Ophanin

Citizen Kim by Or Son-Wel

"Is a fake that seems perfectly real really fake ?"

Shin Hye-sun, best actress. End of sentence. That's all.
A thrilling series, with a new twist in every episode. I really liked how effective it was. Just the right length, even if it does drag a little in the middle. The themes are well explored and really gripping. It's quite clever !

"I felt deprived of something that had never belonged to me."

All these luxury bags, all these luxury items, it's high time to put an end to it. These people clearly don't pay enough tax and feel far too secure to walk around with them in public. "When did it all go wrong ?" It's amusing to talk about Ponzi schemes, but capitalism is based on them. The whole system is a huge scam based on debt. "My mistake was wanting to become rich. You don't become rich, you're born rich."

Sarah Kim, who no longer knows who she is because she keeps taking on new roles and doing what is expected of her... welcome to the world of autistic people. It's exhausting, isn't it ? I know. And it goes well with the big twist (which we see coming, anyway). A clash with oneself, with one's fellow human beings, alienated by money, obsessed with commodity fetishism...

"I'm not sorry, and I apologise for that." Great line.

_And Jung Da-bin finally starring in a good series ! Well done to her. I never doubted her. Or maybe just a little.
_"Splendid melancholy", why get that tattooed on yourself ? Joyful depression, obscure clarity, excellent Nolan. These oxymorons are so bizarre.
_I loved the moment when she turns around and says her real name : "Rosebud". Now that's cinema, the real thing.

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"Alone, I can't do anything. I can't redeem myself. I can't comfort anyone or be comforted myself. The only thing I can do on my own, it is feeling lonely."

One touching aspect of this series is the attention paid to how the characters look at each other. People like to see others happy. The series deals with sad topics, such as grief, but it also has some sweet, funny and tender scenes. (The story with the young girl in the convenience store is very touching.) It's terrible to feel guilty if you start to feel better after losing someone. This cult of suffering in our societies, truly poisonous. And these people struggle to get out of it.

A series I watched, taking breaks. Quite long breaks, to be honest. Its pace, its subjects, its slowness, all these elements make it challenging despite its great qualities. Two episodes in, and it starts to feel heavy. I cry far too much. It has to be said, some of the characters can become downright unpleasant, behaving badly or hurting others, wallowing complacently in their own misfortune. They are whole, complex, real, and don't always know what to say or even how to feel. It requires a heavy investment on our part.

The brother, for example, I didn't want to follow his story. He becomes interesting when he interacts with his father or sister, but the rest of the time he's unbearable. And I really wonder how he ended up with his dancer girlfriend. What does she see in him ? It's a mystery. This kind of relationship is best avoided. Everyone ends up hurting each other...
On the contrary, we see the brother's childhood friend doing all the emotional work for him, even mourning his mother's death in his place. She invests herself in their friendship, almost like a second mother ! And I would have preferred them to remain friends. Friendship is beautiful too, isn't it ? He remains incapable of saying I love you to the one he loves. It exhausted me to follow all this. I'm sick of seeing guys who make no effort and live like parasites off their girlfriends.

Overall, the women in this series... I feel sorry for them, so sorry. The last episode is hard to watch. They deserve better. They have to put up with everything, plan everything, manage everything, and (unfortunately) it's very realistic. The series has a happy ending (what a relief !), but it's still primarily to the benefit of the men and at the expense of the women's work. Emotional work, particularly.

"Without you, I'm a total disaster."

Seo Hyun-jin/Joon-Kyung is more or less the main character. All her life, she has made so many efforts without success, yet she does not realise how far she has come. But she is terribly lonely and unhappy. She leaves her mother feeling angry, even furious with her, and doesn't immediately realise that it's over, gone, and that one day a wall of silence will hit her head-on : her mother is no longer there. She is left alone, carrying their memories. But this triggers a realisation that she has the right to be happy. It's a complex and mixed set of emotions, enough to make you sick.
This character's journey is very beautiful. She makes mistakes, she overcomes them, she finds love. This strength has always been within her. She just needed to find a way to open the door wide.

Her partner confides in her, explains how he feels, suggests activities, cares about her. Incredible. A rare gem. It's so good to see men like that! I don't know if we realise how rare this kind of representation is ? (Well, the story with his ex was tough) This K-drama presents quite different types of men in heterosexual relationships. That's one of its strengths, its subtlety, its raw complexity.

"Just because we are a family does not mean we are supposed to know everything, understand everything, endure everything and persevere."

However, we need to have a conversation here. People in this series do not know how to respect other's privacy. You don't just invite yourself into someone's home without warning ! What's more, with their strange doors, everyone knows each other's codes and can just walk in unannounced. That's not right at all.

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These people take role-playing way too far.

I wasn't convinced at first, but I got caught up in the game. I'm weak. A lone knight like me ? Falling in love with this budding romance ? How shameful ! But that's the magic of Chinese dramas ; the pace and technical quality play a big part in it. The evil minds behind these productions are very powerful.

