In between raving hype surrounding the main cast and the plot, screenwriter Son Eun Hye’s ‘Dali And The Cocky Prince’ has erupted quite a stir amongst avid drama watchers praising the series as ‘’dynamic’’ and ‘’fresh’’. However, this boils down one ultimate question; “Is ‘Dali And The Cocky Prince’ actually worth watching, or is it a classic case of an over-hyped production?”
The series applies the basic romantic comedy formula of ‘’ opposites attract’’; Moo Hak( Kim Min Jae) is a confident and nouveau riche social-climber, whilst Kim Da Li (Park Gyu Young) was born into “ old money” and is a naturally talented art exhibitor and critic . During a trip to an art exhibition in the Netherlands Da Li and Moo Hak end up encountering one another for the first time . Soon afterwards Da Li finds herself struggling to keep her art gallery afloat and consequently through several setups become indebted to Moo Hak. However (typical of romantic cliches) Moo Hak and Da Li begin to fall in love…
One of the greatest strengths of ‘ Dali And The Cocky Prince’ comes through Kim Min Jae and Park Gyu Young’s onscreen chemistry. In between some of the more questionable line deliverances at times Min Jae and Gyu Young’s pairing was dynamic and fun, but ( playing to the drama’s strengths and downfall as a consequence of testing viewers’ attention spans) slow-burn.
Actress Park Gyu Young’s performance and stylist helped to convey a sweet and charismatic charm surrounding the female lead. Da Li is refreshingly not your typical ‘’spoilt princess’’ female lead archetype. She is kind-hearted, an afficionado of Modigliani and has a natural artistic flare which has long been nurtured by her parents ( her namesake evidently being famous Spanish surrealist painter Salvador Dali), but as a child of a prestigious family, she often finds herself lost in cloud cuckoo land when dilemmas regarding the museum are raised. Whilst aspects of Kim Da Li’s past and background help to explore her character in more depth and do help to present her goals, personality and motives, Da Li undeniably did often feel shoehorned into the role of the ‘’ victim’’. (Especially in later episodes as more revelations come to light.)
Of course, the ‘’victim’’ trope isn’t always necessarily a bad thing in a series. It can help to explore characters in more depth and it did present some more raw moments for otherwise seemingly impeccable characters. For example Da Li is not truly made aware of her attempts to bury her head in the sand until Mu Hak acts as her personal anchor to ground her back to reality. However, whilst praise must be given to presenting Da Li as someone who gradually faces reality with grace and charisma, it seemed odd that the series didn’t present more opportunities for the female lead to take her first steps through more independence and personal growth rather than being enforced into the role for the “ sake of plot tension”.
Of course this naturally brings us onto our second topic of debate; male lead Jin Moo Hak. Expected of his namesake from the title Moo Hak has become accustomed to a wealthy of hedonism and money since his tiny family run-restaurant turned into an international food conglomerate through successful business ventures. Kim Min Jae walks onscreen with an air resonating Jay Gatsby; gaudy suits, satisfaction over materialistic purchases and truly buying into his own ideology that money can truly buy love and happiness.
Moo Hak is arguably the perfect foil and counterpart to Dali; arrogant, haughty and overly confident (which both provides to his advantage and lands him in hot water throughout the drama) but not without his more “ redeeming” character traits either. For example Moo Hak is undeniably a hardworking and charismatic entrepreneur, as well as gradually more empathic as he comes to see ( from Dali) the importance of genuine and authentic relationships that money cannot buy. On the other hand Moo Hak ( similar to the female lead) is very much enforced throughout the series as a plot device; existing to create a splash of tension and jealousy to keep their potential romance “ interesting”, but often dismissing more intriguing elements of Moo Hak’s journey and success along the way.
‘ Dali And The Cocky Prince’ really did not shy away from reimbursing all the overused tropes and cliches you’ve seen before from the “ foreigners” to the the infamous “ drunken escapades of your main character”, “ mistaken identity” and even the “ shower scene” find their ways multiple times throughout the drama.
However one dreaded creme de la creme of cliches which appeared in the storyline occurred through the issue of the “ love triangle” setup between Moo Hak, Da Li and her “first love” second main lead Tae Jin ( Kwan Yool). In the expected setup that you can imagine, Tae Jin and Da Li ended their relationship on an “awkward note”. (Pining and unrequited love ensues for Tae Jin as the “ impartial female lead” is milked by screenwriter Eun Hye throughout the subplot.) Then to add the cherry on top of “ tension for the sake of tension” there’s also the unrequited feelings ( which are often played for comical foil than actual heartache) of Ahn Chak Hee ( Yeonwoo) who often “bickers” with Moo Hak over her feelings for him and leading to numerous comical misunderstandings.
Thankfully Eun Hye only added these “ tropes ” as a side storyline with an major plot shift to a “ thriller mystery” subplot soon taking frontal stage as the focal point of the drama. In between these scenes there’s a notable shift on other characters unexplored in this latter half.
For example there’s supporting character Won Tak ( Hwang Hee) who is a hardworking police officer with a sibling like relationship with Dali, and Moo Tak’s quirky secretary Yeo Mi Ri ( Hwang Bo Ra). Whilst admittedly both characters were often the root of “ plot motivation” or “ comical foil”, they admittedly did add a sweeter note to the darker subject areas of the drama.
Then of course there’s the last topic surrounding director Lee Jung Sub’s take on the cinematography. Whilst honestly it did feel as though Jung Sub had some more evident missed opportunities with playing with the artistic creativity of the plot, there were admittedly some brilliant scenes and aesthetics carried through adding a warm palette to the romantic-comedy. The ending was admittedly trope-induced; not bad per say, but lacking more fluid coherency towards the characters’ own choices and decisions in the final act.
So what’s left to say about ‘ Dali And The Cocky Prince’ ? Is it worth watching or is it an “overhyped” drama? The biggest thing to say about the rom-com is that the drama accommodates from lighthearted to more serious to suddenly lighthearted again, and isn’t afraid to interplay the cinematography more subtly with this.Our main leads had good chemistry and it was surprisingly sweet to see the “ polar opposite” trope executed once more. On the other ‘ Dali And The Cocky Prince’ isn’t an inherently original or brand new concept with tropes and cliches often weighing down more intriguing story elements, characters and even the ending (to a certain extent). The drama isn’t entirely “ original ” as a consequence of this screenwriting decision and whilst the comedy may vary for viewers, the drama is certainly a decent and sweet enough rom-com.
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Our Beloved Summer; The “ Break Up” Story With A Twist…
The “ break up” story is a trope in rom-coms which is timeless. Main lead meets main lead, a love story ensues only for the characters to end their relationship through an acrimonious breakup. However whilst Lee Na Eun’s screenplay alongside the directing reigns of Kim Yoon Jin offered viewers a fairly heartwarming coming-of-age tale with an element of mystique , it is important to establish that the drama rarely touched upon new subject areas or topics either.In the past Choi Woong ( Choi Woo-shik) and Kook Yeon-Su(Kim Da-Mi) were high school classmates and polar opposites. Whilst Yeon-Su was an intelligent, hardworking and top-achieving student, Choi Woong was a laidback teen during his high school days; caring little about being a low-ranking student and being focused upon his artistic abilities instead. By a whim of fate, Yeon-Su and Woong discovered that they were chosen as the main subjects (,out of wide selection of candidates,) for an indie-style filmed-documentary.
Even after the documentary finished filming , Woong and Yeong-Su’s mutuality for one another soon grew into sincere feelings as the duo began to date during their college years. However, shortly after finishing their respected diplomas, the former sweethearts went their separate ways with the intention of never meeting one another again,but, fate has an odd way of bringing people back together . Several years into the future , the documentary has become gained a viral cult -following and consequently both main leads find themselves reunited once more.
‘ Our Beloved Summer’ is a fairly lighthearted watch for the most part. Whilst the series does run highly upon certain elements of angst and melodrama surrounding certain relationship dynamics and unrequited feelings , Lee Na Eun’s focal drive of the series surrounded mainly the relationship dynamic between its main leads.
Of course, it’s wrong to say that ‘ Our Beloved Summer’ wasn’t entirely
absent from its more droning “lovey-dovey exchanges” and tedious romantic setups, but, in a series where the focal point surrounds a niche break-up story and potential love story ( which could either irk or appease audiences), satire is sometimes quintessential to helping break the ice. Director Kim Yoon Jin presented the series as a self-conscious reflection of popular culture influences and references. The insertion of evident allegorical homages to different genre films such as; I Know What You Did Last Summer’, 10 Things I Hate About You’, ‘ Pride And Prejudice’, ‘ Catch Me If You Can’ ‘ Love Actually’ helped to present the different emotional stages of the main leads’ relationship in an obvious yet admittedly intuitive manner.
Yet whilst Kim Yoon Jin’s clever usage of titles and filming will certainly not go amiss amongst viewers, there is admittedly one elephant in the room which should be addressed openly surrounding the series; , the pacing. For the most part, ‘ Our Beloved Summer’ is slow-burn. Whilst the average episode could last around an hour and did take time to focus upon certain elements of relationship and character building, the series could feel somewhat dragged out by the latter-half also.
Naturally it isn’t always necessary for a series to have a specific antagonistic force or evident end goal. However for a series to keep viewers engaged characters can often be presented with motives, drives and personal goals in-between the main storyline to give flare or help to flesh-out character building. Whilst we did see some opportunities for this to happen with certain characters, the main leads were rarely given a more dynamic or personal raison d’être as characters. ( Aside from the potential impositions of their relationship or character drive for the “sake of plot”. ) As a consequence, ‘ Our Beloved Summer’ could sometimes feel as though it was slightly conflicted and dragged down by its pacing. Instead of either compacting the series into twelve episodes or attempting to add a more decisive plot-motivation, cliche misunderstandings, misconceptions and niche setups began to arise as the storyline entered its final part.
Nevertheless, the main cast were fairly dynamic as our main leads. Choi Woo-Shik versatility as an actor is proven again within his charismatic performance as main lead Choi Woong; a formerly deadbeat student and a successful artist and illustrator in adulthood who has shared complicated feelings for female lead Kook Yeon-Su.
