I saw an interesting viewpoint on tiktok how people from different countries may view the ep10 massacre differently,…
It's not only viewers from Korea/Asia, I'm from Europe and I didn't get triggered at all.
In most of the world, these kinds of event are seen as something that happens only in the USA. Which is understandable since more than 95% of the time, it happens there.
On one hand, I really enjoyed the direction that the show took in episodes 7 to 9. The focus on a more psychological drama, with an emphasis on how humans can be more terrifying than spheres, and the exploration of the relationships between the students, rather than just mindless fighting, was a welcome change from Part 1.
Some people didn't like this because it goes away from the "students vs sphere" focus of part 1, but I personally really enjoyed this shift in genre. Whether you will like it or not depends of your drama taste (action vs psychological).
This will probably be unpopular, but I also really liked that there is no adults anymore, I was a bit tired of the platoon leader always directing them "do this, do that". It's nice to see the sudents having to make the decision themselves.
However, episode 10, the final episode, was a big letdown. It was completely nonsensical and ruined the entire story for me. The ending was brutal and unsatisfying, and while I don't mind a sad ending, it should be introduced and set up properly, which was not the case here.
In addition, I believe that Part 2 should have been longer, with 6 to 8 episodes instead of just 4. We are left unsatisfied. I suspect if we had 3 or 4 episodes more to build up the final one, it would have been an acceptable ending.
TLDR: ep 1 to 9 good, ep 10 bad (If you start the drama now, stop at episode 9).
But, Duty After School is still among the best dramas of 2023 to me.
I hope this is better than Boys Planet, I don't want to be disappointed anymore 🙏
Spoiler: Boys Planet is insanely better than this. The talent pool on Fantasy Boys is very low and the editing is horendous (they managed to do worst than Mnet).
But it's still entertaining to watch, to have a laugh.
I'm still astonished by how Mnet selectively reveal the ranks of some trainees before the end of voting to boost them (if they are low) or to make them drop (if they are high). So unfair.
They should at least pretend to be objective and stick to the usual screen time manipulations.
Nope Hui doesn't fit in this show. It's a show for trainees or failed idol, to give them a chance to be seen.…
He can go as a soloist, do music production, search another agence with Pentagon, go on Peak Time (a survival show made for already debuted groups) with them, etc...
But Boys Planet is not fit for him. I also blame Mnet for having accepted him for views when it's obvious hé doesn't fit the concept of the show.
The Produce/Planet series was always meant for trainees or failed idols with no recognition and close to no fame. Hui produced the debut song of the most popular produce group....
Nope Hui doesn't fit in this show. It's a show for trainees or failed idol, to give them a chance to be seen. If he takes a slot in the final group from a trainee, I'd really be mad.
Hui is doing fine, he doesn't need this and him being in the BP group would hurt Pentagon. If Hui joins the BP group, Pentagon is dead.
Current top 9 is perfect for me but 10 to 18 is shit.
No Haruto, Woonggi or Chen Kuan Jui. :( I would have swapped Lee Hoetaek, Yoo Seungeon and Kum Junghyeon for those.
Hui really has nothing to do in this show. Him being there is bad for everyone: Pentagon because it weakens the group, the other participants because he takes the slot a trainee whose sole chance of being seen could be BP and him because he was already super succesful and doing really good so he didn't need that. He produced Wanna One debut song .... Makes no sense he is here not as a mentor.
I fail to understand what makes so many people find this drama so good.
It's a pretty mediocre romcom with nothing special. Story is non-existent, acting is cringe... Production value is average.
Watch if you have free time and are bored but don't expect a masterpiece like some reviews makes it appear to be. It's just your usual romcom with a gaming setting.
PS: there was quite a lot of not so subtle patriotic propaganda "China is the best" all along the drama, so if you're allergic to that, be warned.
In most of the world, these kinds of event are seen as something that happens only in the USA. Which is understandable since more than 95% of the time, it happens there.
