The kiss scene was really memorable to me so I wanted to analyse it in a few segments. Firstly, did anyone notice the parallel of the kiss between Vegas and Pete with the kiss from Snow White and the Sleeping Beauty? It came to mind and i thought the comparison was very fitting. In both of those fairy tales, the protagonist falls unconscious and is in a near-death state. Both end up this way because someone with ill-intentions deliberately hurt them (the poisonous apple in snow white and the wheel in sleeping beauty), and only a true love's kiss can wake them up. With Pete, he was also targeted by someone with ill-intentions (Vegas), badly wounded and beaten by these malicious actions, which causes him to lose consciousness, then is kissed shortly after.
Pete is in fact awake when the kiss happens, but to me, that parallel is still there as it still captures the meaning of it: a person who, through care, 'revives' the person who nearly died. Vegas bandaging Pete up is also a way to show that he has the capacity to "love" others. Love, here, in the sense that he can show compassion and has to heart to heal others. This process of healing and recovery is finalised through the kiss. When Vegas put the pill in his mouth and asked Pete if he was afraid it would be poison, it was particularly evocative of the poisonous apple from Snow White. It's like he was implying that Pete might be afraid that he was taking care of his injuries as just another ploy, and that he would deal another blow with the pill, repeating his previous actions.
The kiss then, is like a way for Vegas to present himself anew, not as the evil witch/queen from Snow White or Maleficent from the Sleeping Beauty, but as the prince, the savior this time. I love how Vegas all in all plays both roles in the end, afterall he was the one who inflicted those wounds on Pete. But his ability to care for the life of another is proven here, and so the kiss is ultimately an act of humanity.
About the kiss itself, I'd like to fawn for a moment over it, as I absolutely love its nature. To me, at least, the kiss that Vegas and Pete share isnt romantic nor is it sexual. It's a platonic kiss but it has power and meaning to it. Firstly because of what I said about it just earlier, about it being a humanising feature. Secondly because we know that Pete associates it to a romantic gesture. Yet I love how, even if that's the case, he doesnt suddenly believe that Vegas has feelings for him, not even as a comedic afterthought. He's shocked, yes, showing that it did have an impact on him, but he neither questions Vegas nor makes a fuss about it. He accepts it for what it was (maybe because he even acknowledges that it was more so a way for Vegas to evidence that he is purely trying to help him, without ulterior motives).
He takes it as a moment of sincerity for Vegas. To take it as anything else, especially as some proof of romantic affection (when it's clear that Vegas is at this point only drawn to Pete on a platonic level) would be ruining the point about Pete understanding and seeing the true Vegas. It would just make him another Tawan, especially if that caused him to suddenly feel romantic emotions for Vegas (and we see this in other types of media where a character might, after a kiss, develop feelings but im glad that's not the case here). And so the kiss in itself is truly quite beautiful when you think about it. It's neither romantic nor platonic but it matters to the characters. I already touched on how it affected Pete. For Vegas, even if he was a lot more easygoing about it, I still think it was a moment that allowed him to express himself with candour, to perform a truly selfless act. Their kiss is a "true love's kiss" because the intentions were true. How often do we see that in media where characters share such a pure kiss?
I'd also like to add that Vegas may have been compelled to use kissing particularly because he doesn't really know how to express himself genuinely. It's counterintuitive for him, who was brought up mastering the art of deceit. So it's actually a little bit saddening as well, that he uses the least harmful form of behaviour that he's learned, that of being physically intimate.
I'd also quickly like to mention the way Pete was thinking aloud next to Vegas which encapsulated the tattoo he has on his body about honesty. Even in his circumstances, he isn't hiding an agenda from Vegas and reveals his thoughts openly instead of keeping them to himself. Pete as honesty, Vegas as deceit. I love those details in the story.
I see that some people may not have been satisfied with Vegas' development especially about the Pete-almost-dying-reaction, but I actually expected the series to take this turn with Vegas and Pete. They did this with Kinn, then Kim, now Vegas. What I mean is that they may “skip” some development, especially early development and jump straight into the action. However, whilst these slight twists can feel rushed perhaps to some, I think that ultimately the series does a good job at coming full circle so that certain behaviours, that may initially seem out of character, make sense later on. I realised this during episode 11 when Kim pushed Chay away. If anyone remembers my previous comments about Kim, it’s that I’ve been saying that his character was written as the type who could have easily rejected Chay earlier. Yet he was swayed. So I would understand if someone felt like this was unlike Kim, to behave so impulsively.