Admittedly, Choi Woong could often feel shoehorned into “ plot” moments and tension in order to keep the storyline “ intriguing” . ( Incliding through several main subplots .) Yet rather than allowing the main lead to become the reimbursed “ vengeful lover” or “ cold and aloof” trope, screenwriter Lee Na Eun adds an air of subtlety within his equilibrated character strengths and flaws. He has an endearing relationship with his father ( Park Won-Sang) and mother ( Seo Jeong-Yeon) as well as with his best friend Kim Ji Woong ( Kim Sung Chul).
Costarring alongside Choi Woo-Shik is Kim-Da Mi. The actress likewise presented her persona as main female lead Kook Yeon-Su with a dynamic ambience onscreen. At times, Yeon-Su initially could often feel like a carte blanche female lead; enforced to become the “ polar opposite” to Yeon-Su. However , ‘ Our Beloved Summer’ rarely shied away from giving golden opportunities for viewers to understand more about her as a character . Her misconceptions and labels placed upon her from others, a surprisingly heartwarming relationship with her quick-witted grandmother Kang Ja Kyung ( Cha Mi Kyung), as well as most notably coming to terms with her mundane office job , did allow some intuitive insights into Yeon-Su’s persona.
From being at one another’s throats in ‘ The Witch; Part 1’ to former-lovers in ‘Our Beloved Summer’, Kim Da-Mi and Choi Woo-Shik’s onscreen chemistry was undeniably one of the driving strengths of the series. However whilst Da-Mi and Woo Shik’s chemistry was sweet and heartfelt, their characters’ onscreen relationship could admittedly a feel a little shoehorned at times through plot and did place slight strain upon the written relationship feeling natural.
Kim Sung Chul’s role as Kim Ji-woong played a pivotal role within kicking off certain events of the series. Admittedly Ji Woong’s presence during initial events and revelations of the series could admittedly feel a little staid at the best of times but his involvement in later events of the drama is provided as necessary for plot-drive.
Then there’s also second female lead NJ ( Roh Jong Eui) ; a popular K-pop idol who becomes enamoured by main male lead Choi Woong after he doesn’t fall for her charms. Unsurprisingly, NJ’s role in the series was evident from the beginning to present an “ obstacle” within the battlefield of affections for the main leads. However , rather than reimbursing NJ as the “ jealous second female lead” archetype, the series does provide some golden-opportunities to explore some more depth behind NJ’s feelings as well as her personal-growth.
Director Kim Yoon Jin seemed to have a fairly tactful eye behind the camera also. Professional long distant shots and close-ups were cleanly cut , unobstructed and slick in order to delve into the characters’ mindsets and daily lives. In particular, Yoon Jin’s presentation of vivid palettes and tones stood out through the frequent usage of mellow-yellows, tonal whites and blues in order to bring about a hazy tone of nostalgia throughout the entirety of the narrative.
The OST was mainly subtle and predominantly composed of gentle instrumentals - sweet and helping for viewers to focus on dialogue ( instead of lyrics), but admittedly certain tracks delivering a more emotional and memorable impact also.
It was evident to see from the outset that ‘ Our Beloved Summer’ would attract a lot of intrigue and interest from its main cast; particularly A-listers Choi Woo Shik and Kim Da Mi’s dynamic onscreen reunion and performances. However despite the series offering a different take on old tropes and diverging from expected character archetypes with a touch of depth , ‘ Our Beloved Summer’ could sometimes feel weighed down by its predictable setups and inconsistent pacing in parts. Nevertheless, whilst ‘ Our Beloved Summer’ did not possess an original setup, the series was a surprisingly heartwarming watch also.
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‘ Snowdrop’; Where To Begin With One Of 2021/22’s Most Divisive Dramas…
It isn’t uncommon for dramas to sometimes land themselves in hot water over various scandals in South -Korea and JTBC and Disney’s ‘ Snowdrop’ is no exception to this problem . Of course, this shouldn’t prevent viewers from enjoying a series or affect the overall quality .
The storyline of ‘ Snowdrop’ was intriguing, the casting choices are certainly impressive and there are admittedly some surprisingly impactful tour de force moments also. On the other hand, it’s hard not to address one of the biggest elephants in the room surrounding ‘ Snowdrop’’s mixed-reception and controversy; the storyline’s time-setting and take upon historical events.
The backdrop of the narrative focuses upon the precursor events leading up to the historical 1987 political movement in South-Korea. Eun Young-ro ( Jisoo) is a student at Hosu Women’s University and the daughter of the director of the Agency For National Security Planning (ANSP) Eun Chang-soo (Heo Joon-ho). After a blind date, Young-ro ends up meeting the mysterious Im Soo-ho (Jung Hae-in). A man of few words and having previously studied abroad at a prestigious university in Berlin, Soo-Ho captures Young-ro’s interests with his like-minded tastes and philosophies . However after Soo-Ho stumbles through a window at the university, covered in blood and wounds, Young-ro is forced to face some shocking truths and revelations about her crush Im Soo-Ho…
It is important to note that whilst there are some inescapable elements of “fluffy” and lighthearted romance in ‘ Snowdrop’, venerable screenwriter Yoo Hyun Mi (‘Bridal Mask’, ‘ SKY Castle) and director Jo Hyun Tak ( ‘ Who Are You?’, ‘ SKY Castle’) mainly focus upon the network of political mind games and tension throughout the storyline . In particular, screenwriter Yoo Hyun Mi adds a notably sardonic tone towards political strife and satire in 1980s South and North Korea.
On the other hand, Yoo Hyun Mi often seemed unsure at times towards the direction of the drama. Whilst it isn’t out of the question for a series to attempt to relieve tension with lighthearted banter, niche setups and comic relief, the screenwriter could often overplay at times somewhat fractious comedy and scenes without interspersing this into the storyline with more tact. In addition to this there is admittedly a complex issue to bring up surrounding the wider controversy of the drama; the fictional take upon real-life events and figures.
The series often attempted to depict important figures and events with a certain artistic licence. Whilst it is arguable that a lot of the storyline events were only loosely based upon the memoirs of a former POW and were never supposed to be a “fly-on-the-wall” depiction of events , it is still a sticky situation when viewers become aware of the actual historical context. ( In particular, the drama’s somewhat “glossy” depiction of tragic historical figures, groups and events without acknowledging brutal realities. )
Controversy aside , ‘ Snowdrop’ admittedly offered viewers a fairly impressive casting lineup, specifically with BLACKPINK’s Jisoo, rising star Jung Hae-in and A-lister Yoo In Na drawing attention for viewers .
BLACKPINK’s Jisoo starred as the main attraction of the drama as main female lead Eun Young-ro. Whilst Jisoo’s initial performance was admittedly somewhat questionable, the BLACKPINK idol’s acting debut was certainly decent enough with an ability to capture an emotive edge to her character in later episodes.
Costarring alongside Jisoo was main male lead Im Soo Hoo as Jung Hae-in ( ‘ D.P’, ‘ Prison Playbook’, ‘ Something In The Rain’). The actor is no stranger towards taking on versatile roles and whilst there were moments that Hae-in’s delivered dialogue could feel somewhat stiff, Hae-in was able to add a surprisingly complex charm to his onscreen persona.
The chemistry between our main leads is admittedly mixed at the best of the times. Whilst the events surrounding Jisoo and Hae-in’s onscreen counterparts are quintessential towards the main storyline, the actors’ onscreen chemistry could feel somewhat stunted due to few opportunities in order to explore the scope of their characters’ onscreen relationship.
Yoo Hyun Mi’s pacing of the series was variable. Whilst she allowed some opportunities to see tension buildup and gradual events unfold, the attempt to drag -out plot points even in a space of sixteen episodes, could often lead to events of the narrative feeling somewhat tedious and dull. In particular, screenwriter Yoo Hyun Mi fell into a notable habit of inducing a tense plot point, climatically building up events only to deliver a somewhat anticlimactic and trope-induced result and then repeat. ( In particular, the conclusion of the series suffering from the full weight of Hyun Mi’s formula.)
Nevertheless it is noteworthy that under the directing reigns of Jo Hyun Tak, the filming of ‘ Snowdrop’ is professional, slick and stylistic. The oozing tone of gradients and camera shots helped to convey the tension of key plot points and in addition to the emotive OST composed by Kim Tae Seung, helped to present ‘ Snowdrop’ with an aesthetic flare.
Jo Hyun Tak and Yoo Hyun Mi’s ‘ Snowdrop’ is a series which will likely satisfy and displease viewers of equal measure. The controversy surrounding the drama’s depiction of historical events is an unavoidable issue. On the hand whilst ‘ Snowdrop’ did boast a star-studded cast, a venerable screenwriter and director behind the scenes as well as some emotional punches , the drama did admittedly still suffer under the weight of poor-pacing, predictable setups and lacklustre opportunities to explore characters and impactful events ( including the ending) with more depth. Controversial, emotive yet somewhat niche in parts, ‘ Snowdrop’ is a drama which whilst watchable, will still divide audiences greatly…
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This review may contain spoilers
The Actual 3Bs; Bland, Boring And Bothering ...
Based upon the eponymous manga, 3B No Koibito is a fairly typical romance drama about our “ mistreated” female lead Haruka Kobayashi ( Fumika Baba) and her encounters with the “ 3Bs” ( “ The Three Boys You Should Avoid”): bandman Amemiya Yuu ( Kamiya Kenta), beautician Shintaro ( Nakahara Hiroshi) and bartender Yoshi ( Sakurada Dori) when they begin to reside under one roof.
It is fair to say that 3B No Koibito had “ cliche” setup from the start-up with its “ reverse harem-setup”, the questionable and unfunny gag in the pet salon, and the natural progression of repetitive storyline as well, helped to lead to worsening characterisation, plot development and something even intrinsically “ likeable” about the male leads for a major proportion of the series, often resulting in their interactions with Haruka , feelings incredibly obligated for plot rather than a naturalistic development.
