The Effect of One Night on Parting (2021)

Red flag with a face card is still a red flag. No excuses!

If a guy never listens to you, constantly talks about himself, takes you for granted and is self-centered, would you still stay with him? Without a doubt, the answer should be no. But if he has a charming face, all his bad qualities will vanish into thin air. But that shouldn't be the case, right? We shouldn't be bewitched by someone's looks. The same goes with this TV special.

The k-drama opens with Oh Jin (played by Shin Ye Eun) getting greeted by her boyfriend Cha Min Jae (played by Kang Tae Oh) with passionate kisses the moment she steps into his house. At first, this might seem romantic and sweet but Oh Jin stops kissing Min Jae midway and insists to put away the beer and freshen up first. He didn't even ask how was her day and instead asked why she was late. Min Jae then grabbed her to continue making out but she protested again to which he didn't listen to and wanted to do it his way.

It was pretty obvious from the opening scene that this relationship is doomed to end. Min Jae constantly dismisses Oh Jin's thoughts and feelings and would always point out that she's being too emotional. Oh Jin only realizes this when her boyfriend flicked her forehead too hard after losing in a bet. The finger flick is a wake-up call to Oh Jin that perhaps she deserves better than this. What was once little cracks in their relationship started to develop into a tremor that will make or break their connection.

Shin Ye Eun portayed Oh Jin with naturalism and nuance. We empathized with her as she navigates a breaking point in her relationship. It broke our hearts when she come to realize that her boyfriend is not cherishing and treating her right the way she should be. Ye Eun channels Oh Jin's confusion and ambivalence toward her boyfriend and a budding romance with the PE teacher. Ye Eun's maturity was also shown as the story progresses.

Tae Oh adopts a smug and broody approach to depict a self-centered and insensitive boyfriend. In reality, a possessive and cold-hearted guy turns out not to be hot at all. He constantly turns the tables and puts all the blame to Oh Jin for being too emotional. Thankfully, Oh Jin sticks to her guts and was firm on her decision.

Meanwhile, Hong Kyung plays Koo Won Bin, a PE teacher who is harboring a crush on Oh Jin. He is very soft-spoken and is straightforward about his feelings, a stark contrast to Min Jae's personality. He is sheepish yet has a way with words and it feels as though he is straight out of fiction books.

Overall, this is a quick, nice watch with a compelling storyline. This kdrama is not about getting pissed off over a finger flick, it's highlighting growing out of love and also touches on gaslighting which is a prominent issue nowadays in relationships. Watching this can also be a wake-up call to viewers that loving someone can just be something that is done out of habit without us realizing it. This sounds painful but it is the reality of love. The fact that this special episode was able to narrate a heartbreaking yet light-hearted story in a short amount of time is such a feat and is all the more reason for watching.

PS. If you were rooting for Kang Tae Oh, there is seriously something wrong with you. I bet you rooted for Song Kang in Nevertheless, too.

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Communication is key

The Effect of a Finger Flick on a Breakup (2021)

This is a KBS Drama Special about a couple who breaks up after a finger flick game.

I liked the story, I just felt that the story focused too much on the girl's side and not the guy. The entire time we see the girl is lonely and feels that she was taken for granted in the 3 years they were together. It took a finger flick to realize all these and broke up with the guy.

Of course the guy is confused. They were very fine the night before and suddenly she went cold on him and wouldn't explain why. She just kept saying they don't love each other. I felt that the girl was insisting how the guy should feel and we never knew what the guy really felt about her.

Her outburst in the garden finally told the guy what he hasn't been doing. Girl also said it's also her fault but I never heard her say what she didn't do for him. I thought it should be both ways. And she should have said something earlier on, maybe they have saved the relationship.

I loved the rainy scene outside her house, when the guy gave the umbrella back to her. He still wanted to try again but it was too late. The girl didn't want to anymore.

Mixed feelings with the ending. I still wanted them to get back together coz it looked like the guy has chanhed. But i also liked the PE teacher who looks like he will treasure her more.

Rating: 8.5/10

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