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.
Was this review helpful to you?
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.
Was this review helpful to you?
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).
Was this review helpful to you?
‘ 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.
Was this review helpful to you?
' Scripting Your Destiny'; A ''Copycat'' of ' Goblin', Or A Masterpiece?
Written by novice screenwriter Eun Seon Woo ( with executive producer of the series being Kim Eun Sook who previously created Guardian: The Lonely and Great God) , ' Scripting Your Destiny' accounts the unrequited love story of Deity of Destiny Shin Ho Yoon ( Ki Do Hoon) acting as a matchmaker between the maverick screenwriter Go Chae Kyung ( Jeon So Nee) and the practically impeccable television producer Jung Ba Reum (Kim Woo Suk). However, fate seems to upturn destiny, as Shin Ho Yoon soon finds himself developing taboo feelings for Chae Kyung. Whilst undeniably a bittersweet romance tale with an intriguing plot premise, ' Scripting Your Destiny' does succumb to its own shortcomings from plot development, unoriginality and characterisation over the course of the series.First of all, it is important to probably address the biggest elephant in the room with the controversial comparisons by watchers of ' Scripting Your Destiny' to the renowned series ' Goblin' ( otherwise known as ' Guardian: The Lonely And Great God'). Respectfully, it is no surprise that both shows share a similar mythical tone due to Kim Eun Sook working behind the scenes, however, both series have notably different premises. The successful TV drama ' Goblin' crafts a vivid narrative with a sixteen episode story-arc, intertwining the destinies and fates of its characters as individuals alongside its main protagonist. On the other hand, ' Scripting Your Destiny' recounts primarily the feelings and events of Ho Yoon and Chae Kyung, with the side characters being used to keep the storyline motivated.
However, it is important to not turn a blind eye towards the evident parallelisms between the series; an urban fantasy setting, similar Korean-mythological deities and cinematography.( Not least the infamous scene copied in ' Scripting Your Destiny' with the usage of '' slow-motion rain'' and the ''tunnel scene'' from its famous predecessor.) Although there are notable similarities shared between the two dramas, it is wrong per say to propose that ' Scripting Your Destiny' is a ''rip-off'' from the well-known drama entirely, however, the lacking originality of certain scenes (whilst arguably ironic) is prominently highlighted within Eun Sook's touch to the series .
On a more positive note, the main cast did help to animate the personae of Eun Seon Woo's story with intrigue for audiences. Ki Do Hoon was fairly good as our mysterious male lead Shin Ho Yoon ( similar to Kim Woo Suk), whilst his costar Jeon So Nee refreshingly helped her character Chae Kyung to break out of the typical mainstream naive, innocent stereotypes of female heroines in fantasy dramas with a down-to-earth personality. Whilst Gal So Won did show evident signs of being of awkward pauses with her delivered performance, she was surprisingly brilliant as her onscreen persona, the immortal deity Sam Shin .
( Parallel to Park Sang Nam's performance as Shin Ho Yoon's mentor Myung.)
In terms of characterisation, the show was a slightly mixed-bag. It is important to take into account that the drama was a ''web-series'' with 10 episodes overall, with a rough duration of 20 minutes per episode. Consequently, the series was limited in itself with being able to tackle the entire life stories of every character, however, poor pacing towards the focal point of the series, often took away from the more intriguing elements of characters being portrayed as individuals, rather than merely plot mechanisms.
The main lead of the series Shin Ho Yoon followed the archetype of the '' otherworld entity''; oblivious to human interaction and emotions by living as the '' landlord'' of the female lead ( an intended pun from its predecessor ' Goblin' with the shared rough translation of '' heavenly being'') and her mother Yang Mi Soon ( So Hee Jung), the owner of a nearby cafe which Ho Yoon has become a regular patron alongside Myung to watch over Chae Kyung. Whilst Ho Yoon arguably was a sentient character through his developed feelings for Chae Kyung, the exposed revelations by the storyline through Myung's actions and Chae Kyung felt lacklustre from a genuine emotional reaction. Similarly, the storyline did expose an initially intriguing aspect towards the creation of the deities and their restricted existence, however, ultimately the greater existence of Ho Yoon left more questions than answers, especially as none of the characters ( including the deities) seemed to wonder if a higher being was involved in Ho Yoon's love story with Chae Kyung ( as well as the notable morality).