The story navigates between their role-playing and their IRL lives, which allows for a variety of atmospheres, but it mostly feels like two parallel series that come and go somewhat randomly. It takes some getting used to, but it doesn't last long ; at some point, it stops. What they want us to understand is that these are people who would like to be someone else and will discover that they are happier together, just as they are. Isn't that beautiful ? Be yourselves. Unemployed.

It works thanks to the two leads, Chen Xingxu and Lu Yuxiao, especially her, because they are extremely cute. They are so touching together and natural. She is clever and mischievous, a fighter who doesn't hesitate to resign when she realises she won't be given the job she was promised. He is the typical Chinese male model, a little reserved but loyal and devoted. It's a healthy relationship, they take the time to get to know each other. They don't make impossible promises to each other. No one fights to win the other over ; it happens naturally, and they already know they love each other when they finally admit it. They laugh together, tease each other, and are just happy. And in these dark times, when everything is nothing but brutality and hatred, this kind of light-hearted series where everything is fine is a breath of fresh air.

The ending unfortunately tries to create tension between them, but it doesn't work. I know. I know everything! They resolve it like adults, by talking. And this heavy secret wasn't really a secret at all. "Either tell me everything or let me go." "I've already told you everything you wanted to know."
And I wish all these characters the best and many happy years ahead of them. But I'm delusional because they're fictional characters, so what I'm saying doesn't make sense.

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Lee Kwang-soo does a spot-on impression of Nicolas Cage I said casually as I lit a cigarette, leaning against a wall, my gaze wandering and a mocking look on my face.

I started watching this series without knowing anything about it, just because of Park Bo-Young's name. Well, sometimes you really do need to know what you re getting into, because you end up disappointed. A mysterious first episode followed by two episodes that are boring as hell… with the occasional serious turn of events, or revelations that aren't exactly earth-shattering. (You can see them coming… the colleague at the airport ? Don't take me for a fool, please) It loses its momentum straight away. And anything that might pose the slightest obstacle is magically overcome : they hide the gold, they've got someone to fence it, they make a fortune, they forge documents. Nothing really causes a problem.
I'll be straightforward : it feels like a film that's been stretched out over 10 episodes. They're taking my precious time for granted. So I watched it, skipping bits here and there, just to see what it was like. But it wasn't any good. What a waste of time !
If that twist right at the end sets up a season 2, I have to warn the whole team: don't bother !

Doesn't the bloke who melts down gold actually know the price of gold ? Strange.
In the end, in France, in Provence, Park Bo-young buys three nectarines for €4. The price per kilo ! She's been ripped off, poor thing. That's my France. Well done to that shopkeeper for respecting French traditions. And her car is registered in the 96, but there's no department with that number.

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Park Bo-Young takes up the usual challenge faced by actresses: playing two roles at the same time. She changes her posture, her intonation, her facial expression, her habitus. It's confounding. She goes even further and plays two characters playing each other's roles.
Park Jin-young, you're perfect, go on.

"I feel like I've removed an invisible mask".

Injuring yourself rather than going to work - it's a sad thought for many of us. Yu Mi-rae's job is really awful. It's perfectly normal for bosses to be scum, that's why they're there, they're parasitic filth on the backs of the workers, but what about her stupid colleagues ? Don't unions exist in this universe ? You have to have the mentality of servants and cowards to be so relentless. And HR, they tell us to talk to them if there's the slightest problem... it will always piss me off how much they take us for morons. Don't believe them.

Bore out is terrible, torture for a lot of people; I have to admit that I've never been as fulfilled (in a manner of speaking) as when I was put in jobs where I could read all day without seeing anyone (disabled people are often isolated and shown the exit door).

"The door closed again"

This is a beautiful series, fuelled by kindness. Deep down, everyone is kind. Sometimes we are so bad that we hurt those around us, we become a ball of anger, unable to receive help, but there is a part of light in all of us. The only enemy in this story is this society that breaks us down thanks to those who profit from it. We cry a lot for and with the characters. Always with good reason. In fact, we cry even when these people are happy, genuinely upset at the idea that they are allowing themselves a moment of happiness.

"No matter how pathetic or messy it seems, anything you do to survive is brave" How can you not burst into tears after that ?

The poem invented for the series "The Sea of Sang-Wol" by Kim Ro-Sa brings tears to the eyes, so right and beautiful is its simplicity. The most extreme of sophistication: simple and beautiful. And her story goes straight to the heart. "I was the flaw. Without me in the picture, everything would be perfect" This declaration of love, left hanging in the air for decades and decades... you can't help but break down. So beautiful, so sad. We'd love happy stories for female couples, but the times in which this is happening didn't allow it. Not that it's any easier these days, that said...

