who played King Yeongjo (Yisan's grandfather) was a show stealer for me; being the one with most experience, his performance was so powerful that it has left a tremendous impression, what an actor! Kang Hoon as Hong Duk Ro (Yisan's closest aide) struggled in accommodating at first but improved in the later part. Honestly, I thought he was not enough skilled yet to play a major role like this but at least he learnt a lot. Park Ji Young as Head Court Lady Cho served as a prominent antagonist though I was expecting more of her character; she's an amazing actress nevertheless.
Jang Hye Jin as Court Lady Seo (Deok Im's mentor) was the simplest and easygoing character and very likable. Jang Hee Jin as Queen Consort Jung Soon (King's Concubine) and Kang Mal Geum as Consort Hong (Yisan's mother) were of moderate importances in the drama and they're already praised for their acting skills. There are many other familiar faces in supporting characters, who did well too.
Plot development is very fabulous, I must admit, it's been a while I witnessed such prominent and solid development in plot along with each of it's individual elements and possible side stories. The introductory episode is the background story involving the early childhood days of Yisan and Deokim. And then a leap of about 2 decades where the characters grow up. There starts the gradual progession that includes the individual lives of the leads and the supporting characters around them. 3/5th of the show is mainly about dealing with the conspiracies against the Crown Prince, within the royal family as well as in the palace. This is also accompanied with the simultaneous and unhurried buildup between the leads. The rest 2/5th is concentrated on the unison of Yisan and Deok-im with almost similar importance to crime revelations.
The connecting plots of past and present, the twists, the revelations and the storytelling method are awfully good. There are several peaks and very few slopes; it was somewhere around 8th and 9th, in which nothing major happens but it was still interesting. The last 4 episodes were ofty intensed and highly vehement. There are comedy elements incorporated here and there but 4/5th of the show is of serious tone. The single word narration of the drama's mood is melancholia; oweing to the already known sad story of history, it was bound to be sad and miserable.
Talking about episodic progression, in short it's fantastic. I've already mentioned about the perfect pacing for a major portion of the show; there is no part it feels boring. The last 4 episodes visibly get rushed but it's not that fast-paced to be bothered about. It could have obviously been avoided but anyways, it was fine for me.
Jung Ji In PDnim is one of the powerful female directors in Korea though she's produced less than 10 dramas over a decade with no significant piece but her graph of direction went really high with this one and I'm sure it's a big turning point in her career. The quality of the drama really speaks about her skills which we also saw in the BTS videos. The screenplay, the screenediting, pacing and execution is definitely praiseworthy though the pacing became a little fast in the last 4 episodes, but anyways, it was manageable. The cinematography was spectacular giving out the red&blue aura of a perfect sageuk premise. Most of the drama takes place inside the palace and whatever scene involved the nature, both in and out of the palace, were worth the enjoyment.
Honestly, I didn't know the screenwriter Jung Hae Ri jakkanim before this but I must say that she has done a commendable job. Even though the drama is an adaptation from a novel, turning a literature based book into a movie or show script is not really that easy. And given her least experience, she has done the work with a up to par quality. The immense research to create sets with historical accuracy and the efforts to retain the preserved facts, is clearly visible.
On that note, I must also applaud for the author of the Original novel, Kang Mi Kang jakkanim for this story of majestic essence, putting forth the importance of court ladies, their roles in royal as well as political affairs, the life of red sleev cuffed concubines, the heart of a King and several other lesser-told stories from the history, etc in a very beautiful manner. I haven't read the novel but from the drama, I am sure it's something very great, bcs books are better than their adaptations you know.
Execution of sageuk elements is another plus point and notable aspect of the drama, which is worth the mention. I don't really mind the dilution of cultural aspects in periodic dramas or inaccurate representations but you know what, accurate and realistic approaches serve as a huge advantage. The royal palace complex premise consisting of several residencesfor different members as well as different departments including the court maid residence, are well photographed. The costumes, the rituals, the architectural elements, the laws and regulations, the royal court proceeding methods, the literature, the natural scenrios, the city and rural setups, etc. etc. were perfectly delineated in accordance with real fettle of the period in which the story takes place. The execution, thus, is beyond perfect; I don't remember watching such in a while, probably not since Scarlet Hearts.
