This show really reminds me of The Time We Were Not In Love
That's the only version I haven't checked out. The j and the t version pretty much progressed in an identical manner. The cheating, asshat of an ex-fiance is the exact same plot (even to the detail that he gifts her a pair of shoes?!). The conniving girl trying for the ML is identical in characterization too, just aged-up, so probably a little less insecure!
Okay why is there so many negative comments about ep 4? And about the fl? I believe it is hard at her age with…
The pacing of the episode felt weird towards the end of the ep. Calling off the wedding... heck even the FL moving in with the fiance, then a montage of the ML walking into the empty house, etc... weird pacing and super abrupt, dunno how much time had lapsed. That would be the only negatives I spotted for ep 4. :)
Now, let's talk about the FL. Those who are younger may not understand her, but these things happen every single…
I think her dad's near-death experience kinda solidified her resolve to get married, to the first guy that asked her. It wasn't as much about the guy; she would have said yes to JH too, only if he asked. When her Mom says, 'thank god I did not go to the bath-house, imagine if your Dad was alone.. he would have died.' That kind of trauma/ realization (that she'd have to die alone too, one day) does leave a deep impact, even if people don't show it very overtly. All I'm saying is, I understand her decision, even though I do not think such a decision would ever be made by me. But then again, I'm not over 35. :'D
Wow, so many pro-marriage with that asshat SML commenters here. 🤦♂️I disagree, personally, that he's…
She dodged a bullet, I'd say... And besides, no person should ever head into serious stuff like marriage, and still look as doubtful/ confused as our FL did, talking to her female bestie outside the restaurant... :/
So I just came across the teaser trailer on YouTube and it seemed like everyone was loosing their minds in the…
Why it's a big-deal: -The story was announced to be based-off of Utada Hikaru's First Love & Hatsukoi. The singer enjoys a cult-status not only in Japan, but among international fans & Japanese diaspora too. Kinda like IU, but imagine her singing powerhouse love-ballads instead!
-First Love became an absolute hit in the 90's. It played in karaokes, supermarts, restaurants, everywhere. It still continues to be one of the most iconic numbers from the singer. I think she sang it in Lollapalooza music festival this year too, on fan-request! Lots of non-Japanese in the crowd sang along too.... it was amazing!
-There were fans of Majo no Jouken as well, added to the fandom, because it featured as their title/ theme song. A much-watched romance melodrama of its time. Both the leads are superstars in their own rights... the Female Lead is comparable to Choi Jiwoo in fame, and the Male Lead is like JYP, in the sense that he literally owns/manages all the J-pop artists under Johnny's, but is infinitely better looking (he used to be a full-time actor) & much-younger too.
-The theme of the song, as well as the drama it featured in, obviously speak of an unfulfilled first love. People ate that shit up.
-In carrying with such a theme, the current drama 'first love hatsukoi' was bound to not just be an ode to the song itself, but to grand 'first-love' kind of stories, bringing in all the angst. These storylines, again, are a thing of the past... in case of both k-dramas, as well as j-doramas. The plot pays a tribute to those stories as well. As rightly revealed, it's going to be set in 1998, around the year when UH's First Love was released. This is why Wu Bai's Last Dance in Someday or One Day was such a big deal!
-The supporting cast is quite legit. The drama has a cinematic look. Takeru Satoh has been acting since forever; we have been seeing him since he was 17? His face has that nostalgic factor that other 30-something actors, who debuted much later, don't have. Kinda like Park Minyoung has it, but Jung Hae-in doesn't, despite being similar in age, because the latter just started out late? TS seemed like a great fit for such a role. Ntm Takeru has a big fandom! ^^
Why people lost their minds in comment section: -for all of the above reasons... and since Netflix had been teasing this production since about 18months, fans went crazy waiting for crumbs. Teaser release was kind of a big-deal, since it was the first time in ages we had some proper news! :D
At least, he isn't pining for her with sad-boi faces. That can get tiring really fast. :/The non-verbal expression…
I know s2 of Kingdom of Love is going to the FL because of the controversy (and the preview from ep1)... yes, I love some sass too, even if it is at the expense of the Main leads! xD
At least, he isn't pining for her with sad-boi faces. That can get tiring really fast. :/The non-verbal expression…
>>I have lost hope in kdramas not repeating the same plotlines<< So far, it is following an almost similar plot-progression as In Time With You, so I'm not surprised you make this complaint! xD Bra-scene was okay, though I genuinely lost it at the suggestive-octopus!