"The void left by doubt ended up being filled with courage"

Everything is structured by a strict opposition : town/country, obnoxious/laxist boss, friends who listen/selfish, empathetic/vindictive mother ; and then we discover that these two mothers are broken, that they manage as best they can and their tumultuous friendship helps them grow. Each element takes its own course and feeds the deeply positive and consoling message that the series is so keen to deliver.
In the case of the twins, my initial fear that everything would be based on a teenage misunderstanding was quickly dispelled, and fortunately we're shown that the ground was fertile for depression, and that's by no means the only reason for their situations.
The parallels between teenage and adult life are often devastating. The characters recognise themselves in the misfortune of others and the inevitable decisions that life imposes on us, from which nothing positive can come. Love is never about winning or losing, it's about staying in the same team. You see yourself as a burden, but you help the others not to capsize.

"Why do I end up attacking myself when I should be defending myself?"

The roles of the main characters evolve, we're not taken for fools and everything ends up leading to something, taking care to spare its effects. The script and dialogue are simply perfect. Every monologue at the beginning and end of the episode breaks our hearts. We're not offered a magic solution, we're shown how to move forward one step at a time, a new blank page to fill.

"There is no perfect moment. Nothing is perfect in this world."

Ps: in a role as a wheelchair-bound disabled person, it would have made sense to cast someone who actually is, because it's much harder to find a role in that situation, for all the wrong reasons. Many roles wouldn't even require comedians to be able-bodied and yet disabled people are denied these roles.
Ps 2: Yu Mi-Ji is wearing a t-shirt that says "vos vêtements préférés/your favourite clothes" in French with a nice spelling mistake.

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Capitalist propaganda goes a long way. I prefer it when the great King Vidor adapts Ayn Rand's rubbish, at least it's imbued with an old-fashioned charm linked to the Film Noir style, and then : it's funny in its grotesque sincerity.

But here, it's all literal, which is embarrassing for everyone... Well done, brave small business owners, true fathers of families, we owe you everything. We love working for you. Thank you again for all the risks you take without any compensation, you are true saints on Earth. We live off you and live comfortably by sucking your blood, we have an easy life thanks to you, the heroes of modern times.

I gave up on episode 3. I'm sure the romance and plot twists are very well done, thanks to Minha Kim, who undoubtedly brings a deep sensitivity to her character. But I'd rather spend my time on something other than an ode to work and exploitation.

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Being short and having a bit of acne apparently makes you an ugly Chinese woman. These beauty standards are infuriating. I didn't think I could endure this young woman's humiliation throughout the entire series. And I was right.
One might think that, fortunately, this is offset by the fact that the ‘beautiful’ and ‘ugly’ versions of the character are played by the same actress. It's a bit like Ms. Doubtfire, but less problematic, in the end... no ? no, of course not.

To be honest, the male character is very annoying. He thinks he's superior, he behaves badly, and he throws a "you're so ugly" at Su Chengcheng the first time he sees her since their teenage years, even though she is clearly in distress. He uses his position as boss to hit on a stranger by offering her a modelling job. He wants to marry her, she's the woman of his life, he never gives up and calls her constantly... yet she's not interested and he simply doesn't know her. I think there's a name for that kind of behaviour in court. And these are just the very first episodes...

No, I didn't get very far into the series. That guy annoyed me, I don't want to know what Chengcheng sees in him and how they will end up together. Then I read that it promotes generative AI. That's it, I'm done. So this is a totally arbitrary and undeserved bad rating I'm giving to this CDrama. No one should take it into account. (As with all my reviews, for that matter)

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Someone save me from myself.

At first, you don't understand a thing. In episode 4 there's a big reveal and I was sitting there thinking "Who on earth are these people ?". You get swept along by all these plot twists, for a while. The problem is that after 10 episodes I still don't understand who's attacking whom and what dangers we've been facing from the start.

Both leads are convincing and clever. And as is often the case in C-dramas, here we find a strong, independent female character. I started watching for Zhou Yiran, the master of secret admirers. And I stayed for Bao Shangen, as beautiful as funny. Let's hope she gets better, she only has two expressions, poor thing.

The music rocks. The opening and closing credits alone are killer. The cinematography is, of course, stunning, with plenty of gorgeous wide shots in magical settings. You get used to that pretty quickly in these kinds of productions. On the other hand, you have to accept that martial arts superpowers as a reality. And then, apparently, you get around on the back of an eagle... Right... And you face giant snakes… Ok... Warning ! That's the signal to start considering a strategic retreat. So this is where the adventure ends for me.

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I'm not saying this to show off or take the moral high ground (if you like this CDrama, good for you), but this is just not acceptable. Episode 1 is sublime, with its fights, its twists and turns, its hyper-edgy and fast-paced editing; it's spectacularly done. In episode 2, we see a man kidnapping and beating up a woman. And we're supposed to accept this enemy to lover trope ? Excuse me ? (eventually, we'll try to justify the unacceptable by saying that she's attacking him too. But this scam is starting to become obvious. Don't even try that)

No, no, no, I'm stopping here. I absolutely did not expect to see that with this poster, this synopsis, this first episode. I don't understand how anyone can subject themselves to this.

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