Zogitt

At least this show is not a dog . . . technically

Ok, it pains me to say this but this review will sound like I'm damning it with faint praises.

On the positive column, I wrote handsome OTP, nice chemistry and a decent amount of skinship that doesn't look fake. Some swoon-y moments. Cute dogs.

On the other hand, the A-plot is tropey, same-y. There are awkward and cringey moments and its fair share of plot holes.

However, overshadowing all that is the stretching of the main plot to its limits. When you consider once the OTP comes together, the writer-nim gave us one ep of fan service then parachutes in the old amnesia trope for our edification. It totally killed any forward momentum.

If that is not enough, we also get a couple of eps of historical reenactment, Joseon Style. This is on top of a decent sprinkling of recaps throughout the Show. It is like a trail of breadcrumbs. There were minor twists in the final cut, but they are not shocking. To be honest, you probably have already foreseen it if you know your dramas.

So, we have Fate, sacrifices and an ancient curse, what I'd like to call the three horsemen of k-dramas. It is serviceable but it walks a well-worn path.

The show can still be lifted with a strong finish. Alas, the Show delivered something that is, once again, agreeable but hardly inspiring. Ergo, the curse was lifted with minimal fanfare. The antagonist just disappears without so much as a "Oops, my bad". Oh, the pain suffered by generations of the FL's family. The injustice of it all!

The last ep is total fan service but it doesn't quite stick the landing either. The HEA ending is never in doubt. Everyone gets something, Oprah style. It is cute how they retold the OTP romantic journey in a different context but once you see past the gloss, it is just a storyboard with a highlight reel. Changing the wrapping doesn’t make it a new gift.

Acting is serviceable (where is my thesaurus?) The comedy side is well handled by the cadre of experienced actors in support. The OTP managed the light and fluffy stuff just fine but when the going gets heavy, they can be found wanting. It is par for the course though. BTW, maybe it is just me, but the FL's Joseon character just doesn't feel natural.

This Show is a light and fluffy cloud with a dark lining. It is watchable, undemanding and will occupy your time. A pair of rose tinted glasses will help as well. A one-time watch for me. Peace out.

Read More

An ode to the place where you can breath, heal and belong

This show is so much more than the typical healing drama.

Initially, I have my doubts about its raison d'etre. I’m happy to report that after completing the show, it has exceeded my expectations.

I’m getting ahead of myself, let's do the usual caveats. This show is not for everyone. It is slow, almost meditative in parts. There are only low level angsts and the show avoids high dramas and convoluted plots.

It is set in a village somewhere in Yunnan. The setting is beautiful as well as bucolic, but the village is dying as more and more young people move to the cities to seek their fame and fortunes. However, not everyone is accepting this as a fait accompli.
To see why this show works so well we need to examine three key areas, writing, acting and setting.

It sounds like a broken record doesn't it? In this case, we are presented with a master class in script writing. Do you remember the k-drama Thirty-nine? Top stars, tearjerker, rings a bell? It took that show many episodes to tell roughly the same story that this show managed to do in about 30 minutes. It was no less impactful and, in some ways, more poignant.

Moving forward, we have an eclectic collection of locals and transients. Most are friendly but with varying degree of eccentricities and foibles. The writer doesn't bother to hide the various problems but allow them to play out naturally. It doesn't judge the protagonists nor hand them free passes. Instead, they are allowed to find a place where they can feel connected, supported, while they confront their inner demons and heal. The healing motif is used again and again.

Is the show idealistic? Absolutely. There is a silver lining in everything related to our beloved village and its inhabitants. We are never left feeling hopeless or despondent. The location is unique but people who lived in rural villages will see shades of their old house just past the next alleyway. The backdrop is a living canvas that has been painted over for generations.

While our eyes might be drawn to the lively village scenes, our ears are filled with some of the best dialogues in a contemporary c-drama. They have been carefully written and honed. We are not talking about empty flowery phases, but simple yet insightful words uttered by people who have lived storied lives. There are wisdom and wistfulness in equal parts. It has added importance here because communication of all forms is a pillar for this drama. I shall never forget the few short voice messages the FL's BFF left on her phone. It is gut retching and life changing.

In terms of acting, the leads are just wonderful. Their characters are expertly crafted and brought to life. It is impossible not to like them and ship them. There are plenty of swoon worthy moments and a decent amount of skinship. The ensemble cast are full of good-looking young actors and seasoned senior members. They feel real and relatable. All the main characters have detailed backstories and carries a number of interesting subplots. The village elders are the soul of the village and the ML’s grandmother is a national treasure.

The OST is a surprise highlight. The soundtrack is very well done. It ranges from catchy ditties to soulful songs that pairs so well with the show’s changing mood.

While the show is superior in many ways, it is not perfect. It is low key jingoistic. There is too much emphasis on the local government doing right by everyone. It doesn't really explore some of the more hard hitting social issues confronted by rural China. The pacing also got a little inconsistent towards the end as well.

There are some fan services in the last two episodes. The show concludes on an uplifting note and a moment of reflection. We are affirmed that lives in our favourite village will go on after the final credit rolls. For that, we give thanks.
In my mind, this show is not a celebration of a home or even a village but a place more nebulous. A place where you know you belong.

Read More

A kiss is never just a kiss

Once again, j-drama delivers a short, sweet, heartfelt romance with conviction. Our leads share great visuals, and you can sense the attraction between the two which translated to oodles of chemistry. Of course, it would not be a drama if everything is smooth sailing, but we are fully onboard for the ride.

