Eccentric Romance

Decent series for a one time watch - Very very minor spoilers

This was an interesting storyline and though it's definitely not my favorite, it was a pretty good series. I don't feel like the pacing was always the best, it didn't always flow very well, and it was very predictable in my opinion however I did enjoy watching it. There was at least one twist I didn't see coming right away, I didn't catch on until the episode before it was revealed, so at least there was that.

As for the romance, I really enjoyed the friends to lover's plot. I love that it used the murder mystery to create a mixture of jealousy and genuine concern coming from Seong Hoon. And while the main two actors didn't have the strongest chemistry, it was good enough that I really enjoyed their scenes together and especially of them struggling with their feelings for the other. Especially when it came to Jay! Watching him slowly develop feelings, realize that he was developing feelings for Seong Hoon, panic, and then accept it was a joy. Again, not the strongest chemistry I've seen, but they were cute together. I'm also really glad we got a genuine kiss between the two of them because I was going to be slightly irritated if all we got was two drunk kisses.

I will say, the language thing was done oddly in this series. I get the point of them making some of the characters Thai majors was to explain why they could all understand Jay speaking Thai. However, in my opinion that actually made it worse than if they'd just not explained it. The only reason I say that is because by making them Thai majors it put more emphasis and focus on Jay being Thai. Considering nobody in the show spoke it but him, you wouldn't really want to put even more focus on it. By having none of them speak to Jay in Thai, especially when he is alone with them, made the language part of the series stand out more to me. With them being Thai majors, you would expect them to speak to him in Thai at least occasionally. Same thing with him to them. It's not something I super care about I just thought it was odd.

Overall, this was a decent enough series and, at least in my opinion, is good for at least a one-time watch. It had its cute moments, had its angsty moments, and even had a pretty good mystery even if it was mostly predictable. I don't think this is one I would ever watch again, but I don't feel like my time was wasted either. This was an enjoyable watch.

Read More

Nothing special

There was nothing special about this series, although it could have been made better. Such a waste of talent, expecially for an international co-production. It had a slow pace, even for a short 12x 15 minute series.
I dont understand why they gave such a title, when I see nothing eccentric about the romance. Apart from having cute guys in this series, the story line was also very weak, But because each episode was short, I just watched in anyway.

Here are my few comments:
1, Language. Why not just dub the whole thing in Korean? Although both main leads spoke naturally to each other in different languages, it seemed so strange. Also if the other guys were majoring in Thai, why dont they speak Thai? Or at least make some attempt to speak Thai, and show off to Jay.
2. Friends. The two main leads apparenly were close friends for 8 years. Where, when and how? In South Korea? In Thailand? In another country? Maybe the xcriptwriter did not think it was important enough to let let us know.
3. Romance. The romantic moments between the two main leads were so superficial. We never saw any development of their own feelings.
4. Mystery case. It had a nice plot twist. I could never suspect that the murderers were there two study group teammates. But the resolution was too easy. We just read the caption that both of them were arrested and that's it.

I only kept on watching this because Jay was cute and so was the gym guy. But I dont think I would rewatch it

Read More

Worst Series I have ever seen

My headline should be, stop doing Thai vs Korean BL, it is ridiculous and unrealistic.

Because this is the first thing detrimental to the series this whole I understand what you are saying is like??? We don't talk like that in real life.

It could have been way better if they incorporated some Thai dialogs and Korean dialogs between the main leads, but no. They just magically understand each other.

But this is far from the main issue, what the f* is that plot? Like for real the whole murder plot then back to romance felt like a tonal shift and I couldn't take this series seriously.

The ending, the revelations and the confusion of characters made this hard for me to finish, which I regret I did. this is among the worst series I have ever watched.

Read More

Ok I guess

Straight off the bat, it's an okay watch. It's like a calm stroll down a no name street where you observe no name people doing no name things. Where was the eccentric romance? It could have been a suspense drama with an electric romance, sadly it wasn't. I watched to the end just to see who the murderer was and the reason behind it. It was great until it wasn't.

I really don't like people who don't know if they like someone or not. Jay has know and been a friend to SH for far too long for him not to know if he has feelings for him or not. After the reveal, it was a bit disappointed by his response. Jay's behaviour is childish at times but you get through it. Leading up to this point the series was nice. After this the eccentric romance had no zing to it. I'm reminded of Dangerous Romance where the only danger was the script and 'someone's' inability to act like they were in a romance.

