This review may contain spoilers
Lies, lies and private revange leading to...
This studio rarely disappoints me... in terms of “action” lackorns, we're usually well served!
Let's offer some positive criticism for these. I've often found that I have differing opinions and feelings about many average series. It must be said that not all viewers are looking for the same thing in a series.
For my part, I look for series that mix several genres in just the right proportions. A beautiful chemistry between couples, a touch of romanticism, good pacing... an interesting and fast-paced story with interesting characters.
Here I found my “perfect” balance of tones and emotions that I look for every time : we go through everything: anger, humor, frustration, sadness, gentleness, tenderness, violence, with some passages being harsh, others serious, and others lighter...
Even if there are some rather common elements in terms of plot/story here we have a quite well-crafted plot with wists and turns that are fairly well paced (never dull): you never get bored and I didn't find it dragging (the series is just the right length: not too long or too short). This is a huge plus! Because the problem of pacing in this kind of series is very common. OF COURSE it is perfectly objective!
I was also pleasantly surprised by the couple portrayed: I was expecting a more “mature” romance, I would almost go so far as to say toxic (well, their relationship was built on a unilateral lie), but no: we have a very sweet, very cute couple, an almost too naive love that feels very “school life” and/or “first love,” which is quite surprising because it contrasts greatly with the overall mood of the series. They really have great chemistry, and their relationship is frankly touching amid all the violence (gunshots, fights, blood...). Their looks, their tears, their smiles, their kisses: everything is perfect in that regard.
The characters are more or less interesting (I'm glad there are also women and that they have an important role, which isn't always the case in BL series, go figure).
Within the hospital, all the characters (especially the family) are gray (some more than others): between a totally volatile and violent father, an opportunistic sister, and an angry brother who is probably disturbed and paranoid ( felt that Jet's character was really overplayed). However, I kinda liked the subtleties of his relationship with his bodyguard, Park: you can tell that the writers didn't dwell on it (which is a shame but understandable, as it would have been a “duplicate” of the main couple).
Obviously, it's Pheem's development that carries the whole series: a character we love and “hate” at first (from episode 1, I thought to myself: “He's a real bastard, but I kinda like him anymay”, ‘cause of course he may have “his reasons”): a true manipulator and unscrupulous schemer who will stop at nothing to get his revenge, at the expense of others, hidden beneath his angelic features. He does have a “softer” and more mischievous side, but it's definitely hard to trust him at first.
Blinded by revenge for two-thirds of the series, he makes a series of decisions (particularly regarding Than) that we know he will regret. We just wait for the moment when everything comes to the surface: and although it is gradually obvious that he is “changing” through his contact with Than, it takes him a long time and, despite everything, he still shoots himself in the foot at a crucial moment.
To illustrate: /!\ spoiler
The scene where Pheem shoots Than is quite powerful: we think until the very end that he's not going to do it, but no one is surprised when he actually does. We suspect that the act is somewhat “desperate”: his “selfishness” coupled with his fear of losing one of the only two people who care about him (we too often forget his aunt, the goat) take over.
At that moment, he reaches the point of no return and his “true colors” resurface after a whole episode of tenderness, where the couple has officially come together, where we think that this is the right moment for him to “change.” His mistakes catch up with him and in just a few minutes his lies come back to haunt him. Karma? Not exactly. Justice? Perhaps.
If he is going through a rough patch, you can't say he doesn't deserve it. He's just “reaping what he sowed.” It was satisfying that no one “forgave” him so quickly.
However, he does experience a REAL redemption arc after and during “the breakup.”
Than, on the other hand, clearly embodies the pure hero: an honest, loyal, gentle, and kind character, but far from being a fool, and above all, one who doesn't let himself be pushed around. He makes all the decisions we (as viewers) want him to make. Honestly, this guy is an absolute GOAT (too perfect for this world but perfect for Pheem). He's going to suffer a lot, and let's be honest, Pheem clearly doesn't deserve him (for three-quarters of the series): we know it, he knows it, Pheem knows it, everyone knows it (it's often like that in fiction), but he has the merit of having been able to change the latter for good...
To the detriment of his career: I was very disturbed that this point, which was a central pillar in the series, was literally pushed aside. I don't know if it was intentional (the moral of the story?) or just a hole/oversight in the script. In any case, it's even more sad for Than, whose personality is partly built on that.