Consider the short run-time of this drama, I am pleasantly surprised by the depth in the leads portrayals. They feel well nuanced and fleshed out. The vocalising of their inner thoughts allow us a great deal of insights into their psyches. It is an effective and impactful tool. The pacing is spot on. There is never a dull moment, but the show doesn’t feel rushed either.
The writer-san played the SML and SFL card intelligently. They are not used as the token antagonists to create tension and angst. Their intrusion into their bubble reality forced the leads to examine their true feelings and confront some uncomfortable truths.

There are three particular aspects that I really liked. Firstly, the FL is not the usual bubbly, giddy stereotype. She is a well-respected professional in her own right, but she is naïve in love. This vulnerability endears her to us and this extends to the ML when we find out more about him later in the show. This brings us to the second point; I think it is very clever of the writer-san to flip the perspective between the leads. We get a chance to feel his confusion, excitement and pain which is usually hidden behind the professional demeanours. Finally, while their meet-cute sets them up as friends with benefits, their skinship is not egregious. It is an integral part of their relationship and eventual growth. It is handled thoughtfully and delicately. There are some seriously swoon worthy moments.

The acting from our leads is on point and with a lot of heart and deft touches. There are good performances from the support cast as well and I’m definitely getting second lead syndrome vibes.

The ending is poetic and perfect. I love the kiss motif being used at both ends of the show to signify the final breakthrough in their relationship.

I have no problem recommending this show. It will lift your spirit and restore your faith in love.
Production value is good. OST is well integrated.

Read More

Rivers of artificial tears

I know, I know, this show is the talk of the town and rating its socks off. However, I’m going to be an outlier. Please allow me to explain.

The star power of our leads combined with the portfolio of our writer-nim (who penned CLOY, MLFTS, etc) should guarantee an instant classic. It is certainly a hit but after finishing the show, I am not convinced that it scored the home run.

At the start of the series, the relationship of the OTP is at their lowest ebb. Of course, the goal is to watch them rise above it all and make us swoon. The series largely archived this with consummate skill. However, this is also its Achilles heel from my perspective.

Even a few episodes in, I can’t help but feel that I’m watching a parade of hand crafted scenes designed to either showcase the visuals of our leads or to hit us with the feels, hard. There is no doubt that this is a S class production on every level. Of course, there are buckets of tears and our handsome ML brought his A game.

However, I feel that the material connecting these scenes are hollow and contrived. This is surprisingly loose and lazy writing coming from a writer of this calibre.

For instance, the plot surrounding the granddad’s mistress is nonsensical. She suffered and schemed for over 20 years because of greed. Really, just greed? She could have built a secret nest egg in far less time than that. Even in the end, it all comes down to a bit of luck and good timing. Ditto the involvement of several accomplices. The script tries to explain it all away, but it is a hard sell when you look beyond skin deep.

Don’t even get me started on the SML. He is obsessed with the FL yet his idea of winning her over is to shaft her family and take her beloved business away. Yes, he offered it back to her but with nasty strings attached. It all feels rather inept and superficial. That seems to be his modus operandi. Just do something over the top and she will submit but there is no solid reasoning behind his various machinations. The idea of him taking over the role of her finance after her surgery and framing the ML for murder is laughable and beyond tropey.

Almost every member of both families is cliché and unlikeable yet so much time is devoted to their petty contrivances. The makjang heavy plot basically seesaws between the protagonist making small gains only to surrender it back to the antagonist in the next scene/episode. There are many outlandish subplots involving the large ensemble cast. The tone of the show yo-yo all over the place because of that.

This highlights how much emphasis is placed on those storyboard scenes. If they were pivotal then I’m all for them but most of the time, they are a quick dose of fan service, or button pushing tropes. They are effective but also manipulative by design.

This brings us to the real kicker. The main theme of the show is the romance of the OTP. This is made painfully clear from the start. However, for this viewer, my first question is why are they even together?! There is nothing to ship. They don’t show any affection. They don’t talk (failure to communicate is a recurring theme). They live parallel lives. The ML suffers daily both at home and at work. This could have been a murder mystery for all I know. Yes, the writer turned it around towards the end, but it is hardly CLOY2, not even close.

A HEA ending is never in doubt once they played the magic cure card. The escalating dramatic tension drops away. All the implausible schemes fell apart as expected. Every subplot is tied off with a pink bow. Was it satisfying? I’d prefer to call it Functional Predictability. I’m sure fans are swooning and elated though. It all ends with an artificial sweeteners overload. Did it go too far? It literally left nothing to our imagination.

Regardless, the gods of makjang will be pleased. Am I being critical? Absolutely. I want this show to be great, nay, perfect. This is god’s gift to the fans of the leads but it is hardly on par with some of the most memorable k-dramas.

If I take off the rose-tinted glasses, I can see all the hype and traffic generated by the highly bankable stars. It served its purpose and made history. Am I the only one not hailing Caesar?

We came. We saw. We forgot™.

Read More

A sweet, sweet noona romance

Initially, I have writer's block when I attempted to write this review. It is not because it is bad, quite to the contrary, I like this show. It is not that it is boring, there are lots going on. It is just that most subplots are inconsequential. You have to focus on the romantic storyline.

Rather than breaking down the show in minute details, I'll focus on things that are highlights for me and a few odd bits that I can do without.

The good bits first then. The romance of our leads is swoon-y, beautifully told and relatable.

I shall address the elephant in the room first, the age gap. In the novel, the difference is 11 years, in the show, the FL stated that she is almost 10 years older than the ML. The actual age difference between the actors is 19. I'll stick to the show's official line.

In terms of their relationship, I think it is well written. There are obviously push-pulls. The FL knew full well that she is in a power position as she was his guardian and benefactor. Throw in the significant age difference and her divorcee status, there are lots of red flags. She has to draw a very firm line in the sand.