As mentioned previously, Chae Kyung was a fairly likeable female lead ( thanks to the portrayal of Jeon So Nee). As a screenwriter in the storyline, it was invigorating to see Chae Kyung realising the meta-fictional dramatic irony of her circumstances ( as well as parodies to mainstream and successful dramas). However, Chae Kyung felt limited as an individual ( similar to Ho Yoon ) within her initial emotional outlooks upon scenarios ( not least the near ending of the series in an attempt to '' write in''an ending with an abridged ambience). In addition to this, the drama seemed to throw away the respectfully intriguing aspects of Chae Kyung's later career and her work on the latest production for the preferred focus of her '' romantic yearning'' for Ho Yoon.
The other side characters of the series did serve their primary purpose over the course of the web-series, however, they did feel severely underdeveloped such as Sam Shin ( who was an intriguing take on the deity, however, her romantic pairing and presence in the drama felt incipient) as well as Ba Reum ( who served little purpose despite being the ''second male lead'' ). Arguably, however, the most half-baked character in the series occurred within the presence of Myung. Despite being an intriguing and light-hearted presence against the more angst-ridden moments of the show, Myung's presence as one of the oldest- shown deities in the series was never truly explored to expose his individuality. In addition to this whilst Myung's friendship and intimacy with Ho Yoon served its definite cause in the storyline, his involvement and lacking surprise against certain involvements with Ho Yoon, seemed to suggest that Myung should have had a more prominent part within the mystery of the story.
The ending of the series was bittersweet; admittedly a little rushed in the grand scheme of the attempted story arch, however,certainly appropriate for its genre.
Consequently, ' Scripting Your Destiny' was a fairly binge- worthy drama with an intriguing premise, a fairly good cast, beautiful cinematography and a bittersweet romance. However, admittedly this series did feel slightly overrated from top comments that it was '' flawless'' ; characters felt adequately-written, the pacing was questionable in parts and whilst the in jokes to other dramas such as producer Eun Sook's hit series ' Goblin' were entertaining for drama viewers, the lacking originality for an otherwise intriguing storyline to its predecessor became predominant.
Was this review helpful to you?
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.
Was this review helpful to you?
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.
Was this review helpful to you?
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.
Was this review helpful to you?
“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.
Was this review helpful to you?
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.
Was this review helpful to you?
Sweet, But Ultimately Boring...
Hi Bye, Mama!" did honestly showcase all the correct attributes of being a brilliant drama with a varied cast ( in particular the talents of Kim Tae-Hee, Kim Mi-Kyung and Lee Kyu-Hyung), intriguing characters and a unique storyline centralising upon the lesser-tackled subject in K-dramas of maternal love in addition to themes of bereavement and grief . However, as the story progressed, the second half of “ Hi Bye, Mama!” slowly began to degrade the storyline, characterisation and the pacing of the show into a dragging and painful experience for viewers trying to hold-on for another eight episodes .
Of course, this fault can’t entirely be imposed upon our main cast. Kim Tae-Hee was fairly brilliant as our female lead Cha Yu-Ri. Although she did arguably have some questionable acting moments when the show attempted to offer more “ comedy”, she still played the role of her character as both a mother who adores her child, and an individual with a heart of gold as well. Similar to Kim Tae-Hee, Lee Kyu-Hyung did also have to questionable line deliverances at times, but, he did add a level of emotional and multi-faceted complexity to his role as a re-married widow and surgeon who painfully feels guilt and grief over not being able to save Yu Ri’s life after the accident.
As a character, Cha Yu Ri is intrinsically a grief-stricken mother who is unable to do anything , but watch the events unfold around her daughter’s early milestones ( such as taking her first step and talking) which she is constantly remind of not being a part of. This is what defined Yu Ri as a character. She is a woman who will do anything to protect and watch-over her daughter . Then, in an attempt to heighten angst rather than actual logic, “ Hi, Bye Mama!” decided to resurrect Yu-Ri; arguably the distinct climatic point in the drama when the storyline and characters began to fall down.