I think it's too early to comment whether the 'friends-to-lovers' depicted here is wayy too convenient for the…
20 is ridiculously long, which is why I could never get behind the K-remake of ITWY (where 29 y/o was changed to 37 y/o behaving like 25 year olds!) I still think it's going to be missed-timings, and not some unrequited pining from the ML, cuz honestly, that's just sad, and what a waste! xD The only saving grace is they aren't pretending to be 37 y/o inexperienced virgins. Both date around like healthy individuals. But yeah, ML looks super jaded and unwilling to give love a chance, either cuz of his Dad or because of the FL.
I'm disappointed he likes her.. so she's just blind and he has no backbone to confess...I just wished for 2 friends…
At least, he isn't pining for her with sad-boi faces. That can get tiring really fast. :/ The non-verbal expression of dismay at spotting the ex with the flowers & cake was more like disappointment at her repeating the same mistakes, rather than 'oh shoot, i missed my chance with her.' In fact, for all we know, he's a little different from all those other MLs in one-sided love for their female best friends, because he genuinely seems taken aback and even mildly discomforted by his own newly-found feelings of... fondness? warmth? for the innocently sleeping FL in his car. I like his personality typing. He seems super lazy and laid-back. He's also probably renting the FL's first floor because that happens to be closer to his clinic, rather than his uber-rich Mom's mansion. And not because he's secretly in love with Lee Da Hee!
What’s your take, guys, on this “friends to lovers with giant 20 years gap” type of plot? Realistic or fantasy?…
I think it's too early to comment whether the 'friends-to-lovers' depicted here is wayy too convenient for the story's sake, and borderline fantasy or not? The reason i say this, is because in cult-favorite stories featuring this trope, the ML/ FL's dynamic is always more fleshed out, and as a result, more convincing. 2 eps out of 16 is a tad too early to arrive at any conclusion.
For ex. In Time With You (and its many remake versions) would be representative of the first kind of story you suggested: Unrequited Love of the ML. We are told their present dynamic is because of this really silly joke/ prank played by the ML back in High School that sort of became a trauma (?) for the FL and combined with that, her personality/ ego which rather was a poorly disguised inferiority complex. Very believable, I'd say. Also, they are 29 in the story, so their friendship is... 13ish year long. instead of a 20 year long friendship that is seen here.
Another example would be You Drive Me Crazy. It was a bite-size drama (4eps), yet they had a valid reason why they never got to date. If I remember correctly, they became friends in first year of college, so a 10-year friendship. Electric chemistry, but they had really bad timing. One of them was always recovering from a heartbreak while the other was deeply in love with their respective boyfriends/ girlfriends. Which is also, believable. Wrong timing is a legit reason too.
Neither of these drama seemed dumb or fantasy-like. In fact, I would extend this drama a benefit of doubt, and say that they might reveal in the future episodes (much like the above two stories) that for whatever reason they did date around but never work out?!
The only fantasy-bit to me is the ongoing, decade-long sexual-tension. Which I believe, usually dies down by the 5th year of friendship, irrespective of age. By that time, you're so familiar, you're almost like family and it feels weird to rekindle any sort of sparks. If people get together beyond that time period, it's mainly because despite the passing years, the sexual tension never died (which is very, very VERY rare!) I think ITWY addressed that aspect of the relationship very well... like exactly *how* awkward it can for two really thick friends to get into bed together. xD
1 
That would be the only negatives I spotted for ep 4. :)
That kind of trauma/ realization (that she'd have to die alone too, one day) does leave a deep impact, even if people don't show it very overtly. All I'm saying is, I understand her decision, even though I do not think such a decision would ever be made by me. But then again, I'm not over 35. :'D
And besides, no person should ever head into serious stuff like marriage, and still look as doubtful/ confused as our FL did, talking to her female bestie outside the restaurant... :/
-The story was announced to be based-off of Utada Hikaru's First Love & Hatsukoi. The singer enjoys a cult-status not only in Japan, but among international fans & Japanese diaspora too. Kinda like IU, but imagine her singing powerhouse love-ballads instead!
-First Love became an absolute hit in the 90's. It played in karaokes, supermarts, restaurants, everywhere. It still continues to be one of the most iconic numbers from the singer. I think she sang it in Lollapalooza music festival this year too, on fan-request! Lots of non-Japanese in the crowd sang along too.... it was amazing!