The ML worship her from the start. The unrequited love is obvious for all to see. In time, the FL did notice his loving ways and it troubled her. It put her in a moral quandary. That line in the sand is now a mine field. It means nought to our love sick ML. He is more than willing to die in that mine field.

After a heart felt confession from the ML, the FL knew she is fighting a losing battle and surrendered herself to love. Their happy days are numbered though as the ML is about to graduate from college. He was offered a scholarship in a prestigious US university. Yet he won't even consider it if it meant being apart from his beloved.

This is where the FL played the Noble Idiot card. Normally, I'd decry such old trope, yet the writer did a good job here. I especially love the day and the night she spent with the ML just before his departure so that she can create memories for both of them. It is so bittersweet.

This is one aspect I appreciate the most. The romance really feels natural. They go through all the stages of love and lost. They face roadblocks and heartbreaks. What we don't get are tropey angst bombs. No nasty second leads nor Big White Truck of Doom™. Huzzah!

Their skinship feels natural and passionate. I rejoiced when we are spared the cliché fail-to-kiss scenes. Their chemistry is undeniable and it is on full display. No sly camera angles nor staged poses. Smoking!

The 2CP is lovely as well. I ship them unreservedly. They also have good chemistry and is a lot of fun to watch. That's two for two. ;) Technically, there is a 3CP, but their relationship is a lot more low-key.

It is not all rainbow and unicorns though. There are some narrative issues. There is a huge number of flashbacks. We are not talking about one or two scenes here and there. At one stage, we have 3 whole episodes devoted to 2018. Let’s just say it is like watching 3 equal timelines in one.

This can be a little confusing if you are not paying attention. The show tries to telegraph the differences by showing the FL in long hair in the past and a short hairstyle in the present. The early years is easier because the ML spent most of his time in school uniform. The styling of the FL hardly changes beyond her hairstyle though. It can get a bit confusing during mid show.

There is also a lot of business baked into the show. Both leads have their own careers. Most of their work is (unfortunately) inconsequential. This is doubly so for scenes set in the past. Watching the FL grinding through an old project adds little to the plot. I don't know why they didn't just use short key scenes instead. I suppose this will mean a 20 eps run instead of 30.

In terms of acting, it is solid. The FL is perfect for the role. The young ML is the real surprise. He did good. I shall keep an eye on his future projects. The support cast more than earned their pay. Production value is par for the course. OST is decent. Love ballads dominated in the second half and for good reason.

There is much to like about this show as long as you are not looking for the typical angsty plot. It also depends on whether you see their relationship being based on an unhealthy power play. If you can see beyond those issues, then this show will make you swoon. I consider this an easy to watch guilty pleasure. Peace.

Read More

A sweet, uplifting youth drama with a BIG heart

I'm surprised that there is no review of this drama. It was based on a 2017 film of the same name. It has been available to view for over 1 year. I suppose it is a sleeper for most people. That is a shame as it is surprising good.
However, there is a couple of caveats. It is a idealistic youth drama and there is a lot of music and most of it traditional Chinese "folk" music. If you are not into this genre then you might want to skip this.
The drama was set in a school but not a typical high school, it was a music conservatory. The school was roughly divided into western classical music and traditional Chinese music streams. It was this division that formed the central plot.
The writer really went out of her way to give the standard school romance a twist. Everything were a little left of centre. With it being a "special" school, the characters were also more quirky. Most were nerdy and had strong personalities that departed from the typical mould. It made the show more interesting and unpredictable.
For example, where the FL and her roommate usually formed a clique, she was the odd one out here and she ended up forming a much stronger bond with four girls that were much quirkier. Those girls all had their unique personalities and solid backstories so that they are not the usual one dimensional BFF trope. If anything, they stole the show half the time.
Another curve ball the writer threw at us was the OTP pairing. At the start of the show we were introduced to the FL and her crush which was the handsome piano prodigy in her year. It sounded like the standard unrequited love plot, right? Well, you will be wrong. Her male BFF, who had a crush on the FL but still enabled her to chase after the piano god, became the ML and it was their budding romance that formed the basis of the OTP. Their relationship was very innocent and there was not a bit of skinship here. That was where the 2OTP came in.
The 2OTP was a more mature pairing and there were some nice skinship as their romance blossomed. This romance line was strong enough to be the main plot for most c-dramas but it was a little tropey. At least the angsty bits were handled with maturity. The 2ML was a popular c-drama star and his (the writer's) observations of the industry was quite insightful.
Of course, being a school drama, there was a lot of teenage angst and schoolyard shenanigans but nothing was over the top and even the darkest situation had a light at the end, there were also a good deal of humour and slapstick to keep things light most of the time. There were lots of positive messages, some might find it a bit preachy but I think it was ok within the drama's youth/school setting.
The writer did not leave everything in the land of the unicorns though. There were dark themes like bullying, parental pressures, self image, ageism and even death but they were all there for a reason and she used them to push forward more positive plot developments. I think it was a fair call to highlight the marginalisation of traditional Chinese music in the face of c/k/j-pop and western classical music.
As most of the actors were young, their performance can be a bit patchy but it was not a big issue. Some of the minor plots were a bit weak and cliché but they are just ripples in the overall dramascape. As someone who knew a little bit about music education, some of the plot device used were a little unrealistic but hey, it is dramaland so just keep the rose tinted glasses on a little longer.
The OST was great if you like Chinese music or even music in general. The band battle in episode 23 was definitely a highlight.
Kudos to the writer for giving us the feels but without making it too sugary. Words like heartfelt, warm, sweet, uplifting, cute, touching came to mind when watching this show. Was it realistic, no, I wish it was and the world would be a better place but when you watched it and maybe even rewatch it, you will feel these feelings again and again which is a shelter from our trying times. Highly recommended.
P.S. I finally watched the original movie (fast paced, fun and entertaining, BTW) and I have to say that this drama series was actually better. This should not be taken for granted as a lot of movie spin-off becomes a draggy mess. The writer kept most of the key scenes and the central theme but fleshed it out really well. The 2OTP love line was completely new. In fact, all the teacher roles were added. Several other supporting roles were new and, in hindsight, how wonderful they were. The old lady living across the practice room was a gem. Very nuanced and bridged the generations . The food delivery guy with a strong Cantonese accent was another. It is rare to hear any type of accent in a c-drama as they try to make everyone speak standard mandarin (it is understandable, a Ming dynasty assassin speaking with a Taiwanese accent will break any immersion) hence dubbing is everywhere and can be a bit of hit and miss. To hear someone who is different is refreshing but more importantly, it wasn't a wallflower role. His interaction with them was so sincere. The farewell scene was very touching and I bought it 100%. Where the movie was a great idea and well executed, the drama fleshed it out and gave it a heart. Yes, it might be padded with sentimental tosh but so is a hug from your grandma.

