Refreshing plot twist and some suprisingly good acting
The story is believable for the most part. The character development for the mains was solid; and for 8 episodes, I was also happy with development of the side antagonist. I find his story quite appealing and refreshing. Also the twist was quite unexpected. This drama has a lot going for it. And in 2024, I cannot say it is just enjoyable, it actually has something to add in the oversaturated field of bl dramas.I did learn to appreciate when a relationship has a consistent character whose actions make sense on a larger scale.
We have Ju Yeong who is consistent and stable in his beliefs and truly, as Do Hoe points out, he indeed remains same after all the timetime. Then we have Do Hoe who is volatile and influenced by his upbringing.
I have to say it was an enjoyable watch. The actors were confident when the scenes demanded it and awkward when it was necessary, but their acting itself was never awkward or rookie-like. I think that made for the overall enjoyment and my forgetting of the plot holes.
The issues of the drama in regards to violence in family, the hardship as prerequisite for the success, betraying the ones you love in order to escape it -- these all are important topics and interesting questions to be raised to a viewer. And while I cannot say the drama went too deep to explore or justify them, it also did not do it injustice in sense they made it feel irrelevant. I think what saved them was clear focus on the relationship between Ju Yeong and Do Hoe. I was relieved by the confirmation that what they choose is each other at all times.
Twisty with a happy ending.
You should def watch it.
Thank you for reading,
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It was a different experience within the BL genre.
I confess that only recently have I started watching some Korean BL dramas. I have been watching K-dramas for a much longer time.I still prefer Chinese and Japanese BLs. Unfortunately, I cannot get used to the Thai language. The sound bothers my hearing, and I end up not appreciating the drama with impartiality. There are very few Thai BLs that I am able to watch.
Please forgive me, Thai viewers. This is not prejudice in any way, just an auditory incompatibility.
Right now, I am really trying to watch Khemjira, but it has been difficult. It is funny, sometimes I cannot even tolerate myself… honestly.
But let me move on to “Unleash the Curse of Taekwondo,” which is the reason I am here.
I liked the drama. It was a different experience within the BL genre. A mature and compact story, without excessive dragging or exaggerated emotions.
Yes, I wanted more. Although, for me, the most painful aspect was the inhumane side of domestic violence, what bothered me the most was the time skip that separated the lovers.
For some, twelve years is almost a lifetime; for many, it is a lifetime. So what makes a person leave another for so long? With so many unanswered questions, living in the solitude of an unfinished past? It was unfair. It was painful.
Even though the story follows an explanatory path, it was not convincing to me. Ju Yeong did not deserve that.
The script is good, but the translation in my country was unsatisfactory. Many dialogues were difficult to understand, which is truly unfortunate.
That said, the acting was very good and fully met what was required of the cast.
In the end, Unleash the Curse of Taekwondo is a good drama, a good BL.
It was not particularly memorable for me, but it can certainly be for others.
I would like to see the leads in another series, with the same chemistry, but with more freedom of action.
Sorry for this evaluation. I have just finished watching To My Shore, so my soul is still burning with passion, hahaha.
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Absolutely one of the best BL dramas I have ever watched
As soon as I finished it I immediately watched it again. It was so moving and real, and the acting so fine. The chemistry between the two actors was gripping.. The real life themes of authenticity and artifice and redemption coming through the love given by another person and his refusal to give up were masterfully portrayed. This series is a masterpiece. Both actors were great. Lee Seon lit up the screen. He was mesmerizing with his smile and buoyant presence.Was this review helpful to you?
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The Past Never Remains In The Past
This was an extremely enjoyable series to watch, but I must say, it seemed like it was divided into three different parts. The first few episodes are perfectly moving along, Do Hoe & Ju Jeong experience the beginning of a relationship. It is done with such innocence, you can't help but feel how adorable the two of these people are. Not even knowing where to put their noses when they kiss. It's really was great to watch.Rather quickly in the middle of these episodes, you can't help but feel the darkness and drama take over. The acting is great during this period, but even with all the despair and negativity happening on screen, you just know that somehow Ju Yeong is somehow going to correct this ship into the right direction. He never gives up. Lee Sun is great performing this character.