Noh Hyung Woo is an old yet lesser experienced in comparison to the other contemporary composers but I've quite liked his work in other dramas and so did I like here. He was able to compose pieces that perfectly suit the story, giving perfect sageuk OST vibes, and the substance it wanted to convey. The background scoes are up to par, as well. It has 8 OSTs. "Starlight Heart" by BEN is my most favourite among them, her vocals are so majestically heart touching. "I'll Leave You" by my all time fav Lee Sun Hee ahjumma is unfortunately a melancholic track released for the last 2 episodes. "I'll be with you everyday" by NU'EST Minhyun is a confessional romantic track and so beautiful. Jung Sang Keun's notes are that of an old classical Kdrama OST in "Every step you take" so are of XIA in "I'm still" whose passage stretches wrench your heart.
Things I loved the most
# The progression of the show was lovely, likable, enjoyable and entertaining with good dramatic values; I had a very good time. Especially the elements are what make it eventful and engaging.
# The chemistry between the leads and the coupled development in characters and relationship is alluring, even the romance is subtle for most part and real romance lasts for a small while.
# The portrayal of importance of Court Ladies in Palace is not new for sageuk Kdramas, but this drama does a better job in projecting extra focus since the FL is a Court Lady and not from any Noble Family. It reminded me of my first Kdrama Dwe Jang Geum (Jewel in the Palace,2003).
# The true nature, character, duties and responsibilities of a real Korean King has been very well illustrated which is actually very intriguing and impressive.
# In history, King Yeongjo was a ruthless King and a remorseless father but I somehow felt in love with the character in the drama, may be because of Lee Duk Hwa and acting, but yeah! He truly felt like an emperor and his majestic acting, oof!
# There was no exaggeration, neither of plot, nor it's elments; everything is in a perfect dosage. Unlike most of the sageuks this year, it didn't drag an empty plot to make it a proper cable drama. The drama didn't run out of substances at any moment.
# There was no deviation from history, the basic story and the historical facts were not changed which is in fact a big plus point.
The ending, well, yes! It's a sad one and it was, in fact, announced earlier. The real story on which the novel is written ended like that, so does the novel and hence does the drama. This was to retain the historical accuracy of facts. Some of the audience might hesitate to go till the finale or some other might not want to even start it because of that, but trust me, it's WORTH IT. Each and every second of the show is that good to give you beautiful experience and in my opinion, no one should miss it. In the end, I wanna say that I have cried a lot, A LOT. And I will never forget how much i did. I think I will comd back to my own review to cry.
My only complaint about this drama is, it not being a 20 episode show. I mean I am also a lil disappointed about the pacing in last 4 episodes, but they could have easily extend it upto 20. The makers themselves were aware of this and hence they extended the originally planned 16 episodes to 17 episodes, which can also be cited as a production flaw. So they should have planned this ahead of the casting and finalized in order to avoid the occurrence of such a situation. But anyways, its over now.
Final remarks... "The Red Sleeve Cuff" is the sageuk of the year without any doubt. Direction, production, screenwriting, execution, casting, acting, cinematography, music, etc.... all these aspects havs been taken care of very well and I can't praise much about how much I loved this drama as a whole. The only problem of lil rushed pacing in the last 4 episodes is totally avoidable, given the quality of the show. I was more than willing to give it a 9.5 but that only issue made me deduct 0.5 and i believe that's only fair.
If you're wary about watching bcs of the sad ending, let me state that "sad endings are not bad endings"; even if it's a sad one, the journey and the content are worth everything. Let's assume it ended with 16th and we got a happy ending though the reality is something else. It's definitely a must watch and also worth coming back for. Please do watch this bcs this needs more attention than this. This is the best historical as well as one of the best set of dramas this year.
P. S. Let me know in case of any mistake.
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Right away, I’ll say that this is not the goofy romcom I was expecting it to be. Although there are plenty of laugh-out-loud moments and lighthearted comedic scenes, this drama gets heavy at some points and definitely moves into the melodrama category occasionally. But what made this drama so amazing is that it continually challenged my expectations of the comedy genre and the difficult emotions never felt unnatural. I laughed and I cried many times and found myself re-watching scenes again and again. The dialogue was fascinating, very quotable, and definitely gave me a new outlook on love and relationships.
