The Sageuk Returns With Bloodshed, Tragedy And Sociopolitical Themes...
Screenwriter Kim Eun-Hee first introduced us to the webtoon-based“Kingdom” ( the intriguing, bloodthirsty political cutthroat sageuk) back in 2019 , with its zombie-survival storyline and characters in order to keep audiences hooked at the edge of their seats.Yet similar to all the best offerings in the zombie genre, Kingdom is about much more than mindlessly fighting hordes of the ravening undead. Its initial creator Kim Eun-hee has said her webcomic (as well as the series) Drama) have been inspired by chronicles in “ the Annals of the Joseon Dynasty”—accounting the medieval dynasty that lasted some 500 years (1392-1897), where hundreds of thousands of enigmatic deaths occurred possibly through mismanagement of the authorities.
Consequently, whilst Kingdom’s zombie attack in Season 1 notably highlighted some political suggestions whilst focusing on bloodthirsty scenarios , Season 2 uses the outbreak as a means of exploring broader sociopolitical themes. The general populace suffers from starvation and pestilence as their ignorant or oblivious leaders strive for political power. It is only fitting, then, that the starving commoners become the zombie horde, while the hunger for power of certain leaders results in rash decisions that could mark the end of the Joseon Dynasty.
Of course, this is nothing entirely groundbreaking for South Korean storytelling in general. However, it is refreshingly original and within its universal allegory. Regardless of culture , time or nationality, corruption exists and may (quite literally in the case of Kingdom ) turns the rivers red.
In the opening of Kingdom Season 2 is a fast-paced one but what follows is an intrinsically observant look at a struggle behind the scenes of a kingdom and country torn by bloodthirsty wars and politics. Yet with a notable heavy focus upon the political intrigue or the show, it would seem apparent that viewers can easily become a little bogged down by the heavy subject areas. Strangely, Kingdom Season 2 hits the balance just right between grappling action and driven politics behind a country. Although the subject matter of politics still weighs heavily in some scenes, it is brilliantly counteracted by its coordinated camera angles narrowing onto the swift and brilliant fight scenes of the show, whilst not losing its core to mindless violence as well.
Fortunately, there are just as many (if not more) people able to find the better angels of their nature and rise to the occasion. Whilst Prince Chang ( Ju Ji Hoon) ‘s often felt a little lacklustre in season 1, season 2 helps to solve this issue by deepening his role as the protagonist through his notable interactions and experiences with other characters and memories from the past, with a notably stronger and more intricate moral compass. Similarly, Seo-bi ( Bae Doo-Na)’s character’s transition from a plot device in season 1, becomes notably apparent within her role as an altruistic heroine in Season 2, where the character becomes a driving force within learning more about the disease. Even Yeong-shin’s characterisation since season 1 from a seemingly disdainful character to a complicated hero, is marked by helping Prince Chang complete missions including at risk of his own life in this season.
However, Season 2 also marks notant motivations and transitions from moustache twirling villains, to well-rounded antagonists such as Queen Cho ( Kim Hye Joon). Whilst nonetheless some of her actions cannot be defended by being horrifyingly ruthless , they did help to add intrinsic depth towards Cho’s motives. In addition to this, one particular character that made a strong impression is the traitor among Prince Chang's most trusted allies hinted back in Season 1 . Without any spoilers towards the identity of the turncoat , it is surprising to say that there was a notably empathic reason behind their actions.
Pacing -wise, the drama zips across the actions in double-quick time (though its zombies are definitely way too fast). This makes it perfect for binge-watching which was certainly what we ended up doing. It was nearly impossible to stop watching once you’ve started, with each episode ending on a cliff hanger that’ll make you immediately switch to the next episode for more. Each episode is over an an hour but with how action-packed each episode is, it hardly feels like any time has passed before you find the credits rolling.
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You Are My Spring ; The Attempted Reimagining Of Love
Fusion genre dramas aren’t unheard of in K-dramas, but ‘ You Are My Spring’ certainly pulls out a new record with the amount of genres in tried to cram into the show. Does it work? On certain grounds ‘ You Are My Spring’ is partially poetic and partially natural speech at times . The dialogue infused by screenwriter Lee Min Na is a rare example in a K-drama for each individual character -feeling natural because it flows out of the mouths of these characters coherently .
Of course this drama wouldn’t be complete without its star-studded cast. Whilst admittedly there were few eyebrow raising moments of acting in parts of the show, our main cast did add their own dynamic charm to their onscreen personas. Actress Seo Hye Jin plays bubbly hotel manager Da Jung. A talented businesswoman and a person with a heart of gold, Da Jung had a rough upbringing and believes her love life has forever been tarnished by her mother. Da Jung immediately has a likeable charm for viewers even from her initial introduction -she isn’t the cliched “ ditsy and innocent ” female lead archetype, but still often finds herself at the crossroads during problematic moments in the drama. Similarly she’s career-orientated and a hard worker but is often fairly relaxed and kind-natured. However whilst it is understandable that whilst we do see her struggles flare up during “ necessary” moments for the storyline, this was often used as a carte blanche by the screenwriter to “ intensify drama” in order to keep the plot moving, or kindle “ potential chemistry” between the main characters rather than explore Da Jung’s sentience in more depth . There was so much potential to understand more about how Da Jung tried to cope with years of trauma in daily situations, her relationship (in more depth) with her mother, her past relationships as well as how this impacted Da Jung’s social experiences during childhood and growing up also.
On a more praiseworthy note and before commenting on the rest of the main cast, it is important to commend the cinematography and symbolism in this drama . Director Jung Ji Hyun tangoed a lot with screenwriter Min Na’s storyline points through subtle motifs and shifted lighting in order to explore the drama’s heavy-hitting moments in more detail. Da Jung’s morbid obsession since childhood with Edgar Allen Poe’s “ The Black Cat”acts as a perfect analogy for the mystery of the drama.
Yet back to our main cast it is impossible to forget Hye Jin’s fellow costar Kim Dong Wook who played main lead Yeong-Do. Kim Dong Wook added a refreshingly calm presence to our main lead. As his onscreen persona Yeong Do is very much written in the role as the “ nice guy” trope- he’s flawed and has his own emotional scars, but is amiable and possesses a good heart. A psychiatrist who significantly cares for all of his patients, it is fair to say that it was surprisingly heartwarming to see Yeong Do confront his patients or people who come to his clinic in different ways and through small, yet meaningful words and interactions. On a more nuanced note Yeong Do was very much in the same boat as Da Jung.A likeable and sweet character, but a lot of unexplored territory with his development beneath the service . Without giving any major spoilers, it’s fair to say that there was a lot of potential to explore regarding Yeong Do’s childhood. His complicated with his father was often dismissed or skipped over rarely giving opportunities to understand more about his childhood, the impact of his childhood on truly shaping the person he was during the events of the series and of course his exact reasons for becoming a psychiatrist in the first place. Whilst it is arguable a lot of his motives for becoming a psychiatrist were arguably sparked as a consequence of the dramatic events of his past , there was surprisingly little mention or reasoning even during heartfelt talks with Da Jung to back this up.
This naturally moves us onto the potential romantic relationship between Da Jung and Yeong Do . Whilst there are some undeniable qualms with the written relationship between their characters, it is undeniably that respected actors Hye Jin and Dong Wook really worked well together with their onscreen chemistry. They undeniably added vital life to their onscreen personas’ feelings for one another and watching this growth from blossoming acceptance to something more was quite heartwarming. However it is important to be forthright by explaining that this relationship was also the drama’s hamartia.
Refreshingly , it wasn’t necessarily a problem that this potential paring was “ toxic” or “ unhealthy” by either characters’ implicated actions. Both characters made flawed mistakes and misunderstandings within this relationship, yes. However both character were also able to accept and move on from their mistakes or fallbacks- Da Jung could learn to lean on Yeong Do rather than bottle up her emotions, whilst both Da Jung and Yeong Do learnt to give one another distance and time to heal after a particularly severe incident without relentlessly hounding the other. It was honestly a fairly overt relationship. On the other hand it is quickly apparent to see where viewers can grow lost within its labyrinthine plot- a romance story which suddenly turns to a murder mystery, and then back to a slow-burn love story with dominating screen time after the halfway is undeniably off putting for viewers expecting thrill and hype . Adding to this issue was of course the myriads of cliches and tropes which began popping up in the romantic side of the drama- so lacklustre and predictable from other aspects of the uncertainty of the thriller and mystery elements of drama, that sometimes the skip button could never look so appealing.
Of course it is important not to forget the talents of “ second main lead” Yoon Park who added a layer of depth and brilliance to his dual performance as Ian Chase/ Chul. The storyline surrounding the mysterious Ian Chase ( Yoon Park) and his uncanny resemblance to Chul ( also played by Park) was a major source of intrigue throughout the drama, and whilst this storyline certainly didn’t disappoint as later revelations came to light , there were moments which often fell flatline at times because the show was often being pulled apart in so many different directions. Nevertheless did this become more apparent just after the halfway point. Juggling between murder mystery and romance soon saw a higher dedication to the lacklustre slow-burn romance between the main leads- sweet and gradual, but so disconnected and predictable ( including tropes)from the other aspects of the drama that sometimes the skip button could never look so appealing.
Then there’s Ahn Ga Young( Nam Guy Ri). Admittedly there’s a lot more than meets the eye here with Ga Young and rather than sending her down the superficial route as the “ second female lead”, it was intriguing to see this character ‘s growth by her backstory and gradual wholesome friendship with Da Jung. However whilst Gyu Ri is a good actress , the tropes defining other aspects of her character resorted to her being reduced at times as nothing more than a quick plot device to heighten the stakes or comical foil. This was also case and point with our side couples-so cute and bubbly that they often won over the viewers’ attention from a dragging scene between Da Jung and Young Do, but lacking screen time did little to give these couples more limelight in the
second-half also. The ending was as expected-bittersweet in parts, sugary sweet in others but failing to wrap up some more nuanced storyline moments also.
The verdict for ‘ You Are My Spring’ is undeniably that it is dependent on what you want from this drama. At its forefront ‘ You Are My Spring’ delivers good performances by the cast, surprisingly well-written dialogues ,aesthetic cinematography in parts and tries hard to deliver a fusion genre production. Whilst the different genres do help to “ spice up” certain elements of the storyline early on, this idea soon falls flatline when other genres ( particularly the romance) begin to dominate major screen time for evidently more quintessential storyline moments. As a consequence the characters’ development and slow pacing in the storyline soon begins to struggle beneath the surface. The drama often becomes lost in its own labyrinthine complexity-trying its hardest to be an avant garde masterpiece , but often failing to reach the mark in the second-half. Enjoyable but admittedly flawed.