Read More

One for the fans or a new c-drama watchers

Let me start by saying that there is nothing wrong with this drama. The cast is good, and the production value is decent. However, there is nothing original nor unique about it. This is a little surprising because it is supposed to be an adaption from a novel. To be honest, it feels like just another tropey c-drama. Awkward.

As such, it is entertaining in a "paint by numbers" kind of way. It is like watching an amalgam of similar shows. The ML's role will be familiar to his fans and viewers of his recent dramas. The FL basically reprised her role of a sassy professional. They all look the part and everything slots into place. Easy peasy.

BTW, there are 3 side couples by the 1/3 mark (the final total will be 5). This means while the OTP are dancing around each other and sorting out their feelings, the other CP's are racing ahead and showing up the OTP. It is distracting and makes the romantic journey of our leads seems more fraught than necessary.

The business plot is all smokes and mirrors plus some mandatory flag waving. The FL struggles to start her own business which is not helped by her inept business partner. Hey, who needs enemies when he pretty much scores all his own goals.

The role of the ML is very cliché. He is the classic knight in shiny armour. He is always there to help the FL in every way imaginable. I'm getting flashbacks of Best Choice Ever. She tries to push back but we know how this will go down.

The relationship between the FL and her long-suffering ex-BF feels cumbersome. He is the nicest guy but he has to make way for the ML. His story arc feels muted and contrived.

In a sense, that's how I feel about this show in general. Yes, there are angsty moments, and the odd act of violence but it is never convincing. They are there because the playbook demands it.

Furthermore, there is insufficient original material to sustain 40 eps so there is a fair bit of padding with cliché business maneuverings and meandering side couples shenanigans.

Of course, once our OTP is official, the herd of unicorns is let loose. The last few eps are total fan service and super sweet. Not complaining because they are a nice CP and I enjoyed their swoon worthy moments, but it also feels like the show is overcompensating because it wasted so much time earlier on. It was not helped by the ubiquitous late show break-up which dragged on for too long. So many pensive looks and thousand-mile stares from our leads. I don't know if it was painful to watch or I'm sharing their pain.

As it stands, it is a solid production. It goes out of its way to tick all the boxes and stay true to the genre. Fans of our leads will rejoice. It is also a safe intro for any new c-drama watchers. Trust me, you can do worse. I don't regret watching it, but I kept seeing ghosts of shows past. I just wish it would do something original, anything.

BTW, there is a short bonus "epilogue". It is sweet but inconsequential. There is a bittersweet scene with the Sorry Card. It is mostly harmless, like the rest of the series.

Read More

Love is a many-splendored thing. This show is not.

Our OTP first worked together in Once We Get Married and it is a very good pairing. The romance was sweet, and their chemistry was undeniable. I was really looking forward to this show to see if we can recapture some of that magic.

Let’s be frank, the plot of this show is paper thin. Our OTP met and fell in love 5 years ago and broke up due to some misunderstanding. She was pregnant, but she kept it a secret from him. They met up in the present and things develops from there. The obvious question is whether they will get back together. The writer has the same idea and within the first dozen episodes the show already has the HEA ending in sight. However, the writer threw a curve ball and the relationship hit the rocks in ep.13. The plot then went around the mulberry bush several times before hitting another roadblock a few episodes later. This reset all the relationships including the 2CP’s. We then moped around some unproductive side plots that padded out the episode count.

The OTP are back on track by ep.23 but we have gone through many silly dating tropes that would have been amusing if it was done at the start of the show. It just feels tiresome when it pops up at ep.20. It goes to show that they added so many fillers between ep.13-22.

Stretching a thin plot is nothing new to c-drama when episode count can reach 40+ but you still need a solid foundation to support the flimsy subplots. Unfortunately, this show is structured somewhat back to front. The initial spark of a new romance happened 5 years ago. We only see glimpses of it in flashbacks at the end of each episode. Otherwise, the OTP behaves more like bickering parents that is stuck in limbo between reconciliation and divorce. There are precious few resolutions but repeated setbacks.

In terms of characterisations, the ML is supposed to be some kind of investment wunderkind, but we hardly ever see him do a day’s work and he ended up being an immature proto-dad and a pest to the FL. On the other hand, the FL is hardworking and pulls double duty as a tech visionary and a super mum. However, she is one confused lady when it comes to the ML. She alternates between pushing him away (unconvincingly) and pulling him in (irresistibly). I hate to say this but the plots involving the leads are insipid and their characters are tropey and beige.

