Elevated by stellar casting
The premise is amazing and solidly executed overall, but ultimately it's Ji-soo and Seo In-guk who make the lead characters more interesting and fun than written. I gave it a high rewatch score largely because of them but also because I really enjoyed a lot of the BOD scenarios (and cameos).Really my only complaint is that the subtitles on Netflix were extremely interpretive, which I found distracting and irritating. To be clear, I don't speak Korean aside from phrases I've picked up from dramas, etc., but when the dialogue is "괜찮아?" and the subtitles aren't some variation of "Are you okay?", the translator is inserting too much of themselves into the show. It happened quite often and usually, in my opinion, detracted much more than it added.
Worth stating that my scores tend to be based on my enjoyment, not an objective evaluation. I go into a series wanting to like it and willing to overlook overused tropes, dull moments, and intrusive product placement as long as I'm hooked on the characters and situations, so nitpicks don't factor into my ratings at all.
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Quiet, charming short series about finding yourself in the sea
I've seen other films or shows involving free-divers (ama or haenyeo), but Azure Spring features diving more centrally, with plenty of underwater footage where it's clear the main cast are diving.Another selling point for me is that there's also lots of footage of food preparation, including gathering seafood, vegetables from a community garden, etc. and cooking in a traditional pot.
I really like the calm, poetic tone of the series, which has a deep undercurrent of melancholy and darkness but doesn't sink into it. Instead it floats near the surface, hopeful, poignant, and gently funny.
The characters are sufficiently compelling and likable. And I like that it's only 6 30-minute episodes, which felt perfect.
Really my only complaint is a CGI cat inserted needlessly into various shots. It's technically well rendered but the stiff animations are distracting and it really doesn't add anything, so it's hard to understand why they spent money and effort on it.
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Surprisingly poignant comedy series
My score may change as the series goes on, but I'm really in love with what I've seen.The show so far is nicely structured (I love the repeat of the tractor vs car standoffs and the contrast of umbrella moments) as well as creatively and tastefully filmed/edited (the "daily routine" sequence in the first episode is excellently put together).
I'm a fan of "city person in the countryside" themes (e.g. Once Upon a Small Town, Hometown Cha Cha Cha, Love Take Two, Summer Strike, When the Weather is Fine, etc.), so I'm naturally biased toward this type of comedy. But what I really love is the way the show swerves between unhinged silliness and melancholic vulnerability.
I've seen some comments from people who find the sleepwalking/talking far-fetched, but my son sometimes has episodes very similar to hers, so I can assert that it's very believably portrayed. The details are great too, like her slow-blinking at Mechoori and bumping her head on doors.
Edit: I bumped up the rewatch score to 10/10 for two reasons: first, I'm having to force myself not to rewatch the first 4 episodes because I'm trying to finish other series; second, I'm presently addicted to YouTube clips of highlights and have watched certain key moments several dozen times.
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Poignant, funny, healing two-part series
I was misty-eyed but smiling the whole way through. Even at 720p on Bilibili, I didn't mind the low resolution and janky subtitles because the storytelling was so compelling and propulsive. At two episodes (2.5h total), the pacing is surprisingly spot on, neither feeling rushed nor draggy.There were numerous moments where I could guess how a scene was going to unfold, but instead of it feeling predictable, it felt inevitable. Like a perfect punchline after a skillful setup. The payoff of the headphones was especially sublime. And the dual catharsis of the mother and FL was incredibly well conceived and performed.
I also really liked the nuance of the romance, which was so subtle you could miss it if you weren't paying attention (especially if you didn't watch all the way to the end). The show would have worked fine without it, but to me it added a perfect extra sprinkle of sweetness.
I wouldn't have minded have seen a few characters get the karma they deserved, but ultimately it was a good choice to keep the focus on the main cast.
I can't say any more without spoilers, but I really recommend watching this show if you're a fan of melancholy but heart-warming dramas. It's great to find one this affecting that's also so concise but doesn't feel shallow. I definitely want to watch it again at higher resolution.
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Off to a strong start
Really impressed with this show so far. I was a little skeptical about whether Seo In-guk's role might feel a little familiar since he's played a few tsundere types in the past, but my concerns were misplaced. I've rewatched the convenience store encounter at least a dozen times and it still makes me giggle.Park Ji-hyun is also awesome, as expected. I can't get into highlights without spoilers, but suffice to say she handles both the comedic and emotional moments sublimely. And I love everything about her character's back story.
Really excited to see how this series develops based on the first two episodes...
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