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Certainly Not A Good Drama To “ Start-Up”...
‘Start Up’ had great potential to be a good drama from its opening episode. Aside from having the well-known talents of Bae Suzy, Nam Joo Hyuk and Kim Seon Ho as our main leads , the characters undeniably had the potential to be realistic and a “breath of fresh air” from the stereotypical cliches of romance dramas. Yet, story progression and cliches truly provided to be ‘Start-Up’ ’s own worst enemy, as Park Hye Run’s screenwriting began to tackle oddly immature themes in a show tackling adult characters , plot inconsistencies, dire characterisation and straying away nearly entirely from the main focal point of making one’s own way in the world in favour of lacklustre and poorly-written romance pairings.Perhaps the two characters who were subject to the most injustice of characterisation and story writing in the drama are strikingly the female lead Dal Mi ( Bae Suzy) and Kim Seon Ho’s character Ji Pyeong. ( Although Nam Joo Hyuk’s character Nam Do San must certainly be addressed later on as the elephant in the room.)
In the beginning of the series, Dal Mi was an intriguing main character; a headstrong businesswoman with an intriguing backstory , stuck in a rival relationship with her sister and having a driving passion to succeed in the business world . Then, not even several episodes later, Dal Mi’s characterisation from an independent businesswoman with actual depth, is subverted in order to allow her to become the staid, obsequious and often emotionally insecure “ love interest” of Do San and Ji Pyeong’s affections.
It is important to stress that isn’t the case that Dal Mi shouldn’t have had a love interest or a relationship at all within the series. A “ strong” female lead can still be well-written as an individual(regardless of her relationship status). Instead, it is rather how this drama portrayed the baffling and incoherent relationship between Dal Mi and Do San; a pairing which was to be expected and certainly wasn’t entirely “bad” between the characters as individuals ( despite notable “ biased” feelings of some fans). Instead, it was rather how this pairing was built upon lies, deceit, insecurity, and emotional manipulation, which was often “glossed over” in favour of “ cutesy couple” moments between Dal Mi and Do San as the storyline progressed. Dal-Mi became the typical trope of the “ golden prize” for the male lead, rather than an individual with her own thoughts and feelings; a sad destruction of an otherwise intriguing character.
This naturally moves us onto the second male lead of the series , Ji Pyeong, the “ preferred love interest ” of Dal Mi amongst watchers of the series. As an individual , however, it was not entirely the case that Ji-Pyeong was a “ badly-written” character, but rather his scenarios seemed both unjustified and questionable over the duration of the drama.
Initially appearing as a solipsistic, yet successful businessman, the series brings a lot to light about Ji-Pyeong as someone who is inwardly altruistic ; hardworking in order to have escaped the poverty of his childhood, a genuine supporter who sees the “ potential” of Do San’s visions and who has constantly admired Dal Mi since childhood ( a major driving force of the series, which is sadly never explored or touched upon after its initial use). Naturally, however, Ji-Pyeong’s “ selflessness” often leads to his downfall and consequently because he undeniably puts up a deceitful guise in front of Dal-Mi , he naturally comes out with the short end of the stick by not “ getting the girl”. Nearly from episode one, it will remain apparent for viewers that Dal Mi and Ji-Pyeong have many striking similarities both within their pasts, careers, obstacles and even personality types. Yet despite the obvious pairing which would ultimately arise between Dal-Mi and Do San, these similarities between both characters were neither explored or developed within ‘ Start-Up’.
Yet relationships aside (and despite the obvious flaw of his “ selflessness” at times), Ji-Pyeong’s altruism also plays to his advantage within arguably allowing him to become the most emotionally-stable character of ‘ Start-Up’ . He never truly takes out his feelings upon the SST boys ( despite their sarcastic comments ), Dal Mi and maintains professionalism in the workplace, by helping Do San ( even after Do San manipulates and physically punches him) against all odds, possibly making him the one true mature, and unspoken hero of the entire drama .
Next it is important to address the biggest elephant in the room, the main lead of ‘ Start-Up’, Do San. Against all odds, Do-San is a surprisingly interesting character , but a terribly-written individual upon all grounds. He is initially introduced under the archetype of the “ loveable and lively dork”- a profound genius, lacking in social skills, with a sanguine ambiance. Naturally, this allows people to gravitate towards Do-San such as Dal-Mi as a love interest, and Ji Pyeong as a mentor . By default, Do-San should have been someone for viewers to root for; the underdog who becomes successful, goes through a life-changing journey and revels at the end of the series with his important life-lessons in business, morality and love .
Instead the irony becomes apparent within Do-San’s “friendly” nature becoming a facade for his insecure and often fractious personality over the course of the drama . If Ji-Pyeong is the kind-hearted and selfless soul of the series, then Do-San is the egocentric opportunist who plays “Devil’s Advocate” in the beginning of the series, before taking advantage of Ji-Pyeong’s kindness through various methods of emotional and aggressive manipulation , even punching him once because Dal-Mi was “ upset”.
Upon this side note of Dal-Mi, it is crucial to bring up what is exactly problematic about Do -san’s interactions and behaviour around the female lead. The main lead’s personality sometimes verged upon what is commonly known in psychology as “ covert narcissism”. Many of the notable traits of covert narcissism include imposter syndrome, subtle emotional manipulation, introversion and egocentric beliefs and wild fantasies over one’s own success or goals - nearly all traits present within Do -San’s character . In addition to his obvious desire towards succeeding in the business sector , Do- San’s greatest fantasy soon manifests through his obsession with being Dal-Mi ‘s “ protector”. This is not out of selflessness or as a consequence of helping Ji-Pyeong to look after Dal-Mi, but a dangerous daydream which soon grows into an unhealthy obsession to “ protect” her through emotional vanity and manipulation .
Rather than being a symbiotic process of both characters coming to grasps with their flaws and learning to heal their emotional wounds, the relationship between Dal-Mi and Do -San was simply uncomfortable and emotionally draining for viewers.
In addition to this the second female lead Seo In Jae/Won In Jae(played by Kang Han Na),felt like a character limited only to an extended background character . In Jae could have easily supported the pacing and depth of the storyline , giving viewers a break from the prolonged and cliche love triangle dominating the show . She had a surprisingly decent backstory and certainly potentially interesting character depth, that could have been explored in episodes focusing on her rekindled relationship with Dal Mi. Ultimately, however, In Jae was pushed out of the way in favour of the lacklustre paring between Do San and Dal Min; a crying shame, for a character with wasted potential .
Overall, “Start-Up” does tackle some intriguing dynamics of the business world, family and a “ dramatic ” love triangle. However, writer Park Hye Ryun did not do justice with this series- characters were often poorly-written or lacked intrinsic depth, the second-half became overly reliant upon immature cliches , tropes and plot holes to “ prop-up” the sloping storyline, and the main pairing was unhealthily built upon emotional gaslighting and insecurity, rather than sincere feelings and learning to overcome these problems symbiotically . Certainly not worth investing time within if you’re looking for a well-written drama .
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A Sugary Sweet Romance Tale...
Based upon the renowned manga (Hori-san to Miyamura-kun) and having been released fairly simultaneously with an anime series in Japan, the drama version ” Horimiya” undeniably regurgitates the same plot premise of social butterfly Kyoko Hori ( Kubota Sayu) beginning to date seeming otaku Miyamura Izumi ( Suzuka Ouji) who hides a deep secret from his school-life persona. While there are prominent points to praise about “Horimiya”( which will be raised later), there are notable faults which arise from the drama production from casting, trying to transcend notable setups from the manga into a real-life setting, as well as the abridged closure ( or lack of it) in the finale.Before anything else, it is probably important to address the primary issue which has surrounded the drama with casting choices.
Respectfully, Kubota Sayu wasn’t entirely ‘’ terrible’’ as our female lead Hori. In fact, in an odd way, Sayu did seem to grow into her role fairly well with a sense of genuine emotional investment into her character. However, it is difficult to really point out anything particularly captivating or striking about Sayu’s performance as Hori.
Ironically as a character, Hori is fairly unforgettable by her her eccentricity and outspokenness. Of course, this is not turning a blind eye towards the typical tropes used as a drama sourced from a manga such as the “ popular girl” , the “ academic student” and the “ tougher than she seems” cliches , however, even in the drama, Hori’s greatest trait remained within being able to overcome certain stereotypes about herself as well as her relationship with Miyamura. Hori was given an actual chance in the drama for viewers to fortify her characterisation through her interactions sans with Miyamura, such as her interactions with her father Kyosuke ( Kimura Ryo; one of the few actors who felt fairly well-cast within his role) and her younger brother Sota ( Takagi Haru). Arguably, Hori’s interactions with her mother Yuriko ( Kawai Aoba) and her later friendship with Sengoku Kakeru ( Onodera Akira) and Ayasaki Remi ( Marsh Aya) felt fairly minimal within the drama version, nor truly giving viewers a chance to see Hori’s interactions as a friend as well as her maternal relationship with her own mother in a respectfully fairly masculine household .
The relationship between Hori and Miyamura was the focal point of the series and the plot development. For Hori, Miyamura has a metamorphosis from the archetype “ weird kid” in her class, to a more multifaceted individual. Against all odds of the notable problems which arose in the series and can strike to the surface of romance dramas with emotional gaslighting and “ obstacles in the way of their romance” , the pairing between both characters felt fairly natural as teenagers. Neither character followed the cliche archetypes of having “ had a crush on one another forever” , nor manipulating “ to win someone else’s affections”. Hori simply entered her relationship with Miyamura upon shared grounds early on in the series before the rest of the drama focused upon both characters learning to understand one another and for their feelings for one another to grow mutually. (Perhaps the one element of the relationship that the drama version did better than the manga and anime, was leaving out the more “sexual undertones” of their relationship . This isn’t to condemn these elements in either versions as they do help to portray a more realistic notion of teenagers, however, this always felt slightly mismatched against both characters as individuals even in the original manga and therefore wasn’t really necessary.)
It is fair to say that whilst Sayu is a good actress, she was slightly miscast as Hori by struggling to channel Hori’s personality as a character, consequently making Hori in this drama version, a fairly forgettable character against other romance heroines. ( A shame for an otherwise interesting character.)