Upon this topic, it is probably important to address the portrayal of our female lead Haruka Kobayashi.Initially, Haruka’s most prominent feature as a female lead was speaking out against the egotistical behaviour at times of her male tenants as well as learning something new about them and herself in the process. Yet rather than allowing us to see Haruka’s further development by healthily overcoming her traumatic experiences, the show becomes too obligated upon Haruka making rash and impractical decisions in order to “ heighten the potential romance” between the trio of love interests. A lot of these decisions resulted in Haruka’s strong personality being degraded to often emotionless and staid rather than well-written, especially within evidently leading on the other male leads without any previous judgement or bond shown to indicate her actual feelings. Consequently, although Fumika Baba isn’t a bad actress, a mixture of lacklustre line deliverances and questionable stoicism at times often made her performance seems as appealing as watching paint dry.
Moving on to our “ 3B”s, one of the most prominent issues which was never tackled can be seen through never highlighting the prejudice and stereotypes held against men in “ less academic” spheres in Japan, as well as the problems of relationships in modern Japanese society. Although this was certainly not a driving factor for the storyline, it seemed odd to not subvert these cliches in order to “ personalise” our characters, rather than draw onto them as plot devices throughout the actual show .
The most prominent “ flaw” rising between all three of the male leads led Haruka to realising early on that they were “ debauchees” with new “ muses” or “ girlfriends” nearly every week. Although this undeniably offered a less “ sugarcoated” reality towards the “celibate and pure “ male lead often written into dramas to romanticise relationships , it nevertheless posed a greater problem within the characters’ double-standards when Haruka decides to start dating someone who ‘’ is not them’’. Of course this did feed into the drama’s storyline, however, it felt brushed over that whilst Haruka would criticise their actions but not dominate their relationships, the 3Bs would begin trying to control and manipulate her own love life because of their own ‘ incoherent feelings towards her for the sake of plot’.
As one of the 3Bs that first presents the problem of characterisation, cosmetologist Shintaro can often be seen to exemplify this problem. He initially appears as a ‘ kind-hearted’ male character who Haruka learns often leads on girls as his new ‘ model’, before either dumping them or allowing them to unhealthily fantasise over being with him. The series attempts to offer some explanation to Shintaro’s actions by viewers learning more about his past, but rather than this acting as a stepping stone to learning from his mistakes, Shintaro seems only to become worse by suddenly deciding he has ‘’ romantic feelings’’ for Haruka. Although Shintaro was less forceful upon Haruka than the other two male leads, it was still a little eye raising when his previous antics caused harm to Haruka as well as not contemplating or reflecting upon his actions, questioning exactly what he even liked about Haruka in the first place due to very similarities or differences between them made prominent for them to bond in the series( apart from only several episodes ).
Moving on to our second notable ‘ 3B’, Amemiya Yuu, there was the evident similar problem of Yuu having a ‘’ new girlfriend’’ at every gig, until a ‘’ tearjerker backstory’’ attempted to explain things in seconds flat, whilst his character initially returned to being often rude and egotistical for a major proportion of the series. Yuu’s behaviour to Haruka after developing a ‘’ crush’’ did seem a little more formulated than Shintaro’s due to actually pointing out some notable interactions between the characters, it nevertheless felt poorly-tackled that the show did not think to draw out actual reasons for Yuu’s feelings suddenly ‘’ occurring’’ rather than actual development.
Finally, our final ‘’ 3B’’ is bartender Yoshi. Seemingly suave, charismatic and reserved, Yoshi is quite manipulative within playing around with women and tries to come on several times uncomfortably on to Haruka to test her reactions. Although Yoshi is not an intrinsically ‘’ horrible’’ person through his later advice for Haruka, his actions towards expecting Haruka to showing up to suddenly try his new drinks , as well as taking heed in her love life, made him one of the hardest characters to romantically pair with Haruka.
The pacing of the show often felt incoherent with a fairly interesting start, which only seemed to worsen as storyline crashed into cliches and attempted romantic pairings with lacklustre effects for viewers’ actual attention. Consequently, the ending was a matter of opinion more than anything else, but certainly expected within the generic setup of the series.
Overall, 3B No Koibito is the epitome of the the type of show that you should watch if you’re looking to binge watch something without a second thought. However, poor characterisation, lacking interest for viewers within a coherent plot, dire pacing and a mediocre finale, will result in the show being a waste of time for those looking for something more refined and well-written.
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Sweet, But Worlds Apart From Its Predecessor…
For those unaware ‘Hoshi Kara Kita Anata’ ( alternatively known as ‘ 星から来たあなた’ or ‘ My Love From The Stars’) is adapted from ‘ My Love From The Star’ starring Kim So Hyun ( ‘ Dream High’, ‘ Secretly Greatly’ and ‘ It’s Okay To Not Be Okay’) and Jun Ji Hyun ( ‘ My Sassy Girl’, ‘ The Legend Of The Blue Sea’ and ‘ Jirisan’).
‘Hoshi Kara Kita Anata’ focuses upon the same basic plot premise as its predecessor . Mitsuru Higashiyama ( Fukushi Sota- ‘ BLEACH’, ‘ Omukae Desu’ and ‘ Avalanche’) is a seemingly ordinary university lecturer, apart from one fact: he’s not human.
Stranded on earth during the edo period, Mitsuru has been forced to blend in with humans for more than 400 years whilst keeping his abilities and identity low-key.
However, everything changes for Mitsuru when he encounters popular and seemingly haughty actress Sasahara Tsubaki ( Yamamoto Mizuki - ‘ Tokyo Alice’, ‘ Perfect World’ and ‘ Ningen Kowai’). Tsubaki and Mitsuru soon find their paths crossing in more ways than one, as Mitsuru finds it harder to keep his secret…
As mentioned previously, ‘ Hoshi Kara Kita Anata’ is based upon the popular Korean series ‘ My Love From The Star’ and was initially written by award-winning screenwriter Park Ji Eun ( ‘ My Husband Got A Family’, ‘ The Producers’ and ‘ Legend Of The Blue Sea’).
However whilst there are certainly some intriguing things to note about Amazon Prime’s Japanese adaptation ‘Hoshi Kara Kita Anata’, it’s admittedly hard not to notice where the screenwriting felt inconsistent even as a standalone piece.
Naturally this isn’t entirely the fault of writing problems alone. A limited duration length did naturally restrict the abilities to explore plot lines, or counterplots in detail. On the other hand whilst time can be a limiting factor for any production or adapted series, it was still noticeable for viewers that ‘ ‘Hoshi Kara Kita Anata’ did little to adapt itself to its limitations.
Whilst the series did admittedly draw greater attention upon the potential romantic relationship of main leads Tsubaki and Mitsuru, the overcommitment for attempting to tie in several unexplored subplots in a short space of time could often make the events of the narrative feel somewhat sporadic and desultory . As a consequence this allowed restricted and limited opportunities in order to explore characters beyond their surface level.
The acting quality of the series is admittedly variable dependent on scenes. Fukushi Sota and Yamamoto Mizuki were fairly decent as our main leads, though surprisingly, despite the talents of both respectful actors , Sota and Mizuki’s onscreen chemistry felt somewhat lukewarm at best.
Admittedly this wasn’t entirely the fault of the actors. Despite several attempts in order to reiterate the importance of the romantic relationship between the main leads in ‘ Hoshi Kara Kita Anata’, there were few and far distinguishable or emotive moments in the series where the audience could truly understand the importance or relevance of this relationship.
Of course whilst there were several heartwarming exchanges and insights into the characters at times, the paper thin roles of the main characters could often impact their presence onscreen.
Despite Tsubaki seemingly being an actress who has suffered under false stigmas and stereotypes , it was hard to truly pinpoint moments where audiences saw Tsubaki as a dynamic character, mature or at least be explored with more vulnerable sides. Similarly, whilst Mitsuru is seemingly a character who has carried a seemingly arcane burden of being stranded as an extraterrestrial on earth, Mitsuru rarely seemed to be affected, develop or being given opportunities in order for viewers to digress his current persona or past.
In addition to our main leads, there is also an array of side characters. Whilst some of these side characters are necessary to a certain extent in the events of the series, ‘ Hoshi Kara Kita Anata’ rarely fleshed out the significance of these particular characters , built up their presence onscreen or at least foreshadowed or tied in certain actions or events surrounding their appearances to make them memorable for the audience.
Then of course there’s the question of pacing with ‘ Hoshi Kara Kita Anata’. As mentioned previously, ‘ Hoshi Kara Kita Anata’ was limited from the outset with having to compact a storyline into a space of ten episodes. Whilst the narrative is certainly expedited by mainly focusing upon the romantic aspect of the main leads, this also manifested as a double-edged sword with execution.
Pacy, engaging and allowing opportunities in order to allow the storyline to progress, but rarely did this allow time for ‘ Hoshi Kara Kita Anata’ to build upon its characters, plot line or a sense of conflict, dilemmas or obstacles for the main leads. Indeed whilst the drama did attempt to throw in several conflict points by the final part of the series, the finale felt somewhat anticlimactic as a result.
As for the filming quality and cinematography , ‘ Hoshi Kara Kita Anata’ is admittedly average. The quality, whilst not bad per say, was unimpressively fuzzy in certain scenes for a production released under the name of a top company such as Amazon Prime. In addition to this the absence of a sleek gradient, versatile camera angles as well as absent palettes schemes and even a lack of subtle motifs were prominent as the series progressed.
The OST for ‘ Hoshi Kara Kita Anata’ was sparsely used in the series. Notably when music was present in scenes, it was often faint and synchronic; attempting to place emphasis on characters or scenes, without always leaving an impactful punch by the end of episodes. Arguably one of the few memorable tracks found in the series was GReeeeN’s ‘ Ryusei no Kakera’; an avant-garde yet surprisingly upbeat melody which played as the drama’s main theme song.
Acknowledging a drama as a standalone piece is always quintessential when talking about adaptations. Admittedly ‘ Hoshi Kara Kita Anata’ did add its own idiosyncratic touches to the storyline by bringing on board the talents of Fukushi Sota and Yamamoto Mizuki as the main leads. On the other hand it’s hard to deny that the chaotic bricolage of the drama’s inconsistent narrative, characters, pacing and filming, couldn’t help but make the series feel as though it failed to live up to legacy of its predecessor and past incarnations. An average and easygoing binge-watch, but perhaps not a worthwhile investment.