It's the cast and characters that really make this drama special. Not only is the acting superb, but the individual characters are very complex and unique. Mikuri, the drama's heroine, overanalyzes and missteps often, can rarely reign in her colourful imagination, and is bold as brass, but that’s what makes her endearing and I loved watching her grow. Even the most minor characters shine in this drama! Each character is so well developed in their personalities and desires that you can’t help but root for everyone to find happiness!
Definitely don’t miss this beautiful drama!
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I gave the story a decent score, only because I think the transformation was pretty impressive, but it was still imperfect in a lot of ways. My first problem with the story was that it didn't know whether it wanted to be a romantic comedy or a melodrama. The main plot revealed a very mysterious and serious backstory, then went into these weird slapstick comedy scenes that just didn't work together. One moment there is a revenge story brewing, then the next moment we are supposed to care about a CEO's anxiety issues, and the obviously planned romance between him and an obnoxious new hire. Add to that the fact that the CEO is too mysterious to be sympathetic, and The leading lady is the most annoying person on planet earth. The only thing that got me through in the beginning were the "Another Miss Oh" cameos, but I listened to viewers who said the story gets better after episode 5. In my opinion things don't start falling into place until episode 7, and that's when I knew I would probably become a fan.
The writers do a great job of justifying the previous bad episodes while completely changing the drama into something more enjoyable. Still, even with the fixes to make it better, the flaw is in how bad the story premise is in the first place. In order to like this drama you can't dwell on how unrealistic the major event of the story is, and instead you have to just go along with the characters on this journey. The characters, and their rewrites, are what made me become a fan.
I eventually adored Yeon Woo Jin as Hwan Ki. This is, in my opinion, his best role so far. Maybe it's the fact that I relate to his shy/socially anxious character a lot, and I thought they did a good job of showing what it's like in a neurotic anxiety filled brain. I was truly impressed by how believable he was, and relatable, and empathetic, and totally unlike the ways I've seen him before. Some people may think it's too exaggerated, but I don't. I also relate to being thought of as scary and intimidating while I'm just sitting and thinking about something to myself. When it comes to his character, I think they nailed it.
He is matched with Park Hye Soo, who's character I initially hated so much that in one scene she actually gets slapped, and I wanted to applaud. She was too pushy, too obnoxious, completely self involved, and not likable in the least. I'm sure the initial point was to create an opposites attract scenario, but they left her with no redeeming qualities, which made me think that the actress was just too young and out of his league. Eventually the rewrite calmed her down, made her more charming and less annoying, and that's when I realized that Hye Soo is really quite talented. I did end up liking them together, and rooting for them to succeed, in spite of the plot making that pretty hard to do. I started to actually see chemistry between them, and although they may not be among my favorite romance duos, I thought they worked well together. Many of their romantic scenes together made me smile, and there were no closed mouth lips barely touching kiss scenes either.
My favorite amongst the rest of the cast was the silent monster staff. Once we were able to get to know their stories the office scenes became fun to watch. Their characters are comedically over the top, but still felt real and relatable. I just get excited seeing Ye Ji Won in anything now, but Heo Jeong Min was hilarious too... And I just rewatched "Another Miss Oh". My next favorite is Jang Hee Jin as Hwan Ki's first love, who was refreshingly different from what's often expected from that kind of role, and made that aspect of the story more entertaining.
The problem with Yoon Park as Kang Woo Il and Gong Seung Yeon as Yi Soo is that even with the rewrites they were still stuck in a melodrama storyline that made no sense to me, so it was impossible for them to not come across as extremely overdramatic at times. They did their best, but I cringed when that storyline would reappear. Writers did make both characters sympathetic, and saved them from becoming 2 dimensional, but their actions remained unbelievable to me, so I just preferred when they were not a major part of the story. Then there's also Lee Kyu Han who plays the ultimate buzzkill. His backstory is eventually explained too, but he kinda just pops out of nowhere at seemingly random times in the story, making it seem like he was only created to be a problem.
If I ever watched this again it would be strictly for Yeon Woo Jin. I had a slight feeling of missing the cast when it was over, but really it's just his character that I am going to miss. I really related so much to him that I just may rewatch it someday... or maybe just clips.
About the music... There are 2 songs form the soundtrack that stood out to me, so in my opinion it was better than ok, but not much better.
