Mademoiselle Noir

Scandalously Bad

Arguably, the first K-GL to make it to a mainstream platform, this came out of the woodwork!

And how did it fare compared to K-BL's first popular offering of Where Your Eyes Linger in 2020, which gradually led to a K-BL wave and even real irl representation on the screen in the form of the reality dating show His Man, which has run for multiple seasons?

*grimaces*

Yeah, unfortunately, I believe the K-GL wave is going to be set back because of this trash.

I went in with hope. And again, with this being a milestone drama, I tried to give it grace.

They did try.

But did they really?

Because much as I wish I could say there are redeeming aspects to Scandal Love, I can't think of anything positive to say other than the two FLs had a couple of legitimately good moments together and it was an effort to produce/put out a mainstream K-GL.

I even find myself questioning whether this was "subtle" product placement, given how on-the-nose the writing was and how many times the two girl groups in this universe were name-dropped, and promotion/marketing was treated like character growth.

The sound design was poor, AI/stock footage shots were very obviously AI/stock footage, the dancing was laughably bad, the music sounded like it was royalty-free, and never have I ever seen actors/characters SO uncomfortable existing on the screen! Their faces were always twisted in pain/they looked like they were cringing with every line, begging the ground to swallow them whole.

Seemingly, no one wanted to be here except Mr. Creepy Ceo (who, I might add, switched from supportive mentor to voyer villain on a dime), funnily enough. Which go-figure it was the dude licking his lips, trying to mog the camera, eyeing the FLs/their potential romance like a steak he couldn't wait to devour, because this shit felt like cheap porn without plot except there was no porn AND no plot!

And to top all this off, of course, there were constant character inconsistencies from episode to episode and even scene to scene! One moment, one of the FLs is sad, and the other is bitter, and the next one's supportive and adoring, and the other is cold and distant, and then both are suddenly super duper happy and optimistic and besties and/or in love, with NOTHING in between to justify the sudden shift. You're just supposed to go along with the drama's mood swings, I guess! The only theory I can come up with for this nonsense is that the editor fell asleep in the middle of editing, and their vindictive black cat took over the keyboard!

Don't even get me started on the plot because tell me how they managed to drag such a lame, bare-bones story about a K-Pop girl group who gains a new member out of nowhere, has millions of followers, and is also about to be forced to disband, across ten episodes with an average runtime of 40 minutes each? That's not a compliment!

Low budget, few actors/sets, and not much time to rehearse/shoot can be understandable reasons as to why a piece of media doesn't live up to expectations.

But this is just inexcusable!

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A bewilderingly wonderful watch

For a not-very-anticipated drama with a confusing synopsis, this managed to pull out all the stops. This. This is what A Shoulder to Cry On WANTED to be. It had tension, kept its focus, kept the conflict simple and unfolded the details of it bit by bit, and pulled the main leads and their complicated feelings together at every turn. And, best of all, their yearning was evident and put into action.

I recommend you go binge it right now!

Criticism: My only real gripe was the music. Many times, it was ill-fitting or came out of nowhere very loudly and interrupted an otherwise impactful moment. Other times, a scene could have done with silence to allow the audience and the characters to sit with their feelings.

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Nothing is easy, but this was easily a 10

Everything about this was well-thought-out. From the clothing, lighting, props, and music to the dialogue, line delivery, and message.

It doesn't paint its protagonists as always right. More often than not, their points of view are challenged, often by each other. And, there is no easy answer. Peacefully protesting is a great way to speak out but does not guarantee a solution. Many companies are happy to wait it out until the public forgets about it. Acting illegally but nonviolently to expose deep-seated corruption is another way. But you can be arrested and/or have the public turn against you. For many, the end does not justify the means. And, if the law can be so easily disregarded, what is the point of it? Removing one person in power doesn't necessarily make the root of the issue go away; someone else will take their place.

None of it is easy. Even though this drama ended, it wasn't the end for the characters. They won the battle, but they're still fighting the war.