Thus, it should come as no surprise that the role of providing titillations falls on the shoulders of the 2CP. They certainly give that a good go but the pairing of a beautiful sexy noona with a naïve inexperience hunk is a no-brainer. If the 2nd side couple lacks originality, the third is definitely the odd couple but not in a good way. The young 3FL is all gung-ho with the love at first sight trope but then she decided to be a martyr to his unrequited love of the FL. It was not helped by the 3ML being totally insensitive to her feelings until it is too late. Of course, this means their relationship bounces around with all kinds of exaggerated set pieces and tropey dating mishaps. Honestly, it is as if the show is overcompensating for the lack lustre central plot and double down on the side couples so that they can generate the heat and craziness that is MIA from the OTP for the first 2/3 of the show.

BTW, I don’t get to say this often, but this show is redeemed by the young child actor. He is so cute, and wise beyond his age. Time and again, he is voicing our thoughts/frustrations about the futile antics of his parents. For this, we give thanks. He does get in the way of their romantic pursuits once in a while but that’s a small price to pay.

As I mentioned before, the last few episodes are pure fan service and lead us directly to the HEA ending we have to have. The strong chemistry of our leads made this watchable. The show knows this and dials up the skinship and swoon-y moments. I can’t complain even if they are shoehorned in at every opportunity. While this is going on, the screen time of the child actor is greatly reduced. No siree, none of that mood killing third wheel, tyvm. This is a shame.

The show also tries to build up some tension with shenanigans from the antagonists. Unfortunately, most of this is quite transparent and are used to set up the eventual downfall of the antagonists rather than to threaten the leads.

I still ship our OTP unreservedly but this is also why I'm disappointed with the show. It has the right actors and it ticked all the boxes, but it also feels insipid and lazy. The extra fan service and sugar hits towards the end, while appreciated, is not a substitute for quality. Dare I call it a cynical exercise to milk the popular pairing of the leads and maximise return on investment? Peace out.

Read More

Court ladies united will never be defeated!

Let’s get 2 fundamental points clear first. The FL is the heart and soul of this Show. When she smiles, the sun shines brighter and the birds sing sweeter. She is the focal point of many subplots. Interestingly, instead of all the wives and concubines scheming and at each other’s throat, the FL gathers a circle of friends from various royal households which grows to becomes a band of sisters who supported each other through thick or thin. It is definitely refreshing and entertaining to watch them work through and around daily challenges. The second point is the push for gender equality. Even though there are regions in this ancient mythical world where women are considered superior, most of the divided realms are patriarchal. A lot of male characters are portrayed as entitled, patronising or outright despicable. The one exception is the ML who is as sweet, gentle and loyal as they come.

With this in mind, the Show can be boiled down to a series of vignettes that challenge the leads, their friends and the steady rise of the ML in the imperial court. Some tasks are trivial and domestic while others are more serious and involve palace intrigues and affairs of the state. In all cases, it leads to the growth of our leads, their relationship as well as those who are near and dear to them.

Of course, 40 episodes of this is a stretch and this is where the FL’s presence really anchor the show. She is such a lovely and grounded character that you just can’t help but liking her and cheering her on. More importantly, makes you invested in the show and want to keep watching. Nevertheless, not every subplot involves our OTP and some do drag on for too long.
Draggy plots aside, there are other issues. Part of the problem is that most of the trials and tribulations are contrived. It is quite obvious what the writer wants as the outcome and it follows a well-trodden path.

On top of that, the Show is first and foremost a rom-com so its tone is fundamentally light. There are some serious issues presented mostly regarding mental health, the treatment of women and their place in society. While shows like A Dream of Splendor hit it harder and deeper. This Show vacillate between light and dark and settled on a shade of off white which avoided the really tough questions. We are constantly reminded of the inequality, but the solution arrived at are mostly simplistic, jingoistic and misaligned with its historical context. It is more about sending the message than its content and a contemporary message at that.

Acting is generally good, with the OTP outshining the rest of the cast. Of course, with such a big ensemble, there are some inconsistencies but it is not a big issue. Production is generally good but more care can be taken to give lighting a more natural look. Also, the styling and makeup of FL changed significantly towards the end to try to signify her important status and growing maturity but it doesn't work for me. She lost her characteristic sparkle. It felt like she has put on a mask.

The last few episodes are pure fan service with bonus skinship (about time!). The bulk of the plots have run their courses and the Show took its time to wrap things up and ties off each thread with a huge pink bow.

Overall, the Show is sweet without too much artificial sweeteners. The progress of the OTP’s love line is slow, but quite organic and swoon worthy. The writers stuck to their guns and the storyline is very consistent and enjoyable. It is fluffy and light but in a charming way. I can recommend this show if that is what you are looking for.

Read More

I wish my brain cells are that cute

Yumi's Cells tells a fairly typical modern romance of two people from different walks of life. They met by chance, fell in love, experienced all aspects of a serious relationship, reach a critical juncture and had to make the tough decision to either push through or allow their love to wane. The inclusion of the animated cells added a new facet to the story telling and gave it a multi-dimensional aspect beyond the typical inner monologue. Without the dramas within the cell villages, the story would be engaging but hardly original.

Lucky for us, the complete package was a refreshing take of the old chestnut and the emotional ups and downs were amplified and bought to a sharp focus by the cells' dialogue and machinations. It was really funny to see how the writer-nim translated the characters' thought process into 'anime-action' of the various cells and their interactions. However, whilst this type of segue was a fun and welcome diversion in the early part of the show, later on when some serious decisions had to be made, the cut to the cells can feel jarring and break the tension. It is hard to relate the urgency of the decision to a cutscene full of cute toons even though they were agonising over the same point. This is particularly true for Woong's thought process. The cold AI overlay subsumed the more human side of his character which was much more prevalent earlier on. The mechanical deliberation also made his thought process seemed slow and ponderous. Quite unlike the impulsive Woong we loved. Let's face it, who can forget the out of control Naughtysaurus!