Then of course the biggest elephant room (regarding casting) is often raised by the choice of Suzuka Ouji as Miyamura Izumi. Similar to his costar Kubota Sayu, Suzuka was not inherently appalling within his performance
as the male lead. In many ways he did certainly help to animate his character away from the more one-dimensional realm of male protagonists as “ emotionless” . On the other hand, Suzuka did seem to mismatch his character slightly within his physical appearance. This is not suggesting that Suzuka is “physically unattractive” or a slightly younger actor would have been better for the role,however, it does raise certain questions when the drama production sees Suzuka in a terrible long-haired wig without even attempting for the drama production to make this look natural.
Similar to Hori, Miyamura was an intriguing character against all odds of setups. Although initially appearing as “peculiar” and taciturn, Miyamura was fairly kind-hearted as well as hardworking and altruistic by helping out at his mother’s bakery, as well as the ongoing and unusual friendship between Miyamura and his best friend since middle school, Shindo Koichi ( Inoue Yuki). Parallel to Hori, Miyamura enters his relationship with her romantically upon mutual grounds before growing to like her more in a natural process which felt odd against the more cliches stereotypes of the drama. However, there’s a lot to note about the dynamic between Miyamura and the other characters of the series ( sans Hori), both within his fraternal friendship with Hori’s younger brother and father, as well as of course with his best friend and their complicated reasons behind becoming friends in the first place. Arguably, the one element of the series which did feel incredibly rushed and underdeveloped with Miyamura as a character, occurred within his past, especially with his estranged relationship with Makio Takihara. Therefore whilst Miyamura was a fairly intriguing character, it is fair to say that Suzuka was perhaps not entirely suited for the role.
The other side characters of the drama such as Kakeru, Remi , Kono Sakura ( Sakura) and Iura Shu ( Sota Ryosuke) should have been by default interesting characters, however, lacking screen time and setups, easily made them fairly forgettable over the course of the series as individuals (besides their occasional involvement within the plot dynamic between Miyamura and Hori).
Overall whilst certainly not an unwatchable or dire production with some praiseworthy features of having a healthy, fairly realistic relationship between teenagers as lovers and friends as well as some intriguing characters, poor pacing, tropes, miscasting and lacking focus upon certain plot lines for characters, often made this drama feel underdeveloped. The ending of the drama whilst arguably allowing some ground for a second season , did not truly bring a sense of closure or help to tie off characters and the relationship between Miyamura and Hori, as well as friendships also. Therefore it’s important to summarise that whilst Horimiya is not a terrible drama upon any grounds and was sweet within its ultimate concept , there are certainly better dramas to watch out there.
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Wish You: Your Melody From My Heart (Movie)
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A Progressive Tale About The Melody of The Heart in Seoul ...
Going into this movie without a lot of prior knowledge of the series beforehand , left open a lot of ground to analyse and draw up where issues and strengths lay within the movie overall.
The biggest thing to say is that the series both portrayed our male leads , rising singer Kang In Soo ( playing himself ) and novice producer Yoo Sang yi ( Lee Sang) ‘s relationship in a refreshingly less cliche way than previous same-sex pairings in Korean productions - not through their sexuality, but through Sang Yi’s journey in making sense of his genuine feelings for Kang In Soo over the course of the movie.
It was an undeniably sweet and modern love story for our two male leads , yet nonetheless sugarcoated in favour of avoiding more difficult issues about Korean society. Whilst South-Korea is undeniably becoming a lot more progressive than other Asian countries and in comparison to its past towards homosexuality, some members of Korean society are still prejudice and homophobic towards homosexuality and gay relationships.
First of all it is important to say that whilst this wasn’t the main aim of the movie to home-in on a “ realistic” relationship and certain Korean beliefs towards this, it still felt a little odd in the particular plot’s centralisation of the music industry, not point or at least suggest this. The repression of sexual orientation amongst musicians and producers in K-pop has particularly come into light in recent years , something which although gradually getting better, is still something which should’ve have at least been raised or emphasised upon the other pressing issue of “ masculinity” as well.
Undeniably, Kang In Soo and Lee Sang were brilliant within their portrayals echoing a certain level of heartache and emotion behind their performances. Their characters were also evidently Kang In Soo was set out to be the “ mysterious” and “ handsome” musician, whilst Lee Sang acted as the “ awkward” and “ kind-hearted” producer. Yet apart from these roles and their evident relationship onscreen, their characters often felt lacking in greater depth.
What makes a character intriguing is getting to know them either through their pasts, friends, family or interactions. Sans from some interactions with In Soo’s best friend Choi Min Seong ( Baek So Bin) and Sang’s Lee Yoo Jin ( Su Bin), we were left a lot in the dark a lot in the movie about our characters as actual individuals- their journey to their respected career choices, if they have faced problems with their sexual orientation as well as problems or connections with their family.
Whilst these points may seem minor, it would have been probably made the relationship between In Soo and Sang Yi more “ fleshed-out” if we’d actually got to know more about them as “ realistic” individuals first, rather than just mere plot devices.
Overall WISH YOU: Your Melody From My Heart isn’t everyone’s cup of tea, but it was a surprisingly sweet and progressive love story in Seoul with a fairly intriguing premise and brilliant acting from our male leads. However, the show lacked a lot of character depth and realism within its portrayal and the issues around both the music industry and homosexuality in South-Korea, making the production feel sugarcoated and generic at times as well. Certainly worth a watch as a sweet romance movie , but certainly flawed within its deliverance of story and characters.
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Soundtrack #1; A Discordant Love Story…
The recent venture of juggernaut industry company Disney into the world of K-dramas has marked an onslaught of mixed reception from viewers and critics alike. Nevertheless with a recent investment by the international streaming service Disney+ into copartnership and copyright deals with South-Korean producers and companies, it is hard to ingore the recent presence of Disney within the world of K-dramas. Indeed, the latest series to come out in selected countries from the streaming service, ‘ Soundtrack #1’, is no exception. A stipulated love story between two friends, ‘ Soundtrack #1’ is a short and benign romance drama which while bittersweet in parts, could often feel contrived by its setup and characters.The narrative of ‘ Soundtrack#1’ focuses upon two close friends. Lee Eun Soo ( Han So-Hee- ‘ The World Of The Married’, ‘ Nevertheless’ and ‘ My Name’, ) is an aspiring lyricist. Nevertheless despite having the ability to pursue her dream job, Eun Soo is struggling to find a source of inspiration and has hit a difficult period of writer’s block.
Thankfully Eun Soo has found comfort and support by relying upon her friend and photographer Han Sun Woo ( ZE:A’s Park Hyung Sik-‘ The Heirs’, ‘ Strong Girl Bong Soon’ and ‘ Happiness’). However as Eun Soo and Sun Woo attempt to navigate their current relationship, it becomes apparent that romantic feelings between friends aren’t always so easy to navigate.
‘ Soundtrack #1’ came together as the byproduct of screenwriter Chae Yoon (‘ She Would Never Know’) and director Kim Hee-Won ( ‘ Fiery Priest’, ‘ Vincenzo’ and upcoming series ‘Little Women’). While Hee-Won was certainly not treading upon unfamiliar ground with the romantic melodrama ‘ Soundtrack #1’, it certainly seemed an intriguing choice to pair up Hee-Won, a director known famously in recent years for her witty slapstick comedy-style and revenge dramas, with screenwriter Chae Yoon, who is associated with the lighthearted romance series ‘ She Would Never Know’ for ‘ Soundtrack #1’. Nevertheless despite the eccentric pairing choice, it is arguable that the contrasting idiosyncratic styles between screenwriter and director helped to bring a certain flair to the miniseries.
Perhaps it is important to establish that ‘ Soundtrack #1’ doesn’t push boundaries within its initial setups and plot premise. It is a basic and conventional romance story. In particular it was evident to see the influences of screenwriter Chae Yoon within ‘ Soundtrack #1’. The similar rhetoric of the male lead attempting to escape the friend-zone with his lifelong friend and crush, convoluted feelings developing between close friends and of course repressed feelings causing complications along the way were certainly similar to Yoon’s previous screenplay .
Nevertheless it is hard to deny that despite the lighthearted angst of ‘ Soundtrack #1’, there was a distinctive trait of interminable melancholiness and yearning within ‘ Soundtrack #1’. Director Hee Won’s classic touch of internal and external conflict have become reoccurring themes throughout several of her projects. Although ‘ Soundtrack #1’ may not possess a tale about a character with an eventful past or a personal vendetta, it certainly did highlight the complications that can arise within feelings, careers and between contrasting elites . ( For example Sun Woo’s internal disillusionment and fixation upon his work and coveted feelings for the female lead helped to perfectly contrast Han So-Hee’s external struggles and uncertainty as a songwriter.)
Then of course there’s the discussion surrounding casting choices. Han So-Hee has admittedly triggered mixed-responses amongst viewers and critics alike for her initial performance as main female lead Eun Soo. The actress’ previous career trajectory has seen her star in a mixture of different genres and styles with her recent performance( at the time of writing) in the revenge-thriller ‘ My Name’ being widely praised.
Nevertheless it is hard to deny that despite Han So-Hee’s talents within certain roles and genres , i her performance within ‘ Soundtrack #1’ could often feel somewhat lacklustre with line deliverances and emotional intonations initially. So Hee’s performance did admittedly improve somewhat in the latter-half of the miniseries with a level of heartache being conveyed within her onscreen persona but it is perhaps fair to say that Soo Hee’s performance could feel somewhat lacking at the best of times.
Costarring alongside actress Han So-Hee was ZE:A’s Park Hyung-Sik as main male lead Han Sun Woo. Hyung-Sik has certainly gained a lot of experience within the world of rom-coms and melodramas and this certainly did allow the actor to approach his onscreen role with an easygoing charm. However despite Hyung-Sik’s talents, it is difficult to deny that there were times where the actor could feel somewhat stilted by certain dialogue deliverances .
Then of course there’s the discussion surrounding Hyung-Sik and So-Hee’s potential onscreen chemistry. There was certainly nothing wrong per say with Hyung Sik and Soo Hee’s onscreen dynamic. Although there was an initially inconsistent start , the onscreen chemistry was decent enough. However it is still hard to ignore that while their potential was certainly not unwatchable it rarely felt coherently natural. Perhaps it can be said that these problem boiled down to the flaws of limited screen time . Throughout the duration of the series, an onslaught of variable acting performances by the main cast in addition to the limitations of a restricted time frame rarely helped to allow this onscreen dynamic flow naturally.
Under the directing leadership of Kim Hee-Won, it is clear to see that the four-episode formula and short episode lengths for ‘ Soundtrack #1’ was a double-edged sword.