The soundtracks were not bad . Of course the series has a lots of minor flaws, but honestly, I had a great time watching it.
Let's offer some positive criticism for these. I've often found that I have differing opinions and feelings about many average series. It must be said that not all viewers are looking for the same thing in a series.
For my part, I look for series that mix several genres in just the right proportions. A beautiful chemistry between couples, a touch of romanticism, good pacing... an interesting and fast-paced story with interesting characters.
Here I found my “perfect” balance of tones and emotions that I look for every time : we go through everything: anger, humor, frustration, sadness, gentleness, tenderness, violence, with some passages being harsh, others serious, and others lighter...
Even if there are some rather common elements in terms of plot/story here we have a quite well-crafted plot with wists and turns that are fairly well paced (never dull): you never get bored and I didn't find it dragging (the series is just the right length: not too long or too short). This is a huge plus! Because the problem of pacing in this kind of series is very common. OF COURSE it is perfectly objective!
I was also pleasantly surprised by the couple portrayed: I was expecting a more “mature” romance, I would almost go so far as to say toxic (well, their relationship was built on a unilateral lie), but no: we have a very sweet, very cute couple, an almost too naive love that feels very “school life” and/or “first love,” which is quite surprising because it contrasts greatly with the overall mood of the series. They really have great chemistry, and their relationship is frankly touching amid all the violence (gunshots, fights, blood...). Their looks, their tears, their smiles, their kisses: everything is perfect in that regard.
The characters are more or less interesting (I'm glad there are also women and that they have an important role, which isn't always the case in BL series, go figure).
Within the hospital, all the characters (especially the family) are gray (some more than others): between a totally volatile and violent father, an opportunistic sister, and an angry brother who is probably disturbed and paranoid ( felt that Jet's character was really overplayed). However, I kinda liked the subtleties of his relationship with his bodyguard, Park: you can tell that the writers didn't dwell on it (which is a shame but understandable, as it would have been a “duplicate” of the main couple).
Obviously, it's Pheem's development that carries the whole series: a character we love and “hate” at first (from episode 1, I thought to myself: “He's a real bastard, but I kinda like him anymay”, ‘cause of course he may have “his reasons”): a true manipulator and unscrupulous schemer who will stop at nothing to get his revenge, at the expense of others, hidden beneath his angelic features. He does have a “softer” and more mischievous side, but it's definitely hard to trust him at first.
Blinded by revenge for two-thirds of the series, he makes a series of decisions (particularly regarding Than) that we know he will regret. We just wait for the moment when everything comes to the surface: and although it is gradually obvious that he is “changing” through his contact with Than, it takes him a long time and, despite everything, he still shoots himself in the foot at a crucial moment.
To illustrate: /!\ spoiler
The scene where Pheem shoots Than is quite powerful: we think until the very end that he's not going to do it, but no one is surprised when he actually does. We suspect that the act is somewhat “desperate”: his “selfishness” coupled with his fear of losing one of the only two people who care about him (we too often forget his aunt, the goat) take over.
At that moment, he reaches the point of no return and his “true colors” resurface after a whole episode of tenderness, where the couple has officially come together, where we think that this is the right moment for him to “change.” His mistakes catch up with him and in just a few minutes his lies come back to haunt him. Karma? Not exactly. Justice? Perhaps.
If he is going through a rough patch, you can't say he doesn't deserve it. He's just “reaping what he sowed.” It was satisfying that no one “forgave” him so quickly.
However, he does experience a REAL redemption arc after and during “the breakup.”
Than, on the other hand, clearly embodies the pure hero: an honest, loyal, gentle, and kind character, but far from being a fool, and above all, one who doesn't let himself be pushed around. He makes all the decisions we (as viewers) want him to make. Honestly, this guy is an absolute GOAT (too perfect for this world but perfect for Pheem). He's going to suffer a lot, and let's be honest, Pheem clearly doesn't deserve him (for three-quarters of the series): we know it, he knows it, Pheem knows it, everyone knows it (it's often like that in fiction), but he has the merit of having been able to change the latter for good...
To the detriment of his career: I was very disturbed that this point, which was a central pillar in the series, was literally pushed aside. I don't know if it was intentional (the moral of the story?) or just a hole/oversight in the script. In any case, it's even more sad for Than, whose personality is partly built on that.
The soundtracks were not bad . Of course the series has a lots of minor flaws, but honestly, I had a great time watching it.
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