Despite the ridiculousness of the story-arc, it isn’t necessarily the concept itself where the show failed but rather, the wasted potential of character progression. Being resurrected, Yu Ri seems to have left her brains behind on the other side at times within the show, making ridiculous and rash decisions as well as hiding important truths from her shocked former-husband which by default could have had a destructive psychological impact upon his own relationship with Min-Jung, one of the few maternal figures for her daughter, and of course his already estranged relationship with Seo-Woo.
Similarly, Cho Gang-Hwa started off as an interesting character; a man blaming himself for something he could not have foreseen, remarried for convenience rather than love and shying away from his daughter in fear of being reminded of Yu Ri. Yet even early on the drama, one of the most prominent issues which stuck out like a saw thumb for Gang-Hwa’s character, had to be how on earth he was still being paid and working in a hospital as a “ surgeon” if he had not performed a proper operation in years. Whilst the show attempts to offer a lacklustre explanation behind this, even if Gang-Hwa was kept on due to his talents, it is hard to understand why his colleagues and associates did not try putting him forward or suggesting to him therapy or grief-counselling at least once in the show.
In addition to this, for a character defined by his traumas and grief, Gang-Hwa’s reaction towards Yu-Ri entertains his life again felt both underwhelming and lacklustre; he was not defined by his previous emotions, or even attempted to sit down with Yu-Ri, but a fairly comical reaction in the grand scheme of things. Gang-Hwa’s relationship with Yu-Ri is ultimately complex, yet against all odds, the worst-written element of the show had to be Gang Hwa’s lacking progressive relationship with his ‘ new’ wife Oh Min-Jung and of course his daughter, Seo-Woo over the course of the series. It is understanding that perhaps Gang Hwa did marry Min-Jung out of convenience in an attempt to pass over grief and to raise Seo-Woo with a mother, but it seemed equally unfair towards how impassive he could be towards Min-Jung, not once attempting to develop a bond or even a friendship through marriage with her at all over the course of the series. Equally, his relationship with own daughter, Seo-Woo , was estranged for a major proportion of the series, seemingly “progressive” after the arrival of Yu Ri, yet a great jump in development from beginning to end.
Overall, “ Hi, Bye Mama” certainly had a unique storyline with themes of maternal love, family, death, bereavement and grief at the heart of the drama, which delivered certainly a bittersweet ending for viewers.
. However, as the story progressed, the second half was just disappointing; the characters became impassive at times within their own storyline, the cliches began to take over in favour of angst rather than development and the show soon became disappointingly dragging. This is certainly not a bad drama to watch if you have little else on the go, but certainly there a better shows out there which tackle these themes with more depth and pacing.
Was this review helpful to you?
True Beauty; “ A Love And Hate Relationship”
Let’s be honest. The original webtoon of “ True Beauty” has always had either a “ love and hate” relationship even amongst fans; the main heroine has little character growth, her relationships and decisions are questionable ,and the storyline hits a major snag after the halfway point as well.Respectfully we should always try to take a step-back when watched a drama adapted from an original webtoon, novel or a reboot as a standalone production; writers often make very different decisions ( whether for better or worse) than the original creator with either storyline, themes or characters, and it is certain to say that writer Lee Shi Eun , did make some necessary and unnecessary changes in TVN’s latest eponymous drama adaption of the webtoon.
The biggest change to note is the predominant setting of the drama on our female lead Lim Ju Kyung ( Moon Ga Young) in high school for a major proportion of the series. Whilst naturally this did see the series brush over some notably darker issues of bullying, abuse and academic pressure, this also gave writer Shi Eun more playing ground with the joys and delights of intrinsic “ teen angst” and overused teen drama cliches. From the evident love interests of Suho ( Cha Eun Woo) and Han Seo Jun ( Hwang In Yeop) for our female lead, to other issues of bullying and love rivals on top, Shi Eun pulls at all the stops to make True Beauty, an overly cliche and “ sugarsweet” romance drama with more and more ridiculous tropes and scenarios as the episodes progress.