With the scene of episode 11, we finally see Kim’s initial character traits reinforced as he goes back to being cold and calculating. We can analyse this as 1. Kim wanting to push Chay away because he’s more than aware now that Chay will be in danger no matter what, being linked to the mafia world through Porsche, and then 2. Because he knew that Chay would find out about his identity after the kidnapping, anticipating that Chay would move into the main household for protection. Both of these reasons combined most likely make Kim feel like he 1. Doesn’t deserve to be by Chay’s side and accepts his fate, perhaps from the get go he knew this would happen some day but just wanted to stay with him until then (which would explain even better why he accepted the confession), then 2. Chay doesn’t need him anymore in terms of physical protection so he can let go of him knowing that he is safe. All in all, it seems like Kim is “back into character”, and most importantly, we, as an audience, feel like we understand his previous reactions better now. I must also note that actually, what this is really doing is that the characters also feel more realistic. They’re less “polished”, they’re not predictable simplistic archetypes. They actually feel human. Could the writing be more tight, or could the show sometimes make character development more clear? Perhaps, but I appreciate these aspects when getting to anticipate and comprehend character building in the series.
So, with the Kim analysis, I feel that there is a similar thing with Vegas. I saw people in the comments saying that his concern over Pete’s life seemed out of place. That interpretation is completely valid of course, but I’d like to share why I felt that it was justified within his character arc. One argument that I saw was that Vegas didn’t show nor feel any sympathy toward his other “victims” or pawns. (Like with Porsche and Tawan) and this is something I commented on too in an analysis I made of Vegas. However, the reason why, to me, Vegas didn’t show any compassion toward them as compared to with Pete is because of the fact that he wasn’t being earnest with them. He was putting up an act and deceiving them. Sure, Tawan was aware that Vegas was ill-intentioned toward others (!) but to him, Vegas appeared in front of him in the form of a seductive angel, and only believed in the fabricated version Vegas made of himself. Same with Porsche pretty much. With Pete, he basically showed his darkest sides: his capacity to torture ruthlessly, his manipulativeness, his violence and anger issues, even how he is mistreated by his father and how that affects him.
Vegas has been showing sides to Pete that no one has ever seen before, and again, Pete remains strong and courageous despite everything. Vegas probably sensed this too, but even if in certain moments Pete showed anger and hatred toward him (i’m thinking of the emotional blackmail with his grandmother), then there was never an instance when Pete looked down on him. In fact, it’s the very opposite. The torture scenes are poised as a sort of mental battle in and of themselves, and Pete takes Vegas very seriously. Provokes him, remains mostly unwavering, and most importantly, treats Vegas as an equal. I’ve touched on Vegas’ inferiority complex before and in the new episode, it was even more apparent (with his dad directly stating that he will always remain inferior to Kinn, then the convo between Vegas and Pete about V always being compared to Kinn and how damaging that has been for him), so this is significant.
Pete treats Vegas as another human being, as someone with worth, as someone equal. Neither inferior (like with his father, and Kinn) nor superior (like with Tawan or Macau). And he does this despite everything that Vegas does to him, Vegas showing his true self basically. So, when taking all of that into consideration, it’s actually not so surprising that he would panic at the possibility of Pete having died. If he had already developed feelings and was worried about him dying because of that, then yes, I would agree that it would be rushed. But Vegas’ panic over Pete possibly dying is not out of love, not yet (the preview only just hinted that things will turn sexual and then eventually romantic, I assume).
At this stage, though, his concern is platonic, and it’s because, on a subconscious level, he probably felt that he could have just lost the first person who treated him as an equal, as a person, and who saw his “true colours”. And I say subconsciously, because we actually saw at the very beginning of the episode that Vegas refused to shoot Pete because being with him was “so darn fun”. Yes he also means that torturing Pete is an amusing form of play for him, and that he’s intrigued by Pete holding up after all he’s been through. But I think that at the core, he was actually referring to (again, on a subconscious level) that idea of him feeling like he can just be himself, like he’s seen as an equal (I’m repeating this word too much). Why? Because doesn’t it make sense that it wouldn’t be “fun” being around people who treat you only as inferior or superior?
Indeed, they already set this up from the very beginning of the episode, and so to me, I find his reaction to discovering Pete unconscious natural enough. One thing about this series that’s cool, is that the writing and directing really do leave you space to make up your own interpretation entirely, and you could say this about any piece of media *technically*, but Kinnporsche gives you that extra piece of freedom to explore vastly different interpretations and feel uniquely about each scene whilst still making the overall narrative coherent to the viewers.
