4
"This is the Potato Lab. Not a soap opera!" Touché
This review is going to read a bit different. Let's start at the end. EP.12 is the best ep by far. While there are nice moments embedded in the previous 11 eps, the last EP is the real saving grace. Not that it is a gem of an episode but at least it has a purpose.
On paper, the premise is functional. The fish out of water trope is hardly new but the rustic setting is interesting. Our leads are news worthy. The ML's profile is undeniable after his lead role in Attorney Woo. He is still handsome and charismatic in this drama, but his role is totally different. He is a model of self control and icy professionalism. If I'm honest, it hamstrung his acting.
On the other hand, the FL is less well known but she has been in the industry for years including time as an idol in a girl band. She is attractive and has good chemistry with the ML. However, we have the opposite problem. She is personality overload. She dominates every scene and not always in a good way.
This yin yang setup should work a treat if the writer-nim allow the OTP to interact organically. Instead, they are placed in contrived scenarios time and again. There is no doubt who is the OTP but the amount of push backs, misunderstanding and confusion makes watching their journey very draining.
Their situation is not helped by the local community of ahjussi and ahjummas. They always show up when it is least convenient, and they are in your face. Then you have the cadre of "scientists" from the lab. I have not seen them do anything scientific. Their presentations are bumbling more than informative. They stumble from one crisis to another. Yes, they provide some comedic relief but that is because they are reduced to cliché caricatures.
If you thought the OTP failed to launch because of a vile SML then you will be disappointed. There is a SML, but he is a sad and broken man by the time we met him. He tried to interfere, but it was ineffective and largely pointless. The SFL does not interfere with the OTP but her backstory with the SML has huge impact on the FL. Yet their relationship feels contrived. It is there and we sat through their sorry tale. Alas, I felt nothing.
BTW, I’m not going to waste bandwidth on the FL’s brother and her BFF. They are the token 2CP and chew up screentime. Interactions between the various characters are wishy-washy and emotions are painted in board strokes. There are lots of tears and shouting. Lots.
The messy and inconsistent narrative makes the show hard to get into. We might get a nice swoonworthy moment and then it is pushed aside by some self-inflicted issue within minutes. Every weak joke is balanced by a cringey moment that makes you question whether they really live in an alternate universe.
In the end, everything worked out. The ending is more like nice-ever-after rather than HEA. I give thanks that I made it to the end, but I don't know why it took 12 eps to get there. A potato is still a potato. You can just watch the first and last episodes and won't miss much. Sure, it won't make much sense but then again, neither did much of the earlier episodes. At least you get the much needed fan service and "funny" moments in a neat package. Peace.
On paper, the premise is functional. The fish out of water trope is hardly new but the rustic setting is interesting. Our leads are news worthy. The ML's profile is undeniable after his lead role in Attorney Woo. He is still handsome and charismatic in this drama, but his role is totally different. He is a model of self control and icy professionalism. If I'm honest, it hamstrung his acting.
On the other hand, the FL is less well known but she has been in the industry for years including time as an idol in a girl band. She is attractive and has good chemistry with the ML. However, we have the opposite problem. She is personality overload. She dominates every scene and not always in a good way.
This yin yang setup should work a treat if the writer-nim allow the OTP to interact organically. Instead, they are placed in contrived scenarios time and again. There is no doubt who is the OTP but the amount of push backs, misunderstanding and confusion makes watching their journey very draining.
Their situation is not helped by the local community of ahjussi and ahjummas. They always show up when it is least convenient, and they are in your face. Then you have the cadre of "scientists" from the lab. I have not seen them do anything scientific. Their presentations are bumbling more than informative. They stumble from one crisis to another. Yes, they provide some comedic relief but that is because they are reduced to cliché caricatures.
If you thought the OTP failed to launch because of a vile SML then you will be disappointed. There is a SML, but he is a sad and broken man by the time we met him. He tried to interfere, but it was ineffective and largely pointless. The SFL does not interfere with the OTP but her backstory with the SML has huge impact on the FL. Yet their relationship feels contrived. It is there and we sat through their sorry tale. Alas, I felt nothing.
BTW, I’m not going to waste bandwidth on the FL’s brother and her BFF. They are the token 2CP and chew up screentime. Interactions between the various characters are wishy-washy and emotions are painted in board strokes. There are lots of tears and shouting. Lots.
The messy and inconsistent narrative makes the show hard to get into. We might get a nice swoonworthy moment and then it is pushed aside by some self-inflicted issue within minutes. Every weak joke is balanced by a cringey moment that makes you question whether they really live in an alternate universe.
In the end, everything worked out. The ending is more like nice-ever-after rather than HEA. I give thanks that I made it to the end, but I don't know why it took 12 eps to get there. A potato is still a potato. You can just watch the first and last episodes and won't miss much. Sure, it won't make much sense but then again, neither did much of the earlier episodes. At least you get the much needed fan service and "funny" moments in a neat package. Peace.
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