1A curse to lift to be able to live : a very meaningful BL
I loved this BL drama. It features one of the most wholesome and touching grumpy-sunshine trope with one of the male lead being quite closed off and the other one really cheerful. It can sound a bit classical but it showcases a beautiful romance, much more deep than I would have guessed from the poster alone. The background of the characters and the evolution of their relationship broke my heart several times, in the best way.I liked a lot the production value as well as the directing choices. There are a myriad of little signs, indicators, gestures that characters are doing and that in fact have a meaning, are relevant to the story. It is full of details and it was a joy to grasp at the clues and to understand the mindset in which the protagonists were across events and time passing. The soundtrack and opening/ending generics were totally fitting the bittersweet vibe of the romance.
I liked a lot the casting. The two main male leads Kim Nu Rim and Lee Seon had a great chemistry together and were totally believable in their respective roles. Jang Yeon Woo was a great addition and complement to the story. Maybe the three of them felt a bit too mature to play the highschoolers parts but it was not shocking, especially that the heavy context in which the characters evolved required gravitas.
I would recommend this to people that are looking for an angsty BL story. There are some sweet moments but there are also quite a bit of darkness and trauma through which the characters are evolving. The directing and production was really on point and the writing pretty solid with a lot of little interesting details.
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a complex onion of character development
It's intriguing to me how much my feelings have changed about this story in such a short time. On the one hand I feel like they did such an amazing job building out these characters right away, and on the other hand the rate at which you go from wholeheartedly loving these characters to near despising them is unbelievable. Episodes 1 & 2 I fell head over heels in love, episodes 3 & 4 I lost interest, and episodes 5 & 6 sweet feelings started to sour. Finally with episodes 7 & 8 we see all the buried feeling and secrets come to the surface for a somewhat awkward closure.The story follows the life of Do Hoe, a quiet high school student who lives under his abusive father, a the Grandmaster of a Taekwondo gym. Ju Yeong is the mischievous type, he gets kicked out of his home in Seoul and sent off to the countryside to train under the Grandmaster, and there the relationship between Do Hoe and Ju Yeong begins. Do Hoe already has a complicated relationship with his childhood friend Hyeon Ho, and as the story progresses the three of them fall into a mess of a love rivalry.
Initially these characters and their back stories were so beautifully done, what I loved most was the absolutely masterful subtlety they use to tell their story, it was all of the tiny little details that make up each scene, layers on layers deep, each scene peeled back a new layer of the characters personalities. As the story went on, it lost a bit of its chemistry and vibe, and to be honest I developed some second lead syndrome somewhere in the all the drama. It turned into ML being puppy dog followed by both of them and his wishy washy attitude hurting them all, but at least there's a happy ending?
The actors did great, each of them had a unique role to play in the atmosphere and they did a fantastic job. The production was good, each scene was intentional, and the music and editing were solid as well.
Overall, I don't regret watching, but what started out looking like a 10 barely missed getting dropped, while it wasn't terrible I felt like it really could have been something special and they just missed the mark.
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Hwang Daseul does it again
Tbh, as someone who loves Hwang Daseul's work, I was scared that I'd be disappointed but she did not let me down. The story, despite being just eight episodes, flowed so naturally, every part connected to the other seamlessly, it was a delight to watch such a show.The characters had their own realistic complexities, and the resolution to the same was quite realistic which was a breath of fresh air. It was interesting to see how the way one views themselves changes the way they react to the world around them, how each one finds a balance between morality and selfishness. I do wish there were some topics fleshed out even more like what's Juyeong's relationship with his parents like after all these years, why did Dohoe still feel safe around Hyeonho despite their past, but it didn't take away much from the crux of the story.
I have to commend Kim Nurim and Lee Seon for making us fall in love with their character's cute personalities and cute dynamics and cute chemistry. Their characters have now become one of my favourite couples in the bl world.
A special shout out to Jang Yeon Woo, his characterisation of Hyeonho was beautiful and I genuinely want to see more of Hyeonho's story in a spin off.
The use of music/OSTs was done in the best way, it made the series shine even brighter.