Of course, it naturally enforced the narrative to be compact and concise within its restricted time frame and duration length. The series was rarely caught up in the trap of being lost down the rabbit hole of an abundance of unnecessary subplots and irrelevant characters. ( Instead these subplots were only briefly touched upon such as So Hee and Sun Woo’s work careers.)
Although there were supporting characters within the series such as Composer Kang Woo Il ( Kim Joo Heon-‘ It’s Okay Not To Be Okay’, ‘ Do Do Sol Sol La La Sol’ and ‘Juvenile Justice’), Sun Woo’s business partner Yoon Dong Hyun ( Yoon Byun Hee- ‘ Love In The Moonlight’, ‘Mr. Sunshine’ and ‘ Vincenzo’) and several surprise guest appearances ( including Yoon Seo Ah, Seo In Guk, Lee Jung Eun, Park Hoon and Park Min Jung), these secondary characters were rarely featured beyond their necessary face value in order to trigger or intensify certain plot events.
On the other hand while a restricted time space did allow the narrative to be more cutthroat with its themes and storyline, it did certainly highlight some specific drawbacks also as a consequence of this compact formula . A limited time frame rarely allowed viewers to see the onscreen relationship between characters being explored beyond their necessity to the plot, hardly allowing opportunities for ‘ Soundtrack #1’ to subvert all of its cliches or experiment with new formulas. Naturally,this could sometimes lead to certain narrative points such as the later development of Eun Soo and Sun Woo’s relationship feeling somewhat rushed.
When it came to filming and production it is certainly noteworthy to point out that Hee Won’s stylistic approach to the series helped to captivate the journey and feelings of characters throughout.
Slick editing and glossy gradients helped to animate scenes to life with specific palettes and tones popping out onscreen. Additionally this helped to differentiate between idealism such as through the eyes of Sun Woo as well as the stark reality presented by Eun Soo throughout the series. ( Perhaps one of the most memorable contrasts can be found in the first episode of ‘ Soundtrack #1’ during Sun Woo’s photo shoot of Eun Soo. Through the literal lens and vision of the male lead, Eun Soo is adorned in a flowing white shirt and smile, giving off an ethereal ambience and air of confidence. In a contrasted scene, viewers are shown reality from the perspective of Eun Soo, adorned in drab clothing and hunched over a computer screen.)
With the title name such as ‘ Soundtrack #1’ it should come as no surprise that the series is heavily invested within using imagery and the OST synchronically. For ‘Soundtrack #1’, this came through an onslaught of schmaltzy and sugary love ballads and solo tracks.
Of course for a series predominantly focused upon young love and relationships, this isn’t an entirely odd choice. However rather than selecting an impressive score for the series or at least choosing songs than could’ve heavily fomented emotional and tear jerking scenes, ‘ Soundtrack #1’ was caught in a slight rut with some of its chosen tracks being unimpressive. Perhaps the few exceptions to this can be found through lovelorn ballad “ Wanna be your lover”[ “이젠 친구에서 연인이 되고 싶어”] by Monday Kiz , LeeHi’s upbeat track “We'll Shine Brighter Than Any Other Stars” [ “우린 어떠한 별보다 빛날 거야”] and Prerettiest One’s acoustic guitar song “ Standing Egg” [“ 너만 예뻐”].
‘ Soundtrack #1’ is a series which does little to diverge away from the expected tropes and basic setups of romance dramas. Although there an were certainly some questionable acting moments at times and the limited time frame for the narrative often led to events feeling rushed, ‘ Soundtrack #1’ was surprisingly able to attain a balance between lighthearted fluff and bittersweet angst. Additionally, the collaborated efforts of Kim Hee-Won and Chae Yoon allowed the narrative to explore an idiosyncratic perspective by both director and screenwriter upon romance and repressed creativity. Although perhaps ‘ Soundtrack #1’ was let down at times by its OST and pacing at times , the four-episode miniseries certainly will offer viewers with a decent and quick binge-watch.
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Is This Worth Watching, Or Is It A “ Lost” Cause?
Screenwriter Kim Ji Hye’s ‘ Lost’ is an odd-fusion melodrama which both feels old-fashioned within its dated outfit choices, haircuts, over-the-top scenarios and dialogue as well as surprisingly boasting an array of well-crafted main characters. However for newcomers or those merely wanting to pick up ‘ Lost’ this leaves us on an ultimate decision; “Is ‘ Lost’ actually worth investing more than sixteen hours into?”To cut it to the chase the premise of ‘ Lost’ mainly revolves around Lee Boo Jung ( Jeon Do Yeon) a 40-year old writer stuck in an unhappy marriage with her husband Jin Jung Soo ( Park Byung Eun) who has finally hit a rut in reality by realising that she has not truly achieving or accomplished anything in life . By a whim of fate she ends up encountering someone from a different walk of life, jaded 27 year-old Lee Kang Jae ( Ryu Joon Yeol) who fears for what the future may hold due to his complicated past .
One of the strongest gaining factors for ‘ Lost’ was the casting choice . Admittedly whilst the acting can dip a little at times with certain line deliverances, the main cast immediately help to convey something worth watching. Actress Do Yeon was brilliant as Boo Jung playing the role with a level of complex heartache and angst. Her micro expressions throughout the series captivated all of Jung’s emotions flawlessly and helped to make her onscreen chemistry with her costars believable.
Parallel to Do Yeon was evidently younger costar Ryu Joon Yeol who played his role as Kang Jae with a swift touch of moodiness and arcane mystery. As their onscreen personas Do Yeon and Kang Jae’s chemistry is undeniably slow-burn and well-built up, however, this is also undeniably thanks to screenwriter Kim Ji Hye and directors Hur Jin Ho and Park Hong Soo’s approach to the relationship. Rather than enforcing the typical traits of a lusty affair filled with dirty secrets and dramatic sneak out scenes, both characters’ gradual chemistry was surprisingly refreshing . Admittedly the slow-burn approach could work at a snail pace at times but the ability to see both leads reach out through getting to know one another through their deal( as well as having time to talk about their own feelings) offered surprising relief .
One of screenwriter Ji Hye’s major fortes came through approaches to character writing and interactions throughout the show. Whilst certain character did feel more antagonistic for plot-drive than motives, even these individuals were rarely pinpointed as “ villains” by having their own moments of humanity, flaws and strengths.
Ji Hye even took time away from our main couple to focus on an unlikely relationship between Boo Jung’s somewhat staid husband Jung Soo and his rekindled feelings for his old crush Kyung Eun( Kim Hyo Jin).
Yet ‘ Lost’ is evidently not without its more problematic writing flaws. The drama whilst having an intriguing setup is incredibly slow-paced and takes awhile to really build-up more dramatic momentum . Of course some of this is necessary to build plot, however, the storyline also failed sometimes to reach climatic tension or build-up during entire montages and even entire episodes due to being more focused upon very nuanced details rather than keeping the plot moving more actively .
In addition to this there’s also the problem with the over-the-top cliches. Whilst tropes can be fun and intriguing to see how a screenwriter revamps them and did work well to an extent in the setup of the drama, ‘ Lost’ ‘s usage of the tropes ( including the nearly-farcical cliche of the “ slap on the cheek”) often felt mismatched against the stronger and fresher writing attributes of character-build and relationship. The ending certainly matched the more profound writing moments of the series- bittersweet and interpretative, yet oddly appropriate.
Overall the viewing expectations for ‘ Lost’ is entirely dependent on what you’re looking for in a drama series. ‘ Lost’ embodies the classic tropes of a melodrama series from the overused tropes which lack more profound depth, to slow-paced story build-up in order to “ create slow burn tension ”. The acting front is undeniably one of the show’s winning strengths alongside the drama’s more original approach to the adulterous affair cliche. The directors carefully used an artistic touch to the moody and drab cinematography which symbiotically helped to reflect the tension and ambience of the plot. So is ‘ Lost’ actually worth watching? ‘ Lost’ is a drama which is dependent on your patience and tastes. Those looking for a more adrenaline-rushed and quick paced drama with flaring chemistry may be disappointed. However if you have patience and enjoy slow burn chemistry, then you’ll absolutely adore ‘ Lost’. Whilst not flawless this is undeniably one of 2021’s hidden gems.
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Is It A ‘Bad And Crazy’ Decision To Watch This Drama?
Crime and action dramas can often a tricky to tackle for screenwriters. Nevertheless screenwriter Kim Sae Bom ( ‘ Uncanny Counter’) and director Yoo Seon Dong ( ‘Uncanny Counter’, ‘ Vampire Prosecutor 2’ ) are able to turn a passé “ buddy cop” premise into an adrenal-kicking ride with Lee Dong Wook and Wi Ha Joon taking front seats.
The storyline focuses upon the titled ‘ Bad’ guy of the series Detective Su-yeol (Lee Dong-wook). Su-Yeol’s original passion and drive to deliver justice has been lost over the years as a consequence of trying to climb up the social ladder. However Su-Yeol is soon hit with some home-truths when he is incessantly haunted by the ‘ Crazy’ and self-proclaimed helmet-wielding " hero" K ( Wi Ha Joon). As the main lead begins to struggle with battling against the mysterious hero fanatic in his daily life, he soon becomes involved in uncovering a greater web of lies and corruption at the heart of justice. Reluctantly he enlists the help of quirky hero K, his ex-girlfriend and witty detective Lee Hee Kyum ( Han Ji Eun) as well as good-natured rookie cop Oh Kyung Tae ( N) in order to bring down a greater threat from the shadows.
It should be clarified that the initial plot setup of “ corrupt cop becomes good again” isn’t an inherently new or exciting concept to K-dramas. Nevertheless, Kim Sae Bom was willing to add a retro flare to the narrative through the action escapades of K and Su-Yeol facing against bumbling and brutish thugs, convicts and adversaries in weekly episodes.
There’s a fairly comical undertone during many early exchanges between K and Su-Yeol ( without spoilers). Lee Dong Wook and Wi Ha Joon’s onscreen bromance chemistry could admittedly come off as slightly strained under the weight of loose threads in the plot at times, but the jovial bickering between their onscreen counterparts will certainly generate a chuckle or two for audiences. However despite the drama’s coverage of some lighthearted comedy sequences and interactions , Kim Sae Bom was not afraid to delve into darker subject areas also.
Naturally this brings up the discussion of the cast lineup. Venerable actor Kim Dong Wook starred as one of the main star-attractions of the production as Su-Yeol. The veteran actor admittedly did feel slightly typecast to the role of the “stoic and mysterious” archetype once more. However whilst goofy initial charm seemed to define Dong Wook’s character, later complexity surrounding Su-Yeol, truly gave his onscreen persona a definitive edge .
