FreshKicks

The other sign of bad writing is that they insert a crisis for dramatic purposes and then have it magically disappear when its job was done. Otherwise it would require a lot more convincing storytelling to dispose of it realistically.

First is was the ultra-mature little girl getting into a huff over her mom sending someone else to pick her up at school and deciding to go missing. Dramatic purpose: provide a reason for JW and SJ to have to work together and end the episode with the Big Kiss. After she's found again the little girl reverts back to adult mode for the rest of the series. (And you can believe she wasn't punished for the trouble she caused, either.)

Then there's the villagers who shun JW because of the scandal with his parents. Toward the end, when that harsh treatment would only get in the way of the HEA, they have the big outburst at the viewing party where everybody ends up feeling ashamed of themselves. Voila -- townfolk are cool with JW.

My favorite, because they didn't even seem to care how it came off: somebody in town leaked what was going on with SJ and caused a huge problem. Had it been an adult then that, too, would have made the HEA a little awkward, so the culprit turns out to be an elementary school kid (I guess this town is teeming with child savants) whose misdeed can be excused with a few jokes.

Then, of course, it's JW suddenly realizing he loves SJ and turning up to beg forgiveness.

Sorry, but I think between the two of us you're the one retaliating against the opinions you disagree with. The rave reviews here on MDL far outnumber the dissenters like me. You should take heart in that. You are in the majority, especially when you consider the consensus of viewers on Reddit, Twitter, and elsewhere.

If anything, I wrote the review to get the anger and disappointment out of my system. As I watched Season Two unfold I realized it would be my goodbye to "To My Star". But I admit that I also hoped the review might offer a life raft to others who feel the same as I do but are hesitant to say so.

The whole idea of a traumatized Ji Woo puzzles me. What was it that traumatized him? Was it the scandal involving his parents? Well, like other problems set up by the series, that one was solved as soon as it had served its purpose -- all it took was one outburst at a viewing party.

I also think that people are retroactively interpreting the Ji Woo of Season One to fit the "trauma" theory as well as the theory about him running away from relationships because he feels he can't be loved. He moved out of the apartment in Season One after the confrontation with his friend over extorting hush money from Seo Joon. He even told Seo Joon that if he kept associating with him it would get him into trouble. And he was right -- his friend's actions might have gotten him arrested as an accomplice.

I know you'll probably say that that was what he said to Seo Joon but not what he really felt. But what makes you right and me wrong?

And while I'm at it, the "lonely in the relationship" stuff doesn't ring true either. If he was so lonely, why would he retreat to the home town where he knew he would be treated like an outcast? And that whole bit about keeping that restaurant open while nobody ate there was pretty silly.

I doubt that you doubt me. You’re just mad. Why would I lie about it? “Literally” two of my rewatches were to introduce friends to Asian drama.

I watched this movie yesterday. It's confusing in many ways.

I had to rewatch the opening and I *think* what happens there is that the two guys coincidentally meet one another before Min Ki shows up at Min Hoon's house. Since when we get to the final scenes (also set in the city) the stepbrother is presumed dead, so his presence in the opening part seems to support the idea that the opening shows Min Ki and Min Hoon's first encounter. How they met? Who knows. But the stepbrother even sits next to Min Ki on the bench and doesn't recognize him. In addition, when Min Hoon first opens the gate after Min Ki arrives at his house there seems to be a flash of recognition and confusion on his face, like maybe that spontaneous kiss back in the city is about to cost him lol.

But, even if I'm right that whole part seems unnecessary. Why not use the time to flesh out how the two men come to overcome their mutual hostility and bond?

I'm a little puzzled by the ending too. So, the stepbrother drowns himself after Min Hoon tells him he'll be right back, and meanwhile Min Hoon travels all the way to the city to pursue Min Ki. It kinda makes sense that in his search he'd eventually return to the place where they first kissed in the opening scene, but then we're suddenly back at the beach and there's Min Ki. Hadn't he gotten on the train before Min Hoon had had a chance to find him?

So, for the very last shot of the two guys facing one another I think it might be taking place weeks later. Min Ki has returned to the beach to find Min Hoon again. They each wear one of the dogtags from Min Ki's brother, so my guess is that it signifies that Min Ki's dead brother has brought the two boys together and they will end up as a couple.

After reading your first comment and giving it some thought I came back to thank you and respond, but nothing shuts down a discussion better than characterizing the people who disagree with you as ignorant or, worse, lacking aspects of humanity.

And it seems possible you even created your account just to do this. Is the series that important to you? Goodness.

At the very least I'm glad my review helped you and Mikey to find each other amidst the sea of unfortunates.

Well, while I'm not a series "rewatcher" in most cases, TMS1 is one that I did return to several times.

I think I would have liked this series a lot more if it had been created around totally new characters, so I envy you having that bad memory. :)

Isn't it wonderful that we get the finale of Old Fashion Cupcake so soon after enduring this one? I thank the BL Gods for that.

Bravo. You are so right when you say that childhood trauma is no excuse for being a shitty person. I know someone who experienced unspeakable things when growing up and she's one of the most delightful and giving people I've ever met.

Simplistic writing that's not even worthy of a college Psych 101 course is almost insulting to people who have coped with real issues in their lives.

I will say, though, that I think the Ji Woo of Season One was far less offensive because what he responded negatively to was celebrity culture and being obligated to welcome a movie star of all people into his home. In Season Two that was turned on its head and his anger was directed at Seo Joon as a person, and it was jawdroppingly vicious.

For me the disconnect between the two Ji Woos was the fatal error in the whole enterprise.

It seems fair to counterbalance all the "10 10 10 10" reviews that were written like three weeks ago, declaring this "literally" (whatever that means) a masterpiece.

Me too! Save me a seat.

Agreed. Exceptions that prove the rule lol. They both expanded their main narratives instead of toying with them.

I hope you don’t mind I stole “generate a crisis” from one of your comments a couple of weeks ago. After you wrote that I thought of it every time she appeared on screen. ☺️

it's on gagaoolala and bilibili

If it's not a happy ending I'm flying to Japan to complain and insist they do a reshoot.

A couple of days ago somebody had the idea of cooking desserts to enjoy while watching the finale.

I found the perfect one! And yes today I bought the eggs and the cupcake pans and tomorrow morning I'M ON IT.

https://www.bettycrocker.com/products/kid-fun-kits/unicorn-cupcake-kit

Oh, you do know how to make a boy blush. 😊

Please don't tell people that the reason they don't like Season Two is because they want fluff. All that says is that you don't know how to defend the series on its merits.

This is a great interpretation but I don't know if I agree that the series laid it out that way, because they offered nothing to fill in the blanks.

They should have had you as a script consultant.

The last 10 minutes were so over the top -- they even brought back the Season One OST.

It's like the director was saying: "Just kidding with those other episodes! You can be happy now!"

I wondered the same. I also guessed it would be someone from the production.