Obviously I am biased against the melodramatic storyline, and more a fan of the shy boss rom com storyline, which I think saved this drama from being a major flop. Still, every aspect of the story is explained, and reexplained, and the writers seemed thorough about avoiding loose ends to the very end, which i appreciated. So yes, all questions get answered, even if the answers are hard to swallow. Also, even though some of the last episode seemed like filler, I loved the last moment, and thought it was a great way to end the story... a story who's major theme throughout is being able to express how you feel!
Overall I would recommend this drama for fans of unconventional rom coms with the warning that this story takes a loooooooooooong time to build. If you can sit through the first few episodes filled with annoying characters, misunderstandings, and over the top melodrama, you eventually get to a good story about becoming comfortable with who you are, your own style of being, and expressing how you feel, with a sweet but difficult love story as a bonus.
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The writing/direction/production team all paid close attention to detail and crafted both scenes and sets with clues and forshadowing that make it the perfect sort of show to rewatch.
For anyone who is into story analysis, it struck me in the closing scenes that they wrote a Hero's Journey into a romance plot (not along side it, but literally, the romance IS a hero's journey), which is really something amazing. I can't say I've ever seen it before. So, I feel like it's not hyperbole when people say this is the best show they've ever watched. It's pretty amazing.
(Original review written around episode 8 below):
There's so much going on in this series that I love. The writing is tight, well paced, and presents at the same time a fascinating puzzle of a time travel story; a deep reflection on grieving; a thriller-type murder-mystery; and a double romantic comedy, played out in different timelines. It is genuinely a cross-genre show, so don't go in expecting pure comedy OR pure drama.
The acting is fantastic. I have always thought Alice Ke was an exceptional actress and she's not disappointing here. I liked Greg Hsu in Love Storm, and he's even better in this. The whole cast is great, but these two really shine. Directing. It's brilliant. Together, the writing and directing are letting the mystery of the time travel as well as the murder unfold in a way that raises new questions as it answers old ones. The directing includes so many little details that not only draw us into the mystery of the time travel, but hint at the more overarching explanation of what is happening. There are nice little symbolisms, like the red earbuds that the leads share at times, which creates a red thread linking them. There are also many conversations and dreams that we see early on that take on new meaning as the story unfolds, giving a sense that all the details matter... there's no filler here.
There are some more ambiguous symbols as well. There's some significant representations of enclosure and separation/isolation. These could represent grief and loss, which is a major theme in the drama, but they take on additional potential meaning in terms of what is really happening... that there is loss, grief, and perhaps the potential to heal or even change the past is a given. But what isn't given is that what we see is the actual story; many of the symbols reinforce the sense of fragmented reality that the female lead experiences in both her grief and her early experience of time travel.
For example, the "broken audio/video" shifts between scenes, especially with time travel, play into the fact that in the first few episodes the transition from an ordinary story about living with grief to a supernatural story about time travel/fate is started by the use of technology, once to find a "doppleganger" and the second time to use virtual reality to "reunite" with the lost love. While nothing much is made of this (and as of the 8th episode, it hasn't become a factor), these sorts of hints are beautifully done. They make it harder to guess the overarching explanation while at the same time they work on their own. That is, if it turns out that they were never anything more than a couple of scenes in the first few episodes and had nothing to do with the over-arching story, they still work. They aren't just red-herrings to obscure the truth, they are integral moments in the character development and plot that *could* mean more.
Long story short: it's fabulous, and given how well done it is so far, I'd really be surprised if it stopped being fabulous.
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IT WAS A MESS
DISCLAIMER: this review contains my thoughts and feelings. You don’t have to agree with me I’m just giving my opinion.Season 1 >>> Season 2
Everyone felt super performative at first. Especially Seo Eun and Seul Ki. Like you could tell they were conscious of the cameras watching them trying to appear sweet and innocent etc. Over time some got better, some got worse so let’s get into it:
Singles inferno could’ve done so much more to improve this season and entertain the contestants. There isn’t enough to do in the inferno and quite frankly paradise should only be for deepening a connection that has already been established. They act like age and career is so pivotal in getting to know someone when to me that is the least. I’m sure the contestants can find other things to talk about and be more engaged and have an interesting conversation without feeling like they have to tiptoe around everything they’re saying in fear that they might give away their age or career. Imo everyone should have an opportunity to go at least once and the show should force people out of their comfort zones and allow everyone to truly get to know everyone. For example, a person shouldn’t be able to pick the same person twice or 2 days in a row and the dates / challenges should be more inclusive. They could also throw in a wild card like if the contestant is not enjoying time with the person they chose then they have the opportunity to switch partners or something like that.