Nonetheless it is wrong to write off that the show didn’t do anything well either, in particular towards our actors.
Whilst Ga Young did have a couple of questionable acting moments, for a major proportion of the series, she perfectly captured the awkwardness, humour and more angst-ridden moments of our female lead. Similarly whilst Eun Woo is certainly a fairly veteran actor within romances , some of his past “ leading man” performances have come off as a little “ wooden” and lacklustre . It wouldn’t be lying to say that his role as Suho doesn’t not stand out as much as some of his previous works , however, it is prominent that Eun Woo did add a level of genuine heart and comedy to his role as Suho as well. Notably rising star Hwang In Yeop ‘s performance as Seo Jun has caught a lot of attention by viewers and fans with a surprising level of awkwardness, emotion and angst behind Seo Jun as a fleshed-out character, something which certainly must be given praise for as well.
This of course does move on to the show’s tackling of characterisation throughout the series, with some notably mixed results by the ending . The biggest elephant in the room must be addressed through the character of Kang Soo Jin ( Park Yoo Na). Similar to her original webtoon character, Soo Jin is sighted as a “ natural beauty” who lives in an abusive household and has a complicated relationship with Su Ho, however, the most notable change from the webtoon occurs within her 180- degree personality change in the beginning from a conniving social media influencer in the webtoon , to a studious and angelic friend for Ji Kyung during the drama. Honestly, Soo Jun’s character introduction had a lot of potential in comparison to her webtoon counterpart , with a seemingly strong of morality and strength by notably helping Ji Kyung out from an awkward situation during their journey to school on the bus before even getting to know her.
As most romantic cliches have proven, however, female animosity is the adored cliche of screenwriters, and it soon provides a downwards slope for Soo Jin as both a character and an individual as well. It is important to advocate that it is not necessarily Soo Jin’s feelings towards Soo Ho which make her suddenly a “ terrible person” over the course of the series, but rather how screenwriter Shi Eun unevenly mismatched Soo Jin’s later actions and decisions ( especially towards Ji-Kyung) near the finale.Whilst Shi Eun attempted to amend this in the final episodes, the damage had already been done quite irrevocably, possibly making Kang Soo Jin, the epitome of writing a terrible second female lead.
On a more positive note, however, the most prominent praise for characterisation must be given to Ju Kyung’s development as our heroine ( especially in comparison to the webtoon). Although it was a little painful that Ju Kyung did not talk out about her more dire decision in episode 1 to her family and still retained oblivious naivety at times ( stereotypically to Soo Jin’s feelings) , she did gradually begin to learn to grow more self-confidence and respect for herself as an individual ; something which is an important stage for any healthy relationship.
Equally Suho upon first glance, was intrinsically cliche and effectively a “ Mary- sue” of the drama and webtoon world ; overly” good-looking” , stylish and intelligent, however, alongside Seo Jun, Suho had some notable character growth as a character passed off as “impassive and aloof”, to being a notably non-judgemental individual towards physical appearances, but rather assessing someone based upon their individual personalities and actions . ( Perhaps the one aspect which would have intrinsically explained this more to
watchers, would have been to have the included the key aspect of Suho’s background as a ‘ half Japanese-Korean’ , resulting in him often being bullied from a young age and determining physical appearance as meaningless ; something clearly left out of the show in order to avoid controversy by Shi Eun.) From opening up about some aspects of his difficult past and childhood, his buddying friendship to blossoming feelings for Ju Kyung as well as refreshingly partially- reconciling with Seo Jun, did allow Suho to have some decent characterisation(despite the array of cliches that the show threw in our way) .
So, this leaves us on the big question; is it actually worth watching? True Beauty will always have a love-hate relationship with drama and webtoon fans - the storyline is sugary sweet ( with little sense of realism or grittiness despite the “ angst” apparent in the storyline), the tropes overtake actual story investment and some of the characters are fairly abandoned by the ending of the drama. Nevertheless there are some good things to note about the show; the OST is fairly catchy, the cast help to flesh- out all of our characters and the majority of our main protagonists have some deeper character development over the course of the series. Therefore it is fair to say that it really depends what you are seeking from this show; a cute, fluffy and unoriginal teen drama which you can binge watch? Then, definitely. Something to actually invest time into an original portrayal of the difficulties of romantic relationships as students? Then, probably not as there are certainly better dramas out there to consider.