On one hand, I really enjoyed the direction that the show took in episodes 7 to 9. The focus on a more psychological drama, with an emphasis on how humans can be more terrifying than spheres, and the exploration of the relationships between the students, rather than just mindless fighting, was a welcome change from Part 1.
Some people didn't like this because it goes away from the "students vs sphere" focus of part 1, but I personally really enjoyed this shift in genre. Whether you will like it or not depends of your drama taste (action vs psychological).
This will probably be unpopular, but I also really liked that there is no adults anymore, I was a bit tired of the platoon leader always directing them "do this, do that". It's nice to see the sudents having to make the decision themselves.
However, episode 10, the final episode, was a big letdown. It was completely nonsensical and ruined the entire story for me. The ending was brutal and unsatisfying, and while I don't mind a sad ending, it should be introduced and set up properly, which was not the case here.
In addition, I believe that Part 2 should have been longer, with 6 to 8 episodes instead of just 4. We are left unsatisfied. I suspect if we had 3 or 4 episodes more to build up the final one, it would have been an acceptable ending.
TLDR: ep 1 to 9 good, ep 10 bad (If you start the drama now, stop at episode 9).
But, Duty After School is still among the best dramas of 2023 to me.
Same for Desires Catcher, they removed every single element of bromance (not even BL) from it.
I stopped trusting ratings for those, 90% of the time I drop the drama after 1 or 2 episodes because it's just average.
Plenty of excellent Cdramas get lower ratings despites being way way better than those copy/pasted and bland romcoms.
Go Go Squid! is another example of a bad drama getting high rating for whatever reason.
I guess people rate 10 when there is an actor/actress they like in the cast, regardless of the drama itself. Only explanation I see.
https://nypost.com/2023/04/19/moonbin-member-of-k-pop-group-astro-dead-at-25-by-suicide-reports/
It's the New York Post, not a random account on twitter. Sourced from the police investigation.
The talent pool on Fantasy Boys is very low and the editing is horendous (they managed to do worst than Mnet).
But it's still entertaining to watch, to have a laugh.
They should at least pretend to be objective and stick to the usual screen time manipulations.
Watch the show elsewhere or you're gonna miss a lot.
What's the point of airing this dumbed down version? Get the appropriate copyrights or dont air the show at all ...
The editing is already messy and borderline, we don't need cropped episodes in addition of that.
I'm away this week (I'll watch the episode next week) and I dont want to be spoiled the group members.
Your own fame doesn't always transfer to your group. Hui produced Wanna One's debut song, not Pentagon as a group.
That's why it wouldn't shock me to have Pentagon on Peak Time.
But Boys Planet is not fit for him. I also blame Mnet for having accepted him for views when it's obvious hé doesn't fit the concept of the show.
The Produce/Planet series was always meant for trainees or failed idols with no recognition and close to no fame. Hui produced the debut song of the most popular produce group....
Hui is doing fine, he doesn't need this and him being in the BP group would hurt Pentagon. If Hui joins the BP group, Pentagon is dead.
Current top 9 is perfect for me but 10 to 18 is shit.
No Haruto, Woonggi or Chen Kuan Jui. :(
I would have swapped Lee Hoetaek, Yoo Seungeon and Kum Junghyeon for those.
Hui really has nothing to do in this show. Him being there is bad for everyone: Pentagon because it weakens the group, the other participants because he takes the slot a trainee whose sole chance of being seen could be BP and him because he was already super succesful and doing really good so he didn't need that.
He produced Wanna One debut song .... Makes no sense he is here not as a mentor.
It's a pretty mediocre romcom with nothing special. Story is non-existent, acting is cringe... Production value is average.
Watch if you have free time and are bored but don't expect a masterpiece like some reviews makes it appear to be. It's just your usual romcom with a gaming setting.
PS: there was quite a lot of not so subtle patriotic propaganda "China is the best" all along the drama, so if you're allergic to that, be warned.