4
James Bond has nothing to fear
I am confused. This series started as a kind of action comedy, but it got dark quickly. Then it yo-yos all over the place. There is a bit of romance, schoolyard drama, slapsticks and some well choreographed action sequences. This series is a jack-of-all trades but master of none.
A lot of that comes down to its setting. A prestigious school is a challenging ecosystem. We have all the standard bullying and schoolyard tropes. However, they are only half-hearted attempts. More done to show off the righteousness of the ML and his good looks. That's fine but here lies the second problem. The ML is over 30 in RL. Sure, in earlier scenes, he can just about pull off looking like a late teen. Lighting, camera angle and some filter magic helps. However, the further the show progresses, the older he looked. It really makes it hard to suspend my disbelief at times.
Then you have the spy drama. Oh boy, what dramas! I don't know what's the reputation of the Korean NIS but most of their agents seems to be incompetent or corrupt. It is not a good look. Even the good guys are not much more than cannon fodder for the slapstick routines. They are ineffective or have to be rescued by the ML. Sure, they have their moments, but it is few and far between.
However, the biggest problem for me is the antagonist. She swings between manic to evil to delusional and back again. She definitely descended into insanity towards the end, but we are told that she has been running that school for over 20 years. How is that possible? She is no educator even though she thinks she has the vision. She seems to have many “friends” in high places under her thumb but why don't they betray her when she is out of control? It can't be loyalty. Is it blackmail? Greed? She seems to get away with literal murder, yet she can feel straitjacketed at times. There is a logical gap between who she is, what she wants and how much power she appears to wield. The show seems to have a very laissez faire altitude regarding this.
If that is not enough, the school principal is a murderous thug who has been loyal to her family for 40 years. It is one thing to be a figurehead, but this is a high-profile school for the elite. You might be able to fool people for a year or two, but this is a whole generation!
If they are relying on the teachers to deliver, then I'm even more confused. Sure, the FL is conscientious, but not the majority. The head teacher is a buffoon.
Essentially, this drama is a mesh up of different genres. Plots start and run on for a bit. Just when you think you know what is going on, it would abruptly change tack. Such tonal shifts can be jarring and unsettling.
If you think the plot is messy, it overflows to the acting. It is a large ensemble but most of the roles are one dimensional. The younger actors fulfil the typical school drama roles with ease but there is little depth to their characters.
I already mentioned the NIS mob but some are seasoned actors and they are forced to clown around as the script demands it. It can be very cringey. I can't unsee the agents fighting like ahjummas.
Our leads turned in solid performances but hampered by the writing. They tried their best but it is a no-win fight. I really appreciate the ML giving us his all as this is his comeback role after enlistment. Good luck to him!
There are so many issues with the antagonist role that I kept asking how, what and why. She did her best but the script is not helping.
We finally have some clarity in the last couple of eps. This means all those mystifying subplots are tied off with pink bows. Not every resolution makes sense though. There is peace in the classroom. Enemies are now friends. The school carries on as if nothing happened, even though it went to hell and back. Punishments are dished out to our transgressors. The OTP’s romance is fated and basically on rail. It is a shame that the chemistry is weak. It is nice, yes, that's the word.
The only way I managed to sit through it all is by switching off my brain, all of it. The many plot holes, oddities and inconsistencies just sail by. It is not unwatchable but a rewatch? You jest.
A lot of that comes down to its setting. A prestigious school is a challenging ecosystem. We have all the standard bullying and schoolyard tropes. However, they are only half-hearted attempts. More done to show off the righteousness of the ML and his good looks. That's fine but here lies the second problem. The ML is over 30 in RL. Sure, in earlier scenes, he can just about pull off looking like a late teen. Lighting, camera angle and some filter magic helps. However, the further the show progresses, the older he looked. It really makes it hard to suspend my disbelief at times.
Then you have the spy drama. Oh boy, what dramas! I don't know what's the reputation of the Korean NIS but most of their agents seems to be incompetent or corrupt. It is not a good look. Even the good guys are not much more than cannon fodder for the slapstick routines. They are ineffective or have to be rescued by the ML. Sure, they have their moments, but it is few and far between.
However, the biggest problem for me is the antagonist. She swings between manic to evil to delusional and back again. She definitely descended into insanity towards the end, but we are told that she has been running that school for over 20 years. How is that possible? She is no educator even though she thinks she has the vision. She seems to have many “friends” in high places under her thumb but why don't they betray her when she is out of control? It can't be loyalty. Is it blackmail? Greed? She seems to get away with literal murder, yet she can feel straitjacketed at times. There is a logical gap between who she is, what she wants and how much power she appears to wield. The show seems to have a very laissez faire altitude regarding this.
If that is not enough, the school principal is a murderous thug who has been loyal to her family for 40 years. It is one thing to be a figurehead, but this is a high-profile school for the elite. You might be able to fool people for a year or two, but this is a whole generation!
If they are relying on the teachers to deliver, then I'm even more confused. Sure, the FL is conscientious, but not the majority. The head teacher is a buffoon.
Essentially, this drama is a mesh up of different genres. Plots start and run on for a bit. Just when you think you know what is going on, it would abruptly change tack. Such tonal shifts can be jarring and unsettling.
If you think the plot is messy, it overflows to the acting. It is a large ensemble but most of the roles are one dimensional. The younger actors fulfil the typical school drama roles with ease but there is little depth to their characters.
I already mentioned the NIS mob but some are seasoned actors and they are forced to clown around as the script demands it. It can be very cringey. I can't unsee the agents fighting like ahjummas.
Our leads turned in solid performances but hampered by the writing. They tried their best but it is a no-win fight. I really appreciate the ML giving us his all as this is his comeback role after enlistment. Good luck to him!
There are so many issues with the antagonist role that I kept asking how, what and why. She did her best but the script is not helping.
We finally have some clarity in the last couple of eps. This means all those mystifying subplots are tied off with pink bows. Not every resolution makes sense though. There is peace in the classroom. Enemies are now friends. The school carries on as if nothing happened, even though it went to hell and back. Punishments are dished out to our transgressors. The OTP’s romance is fated and basically on rail. It is a shame that the chemistry is weak. It is nice, yes, that's the word.
The only way I managed to sit through it all is by switching off my brain, all of it. The many plot holes, oddities and inconsistencies just sail by. It is not unwatchable but a rewatch? You jest.
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