All in all, this is a show that will make you laugh, cry, and fall in love with life; it shows you how complex self-love and self abandon can be and it's one show you shouldn't miss.
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Just Really Really Good
Everything is handled almost perfectly. Every shot is stunning, the music chosen is on point. The actors truly understand their characters. Often times when I'm analyzing a story, I look for details in choices made by pretty much everyone else except for the actors. These two carried this story so purposefully and so well done, you could look into their faces at any given scene to find any hidden context or further meaning.Often times I find that bl's with some sort of overarching message tend to be a bit heavy-handed in delivering it to the audience. They usually tend to feel like afterthoughts instead of parts of the story. I was pleasantly surprised to find that Let Free The Curse of Taekwondo is not just a bl with a message, but also one that is deeply and intrinsically a part of the romance and characters. Every element that is there serves a purpose.
I'm also really happy about the ending. For me, it's so rare that bl will have a good and satisfying ending. A terrible ending can ruin a whole series for me, especially since it's the last impression. Even if the ending is sad, there's a proper way to handle it so that the story reaches a proper conclusion. Whether or not it has a happy or sad ending I won't reveal here, but I will say that this show's ending makes sense and closes out the story of it's characters in a satisfying way.
My only complaint would be that they kind of overcomplicated a lot of things in the end. I don't think it needed to be as convoluted as it was. I think this also lost me a little bit, making the second half of the story feel a little dry and unsatisfying to watch. I couldn't tell if it was an issue with translation, some cultural things I just wasn't picking up on, or if I'm just really dense T_T but the second half being hard to follow kind of killed a lot of the joy I got from this show for me.
//the only spoiler-y thing I will say, is that I do really love how one of the messages from this story is that imperfect people deserve to be loved too. as an imperfect person (rarely represented in bl), i really appreciate that :)) //
It's a really beautiful work and everyone who was a part of it was at the top of their game. If you're thinking about giving this series a try, please don't hesitate because it's very worth it.
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A beautiful gem
Hwang da seul has done it again .I became a fan of this director since Blueming .She is a master at this craft and she continues to impress me with her talent.How to create a realistic drama which addresses social issues that needs to be discussed thru a romantic story ? This is the main goal of this director .
U can feel how different her shows are from the other BLs which is evident from the first scene itself. Whether it be the cinematography ,music or character building ,she is a master at this art.She continues to engage the audience with her realistic touching stories .
Although it has not dethroned my fav BL of all time - Blueming .This show holds a special place in my heart.
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This review may contain spoilers
To My Star 2 Formula won't work all the time
Have always been a huge fan of Hwang De Seoul works till date and we all owe her dedication for introducing BL genre to South Korea. Her direction and storytelling has never been far from excellent with beautiful works such as 'Blueming' and 'To My Star 2'. Was increasingly looking forward to watch this title but was extremely disappointed.First of all, the plotlines is extremely is extremely choppy and underdeveloped. Initial few episodes gave a few good impressions, but later on characters have very little justifications as to why they behaved in a certain manner and neither was their backstory fully conveyed to the audience to allow them to be fully immersed with them.
The kind of angsty attitude with Dae Hoo like the one similar to Ji Woo in To My Star 2 felt like an overkill and I could not confide to his behaviour or actions and could not understand as to why such a talented student chose not clear his exams and jeopardize his entire life for some fight his lover had with his father for so many years and later chose to fake his degree. Plus the time gap is enormous, there is no character development in either male leads and they are just the same characters as they were in high school. 12 years is a huge time and no one waits for the their long lost love in high school in their 30's.
And neither in a realistic setting would something like that ever happen. The way it ended with him owning up to his crimes of fabrication and restarting his life in his hometown with his high school lover is far from reality, especially in a gay relationship. I'm sorry, just that Love in the Big City has raised way too bars this year that I can't help but compare it to this drama. Maybe happily ever after is not always the answer? In a realistic scenario it would be him alone chugging and sobbing with his cup of ramen noodles in his house.
Lastly the love triangle or the third wheeler and his history was never clear to the audience and his role is just the mystery as is to you as is to me! Lastly, there were certain good elements conveyed in the show like bullying and parental violence, but the main characters have very little story to tell, at least was very confusing to me as an audience and was difficult to get emotionally invested!
