Flypsyde

What was already dumb just got dumber. What could have been dealt with five years ago is dealt with in ten minutes now. "Oh, damn, it was your/my daddy all along!" "Oh, I did it for your own good!" "Oh, I was unworthy of you, so needed to prove myself to your daddy!" Such originality of plot and story lines. I am overwhelmed.

Thank god for the side-couple. At least they are a little bit interesting.

BTW, have the MC not had sex yet, even though they've reconciled? Wouldn't it be interesting to know why that is? Instead, true to the lazy writing of this show, the script treats that juicy tidbit as if it's of no interest at all. There's supposedly this great passion between them. How could they hold off now that they are back together?

I would swear I saw Shu Yi throw that black wrap-bracelet in the trash long ago when first returning from the fateful trip to the U.S. I guess he fished it out of the trash and stored it neatly away at some point.

Looking forward to reading comments about what a great show this is. As for me, I am thoroughly enjoying my ongoing hate-watch.

Glad to be of help, Seni! :D

When the main character was making his own arrangement to Kang's song in his room alone and suddenly burst into singing that gorgeous harmony, got major chills and teared up. SO beautiful. Yes, great soundtrack.

Can you point out where I defended the USA's horrible problem with gun violence? Thanks, I'll wait. I clearly stated in my comment that I believe the US is a mess, but clearly Korea is even more messed up. Who gives a shit what the "royal family" thinks about anything? I thought Korea was a democracy, or something close to it. Who cares if a lot of Koreans are upset by a drama? They don't have to watch it. The problem is always people like them and you. It's not enough that you choose to not watch and maybe even urge others to not watch, you have to prevent OTHER people from the opportunity to watch it. It's entirely possible that Ghandi DID pour drinks for a white guy at some point, or even if not, that a fictional show chose to show such a thing. So fucking what? If it's so terrible, no one will watch and the show will be a failure. If the Korean drama's ratings were as bad as you say, what is the REAL purpose of fucking BANNING AND CANCELING it? It's a show of power and censorship and stupidity. It's too bad you're on the side of all that.

Likewise. I consider myself a bit of a cynic and difficult to please regarding most forms of art, including film, series, music, etc. And I'm telling you, this one had me ugly-crying toward the end when I thought they might actually be apart for good. Then when Sang Yi shed those two tears at his doorstep when In-Soo showed back up the next morning and more or less confessed, the snot really started flying. lol I know by now to always have paper towels at hand when starting a BL as I never know how things will go...Kleenex don't cut it. :D

The unnecessary inclusion of two or three BL cliche's annoyed me, but I can live with that, though the footprints in the sand disappearing into the water and implying suicide was pretty annoying, and to then find out In-Soo walked there to make a phone call...lol.

But the flick has a great big heart and didn't try to be anything it's not, and I did appreciate the gratuitous and extended long shot of Kang's perfect torso, so I'm all in. :D

Just watched over on Netflix. Loved it.

How many millions of people were watching this drama, and how many thousands got it canceled? I have zero respect for the social norms of modern South Korea. It is schizophrenic and inconsistent in the demands it places on human beings. It is no wonder it is the suicide capital of the developed world. Or shouldn't I comment on that either? I mean, if Korean people want to kill themselves, who am I to say anything about it, eh? Jesus.

I live in the U.S. and think of this place as pretty much a disaster zone, politically and socially. So, my god, to know that SK is so much worse kind of scares the shit out of me. I have watched quite a few Korean feature-films that were released internationally and I've always been struck by the really cruel, abusive, hateful way that so many of the characters, of all relationships, family or business or whatever, speak to each other when annoyed or angry. There is this whole extra level of viciousness that I hadn't generally encountered almost across the board in any specific country's films before. And I began to wonder if that was the way people actually treat each other there. Now I am beginning to believe it's a fact.

Just yesterday I watched a really good flick called "New Trial" (English title), which wouldn't normally be my cup of tea, but it won me over in the first few minutes with the immediate plot and the great lead actor, so I kept watching. It was funny and moving and sad and violent and sweet, but there again was that vein of vicious hatefulness, first from characters one would expect it from, but by movie's end also from the sweet old mother of a main character who finally lost it and spewed such ugliness at her son that it took my breath away.