Was this review helpful to you?
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.
Was this review helpful to you?
Even Ji-Kyung’s Makeup Skills Couldn’t Hide The Blemishes Of This Drama...
Before reviewing this series, it is important to note that makeup is an interesting, yet rarely tackled topic tackled within Korean dramas. Although over the past few years, we have seen shows like ‘beautiology 101’ (2016) and recent contenders such as ‘True Beauty’ (2020-21) , ‘Record Of Youth’ ( 2020) and ‘ Sunbae , Don’t Put On That Lipstick’ (2021) tackling or mentioning this topicality within their storylines , it is often commonly used as a subtle setup placed in favour of the romantic undertones or a romantic pairing within and drama .‘ Touch’ is no exception to “catching on” to this recent symbiotic trend of makeup and romance in one series. The show focuses upon a former - idol called Soo Yun ( Kim Bo Ra) who suddenly decides to become a makeup artist under the tutorage of makeup connoisseur Jung Hyuk ( Joo Sang Wook). The premise was oddly not a terrible setup in the grand scheme of romance dramas; not original within its concept, but surprisingly not provoking the series into uncharted territory of being “ unwatchable” at first either. It would seem the intrinsic flaw of the show boiled down to three major inconsistencies ; characterisation, pacing and ultimately the portrayal of Soo Yun and Jung Hyuk’s relationship throughout the show.
Addressing the first point of character-writing, it’s interesting to analyse exactly where the series went wrong overall within presenting this supposedly “ dynamic” relationship between the two leads of the series .
Soo Yun plays upon the typical “ underdog” trope by being talented and hardworking within her previous goals to become an idol, but ultimately letdown by a rigged and unfair system. Whilst it was an interesting notion to point out a critique in the otherwise “ fluffy and cutesy” drama towards the elements of injustice in the K-Pop industry, it didn’t really deliver a finer impact for viewers upon Soo Yun as an individual. In fact, Soo Yun was often a difficult character for viewers to truly feel emotional attachment towards as we are exposed to so little about her actual reasons or intrinsic motives at all within the drama, and even why she chose to become an idol in the first place. Consequently, the same problems aspire within Soo Yun’s choice to become a makeup artist. This is undeniably quite a specialist field which requires even for novices, years of talent, training and experience to land a small job in this industry , not least in a renowned company . With presumably little background in this field prior to the events of the series or aspirations shown beforehand towards makeup ( up until meeting the male lead as an idol), it is hard to truly define what drove Soo Yun into making this career choice and suddenly becoming her “ dream” without any previous passion towards makeup notably in the first place.
If this wasn’t problematic enough, Soo Yun has few true defining qualities which make her prominently stick out as a character. Aside from her questionable career paths lacking drive and motives, she was simply too staid within her decisions and actions at times to notably motivate the plot or relate to as an individual. This is not to suggest that a female character should be constantly boisterous, short-tempered and outgoing in order to be “ well-written” ( as this can be just as worse for falling into other cliches) , however, a well-written character often has something prominent or memorable about a certain personality trait, flaw or expression which instantly attracts or make them to appealing to an audience.
A good and notable example towards Soo Yun’s lacking depth and character writing as an individual is prominent within her reactions and behaviour around her abusive, former boyfriend. Most characters in a series dealing with this traumatic issue would probably struggle to open up in a relationship again or at least react emotionally towards often being cornered by someone who made your life miserable. Instead Soo Yun is incredibly passive towards the notion for a major proportion of the series, only “ reacting” to her experiences when it was necessary for the plot and later in an attempt quickly wrap up this storyline, “ forgiving” her former boyfriend. This was a hard notion to understand both within exactly how Soo Yun was trialed by these events as well as holding onto moral dignity as well. Although actress Kim Bo Ra was decent enough within her performance, it intrinsically felt devoid of expression and depth due to her poorly-written character.