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Controversial, Bloodthirsty Yet Classic…
Filmed by the late and venerable director Kinji Fukasaku ‘ Battle Royale’ sadly marked the director’s final film before his death but is unsurprisingly highly-regarded as Fukasaku’s magnum opus.
The “ fight-for-survival” genre in films and productions has long been held accountable through the success in Western literature and media. However ‘ Battle Royale’ has long been held accountable amongst Asian-movie enthusiasts as a classic modern game-changer to the genre and whilst often lesser-known against more recent productions, the drama’s legacy has notably lived on across popular culture as an ultra-violent social and sardonic satire upon teens, Japanese society and the widening romantic ideologies of violence in popular culture.
The movie imagines an alternate-future where Japan’s judicial system and government have broken down and delinquency amongst youths runs rampant. In an attempt to pass Draconian judgement upon the new generation the Japanese government puts into law the Battle Royale Act : a piece of legislation which means that a nominated group of young people are forcibly marooned together on an island, and forced to kill each other until one survivor is left.
In the current events of the movie reoccurring main lead bitter and spiteful teacher Kitano ( Beat Takeshi) nominates his class for their acts of disobedience by skipping lessons- explaining the rules and sending the bewildered teens out into the wild of the island as he watches gleefully from afar as the teens begin to grow nastily animalistic as cliches fall apart and distrust runs rife.
The bloodthirsty violence of the movie had admittedly remained a great divide for viewers with some perturbed by the explicit scenes of massacres and blood amongst a main cast of predominantly teenagers ( sans Takeshi and
Ando Masanobu) whilst others may note a form of wry satire by the director against his own personal experiences during childhood as well as intertwined with masterfully-stunning scenes and shots.
There’s a wide range of different characters in addition to Kitano throughout the film; our reoccurring main lead
Shuya Nanahara ( Tatsuya Fujiwara) who remains strongly morally-guided throughout the movie by promising to protect his deceased friend Yoshitoki crush and his classmate Noriko Nakagawa ( Aki Maeda) ; a reserved and good student who was often a prime victim of bullying in her class, Shogo Kawada ( Taro Yamamoto) - the ragtag and gruff transfer student alongside the antagonistic drive of sociopath Kazuo Kiriyama ( Masanobu Ando) and dysfunctional classmate Mitsuko Souma( Ko Shibasaki) play pivotal roles throughout the storyline.
Admittedly whilst the opening brought a proficient introduction to our main players and the world-building of the series where delirium and fear plague the teens during their descent into moral decadence, the main- climax of the movie could often lack proficiency. Whilst the duration length and pacy storyline had to maintain more subtle backstories and revelations the movie could often lead some key characters towards feeling less-developed than others and sometimes less engaged at times in the tales of friendships, betrayals, attractions, crushes and unrequited loved which emerge in the blood battle.
However the entirety of the movie can be often to be cited as not merely just a satire but a metaphor toward the painful and anguished experiences of youth which is brilliantly brought to life by the spine-tingling soundtrack of the series ( which is most notably reciprocated in recent films and productions as a homage to the film.) The ending of the movie is initially divisive but does offer contemplation for viewers. Overall a classic movie which whilst not for the faint hearted is powerful.
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A Bittersweet Fairytale...
It is undeniable that even amongst the drama-watcher community, there tends to be a notable problem of more well-known dramas being “ overrated” or “ glossed over” from noticeable flaws by biased fans of certain actors, actresses or directors, and “ It’s Okay, Not To Be Okay” is certainly no exception .
Written by lesser-known screenwriter Jo Yong ( After The Rain, Jugglers), ‘It’s Okay, Not To Be Okay’ plays itself upon being an “ atypical” romance between a stoic, yet kind-hearted psychiatric health worker called Moon Gang Tae ( Kim Soo Hyun ) and the eccentric children’s writer Ko Moon Young ( Seo Ye Ji) as they both try to find new ways to heal and recover from their past traumatic wounds along the way ...
Before talking about the interesting joys and delights of characterisation in the show, it is first prominent to commend most of the cast for their performances. Oh Jung Se was undeniably brilliant within his role as Gang Tae’s older autistic brother Moon Sang Tae; a performance which was angst-ridden and heartwarming for viewers over the course of series . Parallel to Jung Se, of course, was undeniably Seo Ye-Ji’s performance as the witty, sardonic yet complicated children’s writer Ko Moon Young; purposefully comical and flamboyant, yet intricately heartbreaking as well.
Truthfully, however, the show’s acting quality could sometimes be a mixed bag, not least from Kim Soo Hyun as our main lead. Although Soo-Hyun is undeniably a brilliant and talented actor, his role as Gang Tae was a little lacklustre and “ wooden” at times to say the least. This is not to say that his performance was unwatchable nor was it “ dire” , however, considering his reputation as a top-notch actor, it was a little surprising that Soo-Hyun didn’t truly add anything to his character . On the other hand , perhaps some of this can also be attributed with screenwriter Jo Yong’s deliverance of characterisation and several plot inconsistencies as well.
As a concept, ‘ It’s Okay, Not To Be Okay’ did not truly step upon new ground with its setup of the recently popular “ reversed gender trope ” in Korean dramas (where the female lead “ calls the shots”, and the male lead is nothing more than the “ object of obsession” in her eyes at first). Nevertheless, one of the undeniable great strengths of ‘ It’s Okay, Not To Be Okay’ was its ability to write several fairly “ fleshed-out” main characters who gradually grow over the course of the series .
Ko Moon-Young wasn’t supposed to be your typical “ Princess” heroine ( even labelling herself to be the “ Pretty Witch” of the story) ; she is successful and a talented writer, but intrinsically insecure and traumatised by her complicated past and her estranged relationship with her seemingly mentally-ill father as well. It remains apparent after finishing the show that Moon-Young often allowed her dark and twisted fairytales to adorn her view of the world; fairytales were once used commonly as morality tales to scare children and adults away from danger, a bittersweet belief (, which despite Moon-Young’s often reckless behaviour, )she applied full-heartedly to her own reality and comes to several harsh wake-ups calls by stepping away from these beliefs over the course of the series.
It is therefore apparent that just whilst Moon-Young is your “ atypical, yet typical” heroine, Moon Gang Tae is your “ usual, yet unusual ” knight in shining armour.
Gang-Tae is hard to really describe or feel true emotional attachment towards as a character ( perhaps explaining why Soo Hyun’s performance felt a little lacklustre at times) , due to his often stoic expressions and unreadable personality ( especially in comparison to Moon-Young) over the course of the series.
Nevertheless, it’s wrong to entirely dismiss Gang-Tae as a “ terribly-written character” , as his “ apathy” is often broken in the face of his trauma and clearer feelings( particularly towards his brother and later Moon-Young) in the second-half, however, the biggest problem about Gang-Tae’s characterisation was often a consequence of his sudden transition feeling a little purposeless.Although the show attempted to explain this characterisation by having to look after Sang-Tae as the “ carer” in their fraternal relationship, as well as evidently irked by Moon-Young in the beginning of the show, considering the extent of some of his traumas, Gang Tae’s reactions and coming to grips with them often felt lacklustre and perhaps resulted in Gang Tae merging into a “ stock male lead” over the course of the drama.
Naturally this draws us up onto the aspect of relationships in ‘ Its Okay, Not To Be Okay’. Perhaps the most praiseworthy thing to note about the programme is that although it is a “ romance” drama, it points out many different types of relationships ; from paternal ( such as the case of Kim Mi Sung’s character Kang Soon Deok and her adoration for her daughter Nam Joo Ri played by Park Gyu Young) ,to the fraternal bond between Gang Tae and Sang Tae and to the obvious romantic bond between Gang Tae and Moon Young over the course of the series.
In the case of the latter relationship , the show had an odd balance between genuine and striking similarities between the polar opposites acting as their magnetic force to stick together, as well as later riding upon several cliches which intrinsically took certain earlier driving factors from their fairly well-written and blossoming relationship. The ending was undeniably sweet, though perhaps a little anticlimactic for some watchers (considering the darker themes tackled).
The obvious and evident pairing overshadowed in the show by Gang Tae and Moon Young’s romance , occurred between Nam Joo Ri(Gang-Tae’s “ lovelorn” best friend) and Moon Young’s colleague and CEO of the publishing company Lee Sang In ( Kim Joo Heon). By default their pairing should have perhaps been the most grounded portrayal of the most “ normalised” romantic relationship in the show , however, by investing so much time into Gang-Tae and Moon Young’s, Sang In and Joo Ri’s pairing felt lacklustre , incredibly forced and a cliche setup between the “ extras”, rather than fleshed-out and realistically built-upon over time.
So, is ‘ It’s Okay, Not To Be Okay’ actually worth watching? Although there were a couple of questionable acting moments, cliches and plot inconsistencies, ‘ It’s Okay, Not To Be Okay’ was still a good drama, and certainly shouldn’t be dismissed as “ mediocre” ; the plot was intriguing, the cinematography was creative and beautifully shot, the OST was eclectic and themes of mental-health as well as psychology were fairly well-tackled and portrayed. ( Perhaps one of the most gripping scenes in the whole series came from a veteran soldier experiencing a bout of PTSD and the horrific scenes through the cinematography he was seeing on a normal bus ride.) ‘ It’s Okay, Not To Be Okay’ is undeniably not a flawless show, however, it is certainly still worth a watch ( not least for Moon Young’s more and more extravagant attires by each passing episode).
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‘ My Fair Lady’ Meets Japanese Idol Culture…
‘ Nobuta Wo Produce’ is a drama which has long had a love-hate relationship with J-drama fans; some loving the sweet and sentimental revamp tale of “shy girl” Nobuta (Horikita Maki) unlikely befriending
popular guys Kiritani Shuji (Kamenashi Kazuya) and Kusano Akira (Yamapi) in order to get a makeover and become popular, others seeing the drama as just cliche and prosaic. However this leaves newcomers who have stumbled across the drama with one question;” is ‘ Nobuta Wa Produce’ actually worth watching ?”