Anyway, I am sleep deprived as it is so goodnight lovelies <3 Hope you found this interesting
I dont think Vegas has no interest in ppl, I think the opposite. He has too much, especially when it comes to…
Thank you, i appreciate that too ^^ I’m curious to see how those half truths/half lies will come to play with Pete, and no worries haha I personally haven’t read the novel but I hear a lot about it, so for this review I just tried to cast away any assumptions I made from the novel and focus solely on my observation from the series. I was initially not going to write down my analysis at all but it’s indeed so nice to hear different point of views
I dont think Vegas has no interest in ppl, I think the opposite. He has too much, especially when it comes to…
Yeah, I analysed him based on the series alone so maybe the novel gives different insights on him too (I'm guessing that's what you're referencing?). I do understand your point of view though, however I feel that the interest in others that you're talking about isn't the kind of interest I'm referring to. What I really mean by him having little to no interest in others is that he's not interested in getting to know and understand someone for who they truly are. To connect with them on a personal level. He had many openings with Porsche for instance, someone who probably would try and understand him if he decided to open up, but he simply doesn't really care about that as much. On the other hand, you're right that he is way too "interested" in everyone around him, in how they could potentially become a perceived threat to him (or just someone he can use for his own benefit) or simply because of how they correlate to Kinn.
i am not so sure about the macau part.. we have seen macau feeling good in vegas' company (ep 6 car chase scene,…
That's true that Macau does seem to rely on Vegas a lot, and I think that may be because Vegas takes his defense in those kinds of situations. At the same, though, I still feel that Vegas puts on a facade with Macau too. You could see it with how he seemed concerned for him exactly in the scene where he got hurt, yet we know that Vegas is sort of unhinged. To me it seemed like an act to make Macau's injuries a bigger deal that it was, so that Kinn would have to suffer more consequences. It's a bit like how Vegas made Porsche believe that just because he gives his body guards more freedom then he "treats them better". Whereas we know that's not true. It's not hard to guess that Kinn cares about his body guards (like Big or Pete) infinite times more than Vegas does about any of his. So to me, even with Macau, he puts on this "big brother" act because, once more, Macau is another pawn. He says it himself in episode 10, he doesn't believe in "family"
I couldn’t sleep last night so I was theorising about what would make Vegas intrigued by Pete in the series. I tried to think about how Vegas has been constructed in relation to others thus far. What’s interesting about him is that he doesn’t actually have any true interest in people (with one exception, but I’ll get to that). Others are pawns to him, just like Tawan or Porsche, and we’ve seen « villains » like him in media before: ill-intentioned, manipulative characters who act out of selfish motives. In the romance genre, though, the cliche is that these villains tend to fall for a person who treats them kindly or accepts them (generally one of the ML’s love interest, so Porsche here). In Kinnporsche, Vegas’s character could have been geared toward this. In episode 5 for example, when he hugs Porsche, we were aware that he was being deceitful, but we were not yet certain just how much. Whether every one of Vegas’s behaviours and facial expressions truly was just a facade, or if he, even if minimally, did bear some form of appreciation for Porsche during these moments.
With episode 10, we got our answer. As a « villain », we’ve seen that Vegas is capable of getting people to completely drop their guard, to open up and even be ‘intimate’ with him. Yet, despite this, he doesn’t develop any affection or care for them, they’re just tools to him. You would think that maybe he would be drawn to someone charming like Porsche, who doesn’t listen to what people say about Vegas (preconceived notions of him), just trusts what he sees in front of him and judges for himself. Vegas could easily feel touched by this, given that people have pigeonholed him his whole life for belonging to the minor family - he clearly does have an inferiority complex after all (which I will get a bit into later) - but he doesn’t feel anything (based on what’s been shown). He remains nonchalant and indifferent. He isn’t swayed in the slightest, neither grateful for Porsche’s trust and friendship, nor does he even care to acknowledge Tawan’s love and dedication toward him, someone who looks past his cunning nature.
He’s also like this toward his own brother, Macau, who is technically in a similar situation than he is. Macau treats him like a brother, probably respects him as a role model and even acts as an accomplice. However, Vegas is still unfazed by this and could probably discard him if that was to be advantageous. We know this from how he talked about him to Porsche, how he sometimes feels like he deserves a beating, showing that he doesn’t share a sincere brotherhood with him. Or that, at the very least, he does not love his brother unconditionally like Porsche does for Chay, just doesn't mind him as long as he doesn't get in the way of his plans. I personally do think that Vegas is still a being that inadvertently craves warmth, which is why he did really seem immersed in his hug with Porsche (having his eyes closed for example). But this does not make him form attachments to the people he shares those moments with, and they therefore do not make him feel indebted or thankful to said people. I also think that this is partly because he's aware that the people he manipulates don't truly see him for who he is (even with Tawan's infatuation; it was based on delusion and denial), so there's nothing for him to be thankful for per se. It's like he already expects this too as a norm which is why it doesn't sadden him either. Maybe he even looks down on people who are so ready to trust him and be faithful to him, ignorantly.