Our protagonists, while working together, aren't even on an equal playing field with each other. I think this is best shown through White's internal dialogue about growing up privileged and ahead of others and how unfair that is reflected by what he sees around him and what others say.

This wasn't a cash-grab romance drama with "brownie-points" material thrown in. This was a genuine attempt to portray working-class people being taken advantage of, discriminated against, and still fighting for equal rights.

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Just . . . Bad.

I wanted to like this. I really did. At first I told myself: It's not bad. But not good.

But . . . It was just bad.

I could tell the actors were trying to work with what they were given, but it was like you could almost see it behind their eyes that they wished they could say some lines differently.

And it wasn't just the performances that were lacking, the camerawork could be downright ugly, the important plotpoints of the story felt like they were thrown in at random times, the pacing was off, and the dialogue made me feel like I was in a hamster wheel!

Side Note: Why did Dennis even exist as a character?

Me trying to see the positives:

The concept had promise, the ending wasn't too bad, and sometimes the MLs had legitimate chemistry.

This is a skip my friends. Go watch The New Employee instead. I know you've been thinking about it. Just go!

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Spoiler that shouldn't be a spoiler ahead because it's a Trigger Warning!

I'm just going to jump right into it:




Waii rapes Apo. And afterward, a "romance" blooms between the two. It is not a scene featuring questionable consent. It is undeniably rape. Apo says no and tries to fight back; Waii doesn't listen and restrains him. You may be asking hopefully, "Is it condemned?" I'm sorry to tell you, it's not. The drama doesn't treat it as the horrible act it is, not at all. Not only does Waii face no consequences for what he does, but romantic music is played over it, and it's even used in a flashback later. Apo also takes almost no time to forgive Waii, as if he stole his homework rather than forced himself on him against his will. Now, it is each survivor's right to be affected by their experience in different ways and heal from it however they see fit. However, this drama did something unforgivable and extremely damaging by not properly framing rape as wrong. If you can stomach the experience, I would recommend watching The Effect. It properly shows how horrifying and violent rape is and its effects on someone, including not only trauma but also the conflicting feelings that may come as a result of someone you love hurting you in a way you never thought they would.

After reading all of this, you may be wondering, "Why in the Hell did Noir watch this?"

I started this for the Bi/Pan FL. Every time I asked for Queer FLs, this drama kept getting recommended to me, always tagged along with the phrase "problematic content." I wish now I'd looked into this drama more so I knew what to expect and could skip that horrible scene. So, if, like me, you do decide to watch this drama for the rep alone, let me save you: The rape scene takes place in Ep 4 1/4. Unfortunately, I can't remember what episode has the flashback.

What also hurts me inside is seeing the year this was made was 2017. It was only 5 years ago that this mindset of using rape as a plot device for romance was perfectly acceptable.

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Pulled but not fully captivated

I was pulled in from the start, as if tugged by the cord of the earphones both MLs shared to listen to music.

There was a quiet, mutual relief when they were together. Like the rest of the world/other people were white noise, and they could just . . . Be.

No pressure or high expectations, conversation to fill, or mood to decipher.

And that interested, buzzing, connected feeling seemed to have been there for both of them from the start. A simple, repeated locking of eyes from afar and feeling tethered/knowing someone more than the people standing right next to them.

They and, by association, we (the viewers) easily understood their feelings without having to spell it out.

The drama also managed to balance the shifts in perspective well. I was impressed.

But, for how criminally undiscussed and largely not condemned the toxic/manipulative adult tutor/minor student relationship was, I was more than disappointed. Silence isn't neutral.

So in summary, I found Contrast to be uplifted by the MLs connection but dragged down by the dark shadow looming in the corner that everyone chose to pretend didn't exist.

I'd still recommend it, but with a caveat.

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Secret softie triad leader + adoring nerdy lover boy =A damn good time!

With violent knives and tender eyes, warm lighting and cheeky lines, and ridiculous fibs and intriguing police ties/gritty triad crimes, Sammy's Children's Day left me wanting . . .

Wanting more!

Because with chemistry this intense AND a story with this much potential, closing the chapter here would be a grave mistake on the part of the creators.