A major issue I had with the show and the men was how obsessed they were with Seul Ki. She is a positively bland person and I can’t even begin to fathom how she had all three men chasing after her. It’s obvious they only liked her because of her looks (ideal in Korean beauty standards) and because she is rich. Nothing else! It was very sad watching Dong Woo still choose her even after being rejected. And it was insane seeing her develop feelings for Jong Woo overnight just because he gave her the attention Jin Young was unable to express. I still believe Jong Woo is just a replacement for Jin Young. The way she phrased her choosing him as finally choosing the guy who chooses her first instead of going after the guy she likes??? Lmao if I was Jong Woo I would feel so hurt watching that back because I literally cringed. Anyways, I hear they’re still together now so I can only hope it worked out for the best. The back and forth with Seul Ki and her feelings which she was unsure about until the night before was so unattractive to me. Ino she is way too grown to be acting so immature and being so indecisive. I wish she and Jin Young didn’t take up the screen time but that’s exactly what happened and what the producers wanted.
Out of all the men the one I hated the most was Yoong Jae… he gave me cocky / narcissistic vibes with the way he treated So E and even Han Bin. Obviously the girl I hated the most was Seul Ki… she filled up the screen time and it wasn’t like she was interesting or had much to say. I’m sure she’s a great person deep down but I do not think dating shows are for her. The second person I found insufferable was Min Su because she stayed choosing Jin Young even though she knew Nadine liked him. Ugh it’s the way Jin young upset me with choosing Seul Ki even though he had the best connection and best vibes with Nadine. Platonic or not they were great and he would’ve been better off choosing her. But no he had to come with his bullsh*t talking about how he knows he likes a girl in 3 seconds and if he feels sparks or what not.
My favorite contestant by far was Nadine. Idc if people wanna keep saying that she was only there for her Thesis and how she spoke English to try and "flex" on the others. If you watch her YouTube channel you can see what kind of person she really is. I appreciated her genuineness because even though she was nervous and shy at first (especially because she had to speak Korean) you could tell she was a really down to earth person. And even though she didn’t end up with anyone I feel like she grew from the experience and learned to be more vulnerable and stop being afraid of approaching guys first. I love her and I will be rooting for her beyond paradise because she made the show enjoyable and made me want to stick around.
With that said, another person I think deserved so much better was Se Jeong. You could feel the colorism dripping from the screen with each episode lmao. Because she was not paper white like the rest she did not have a chance to go to paradise, make it make sense! She was gorgeous and all of the men overlooked and forgot about her just because she didn’t fit their “ideal” In the end as Jin Young said she was only “girl crush” material indicating that she wasn’t even potential girlfriend or wife material. That comment was so insulting and you’d think that the world was becoming more open and progressive but no. People still judge others by their skin color first calling it preference or “ideal” type. I don’t think Se Jeong had a real chance in the inferno and it was sad to watch her day after day be lonely. I know people are gonna say she doesn’t have a personality and is bland but that isn’t true. People should be blaming the producers and editors for not showing her scenes and overlooking her like the rest. In small moments you could see her efforts in trying to get to know the guys but they just weren’t interested in her the same way. Some of them claim to have picked her on day 1 for ideal type and changed their minds but we don’t know how true that is. I say Se Jeong just had bad luck and was around the wrong group of men.
The only couple I truly enjoyed was Se Jun and So E. So E definitely came a long way since the initial episodes… at first I did not like her and thought she was fake and willing to steal other peoples men. But that wasn’t the case… she was naive and upsetting when you’d hear her say stuff like how she’d keep trying for Yoon Jae no matter how many times he rejected her. That in itself infuriated and annoyed me so badly because we were finally seeing her true nature however it was like she couldn’t recognize that she deserved better and should stop settling for less.
I was so happy when Se Jun arrived in paradise and finally saw So E. He truly saw her and accepted her for who she was and didn’t even care about her previous connections with any of the other guys before he arrived. He really put her first and took such good care of her. His kindness and compassion towards her warmed my heart. You could really see that he just wanted her to be happy and make the most of the experience. He didn’t want her to feel obligated or pressured into choosing him, he wanted her to explore her options and make decisions of her own free will. In my humble opinion Se Jun was the best guy in paradise.