The plot of the murder was a nice addition. JU as the suspect and their mapping of his actions brought some humorous moments which added to the okayness of the story. This I liked. What was a deterrent, the music did nothing to enhance the suspence. Even at the end with the revelation, it really felt a little flat. Where was the shock factor.

JW was another good addition but with a limited script, she was not utilized more. SJ and his ally, made the series tags a reality. The unrealistic final end of their plot made the comedy part true. Filming it to put out for likes. Seriously? Yes, heavy on the comedy.

As I stated it was an okay watch and I will recommend it. Even if it's just to see Jay's lips and SH declaration to protect him. But who's going to protect him? Go watch. Re-watch, maybe.

Read More

From friends to lovers, an unsatisfactory ending and the use of multilingualism

Cinema and television have told many stories that show that it is possible to conquer love through friendship and achieve happiness. One of these stories is undoubtedly 'Eccentric Romance'.
Produced by Hanyang Studio, the series is part of an international audiovisual project that unites South Korea and Thailand, both in story and cast, as it did before with 'Peach of Time', 'Love Is Like a Cat', 'Why R.U?' ('Waialyu'), which should be added at some point, among other series, 'Wuju Bakery'. On this occasion, Studio Sky and Studio Target also participate.
If in the aforementioned series they combined romance with the supernatural, a plot of healing, love and the fusion of two opposite worlds; the stories of enemies to lovers; or how a novel becomes reality, this time it tells us a youth and university story that excellently mixes suspense, crime and police investigation, before becoming a story of self-discovery and acceptance.
Jagwan Gong, also known as Kong Ja Kwan, who spent his early career making adult films, such as 'Pornmaking for Dummies', 'Pizza Dare 1' and 'Pizza Dare 2', 'Buddy's Mom' and 'A Unique Movie ', before moving into the mainstream with his first theatrical feature film, 'The Sex Film', in 2006, he is the director of this LGBT+ themed romantic drama, which uses the quasi-thriller mechanism of a murder mystery in the that the two protagonists will involuntarily find themselves involved. But its narrative transforms into something much better and deeper. 'Eccentric Romance' is actually a story that rises about friendship and love.
Because as the background of a budding romance, the scriptwriter imagined a crime and tells its resolution, step by step, having as investigators some inept and even laughable protagonists and their closest group of friends, all so that the viewer is sometimes deceived, but putting the clues under our noses in such a way that we overlook them and suspect at times of one, at other times of other characters.
This series is the first of a three-level Hanyang Studio project Y Evolution 2023, and began life under the name 'PT is Love', however, shortly after the filming schedule was announced its title was changed to ' Eccentric Romance', although for a time it was also often called "Bizarre Romance".
In just six chapters, each divided into two, each lasting about 17 minutes, the series plans to tell us the story of how a boy does the impossible to be close to his best friend, and in the process, such At the same time, he also conquered something more than his heart, since from the beginning the main organ of the circulatory system of each of them is already in his power.
The story tells us about Jay, a young Thai man who travels to Seoul to meet Seong Hun, his best friend, to study the same degree as him at university. Both, who hide their feelings from each other, which are more than those of one friend can have for another, have built a solid friendship for 8 years, but the last four years they have been distanced, at least geographically, since each one has must attend secondary education in their native country.
With a vibe as dark as it is interesting, the series tells how the two friends are enrolled in the same college elective class called "Health and Happiness" and must submit a physical body assessment for their final project. Although Seong Hun already exercises regularly and has a well-developed physique, Jay does not believe he is in the best shape and wants to develop his physique in the gym.
For this reason, Jay convinces Seong Hun to take him to the gym where he usually goes and thus get in better physical shape to be able to complete the academic exercise.
At the gym, Jin Uk, a personal trainer, shows a special interest in Jay, much to Seong Hun's chagrin. However, there is something strange about Jin Uk. Despite his kindness towards the Thai boy, suspicions begin to arise that Jin Uk may be involved in the murder of a man named Jin Wook. Is there a happy ending in store for Jay and Seong Hun, or will Jay's budding relationship with Jin Uk cost him an untold price?
Will it happen, as in every beautiful suspense story, that nothing is exactly what it seems? I'm waiting for a delicious plot that will surprise me with its twists and turns.
Scripted by Yeon Joo Lee and Yong Ju Lee, 'Eccentric Romance' is based on a story by Keum Lim Lee.

IS IT WORTH IT OR NOT TO WATCH 'ECCENTRIC ROMANCE'?

