Episode 3 ramblings as I watch the episodeAhh no wonder Otoya fell for Ichiko. It looked like she fulfilled parts…
Shiro is very patriarchal and I really dislike that about him. It doesn't help that he's also very detached as a person. I don't want to give away spoilers so we'll discuss more after you watch the next 2 episodes hehe
I would think that Mitsuki subtly flirted first, but Otoyan probably made the first move to invite her for tea / coffee. But the show doesn't give that away and I doubt it matters because the focus of the show is more on both couples' marriages rather than the affair relationships.
Regarding the class, all we know is he is interested in flower arrangement. And he started taking it after the couple grew distant.
Episode 3 ramblings as I watch the episodeAhh no wonder Otoya fell for Ichiko. It looked like she fulfilled parts…
Oh yes,. She has clearly been suppressing her anger and the way she feels stifled by her husband, mother-in-law and past relationships under the facade of a soft-spoken, gentle person. But like they say, no matter how good you are at keeping up with the facade, you give yourself away in little moments when you think no one notices and before long that facade slips..
Like for instance, if this stalker was truly bothering her, why didn't she report him to the police? It appears like she was waiting for Shiro. She seems to be interested in people who are unavailable, like Shiro who was detached but popular, so she used the opportunity with the stalker to invite him to her house. Or with Otoyan who's married but in a distant relationship with his wife. And then she expects them to be attentive and committed to her, clearly ignoring the flip side of the coin that they were unavailable in the first place. It's like this fantasy that many women have of love being this magical weapon that they can use to change the toxic man.
I warmed up to Shiro a little more in Episodes 4 -5 as we got more of him.
I find all of them to be red flags for each other..
Episode 3 ramblings as I watch the episodeAhh no wonder Otoya fell for Ichiko. It looked like she fulfilled parts…
Oh yes, that was assault and I definitely did not expect Mitsuki to go that far. But then, people in real life do.. it's scary.. I could feel her rage and hurt because she clearly wasn't taking the relationship lightly and he also seemed to have given her the impression that he was serious. and then he threw that bomb at her that too in a "nice" manner after using her for over a year "let's go back to being friends who discuss our problems" like she was someone he had his share of fun with. Not only that, but it's the way he did it like he didn't even have the guts to tell her that I wasn't expecting it to get serious, rather he chose to act like he's such a nice guy who's doing her a favour. She clearly couldn't take his bullshit. But it's interesting because she probably wouldn't dare to do that to her husband because he's not the kind of person who would take it lightly.. I guess being nice comes with a cost?
Now I know why the episodes were released that way; first 3 episodes together, then 2, and then the last 2. Clearly…
Episode 4 ramblings as I watch the episode
There's something so real and vulnerable about all these characters that I strongly empathize with them even though I dislike their actions. Ichiko's feeling of heartbreak and betrayal with Otoyan's affair and how he couldn't take her not wanting sex, Otoyan's feeling of heartbreak and rejection when Ichiko didn't want to sleep with him and asked him to look for a lover.. Mitsuki's anguish when Otoyan took her lightly and just asked her to be friends after all that they went through together.. Kashiwagi's love for his wife but inability to connect and attach the way most people do. None of them set out to be bad people or betray one another but they were so overwhelmed by their own hurt, loneliness and fear that they ended up hurting each other.
It was interesting how having sex allowed Ichiko to release a lot of the built up tension, stress, hurt and heartbreak she was harbouring. It's like a storm that finally ended, allowing her to initiate an honest conversation with Otoyan. The way the conversation played out and the simplicity of it. It was so realistic. As someone who deals with divorced couples day in and day out as part of my job, I really appreciate how refreshing and real this drama is on what a marriage entails, and what it takes to make it work. It's about finding that common ground with one another. Many people come up to me and question how some couples can fix a marriage after infidelity and the answer is simple - is the infidelity the main problem? And secondly, what do you want? If you want to make it work, then you have to re-start. Forgiving someone for infidelity is not giving them a free pass to do it again, but it is about having that conversation and understanding what both of you really want. Are you able to put things behind, and give it a try again, and work on re-building and re-connecting what you once had, with new boundaries and approaching each other differently? Of course, some couples just can't do it, and that's fine because loyalty is important and a non-negotiable for everyone. But you'll be surprised at how many couples are able to do it, and are genuinely able to find happiness again because like Ichiko and Otoyan, the infidelity wasn't the issue. It was the lack of honesty, and the way both of them were suppressing their love and disappointment with each other.
