Oh wow, we got a K-drama hater in the house on the loose today!
“K-drama hater” is an exaggeration. I definitely have criticism, I used to watch a lot of Korean series. Over time, it deteriorated and turned into something else; it is not just my personal impression. Research shows that cultural shifts have affected the industry, and there is pressure operating on it. From my experience, there is also a cultural tendency to seek comfort in what works, and if something succeeds for one person, it simply gets repeated. This appears in many areas, not only in the drama industry. For example, many people dress the same way; now in winter, everyone wears black, black coats, and if it is a long coat, everyone wears a long coat. This has positive and negative sides. There are many good things in their culture. But in these specific dramas, there is no imagination; there is ability, but no desire.
somebody who works in restaurant and only gain tiny salary is nowhere close to boyfriend material unless you are…
That is true, but there are a few important points here.
First of all, he is lost and also feels inferior, and this is clearly evident. She is in the same situation. She is not really succeeding in her studies, she was evicted from her apartment, she cannot find a new one, and she does not know how to manage life as an adult. For example, she has not checked her mail for months, she does not really understand the teacher, but she also does not really ask what he meant. In other words, she is a lost girl.
So she has not really found herself either, and they find each other and encourage one another. She pushes him to try to move himself forward.
I do not know the age of the character he is portraying, but it is clear that if he is around her age, it is still reasonable that he might eventually find himself. We also do not know the background he comes from.
And one last thing: this is Japan, not America. The Japanese are in a very different position from Americans in terms of economy and employment.
A cute series, mainly because of the male lead, but still the SK style irritates me. The kitschy background music, the kitschy aesthetics of running in the rain trope, the excessive exaggeration in everything, the repetitiveness, the lack of creativity, even the cinematography
My feeling is that the Japanese are always very professional and work along a kind of minimalist axis, from which they develop ideas that may repeat themselves, but even when they do, it is never boring. It is always slightly different. With Korean series, however, it always comes back to the same formula.
The actress is absolutely stunning, but again, she is not convincing in her acting. It does not feel like she is struggling. There is always the economic angle, another strong recurring SK formula: financial hardship, the inability to carry the burden, and somehow the woman always ends up as a helpless figure in need of rescue. There is nothing inherently wrong with that, but again, it is something that repeats itself across all their series.
The two leads do have chemistry, thanks to the male lead, perhaps because he knows how to adapt to challenging scenes, where the female character is not particularly likable. She is very quick to get carried away by a stranger simply because he is nice, while he, on the other hand, is curious but not excessive. He manages to convey that balance.
This also highlights the cultural differences between them. It is genuinely a bit strange and does not sit entirely well.
Overall, it is still a cute series, and hopefully it will not deteriorate.
Episode 5 disappointed me a bit because I waited for it and probably had expectations, since up to now everything was fine. What bothers me in this episode is that Fah completely lacks a backbone. His behavior feels inhuman. Yes, it’s a fantasy entertainment series, but here it was already excessive. Earlier he was angry, and suddenly he isn’t angry at all and has no expectations whatsoever.
Bad acting, a repulsive plot, unbearably boring. Up to episode 3, I passed the time with the series while listening to music, and somehow it worked. From episode 4 onward, the series became so boring and unbearable that even that was no longer possible.
I haven’t watched it, but I’m wondering whether it’s worth it since I connect less with this couple. The question is whether it’s different from their previous series, and which series you would compare it to.
Episode 7 did not work for me. This is the stage where Jira should already have let go and understood himself a bit more. Even though it is hard for him to let go, he continues to abuse Pheem, invades his personal space, disturbs him, and forces him to remain frustrated (in an anger room you are supposed to be alone).
I think it would have been more fitting if Jira had been the next one in line for the anger room and released what he was holding inside. Perhaps then he could also have given us some more creative facial expressions instead of the same expression throughout all the episodes. Not only does he always have the same facial expression, for me it reached its peak when he is crying but with the same expression; if you are already crying, then cry.
And don’t get me wrong, I like the idea that he is struggling with the desire to be normal and prefers to prove to himself that he is not messed up and that he can love an ordinary person like that, instead of loving someone who is emotionally complex (like Ko, who expresses himself only in his selfish way).
In my opinion, Ko is definitely more attractive because there is a certain authenticity in him. He is creative and understands the person in front of him more. He is more needy, more persuasive; there is raw material there, compared to Pheem, the other boring person, who has not proven at all that he is worthy of a relationship. He is both selfish and boring, which is much worse.
At this stage, I would have expected Jira to be a bit more free and daring, or for them to build a bit more tension, instead of continuing this unnecessary abuse, which had already started to become boring at this point.
The issue is that Thai productions tend to ruin even scripts that could have been good, and they will probably…
Your assumption is incorrect; only my last message (as opposed to the previous ones) was from the chat, and it is objective, but I assume you find that difficult.