Moving on to our next main protagonist , is Jung Hyuk, the main male lead of the series. Ambitious, eccentric and a perfectionist when it comes to makeup and natural beauty, he is pointed out to be an incredibly talented makeup artist by the characters of the series. Although San was terrible within his role, his character was in poor taste to say the least.
Initially Jung Hyuk appeared as a character who had the potential to learn and grow from his previous mistakes and aloof behaviour over the course of the series. Before moving onto a deeper criticism towards made Jung Hyuk a poorly-written and manipulative male lead, the one thing which the plot did do pretty well with Hyuk was showing viewers his motivation behind becoming a makeup artist unlike Soo Yun. On the other hand, one thing which prominently was not risen in this show was the issue over masculinity for a man in this field . Whilst there are notably younger male artists in this line of work in the series, considering the presumed age of Hyuk and having been in the industry for awhile, it would seem evident that over the years Hyuk has often faced discrimination or challenges towards his masculinity over appearing too “ effeminate” within his love and passion for makeup. This has long been a prominent, sociocultural issue in South Korea over images of masculinity as well as the divide over makeup becoming a “ social norm” against both genders, something which could have easily been mentioned or raise in the harsh and competitive world of the makeup industry presented in the series.
Yet the most evident problem with Jung Hyuk can be found through his notably controlling and harsh behaviour over the course of the series. This is something notably present within Hyuk’s psyche both within the workplace and his inferior treatment of the female lead for his own gain in the beginning of the series, as well as his horrible treatment of women in past relationships. Although most dramas would often attempt to show merely how the relationship between Jung Hyuk’s ex, Ji Yoon broke off over rows, what was disconcerting about “ Touch”’s dealing of the issue was introducing a serious issue of domestic abuse. In itself, the concept can be an interesting problem or critique of social issues in a series to explore, however, what was difficult to justify about its portrayal in the drama must have been the attempt to “ gloss it over” without pointing out that it is a serious and problematic issue.
If this isn’t problematic enough it gets worse when we assess the relationship between the two characters in the drama. It wasn’t primarily to do with the age difference between the characters, as often this aspect can often deepen relationships by learning to understand one another through generational differences. Instead, it was notably hard that the series did not truly build upon this relationship at all with an odd transition from “ master and apprentice” to “ lovers” without really transgressing over that threshold beforehand in the show. As individuals, it was hard to truly root for Jung Hyuk when he was principally portrayed as a greedy megalomaniac in both work place and his “ relationship” with Soo Yun, whilst Yun notably as a victim of a similar relationship in the past, seemed to insecurely and worryingly fall for the same trap in an almost “ subservient” manner than actual affection .
In the background of the problematic pairing exited Kang Do Jin (Lee Tae Hwan), an idol and a friend of Soo Yun who naturally entangles himself into becoming a cliche component of this love triangle. Arguably, Do Jin was the one fairly likeable character of the series who actually against his seeming vanity had a good- heart by helping out the female lead in numerous ways. Yet due to the poor pacing of the series, there was little time to truly focus or deepen Do Jin as an actual individual.
Overall, “ Touch” is a series which desperately tries to use the typical and cliche setups of romance in the workplace, but soon find its unravelling by poorly-written characters, an uncomfortable romantic pairing, questionable messages towards prominent issues of abuse against women and plot inconsistencies as well. Although it had a certain edge of “ fluff” within its setup and ending , the direction of the storyline felt aimless and lacking in a greater sense of storyline and development
Was this review helpful to you?
Compelling, But Ultimately Disjointed...
’Million Yen Women” was undeniably a captivating show with an intriguing premise, characters and pacing, however, a noticeable problem with the show came within trying to piece together parts of storyline which often felt confusing and disjointed.This drama starts off with an intriguing concept from its eponymous manga : five women are clandestinely given invitations to live at the house of Shin Michima ( Yojiro Noda) a thirty-something struggling novelist. In exchange, they are required to pay one million yen each month to cover living expenses, though this should be far more than is actually required for his apartment. The women have been instructed that they must not answer any questions about themselves, keeping Shin just as much in the dark as viewers about what is going on .