In the end it shows how powerful this first love was, able to withstand the test of time and all the obstacles that were put in their way.
The very end, as Do Hoe is reading all the entries on the computer screen of Ju Jeong, it made for a fantastic finish to a great story.
All in all, very enjoyable.
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i really really loved this in the beginning. i liked how the characters were introduced and how they became closer. i adored how awkward they were when trying to kiss and i loved how they were planning for their future together. if the show just stuck with that it would have been a masterpiece. but that time skip ruined it for me, which is so disappointing because it was cemented to be one of my favourite shows until that happened. Was this review helpful to you?
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Story Can get confusing at times, but man everything else is top notch.
This drama was so cute. It has some pacing issues, and sometimes it felt like it was going too fast and the story was hard to follow at times, but I do like the concept of it for the most part. I don’t like it when shows have someone fall in love and then they leave for a long time and magically find each other again and fall in love again, it’s just not a realistic trope but nonetheless it’s fine, but what really made me give this series such a high rating was the portrayal of these characters that are gay. In today’s world gay people are associated with so much hate and such misinformation and it was really touching to see how nurturing these characters were written because you don’t see gay characters often portrayed like this so seeing this made me shed so many tears and it really got in touch with my emotions which is one of this show’s biggest strengths. Furthermore the soundtrack was phenomenal, I have the main song in my Apple Music Libary and I just listened to it like 10 times on repeat because of how beautiful and touching it was, everything was on par. the cinematography, the music, the characters, THE ACTORS!!! the acting was AMAZING, they had me FULLY immersed. I loved everything about them, and their natures. the character Lee Dohoe pissed me off at times, and was super toxic but honestly it’s realistic. Nobody has ever not been toxic, and it’s real asf😭. The ending of this show was almost the best ending possible for this show. I wish they would’ve showed Dohoe finally passing his exams, but how they ended it with him reading the old posts was so beautiful and I loved it. This show was everything, and I’m honestly about to cry at 3:36 AM because of how touched I am.Was this review helpful to you?
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It did not go the way that I expected. And for that, it made me enjoy this series more
So, I started this series, and while the storyline was lovely, I thought that it was going the way that I expected it to go. But this was not the case, as we are informed of what Do Hoe went through to become so successful in life.And because of this change, we see Do Hoe fess up to what he has done and is now living with Ju Yeong, no longer rich, but seems to be happier when we see him again. And I love that for this series—because of this route that they have taken.
So, with an excellent storyline, good actors who are able to portray these characters so well, their emotions, and their beautiful music, this story was able to resonate with me that I am able to give it a 9 for its end product.
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it is a nice story that could have been beautiful
It's sooo good, I fell for them after the second episode. I love how they try to protect each other, especially from the abusive father. And it's nice to see Do Hoe smile when he is with Yu Young, as his life was so hard and he had to endure a lot.I wish that the drama had stuck to the story in their teenage years, as the 10-year later jump is not that interesting and it doesn't have the same charm. It's a real shame, as the first two episodes were perfect.
In the end, I understand why Do Hoe behaved terribly, and we got a lively last episode, but it does not compensate for the middle part.
Overall, it's a nice story that could have been beautiful.
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Please dont skip this BL!
I was really excited for this drop, and despite it having only 8 episodes, it did not disappoint. The storyline is truly compelling, complex yet relatable and the main leads have amazing chemistry. The entire cast is a visual delight.I’ll admit, Episode 7 left me a bit confused. It feels like the show leaves certain elements up to the viewer to interpret, particularly regarding the characters' past issues. For example, why does Ju Yeong put on and take off his cross necklace? Or what happend to his mom?