This leads me to my next point. Vegas doesn't have much interest in others indeed, as he is a pretty self-centered guy, the exception being none other than with Kinn (this far in the story). Kinn exists as a target of obsession for Vegas. Everything Vegas does is pretty much linked to Kinn somehow, and, in my view, it's not just because Kinn possesses what he more superficially desires (his status, position, reputation, priviledges...). Vegas is jealous of Kinn because Kinn possesses the capacity to love wholly. The very trait that Vegas begrudges, and sneers at, literally calling Kinn "weak" for it. For someone who seemingly thinks lesser of Kinn for loving and having mercy for people, why is Vegas so desperate to crush the hope that Kinn has for others? Why is he so adamant about taking "what's his" away? Because if he can't have it, then nobody else can. Tawan logic. They're both made of similar matter after all. Vegas can't allow Kinn to love and be happy in love, because that would be the ultimate death penalty to him. He goes so far as to disobey his father's orders, gets in bed with others, and puts everything on the line pretty much, just to achieve this one goal. He feels so small next to Kinn already, he associates every one of Kinn's successes as his failure. We always desire what we cannot acquire in the end (enhypen ref anyone?). Vegas is entrapped in his own cycle of deceit, lying to others, lying to himself. Of course he wouldn't be able to connect with others authentically.
If we take all of this into account, what could get Vegas to not only feel fascination for, but also love, for Pete? His unwavering attitude and perseverance in the face of torture and possible death (revealing his loyalty as well)? Is it his compassion, how he might inquire about Vegas's emotions even after all that he's been subjected to by him? Is it because Vegas, through his venting and brutality, has never been that open to someone else without the other person either fearing him or loathing him? Is it because Pete will have a darkness to him that will somehow resonate with Vegas? I feel like it could be a mix of these things, it could really go in any direction. But seeing how Vegas has been presented thus far, I think it could evolve in this way: initial excitement, fury/disdain, possible disinterest or claiming distance, feeling drawn back, acknowledgment of his own vulnerability, comfort, love.
I'll leave it at that for now because there's not much to go on this far, especially because the writing can take some unexpected turns. With Kim, for instance, he was built up as the sort of character who would have rejected Chay but instead felt swayed enough to accept his confession and even go for a kiss, despite how meticulous he is (and you can see how he still tries to distance himself with the "gotta go, sorry" message he had written prior to the kidnapping scene). My only concern, or point of intruigue, is that the series has been holding back on showing morally grey scenes in "romantic"/"sexual" contexts, so I'm really wondering how they are going to pull it off with VegasPete, because I'm guessing that they will have to insert some dubcon/SA unless they really change the narrative. We'll see, i guess.
I'd be happy to hear what someone else thinks about all this, again if you've read this far, you're the best ^^
In a time where I struggle to focus on series due to my numbness and sky-high expectations (the exception being Kinnporsche The Series), I’m glad I found this drama. The first half of the show reminded me of why japanese media resonates with me the most. It’s able to be introspective with the characters, giving them purpose and growth. I barely skipped anything. I was just frustrated with most of the second half of the series due to how they handled the miscarriage. It’s a cliche that I am really not fond of and I felt that it was unnecessary, profoundly unnecessary, because the protagonist was not even exposed to the fire so the miscarriage was truly so random and nonsensical. I understand that it represented the rupture/loss of their relationship, but still. I’ve seen it too many times now and it irks me. I would have preferred if she had disappeared and gave birth to the baby, then Tsubaki would have found her. It’s also a cliche but a better one.
Other than that, tsubaki going blind was a mini arc i did not need either. That’s when I started skipping a bit because that on top of the fake pregnancy announcement from the other girl was giving me anxiety. The plotwist for the murder was nicely made but it just made me angry because that just meant that Sakura’s parents died for such foolish reasons, easily could’ve been avoided, and also they ruined the mysterious character I liked at the beginning (why did they have to make him like Nao too…). Like honestly. At least the way the protagonists reunited was sweet. And at the beginning of the series, the development of events were very smooth and actually exciting to watch.
They were fulfilling all my expectations and had me invested. I’m still surprised with the amount of skinship and kisses they showed, that really wowed me. This is japan afterall, a straight relationship at that, so the bed scene particularly took me out lol. It’s nothing compared to what I’ve exposed myself to but I truly didn’t expect it from a straight jdrama, don’t think I’ve even seen anything like that from one. Granted, I’m more familiar with anime/BL dramas rather than live action straight jdramas. Those moments were very satisfying and even mesmerising to watch in a way. The word might exaggerate my intention but I did really feel a bit content watching them, plus the way they were shot too. I like that they didn’t overdo it, they usually repeat the scene millions of times like in kdramas (speaking of which, the latter half of the series seemed heavily influenced by those or rather, almost like we had returned to 90s shoujo manga so it was irritating) and have the girl shocked out of her mind.
