Let Free the Curse of Taekwondo

Dont mind me gushing and rambling

First of all, I’m a big fan of the intro. It feels comforting and nostalgic. Cinematically speaking. I also really like it, it feels light and soothing.
About the characters. I adore them and their personalities. The ML seems so sweet and caring. But I also love how the MC opens up and becomes happier.
The first few episodes take place in the past and therefore there are different social norms and expectations. I think this drama incorporates this very well (TW).

In general, this BL seems so realistic. In the beginning, their kisses and romantic interactions seem so innocent and you can feel the awkwardness between them, because it probably is their first interaction with a man. But they do look out and care for each other and I love the both of them.
Due to the actors' amazing acting, they genuinely seem like lovers/friends.
After the 4th EP, there is a time skip and the MLs mood changes and you can see the look of hurt in their eyes. Their interactions hurt (but in a good way). You can feel the pain, but also their longing for each other and you can just feel it tickling in the air between them.
It’s painful to watch the differences in their behavior in the past and the present.
In my opinion, the topics in this BL were rather unique but so real at the same time. The characters were complex and I think it has one of the best ending scenes. This BL also reminded me of why I love KBLs so much.

Read More

The reality of love when everything isn't sunshine and rainbows

Had I been a true film head and done my research on the director before watching this show, I would have been comforted knowing even though I was heading in blind (there was literally no advertising I saw for this series, it just popped up on one of my IQIYI searches) I would have my heart broken regardless. Hwang Da Seul is the screenwriter and director of this series, and is the same to "Bleuming," "To My Star" 1 & 2, and "Where Your Eyes Linger." These are all OG BL's that were not only some of the most well-wrote content of their time but remain what I would dare call this generation's KBL classics (minus "Where Your Eyes Linger of course.) I left this show feeling how I felt after watching "The Eighth Sense"; my heart mended in a way that made it different from who I was before, and knowing this would be a comfort show sad overtones or not.

Hwang seems to constantly be pushing societal boundaries as well, with there being more affection in this series than I expected, even some barely fade-to-black moments that had me wide-eyed wondering how far was she gonna let this go. I applaud her for consistently providing top-quality media and ensuring length is not a minimizing factor that dumbs down a story. Originally a film released through Bucheon's International Film Festival, I hope to God she got the acknowledgment this series deserved.

On a personal note, this show broke me in all the right and wrong ways. From the jump, the lighting, music, scenery, shot-blocking and angles, intonation, EVERYTHING told me this show was going to be very good and also extremely sad. Do-hoe and Ju-yeong's storyline is the epitome of making the best of what life hands you as a child when there are so many things out of your control, but also how impactful one's family can be when it comes to the grand scheme of the what makes up the fibers of our being. There were a lot of tear-jerking moments where I felt like my heart was just being squeezed in pain. The ending is positive and not bittersweet at all but still had me in tears because of how emotional of an experience this series was to witness.

Read More

This story moved me in many ways. I felt like crying at several points. It touches on very real topics such as: physical and emotional abuse from parents, teachers, and friends, as well as the pressures of life, like graduating from a prestigious university just to be valued ,that it’s heartbreaking to live in a society that becomes more demanding every day, where your worth is measured by your degrees and connections, and without them, you are seen as nothing and how people try to normalize physical abuse by disguising it as love, which is truly tragic.

I also loved how the characters developed. Ju Yeong and Do Heo’s story has such a beautiful beginning—how little by little, Ju Yeong becomes the only happiness in Do Heo’s life, like a ray of sunshine in a dark room. It’s so touching how Ju Yeong expresses his love from the very start and how Do Heo slowly softens. And when they reunite, that love is still present, especially from Ju Yeong’s side, and despite all the hardships, they loved each other until the end.

I didn't dislike nothing at all the only thing Is that it can be a little dificult to understand well some points of the story so you would need to watch again those parts for a better understanding (in my case) but i felt that makes it more interesting so it was fine for me.