Arguably one of the winning strengths of the short drama is the acting front. Horitika Maki, Kamenashi Kazuha and of course Yamapi had brilliant and nuanced touches to their mannerisms as their onscreen personas and dynamic chemistry.
As far as the storyline goes there’s a mixed-bag of screenwriting techniques used. On a positive note the drama sometimes did present some more profound messages against its superficial setup; Nobuta’s “ makeover” didn’t press an immediate reset button on how other perceive her or her popularity ( as often showed in the “ magical makeover” trope), but rather gave others over the course of the drama the opportunity to understand the female lead’s unique personality traits.
Similarly unlikely popular main lead Shuji had his reflected insecurities over the course of the storyline. He was often scared of being rejected and often self-conscious about revealing his true self to others until he begins to open up around Nobuta and Akira.
As a consequence of the storyline focusing on high school a lot of the carried themes shown throughout the drama revolved around the “ high school experience” with certain poignancy in the reflected themes, personas and relationships of teens onscreen.
However whilst the drama undeniably had its highs during these moments in the first-half, the second-half lost the series’ true screenwriting momentum . The plot began to rest heavily upon poorly-executed tropes ( including the “ sabotage” cliche) in order to keep the plot moving rather than truly engaging the audience . Characters such as Akira( the fun loving “ jokester” character who felt as though he’d have his key moment to shine like Nobuta and Shuji), fell flat in seconds flat by having little development aside from plot “ tension” ( when it was called for) and to keep the storyline “ lighthearted”.
This is also pointed out a major problem with the second-half failing to seek a sense of dynamic build between our main characters’ friendship; the main goal being simply “ Nobuta’s makeover” lacked a lot of build and connection chemistry. Whilst this did improve over episodes ( and was sweet at times) , it still lacked an extra spark as a consequence of poor build-up.
Then of course there’s the dramatic shift with Shuji and Akira’s “ romantic feelings” for Nobuta. Whilst the romance was arguably necessary to “ spice up the drama”, it was prosaic and meaningless in a drama where the focal foundation of the setup is about friendship. Arguably whilst it was easy to see some connection between Nobuta and Shuji’s onscreen “ potential romance” due to their differing yet “complex” experiences, nothing was ever really solved or explored further between the two. (Questioning as to why it was put forward in the first place.) To add more fuel to the fire there’s also the issue of Akira’s “ crush” on Nobuta. Whilst it wouldn’t have been too bad if there had been a define explanation to Akira’s feelings or this had been carried further, it provided to never brought up again or carried over after its initial use.
The ending of ‘ Nobuta Wo Produce’ has undeniably left viewers indecisive. Admittedly whilst the show does give an appropriate finale and conclusion for Nobuta, there was little to really subside the drama from crumbling away from its initial foundations of a strong friendship between the main characters.
Overall ‘ Nobuta Wo Produce’ was not unwatchable. Despite false appearances against the “ outdated” idol-style haircuts and popular culture tropes, the acting front was fairly good here and the drama did presents some subtly powerful messages about adolescence. On the other hand a major proportion of the drama was overshadowed by the poor execution of the second-half with character arcs feeling rushed and unfinished and tropes and cliches often ruining more profound moments or messages. A decent binge-watch for anyone in the mood for a lighthearted series, but admittedly lacking more coherent structural writing and execution.
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Is It A “ Given” That This Is Actually Worth Watching?
Music dramas can often be uplifting and profound and ‘Given’ attempts to push the boat out completely. Based upon Natsuki Kizu’s shared-title manga, the drama ‘ Given’ focuses upon high schoolers Uenoyama Ritsuka( Suzuki Jin) and Satou Mafuyu ( Sanari)’s gradual love story, as well as learning to overcome their emotional wounds through playing the guitar.
Yet whilst the characters were flawed yet intriguing in their own right, let’s not sugarcoat it by saying that the acting was mediocre at the best of times. This isn’t to attack or spurn hatred towards any of the respected main cast, but regardless of counter-arguments claiming that because it was “ from a manga” and “ it was over-the-top because there was also an anime ”, a respected actor (even in a manga-based drama )can still stand out with their performance by making it beguiling or vivid for the audience . Instead between Sanari’s over-the-top and exaggerated facial expressions ( even in seemingly more serious scenes) and Suzuki Jin’s staid and monotonous line-deliverances, it was hard to really take anything from this drama aside from questionable performances and casting choices.
In terms of screenwriting “ Given” has certain virtues and more evident flaws also. The drama could often be heartfelt at times as Ritsuka attempts to navigate his feelings for Mafuyu, and Mafuyu tries to heal his scarred past through learning to play the guitar and music. On the other hand, the relationship between Ritsuka and Mafuyu felt awkwardly enforced for the “ sake of plot and to create drama” , rather than gradual and natural . Whilst “ Given” is stuck with having to follow certain storyline points from the first manga arc, screenwriting can still have certain liberties to explore points which the original manga author may have missed or skipped over in detail but the drama rarely facilitated this to its full potential.
This is case and point with Ritsuka as one of our main leads. On a strong note there is a lot which can be gathered up for viewers about Ristuka’s personality and a little about his circumstances. Ritsuka fits into the typical cliche as the “ laidback and cool type”. He sleeps during class , plays guitar after school with the band and whilst there’s not a lot of indication about his relationship with his parents , it is shown that he has a typical yet close relationship with his older sister Uenoyama Yayoi( Yagi Arisa). However this is where we hit a rut with Ritsuka’s character arc. He has the outlines as an intriguing character but he is rarely given the opportunity to be sketched out more definitively with sentience. The biggest example of this is his actual infatuation with the guitar. It is arguable that Ristuka may have just played at a guitar store a few times as a kid and piqued the interest of the band who gave him music lessons , or just naturally gifted but this just felt like a wasted opportunity in order to not deepen a more emotional bond between Mafuyu and Ristuka over their reasons for picking up the guitar. Even if there was no emotional cause or backstory behind Ristuka learning to play, even hearing his motives such as “ thinking it was cool” or being inspired by a certain figure would’ve undeniably have made Ristuka less like a plot device in order to keep an enforced pairing moving, and more like an actual individual with his own dreams and feelings.
The relationship between Mafuyu and Ritsuka was awkwardly enforced to say the least. It wasn’t necessarily that these didn’t have a good and heartfelt chemistry potential. However the reasons behind Ristuka suddenly liking him and confessing to him because “he had a guitar and looked lonely” felt sporadic and arbitrary.
Whilst as viewers we are only given mild hints that band mates Haruki Nakayama ( Yanagi Shuntaro) and Akihiko Kaji( Inowaki Kai) may have been aware of Ristuka’s sexuality, the sudden overt revelation in the first episode alone that “ well, he has feelings for Mafuyu now” and his confession to Mafuyu was superficial to say the least. In fact there was little prompt behind Ritsuka’s reasons for falling for Mafuyu besides “ he looked like he was interested in music and he’s mysterious”. This isn’t suggesting that we should’ve seen Ristuka closeted feelings for Mafuyu being dragged out for more than half of the drama, but it seemed odd that Ristuka didn’t even indicate once that he was unsure of Mafuyu’s sexuality (until a later revelation) before such an intrepid confession, or was overcome by his own feelings also. Adding to this there is also the fact that Ristuka lives in Japan. Whilst LGBTQ+ rights and attitudes have certainly improved over the years in Japanese society and amongst young generations , Ritsuka is still in high school which can sometimes be a breeding ground for bullying and homophobia amongst certain groups and individuals.
Adding to the head-scratching and distorted sugarcoated reality of student life, was the lacking sense of prominent messages towards what this series was actually trying to get across. It is arguable to an extent that the drama was trying to show the power of music as a journey of healing and love, but to cover more poignant issues such as suicide and LGBTQ representation without tying in the more harsh issues of these real-life topics was seriously poorly-tackled. Then of course there’s the issue of the drama rarely covering over types of relationships also. There’s the argument that Ritsuka had a strong bond with his band mates, but Mafuyu was rarely given scenes to get to know them more. The band mates also ( unsurprisingly) had their own romantic relationship- sweet, but nonetheless disregarded for a major proportion of the drama.
Overall ‘ Given’ isn’t a bad drama to watch if you’re looking for something to pass the time- it is uplifting , fluffy in parts and easy to binge-watch without a second thought. On the other hand those searching for a more insightful and well-rounded drama with a well-written storyline and dynamic acting may be sadly disappointed.
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How ‘ Ring’ Inspired A Phenomenon…
Gore Verbinski’s American remake ‘The Ring’ (2002) has arguably left a lasting impression on those who have initially seen the Hollywood movie of iconic ghosts with long hair crawling out of TVs and creating a moderately-successful horror movie with a quick formula. However the original 1998 Japanese version of the movie, Hideo Nakata’s ‘ Ring’ arguably outshines its American successor by remaining a flawed yet hidden classic that truly kicked off the wave of J-Horror onscreen.
The film focuses upon Reiko (Nanako Matsushima); a workaholic TV reporter and single mother to son Asakawa Yoichi ( Rikiya Otaka). Reiko comes across a a disturbing urban legend story about a VHS tape that has creepy occult images and puts a death-curse on the viewer. After it is finished, the viewer will receive a phone call, and within a week, will die. When Reiko watches it for herself and alongside leading man Takayama Ryuuji ( Sanada Hiroyuki) is determined to get to the bottom of the ominous tape.
Interestingly the origins of ‘ Ring’ were certainly different form expectations. Hideo Nakata and screenwriter Takahashi Hiroshi sourced the material from Koji Suzuki’s novel ‘ Ring’; a storyline that downplayed the supernatural for pseudo-science fictions and metaphors. However instead of taking Suzuki’s concept word for word, Nakata notably placed the storyline in the tradition of Japanese Yōkai and Yūrei stories with evident inspirations taken from horror classics such ‘ Poltergeist’ and ‘ Videodrome’ interweaving their way into the movie.
