UnaSpenser

I don't mind the angst. It seems realistic to me that someone who has basically been brainwashed all her life, and who would have been alone in the world without family, would take a long time to break free of the chains that bind her. If she just suddenly burst out and was like, "now that I see him, I'll burn all my bridges, of course!", it would not at all reflect how the process of resisting what's been embedded in your psyche really. These things take forever. They are not a straight trajectory and the people around the person having this inner battle will come at them from all angles and become very frustrated with them. All of that makes sense.

Still, what size city are they in? And they keep running into each other, accidentally? and she keeps needing to be saved? They even pull up next to each other in a traffic jam? I've lived in a medium size city for the past 30 years and have never once just ended up next to someone I know, in traffic.

Her character development is somewhat realistic. The plot development is not at all. Its too bad, because the acting is solid and the concept of what they have to go through, while depicting traditional versus contemporary views about relations, is an interesting one. The writers are blowing the quality of the storytelling with these unnatural plot points. It seems kind of lazy, actually. It wouldn't be that hard to create more realistic scenarios of how they encounter one another. (for one thing, they could stretch the timeframe. although viewers can struggle with stories that have a long time period, it would actually make more sense, given what she has to face and become determined about.)

Anyway, mostly a good story, so I'll end up finishing it at some point.

I can understand raising awareness, but here, they make the "heroes" of the story tell victims of child abuse that they should see how their parents love and them and not view it as abuse. That's unacceptable.

I stopped watching, for now. Maybe it gets better later and there is some lesson to be imparted, but in these early episodes I really couldn't stomach the way they were glorifying horrible parents.

Oh. I don't think I can handle treating the poor character as a joke. I'm not into humor that punches down.

Seems like they've taken the gravitas out of the story. Oh well.

that makes sense. I didn't realize they were going that far to keep the story out of the censor's hands.

Thank you.

I hope this is a decent retelling. I’m a fan of (most of) the novel and thought the original drama adaptation did such a great job with portraying the setting and the nature of the characters. It felt quite down to earth. Of course, the actors did such a good job that the it’s iconic,.

But, I’m eeling unsure about this. Gu Hai is a big, totally buff, military trained bad ass. Bai Luo Yan is a gritty, poor kid who almost matched Gu Hai’s physical prowess, while having an even more gruff personality,

What made their pairing so alluring was that they were like walking male pheromones with everyone around them being attracted to that. They were young men who could literally fight their way through the obstacles they would face. There was a way in which they defied certain stereotypes about gay men.

The two characters here look so soft and pretty. They seem more preening that prowess. (Gu Hai would never wear that outfit!) I can’t imagine them surviving some of what’s in the story, much less having the physical prowess to outclass the gym teacher.

There were things in the novel that I hope never to see depicted, as they should never be part of a romance. However, the core of the characters and the overarching story was compelling enough to cringe and look past some things. If the central feeling of the characters is changed, it very likely becomes a much more bland story. That’s already going to be the case by making it a friendship story rather than a romance. You can only change so much of what gave a story it’s charge, before you’ve lost the spark. And you’re telling a different story. In which case, don’t use the same plot. Write something new.

Will wait to see what people say after a while. Maybe it will be better than my gut is telling me it will be.

Just starting episode 8. So far, the real romance is between the instructor and the captain. They are relationship goals. Love how they talk with each other.

What’s with all the parental abuse apologetics in this? It’s very disturbing. Gaslighting victims by telling them that constant berating and even hitting is really a form of love? Wtf?

At one point, vehement instructor even says, “I bet it felt like verbal abuse, but you’ll come to understand…..” to someone in a suicidal crisis. No. This is not how you help someone through that. Just stop.

Ok. Will check. Thank you.

I have hyperacusis and some sounds and pitches literally cause me pain.

Just started this. Please tell me that her voice gets better. I can’t listen to this childish voice for very long. It grates on me.

I'm only at the beginning, but Gong Yoo's character is not all that likeable and the other character redeemed himself when he laughed off the FL's prank, acknowledging that he deserved it.

Also, that mullet.... :-D

showed up on Viki and I thought I'd give it a watch.

I'm having a hard time with some of the set up.

"You left in your sophomore year of college. Has it been 6 years?" - OK. That gives her maximum 3 years of work experience. Yet, somehow, she's sorely needed to head a project planning and development team for a film production company? And she's going to just jump into a position above all these experienced people? What, exactly are her qualifications?

"It wasn't easy to get her...." um. It required exactly one 5-minute meeting. You didn't even work to find her. She's the friend of one of your film directors.

Also having a really hard time swallowing the intrusive friend who just yells and makes judgement of people. "Are you going to unpack these?" "I'll do it later." "Well, then, I'll do it now." Um, leave her belongings alone, unless you're asked to unpack them.

Hoping this is just the lame way of setting up the story and the writing gets better. Does it?

Their scenes are so good. And the dance if their characters is so interesting. I found their f relationship to be the most engaging.

There are two separate cases, which are not connected as crimes, so much as connected by the people trying to solve them, or being impacted by them.

It’s more a story of corruption and power dynamics amongst lawyers/law firms. A look at how challenging it can be to bring to light the nefarious acts of someone revered in an industry.

It is, perhaps, Luo Jin’s best performance ever.

What a well-crafted story. Interesting construction with the shift of protagonist and the way the to parts together. Engaging characters, where you sensed depth from the acting, though there wasn’t a lot of background or exposition. Also, so many ambiguous characters.

So glad they didn’t wedge a romance in there.

Good acting all around. Maybe the best I’ve seen from Luo Jin.

Would definitely watch a second season. Maybe something a few years down the road. How do the upcoming power dynamics play out? Are there any changes in Qiao’s relationship with his (ex-) wife? With his ability to be more involved in relating to the people around him?

Maybe there’s a case that draws the bartender/lawyer into it more…. Maybe there is a story about Xiao Nan’s background: how she ended up an orphan…. Does Wu Han shift her way of lawyering and being a partner?

It’s one of the rare times that I found the end fairly satisfying, while also finding myself imagining what might happen with these people in the future.

also Goto Shinsuke is very caricaturish. Every time there is a scene with him, I feel like we've switched to an anime style.

I'm only on episode 5, but I find myself confused about why the original murder wouldn't have been reported as an act of defense.

I'm guessing that we don't yet know, who really killed him? And what role the father played? But, whoever did it, it was in response to him raping someone and was an act of defense or protection. If it was the boy, it was also an act of an impaired minor. I doubt he would have faced any dire consequences.

Is it still, in this day and age, so problematic for a woman to have been raped - in terms of social reactions attacking her? In that particular case, had they reported it right away, they would have had all the evidence of her being drugged and her injuries, etc. Why would anyone go to the trouble of burying him and pretending that nothing happened? That's a lifelong worry.

I'm hoping the story is more complex, because, otherwise, I'm finding it hard to feel the justification of the series of dilemmas it set off.

The character is dead inside, due to his past trauma, and the actor and/or director decided to play him flat. Totally flat. There is no nuance, at all. He doesn't even have any personality quirks. (being committed to the mission of one's job shouldn't be seen as quirky, imho.) I'm only on episode 8, so I haven't finished it. But, his character has had zero movement. He just plugs along doing what he always does.

That might actually be more true to life than other more dramatic presentations of trauma and recovery, but its rather boring to watch.

Its a good thing that the story is constructed well and there are enough other things to keep one interested.

thank you for explaining.

Always captivating.

The "Rose" thing?