In reference to the performances, Yoon Jun Won manages to give life in a credible and well-crafted way to a sports-loving boy who shows from the first shots that he has feelings for his Thai friend. It's one of those performances that hits the sweet spot of a friend-to-lovers relationship with the audience. The dynamic, chemistry and sexual tension created between this actor and the one who plays Jay is fascinating.
Yoon Jun Won, the actor and former member of the "multi-tainer" group THE MAN BLK, is known for participating in numerous films and series, such as the three seasons of 'Best Mistake'.
For his part, Save Saisawat, who plays Jay, steals the spotlight when he enters the frame, the happy and sincere way in which he relates to his friend, the laughter that flows from his lips, the secret glances at his friend, along with his facial gestures, he conveys to us from the first moment who we are in front of and what we should expect from him.
Save Saisawat has extensive experience in BL productions. In 2022 he starred in the series 'Why You... Y Me?', and that same year he played Chonlathee in the drama 'Ai Long Nhai', and in 2023 he appeared in the film 'Ai Long Nhai: The Endless Love'.
This main group of actors is missing Lee Geon U, who will play Seung Ju. This actor played the romantic interest of Mew Suppasit in the series and film 'Love is Like a Cat', by South Korean director Kwon Nam Ki, and Taeha, also known as Momoland, as 'Ji Won'.
Finally, after the interesting meeting between the two protagonist boys and Jin Uk, a character played by Go Byung Wan, known for participating in the dramas 'Love Returns' (2018), and 'Bad Thief, Good Thief' (2017), it ends to propose the main elements of the scenario, from which the series begins to take shape to know in the following episodes what the most interesting awaits us.

THE USE OF MULTILINGUALISM

There is one issue that seems to bother some viewers: each of the characters speak their native language instead of a single common language. However, this is not a problem for the development of the series.
The actors maintain a special dynamic even though some speak Korean and one of them speaks Thai, as they are perfectly synchronized, comfortable in their own languages, and give the idea of ​​being able to understand each other fully and fluently, achieving a connection with the viewer.
In my opinion, South Korean director Jagwan Gong has been free to use the tool of multilingualism to provide characterization and establish tone, and also to entrench certain linguistic stereotypes.
This situation allows me to remember a brilliant and masterfully choreographed scene from the film 'Everything Everywhere All at Once', by directors Daniel Scheinert and Daniel Kwan, winner of awards in the categories of acting, editing and direction, as well as the coveted award for best film, at the 95th edition of the United States Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences Awards.
I'm referring to the scene where three generations of a chaotic immigrant family speak three different languages at dinner.
This is a solid example of how screenwriters and directors use language in film to do much more than convey dialogue: language and subtitles also help characterization, set the tone of a scene, and anchor fictional stories to the story reality.
What is annoying for some when they watch 'Eccentric Romance', evokes in me the moment when the South Korean filmmaker Bong Joon-ho in his acceptance speech at the Golden Globes for 'Parasites', in 2019, when he stated: when the audience overcomes the "subtitle barrier, a richer cinematic world awaits."
Telling authentic stories in a modern, globalized and multicultural world means fairly portraying the languages spoken and adopted in our society. Hence, sometimes, the need for subtitles.
In some of the best scenes in Todd Field's 'Tár', its protagonist, Cate Blanchett, uses German only during orchestra rehearsals and completely dispenses with subtitles.
Non-German-speaking audiences may not understand the words Blanchett speaks, but are instead encouraged to focus on the visual aspects of the character's communication: her facial expressions, her physical tics and tremors, and the mounting tension, both visible as audible, between her and everyone around her.
Another example of the use of multilingualism in audiovisuals can be found in the Japanese film 'Drive my Car' ('Doraibu mai kâ, Ryûsuke Hamaguchi', 2021), one of the most interesting and stimulating films, and, why not say it, most awarded, of 2022. In it, a Japanese playwright, Yusuke Kafuku, a character played by Nishijima Hidetoshi, intends to stage a new version of the play "Uncle Vania" by the Russian playwright Anton Chekhov. Except for a long forty-minute introduction, the entire film takes place between the rehearsals prior to the premiere and the car trips that the stage director makes daily between his hotel and the theater driven by a laconic woman, Misaki, a role assumed by Miura Toko, that they have assigned him as a driver.
A peculiarity of this new update of Chekhov's text is that the cast of actresses and actors who are going to participate in the production belong to different countries and that they each recite their sentences in a different language (Korean, Mandarin, Japanese and even French. of Korean signs) that is not understood by others. It seems as if gestures and body language were enough for the interpreters to be able to transcend their linguistic particularisms and elevate us to the universality of emotions.
The relationship between Kafuku and Misaki will also strengthen despite the silence, the absence of words, that presides over a good part of their trips. Hence it is no coincidence that the play to be performed is "Uncle Vania." Because the same inability that human beings seem to have, and that Chekhov points out in Russia at the end of the 19th century, to face change, taking refuge in melancholic loss, to assume our desires, abandoning ourselves to guilt, resentment and frustration, of getting out of boredom, routine and boredom, letting ourselves be carried away by a kind of moral inertia, is what Hamaguchi observes in 21st century Japan. And also, and of course, the lack of communication, the insufficiency of language to account for the deepest layers of the human soul. Because both Chekhov's characters and those of the Japanese filmmaker express themselves more in what is not said than in what they really say.