I love the contrast we get with Mitsuki and Shiro who are probably reaching that dead end because they just can't communicate and see each other anymore. Probably they never did. The infidelity was merely the last straw, because the building rocks laid in how they never connected. Mitsuki fell for Shiro because she was attracted to his bluntness, and to the way he appeared distant. For her, that was a sign of a gentleman - one who left after tea and took his time to touch her. And for Shiro, Mitsuki was the gentle, hardworking and soft-spoken woman. But now they're beginning to realize how that was just part of a picture they wanted to see, ignoring the flip side of the coin.
Episode 5
"Was sex something this serious and grave?" contrasted with "sex is not just about penetration" in Episode 4. Interesting.... Love that we get to the psychological parts of it, like on surface they attempted to re-start in Episode 4. But now we get to the is-it-as-easy-as-just-wanting-to-start-again bit. This drama has clearly been written by a person who has been in a relationship and that's so refreshing because so many drama writers write relationships so linearly and perfectly like its coming out of a fantasy. Fantasy is great, but it would be nice if it was combined with some reality. Was sex really the problem is the question? Instead of going straight for sex, shouldn't they try to spend more time doing things they enjoyed together like camping, going on a walk etc. Interesting how so many couples think sex is the answer to resolving a problem, especially when that is only part of the problem..
I love the scene with Shiro at the bar. Temptation is everywhere, it's about how strong you are to resist that temptation, and stay true to your commitment. Great development with him picking up the book on child developmental issues..
Otoyan / Ichiko appear to be the more perfect couple on the surface, but I like how this episode breaks that illusion a little bit and the couple that appeared to be reaching the dead end (Shiro/Mitsuki) are the ones who are slowly changing a little bit and are actually thinking about the real problem while things are turning ugly for Ichiko / Otoyan.
This Rei guy is such a bad idea. Clearly manipulative with the way he started out by giving her solution of the singer (appearing very helpful) to slowly baiting her by saying he's leaving soon and when she didn't take the bait, moving to sit next to her and holding her hand. So that's how he fools people, by taking their money and making them addicted to him at the same time.
Otoyan can fall in love with Mitsuki and sleep with her countlessly over the year and Ichiko can't have a one-night stand with a man once?! Yes I don't agree with prostitution and can understand part of his disgust but placing himself on a pedestral for having sex with someone he loved VS her doing that with a random man.. WOW clearly shows you how problematic this world is. Both of them cheated, but his cheating is justified and hers is not?
Separation on the cards in the next episode preview - well it was coming! And a pregnant Mitsuki.. interesting.
Now I know why the episodes were released that way; first 3 episodes together, then 2, and then the last 2. Clearly a well-packaged and calculated move!
The first 3 episodes seemed to be laying the background for everything that happened, why it happened, and what the current scenario is. And now that we've been given the picture, Episodes 4-5 slowed down to unpackage it all, with more introspection, reframing of perspectives and re-building via some honest conversations. Looking forward to where the last 2 episodes will take us though I think I know..HAHA
I kept my expectations low before starting, but this drama has clearly exceeded them :) Finally a drama written by an adult who does not hesitate to show the greys of a relationship.
have you seen how the opening was made??it’s so impressive! they did everything themselves by hand 😭😭…
I KNOW RIGHT I was so impressed. It took them days to film that opening sequence!
There are so many many more. like the thread that Wakaba Ryura tied in E10, it was so thin that even neurosurgeons find it difficult to do it and he freaking did it 1 attempt, how they had to zoom into it with a special lens. Even the last episode, Wakaba Ryura did the scene with the letter and diary in one 15 minute take without even knowing what was written in both. He didn't even know where it was kept, it was all natural! Or like the ad lib by Sugisaki Hana in Episode 9 during the ending convo between Miyabi and Sanpei, which was so so perfect.
I could go on and on... all of them truly became the characters. I miss this already.