That wasn’t the case here but the moments were still meaningful and you could really sense the characters going head to head with each other, neither one backing down. The tension and the intensity of the characters was very refreshing, especially coming from Nao. Also, the pace was perfect for me. I was thankful for that!!
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The kiss scene was really memorable to me so I wanted to analyse it in a few segments. Firstly, did anyone notice the parallel of the kiss between Vegas and Pete with the kiss from Snow White and the Sleeping Beauty? It came to mind and i thought the comparison was very fitting. In both of those fairy tales, the protagonist falls unconscious and is in a near-death state. Both end up this way because someone with ill-intentions deliberately hurt them (the poisonous apple in snow white and the wheel in sleeping beauty), and only a true love's kiss can wake them up. With Pete, he was also targeted by someone with ill-intentions (Vegas), badly wounded and beaten by these malicious actions, which causes him to lose consciousness, then is kissed shortly after.
Pete is in fact awake when the kiss happens, but to me, that parallel is still there as it still captures the meaning of it: a person who, through care, 'revives' the person who nearly died. Vegas bandaging Pete up is also a way to show that he has the capacity to "love" others. Love, here, in the sense that he can show compassion and has to heart to heal others. This process of healing and recovery is finalised through the kiss. When Vegas put the pill in his mouth and asked Pete if he was afraid it would be poison, it was particularly evocative of the poisonous apple from Snow White. It's like he was implying that Pete might be afraid that he was taking care of his injuries as just another ploy, and that he would deal another blow with the pill, repeating his previous actions.
The kiss then, is like a way for Vegas to present himself anew, not as the evil witch/queen from Snow White or Maleficent from the Sleeping Beauty, but as the prince, the savior this time. I love how Vegas all in all plays both roles in the end, afterall he was the one who inflicted those wounds on Pete. But his ability to care for the life of another is proven here, and so the kiss is ultimately an act of humanity.
About the kiss itself, I'd like to fawn for a moment over it, as I absolutely love its nature. To me, at least, the kiss that Vegas and Pete share isnt romantic nor is it sexual. It's a platonic kiss but it has power and meaning to it. Firstly because of what I said about it just earlier, about it being a humanising feature. Secondly because we know that Pete associates it to a romantic gesture. Yet I love how, even if that's the case, he doesnt suddenly believe that Vegas has feelings for him, not even as a comedic afterthought. He's shocked, yes, showing that it did have an impact on him, but he neither questions Vegas nor makes a fuss about it. He accepts it for what it was (maybe because he even acknowledges that it was more so a way for Vegas to evidence that he is purely trying to help him, without ulterior motives).
He takes it as a moment of sincerity for Vegas. To take it as anything else, especially as some proof of romantic affection (when it's clear that Vegas is at this point only drawn to Pete on a platonic level) would be ruining the point about Pete understanding and seeing the true Vegas. It would just make him another Tawan, especially if that caused him to suddenly feel romantic emotions for Vegas (and we see this in other types of media where a character might, after a kiss, develop feelings but im glad that's not the case here). And so the kiss in itself is truly quite beautiful when you think about it. It's neither romantic nor platonic but it matters to the characters. I already touched on how it affected Pete. For Vegas, even if he was a lot more easygoing about it, I still think it was a moment that allowed him to express himself with candour, to perform a truly selfless act. Their kiss is a "true love's kiss" because the intentions were true. How often do we see that in media where characters share such a pure kiss?
I'd also like to add that Vegas may have been compelled to use kissing particularly because he doesn't really know how to express himself genuinely. It's counterintuitive for him, who was brought up mastering the art of deceit. So it's actually a little bit saddening as well, that he uses the least harmful form of behaviour that he's learned, that of being physically intimate.
I'd also quickly like to mention the way Pete was thinking aloud next to Vegas which encapsulated the tattoo he has on his body about honesty. Even in his circumstances, he isn't hiding an agenda from Vegas and reveals his thoughts openly instead of keeping them to himself. Pete as honesty, Vegas as deceit. I love those details in the story.