Oh and I also loved the actors, especially the two main leads (i love Ju Yeong, he Is so Lively). They did an amazing job—they made everything feel so real and heartfelt. I could talk endlessly about all the incredible details, but there are so many that I’m too tired to keep writing. I just wanted to share this because it was such a great story that i liked a lot—deep, with very real themes, incredible actors who make you feel a deep connection and love for them and their characters, and a well-crafted drama and romance.

In short—cinema.

Read More

This is such an insightful series that I am really interested in.

I finished this film a long time ago, but only now do I have the time to write about it.

The story takes place in a dark, heavy atmosphere, where the colors of sadness can almost be seen and felt. As for me, I’m not someone with a strong heart who can easily handle these kinds of intense emotions—but this film was an exception. It drew me into a world shaped by an old-fashioned lifestyle, where domestic violence seemed normal. Because of that, the main characters had to grow strong emotionally, and as a viewer, I felt like I had to prepare myself, too, just to keep watching.

From the storyline, I learned that easy challenges don’t teach us much. It’s the harder, more painful experiences that help us grow. If we can overcome them, we learn how to truly value our emotions and relationships. In the film, the characters were separated for many years because of misunderstandings. But behind that distance was something deeper—sacrifice, in silence. How painful. How heartbreaking. And yet, they held on until the very end. When the truth finally came out, they were able to live with more joy and gratitude.

And there’s one small spoiler I have to mention—the final scene, where one of them reads something on a laptop. It’s such a simple moment, but I couldn’t stop crying. I think it was because of the honesty, the innocence—the “green” in their hearts—that still remained, even after all those years.

I have no more words. I absolutely loved this film, and I highly recommend it to everyone.

Read More

This show made me rethink my other BL scores...

It's 3am and I'm SOBBING.

I've never had a BL make me so emotional before. I know there's a lot of sadder BLs out there but this one was just so well done.
The cinematography was beautiful.
The acting was incredible, the chemistry the lead actors had was top notch... just WOW.

I'm not a crier usually but this show had me bawling my eyes out. They really knew how to tug at heart strings.

It's heartbreaking but also so lovingly wholesome. I've had to knock off some ratings of past BLs I've watched because this one showed me what a 10 is.

Incredible. Loved it!

Read More

Love and Joy against Fear and Regret

When I finished watching this show I had to go sit and stare at a wall for a bit to process everything that happened.
It put my soul through the emotional meat grinder before slowly stitching it back together again.
All the praise this series has earned due to its script, cinematography, and performances are more than deserved, it truly is a masterpiece. A deeply thoughtful exploration of fear, grief, and how those things can make people curl in on themselves, to deaden themselves to the world and stop reaching for hope. An incisive look into how finding joy and love in the small aspects of life can help people break out of that shell and move on. It's all perfectly realised and I truly have nothing negative to say about it whatsoever.
My only wish would have been to see more of Juyeon's joy and exuberance from the first half carry over to the second half to balance out the heavier moments a bit more; however I fully understand why they didn't and still think the story is perfectly executed.

If you haven't watched it already, what are you waiting for? You do not want to miss out on this one, trust me!
Do be aware though, that it's not a particularly light or fluffy story. It does have many incredibly sweet and fun moments, but its main topic are abuse and the psychological impact it has on those who experience, so make sure you're in a healthy head space to engage with such themes and take care of yourselves <3

Read More

Sweet dramatic drama

I would literally say after a long time I found a bl drama with such a good new kind story with such great acting felt so connected with them.

Story felt so real and you would feel so connected with character because I think the actor playing the also get connected with their character in ending of ep 7 so will get to hear main lead sing drama ost which definitely not only make special place in your heart but you will also find it very healing.

And what should I say about the chemistry literally I think it hold best and one favourite chemistries the kissing scenes, bed scenes, teasing scenes or arguing scenes are of top notch level.

Read More