The issue is that Thai productions tend to ruin even scripts that could have been good, and they will probably…
Based on a general comparison between the industries, Japanese productions are often seen as more professional because of their long experience and structured system. They usually have careful directing, natural and restrained acting, well-written scripts (often adapted from manga or literature), good pacing, and a clear cinematic style, even when budgets are limited. Thai productions tend to focus more on entertainment and visual appeal, with a polished and flashy look meant to attract viewers, strong emphasis on music, intentionally promoted actor chemistry, and heavy marketing. However, they can sometimes rely on repetitive storylines, uneven acting, and less controlled direction. These differences come from the industries themselves: Japan works within a long-established film and TV tradition, while Thailand follows a faster, more commercial model aimed at a young international audience.
Japanese native speakers… I have a question. Is the language they use here easier than normal Japanese conversations…
The dialogue in these series is usually very simple and basic; if you try watching more complex films, you will see that it becomes a bit more complicated.
The issue is that Thai productions tend to ruin even scripts that could have been good, and they will probably…
I do not watch Chinese BLs very much because there are hardly any of them. I was not impressed by what I saw in terms of production compared to Japanese series over the past year. In terms of budget, they have more money, which mainly results in more actors and more extras, but that does not mean the production itself is better. From what I have seen, the editing is not very good or convincing. They also tend toward excessive violence and fantasy, which I do not connect with. I do not see them as a standard for comparison, since they are also a dictatorship that allows no creative freedom. From my perspective, there is nothing to discuss about them.
As for Korean BLs, I do not think there is anything to talk about either, because again, there are hardly any productions. Most are low-budget and very poor. I have not seen a single series that meets proper production standards. They do, however, clearly have the potential when they have a budget, unlike the Thai industry, where it would not happen regardless of the budget. This is not about budget or schedule, but about culture: there is no professional training, and no real desire to learn or to teach. I agree there is boldness, but it is a trashy boldness, not boldness with depth or a meaningful statement.
1
From my experience, there is also a cultural tendency to seek comfort in what works, and if something succeeds for one person, it simply gets repeated. This appears in many areas, not only in the drama industry. For example, many people dress the same way; now in winter, everyone wears black, black coats, and if it is a long coat, everyone wears a long coat. This has positive and negative sides. There are many good things in their culture. But in these specific dramas, there is no imagination; there is ability, but no desire.
First of all, he is lost and also feels inferior, and this is clearly evident. She is in the same situation. She is not really succeeding in her studies, she was evicted from her apartment, she cannot find a new one, and she does not know how to manage life as an adult. For example, she has not checked her mail for months, she does not really understand the teacher, but she also does not really ask what he meant. In other words, she is a lost girl.
So she has not really found herself either, and they find each other and encourage one another. She pushes him to try to move himself forward.
I do not know the age of the character he is portraying, but it is clear that if he is around her age, it is still reasonable that he might eventually find himself. We also do not know the background he comes from.
And one last thing: this is Japan, not America. The Japanese are in a very different position from Americans in terms of economy and employment.
My feeling is that the Japanese are always very professional and work along a kind of minimalist axis, from which they develop ideas that may repeat themselves, but even when they do, it is never boring. It is always slightly different. With Korean series, however, it always comes back to the same formula.
The actress is absolutely stunning, but again, she is not convincing in her acting. It does not feel like she is struggling. There is always the economic angle, another strong recurring SK formula: financial hardship, the inability to carry the burden, and somehow the woman always ends up as a helpless figure in need of rescue. There is nothing inherently wrong with that, but again, it is something that repeats itself across all their series.
The two leads do have chemistry, thanks to the male lead, perhaps because he knows how to adapt to challenging scenes, where the female character is not particularly likable. She is very quick to get carried away by a stranger simply because he is nice, while he, on the other hand, is curious but not excessive. He manages to convey that balance.
This also highlights the cultural differences between them. It is genuinely a bit strange and does not sit entirely well.
Overall, it is still a cute series, and hopefully it will not deteriorate.
I think it would have been more fitting if Jira had been the next one in line for the anger room and released what he was holding inside. Perhaps then he could also have given us some more creative facial expressions instead of the same expression throughout all the episodes. Not only does he always have the same facial expression, for me it reached its peak when he is crying but with the same expression; if you are already crying, then cry.
And don’t get me wrong, I like the idea that he is struggling with the desire to be normal and prefers to prove to himself that he is not messed up and that he can love an ordinary person like that, instead of loving someone who is emotionally complex (like Ko, who expresses himself only in his selfish way).
In my opinion, Ko is definitely more attractive because there is a certain authenticity in him. He is creative and understands the person in front of him more. He is more needy, more persuasive; there is raw material there, compared to Pheem, the other boring person, who has not proven at all that he is worthy of a relationship. He is both selfish and boring, which is much worse.
At this stage, I would have expected Jira to be a bit more free and daring, or for them to build a bit more tension, instead of continuing this unnecessary abuse, which had already started to become boring at this point.
As for Korean BLs, I do not think there is anything to talk about either, because again, there are hardly any productions. Most are low-budget and very poor. I have not seen a single series that meets proper production standards. They do, however, clearly have the potential when they have a budget, unlike the Thai industry, where it would not happen regardless of the budget. This is not about budget or schedule, but about culture: there is no professional training, and no real desire to learn or to teach. I agree there is boldness, but it is a trashy boldness, not boldness with depth or a meaningful statement.