Hope this was intruiging to read<3
https://vm.tiktok.com/ZMNYX4npV/?k=1
I see that some people may not have been satisfied with Vegas' development especially about the Pete-almost-dying-reaction, but I actually expected the series to take this turn with Vegas and Pete. They did this with Kinn, then Kim, now Vegas. What I mean is that they may “skip” some development, especially early development and jump straight into the action. However, whilst these slight twists can feel rushed perhaps to some, I think that ultimately the series does a good job at coming full circle so that certain behaviours, that may initially seem out of character, make sense later on. I realised this during episode 11 when Kim pushed Chay away. If anyone remembers my previous comments about Kim, it’s that I’ve been saying that his character was written as the type who could have easily rejected Chay earlier. Yet he was swayed. So I would understand if someone felt like this was unlike Kim, to behave so impulsively.
With the scene of episode 11, we finally see Kim’s initial character traits reinforced as he goes back to being cold and calculating. We can analyse this as 1. Kim wanting to push Chay away because he’s more than aware now that Chay will be in danger no matter what, being linked to the mafia world through Porsche, and then 2. Because he knew that Chay would find out about his identity after the kidnapping, anticipating that Chay would move into the main household for protection. Both of these reasons combined most likely make Kim feel like he 1. Doesn’t deserve to be by Chay’s side and accepts his fate, perhaps from the get go he knew this would happen some day but just wanted to stay with him until then (which would explain even better why he accepted the confession), then 2. Chay doesn’t need him anymore in terms of physical protection so he can let go of him knowing that he is safe. All in all, it seems like Kim is “back into character”, and most importantly, we, as an audience, feel like we understand his previous reactions better now. I must also note that actually, what this is really doing is that the characters also feel more realistic. They’re less “polished”, they’re not predictable simplistic archetypes. They actually feel human. Could the writing be more tight, or could the show sometimes make character development more clear? Perhaps, but I appreciate these aspects when getting to anticipate and comprehend character building in the series.
So, with the Kim analysis, I feel that there is a similar thing with Vegas. I saw people in the comments saying that his concern over Pete’s life seemed out of place. That interpretation is completely valid of course, but I’d like to share why I felt that it was justified within his character arc. One argument that I saw was that Vegas didn’t show nor feel any sympathy toward his other “victims” or pawns. (Like with Porsche and Tawan) and this is something I commented on too in an analysis I made of Vegas. However, the reason why, to me, Vegas didn’t show any compassion toward them as compared to with Pete is because of the fact that he wasn’t being earnest with them. He was putting up an act and deceiving them. Sure, Tawan was aware that Vegas was ill-intentioned toward others (!) but to him, Vegas appeared in front of him in the form of a seductive angel, and only believed in the fabricated version Vegas made of himself. Same with Porsche pretty much. With Pete, he basically showed his darkest sides: his capacity to torture ruthlessly, his manipulativeness, his violence and anger issues, even how he is mistreated by his father and how that affects him.
Vegas has been showing sides to Pete that no one has ever seen before, and again, Pete remains strong and courageous despite everything. Vegas probably sensed this too, but even if in certain moments Pete showed anger and hatred toward him (i’m thinking of the emotional blackmail with his grandmother), then there was never an instance when Pete looked down on him. In fact, it’s the very opposite. The torture scenes are poised as a sort of mental battle in and of themselves, and Pete takes Vegas very seriously. Provokes him, remains mostly unwavering, and most importantly, treats Vegas as an equal. I’ve touched on Vegas’ inferiority complex before and in the new episode, it was even more apparent (with his dad directly stating that he will always remain inferior to Kinn, then the convo between Vegas and Pete about V always being compared to Kinn and how damaging that has been for him), so this is significant.
Pete treats Vegas as another human being, as someone with worth, as someone equal. Neither inferior (like with his father, and Kinn) nor superior (like with Tawan or Macau). And he does this despite everything that Vegas does to him, Vegas showing his true self basically. So, when taking all of that into consideration, it’s actually not so surprising that he would panic at the possibility of Pete having died. If he had already developed feelings and was worried about him dying because of that, then yes, I would agree that it would be rushed. But Vegas’ panic over Pete possibly dying is not out of love, not yet (the preview only just hinted that things will turn sexual and then eventually romantic, I assume).
At this stage, though, his concern is platonic, and it’s because, on a subconscious level, he probably felt that he could have just lost the first person who treated him as an equal, as a person, and who saw his “true colours”. And I say subconsciously, because we actually saw at the very beginning of the episode that Vegas refused to shoot Pete because being with him was “so darn fun”. Yes he also means that torturing Pete is an amusing form of play for him, and that he’s intrigued by Pete holding up after all he’s been through. But I think that at the core, he was actually referring to (again, on a subconscious level) that idea of him feeling like he can just be himself, like he’s seen as an equal (I’m repeating this word too much). Why? Because doesn’t it make sense that it wouldn’t be “fun” being around people who treat you only as inferior or superior?