Was the dubbing admittedly egregious at times, and some aspects (such as awkward background actors and disjointed cuts) subpar? Yes. But I still loved it, dammit!

Maybe I am upset at its conclusion, but for me, that just speaks to how good this drama was.

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Logically, I know they didn't do anything truly incredible. On the surface, this story has been told before. However, I found a surprising amount of emotional depth here.

From the beginning, with a shared pain, the leads are able to see through the other in a way others aren't able to, hear the words they're not saying. Before they even got together, the connection between them felt earned.

The way Hyun Seung approached Song Ah not just with good intentions but with a level of sincerity most men would not dare to show. He didn't play games, beat around the bush, or do things in half-measures; he loved honestly and fully, even when he had no hope or was given less in return. It was truly refreshing to see a ML take a chance with his whole heart.

I also appreciated the showcasing of a mature as well as flawed working woman FL. Song Ah put her career first and love life second. Some may say this made her selfish. However, she knew how she prioritized these aspects of her life, and rather than attempt to be someone she wasn't, she was honest with herself and Hyun Seung, made her goals clear, and took accountability for her shortcomings. And knowing herself as a person who struggled to express her feelings, she took steps to push through the blocks in her mind as well as make efforts suited to her affection style.

I felt I learned and grew with these two. I'm so glad the rep made me check She Would Never Know out!

Side Note: Can we talk about the respect Hyun Seung had for Song Ah?! He didn't take things into his own hands to remove her from a potentially dangerous situation. He respected her agency, stood to the side, and asked, "Do you want me to?"

My hearrrrt!

By the way, can we take a moment to talk about the height difference between these two?! Because it was . . . Ahhh! Maybe I'm starting to realize I sometimes have a thing for it . I mean, Extraordinary You and Abyss also had me swooning.

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The end will make it or break it for you

Another case of simple is best. Korean BL's are tragically short right now. But that doesn't mean they can't fully utilize every minute they have and make something great, even on a low budget.

This pulls you in from the start. It has natural acting, smooth transitions, good camerawork, and a moving story. The emotional build-up in particular is spectacular.

From the beginning, we know in our hearts how this story will end. The point of watching it unfold is to see the light that came before the dark.

The ending will either make or break the experience of watching this drama for a lot of people. For me, I found it fitting. It was real and sad, yes. But it was also hopeful. Jae Woo can't save Ji Hoon. But in another timeline another Jae Woo is going back to the same room to call Ji Hoon and will travel through time to meet him. In a way, they will always be together in this world.

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I was impressed, and I think you will be too

Watching this all at once makes me believe releasing it in one day was the right decision. It flows and feels like a movie, not a drama. I don't think you'll like it or appreciate it as much if you just see an episode or two a week.

This. This is top-tier. If Romance is a Bonus Book is a love letter to books, Blueming is a love letter to films.

It manages to capture "a feeling" in every scene, and the cinematography is everything. Semantic Error went for a style similar to its original work, with bright colors and loud music and graphics. This was toned-down, with warm colors, unassuming music, and subtle cuts.

Both are great, just in different ways.

I loved how, at its core, this was about opening up to someone. Finding a person you can share your insecurities with who won't look at you differently because of it, someone you can comfortably be vulnerable with.

Sexuality wasn't even a topic or issue because it was of no importance to the story being told. It wasn't the point. Seeing people onscreen actually declare their sexuality is great for representation. Having it be a non-issue is also great. We can tell stories with LGBT+ people without necessarily making it about them being LGBT+. Straight romances and stories aren't generally about them being Straight; it's about the story.

When I reached the end of this film, I realized it had never come up. And my reaction was simply, "Oh."

This was lovely.

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Dared to Death but not quite Daring

Right off the bat, it was quite smooth both in terms of pacing/cuts and the leads' wit/mouths. I liked how cocky Jade was and how particular Inspector Kamin was, and the natural, friendly competitiveness that sprang up almost immediately between them. They had fun banter and gave pushback for bad behavior.

This duo made for a good buddy-cop type of dynamic, which is my jam.