Watching the first episode made me realize how classy, charming and beautiful the 1996 original was. I'm not one to drop dramas easily and yet, I could barely last an episode of this.
It's such an irony that this drama called 'Unmet' turned out to be one of the most fulfilling, uplifting, and inspiring character-driven story that I've had the privilege to see in recent years. It's a testament to the drama's meticulous and poetic writing that was beautifully complemented by powerful visuals of the characters' plight and emotions that it didn't have to tell us much. Every emotion was felt, and the director took his time to let that sink in with the audience. This of course would not have been possible without the most understated, natural and effortless performances by the entire cast, especially our leads Sugisaki Hana and Wakaba Ryura, who have now found a fan in me. Not only was their relationship and love for each other so gentle, tender and beautiful but they were just so lovely as individuals and doctors that one can't help but root for them instantly. This masterpiece was clearly made with love and care by the entire production and it deserves nothing but love. Don't miss out on this one.
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I am glad my reviews / comments are read, and appreciated.
Thank you! *countless bowing*
I would think that Mitsuki subtly flirted first, but Otoyan probably made the first move to invite her for tea / coffee. But the show doesn't give that away and I doubt it matters because the focus of the show is more on both couples' marriages rather than the affair relationships.
Regarding the class, all we know is he is interested in flower arrangement. And he started taking it after the couple grew distant.
Like for instance, if this stalker was truly bothering her, why didn't she report him to the police? It appears like she was waiting for Shiro. She seems to be interested in people who are unavailable, like Shiro who was detached but popular, so she used the opportunity with the stalker to invite him to her house. Or with Otoyan who's married but in a distant relationship with his wife.
And then she expects them to be attentive and committed to her, clearly ignoring the flip side of the coin that they were unavailable in the first place. It's like this fantasy that many women have of love being this magical weapon that they can use to change the toxic man.
I warmed up to Shiro a little more in Episodes 4 -5 as we got more of him.
I find all of them to be red flags for each other..
I could feel her rage and hurt because she clearly wasn't taking the relationship lightly and he also seemed to have given her the impression that he was serious. and then he threw that bomb at her that too in a "nice" manner after using her for over a year "let's go back to being friends who discuss our problems" like she was someone he had his share of fun with. Not only that, but it's the way he did it like he didn't even have the guts to tell her that I wasn't expecting it to get serious, rather he chose to act like he's such a nice guy who's doing her a favour. She clearly couldn't take his bullshit.
But it's interesting because she probably wouldn't dare to do that to her husband because he's not the kind of person who would take it lightly.. I guess being nice comes with a cost?
The comments section is pretty quiet so I write my thoughts to have a convo with myself about the drama LOL
Now I want to watch everything he's acted in.
There's something so real and vulnerable about all these characters that I strongly empathize with them even though I dislike their actions. Ichiko's feeling of heartbreak and betrayal with Otoyan's affair and how he couldn't take her not wanting sex, Otoyan's feeling of heartbreak and rejection when Ichiko didn't want to sleep with him and asked him to look for a lover.. Mitsuki's anguish when Otoyan took her lightly and just asked her to be friends after all that they went through together.. Kashiwagi's love for his wife but inability to connect and attach the way most people do.
None of them set out to be bad people or betray one another but they were so overwhelmed by their own hurt, loneliness and fear that they ended up hurting each other.
It was interesting how having sex allowed Ichiko to release a lot of the built up tension, stress, hurt and heartbreak she was harbouring. It's like a storm that finally ended, allowing her to initiate an honest conversation with Otoyan. The way the conversation played out and the simplicity of it. It was so realistic. As someone who deals with divorced couples day in and day out as part of my job, I really appreciate how refreshing and real this drama is on what a marriage entails, and what it takes to make it work. It's about finding that common ground with one another. Many people come up to me and question how some couples can fix a marriage after infidelity and the answer is simple - is the infidelity the main problem? And secondly, what do you want? If you want to make it work, then you have to re-start. Forgiving someone for infidelity is not giving them a free pass to do it again, but it is about having that conversation and understanding what both of you really want. Are you able to put things behind, and give it a try again, and work on re-building and re-connecting what you once had, with new boundaries and approaching each other differently? Of course, some couples just can't do it, and that's fine because loyalty is important and a non-negotiable for everyone. But you'll be surprised at how many couples are able to do it, and are genuinely able to find happiness again because like Ichiko and Otoyan, the infidelity wasn't the issue. It was the lack of honesty, and the way both of them were suppressing their love and disappointment with each other.
