Blue Complex (2024)

lackluster vertical micro series

Overall: 40 total episodes for about 1hr 15 minutes runtime (a little under 2 minutes per episode). Episodes 1-10 are free to watch on the Alwayz Shortdrama YouTube channel https://youtube.com/playlist?list=PLNSRcn2apDarHe7Tml51AIxwuqIE1SAO7&si=RWE6BtHqjZdxkdSV - on Dec 6th I watched all 40 episodes for free with a special livestream https://www.youtube.com/live/zNQiDd3UiY0 ; March 14th it was released on the Shortime app https://shortime.app/en/content/cb1f4cf (my invite code is NKNIWI - those are all capital letters, that's the capital letter i)

Content Warnings: past suicide, grief, mental health struggles, suicidal thoughts, near suicide

What I Liked
- caring moments such as first aid, piggyback ride
- good kissing
- that 1-10 are free on their YouTube channel and they did give a short window to watch all episodes for free instead of needing to download their app

Room For Improvement
- love triangle
- slow pacing
- didn't feel connected to any characters or their relationships with each other
- too many flashbacks
- night scenes needed more light on the actors' faces
- the band aids were much more distracting than whatever they were covering (scars, freckles, tattoos)
- the pool was so shallow that characters could all stand in it and yet a character said "how did you get to me, oh you swam"
- ending left something to be desired, after being so determined to do something a character seemed to make a strong 180 turn

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Good guys don't win

Two things irritated me. The vertical filming and the expected outcome. The narrowing of the screen would put a greater strain on your eyes to watch. Not a very good idea. Watching like this did not enhance the plot or the enjoyment.

The script tried to be introspective and cute. I said tried. Pa Rang sees Tae Min seduce a guy and just as quickly dumps him after having fun. Yu Bin, kind and friendly, openly shows Pa Rang he is interested but guess which one he chooses. No brainer. When will shows stop portraying the good guy as a loser? Is this supposed to make it more interesting? It didn't. All three had issues but it is Yu Bin who fully understands his and keeps trying without looking for pity.

The acting was done well enough. The 2 seconds that Pa Rang's mother was onscreen did more for the story than everything else. The despair, the pain, the words uttered before she jumped were portrayed very well. Tho the script had too many references about drowing and sinking and looking up from the bottom. Ok, we get it.

The expected outcome: Pre-planning to die on the same day his mother died, Pa Rang goes to jump. Yu Bin recognizes something is off and tells Tae Min, who instantly knows where to find him, he rushes to save him. Yu Bin - see what I mean about the good guy. Tae Min, who supposedly loves him so much, didn't know. Tae Min reaches in time, pulls him off of the box he stood on and tells him he loves him so much. No intensity, like standing on the wall, but a box next to the wall. Lazy writing.

The theme of Pa Rang planning his death could have easily shown to change by him falling in love with Tae Min and by seeing how Yu Bin keeps pushing no matter his limitations and finally facing up to his father about how he blamed him for his mother's suicide. As is, there was no electrifying moment that warranted the cost of paying to see this. It's now available on YT for free as a full length series combined but for how long, no one knows. I will not watch this again. The irritating background music was not to the show's benefit. Everything felt dull and monotonous.

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