Yet whilst later episodes did present some heartfelt moments to explore vulnerability within the tougher character-build of Su-Yeol, the main lead’s earlier interactions with his family rarely foreshadowed or hinted a buildup towards Su-Yeol’s feelings. Of course , it is important to establish that although screenwriter Sae Bom did slowly develop Su-Yeol from the outset, it could often feel as though elements of his character were rarely fleshed-out with more depth .
Then of course there’s the discussion surrounding “ K”. Played with a daring boyish charm by Wi Ha Joon, “ K” acts as the second mysterious main lead of the series.
Without definitive plot spoilers, it is important for viewers to note that “ K” seemingly embodies everything that Su-Yeol strives not to be ; anarchic, comical, unpredictable and possessing a great hero complex also. Understandably “ K”’s greatest character-drive comes through his developed bond with Su-Yeol. Yet whilst comical ( and often fractious ) interactions between the main leads could be entertaining and sometimes complicated , it often felt as though “K” was rarely given a more serious presence in the storyline . ( Until later events when Kim Sae Bom deemed his character as a necessary plot-device; mysterious but often being used merely to expedite plot.)
Costarring alongside the two main leads was Han Ji Eun as female lead and love interest Lee Hee Kyum. Hee Kyum is an intriguing character with her own reasons and problems and especially due to her “ complicated” relationship with her ex and main male lead Su-Yeol. ( Especially with consideration to her somewhat acrimonious and unexplained breakup.)
On the other hand, whilst Hee Kyum was a necessary asset for the events of the narrative , there was a notable flaw at times with the main female lead; she lacked a definitive edge. Arguably it is noteworthy that Hee-Kyum is fairly resilient in the face of adversity and is quick to stand her ground also. Yet sadly Hee-Kyum rarely had opportunities to be explored outside of necessary plot-line . It was fairly sweet and engaging to witness the unfolding and potentially rekindled flame between the former-lovers onscreen. However, there were many notable aspects of Hee-Kyum’s intriguing backstory ( mentioned only several times as passing references), dreams, familial relationships and reasons for becoming a detective which were often left disregarded throughout the narrative .
Admittedly Lee Hee Kyum wasn’t the only victim of absent character backstory . Second male lead Oh Kyung Tae, a necessary character from the beginning, is dismissed through a “ necessary plot point” from being actively involved in the series. Whist this was arguably crucial to allow the events to unfold, Kim Sae Bom rarely measured opportunities through screen time to “ get to know” a key player in the drama; he’s altruistic, clever and observant but that’s also the problem. Oh Kyung Tae never truly felt as though he was a realistically flawed character.
Other side characters of the storyline included detective Yang Jae-Sun( Cha Si-Won)- Su-Yeol’s loyal work colleague and slight sycophant , shady but knowledgable psychiatrist Yum Geun-Soo( Choi Kwang Je) and the mysterious and unnerving professional psychiatrist Shin Joo-Hyuk( Jung Sung-Il). Whilst these side characters played important roles in various parts of the drama, predictability soon arose ( in parts) for the roles due to the evident writing-setups for these characters .
On this note it is important to bring up the nature of the opposing forces of the narrative. Admittedly ‘ Bad And Crazy’ never truly established an “ overarching” antagonist per say until later events of the storyline . Whilst the series did gradually veer towards having a final “ threat” during end events, the storyline instead placed multiple adversaries for the main lead such as corrupt politician Assemblyman Do Yu Gon ( Lim Ki Hong), the big kahuna of a drug gang Boss Yong ( Kim Hieora)and her right-hand man Andrei Kang ( Won Hye Joon) as potential “ red herrings”. Whilst these side characters did play their necessary role within the events of the narrative and help to buildup to the finale, the ending admittedly felt somewhat anticlimactic as a result of rarely presenting these antagonists with more profound character-qualities.
Admittedly ‘ Bad And Crazy’ was a slight anomaly when it boiled down to pacing . Whilst some dramas can notably suffer from the classic problem of possessing strong beginnings and weak endings, ‘ Bad And Crazy’ presented the opposite: a weaker beginning notably gave rise to a lighthearted introduction to characters, whilst the second-half focused heavily upon crucial details of plot and heavier topics.
Whilst this wasn’t necessarily bad per say and did allow for audiences to establish the key players of the drama, tedious pacing during early conflicted dilemmas for the characters contrasted by quick-paced action scenes during fights, often rarely allowed golden-opportunities to delve deeper into the ins and outs of the storyline. As a consequence, the ending is admittedly dependent upon expectations; some may enjoy the final events of the series with satisfaction , whilst others may feel disappointed and letdown by the final result.
Then of course there’s the discussion surrounding Yoo Seon Dong’s filming. Whilst Seon Dong could captivate a certain ineffable charm under his directing reigns with fast-paced action sequences and chases, Seong Dong’s camera work could often be amateurish at times also. Admittedly this isn’t entirely the fault of the director per say. The addition of pacy editing and cut scenes in order to make up for the usage of sloppy fight scene choreography and punches highlighted mixed-results throughout the camera work. On the other hand, the OST did often help to draw attention away from these scenes through an eclectic mix of generic instrumentals and unpredictable tempos - in particular ‘ Bad and Crazy’’s EDM opening song helped to capture the adrenal-infused mania and atmosphere for anyone willing to stay along for the ride.
Overall, ‘ Bad And Crazy’ is a series which felt somewhat shoehorned at times by plot, characters and pacing. Nevertheless whilst predictable and niche at times , the twelve-episode series was surprisingly delightful in parts with a pacy narrative allowing opportunities for viewers to become intrigued within some of the drama’s touching depictions of its main characters. Fast, thrilling and not without its rougher edges, ‘ Bad And Crazy’ will perhaps not serve as one of Lee Dong Wook and Wi Ha Joon’s best performances to date for some watchers , but it certainly can offer an adrenal-infused binge-watch for those intrigued from beginning to end.
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"In Space, No One Can Hear You Scream…"
Choi Han Yong’s ‘ The Silent Sea’ is a series which will like divide its audience demographic greatly. Notable A-listers such as Bae Doona and Gong Yoo will likely attract drama enthusiasts towards the drama’s cast lineup and involvement. However ‘The Silent Sea’’s amalgamation of different sci-fi stories and Han Yong’s attempted execution of these plot points may naturally lead to some divided opinions amongst drama enthusiasts and sci-fi aficionados alike.
The plot takes place in a dystopian alternative-future where the earth’s water coverage has been reduced by nearly forty -percent. In an attempt to govern humanity and ration supplies, citizens are assigned a “water grade” based on a hierarchy ranking system that determines how much of the liquid they’re allowed to access. So in an attempt to resolve problems humanity attempts to look for answers ( quite literally) in the stars.
Astrobiologist Dr. Song Ji-an ( Bae Doona )is sent on a salvage mission alongside gruff soldier Han Yoon-Jae ( Gong Yoo) in order to collect samples at the deserted Balhae moon station. With both characters having their own personal motives for taking on the assigned task the duo come across some startling and horrifying secrets as they begin their mission.
Netflix’s ‘The Silent Sea’ origins were admittedly still quite visionary by being based upon Han Yong’s notable short movie ‘ The Sea of Tranquillity’. Yet unlike the art-house-style influences of Yong’s original directed work, ‘ The Silent Sea’ notably markets itself to a wider audience demographic as a “ sci-fi and dystopian epic” with slow- burn mystery ; a mini-series that is likely to eagerly please and disappoint in equal measure.
The plot twists and turns that become apparent throughout ‘ The Silent Sea’ will likely divide those familiar with the sci-if genre; action sequences straight out of Ridley Scott’s ‘ Alien’, a suspenseful tone familiar to Christopher Nolan’s ‘ Interstellar’, bilingual exchanges paying an evident homage to Joss Whedon’s ‘ Firefly’( changed evidently to Korean and English ) , a key plot point nearly strikingly familiar to Jo Sung Hee’s ‘ Space Sweepers’, and an unsurprising likeliness to the water -themed 2009 British series’ ‘Doctor Who’ special ‘The Waters of Mars’, will possibly highlight the fine-line between paying homage and striking similarities to other notable works throughout the drama.
Of course whilst the familiarity of some of these plot twists does come into question when looking back at ‘ The Silent Sea’ it’s important to point out that the series does facilitate a solid pace with its revelations and twists right up till the last episode. However while the plot surprises are still interesting to some extent , ‘The Silent Sea’ could often neglect a crucial element to delivering its attempted tour de force moments: the cast and the characters.
Bae Doona and Gong Yoo are the undeniable star- attractions of the drama through their idiosyncratic performances offering a subtle touch of mystique and heartache as their onscreen counterparts.
Nevertheless given the evident potential for character depth in a series which explores the complexity of humanity, it will likely strike viewers as slightly unusual that ‘ The Silent Sea’ rarely diverged into using even initial exposition for establishing character personalities and adding a tweak of depth to their seemingly profound egocentric motives . Whilst later episodes place a quintessential limelight upon the characters’ roles to play in the events of the series and plot-drive, without baseline personalities ( aside from Doctor Song), notable main and important characters in the series could often slightly shallow and uninteresting .
The design of ‘The Silent Sea‘’s “ advanced” technological world and the cinematography are decent enough during viewings. There is an undeniable high reliance on CGI throughout the filming of the series; not out of the question for a series set in space, but also leading to some heavy artistic licensing by Han Yong. ( Astrophysicists, engineers and science experts may want to look away from these scenes as the logic is often devoid during these scenes .) The established setting is also not too preposterous for audiences ; several holographic displays subtly reminding the audience that this is series is set in the near-future every so often but admittedly not quite being awe-inspiring either.
‘The Silent Sea’ delivered a promising sci-fi mystery epic that brought together a myriad of sci-fi plot point twists to an original concept. With that said the series felt as though it could’ve had more episodes in order to actually flesh-out characters and the world-building of the series , leading to a mixture of mixed-reception with the final production. Viewers looking for a quick binge-watch investment with some familiar faces along the way may revel in the series’ end result . However fans of the sci-fi genre may be slightly disappointed by Netflix’s s high- budget extravaganza which whilst satisfactory for the most part did lack more of an impactful punch.