Indeed, they already set this up from the very beginning of the episode, and so to me, I find his reaction to discovering Pete unconscious natural enough. One thing about this series that’s cool, is that the writing and directing really do leave you space to make up your own interpretation entirely, and you could say this about any piece of media *technically*, but Kinnporsche gives you that extra piece of freedom to explore vastly different interpretations and feel uniquely about each scene whilst still making the overall narrative coherent to the viewers.
Anyway, I am sleep deprived as it is so goodnight lovelies <3 Hope you found this interesting
https://vm.tiktok.com/ZMNYavYsD/?k=1
Enjoy ;)
https://vm.tiktok.com/ZMNYh8r8J/?k=1
I’m curious to see how those half truths/half lies will come to play with Pete, and no worries haha I personally haven’t read the novel but I hear a lot about it, so for this review I just tried to cast away any assumptions I made from the novel and focus solely on my observation from the series. I was initially not going to write down my analysis at all but it’s indeed so nice to hear different point of views
I was thinking about Vegas as a character.
I couldn’t sleep last night so I was theorising about what would make Vegas intrigued by Pete in the series. I tried to think about how Vegas has been constructed in relation to others thus far. What’s interesting about him is that he doesn’t actually have any true interest in people (with one exception, but I’ll get to that). Others are pawns to him, just like Tawan or Porsche, and we’ve seen « villains » like him in media before: ill-intentioned, manipulative characters who act out of selfish motives. In the romance genre, though, the cliche is that these villains tend to fall for a person who treats them kindly or accepts them (generally one of the ML’s love interest, so Porsche here). In Kinnporsche, Vegas’s character could have been geared toward this. In episode 5 for example, when he hugs Porsche, we were aware that he was being deceitful, but we were not yet certain just how much. Whether every one of Vegas’s behaviours and facial expressions truly was just a facade, or if he, even if minimally, did bear some form of appreciation for Porsche during these moments.
With episode 10, we got our answer. As a « villain », we’ve seen that Vegas is capable of getting people to completely drop their guard, to open up and even be ‘intimate’ with him. Yet, despite this, he doesn’t develop any affection or care for them, they’re just tools to him. You would think that maybe he would be drawn to someone charming like Porsche, who doesn’t listen to what people say about Vegas (preconceived notions of him), just trusts what he sees in front of him and judges for himself. Vegas could easily feel touched by this, given that people have pigeonholed him his whole life for belonging to the minor family - he clearly does have an inferiority complex after all (which I will get a bit into later) - but he doesn’t feel anything (based on what’s been shown). He remains nonchalant and indifferent. He isn’t swayed in the slightest, neither grateful for Porsche’s trust and friendship, nor does he even care to acknowledge Tawan’s love and dedication toward him, someone who looks past his cunning nature.
He’s also like this toward his own brother, Macau, who is technically in a similar situation than he is. Macau treats him like a brother, probably respects him as a role model and even acts as an accomplice. However, Vegas is still unfazed by this and could probably discard him if that was to be advantageous. We know this from how he talked about him to Porsche, how he sometimes feels like he deserves a beating, showing that he doesn’t share a sincere brotherhood with him. Or that, at the very least, he does not love his brother unconditionally like Porsche does for Chay, just doesn't mind him as long as he doesn't get in the way of his plans. I personally do think that Vegas is still a being that inadvertently craves warmth, which is why he did really seem immersed in his hug with Porsche (having his eyes closed for example). But this does not make him form attachments to the people he shares those moments with, and they therefore do not make him feel indebted or thankful to said people. I also think that this is partly because he's aware that the people he manipulates don't truly see him for who he is (even with Tawan's infatuation; it was based on delusion and denial), so there's nothing for him to be thankful for per se. It's like he already expects this too as a norm which is why it doesn't sadden him either. Maybe he even looks down on people who are so ready to trust him and be faithful to him, ignorantly.
This leads me to my next point. Vegas doesn't have much interest in others indeed, as he is a pretty self-centered guy, the exception being none other than with Kinn (this far in the story). Kinn exists as a target of obsession for Vegas. Everything Vegas does is pretty much linked to Kinn somehow, and, in my view, it's not just because Kinn possesses what he more superficially desires (his status, position, reputation, priviledges...). Vegas is jealous of Kinn because Kinn possesses the capacity to love wholly. The very trait that Vegas begrudges, and sneers at, literally calling Kinn "weak" for it. For someone who seemingly thinks lesser of Kinn for loving and having mercy for people, why is Vegas so desperate to crush the hope that Kinn has for others? Why is he so adamant about taking "what's his" away? Because if he can't have it, then nobody else can. Tawan logic. They're both made of similar matter after all. Vegas can't allow Kinn to love and be happy in love, because that would be the ultimate death penalty to him. He goes so far as to disobey his father's orders, gets in bed with others, and puts everything on the line pretty much, just to achieve this one goal. He feels so small next to Kinn already, he associates every one of Kinn's successes as his failure. We always desire what we cannot acquire in the end (enhypen ref anyone?). Vegas is entrapped in his own cycle of deceit, lying to others, lying to himself. Of course he wouldn't be able to connect with others authentically.
