1
4
1
Entertaining, with many doses of chaos but left some things to be desired
The Affair Was Just The Beginning was a drama which went under my radar due to its hectic premise. I have become a big fan of kdramas about messy stories and messy people and what's messier than a story about an affair between neighbours?
Only that (just like the title states), the affair is only the beginning of chaos.
First and foremost, this series had some of the best editing segments I have seen in a kdrama. The transitions between different scenes were very clever and creative and the camera work enhanced the comedy vibes with zoom-ins and zoom-outs and camera angles that uplifted the hectic atmosphere (the scene with the lawyer trying to hide in the background while the two families were fighting each other was peak comedy).
The vibrant colours highlighted the glamorous facade of the families and the fake image they wanted to sell to the public. The soundtrack complimented the atmosphere of the story, giving off retro and rich vibes, while remaining dramatic and vivid.
In order to describe the hectic flow of the story, I want you to think of a Jenga tower. The more pieces you remove, the less stable the structure is. The affair between Im Jae Yong and An Su Jeong is the piece of the tower, which causes its collapse, with more pieces following. Throughout the drama, the tower keeps falling and falling and we, the viewers, can do nothing but watch the chaos unfold.
As someone who loves black comedies, I was immediately drawn by the premise of the drama. I found the humour clever and sharp and the actors elevated the comedic elements. Not every moment would hit but each episode had its own memorable bits, especially towards the end. Aside from the funny dialogues and the exaggerated performances, however, the comedy relied on the dramatic irony that surrounded the whole drama.
After the first episode, the narrative kept focusing on different events and characters, presenting the plot through different lenses. By being exposed to different viewpoints, we get the whole picture of the story, which is ignored by the main characters. Keeping the characters oblivious to the various consequences and misunderstandings, which shaped their judgement and decisions, added to the comedy and as they became entangled more to the issues they had created, intentionally or not, I was amused to see how they'd manage to handle them.
All that glitters is not gold and The Affair Was Just The Beginning perfectly reflects this message. Kyung Hee tried to sell an image of a perfect family to the public but the reality couldn't have been further from that. Lies, secrets and ploys, all are interwoven in a labyrinth of misunderstandings and ironies and in the end, once the masks have fallen off, what is left is to tidy up this mess.
The drama has an ensemble of very flawed people who made very questionable choices. If morally grey characters or characters who make constant mistakes are not up your alley, you might stay away from this drama, because these people kept digging their own grave. At some point, the adults started behaving like children, while the children acted like the actual adults. As someone who doesn't mind this type of stories, I wasn't bothered by that. If anything, I had quite some fun observing the two families engaging in questionable activities.
The two main actresses, Kim Hye Soo and Cho Yeo Jung carried this drama on their backs. They brought the perfect amount of comedy and chaos and their over dramatic acting perfectly matched with the exaggerated story. The dynamic between Park Kyung Hee and An Su Jeong and their families was so hectic and the two actresses blended perfectly into the chaos. Kim Hye Soo in particular, portrayed Kyung Hee's vulnerability after the reveal of her husbands betrayal in a very sympathetic way. Although her character was not innocent, Hye Soo succeeding in conveying Kyung Hee's sadness and anger, adding more complexity to a flawed person.
The two younger actresses did a great job as well. Their chemistry was wholesome and I liked how they portrayed Min Seo and Ye Ji's frustration towards their parents. They were the characters I supported the most throughout the drama, they were just two teenagers who were fed up with their parents' negligence and who wanted to be with someone who understood them.
The male actors did a good job in general, although I found their deliveries to be quite stiff at times. I enjoyed the performances from the actresses more, they were more dramatic and vivid, which matched with the vibes of the story. The men weren't bad, they had their own comedic moments but compared to Hye Soo and Seo Jung, it was the writing of the characters instead of the acting who spoke to me.
The drama offered an entertaining story and I certainly was aware of what I signed up for when I began watching it. I didn't expect a complex story about complex people, nor something too sophisticated and I certainly do not value less stories which rely on a messy setting. But The Affair Was Just The Beginning fell short in some areas, leaving me quite indifferent.
As someone who usually enjoys watching movies and series which tell the story through different perspectives, the non-linear structure of the drama halted the flow quite often and as a result, the pacing of the already short episodes dragged. I understand that this choice is particularly what added to the dramatic irony of the series but after a while, it became tiresome. I would have preferred a better balance, the last two episodes in particular which were more linear and focused on an on-going plot were handled better.
Even though the story was already hectic and tumultuous, surprisingly, I found myself wishing for something even bolder. The middle section of the drama didn't capture my attention that much and it was during the last two episodes when my interest reawakened. The ending was very camp and full of hectic, bizarre and funny bits. This was the direction I had expected from the beginning, I by no means say that the previous episodes didn't have their fair chunk of drama, but it was a smaller extend. I think the writer could have embraced the chaos even more, at times it was as if they played too safe.