However, fight scenes could be awkward, and I do think it took a little too long for the stakes to be amped up. Not to mention, they spelled some clues/events out more than they needed to, in my opinion. An air of mystery is more attractive, you know? I think if they had thrown in some fake-outs and leaned into heavy deception toward the audience, that would have improved things massively.

Now, the finale didn't make or save this drama for me, but it did kind of earn it some brownie points for how crazy-chaotic/fun it got.

Overall, a good effort on the part of the production. It was just lacking in some areas.

In other words, it has issues, but I still liked it. Whether you will as well, depends . . .

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Enemy to Near-Lover Conversion

What a journey Blank took me on! I went from not recommending the first season to now saying I'd recommend the second one.

I saw quite an improvement since S1. Anueng, while still messing around and acting cute, acted more her age, which made me feel far more comfortable with her relationship with Nueng. She also bit back and had more sass to her.

Nueng also gave Anueng's feelings more consideration, expressed herself more, and found enough strength within her to stand up and fight for her and Anueng's relationship.

The chemistry between our two FLs also got stronger. Intimate scenes were truly intimate, and even short phone calls had me blushing.

I also felt this season finally managed to strike a pretty decent balance between being truly mature and melodramatic with soap opera twists. It wasn't perfect, but it was done well enough that, at the very least, I was consistently entertained. I found myself fully engaged in S2.

Also, can I just say, I think this was one of the rare times I found the trope of getting in an accident and falling into a coma to actually work. It allowed needed time to pass so Anueng's family could come to terms with Nueng's presence in her life and, even if they weren't glad she was dating Anueng, at least see how she cared for her and would stay by her side. I'll admit its effectiveness here impressed me.

I'd be downright pleased if we got more Sapphic stories like this.

If you're desperate for a solid GL that isn't only seven episodes with a total runtime of 45 minutes, look no further!

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Messy and Gory Fun!

I will be the first to say that this drama was downright confusing af at times, and it often felt like they were digging their heels in down to the last second, trying to come up with ways to fill the runtime. But for someone like me who is not a Horror fan to like a Horror drama and a gory Thai one at that? That is an accomplishment.

This was all kinds of fucked up with a confusing-ass final "twist." But I kind of loved it? They had me biting my nails, covering my eyes and peeping through my fingers, and shouting at my screen, "You dumbasses!" every week. And you know what, it was fun not to have high expectations nor be bored but simply just be entertained watching things get messy, more shit be revealed, and how impressively realistic and nasty the effects could get.

Amid all this, I do think there is a message to be found here. I didn't see it until the end, though.

These teenagers did objectively terrible, even "evil," things to another teenager. A difficult truth to accept, though, is that evil people, or those who do something evil, are not evil 100% of the time. A serial killer can have saved a puppy from getting hit by a car. Does this now make them a good person? No. This just goes to show that people are complex creatures who cannot be boiled down into simple black-and-white categories, as much as we would like them to be.

I absolutely recommend this chaotic disaster of a drama. Mind the gore, though, because there is gore. And face stuff! Watch out for the face stuff!

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Why did the wind have to blow right then?

I kind of loved this. It was as if I was witnessing a short story being written, discussed, and eventually brought to life over the course of the drama. The color scheme was also fantastic and the acting bordered on great during key scenes. However, despite the MLs having wonderful chemistry all throughout, when it came time to deliver on showing physical affection, they failed. I find myself having to dock a full point for the kiss scene. And, here's the thing, it wasn't as though it was charming or realistically awkward: It just didn't work. I think I would prefer it if they didn't kiss at all rather than deliver something so disappointing and frame it as a romantic high point.

This leaves me feeling conflicted. While I would almost easily recommend this to others, I find myself sighing at its conclusion.

It's like returning home and going over vacation pictures and finding one where you're wearing a new outfit, standing in front of a gorgeous sunset, but at that exact moment when the picture was snapped the wind happened to blow your hair into your face and so while it is still a great memory and you will show it to family and friends your fingers will always itch as you so wish you could fix it by simply brushing your hair away.

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