The executed storyline of ‘ Ring’ admittedly had its highs and lows. Indeed the movie is disturbing and well-composed cinematic shocks truly delve into the horrifying vision of Nakata’s ghost story. However with confusing narrative coils as the storyline progresses, it could sometimes make plot-progression tedious.
None so could this be so apparent with main female lead Reiko; an intriguing character, who as the main protagonist, had so much potential to be well-explored and learn to mature from her experiences. Instead Nakata could sometimes create an agonising experience of Reiko constantly flittering mood without rhyme or reason before suddenly taking the back bench for most of the events of the movie in order to make way for the unlikely swashbuckling hero of the hour Takayama.
It isn’t necessarily out of the question for the movie to highlight Reiko’s quest for help and clarity during her search for answers. However considering the relevance of Reiko as a main and quintessential character throughout the events of the series it seemed odd we rarely had opportunities to see Reiko become a more well-defined character as well as importantly, delve deeper into her initially estranged to “ loving” relationship with her son, Yoichi.
Nevertheless it is intriguing to note that whilst the plot did have many loose ends which were never truly clarified during the events of the movie, Nakata had a surprisingly artistic eye to small details throughout scenes. Lacking obtrusive shots created an immersive experience with viewers ( despite the low-budget) and helped to present focus upon evident metaphors throughout the film. Most strikingly this appeared in later events through a captivating shot on static of the well; a metaphor for the parallel isolation and alienation of its main female lead. Dark lighting or vertical structures further emphasised the kind of estrangement. Reiko and her son’s living quarters are filled with a shadow of melancholia; isolated from one another in a microcosm world devoid of warmth.
Even the soundtrack composed by Kawai Kenji captivated the ambience of the movie; sparse and rarely used until acting as a warning bell towards the few spooky atmospheric cues at tense moments thrown into the mix.
‘ The Ring’ is not a perfect film with a lot of bamboozlement and division towards the final cut. Nevertheless whilst it has arguably remained dated on its presented roles of characters and technology, there’s something ineffably timeless about the ideology of fear and suspense transcending generations in ‘ Ring’ with masterful execution by Hideo Nakata presenting one of the well-deserved classic primogenitures to the J-Horror movement.
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Before critiquing some of the show’s more prominent flaws, it is important to clarify that the majority of the cast were brilliant in their performances. In particular, Shin Hye Sun ( who played our female lead, the cynical ballerina Lee Yeon Seo) has always been a versatile actresses within her performances ( The Legend Of The Blue Sea, Stranger and Mr. Queen), however, she truly seemed to capture the the emotions and depth of her character in nearly every scene. ( In addition to this, her months of training in ballet did help to add towards her genuine performance.) Likewise whilst fellow actress Gil Eun Hye’s character Geum Ru Na and Lee Dong Gun’s character Ji Kang Woo could equally be infuriating at times , Eun Hye and Dong Gun certainly gave talented performances onscreen.
Admittedly, Kim Myungsoo ( otherwise known by his stage name ‘’ L’’ for the K-Pop boyband INFINITE) has always had a fairly mixed-reputation as an actor by critics. Nevertheless, he seemed to be en par with his costar Hye Sun within his genuinely heartfelt, delivered performance as our kind-hearted angel Dan who gradually helps our female lead to be uplifted from her own pain and suffering.
However, this does naturally moves us onto the more critical issue of the storyline, cliches and characters. The storyline seems to initiate a fairly coherent plot ; the angel Dan is sent to earth as a human after disobeying initial orders, enters Lee Yeon Seo’s life as ”a human”, begins to become her pillar of support, naturally begins to fall in love with her as challenges are evidently raised.
Undeniably, Lee Yeon Seo was an intriguing female lead and character. Initially starting off the series as a ballerina who has fallen from grace after being blinded in an accident, Yeon Seo’s reasons for being often sardonic and austere around the associated individuals within her life were realistically more complicated than simply being one-dimensional. Refreshingly, this did not victimise Yeon Seo as being entirely ‘’ weak’’ or a ‘’ damsel in distress’’, with private revelations of Yeon Seo’s multi-layered feelings of guilt or remorse often after lashing out in earlier scenes . On the other hand, there is the evident plot point early on regarding Yeon Seo ( without spoilers).
Admittedly this is a fantasy series where logic isn’t always a necessity, however, considering the extent of this development for the character, it was oddly thrown-in without explanations. Despite this, Yeon Seo’s greatest development comes in the form of her romantic relationship with Dan as both someone to lean on as well as learn to open-up towards over the course of the series. Whilst undeniably pivotal to characterisation, it never truly made sense towards the entire bond between Yeon Seo and the second male lead Kang Woo in the same intimate way ( although admittedly always more platonic for Yeon Seo) as her relationship and growth with Dan. (Apart from a ‘’ challenge to the plot by adding in cliches’’.)
Before moving onto our main male lead, it is probably important on a side note to address the second leads Kang Woo and Ru Na. Whilst Kang Woo was given the primary purpose as the ‘’ obstacle’’ for Dan’s affections, his revealed backstory did help to break his initial mould with more complicated reasons for being intrigued with the female lead. Meanwhile Ru Na was a fairly unlikeable character in the beginning of the series by her initial enmity against Yeon Seo as a lead ballerina as well as later schemes against the female lead also. Whilst there was slight brought towards Ru Na as a character, her rushed ending alongside Kang Woo felt half-baked and incomplete.
Moving onto our main lead, Dan is a character who could have easily fallen down the trap of rarely breaking from the ‘’ nice male lead ’’ archetype. Thankfully just as viewers got insight into Yeon Seo’s complicated life, Dan was also given some insight behind his seemingly benign and benevolent traits as an angel .However, Dan’s biggest fault as a character came through the implausibilities surrounding his backstory at times, as well as his stunted character growth in parts. Nevertheless similar to Yeon Seo, Dan’s focal point as a character in the series was ensued by his relationship with the respected female lead by equivocally helping to nurture one another’s past wounds .
The ending of the series was undeniably bittersweet with fairly profound moral messages, yet it did feel slightly abridged in parts during the penultimate episode and finale. Overall, the drama was surprisingly heartfelt by most of the characters being able to break out of typical cliches, a surprisingly eclectic OST playlist as well as well-performed performances by the cast who helped to bring these characters to life onscreen. It was not a flawless drama with noticeable inconsistencies of storyline and cliches , but it was an oddly compelling fantasy romance story and definitely worth watching if you’re a fan of romance dramas.
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“W”- A Waste Of Production Value And Time...
Looking through these older reviews, it would seem apparent for most drama watchers that there are two extremes from reviewers of this show; those who cited “ W” as the best thing since sliced bread, and those who believe that it is one of the worst/ mediocre K-dramas ever produced .“W” revolves around our female lead Oh Yeon-Joo ( Han Hyo- Joo) , a rational surgeon who is fairly embarrassed about her father , the celebrity artist Oh Seong-moo ( Kim Eui Song) ‘s popular webtoon series “ W”. Things become strange for Yeon- Joo, however, when her father suddenly disappears and she is able to meet the main protagonist Kang Chul ( Lee Jong Suk) by stepping into his fictional world. Yet things become even stranger when Yeon-Joo and Kang Chul learn of a mysterious man who wants to erase the bridge between fiction and reality by somehow moulding them together. Together with Kang Chul, Yeon- Joo begins a journey both in reality and fiction to find her missing father and put an end to the intentions of this mad man once and for all.
Of course there’s no denying that “ W” has all the right markers of being a brilliant production; the actual premise was intriguing and gave food for thought(thanks to renowned scriptwriter Song Jae Sung -Nine: Nine Times Travel, Queen In Hyun’s Man and Memories Of The Alhambra), the show had a top-notch cast in particular Lee Jong Suk , Han Hyo- Joo) and having a high -production should have easily sealed its fate as an an instant blockbuster phenomenon.However, the drama’s biggest flaw can probably be found within its lacking abilities to “ pace and progress” storyline, plot inconsistencies ( including a bathos ending) and ( in particular) character progression.
By default our Oh Yeon Joo had the potential should have been a well-rounded protagonist ; highly-intelligent, stuck in a strange relationship with her father and having an even more complicated childhood than a lot of heroines in K-dramas . Yet, Yeon-Joo didn’t really have enough time or purpose aside from her “ assets” to the plot, to actually be deepened or grow as a character- she rarely acted upon her intelligence ( even in the webtoon world), was exposed to have really any emotional depth or relationships ( including friends) outside of her father’s circle and her job, and it was hard for a major part of the series to see any striking reason for her attraction towards Kang Chul ( apart from the fact that she “ had a crush on him” when she was younger) as an individual .
Arguably Kang-Chul was slightly better tackled upon this front of characterisation that Yeon Joo. ( His existentialism as well as darker personality traits from trauma to revenge play a major part in the later storyline, adding a subtle twist from the typical “ Prince Charming” trope typically taken on by screenwriters in this scenario.) Nevertheless, Kang-Chul often felt a little “ bland” as a love interest for Yeon-Joo. It is often hard to entirely pinpoint where this “ blandness” can truly be found , however, the most apparent feature within Kang-Chul and Yeon-Joo’s lacklustre relationship is that Kang-Chul never really goes out of his way “ to get to know” Yeon-Joo.
Naturally whilst some of this is obvious to the plot line, it seemed odd even for a webtoon character not to intrinsically try to strike up conversations or at least ponder the similarities and differences in personality and behaviour between himself and Yeon-Joo. Although Kang-Chul undeniably has reasons behind some of his actions , he often felt like an intrinsically selfish individual who often pulled Yeon-Joo into uncomfortable situations and emotional gaslighting over the course of the series. For a show which focused upon these two individuals as a couple, their relationship often felt too mismatched, lacking in actual depth and anticlimactic.
Sadly, however, the show didn’t really try to pragmatically “ flesh-out” their relationship, instead ironically focusing upon “ the overarching antagonist” who was sadly more disappointing than our main characters . It is wrong to entirely deny that the villain of “ W” wasn’t intriguing, as there was a lot of potential ( especially in later revelations) towards the antagonist being well-rounded, however, before even the halfway mark, the show’s later decisions with our antagonist greatly began to downgrade storyline and general interest in what was happening to our main characters. A bad writing move in any drama hoping to engage viewers through plot .