I’ve watched the reunion episode with them reacting to their clips and I have to say I’m glad the cast members have remained in contact with each other and seem friendly / like friends. That was the only outcome of the show anyways because it’s just so unrealistic for people to “fall in love” in nine (9) days. Plus in eastern culture it takes so much longer for them to trust and have a connection or even get physical. Watching this show is such a let down in comparison to other shows. If I didn’t have anything better to do I probably wouldn’t have watched. The show needs more spice but lmao this is coming from a western viewer — I like shows like too hot to handle, the bachelor / bachelor in paradise, love island etc.
I just feel like the people they show casted are all adults and should be more forthcoming with their feelings especially if they choose to sign up for a dating show that only lasts for 9 days. They’re all grown so it’s so annoying watching them keep up the innocent childish act to preserve their reputation or what not. Like cut the bs. It’s why I have to give the show a 5.5 /10. I literally feel like I wasted my life and those are hours I’ll never get back. My own fault, obviously but I’m glad I got to see persons like Nadine, Se Jun and So E. Watching them made it worth it somehow 😂🤍
Overall, I felt like the show was predictable. If you’ve watched season 1 it’s the same exact thing to expect in season 2. There’s no difference except for the cast and I presume as the seasons go along it will only become more boring because persons want to appear a certain way to the audience watching and don’t really know how to be their true authentic selves. Also parts of the show are scripted like you can’t tell me each season there will be a girl who has 3 men choosing her??? Be fucking fr
Would I recommend this to others? Probably not. Not unless you want to purposely drive yourself insane for 8 out of 10 episodes or you want to stick around for the rare gem of a couple (So E and Se Jun)
Anyway, thanks for reading!
❤️
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The two leads form a splendidly unique mixture, providing unique heartbeat and appeal to the story
“The Kidnapping Day” is all about its two great protagonists. I'm tempted to say: it is about the female lead character. The actress is simply wonderful and perfect for this character. Nevertheless, in my opinion, in her eccentric role she comes into her own so brilliantly precisely because her adult counterpart: the Kidnapper, who is just the way he is – as a rather clumsy person, he is practically the antithesis of this cheeky eleven-year-old but highly intelligent know-it-all. Yet, he ist the one who is sort of seeing, liberating and nurturing her usually neglected self, that is hidden underneath her intellectual brilliance: First of all she is just a child with all needs that come along. So, he might be not as smart as the little girl, yet he is actually the true grown up, who is not letting him be mislead by her genius, but watching out for her and intuitively caring for the child she is, too. This splendid mixture provides the unique heartbeat and appeal. So together they form this edgy team, keeping the audience in a good mood.The plot offers a lot of humor and quite some comicalness of the situation, but there are also serious themes lingering. After all, there is an unsolved murder case. Furthermore, it is nevertheless a case of kidnapping, even if the prefix may change over time. Added to this is the sad fact that health is often a question of money. And ultimately, behind all of this, there is also the issue of abuse. “The Kidnapping Day” is also able to tackle the ever late-breaking topic of “education hype in South Korea” in an original new way, entangling it in an exciting crime thriller.
What initially starts as kidnapping quickly takes a completely different direction. The victim becomes the mastermind. The police, or at least one of the investigators, dares to think twice and appropriately take unusual paths according this unusual case. Good and evil, black and white, its blurred. Yet, there are still unscrupulous villains. We are also stumbling over complex enmeshments, lying way back in the past.
“The Kidnapping Day” knows how to deliver on a variety of levels. Accordingly, the number of viewers has more than doubled over those 12 episodes. The special charm of the two leads also got me and I was happy to stick with them. Mind you, this was basically because of the charming relationship dynamics of the two leads, and how the two shape the kidnapping scenario along the way in a pleasantly witty way, including the solving of the murder case and at last providing a solution .
P.S.
The two protagonists, their particular relationship, THAT is the clever strength and the endearing piquancy. The rest might at times come across rather careless and pallid. Obviously, this is (once more) the product of the new era that has dawned in the KDrama orbit. Numerous new networks are now happily playing along on the market, including ENA, former SKY, which has repositioned itself in 2022 in order to get involved with its own KDrama productions in the top Pay-TV segment. (ENA belongs to Korean Telekom and produced 22 series in 2023 already.)