I love the contrast we get with Mitsuki and Shiro who are probably reaching that dead end because they just can't communicate and see each other anymore. Probably they never did. The infidelity was merely the last straw, because the building rocks laid in how they never connected. Mitsuki fell for Shiro because she was attracted to his bluntness, and to the way he appeared distant. For her, that was a sign of a gentleman - one who left after tea and took his time to touch her. And for Shiro, Mitsuki was the gentle, hardworking and soft-spoken woman. But now they're beginning to realize how that was just part of a picture they wanted to see, ignoring the flip side of the coin.
Episode 5
"Was sex something this serious and grave?" contrasted with "sex is not just about penetration" in Episode 4. Interesting....
Love that we get to the psychological parts of it, like on surface they attempted to re-start in Episode 4. But now we get to the is-it-as-easy-as-just-wanting-to-start-again bit. This drama has clearly been written by a person who has been in a relationship and that's so refreshing because so many drama writers write relationships so linearly and perfectly like its coming out of a fantasy. Fantasy is great, but it would be nice if it was combined with some reality.
Was sex really the problem is the question? Instead of going straight for sex, shouldn't they try to spend more time doing things they enjoyed together like camping, going on a walk etc.
Interesting how so many couples think sex is the answer to resolving a problem, especially when that is only part of the problem..
I love the scene with Shiro at the bar. Temptation is everywhere, it's about how strong you are to resist that temptation, and stay true to your commitment. Great development with him picking up the book on child developmental issues..
Otoyan / Ichiko appear to be the more perfect couple on the surface, but I like how this episode breaks that illusion a little bit and the couple that appeared to be reaching the dead end (Shiro/Mitsuki) are the ones who are slowly changing a little bit and are actually thinking about the real problem while things are turning ugly for Ichiko / Otoyan.
This Rei guy is such a bad idea. Clearly manipulative with the way he started out by giving her solution of the singer (appearing very helpful) to slowly baiting her by saying he's leaving soon and when she didn't take the bait, moving to sit next to her and holding her hand. So that's how he fools people, by taking their money and making them addicted to him at the same time.
Otoyan can fall in love with Mitsuki and sleep with her countlessly over the year and Ichiko can't have a one-night stand with a man once?! Yes I don't agree with prostitution and can understand part of his disgust but placing himself on a pedestral for having sex with someone he loved VS her doing that with a random man.. WOW clearly shows you how problematic this world is. Both of them cheated, but his cheating is justified and hers is not?
Separation on the cards in the next episode preview - well it was coming! And a pregnant Mitsuki.. interesting.
The first 3 episodes seemed to be laying the background for everything that happened, why it happened, and what the current scenario is.
And now that we've been given the picture, Episodes 4-5 slowed down to unpackage it all, with more introspection, reframing of perspectives and re-building via some honest conversations. Looking forward to where the last 2 episodes will take us though I think I know..HAHA
I kept my expectations low before starting, but this drama has clearly exceeded them :)
Finally a drama written by an adult who does not hesitate to show the greys of a relationship.
P.S I was hoping we'd get more of Narita Ryo...
I can't wait to binge it once it finishes airing!
I was so impressed. It took them days to film that opening sequence!
There are so many many more. like the thread that Wakaba Ryura tied in E10, it was so thin that even neurosurgeons find it difficult to do it and he freaking did it 1 attempt, how they had to zoom into it with a special lens.
Even the last episode, Wakaba Ryura did the scene with the letter and diary in one 15 minute take without even knowing what was written in both. He didn't even know where it was kept, it was all natural!
Or like the ad lib by Sugisaki Hana in Episode 9 during the ending convo between Miyabi and Sanpei, which was so so perfect.
I could go on and on... all of them truly became the characters. I miss this already.
Don't miss out on this one.
I'm just happy to share my love for the dramas I enjoy :)
Hopefully it will be up once approved.