It’s therefore fair to say that “W” isn’t necessarily a “ dire ” show and actually has some praiseworthy factors including a good cast, screenwriter, production value and an intriguing premise. On the other hand, it’s fair to say that “ W” did let down a lot of expectations for viewers in regards to the fact it had such a good cast and premise as well- poorly - written and “ stock” characters ( particularly our villain), a dragged-out storyline and an incredibly lacklustre “ deus ex machina” finale, instead of ending the show on a natural and appropriate high note. Overall, “ W” is a perfect show if you’re bored and looking for something to binge watch without a second thought , however, if you’re actually looking for a fleshed-out story with well-written characters and an engaging storyline , then look elsewhere because “ W” is truly a waste of time.
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Will This Series “ Raise” Your Patient Levels ?
Even by K-drama standards pushing the boat out from “ first lovers meeting again ” to “ let me treat your erectile dysfunction” is definitely a bold and risky concept to work with. However screenwriter Mo Ji Hye and director Kim Jang Han’s ‘ You Raise Me Up’ is arguably one of the most “gutsy” dramas in recent years by focusing on a risky subject area, combined with an oddly heartwarming and profound tale also.
Do-Young sik (Yoon Shi Yoon) works multiple part-time jobs at a restaurant bar that he perceives as “ menial” work and being unable to pass the civil service exam. A self-proclaimed “ loser” ( made even more obvious by director Kim Jang Han’s choice of ‘ Creep-Radiohead’ being played briefly in the background of the main lead’s inner monologue in episode one), Young-Sik lacks self-confidence both within his life decisions and his manhood. When he decides to consult a professional about his erectile problem, he ends up unfairly running into his first love and now a urologist Lee Ru Da (Ahn Hee Yeon).
In an attempt to prove her ex-boyfriend Ji-hyuk (Park Ki Woong), a successful high-flyer psychologist wrong about misconceptions of her first love ( after bragging to him about Young-Sik), Ru Da decides to make it her mission to “ boost his self-esteem”. However Ji-Hyuk’s wounded ego gets the better of him as he enlists himself to “ help” Young-Sik in order to “ expose” him. However as Young-Sik and Ru-Da begin to spend more time together sparks once more begin to fly between them…
As far as the acting is concerned our main cast are fairly good throughout the drama. Of course Yeon Shi Yoon never fails to impress his dual balancing act of adding comical goofiness as well as a more profound note to his roles . As a character Yong-Sik fits very much into the category of the “ unconfident and antisocial” male lead. Aside from his evident sexual problems, Yong-Sik struggles with his self-image as well as his obsession over pink.
Yet whilst Yong-Sik’s initial struggle and sexually suggested scenes aim for more comic relief than melodrama, it is undeniable that the series does offer some opportunities to explore a more complex edge to Yong-Sik’s background and self-loathing ( stemming back from initial trauma). On the other hand whilst the direction of Yong-Sik’s character was taken in the right direction to explore his kindhearted and altruistic side over the course of episodes and revelations, the drama rarely devoted itself to more possibilities and depth surrounding Yong-Sik’s traumatic past and psyche. ( Especially considering his more serious actions in the first episode as well as his repressed attempts to hide memories and associations.) For example an evident source of regret for Young-Sik is consulting his mother about his current occupation and life. Whilst it is understandable where these anxieties might lie due to feeling rejected, it felt odd that the series didn’t offer many opportunities for Young-Sik to at least attempt to consult his mother or address hus anxiety surrounding this head-on.As a consequence it often felt as though Yong-Sik was often shoehorned into the role of the “ pitiful” main lead; easy to feel sympathy for and to root for, but rarely truly escaping or at least shown to struggle more with his journey by his emotions.
Naturally this moves onto our female lead Lee Ru Da. Ru Da is the epitome of the stock “ successful yet regretful” female lead. Yet whilst she is played played with a sweet charm by Ahn Hee Yeon during more heartfelt moments, her character is admittedly a little hard for audiences to truly be won over by. Of course the female lead isn’t necessarily a “ heinous person” per say and whilst her flaws help her to feel more human amongst later revelations, it is easy to understand how screenwriter Mo Ji Hye’s intentions for us to “ root” for Ru Da as a character were often harder than perceived due to ambivalent feelings for the female lead by viewers.
The main reason for this indecisiveness stems from the fact that whilst a lot of “ revenge” romance setups stem from the cliche of “ revenge upon my ex”, Ru Da takes it one further by taking advantage of Yong-Sik’s feelings and mental state initially. Perhaps it wouldn’t be too bad if we could have understood more about Ru-Da’s oppressed emotions, her interactions outside of her romantic relationships ( with family, friends or other patients), reasons for staying with Ji-Hyuk for so long ( aside from the brief flashback from their “ shared past”) as well as exactly how and why she lost contact with Yong-Sik ( especially after effectively saving her life) , but a lot of these “ details” are often brushed over. Whilst the series did attempt to offer some more sympathy for her character through her “ emotions rising to the surface”, it was a little hard to indicate exactly how Ru-Da grew or developed as a character by instead reverting back to her younger-self’s emotions rather than trying to make amends through a sincere apology to Yong-Sik.
As far as the romantic setup is concerned ‘ You Raise Me Up’ the creme de la creme of tropes; “ the love triangle”. This naturally brings us onto one of the most easily dislikable second male leads seen in a K-drama in a long time; Ji-Hyuk. It isn’t necessarily the case that merely because Ji-Hyuk is the “ jealous ex” that he can get under viewers’ skin. Instead it is rather the case that Hyuk is conniving and manipulative and would rather allow his biased emotions cloud his judgement, rather than remain professional in his line of work as a psychiatrist. Of course whilst Ji Hyuk is necessary in the series to acting as the “ antagonistic foil” for Yong-Sik and does help to drive the plot as a consequence, a lot of Ji-Hyuk’s reasoning, goals and feelings often felt and domed throughout the series.
Then of course there’s arguably Yong-Sik’s most loyal friend in the series, Jennifer ( Kim Seol Jin). Whilst some viewers have remained uncertain towards the show’s tropes and cliches surrounding the transgender woman shaman, Jennifer did remain an instrumental supporting character in the series by offering Do Yong Sik positive advice such as to seek professional help, as well as giving Yong Sik guidance towards his own feelings for Du Ra. Perhaps the only thing which would’ve been interesting to have explored with their friendship would have been Yong-Sik consulting Jennifer about his attempted act in episode one. Whilst it may have brought some pain and hurt into their bond, it would’ve certainly cleared some more evident uncertainty within their friendship after this action.
The ending was admittedly sweet yet expected- not bad per say and offering things on a happier as well as arguably a slightly more realistic edge within the main leads’ life decisions , but slightly predictable also.
Overall ‘ You Raise Me Up’ is arguably one of the most quirky romance dramas of 2021 with an impressive cast lineup. The sweet and lighthearted premise adds a more bittersweet edge and whilst certain characters felt unexplored or shoehorned into certain roles ( alongside cliches), the main leads’ later decisions and revelations did add a touch of character development in between. Overall whilst not a flawless drama, ‘ You Raise Me Up’ is certainly a decent watch for those looking for something a little avant-garde, or more risky within K-dramas.
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Be My Boyfriend; Sugary Teen Romance Tale, With A Trope-Filled Plot...
As a byproduct from the same makers of the similar sugary-sweet series ‘Secret Mistake’ , the short series ‘Be My Boyfriend’ ‘ is a fairly formulaic high school romance tale where ‘’ popular girl’’ Oh Ji Na ( Lee Shi Woo) forces mundane student Lee Seungmin ( Shin Hyung Seung) into a contractual relationship to drive away old flame Ku Hyung Tak ( Im Sung Kyung). The series certainly wasn’t unwatchable and had an initial sweet romantic setup , however, the series was formulaic with a predictable storyline and cliches throughout.
Naturally, it is important to address that the majority of the cast were either novice actors such as Shi Woo, Im Sung Kyung and Hyung Seung , or have only had a few minor and supporting roles like Jung Bo Min ( who played Joo Min Ji) and Kim Byeong Kwan over the years. (This is not to condemn casting choices or actors merely because they don’t have experience.)
Whilst there were a couple of questionable acting moments ( especially with several line deliverances from Byeong Kwan during “ comical moments”) it certainly wasn’t dire for viewers to watch either. In fact, as rookie actors, Shi Woo, Im Sung Kyung and Hyung Seung were fairly suitable as our main leads. That aside, it is prominent to address the bigger issue of characters and their overall presentation within the series.
Perhaps the most notable character to address is the female lead of the drama; the labelled ‘ goddess’ and ‘ popular girl’ Oh Ji Na. With these notable character archetypes constantly referenced nearly every two seconds in the opening of the show, it is fair to say from Ji Na’s initial introduction, she’s fairly narcissistic in the beginning . Yet as this is a ‘ typical and life-changing romance story’, Ji Na begins to reveal more behind her layers as the series moves on, by her gradual affection towards the male lead.
However, the most notable problem with Ji Na as a character occurred within her lacking sense of imperfection . Whilst admittedly there is the argument Ji Na is easily shot down by her jealousy and inability to accept her feelings( especially with Seungmin), Ji Na rarely seemed to understand or take responsibility for her own mistakes and hurting others in the process. A good example of this scene can be found early on in the web series when Ji Na becomes envious over Seungmin hanging out with her ” best friend” Seong Ha Na ( Choi Yu Ju). Whilst admittedly given the context this was revealed to be a misunderstanding and Seungmin was undeniably at fault to some extent ( as well as Ha Na) , it seemed unfair and hypocritical that Ji Na was openly disparaging about Seungmin ” spending time outside the contract ” with Ha Na in a possessive manner, when she was also spending time with Hyung Tak. Seungmin did initially point this out, however, Ji Na allowed this to become a dominant argument upon ” Seungmin in the wrong” rather than sharing the responsibility of her actions.