In general, with Disney, Netflix and others, I´d say KDrama productions feel like having doubled in 2023 (I didn't count, though). But what seems like a blessing at first sight turns out to be a bit of a sham, too. Where are all the original ideas supposed to continuously come from? And if there is a promising plot idea, it is yet far from being thoroughly worked through... Quantity rarely automatically goes hand in hand with quality. And it doesn't work the other way around either. Accordingly, “The Kidnapping Day” also suffers from the ravages of time: negligence can be observed here and there. However, the main strength and driving force of this story - the strangely lovingly developing relationship of the two unconventional leads - luckily is awesome enough to carry and equilibrate.
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In the current jdrama and overall Asian media landscape, LGBTQ+ themes aren't the best represented. There are a lot of stories created to cater to fanservice rather than representation, and it's usual to find series and audiences that can't separate the two.
This series is incredibly well crafted, which is not only a credit to the manga that originated it but to the overall adaptation and the great performances by the cast, especially the leads. Each episode is centered on a specific meal (they even tell you how to cook it!), a meal cooked and prepared at home, which connects to the intimacy and the complexity of this couple, two men in their 40s who deal with their daily lives and their very different ways to handle their identities in their respective environments.
Shiro is a lawyer, he is reticent to coming out at work or to not be hetero-passing enough in public, at the start of the series. He is out to his parents, but doesn't speak too openly about things and overall seems a bit unsure still on how to present himself. Shiro could very well be the prototype of "unwilling" you find in BL dramas, in those in which consent is never clear and someone always has to say "no" to no avail. But he is not. Shiro is certain on his feelings and his relationship, but he needs to learn how to reconcile the different parts of his life in order to feel more sure with letting others know. He cherishes his relationship and is actually the one who marks most of the pace, there is nothing in him that isn't consensual, and conversation is a big part of the drama that lets him grow as a lead.
Kenji is a stylist, he isn't embarrassed to be flamboyant and open about his identity and his relationship. He could very well be the prototype of "flamboyant" and "feminine" in dramas, but he is not. He establishes in various instances the misconceptions of gay relationships, the difference between drag and homosexuality, the elements in presentation and gender dynamics. He is very taken by Shiro and isn't afraid to show affection, but he is also filled with self doubt and needs to learn how to communicate them better throughout the series, and how to reconcile his past with his present self.
The series is filled with moments throughout the life of these two, their encounters with other characters that will widen the lens, and you can see a lot of layers of the prejudice and complications of acceptance in Japanese society and the way in which they, and other couples, deal with those. It's a series that isn't devoid of its tear-inducing moments but it's not intending to be sad, dramatic or tragic, it's a happy story, and the leads aren't used for any sort of gratuitious emotional torture.
The food is not only great, and boy do I love dramas with a focus on food, it's also increadibly heart-warming and cozy and it provides a sense of the emotion and feeling you'll see on the episode and complements the story really well. And, meanwhile, you learn how to cook it.
I also immensely appreciate the fact that the couple is over 40, it really serves to discuss things that dramas centered on relationships almost never focus on. I feel that every time a drama focuses on a couple, it's going to be all about confusion and misunderstandings until a grand over-the-top ending. This one, though, is relatable in its simplicity and emotional depth, not only for those in relationships, but also those who are not but are still figuring out ways into adulthood in a couple of generations where the landscape of expectations and reality have changed so much. It isn't just about life in a relationship or life as an LGBTQ+ person, it's also about adult life in a very fast changing social landscape.
Overall, this was a perfect blend of a drama to me, the cast made it a great watch as well (one character has an actor change mid-way because the original had medical issues, but they pulled through really well regardless), and it's definetly great as one of those dramas you can come home to and relax watching, while also having a story that is compelling and emotional at times. I don't even hesitate giving it a 10/10, something I rearely ever do, but this one did it for me.
I can only hope there is a second season or something else from it at some point.
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Low on angst, high on fluff (Just the way I like it)
I'm not going to write a full blown review for this, I just want to point out why I like this drama so much since it has mixed reviews. I rate this drama so high because it's low on angst, and high on fluff. We don't have the cliche plot with a love triangle, and we don't have the overly controlling parents. On top of that the female lead is smart, driven, quick witted, and loveable. The leads also have great chemistry. If you're someone who doesn't enjoy a lot of conflict, and likes more self/ relationship growth, this is the drama for you.Esta resenha foi útil para você?