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how to love someone when you hate the world/the world hates you
(pre-finale review)dohoe and juyeong still feel as intensely about each other after a dozen years without communication as they did when they were kids re the way dohoe immediately kissed juyeong on remembering the note he left him and juyeong going back for more right after they break apart.. squeee.. it's just that they are extremities on a spectrum with how they view and react to abuse. juyeong takes it as what it is maybe it's because he was raised religiously but he wants to reconcile with people; he steps in immediately and fights like it's his second nature but forgives and forgets just as easily. dohoe on the other hand thinks people's behaviours are fundamentally wrong and gets increasingly upset at not being able to fix it and this frustration leaks into every part of his life. he focuses on himself when other people are too much to bear but feels incredibly guilty at his selfishness (he's just like me). if they can't agree to disagree, the differences in their personalities will keep coming between their love. juyeong cares too much and is simultaneously carefree. dohoe thinks and feels A Lot. their personalities can actually balance each other's out perfectly if juyeong stops and thinks for a moment and dohoe stops thinking for one goddamn minute.
story/directing wise i do think the pacing constraints makes it seem haywire especially at first with the random timeskip and the third wheel/side love interest plot seems halfbaked and unnecessary, almost as if they gave up on it half way through.
side note: not to fujoshi out but that reunion sex scene while they were arguing paralleling with their first time is *chef's kiss* like the scene switching is perfect i want MORE such a nosebleed moment
(finale review)
tune in next week ^-^ (i literally have finals next week lolol)
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A roller coaster ride of emotions with excellent acting
Subjective Gut Rating: 8.25Without knowing much about this KBL, I was pleasantly surprised at how much I like this small production. KBLs have been hitting all the right notes for me in the last couple years with their more melodramatic/serious dramas. I think they have found their niche and I really like that.
“Let Free the Curse of Taekwondo” is not a happy drama. Moments of joy and cuteness are hard to find, and only in the first couple episodes. Despite praising KBLs earlier, I wish the use of bullying can be reduced in Korean dramas in general. There’s a lot of physical violence and emotional abuse in this drama. So, if you are sensitive to these topics, it’s best to stay away.
One of the positive surprises is the acting of the two male leads, Kim Nu rim and Lee Seon. They barely have any dramas under their belt and I was impressed. Kim Nu Rim, I think, has a slightly more difficult assignment. His character, Lee Do Hoe, was abused by his father and you can see the fear and hate in his eyes. But then you see him falling in love and is so happy for those short moments. When we see him again, he’s changed again into a perfect stranger. Kim might be the more experienced male lead but most of his roles were guest roles. On the other hand, this is Lee Seon’s first drama and what a great first performance. He not only acted well as being happy and outgoing, but the mental toughness to push through an invisible wall and in some emotional scenes.
The dynamics between Lee Do Hoe and Sin Ju Yeong in the present-day timeline reminded me a little of “To My Star 2”. If you don't like the leads story in "To My Star 2", you might not like this drama. I was frustrated and ready to give up on one of the leads. But the other leads are a better person than me. They push through the invisible wall, they are dedicated and believe in their love, and eventually succeed in reaching their other halves. I think I like both dramas so much (esp. “To My Star 2”) is that these two dramas take me on a roller coaster ride of emotions.
However, there are certain areas that could be improved, mainly in editing and storytelling. There are a lot of flashbacks, and the editing of these switches are abrupt and confusing. There are some misunderstandings between the leads and I had to pay close attention to the flashbacks and also what was being said in order to understand what really happened in the past. But, I do like the past/present scenes of when the leads were intimate. What happened in the past and what happened in the present are so different in the mood, feelings and circumstances.
Another complaint I have is in the last episode. Maybe the drama wants to reward its audience after sitting through 7 episodes of despair and give us an episode of the leads being happy. I wish this last episode could be better used in giving us more than just fillers.
Overall, I had a ‘great’ time watching this and experiencing the roller coaster ride of emotions. I think I enjoy the acting of the leads so much that I am rounding this up to an 8.5. It’s not that easy to find good acting in a sea of low-budget BLs out there.