It is wrong to deny that Ji Na doesn’t entirely grow outside of her cliche shell either. Ji Na does become notably a more tolerant person over the course of the drama by standing up for Seungmin against Hyung Tak, as well as not relying upon the male lead to entirely fight all of her battles as a strong-willed individual . However , one notable factor which was never truly explored in the series in favour for Ji Na being the ” high school popular girl” was exploring more about her past and reasons for joining the idol agency.
This transitions us onto the main lead of the series Lee Seungmin. Introduced under the ‘ loser’, and ‘ normal’ archetype with a ‘ heart of gold’, Seungmin is naturally head over heels with the ‘’ goddess’’ Oh Ji Na and becomes determined after signing the contract to earn her affections. Seungmin did have a more fleshed-out backstory than Ji Na, with a complicated family scenario of his mother dying prior to the events of the drama and residing with his single-father.
On the other hand, Seungmin’s reactions and growth over the course of the series often felt very minimal . Whilst it was refreshing to see that Seungmin considered his own feelings for Ji Na before signing the contract, he was often overly oblivious and complacent towards the growing affections of Ha Na at times also. The relationship between the two characters took a fairly predictable turn with the established setup and cliches along the way. As Seungmin has harboured feelings for Ji Na for awhile, it was a fun dynamic to see Ji Na also growing to fall in love with Seungmin for his kind soul.
Of course, perhaps the biggest elephant in the room in the beginning of the series appears within the character Hyung Tak. Notably controlling over Ji Na , fractious within his behaviour towards Seungmin and appearing seemingly as an “antagonistic force” of the series, Hyung Tak was immediately established as the ‘ aloof and popular sportsman’ of the school. Hyung Tak admittedly did have some more exposure as not entirely as a ” terrible person” over his guilt for leaving Ji Na when they were dating and forgetting special events, as well as being the first to take the reigns to locate Ji Na when he becomes aware that she is being stalked. On the other hand, Hyung Tak oddly went from being a predominant character in the series to a fairly minor presence. There was nothing entirely wrong with this as the show was attempting to focus more upon Seungmin and Ji Na’s relationship, however, this often led to Hyung Tak feeling poorly fleshed-out as a character.
The ending of the web series was fairly predictable and typical of a teen-romance setup; not bad or terrible per say, but not entirely original either.
‘Be My Boyfriend’ isn’t an initially ” terrible” show. The romantic pairing between the characters was oddly heartwarming against the more notable cliches and a new array of promising actors were introduced through the novice cast lineup. On the other hand, the web series was undeniably predictable and cliche-ridden within its setup , immature dialogue and conservative archetypes upon ‘’ Korean high schoolers’’, often felt poorly-written. Certainly not unwatchable, however, the majority of the web series was foreseeable, making ‘ Be My A Boyfriend’ a web series which can easily be swept under the carpet for the next romantic drama out there.
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Do Boys Like Their Girls, Do Girls Like Their Boys , Or Do Boys Like Their Boys?
Based upon the manga ‘My Love Mix-Up!’ (消えた初恋) and adapted onto the small screen by screenwriter Kuroiwa Tsutomu and directors Kusano Shogo and Horai Tadaaki, ‘ Kieta Hatsukoi’ will likely put off a lot of mainstream drama watchers by its bizarre setup and seeming cataclysmic conglomeration of outdated cliches and tropes.
The premise revolved around high schooler and main male lead Aoki Sota ( Michieda Shunsuke) ‘s initial crush on supporting character and female lead Hashimoto Mio ( Fukumoto Rio). Mio gives him her rubber during an exam and Aoki is left to believe that Hashimoto has a crush on popular classmate Ida Kousuke ( Meguro Ren). When Sota drops the rubber by accident Kousuke picks it up and misunderstands that Aoki has a crush on him instead . Aoki decides to protect Hashimoto’s feelings by pretending that the rubber was his, yet rather than Kousuke deriding Aoki after rejecting him ( as Aoki expected), he finds himself in a sticky situation when Kousuke wants to “ get to know” Aoki more personally. However Aoki soon finds himself developing real feelings for Kousuke as they begin to spend more together.
Against the fear of the drama being a parody of itself ‘ Kieta Hatsukoi’ surprisingly does not reimburse the typical tropes and writing cliches in predictable ways. Diverged screenwriting takes on classic tropes will likely surprise viewers by sudden “ predictable screenwriting decisions” being changed by the decisions of characters and the route towards the developed relationships onscreen.
From an acting perspective ‘ Kieta Hatsukoi’ is fairly solid. There are admittedly some line deliverances throughout the drama which felt a little enforced or poorly delivered, but overall our main cast did help to present a charisma for their onscreen personas.
Michieda Shunsuke helped to present a sense of awkward charm as his onscreen persona Aoki Sota; a laidback high schooler, who finds himself involved in an awkward position. As a main character Sota has his strengths and weaknesses; authentically he’s your typical “ awkward teen”- misunderstanding scenarios and hates getting into awkward social situations whilst having only one truly close friend through “ Akkun” ( Suzuki Jin). On the other hand one of the biggest problems at times with Sota’s character drive was that whilst we were supposed to understand his “ conflicting” feelings for Kousuke, there never really felt like they were moments where we were able to see thus transcend gradually onscreen.
To explain this further and without major spoilers one of the greatest character-drives for Aoki surrounds his initial feelings for Hashimoto before seemingly falling for Kousuke despite their “misunderstandings”. Whilst it isn’t out of the question for individuals to be ineffably attracted to someone, it seemed odd that as viewers, we never truly reached a more emotive epiphany in the series for Aoki’s feelings for Kousuke being explored in more depth. Additionally there’s the issue surrounding Aoki truly feeling like an actual “ teenager” in the series aside from sometimes being shoehorned into the cliche of the “ whiny teen”; we rarely get to understand more about Sota’s background and family and whilst we are presented with a little indication into his fairly casual-bickering relationship with his mother in episode 2 ( the voice belonging to actress Mitsuishi Kotono) , we didn’t have a lot of opportunities to explore or understand more about Sota’s family dynamic.
Of course this isn’t to critique Aoki’s character entirely. Whilst some of his flaws felt more enforced than others ( not least of all often being the root-cause of conflict between his potential chemistry with Kousuke), Aoki coming to terms with his feelings for his classmate was surprisingly sweet as well as his friendship with his former-crush Hashimoto. Upon the former character mentioned Hashimoto and Aoki’s friendship surprisingly did not play on overt stereotypes or cliches- Hashimoto did not hold “ contempt” for Aoki , just as the male lead did not hold a grudge against his former-crush either. Admittedly whilst it’s understandable that the series didn’t want to draw-out Aoki’s initial “ feelings” for Hashimoto, it often felt as though the topic was swept under the carpet for a major proportion of the seriesm rather than being used as a plot-drive to present a greater growth between the friendship of Aoki and Hashimoto.
This naturally brings us onto the main love interest of the series and main lead Ida Kousuke. Played with a stern yet laidback charm by Meguro Ren, Ida Kousuke is the archetypical “ all-round-ace ” student. He’s a popular classmate, academically smart and sporty. Initially this leads Aoki to believing that he is Hashimoto’s crush and seemingly his “rival in love”. Kousuke is admittedly shoehorned for a major proportion of the series as the “ polar opposite” of Aoki; rarely flustered, sociable and suave. Aside from Aoki’s seeming initial misconceptions of Kousuke being slightly aloof, Kousuke proves himself to be a genuinely good person both within his brief yet insightful relationship with his mother ( Matsushita Yuki) in episode 3, as well as his childhood friend Todoya Shun ( Mochizuki Ayumu).
However admittedly where Kousuke often felt as though he could’ve been explored in more depth revolved around his seeming “ hero’s complex”. It’s revealed that Kousuke’s initial inability to say “ no” to others made him struggle with turning down Aoki’s feelings. However consequently Kousuke often struggled with elements of understanding Aoki’s anxiety or stress in different scenarios which naturally could put a rut in their onscreen relationship. Whilst this personality trait was briefly explored near the ending of the series it felt as though it could’ve allowed more opportunities to see symbiotic and mutual growth for both main leads; Aoki struggling to grasp his feelings for Kousuke, and Kousuke finding himself attracted by Aoki’s kindhearted actions. The relationship between both characters admittedly is drawn upon “ misunderstandings” and “ plot tension”, but the ending helped to present a heartwarming outcome for both our main leads.
The main side characters of the series are Hashimoto and Akkun; both of whom provide themselves to be good friends in need to Aoki. Whilst no major spoilers will be given towards the direction taken with both characters their arcs and development time admittedly did give way to some underdevelopment by the ending of the series, whilst whilst sweet, lacked a satiable build.
As a consequence of the diverged attention between only two plot lines in particular ; our main characters and then the subplot, the series would often fall into a staid and cyclical pattern of rarely diverging in episode formula; a new “ obstacle / climactic conflict” to “ get in the way of the main leads”, and then suddenly a “ quickly thrown-in solution ” to “ resolve” matters. Admittedly it isn’t entirely uncommon for dramas to fall into a status quo episode structure the series rarely used opportunities to explore a more dynamic buildup. This led to some episodes’ pacing ( especially by the latter-half of the series) often feeling anticlimactic and lacking sound-resolve.
The cinematography of the series is admittedly basic at best- whilst minimalistic shots did arguably help to capture the simplicity of Aoki and Kousuke’s overt onscreen relationship against warmer palettes and shades adding a romantic tone, it felt as though the series could’ve facilitated camera angles more towards conveying the characters’ emotions openly or invoke pathos through the captured scenery of the series. Certain tracks of the OST were admittedly a little generic in between scenes but during more emotive scenes the lack of lyrics and emphasis on instruments, did help to convey the characters’ feelings during certain some of these moments onscreen.
Overall ‘ Kieta Hatsukoi’ was a heartwarming and sweet drama. The second-half up until the finale was admittedly on a slight downwards slope in comparison to the first-half with certain writing elements and characters failing to meet dynamic buildup. However it’s undeniable that decent acting by our main cast as well as an intriguing main couple helped to present a charismatic charm towards our main leads which for those looking for a fairly sweet and heartwarming romance storyline, then ‘ Kieta Hatsukoi’ is perfect for lighting up your mood.
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