-There were fans of Majo no Jouken as well, added to the fandom, because it featured as their title/ theme song. A much-watched romance melodrama of its time. Both the leads are superstars in their own rights... the Female Lead is comparable to Choi Jiwoo in fame, and the Male Lead is like JYP, in the sense that he literally owns/manages all the J-pop artists under Johnny's, but is infinitely better looking (he used to be a full-time actor) & much-younger too.
-The theme of the song, as well as the drama it featured in, obviously speak of an unfulfilled first love. People ate that shit up.
-In carrying with such a theme, the current drama 'first love hatsukoi' was bound to not just be an ode to the song itself, but to grand 'first-love' kind of stories, bringing in all the angst. These storylines, again, are a thing of the past... in case of both k-dramas, as well as j-doramas. The plot pays a tribute to those stories as well. As rightly revealed, it's going to be set in 1998, around the year when UH's First Love was released. This is why Wu Bai's Last Dance in Someday or One Day was such a big deal!
-The supporting cast is quite legit. The drama has a cinematic look. Takeru Satoh has been acting since forever; we have been seeing him since he was 17? His face has that nostalgic factor that other 30-something actors, who debuted much later, don't have. Kinda like Park Minyoung has it, but Jung Hae-in doesn't, despite being similar in age, because the latter just started out late? TS seemed like a great fit for such a role. Ntm Takeru has a big fandom! ^^
Why people lost their minds in comment section:
-for all of the above reasons... and since Netflix had been teasing this production since about 18months, fans went crazy waiting for crumbs. Teaser release was kind of a big-deal, since it was the first time in ages we had some proper news! :D
So far, it is following an almost similar plot-progression as In Time With You, so I'm not surprised you make this complaint! xD
Bra-scene was okay, though I genuinely lost it at the suggestive-octopus!
It's funny how med-school did not de-sensitize the guy already! :P
The only saving grace is they aren't pretending to be 37 y/o inexperienced virgins. Both date around like healthy individuals. But yeah, ML looks super jaded and unwilling to give love a chance, either cuz of his Dad or because of the FL.
The non-verbal expression of dismay at spotting the ex with the flowers & cake was more like disappointment at her repeating the same mistakes, rather than 'oh shoot, i missed my chance with her.'
In fact, for all we know, he's a little different from all those other MLs in one-sided love for their female best friends, because he genuinely seems taken aback and even mildly discomforted by his own newly-found feelings of... fondness? warmth? for the innocently sleeping FL in his car.
I like his personality typing. He seems super lazy and laid-back. He's also probably renting the FL's first floor because that happens to be closer to his clinic, rather than his uber-rich Mom's mansion. And not because he's secretly in love with Lee Da Hee!
The reason i say this, is because in cult-favorite stories featuring this trope, the ML/ FL's dynamic is always more fleshed out, and as a result, more convincing. 2 eps out of 16 is a tad too early to arrive at any conclusion.
For ex. In Time With You (and its many remake versions) would be representative of the first kind of story you suggested: Unrequited Love of the ML. We are told their present dynamic is because of this really silly joke/ prank played by the ML back in High School that sort of became a trauma (?) for the FL and combined with that, her personality/ ego which rather was a poorly disguised inferiority complex.
Very believable, I'd say. Also, they are 29 in the story, so their friendship is... 13ish year long. instead of a 20 year long friendship that is seen here.
Another example would be You Drive Me Crazy. It was a bite-size drama (4eps), yet they had a valid reason why they never got to date. If I remember correctly, they became friends in first year of college, so a 10-year friendship. Electric chemistry, but they had really bad timing. One of them was always recovering from a heartbreak while the other was deeply in love with their respective boyfriends/ girlfriends. Which is also, believable. Wrong timing is a legit reason too.
Neither of these drama seemed dumb or fantasy-like. In fact, I would extend this drama a benefit of doubt, and say that they might reveal in the future episodes (much like the above two stories) that for whatever reason they did date around but never work out?!
The only fantasy-bit to me is the ongoing, decade-long sexual-tension. Which I believe, usually dies down by the 5th year of friendship, irrespective of age. By that time, you're so familiar, you're almost like family and it feels weird to rekindle any sort of sparks. If people get together beyond that time period, it's mainly because despite the passing years, the sexual tension never died (which is very, very VERY rare!) I think ITWY addressed that aspect of the relationship very well... like exactly *how* awkward it can for two really thick friends to get into bed together. xD
T___T
Cute doggos are a legit bonus! <3