I stumbled across Asian BL series and feature films about a year ago, quickly stumbled onto SHINee and Jonghyun, then found out Jonghyun had been gone two years already. Broke my heart. As I began to learn about his struggle and the insanely hateful, high-pressure K-Pop industry, and watched Korean films, I learned more and more about South Korea and its deeply messed-up social norms. Wow. And it's so often the case that a place like S. Korea, which I would assume holds no great love for China, would end up behaving exactly like the brutal government of that censorious and rigid country. Ugh.

I wish Jonghyun and all others like him would get out early and escape to Europe or Australia or even the freaking U.S. where they won't be tormented to death and can be themselves.

You mention the high suicide rate among young people in Korea. An article I read about this asserted that the suicide rate is also high among the elderly because there is no social security net and they feel like a burden to their families so they jump off a building. Lovely.

"I guess every country has some stupid people who like to ruin things for everyone else." You are absolutely correct. Assholes. I haven't even seen this show and I'm sick about how it was flushed down the toilet by a bunch of cancel-queens and undoubtedly some powerful jerk-wads behind the scenes.

Seriously, what is it you need to know about them?

Hey there! I'm surprised you and I agree on anything, my friend. lol I loved this movie from beginning to end. I am flabbergasted that you did not like this but find TOATS to be top-notch. Are we on the same planet? lol

Completely disagree. I'm tough to please and this charmed the pants right off of me. Bravo to all involved.

Goodness, my reaction was 180 degrees from yours and I'm pretty hard to please. I love music and have participated in its creation and singing over the years, and that element may have won me over, though it was much more than that. I adored the MC. To me their natural chemistry was excellent. It's amazing how differently we all can perceive the same piece of art.

I don't often sit and read the credits after a movie and listen to the music, but I did after this one just now over on NF. Really surprised me and swept me off my feet. Adorable, talented leads, simple but plausible story, great chemistry and acting all round, the setting, the music, the sweetness of the main character especially, I can't say enough good things. It didn't try to be anything more than what it was, but it did what it did extremely well, with very little BL cheese. Even the cliche's I noticed were done with style and a nice budget.

When, near the end, Sang Yi stood in front of In Soo, lowered his head and those two tears fell straight down from his eyes to his chest I completely lost my ability to maintain...what a beautiful moment given the night they'd just been through.

I need to make a second list of favorite BLs of this type, though I don't know what to title it yet. I like my BLs with more than a hint of darkness and I'm not afraid of some passionate physical love either. This one had neither but I'm in love with it. THIS is currently at the top of this new, unnamed list.

In what ways do you believe it could have been better? I just finished watching this on NF and think it's one of the best purely romantic-lite BLs I've seen and I've seen a shitload. I didn't know much about it going in, either. I was swept off my feet by the sweet story, the two actors, their chemistry, the producer/boss, even the sound engineer, lol. Hell, even the bitchy woman head of the department was good and I like that she ended up having a heart too.

So...curious: What didn't you care for?

Did the drama use historical names or fictional ones? It shouldn't matter either way, but I'm curious. God, this sounds like some right-wing conservative religious groups in the U.S. trying to have a show canceled. Sad and sick.

Are you actually implying that all "Koreans" feel the same about this show or anything else? Some very powerful and wealthy people had this show canceled. It's sick and I hope NF or someone else buys it.

You say "Koreans find it too upsetting..." How many Koreans are upset vs. how many were watching and enjoying the show? This is pathetic. I have less and less respect for Korea all the time. I had no idea it was such a nightmare society of repression and reactionary social and political pressures.

Don't forget South Korea has the highest rate of suicide in the developed world. What a nightmare of a society to try to exist in, let alone do anything that draws attention and makes you a target. A sad reminder of why Jonghyun of SHINee felt he had no better option than to check out. This drama being canceled is really sad. How do such shows get as far as this one did without someone making a stink about it earlier?

Wow. I guess I'm naive. I thought this shit only happened in China. When did Korea become such a haven of censorship? Who cares if some people who don't like the show think it portrays historic events incorrectly? Let them finance and make their own show. Who actually canceled the show? The network? Did they say who pressured them to cancel it? Government? Rich assholes? Who cares if 184,000 people signed a petition? I'm sure the viewership was far larger than that. I despise people who deprive others of their right to view what they choose to, simply because they don't like it. So don't watch it!