It's not as ribald as you think; for the better.
This has to be one of the most interesting 'Sex' shows I've ever seen as an window into a culture, and for what it's accomplishing in terms of education and story telling.
Wonderfully, finally, here are fully-formed and rather realistic stories about women examining romance and sex and where the two intersect. Son Hui Jae and Lee Mi Na are familiar character archetypes. Lee Mi Na is the sexually liberated but emotionally closed off one, and Son Hui Jae is the one in a long term but unsatisfying relationship.
Their stories are not going to shock you, but they're not supposed to. They're supposed to be relatable. Indeed, these are familiar ways women deal with sex and romance; they lead with sex and only sex, or they subvert their sexuality in the name of romantic harmony. Neither method works, and the show takes time to explore the feelings that led to both of these women making the choices they have, and what motivates them to make different choices.
Both romantic story lines are sweet without shying away from the realities of adult relationships. This show really does belong to the women. It's one of the few shows I've seen where side characters are almost always women. There are really only four significant male characters. Everybody is pretty well-written here, our leading ladies particularly so, with Kang In Chan edging out Chae U Jae and Kim Hyeon U by a narrow margin. All the side characters get their moments; the show didn't feel the need to give everyone a huge backstory, but we dipped a toe into the brains of a lot of women, which was very nice. This isn't a dire watch; it's upbeat, funny, sexy, bright, authentic and whimsical.
The other function here is, inescapably, that of sexual education. They are seriously front-loading you with a lot of the sort of things that should be taught, but often aren't and can be revolutionary to some minds. Like that masturbation is healthy for you, sex toys are fun and not a commentary on skill, that sexual thoughts are okay- that you are entitled to have a sexually satisfying relationship with your partner. This is accomplished on several fronts; in the most direct way the girls will read their podcast script, which also includes comments from the 'public'. There are statements made by in-universe authorities like, an author, doctor and sex toy sales clerk. The theme of the episode will then be echoed in the narrative structure and the dialogue. Often, there are little vignettes expounding on a topic.
There are not actually a ton of graphic sex scenes- there's one in particular which is re-used a couple of times for specific effect, but this show isn't about watching characters bump and grind. It's about them navigating their own sexualitys and sexual desires in a more introspective sense. You might watch some soft-core writhing, sure, but the voice-over playing makes it less about titillation. What do they want? Oh, here's what they want. Here's how it makes them feel. How do they get it? Communication is such a big deal here which is amazing. The show does not deal in ambiguities.
It does, however, quietly, gently, with the utmost care and kid gloves, take South Korean men to task. It gave me some insight into some of the behavior I have found strange in dramas. It's not the most overt criticism- the show spends way more time exploring women- but it is there, and it is worth feeling happy about. The show feels timely, even three years after its release. It's one of the few shows I've seen that is even attempting to tackle the gender politics of South Korea in a serious way. For that I applaud it.
A quality watch for perverts, though the 'extreme sexual content' is more about the bluntness with which female pleasure is discussed and the number of vibrators and dildos onscreen. The sex these people are having is fairly vanilla- and there's nothing wrong with that. This show is doing more with talking about the psychology of sex and intimacy then the Heart Killers was doing with clothespins, and I am SO good with that.
Avoided a perfect 10 because our two leads were a little too Everywomen for my eclectic tastes, but I recognize the necessity of that. Overall a very good, fun and sexy watch!
Wonderfully, finally, here are fully-formed and rather realistic stories about women examining romance and sex and where the two intersect. Son Hui Jae and Lee Mi Na are familiar character archetypes. Lee Mi Na is the sexually liberated but emotionally closed off one, and Son Hui Jae is the one in a long term but unsatisfying relationship.
Their stories are not going to shock you, but they're not supposed to. They're supposed to be relatable. Indeed, these are familiar ways women deal with sex and romance; they lead with sex and only sex, or they subvert their sexuality in the name of romantic harmony. Neither method works, and the show takes time to explore the feelings that led to both of these women making the choices they have, and what motivates them to make different choices.
Both romantic story lines are sweet without shying away from the realities of adult relationships. This show really does belong to the women. It's one of the few shows I've seen where side characters are almost always women. There are really only four significant male characters. Everybody is pretty well-written here, our leading ladies particularly so, with Kang In Chan edging out Chae U Jae and Kim Hyeon U by a narrow margin. All the side characters get their moments; the show didn't feel the need to give everyone a huge backstory, but we dipped a toe into the brains of a lot of women, which was very nice. This isn't a dire watch; it's upbeat, funny, sexy, bright, authentic and whimsical.
The other function here is, inescapably, that of sexual education. They are seriously front-loading you with a lot of the sort of things that should be taught, but often aren't and can be revolutionary to some minds. Like that masturbation is healthy for you, sex toys are fun and not a commentary on skill, that sexual thoughts are okay- that you are entitled to have a sexually satisfying relationship with your partner. This is accomplished on several fronts; in the most direct way the girls will read their podcast script, which also includes comments from the 'public'. There are statements made by in-universe authorities like, an author, doctor and sex toy sales clerk. The theme of the episode will then be echoed in the narrative structure and the dialogue. Often, there are little vignettes expounding on a topic.
There are not actually a ton of graphic sex scenes- there's one in particular which is re-used a couple of times for specific effect, but this show isn't about watching characters bump and grind. It's about them navigating their own sexualitys and sexual desires in a more introspective sense. You might watch some soft-core writhing, sure, but the voice-over playing makes it less about titillation. What do they want? Oh, here's what they want. Here's how it makes them feel. How do they get it? Communication is such a big deal here which is amazing. The show does not deal in ambiguities.
It does, however, quietly, gently, with the utmost care and kid gloves, take South Korean men to task. It gave me some insight into some of the behavior I have found strange in dramas. It's not the most overt criticism- the show spends way more time exploring women- but it is there, and it is worth feeling happy about. The show feels timely, even three years after its release. It's one of the few shows I've seen that is even attempting to tackle the gender politics of South Korea in a serious way. For that I applaud it.
A quality watch for perverts, though the 'extreme sexual content' is more about the bluntness with which female pleasure is discussed and the number of vibrators and dildos onscreen. The sex these people are having is fairly vanilla- and there's nothing wrong with that. This show is doing more with talking about the psychology of sex and intimacy then the Heart Killers was doing with clothespins, and I am SO good with that.
Avoided a perfect 10 because our two leads were a little too Everywomen for my eclectic tastes, but I recognize the necessity of that. Overall a very good, fun and sexy watch!
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