All in all, The Affair Was Just The Beginning was an entertaining yet average story. The actresses certainly elevated the drama and the technical aspects deserve nothing but praise. I definitely recommend it to viewers who crave this type of drama but don't expect a lot.
Only that (just like the title states), the affair is only the beginning of chaos.
First and foremost, this series had some of the best editing segments I have seen in a kdrama. The transitions between different scenes were very clever and creative and the camera work enhanced the comedy vibes with zoom-ins and zoom-outs and camera angles that uplifted the hectic atmosphere (the scene with the lawyer trying to hide in the background while the two families were fighting each other was peak comedy).
The vibrant colours highlighted the glamorous facade of the families and the fake image they wanted to sell to the public. The soundtrack complimented the atmosphere of the story, giving off retro and rich vibes, while remaining dramatic and vivid.
In order to describe the hectic flow of the story, I want you to think of a Jenga tower. The more pieces you remove, the less stable the structure is. The affair between Im Jae Yong and An Su Jeong is the piece of the tower, which causes its collapse, with more pieces following. Throughout the drama, the tower keeps falling and falling and we, the viewers, can do nothing but watch the chaos unfold.
As someone who loves black comedies, I was immediately drawn by the premise of the drama. I found the humour clever and sharp and the actors elevated the comedic elements. Not every moment would hit but each episode had its own memorable bits, especially towards the end. Aside from the funny dialogues and the exaggerated performances, however, the comedy relied on the dramatic irony that surrounded the whole drama.
After the first episode, the narrative kept focusing on different events and characters, presenting the plot through different lenses. By being exposed to different viewpoints, we get the whole picture of the story, which is ignored by the main characters. Keeping the characters oblivious to the various consequences and misunderstandings, which shaped their judgement and decisions, added to the comedy and as they became entangled more to the issues they had created, intentionally or not, I was amused to see how they'd manage to handle them.
All that glitters is not gold and The Affair Was Just The Beginning perfectly reflects this message. Kyung Hee tried to sell an image of a perfect family to the public but the reality couldn't have been further from that. Lies, secrets and ploys, all are interwoven in a labyrinth of misunderstandings and ironies and in the end, once the masks have fallen off, what is left is to tidy up this mess.
The drama has an ensemble of very flawed people who made very questionable choices. If morally grey characters or characters who make constant mistakes are not up your alley, you might stay away from this drama, because these people kept digging their own grave. At some point, the adults started behaving like children, while the children acted like the actual adults. As someone who doesn't mind this type of stories, I wasn't bothered by that. If anything, I had quite some fun observing the two families engaging in questionable activities.
The two main actresses, Kim Hye Soo and Cho Yeo Jung carried this drama on their backs. They brought the perfect amount of comedy and chaos and their over dramatic acting perfectly matched with the exaggerated story. The dynamic between Park Kyung Hee and An Su Jeong and their families was so hectic and the two actresses blended perfectly into the chaos. Kim Hye Soo in particular, portrayed Kyung Hee's vulnerability after the reveal of her husbands betrayal in a very sympathetic way. Although her character was not innocent, Hye Soo succeeding in conveying Kyung Hee's sadness and anger, adding more complexity to a flawed person.
The two younger actresses did a great job as well. Their chemistry was wholesome and I liked how they portrayed Min Seo and Ye Ji's frustration towards their parents. They were the characters I supported the most throughout the drama, they were just two teenagers who were fed up with their parents' negligence and who wanted to be with someone who understood them.
The male actors did a good job in general, although I found their deliveries to be quite stiff at times. I enjoyed the performances from the actresses more, they were more dramatic and vivid, which matched with the vibes of the story. The men weren't bad, they had their own comedic moments but compared to Hye Soo and Seo Jung, it was the writing of the characters instead of the acting who spoke to me.
The drama offered an entertaining story and I certainly was aware of what I signed up for when I began watching it. I didn't expect a complex story about complex people, nor something too sophisticated and I certainly do not value less stories which rely on a messy setting. But The Affair Was Just The Beginning fell short in some areas, leaving me quite indifferent.
As someone who usually enjoys watching movies and series which tell the story through different perspectives, the non-linear structure of the drama halted the flow quite often and as a result, the pacing of the already short episodes dragged. I understand that this choice is particularly what added to the dramatic irony of the series but after a while, it became tiresome. I would have preferred a better balance, the last two episodes in particular which were more linear and focused on an on-going plot were handled better.
Even though the story was already hectic and tumultuous, surprisingly, I found myself wishing for something even bolder. The middle section of the drama didn't capture my attention that much and it was during the last two episodes when my interest reawakened. The ending was very camp and full of hectic, bizarre and funny bits. This was the direction I had expected from the beginning, I by no means say that the previous episodes didn't have their fair chunk of drama, but it was a smaller extend. I think the writer could have embraced the chaos even more, at times it was as if they played too safe.
All in all, The Affair Was Just The Beginning was an entertaining yet average story. The actresses certainly elevated the drama and the technical aspects deserve nothing but praise. I definitely recommend it to viewers who crave this type of drama but don't expect a lot.
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