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“Nature or Nurture?”; The Ultimate Question of ‘ Hwayi:A Monster Boy’
Director Jang Joon Hwan and screenwriter Park Joo Seok’s attempted to delve deeper into the ultimate debate of “ nature vs nurture” with ‘Hwayi: A Monster Boy’ - a savage action-thriller that is expedited by its gratuitous fight scenes. Despite Jang Joon Hwan’s film bringing forward TV star Yeo Jin-goo’s first silver-screen debut, the film’s scant insight into the motives and drives of its odd ensemble of characters alongside shoehorned storytelling and dialogue, will likely test the patience (at times) of action-genre enthusiasts and casual watchers alike.
The movie focused upon the titular main lead Hwayi ( Yeo Jin Goo); a high-school boy who was kidnapped as an infant and brought up by a gang of sadistic thugs. From a young age Hwayi has been reared into becoming a perfect killer by his five “ dads”: Suk-tae (Kim Yun-seok), Jin-sung (Jang Hyun-sung), Ki-tae (Cho Jin-woong), Dong-beom (Kim Sung-kyun) and Beom-soo (Park Hae-jun). However after turning seventeen, Hwayi is soon forced to face the reality of his upbringing as questions soon rise towards his birth parents against his violent nurturing and environment.
Jang Joon Hwan’s 2003 success ‘ Save The Green Planet’ was a work that combined graphic violence, fantasy and social critique to create a daring result. In many ways ‘ Hwayi: A Monster Boy’ shared a lot of similar themes with its predecessor- bloodlust gore and themes revolving around captivity and humanity blooming to life in an attempt to hook and intrigue viewers. However, whilst ‘ Save The Green Planet’ was a movie that possessed tactful multilayered themes and topics, ‘ Hwayi: A Monster Boy’ struggled to sketch-out the same depth as Joon Hwan’s previous work due to a notable key issue; writing.
In theory, Hwayi’s complicated relationships with his five fathers should have been the backbone of the entire movie. However, their character-drives and definitive personality traits were so ineptly draw together at times in Park Joo Seok’s fictional and niche microcosm of convicts and killers, that it was often difficult to truly differentiate them apart. Aside from Suk-tae acting as the boy’s main rearer and as the leader of the group( who is revealed to have his own motives in a twist which whilst climatic, lacked pretension, )and doltish Ki-Tae who sincerely showed affection for the boy , the other men’s reasons and personal motives for bringing up the boy and corrupting Hwayi were rarely tackled or given convincing explanations.
Playing Hwayi as a character pushed over the edge, Yeo Jin Goo could admittedly often lack an air of subtlety by overstating his character’s angst. Nonetheless Yeo Jin Goo gives the main lead an edge of complex fragility, instability and sympathy for audiences. His budding romance for classmate and potential love interest Yoo-kyung (Nam Ji-hyun), one of the few female characters of the movie( who lacked definitive qualities) , acted as a lighthearted respite from the movie’s downbeat narrative.
Costarring alongside Yeo was Kim Yun Seok. The venerable actor added a running streak of brutality and viciousness to his onscreen persona Suk-Tae. Nevertheless despite the brilliant dynamic charm of Kim Yun Seok onscreen, tedious dialogue exchanges against lukewarm chemistry between him and Yeo during scenes rarely instilled tour de force moments when ambiguous feelings of love and contempt became apparent in their final conflict.
In terms of pacing the narrative is filled with adrenal energy- suspenseful and expedited by its violence, but given the myriad of action sequences and locations shown throughout the film, the pinnacle conflict of the movie was climatic yet slightly incoherent also . ( Especially due to sporadic editing at times.) A notable issue which should also be addressed within ‘ Hwayi: A Monster Boy’ was its presentation of female characters. Whilst it is arguable that Joon Hwan and Joo Seok may have been trying to present a critique towards the infringement of gender stereotypes within South-Korean society, the lacking scope for female archetypes aside from the nameless, abused wife of Im Hyung Taek ( Seo Hyung Hwa), and “ love interest” Yoo-Kyung, served little purpose or depth exploration aside from being plot devices to keep the storyline moving.
Of course it’s wrong to entirely critique the movie. Admittedly well-mounted cinematography served as aesthetic eye candy for viewers with inventive and intuitive choreographed fight scenes paired together with a subtle yet momentous score.
Overall ‘ Hwayi: A Monster Boy’ was a film which will likely appease and irk audiences alike. The notable cast lineup did not disappoint and whilst the polished and slick fight sequences and gruesome violence will likely appeal to many fans of the genre, the bogged-down dialogue against cliche-ridden characters and plot will test genre aficionados and casual watchers alike. However, whilst the ending certainly helped to wrap up several key plot points, the end outcome of ‘ Hwayi: A Monster Boy’ was a mixed-result of gory and hare-brained carnage against some insightful delves into nurture, crime and parenting along the way.
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Ano Toki Kiss Shite; Funny, Romantic And Heartbreaking…
The plot of " Ano Toki Kiss Shite" will not appeal to every viewer out there. Its bizarre premise of kind-hearted Nozomu Momochi ( Matsuzaka Tori) beginning to fall in love with the outgoing mangaka-artist Yuizuki Tomoe ( Aso Kumiko)-even in the body of cantankerous caretaker Tanaka Masao ( Iura Arata)-can be seen as oddly " risky” or " weird " in the eyes of some viewers.
However, anyone who has watched this drama beforehand will agree that these stereotypes are wrongly-placed. At the heart of Toki Kiss Shite is an oddly comical, yet heartwarming romance tale where selfless Nozomu Momochi learns the importance of self-love during his unconventional relationship with Yuizuki Tomoe.
As far as the cast is concerned, ”Ano Toki Kiss Shite" was fairly dynamic. Matsuzaka Tori was fairly brilliant as our softly-spoken and down-to-earth male lead Nozomu Momochi. The actor himself admitted that he was drawn to the role by the funny and unpredictable nature of the storyline especially for our male lead.
Momochi as a written character initially seemed to ring warning bells as the archetypical " easily-manipulated" male lead who would be drawn in as the scapegoat by Tomoe, however, Momochi undeniably has his own fair share of problems. Despite having a heart of gold, he does not believe that he should have greater ambitions due to his dead-end job at the supermarket. His one form of escapism is the work of Tomoe. Momochi’s meeting with the mangaka-artist leads him to developing an unusual relationship with the artist- not " romantic” in the beginning ( as Momochi tries to explain to his gossiping coworkers who believed he was having an affair with her), but soul-connecting.
Admittedly, it would have been more intriguing to have seen Momochi fleshed-out more with individuality. Whilst we find out a lot as viewers about Tomoe, her emotional struggle and her close relationship with her mother, our male lead felt too much of a blank slate. We rarely saw or hear him talk about family , his past or even simply react emotionally outside of the enforced " I love sensei” or a " new problem which makes me moody" routine. Arguably whilst this story is a romance tale about Tomoe and Momochi, it would have helped to deepen this soulmate relationship if we knew more about the second component and of course our main lead Nozomu Momochi.
That issue aside , this " soul-connecting" relationship provides to become more of a reality than truth during the surreal supernatural events of the series. Despite being mentioned briefly beforehand ( though without definitive spoilers towards the entirety of the circumstances) , Momochi finds himself in an awkward position when his idol claims to be possessing the body of Tanaka Masao. Naturally perturbed , Momochi finds himself slightly on edge due to the awkwardness of the situation.
However there is oddly something endearing about Momochi not straying from his original words of wanting to develop a soulful bond with Tomoe. In a more lighthearted scene of the series when visiting a bathhouse, he desperately attempts to protect Tomoe’s “dignity” as a woman surrounded by men ( despite Tomoe’s later fairly forthright comments).
Now, Tomoe is admittedly harder to assess due to respectfully played by a female and a male actor.Whilst Matsuzaka commented that Aso Kumiko was brilliant for the role, the actress herself admitted that she did find the role a little unrealistic, though enjoyably intriguing. On the other hand, Iuta Aruta confessed he was questioning whether to regret taking up the role when he was given the script, however, Aruta joked that there is a first time for everything-not least playing a female heroine for the first time.
Honestly, both actors were equally as brilliant as the other by imitating one another’s mannerisms . As a character, Tomoe is more straightforward. A talented and successful manga-artist of the popular series “SEIKA no Sora”, it would be easy to establish Kumiko as the " spoilt princess" archetype, however, Kumiko’s life has certainly not been entirely comprised of sunshine and rainbows.
Yet whilst talking about our female lead, it is impossible not to mention her complicated relationship with her editor Takamizawa Haruto ( Miura Shohei). Now, here is where mixed feelings will be generated for viewers. Takamizawa is what you’d expect of your " jealous-fuelled” second male lead; infatuated with Tomoe, and desperate to make Momochi’s life a living misery. On the other hand, it didn’t refreshingly make Takamizawa a " bad person” either. A backstory provided a deeper insight into his relationship with Tomoe as well as his later revelations with Momochi provide that out of all of his faults, he truly does love and care for Tomoe.
Perhaps the slightly annoying aspect of Takamizawa and Tomoe’s relationship is to do with the “ unrequited love” ideology. It’s understandable that Tomoe didn’t believe that Takamizawa didn’t have any feelings for him ( especially considering their current relationship), however, it’s hard to understand how Tomoe could remain so blasé at times about having or at least struggling with her feelings even once with Takamizawa. ( Bearing in mind their relationship prior to the events of the series.)
As far as the comedy is concerned, “ Ano Toki Kiss Shite" is a required taste. Some may enjoy the comical sketches between Matsuzaka Tori and Iura Arata , whilst others may feel offended or uncomfortable by the exaggerated actions of Tori and Arata’s "awkward situations " and the stereotype of the " foreigner” with Momochi’s coworker Li Shan Shan ( Uraji Nuno)’s “ misunderstandings” by still trying to grasp the Japanese language . However, against some of the more questionable comical moments of the series, ” Ano Toki Kiss Shite” hits hard with some intriguingly issues about Japanese society- Kumiko is revealed to have been a victim of Japan’s vicious problem of ageism and prejudice when she first applied her work to the publishing agency. In a male- dominated environment, she had to take up the male pseudonym “Kanikama Joe” for her work to succeed. Additionally Tanaka Yutaro ( Kubozuka Airu), Masao and Masao’s wife Tanaka Honami ( MEGUMI)’s familial relationship represent the problematic dysfunctional family in all its glory.
However, the one issue which did feel a little less addressed considering the nature of Momochi and Tomoe’s presented relationship was the missed issue of homosexuality and the LGBT community in Japan. Now, this is arguably where we do go down a bit of a slippery slope as it is undoubtable that Tomoe is still a woman. ( The affections of the pair are taken upon the devoted bond of a fan and mentor also.) However, to the outside world, Tomoe’s affections and closeness in the body of Masao to Momochi certainly presented a different story. Whilst arguably the series did address a certain awkwardness in Japanese society around the issue of same-sex relationships with Takamizawa seeing Tomoe ( evidently in Masao’s body) in the beginning, this felt like a bit of a missed opportunity to present more seriously also. ( Especially considering some of the other poignant themes of the drama.)