Do Hoe frustrated me at times, especially with how harsh he was to Ju Yeong. However, once he admitted his flaws and opened up about what truly scares him, I started seeing him differently. The show does a great job portraying family love, friendship, and the challenges adults face. There’s an easy flow to the series, balanced with plenty of humor, mostly thanks to Ju Yeong. His character is so bubbly and lovable that you can’t help but giggle when he’s on screen.
On the other hand, Hyeon Ho (aka “Mr. Walden”) has this “I hurt you because I like you” attitude that’s an absolutely no for me. However, that one call (no spoilers!) really showed how much Do Hoe truly means to him; despite everything, they are best friends, and Do Hoe knows it too.
Overall, I really enjoyed the series but wish they had included a few more details. For instance, Ju Yeong’s religious backstory could have been a major element, but the show focused so heavily on Do Hoe’s issues and traumas that Ju Yeong’s story felt a bit overlooked. But, again it's a really good series.
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The man who makes you cry and the man who makes you smile
Being completely honest, I thought I would end up rating this a 10/10 however, really the first three episodes are the 10/10.Something about the younger versions of these characters hit so hard that each moment felt meaningful and dazzling. I admittedly cried the most at the beginning.
The later episodes were good but I felt a bit of emptiness toward the end/middle, it was also a bit confusing (however, the details clear up as you go on). Despite this, I have no regrets watching the series. This is one of the most beautiful things I've spent my time on and I think I'll always miss it.
A good show makes you contemplate life a bit I think, and honestly, I'm left wondering and reflecting on a lot now. There was such a unique beauty to this show that I won't be able to forget.
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To My Star (Taekwondo Version)
Hwang Da Seul is undoubtedly one of the best directors of BL series. And here is yet another proof of her competence and talent in creating such captivating stories with impeccable production, acting and cinematography.However, I feel that this is a series that ends up repeating many of the arcs and narratives used in To My Star (also directed by her). It is the story of a witty, lively man who refuses to succumb to his problems and ends up moving in with a serious, bad-tempered and cold man. Little by little, he manages to break down the walls of this cold man and they fall in love. Until this man disappears without much explanation and years later they meet again because the cheerful man never forgot or stopped loving the cold man who begins to treat him in an indifferent and cruel way.
And that is where the problem lies. I feel like the first 3 episodes are perfect and contain such a unique and well-constructed narrative about two abandoned, lonely, and pain-filled boys who build a friendship and love that can withstand the pain and give hope about a better future.
That's the best part of the series. But they decide to do a 12-year time jump and the reason why it happens is the worst possible. I would understand if Ju Yeong had killed DoHoe's father and spent that time in prison. Or if they had met in college and the story focused on DoHoe trying to get into college and having to maintain a lie so that Ju Yeong wouldn't feel guilty.
But the story of their adult life is so weak and even boring. The dialogues are excellent, the acting is very good, but all this drama and DoHoe's distant and cruel behavior simply hurts the narrative much more.
I understand that the series tries to create this more complex, adult and conflict-filled plot, but the reality is that none of these conflicts really work. The whole issue of DoHoe forging his diploma or the problem with his mother who mistreated her son has little impact on the story.
The ending fixes a lot of things and manages to bring a resolution that warms the heart. But the series is too confined in the same space, repeating the same fights and this ends up greatly impacting what could be one of the best BL series of 2024.
It's an excellent series and gives a show in the technical aspects, but I really wish they had kept and explored the story of these characters' adolescence. The formula for a perfect story was all there.
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the ending
I didn't like that “ending” that can't even be called ending, I would have liked to see more of their future, I wasn't a big fan of their misunderstandings and breakups every second either.the performances were very good, especially the chemistry between the actors and the kisses.
something that I would have liked was why the second lead never dared to say anything if in the past they could see the tension and that they felt the same way, mmm idk.
I liked it: yes
I would see it again: no
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