Having said that, it was interesting that in the last episode, the show introduced the face card motif whereby everyone is walking around with an imaginary game card on their forehead which showed their motivation or intention at any given moment. Of course, that also made possible the direct translation of phases like 'keeping your card close to your chest' or 'lay down your card'. It allowed a glimpse into other peoples desire and motivations but it is not as innovative as the animated cell village. Is that a cost cutting move or just exploring options for S2?

As I mentioned before, the core relationship of the OTP was not overly dramatic. It followed a fairly well worn path. When they arrived at the critical juncture, the ML stumbled (there were warning signs) and it started the downward spiral. It could have been saved but several opportunities were missed or mishandled. Both Woong's pride and Yumi's insecurities played key roles in putting pressure on their relationship. Coupled with Woong's stress over his failing start-up, it was hard to see a happy ending. It might be salvageable if both parties opened up and talk through the issues but they became more withdrawn and compounded their problems. It led to a sad outcome but it is not an unrealistic portrayal of a modern relationship. Everyday pressures have to be dealt with. Dancing around issues will not magic them away.

I suppose we have been conditioned to expect rom-coms to have a happy ending but in this case, writer-nim gave us a dose of reality and I respect and appreciate that. Bring on Season 2. I will not take a smooth ride for granted ever again, at least for this show.

In terms of acting, I can't fault the main casts. They drew us into their world and shared their lives with us. It was heartbreaking when they were in despair but equally joyful when they were basking in glorious bliss. Support cast did their job well but most were one dimensional.

OST was good and had a broad range from happy tunes to soulful ballads.

Read More

Even good things can become bad if they went on for too long

This show is fundamentally a love story with a slow start. The OTP's romance is sweet and innocent when started in high school but gets complicated as their path diverged. The inevitable breakup during a long distance relationship was painful and left both scarred. Nevertheless, the show has a laser focus on them and everything else that happens are distractions. This is a double edged sword which I'll discuss later.

There are also some police SWAT and EOD actions but they are secondary. There is certainly a strong Band of Brothers vibe. A light propaganda element is present and accounted for.

Let's start with the good bits.

1) Once they reconnected after years apart, their love is unshakeable. No one can come between them. This is a nice touch in a sea of antsy melodramas. Their chemistry is very strong and there are many swoon worthy moments and lots of skinship which felt natural. They are literally making up for lost time!

2) All the characters are well defined. Everyone behaves predictably with no surprise personality disorders. There are plenty of flawed characters but they are predictable and a bit cliche.

3) Northern China is harsh but beautiful. The snowy mountain scenes and lunar landscapes are captivating. Hats off to the actors and production crew who has to brave the extreme elements.

4) Acting is solid if uninspired. There is a lot of young male actors involved and they certainly did their best with the physical challenge side. The leads are in their elements, and they delivered. This is especially true for the FL who literally glows whenever she is with the ML. For once, she is not playing a feisty FL who has to prove her worth repeatedly.

Unfortunately, this is where I have to insert the dreaded BUT.

They need to trim a few episodes off the run. It would be near perfect if that happens. The problem is not the love story per se nor the acting in general but rather the show became an Ouroboros and began to feed on itself once the show lost focus.

The last 1/3 of the show feels voyeuristic to me. A lot of their interactions are quite mundane. They are always whispering sweet nothing to each other while in bed, on the phone or just doing chores. It is as if we are eavesdropping on them. It is very lovey-dovey but repetitive. There is not a lot of depth to their conversations which leads us to the next point.

Most of the characters are one dimensional, including the leads. I’m not saying that they are not interesting but they are set in their ways. The ML is a SWAT officer and even though he tries to relax and be a good BF/husband when he is with her, he is always on call and his time with her is measured in hours. He is stoic, loving and protective (to a fault) towards the FL. On the other hand, the FL is very accepting and accommodating so she will not try to change him but rather work to fit in with his punishing schedule. She adores him but she is in his shadow.

The personalities and behaviours of the support cast are largely on rails. Friends and colleagues are loyal and supportive. Antagonists are ineffective and learn their lesson sooner or later.

On top of that, most subplots are skin deep and just eat up screen time. It was nice that the 2CP's “romance” is cute and not attention grabbing, but its progress is vague and stilted.

I’m not sure if it is a direction or writer(s) issue but it is obvious to me that the Show is fraying around the edges and lost narrative focus towards the end. Some plots became disjointed, others stretched, and loose ends are handled awkwardly. One of the worse examples is when the ML was severely injured in ep.26 but there is no details about how and why it happened. We just jumped from the train station to the hospital operating room. As a police drama, this is very untidy. Could it be a censor issue?

The 2.5 years’ time skip felt abrupt and the whole wedding felt undercooked. You just don't feel that much time has passed. Everyone looks (other than the daughter) and behaves exactly the same. You can almost feel the plot fraying.

Ep.30 is a waste of time (apologies to die-hard fans). It is basically a retelling of their high school romance and a few minutes of new footage and voiceover. Why now? We knew what happened. There is a hint about their future at the end but it feels tacked on. I would have preferred a honeymoon travelogue with a bit of flashback for some awesome fan service. I won't call it a rotten tail, but it doesn't feel right either and loses points with me.