So, is “ Ano Toki Kiss Shite” worth watching? Whilst the comedy and plot premise may not be appealing to everyone, ” Ano Toki Kiss Shite" is fundamentally an awkward and heartfelt romance tale of a devoted fan learning to be selfish and pursue his own feelings for Tomoe with an eccentric yet heartwarming supernatural twist.
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Does ‘Police Academy’ Need To Be Interrogated In Room 101?…
‘ Police Academy’ is a fairly lighthearted approach to the “detective and crime” genre- sweet and surprisingly heartfelt in parts, comical in other scenes and undeniably with more irritating flaws also . So this leaves the ultimate question; is ‘ Police Academy’ worth watching?
The acting front is solid enough here. There are a few slip-ups when long dialogue pauses or line deliverances felt a little mismatched against foregrounded scenes, but Jung Jin Young certainly exceeded expectations as main lead Sun Ho. The idol actor added a level of angsty-sweetness to his onscreen persona .
Sun Ho was a subverted example of the “ main lead with a tragic past”. He didn’t follow the stereotypical routes taken in fiction of being jaded, arrogant or the “ apathetic prodigy” but a fairly normal and confused teen. There were some surprisingly touching scenes ( never to be explored or seen again ) with surrogate father figure Yoon Taek II ( Oh Man Seok) as well as his fraternal-style relationship with best friend Yoon Seung Bum( Choi Woo Sung) helped to foreground some functionality within Sun Ho’s everyday life. However for our main character to befriend fairly positive influences such as Seung Beum and deal with a pretty austere paternal figure such as Yoon Taek this ultimately begs the question; “Why and how did Sun Ho learn to hack and get involved with the authorities ? “ There’s the argument by some viewers that " it is a take your brain out comedy" and “ Sun Ho did so because he was bored”", however, the show never really tied this major point concisely. Perhaps it wouldn’t be too bad if the drama hadn’t carried this over more as an important role in later episodes with sporadic and partially-inaccurate terminology and tech setups , only adding to the confusion as to Sun Ho’s involvement in this world .
This then leads us to talking about his “reasons” for training to become a police officer . A character doesn’t always necessarily have to go down the “ vengeance backstory” route, but it was an odd move that the drama didn’t interlink or at least explore more about Sun Ho’s backstory, his parents as well as some sense of relief and poetic justice for Sun Ho’s goal to become an officer . Aside from the prosaic reasoning in the show that “ the girl I like is pretty and can fight , I want to have a goal and follow her too.”
On this subject there’s evidently also the problem revolving around Kang Hee. Idol actress Krystal isn’t too bad here. This is admittedly not one of her most captivating performances, but not unwatchable either. Our female lead Kang Hee is a bit of a mixed-bag. Despite being Sun Ho’s "dream girl", Kang Hee does have a more evident character drive than Sun Ho in parts. Her mother is far from being a good citizen and Kang Hee has often put academic pressure on herself to succeed in order stray away from being labelled as her “mother’s daughter”. ( A relationship which was given a patchwork happy redemption arc later on without a lot of explanation)However here’s where we hit a major rut with Kang Hee; she isn’t a likeable character.
Of course we are supposed to like her in theory . She’s intelligent, a talented fighter and witty. However the problem with the female lead is that whilst she does have a ‘’complicated ‘’ past which helps to explain some of her motives, she never seems to learn to grow, accept or develop. Perhaps it wouldn’t be too bad if the show pointed this out or made Kang Hee mature by accepting her own mistakes or begrudgingly understanding the errors of her ways, but sadly Kang Hee rarely escaped her one-dimensional character depth throughout the drama.
Then there’s the potential ‘’ onscreen relationship’’ between Kang Hee and Sun Ho. The setup itself is simple enough; Kang Hee is Sun Ho’s crush and his raison d’être. The female lead has rarely noticed Sun Ho up until the storyline of the series, but this soon changes when events begin to unfold. It’s a straightforward enough concept and whilst Krystal and Jin Young’s onscreen chemistry was decent enough, the relationship often hit a rut due to a lack of definitive development as well as hitting an anticlimactic conclusion.
Meanwhile away from the problematic romance factor of the drama there’s then the topic to discuss about Yoo Dong Man ( Cha Tae Hyun) also. Aside from serious questions being raised about how Dong Man wasn’t picked up by any of his colleagues for his initial attitude to Sun Ho, Dong Man is your typical seemingly “ gruff and arrogant cop with a heart of gold”. It was evident that the drama would go down the route of exploring Dong Man’s gradual buddy friendship with the male lead and it was undeniably sweet. On the other hand there was lot left in the air about exploring more complicated depth with Dong Man’s character; his past, rivalry, rookie days and his own complicated feelings when the antagonist is revealed in their midst was often left as unexplored territory.
The antagonist(s) and “climatic tension” of the drama were fairly predictable- not bad per say, but simply existing for the sake of “ plot drive” rather than being given depth or more prominence. As a consequence the ending was quite anticlimactic. Sweet and on a happier note than possibly viewers were anticipating but nonetheless cliche and slightly disappointing.
Whilst ‘ Police Academy’ did offer some enjoyment through its impressive cast lineup and style, the drama’s ability to tackle character writing, depth and plot tension and climatic build seemed sporadically thrown together and lacklustre often resulting in anti climatic solutions or endings . Overall ‘ Police Academy’ was mediocrity at its best- okay if you’re watching just out of boredom and not bothered about writing during a binge-watching session but those looking for a drama with an enjoyable police buddy element and depth may want to look elsewhere.
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Mouse; A Masterpiece or A Mess?
The best way to describe screenwriter Choi Ran’s "Mouse" is somewhere between a masterpiece and a slightly disjointed mess in certain parts.
It’s wrong to entirely slander that " Mouse" wasn’t a good series. Without a doubt, the main cast were absolutely brilliant. ( Especially Lee Seung Gi’s hauntingly profound portrayal as Ba Reum, truly defining his talents as an actor.) Additionally , " Mouse" arguably had some of the best character development seen in a mystery- crime series in a long time. The portrayal of psychopaths felt haunting for the most part, whilst main characters Ba Reum ( Lee Seung Gi) and Mo-Chi ( Lee Hee Joon) had some shockingly profound character developments and twists. Even seemingly superficial side characters in the beginning such as Oh Bong-yi ( Park Ju Hyun) and the suave Choi Hong-ju, or " Sherlock Hong-Ju" ( Kyung Soo-Jin), had a lot more to their characters than first meets the eye.
However whilst it would be easy to give this drama a decisive ” 10/10” and write it off as flawless , it is undeniable that it isn’t without its faults either.
" Mouse" is undeniably a collection of surprising twists and turns which soon become a little disorientating. Whilst rooted in real—life depictions of a serial killers with a slight "fantasy twist" intriguing plot points soon become slightly predictable and mundane in the latter part. It was almost as though screenwriter Choi was running low on ideas ( despite the endless supply of unanswered questions left open for viewers) and decided to group together a cluster of feverish flashbacks, dismiss more intriguing characters peppered throughout the storyline and manoeuvre deux ex machina solutions for the resulted ending.
So, is " Mouse" actually worth watching from all the hype? This depends a lot on personal preferences. Whilst not flawless and a little clunky in the second-half, "Mouse” was undeniably filled with good acting, intriguing plot, characters and profound themes.
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The Beauty Of ‘Extraordinary Attorney Woo’…
“My name is Woo Young-woo, as in flower and luck. It means a lucky charm as pretty as flowers. But perhaps Young-woo as in clever and foolish would’ve been a better fit. Woo Young-woo, who remembers every single book she’s read since birth but can’t even go through a revolving door. Clever and foolish Woo Young-woo.” - Woo Young Woo ( Park Eun Bin).
Legal romance drama ‘ Extraordinary Attorney Woo’ attempted to make some big steps in the world of procedural dramas with a positive representation of autism and some complicated legal cases. However while the sixteen-episode series certainly soared far and high with its subject, plot and acting performances, it certainly had a few issues along the way also.
Extraordinary Attorney Woo’ is mainly focused upon upcoming law attorney Woo Young-woo (Park Eun-bin- ‘ Operation Proposal’, ‘ Do You Like Brahms?’ and ‘ The King’s Affection’) at Hanbada Law Firm. An intelligent and top-achieving law graduate from Seoul National University, Young Woo finds it hard to navigate her way through social and emotional situations due to being on the autism spectrum. Struggling with earning respect from those in the law profession as well as clients, Young Woo’s journey to make it to the top is far from easy or straightforward. However, with the surprising support and camaraderie of fellow coworker and young lawyer Lee Joon Ho ( Kang Tae-oh- ‘ My First First Love’, ‘ Doom At Your Service’ and ‘ Run On), Young-Woo is determined to continue persevering and to overcome social prejudices.
Probably best known for ‘ Innocent Witness’, screenwriter Moon Ji Won is likely not a familiar name for many K-drama watchers. Nevertheless, there is a lot to talk about when it comes to Ji Won’s writing decisions as well as subject matters. At heart, ‘ Extraordinary Attorney Woo’ is a fairly lighthearted watch. Of course, this isn’t to say the series isn’t afraid to delve into some deeper issues. (Screenwriter Ji Won was fairly open about addressing topics such as stigmatisation, assault and crime to name just a few.) However , it is important to acknowledge that ‘ Extraordinary Attorney Woo’ doesn’t expect or require viewers to have in-depth knowledge about everything addressed. Instead, ‘ Extraordinary Attorney Woo’ is a procedural drama with a big heart and attempted to remain fairly accessible to a wide audience .
It is infectiously feel good ( if not a little tiresomely at times),comical as well as surprisingly touching with its open address of real-life issues.Nevertheless, the show does admittedly run into trouble in a few moments with accurate depiction and has divided some viewers over its “factual” representation. ( Especially with regards to the portrayal of autism throughout the course of the series.)