UNSATISFACTORY ENDING

But the series ruins everything towards the end. On the one hand, it fails to engage with the expected increase in tension or an explosive and surprising closure regarding the crime expected by the viewer: the criminal investigation falls into the hands of some inexperienced university students. Although several police officers at one point began the investigations, they were never seen with their investigations again. Will the South Korean Police be so inefficient?
I can't find a real motive to commit a crime, kidnappings and multiple attempted murders. Instead of great villains, the murderers are laughable at most, while the central mystery stops being gripping, if it ever was. The characters never go through dark, dramatic and complicated situations.
The criminal investigation carried out by Jin Uk, Jay, Seong Hun and Ji Won (Kim Tae Ha) also compromises the development of the romance between the two main characters, as they will find themselves lost in the midst of the labyrinth of suspicions and persecutions instead of strengthening the loving bond.
In the last episodes, once the two protagonists have recognized their feelings for each other, instead of increasing the romance and sexual tension between the two lovers, the romantic approaches and physical interactions evaporate.
Bottom line: the ending is lackluster and doesn't live up to expectations, it's like a bad dessert after a good meal, and it leaves the viewer with a bad taste in their mouth.

Read More

Solo hace una cosa bien

Cuando me encontré esta serie y vi que era otra coproducción Tailandia-Corea no pude no recordar "Love is like a cat", lo que me hizo tener escalofríos. ¿Se vendría otra oportunidad perdida? ¿Otra narrativa en la que todo el mundo se entiende aunque no hablen ni el mismo idioma?

Y sí. Y sí también.

Pero en este caso al menos han buscado el tiempo para justificar por qué todo el mundo parece entender Tailandés. Se ve que hay una moda por el idioma en Corea y no teníamos esa información.

En cualquier caso, la serie se siente apresurada, muchas de las escenas cortan a nuevos momentos sin conexión alguna, la relación entre Jay y Seong Hun pasa de 0 a 10 en una transición, la motivación de los personajes no queda del todo clara... y encima la amiga con la que estaba viendo la serie se vio venir el giro argumental en el capítulo 3 (yo no tanto, seré idiota o es tan solo el autismo).

En fin, otro despropósito en 2024.

Read More

Completamente senza senso...

Ma perchè? Questa la domanda che mi sono posta costantemente episodio dopo episodio. Perchè fare una serie così senza senso? Così fatta - quasi volutamente - male? La trama non esiste, le scene sono ridicole, le motivazioni che dovrebbero collegare una situazione alla successiva lo sono anche di più. C'è davvero il nulla cosmico in questo drama.
Quanto meno, non c'è stato uno spreco in termini economici, non sono stati sprecati attori importanti e soprattutto nessuno si è evidentemente spremuto le meningi per tirare fuori qualcosa che fosse almeno decente.
L'unico motivo per cui ho deciso di guardarlo era l'idea - nuova, va detto - di una BL in cui i protagonisti fossero un coreano e un thailandese. Dato che le BL made in Corea e quelle thailandesi sono davvero molto diverse, ero curiosa di scoprire cosa potesse uscire da un mix che, non escludevo, potesse nascondere il giusto equilibrio tra pregi e difetti di entrambi i tipi di produzione. Ma questo è un dettaglio rimasto sulla carta. Nel concreto, non si è fatta nemmeno la fatica di dare un senso logico all'aspetto linguistico (tutti, provvidenzialmente, comprendono tutti, qualsiasi lingua parlata e con una strampalata idea di bilinguismo diffuso a macchia d'olio la questione pretende di essere orribilmente risolta). Scene con elementi casaccio - dal compito universitario ai delitti/aggressioni - vengono piazzati qui e lì senza alcun nesso logico, coerenza o credibilità. Tanto per, insomma. Davvero, una delle serie più inguardabili in cui sia mai incappata.

Read More