Completed: 11/17/2024 - Review #517
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The knife from the past
JY does everything right except understanding Dohoe's relationship with his dad. JY seems to want to fix that. That's the reason why he does not wish Dohoe to sell Taekwondo place. The day Dohoe had the knife to his dad, their relationship was beyond unfixable. People are right; JY is an angel and a really good guy. He might be too good for Dohoe. But I cry for Dohoe. When you have a knife between you and your dad; I don't think anything can fix him. Your life is entirely dark. JY is only the light and happiness in Dohoe's life, but if JY keeps bringing the shadow from the past, Dohoe might cut those two things altogether and choose his empty life.And people go so hard on Hyunho, calling him a bully. Hyunho never really lies a finger to Dohoe. He never hit Dohoe. If this is in a different universe, people will call Dohoe and Hyunho's stories an enemy to a lover. Dohoe and Hyunho have something in common, as both are dying to come out from their hell. At some point, they understand each other. Even though Hyunho does not stand a chance as Dohoe's heart has already sailed for JY. However, I think Hyunho is a good example of a character present in the third person in JY and Dohoe's relationship.
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hwang daseul fez novamente!
Vi no twitter alguém comentando como essa série era muito mais sobre trauma geracional do que qualquer outra coisa, e parando pra pensar, é meio assustador como esses relacionamentos afetaram os personagens ao ponto da gente acompanhar uma passagem de 12 anos mas o trauma ser recorrente da mesma maneira que era no passado. Acho que no que eu mais me apeguei aqui é na sutileza transformadora que atravessa os episódios; detalhes que parecem simples mas tem um significado enorme por trás (sou constantemente assombrado com a cena do crucifixo dos primeiros episódios) e como tão denso tudo é mas é abraçado com uma camada de simplicidade. Os dois personagens enfrentaram coisas diferentes, e o modo como cada um reagiu aos tramas também teve aspectos que divergiam mas por algum motivo os monstros que eles enfretaram pareciam o mesmo, acho que é o resultado de você amar tanto uma pessoa que tudo aquilo que é um desafio dela acaba se tornando seu.Acho que foi uma surpresa geral que ninguém estava esperando ficar tão emocionalmente envolvido na série, com base nos trabalhos da hwang daseul era de se esperar uma boa obra mas ela ainda achou uma maneira de surpreender. Definitivamente um dos melhores do ano
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Pain! Pain! Pain!
This is a story of pain. Sometime unimaginable and incalculable pain. Pain that for both these protagonists centered and defined their lives. Additionally, it presents, whether we like it or not, the ugly side of culture. The side of culture we accept as parenting, even though it is abusive, reprehensible, and evil. No one starts out to be such but acceptance of the nonsensical notion of making your children fit to some type of conformity is so strong that reasoning and common sense and standards of decency are thrown out the window. All to make your kid stronger; only in the end to make them weaker internally and vulnerable to doubt as to who they are. This is a story of lost souls. Astonishingly sad and told in muted tones filmed in dark hues as if to signify the total depression of the two of them. There are magical scenes in this series that will make you weep. Not from sadness but from remembrance. Remembrances of the happier times they had together.Was this review helpful to you?
SO CUTE AND ADORABLE AND AAA
When they smiled i smiled, when they cried i cried (i'm a crier tho so i'm not the best role model for this...), i was literally giggling and kicking my feet the whole damn time- it was so wholesome i can't with their interactions-It's not a 10 just because i really wish this was a typical 16 episode 1 hour long BL, it had SO MUCH potential to be a full length kdrama, because it didn't explore all of the history and the drama between the two of them that much (due to the fact there wasn't that much time to delve into it) it ended up not being as enjoyable because it felt rushed and simple, it wasn't enjoyable at all to watch their "sad parts", I was bored in those.
In short, it just could have been better. And unfortunately i had to take that into account for the rating, otherwise i would have given it a 10, because I LOVED IT, despite the flaws they were great aaaaaaa and it made up for it thankfully
(It's honestly sad the way the reason for this is the couple being gay... its upsetting how this could have been perfect if the people who made this BL had put more effort and budget into it :') but well it is what it is i guess.)
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