It could have avoid all this and ends on a high if it has a shorter run. I was really enjoying the first 3/4 of the Show and to end it this way is disappointing.

I'd be happy to rewatch a good chunk of this show but not the whole series.

As Mickey finds out in the Sorcerer’s Apprentice, be careful what you wish for. Even good things can become bad if they went on for too long.

Read More

Where is the romance?

I’m confused. I was curious enough after reading the synopsis to give it a go. After finishing the show, I’m none the wiser.

In trying to clear up my confusion, I took a step back and examined the fundamentals. Firstly, for a romantic drama to succeed, we must want to ship the OTP. In all honesty, I can’t. Their brief declaration of love feels hollow. They delivered the lines as directed. Nothing more.

Secondly, the OTP must have chemistry. There is none. I have no problem with age gap love and there are certainly good examples. However, the ML repeatedly stated that he wants to be a mum. Someone who will look after his clients with care and dedication. This he certainly did with single-minded professionalism. So, the FL loves a man who is old enough to be her father and acts like a surrogate mum. This is messed up. I don't feel their attraction at all. Yes, there is dependency and dedication (plus a bit of wishful thinking by the older ML) but my heart steadfast refused to flutter.

I’m not saying that this can’t happen. Heck, so many sageuk dramas are based on a high-born person falling in love with a servant (or contemporary bosses with secretaries for that matter). However, you'd expect some chemistry if not outright sexual tension. In this case, it is more like someone mistaking caring, concern and duty as love. The fact that the FL has mommy issue doesn't help. Even the FL's proposal of a trial marriage smacks of desperation. Excuse the French, this is arse backwards.

This is confirmed after they started the trial marriage near the end of the series, they are running through roles and responsibilities, and the ML raised the question of children. The FL was shocked. It is as if she never thought about s-e-x. Will they live in a platonic relationship forever? This is how romantic their relationship is from their own perspective. How can we see it any other way?

In fact, so much of their interactions are formal and stilted. This is not helped by the fact that as soon as the ML appear on the scene, the FL is chased by 2 very eligible bachelors. Her rejection of both is expected but baffling.

OBTW, you can forget about skinship. There is none. He did try to lift her up once in an embrace but ends up hurting his back. That's more sad than funny.

The show is not bad per se. It is well acted and all the standard bits are there. It is obvious where the story is heading so I kept looking for the usual rom-com tropes and triggers. They are few and far between. It is as if the production deliberately went for a "what-if" scenario just to mess with us. It is an oddity even by Japanese standard. Peace.

P.S. The original series is 9 episodes long. There is a “special” episode. This is included in the Netflix version as ep.10. It is basically a 1.5 hrs recap of the entire series with a contrived exposition on their version of love. Gawd help them if they need to go this far to justify their brand of logic. I’m still none the wiser.

Read More

Love it or hate it but you cannot unsee this show!

Quirky rom-com is a staple of j-drama nowadays. Throw fetish into the mix and you will feel right at home. Of course, that formula is not going to appeal to everyone, so consider this your standard disclaimer.
Still reading . . . Good! Let's get on with the review. :)

The synopsis summarised the basic background information succinctly so I’m not going to waste bandwidth. I will say that at first glance, the FL seemed very stereotypical for this type of drama. Young, naïve, timid and inexperience. The ML is handsome, suave and most likely a player. Now hold these thoughts while you read on.

This show is short. Just 9 episodes running twenty odd minutes each. It wasted no time and never slows down. Honestly, I didn’t have high hopes for this show because of the initial presentation and the subject matter. Shows like this can go dark or degrading in a heartbeat. How wrong was I!

Not only was the ML super nice and sweet, he is also totally devoted to the FL and support her in every way. Can we just clone him now, please?

The FL did start off timid and all that but she is nurtured by the relationship and grows to be stronger and managed to come to terms with her condition. It wasn’t like a 180 turnaround, but her development was nice to watch.

Of course, we can’t ignore the “fetish” angle, but the show handled it well. It was never degrading or nasty. The ML is so earnest that it is hard to see it as exploitive or manipulative. The attraction is mutual and their chemistry is undeniable (cue heavy breathing).

The pacing is good (it has to be!) and the Show is totally focused on their love story. This brings us to the best part of the show. While it would be foolish to assume the OTP will live happily ever after, the show went out of its way to provide positive case studies on how to handle CP problems. Every episode tackles an issue, such as jealousy, insecurity, etc. It was gratifying to see a lot of the time the solution comes down to plain old talking and a good dose of trust. Communicate openly and honestly. Tell your partner what is bothering you and the other party acknowledging it and change for the better. It is not rocket science, but it is refreshing in how well this approach served the OTP. Where shows would pile on the angst, this Show just say, we have a problem, let’s fix it and now it is Sexy Time!

Ah yes, there is no shortage of skinship and sexy time. Nothing R rated but the FL is prone to display her "assets" at every opportunity. The ML wasn’t shy either. The way the show approach the raunchy bits is....interesting. It is very stylised, a bit cartoon-y (because of its manga roots?) but it is consistent, like a signature move. After awhile, you knew what is coming and just roll with it. It is too cheesy to get worked up about.

There is no point in comparing this little show to a big budget drama series. It is fluffy and a bit cringy at times but within its little niche, it is a good show. So give it a go. A few hours of your time is no big investment and it can bring a smile to your dial. I certainly had more fun watching this than some longer and bigger budget shows.

Finally, a shout out to @Ariel. I so agree with your review. It convinced me to watch the show. Cheers!