At the heart of this uncertainty lingers the ultimate questions behind the identity of its mysterious tenants - a high-school girl (Rena Takeda) with a mysterious past, a charmer who turns out to be a famous recluse (Yuko Araki) , a polite yet socially awkward young woman ( Miwako Wagatsuma), an amiable bookworm ( Rena Matsui) and a confidant exhibitionist (Rila Fukushima) as well as our main protagonist Shin; the most mysterious of them all.
When Shin is introduced, there is the typical cliche setup inferred towards the protagonist as the ‘’ mundane, yet suffering’’ writer. It would seem apparent in this stereotypical cliche of Shin and his setup of living with his fellow female tenants, to be the ‘ awkward antisocial NEET’ trope- struggling to interact with the opposite sex either due to an ‘excessive trauma’, or a ‘ bad relationship’ which is ‘’suddenly resolved’’ in the following episode.
However, Shin’s backstory provided both to defy this cliche honey trap for writers by inducing a surprisingly well-written and profound backstory .Yet whilst Shin undeniably had the most intriguing backstory of the series, his development as a character was arguably a lot less impactful. There is of course the reasonable argument appointed towards the male’s lead often dull personality being a result of severe depression from his traumatic experiences.
On the other hand, it also seems apparent that depression or trauma can often be provide an asset within characterisation or seeing a character develop over the course of a show- notably, something which Shin was never truly given the chance towards being more ‘’fleshed-out’’ as an individual, rather than just a plot device.
It is wrong, however, not to bring into the discussion the argument upon the importance of our female tenants in ‘ Million Yen Women’. Against all odds, ‘ Million Yen Women’ subverted the cliche expectations of the female characters . Each of the five female tenants in the series represents a stereotype associated with the “ modern Japanese woman”: the insecure student, the demure housewife, the bookworm, the glamorous beauty and the promiscuous young woman, however, as the mystery within the show heighten , the women begin to reveal that their true natures are nothing like their labels.
Yet whilst it is hard to truly fault the talents of our female tenants in the shoe with fairly well-scripted, nuanced and original performances, the backstories behind the characters were arguably less impactful. This is not to say that the backstories for the female characters weren’t interesting, per say, but there was little time to actual contemplate upon each character as an individual through her experiences. As a consequence, the sudden transition of backstories felt half-baked and oddly mismatched in the overarching storyline.
The additional introduction of notable characters and minor antagonists such as the Chairman of the Literary Committee and the literary critic who hated Shin’s guts, served the only purpose of being red herrings. Although they were still interesting characters in their own right , they felt a little useless in the grand scheme of the storyline with posing little actual threat or a cause of concern for the male lead. Other antagonists such as Shin’s, rival author Yuzu and his manager Ryuichi Moriguchi, were ultimately cliche and lacked great depth as worthy or intriguing villains.
Although ‘’Million Yen Women’’ undeniably has some captivating, aesthetic cinematography(like one beautiful scene where light is shown projecting beautifully through a window) and a fairly decent OST, the
was often flouted by quality and precision. This undeniably did offer the drama ‘’ grittier realism’’ ,however, ultimately in more dramatic and emphatic scenes, the tension was often taken away by the low-budget and nuanced filming techniques, making the show feel often disconnected for viewers.
So, was ‘’ Million Yen Women’’ a subtle masterpiece or a waste of time for viewers? It’s fair to say that ‘’ Million Yen Women’’ had an undeniably good cast and an intriguing concept for mystery lovers, however, the show’s ending felt both disjointed and incomplete. Although it did heighten the uncertainty and vagueness of the overarching storyline by leaving it upon a high cliffhanger, it is hard for those familiar with the genre to keep up with pacing and storyline. The show attempts to cram in a lot of storyline in a short period of time, resulting in various parts of the story feeling often lacklustre and confusing for viewers to comprehend. Ultimately, it depends what you’re looking for in this show - a quick, binge-watch to pass the time? Definitely. A memorable storyline which feels well-written and coherent ? Then, probably not.
Was this review helpful to you?