If we take all of this into account, what could get Vegas to not only feel fascination for, but also love, for Pete? His unwavering attitude and perseverance in the face of torture and possible death (revealing his loyalty as well)? Is it his compassion, how he might inquire about Vegas's emotions even after all that he's been subjected to by him? Is it because Vegas, through his venting and brutality, has never been that open to someone else without the other person either fearing him or loathing him? Is it because Pete will have a darkness to him that will somehow resonate with Vegas? I feel like it could be a mix of these things, it could really go in any direction. But seeing how Vegas has been presented thus far, I think it could evolve in this way: initial excitement, fury/disdain, possible disinterest or claiming distance, feeling drawn back, acknowledgment of his own vulnerability, comfort, love.
I'll leave it at that for now because there's not much to go on this far, especially because the writing can take some unexpected turns. With Kim, for instance, he was built up as the sort of character who would have rejected Chay but instead felt swayed enough to accept his confession and even go for a kiss, despite how meticulous he is (and you can see how he still tries to distance himself with the "gotta go, sorry" message he had written prior to the kidnapping scene). My only concern, or point of intruigue, is that the series has been holding back on showing morally grey scenes in "romantic"/"sexual" contexts, so I'm really wondering how they are going to pull it off with VegasPete, because I'm guessing that they will have to insert some dubcon/SA unless they really change the narrative. We'll see, i guess.
I'd be happy to hear what someone else thinks about all this, again if you've read this far, you're the best ^^
https://vm.tiktok.com/ZMNFnatP9/?k=1
I cant believe we're nearing ep 11 already 😭
https://vm.tiktok.com/ZMNFRgb38/?k=1
Thinking about him realising kim is not who he thinks he is
In a time where I struggle to focus on series due to my numbness and sky-high expectations (the exception being Kinnporsche The Series), I’m glad I found this drama. The first half of the show reminded me of why japanese media resonates with me the most. It’s able to be introspective with the characters, giving them purpose and growth. I barely skipped anything. I was just frustrated with most of the second half of the series due to how they handled the miscarriage. It’s a cliche that I am really not fond of and I felt that it was unnecessary, profoundly unnecessary, because the protagonist was not even exposed to the fire so the miscarriage was truly so random and nonsensical. I understand that it represented the rupture/loss of their relationship, but still. I’ve seen it too many times now and it irks me. I would have preferred if she had disappeared and gave birth to the baby, then Tsubaki would have found her. It’s also a cliche but a better one.
Other than that, tsubaki going blind was a mini arc i did not need either. That’s when I started skipping a bit because that on top of the fake pregnancy announcement from the other girl was giving me anxiety. The plotwist for the murder was nicely made but it just made me angry because that just meant that Sakura’s parents died for such foolish reasons, easily could’ve been avoided, and also they ruined the mysterious character I liked at the beginning (why did they have to make him like Nao too…). Like honestly. At least the way the protagonists reunited was sweet. And at the beginning of the series, the development of events were very smooth and actually exciting to watch.
They were fulfilling all my expectations and had me invested. I’m still surprised with the amount of skinship and kisses they showed, that really wowed me. This is japan afterall, a straight relationship at that, so the bed scene particularly took me out lol. It’s nothing compared to what I’ve exposed myself to but I truly didn’t expect it from a straight jdrama, don’t think I’ve even seen anything like that from one. Granted, I’m more familiar with anime/BL dramas rather than live action straight jdramas. Those moments were very satisfying and even mesmerising to watch in a way. The word might exaggerate my intention but I did really feel a bit content watching them, plus the way they were shot too. I like that they didn’t overdo it, they usually repeat the scene millions of times like in kdramas (speaking of which, the latter half of the series seemed heavily influenced by those or rather, almost like we had returned to 90s shoujo manga so it was irritating) and have the girl shocked out of her mind.
That wasn’t the case here but the moments were still meaningful and you could really sense the characters going head to head with each other, neither one backing down. The tension and the intensity of the characters was very refreshing, especially coming from Nao. Also, the pace was perfect for me. I was thankful for that!!