Read More

Goldfish have layers, onions have layers, but this donkey doesn’t

The premise of show is simple. Wives are like goldfish. They live in fish bowl like environment and they need care, attention and love to thrive and stay healthy. Of course, any accredited relationship experts are going to roll their eyes and ask what century this rubbish came from. Sadly, there is an ounce of truth in the modern Japanese society, so it is a valid starting point. However, this can only be a starting point, when you construct a whole show based on this line of reasoning then it quickly shows how shallow and one dimensional it is. It can’t sustain a decent dialogue for long. The Show filled the narrative gaps with sex. A lot of it and quite explicit for a j-drama.

On the surface, this show seems to be pushing a lot of boundaries. However, once you have watched it, you realised that it is only pushing one boundary, but it kept pushing and pushing until you grow tired of it.

I’m not going to do a blow-by-blow description of every extramarital affair. Needless to say, there are many dalliances and that they are presented as the only way unhappy, dissatisfied wives can find love and fulfilment. There is not even a hint of other options or a deep dive into their lives. What we see is what we get. I am all for including appropriate intimate scenes in Asian dramas and we can do with more realistic portrayal of sexual liaison in a relationship. The usual euphemism of a couple lying in bed (sometimes fully clothed) with a pan to their intertwining fingers and then fade to black is so overused and quaint in this day and age.

Thankfully, titillation is not the only game in town. Fate played a key role in pushing our OTP together. Our CP is an odd couple, a young handsome aquarium owner and an older woman suffering from domestic violence and psychological torment. Their story is better constructed and has more depth, but it is still done in bold strokes and quite tropey. What got my goat is not so much their love line but the ending of it.

The writer expended a lot of energy setting up their burgeoning relationship and they had to overcome a lot of opposition to be together. Just when they are happy and free to love each other, it ended. Why? I suppose it could be a girl power thing. It is her way of saying she doesn't need a man to survive. It would be okay if it was part of the developing plot, but it largely just happened out of the blue.

I do find that j-drama like this type of ambiguous endings where it is neither sad nor happy. Often unfulfilling and a little fatalistic. It is a statement of sorts. A reflection on reality? Is that really what we want after investing our time and emotions? We don't need a HEA ending every time but at least make it reasonable and satisfying.

Then the show throws in a 2 years’ time skip. While some relationship improved, several affairs are still ongoing after two years. This is done behind the backs of the husbands even though they are not all horrible. There is no effort to resolve their marital problems and the affairs become the panacea. This sends a confusing message. We are shown some deplorable behaviours but we are also shown some that are deemed to be just naughty and good for the soul. Is this meant to be satire? The show is inconsistent in this regard and ends up trivialising important messages.

Acting was ok. Some characters are one dimensional and there are some overacting but where it counted the key actors delivered. OST is inoffensive.

Read More

Lots of skinship but lazy plots

Once again, this show started promisingly. The production value appeared to be high and scenes were lush and grand, at least in the first few episodes. The meet-cute was nice with reasonably fast pacing. However, the show went south with more and more storytelling issues and plot holes as it progressed. Overall, it was a disappointment.
A lot of the issue with this show comes from a very simplistic approach to plot development. Everything was telegraphed, characters and plots were mostly one dimensional. It wasn't so much character growth but more like personality transplant. Both 2FL and 2ML turned from jilted suitors to homicidal maniacs. It was straight out of Evil Plot 101 playbook but they were literally shouting "you will pay for this in BLOOD!".
By the half way mark the story just felt stuffed with set pieces that doesn't really related to the main plot (if you can call it that) but just so that they can stretch out the episode or add more skinship. The classic case in point is the black inn episodes (ep 31/32). It felt like they brought the writer back to add more scenes but paid scant attention to continuality or narrative logic.
I suppose it is time to address the skinship side of things, this show had a surprising amount of it for a c-drama. We are talking about lots of hugging, kissing (some of that quite passionate) and the OTP being frisky in bed. After completing the show, the cynical part of me is calling them out for using the skinship to distract us from the poor script or at least keep us watching the show. If that is something you like then thou shalt find aplenty. However, you can also find 15mins cuts of their romantic scenes on YouTube.
Similar to the personality shifts, the show also have drastic mood changes, it started off as Contract Marriage 101, Rom-com 101, Palace Intrigue 101, etc and some of it did work early on, especially the scenes between the ML and his group of close friends. He was so ignorant of love and sex that the show was almost like relationship tutorial and sex ed and you will get a chuckle or two. Then the show shifted to Tragic Revenge Melodrama 101 (subtitled "Every Trope Were Used"). Yes, it was designed to hit us with the feels and make us empathise with the characters but the plots were so transparent that you just felt like you have seen it all before (from the golden age of tv dramas).
The ending was laughable. The tone was completely wrong. We are talking about tragic scenes just a episode or two ago; Death and broken people stalking the scenes. The FL was in a coma for days and as soon as she woke up, they were getting intimate. It got worse, the ML then spend the rest of the episode trying to play parlour tricks on his friends (I was groaning with them) when there were orphan threads and unresolved sub plot just left dangling. Was that really all that was left to do after 36 episodes?! It wasn't even decent fan service.
OST was good for the first half but then it got repetitive. Acting was ok. The ML was quite stiff and wooden for half the show but he did open up. FL has to do a lot of heavy lifting but there was little growth in her character. The ML's brother was one of the main villains but he was so wooden, he was more annoying than evil. The 2FL acted her heart out (especially towards the end) but it was a very textbook role. The 2ML was interesting and handsome but once again, his role was so tropey that it was all done by the book.
Honestly, I was going to drop the show around the 2/3 mark but I thought I'd push through but I did fast forward some scenes. The OTP did have their sweet moments and decent chemistry but I won't be re-watching the whole show, may be the 15mins YouTube highlight reel.

Read More