Delving into ‘ Extraordinary Attorney Woo’ would not be complete without talking about the title namesake and main female lead, Woo Young-Woo. Played brilliantly by actress Park Eun Bin, Woo Young-Woo is a character who could’ve easily gone of one of two ways. Young-Woo is shown to be a quirky individual. She has a complete obsession and fascination with aquatic mammals ( especially whales) and has a meticulous routine with the order of things in her bedroom, as well as partaking in eating her father Woo Gwang-ho (Jeon Bae-su)’s carefully prepared kimbap on a fairly daily basis. However as the plot premise would suggest with Young Woo’s new profession, one of the female lead’s major growth points comes through having to acknowledge that real-life can rarely be so structured.
The motif of whales in the opening and ending credits, their symbolism on objects as well as passing dialogue at times by Young-Woo can often be said to wonderfully coincide with Young Woo’s character growth and journey. ( Whales are symbols of extraordinariness, strength as well as change; traits that perfectly epitomised Young-Woo’s personal journey .)
Additionally, there were moments in ‘ Extraordinary Young Woo’ which could feel a little frustrating with little frustrating to see Young Woo having taken one step forwards and one step back at times. Although in retrospect, it did help to add a touch of realism to Young Woo’s personal struggles. ( One of the most heart-wrenching moments of the series occurred when Ji-Woo openly spoke out about social stigmas held against those with autism; “ Even now, hundreds of people click the like button on a comment that says, ‘It is a national loss if a medical student dies, and an autistic person lives.’ That is the weight of this disability that we bear.” ) As mentioned previously, her autism is admittedly a topic of debate for a lot of viewers with regards to its accuracy but regardless of opinion, it seemed as though Moon Ji Won’s depiction of an autistic and successful female lead was well-intentioned.
Then of course there’s the discussion surrounding her surprising ally and coworker Lee Joon Ho, played fairly consistently by actor Kang Tae Oh. Lee Joon Ho is what many viewers would define as the “ nice guy” archetype; sweet and a good person to have in the female lead’s corner as well as a potential love interest for the writing of the show but a little staid at times also.Of course, this is certainly not a bad writing decision per say. He was fairly supportive, kindhearted, had his own struggles at times as well as remaining non-judgemental when it came to first meeting Young Woo and learning of her autism, instead valuing personhood rather than her disability. ( “I want to be on the same side as you, Attorney Woo. I want an attorney like you to be on my side.”)
However considering Joon Ho’s relevance in the storyline as well as the focus on empathy throughout the series , it felt odd that the narrative didn’t delve slightly deeper into some of these writing traits. Aside from that, his potential romantic relationship with Young Woo was admittedly a subject of debate for a lot of viewers. Although some saw this as a positive and healthy relationship as well as a good message put across for autistic characters to have love interests, others have noted that the potential relationship seemed a little enforced and took away somewhat from the initial camaraderie between the main leads.
In addition to the main leads, ‘ Extraordinary Attorney Woo’ boasts an eclectic group of side characters also. Woo Gwang-ho, played by Jeon Bae-su, was a surprisingly heartwarming side character as Young Woo’s single father, senior attorney at Hanbada, Jung Myung-seok ( Kang Ki Young) was Young Woo’s stern boss and mentor, Choi Su-yeon ( Ha Yoon-kyung), played the role as the female lead’s coworker and her former classmate at law school, Han Seon-young ( Baek Ji Won) was the CEO of Hanbada law firm and her father’s old friend from university, Kwon Min-soo ( Joo Jong-hyuk), Young Woo’s peer at work, and Dong Geu-ra-mi ( Joo Hyun-young), Woo Young’s close friend and associate.
The narrative of the series unsurprisingly takes an episodic format; a situation or dilemma case is presented to the characters and the audience, Young Woo’s approach or reaction to a situation is often seen as unconventional or comes under scrutiny by those around her, Young Woo is forced to work hard to prove her approach is okay, and then she is forced to confront or resolve the issue or dilemma of the episode, often resulting in a bittersweet outcome or a surprising turn of events.
Perhaps the one problem with the narrative structure came through feeling a little predictable and repetitive at times. Early episodes rarely fell into this trap but later episodes did noticeably begin to heavily rely on niche tropes which while having the possibility to be intriguing in the frame of ‘ Extraordinary Attorney Woo’, were often slightly niche. ( Cliches such as the “ traumatic backstory”, an “ envious antagonist” and the “ enemies to lovers” being noticeable in particular.)
Stylistically under the directing reigns of Yoo In Shik, ‘ Extraordinary Attorney Woo’ was a fairly slick and glossy production. The palette scheme was multifaceted; ranging and varying from scene to scene and heavily dependent on changing mood, tone and atmosphere. Although this was a fairly standard approach, it certainly did often help to animate scenes to life for viewers. (Standout examples include the ever-changing neutrals of the law firm feeling warm or harsh, the friendly and comforting tones of Young Woo’s family home and the use of rain, sunshine or nighttime background to reflect the feelings and emotions of the characters.)
The comprised OST for ‘ Extraordinary Attorney Woo’ was typically upbeat and lighthearted. A few of these tracks often bordered on being overly chirpy while others were bittersweet and serenading. Admittedly there were a few songs throughout the sounds track which did feel a little indistinguishable from one another but this was also dependent on personal taste. However, there were some songs such as Beyond My Dreams" (상상) by Sunwoojunga and “Tuning In To You" (기울이면) by Wonstein which did stand out.
‘ My Extraordinary Attorney Woo’ is a procedural series filled to the brim with heartfelt moments and empathy. Naturally the series did have its ups and downs ( especially in the latter part of the drama), but the main cast were fairly consistent throughout with their onscreen acting . (Especially actress Park Eun Bin). Overall, a fairly good watch though a little rough around the edges.
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30-sai made Dotei Da to Mahotsukai ni Nareru rashii
23 people found this review helpful
A Heartwarming Love Story In Tokyo...
30sai made Dotei dato Mahotsukai ni Narerurashii is one of those dramas which will probably be avoided by most mainstream drama watchers from its surreal , seemingly unrealistic and “ sexual “ concept of a 30 year-old businessman, Adachi Kiyoshi ( Akaso Eiji)who can suddenly hear other people’s thoughts simply because he has never lost his virginity.Yet against all odds of its bizarre premise, 30sai made Dotei dato Mahotsukai ni Narerurashii’s greatest strength was representing the relationship of our two main characters- not simply because they are a part of a “ same-sex pairing ”, but as flawed and independent individuals in their own right (something which only a minority of recent and contemporary romance dramas have been able to portray in the same manner of depth) .
Akaso Eiji was undeniably brilliant within channeling the meek- mannered Adachi, who is naturally perturbed after receiving his new abilities by being able to read the thoughts of anyone he makes contact with . To make the scenario worse for Adachi , he is surprised to discover that his popular male colleague Kurosawa Yuichi ( Machida Keita) has been harbouring complicated romantic feelings towards him for a long time.
Initially Adachi is hesitant to help out Kurosawa at work or grow close to him. Yet as Adachi reads more about Kurosawa’s thoughts and feelings both towards him and as an individual , viewers actually get to see in the process Adachi making sense of his own feelings towards Kurosawa as well. In one particular scene, viewers learn that a lot of Adachi’s problems with wanting to start a relationship with Kurosawa aren’t entirely homophobic, but a consequence of self-esteem and confidence from his past. It is only when Adachi is actually able to start respecting himself ( an important stage in any relationship) that he is able to start falling in love with Kurosawa also.
On the other hand, this also moves us on to one of the biggest flaws of the drama ; its inability to capture actual attitudes and thoughts of Japanese society towards the LGBT community in Japan. Whilst it can be said that not every drama should always be a political and radical message towards society, there’s no lies within saying that Japan has always had a complicated relationship with LGBT rights. Although undeniably a lot more progressive and liberal than some countries in the world and a lot more than the past, there’s no sugarcoating that open- homosexuality or being in a same sex relationship is still sometimes a cause of shame and prejudice amongst some members of Japanese society.
For a drama which specifically tackles these difficulties, it felt a bit out of place not to openly cover some of these pressures and expectations such as in Adachi and Kurosawa’s workplace upon their sexuality and the forced image of “ manliness” often imposed upon men of all cultures as a consequence. This is a flaw which could have easily been shown in the drama and therefore meant that 30sai made Dotei dato Mahotsukai ni Narerurashii was lacking in some genuine and realistic approaches to homosexual relationships in Japan.
On the other hand, my biggest praise must be given to the scriptwriters Yoshida Erika and Okazaki Satoko within the manner in which Adachi’s feelings and attitudes are portrayed. Although he comes to grow accustomed to his own feelings being more than platonic for Kurosawa , it was finally refreshing to see a case where Adachi as a romantic lead is not suddenly head over heels for Kurosawa either. Adachi is finally shown as a protagonist who learns to develop his relationship with Kurosawa over the whole course of the series as a slow and gradual process, rather than a sudden rush for them to suddenly hook up at the ending of the drama.
In a similar manner, Machida Keita was equally brilliant as Akaso’s costar within his role as Kurosawa. Although initially portrayed as overly extroverted and a little too optimistic at times within the drama, there’s no denying that Kurosawa’s reasons for liking Adachi do follow some typical romantic cliches. On the other hand, Adachi’s abilities reveal that Kurosawa is very thoughtful and respectful of some boundaries within their relationship as well as his own feelings towards Adachi not getting too out- of -line. As opposites within their progressive and complicated relationship, Kurosawa and Adachi’s connection isn’t overly presented with beyond salvation cliches nor is it an easy ride; it is more a case that both characters learn to walk through their differences as individuals.
Our side couple, partial- hikikomori ( shut-in ) Tsuge Masato ( portrayed unrecognisably by Asaka Kodai ) and cheerful delivery boy Wataya Minato (played by Goto Yutaro ) was a complicated portrayal for viewers to say the least.
Undeniably both Kodai and Yutaro were just as brilliant as our main actors within their roles, but both their characters respectfully in the beginning of the drama felt a little too much like our main characters within their roles of the “ less confident” and “ socially awkward” guy and the “ popular social butterfly”. Yet perhaps my one note of praise for their relationship comes later in the show , where a sincere revelation by Minato, opens up Masato’s tightly-closed shell and his own feelings as well. On the other hand at this point in the drama, there is sadly also little time to actually focus upon the same depth of their relationship as our main leads, making their progression seem a little too rushed and consequently lacking in the same emotional investment.
Overall there is no denying that although there are several flaws with some characters , cliches and avoiding certain area topics (such as some general attitudes by Japan towards homosexuality), 30sai made Dotei dato Mahotsukai ni Narerurashii is a surprisingly progressive and heartwarming Tokyo romance, portrayed by a brilliant cast, as well as the focus upon the two leading characters as individuals, rather than mere plot devices as well. Definitely a drama watching.
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