A case study on stockholm syndrome?
You know those offbeat movies about a group of misfits who set out to go on an adventure for the last time that essentially serves as a journey to self discovery and found family. The characters are tragic but the story is wacky and comedic and somehow it works… well this one tries but it doesn’t quite land?
For one the characters are very unlikeable. The entire premise is essentially the ml dragging along the fl halfway across the country without her consent but it’s played off as comedy and we’re supposed to swoon at the scenes of him taking her back to his car after her failed attempt at getting away from him and why you ask? well it’s woo dohwan and he’s carrying her bridal style… DUH
I mean yea, it’s not like they don’t know each other, they’re exes who we’re supposed to believe belong together you know “the one that got away” in eachother’s lives, and with the addition of Jaemi being in the situation she’s in with her soon to be in-laws, it all alludes to her needing to be rescued from the predicament she’s in. However, this whole thing was so poorly written and executed it genuinely makes me itch.
The ml may have a tragic backstory and on his way to meet an even more tragic fate but any ounce of sympathy you have for him goes out the window seeing how he behaves. I’m sorry but he’s literally a creep who doesn’t understand consent and personal boundaries and i’m supposed to root for him? The fl is also obnoxious and tactless, idk nothing she does makes sense and she’s just not likeable. One of her worst scenes is when she took the Haejo out of the hospital while he’s on his death bed with absolutely no plan and was literally handling him like a ragdoll dropping him on his head and letting him freeze out in the cold like HELLO?!!?!:):? like i may not be the biggest haejo fan but please act like someone with decorum and leave the sick man in the hospital idgaf what you think his last days on earth should be like! That was such a cruel and unnerving scene to me.
And the sl, well… he is definitely not the typical second lead i will give him that but maybe that’s the problem. Having to sit through him acting like a man child because he grew up with the most overbearing mother in the world who sheltered him all his life was painful enough for me. It’s like i’m already in a bad mood with the two main leads and he also decides to force himself into the equation and now im in an even worse mood!
The other supporting roles… Not particularly fond of the weird incestous relationship Haejo had with the character played by lee el (don’t remember her name), i don’t have to say any more if you’ve seen it you know what i mean, The only slightly likable character in this is haejo’s helper (?) he’s funny and not a full on snitch so shout out to him i guess… but everyone else? yea
No one to root for, just watching a train wreck full of annoying characters for 10 episodes straight (thank god it’s only 10). The heart-wrenching elements of a tragic love story is only applicable if the characters are relatable and have likable qualities. I’m sorry but no tears were shed watching this mess. The only scene that was remotely moving throughout those dry as a sahara dessert 10 hours of my life was when Haejo manages to get in a taxi during one of his sickness episodes and we’re made to think he’s on his way to find another man he believes to be his biological father but it turns out, he went to his childhood home to see the father that raised him… the only father he knew. Now that touched my heart and the realization that his father never wanted to abandon him and was waiting for him all along was heartwarming. I can’t lie and say i wasn’t moved to tears seeing that emotional exchange but in true Mr Plankton fashion, a heartfelt moment like this doesn’t last long without getting interrupted by some quirky moment so we see the fl appear on a forklift outside his window ready to rescue rapunzel and next thing you know they set out to go on yet another one of their silly lil adventures for whatever reason… to make matters worse he leaves without telling his dad even though they just got reunited. He disappeared leaving a vague note without single goodbye even though it’s possible that he’s never seeing him again… just bizarre!
I’ve seen people raving about the main couple’s chemistry and if you are on any social media platform and you follow different kdrama accounts your fyp has definitely been terrorized by edits of these two but i’m here to say that the romance was the weakest plot point of this drama and that’s saying a lot because everything else is also bad. Maybe if they focused on their individual journey of self discovery and they eventually came to find eachother that would feel more natural and organic but this was no it! Not once did i feel that their love was genuine it all just felt so performative… like the director tried to create this whirlwind romance but it was just meh. Even the last scene where he dies in her arms didn’t evoke any emotions as it should. The scenery and the way it played out had potential, they’re in the middle of nowhere playing in the snow, they decide to look for a 4 leaf clover and as they’re separated Haejo passes out and is now bleeding from his nose as he’s laying on the snow by himself. It’s tragic, it’s supposed to evoke this deep sadness from the audience but somehow… it doesn’t, at least not for me. It gets worse when Jaemi sees him laying there from what seems like a km away and she runs at him while yelling out every profanity in the book and shedding all her clothes… like ok? it just felt so try hardish and performative. That’s how every minute of this drama felt like it’s trying so hard to convince its audience that it’s so different, not like the other girls not like the other kdramas… we get it 🙄
also California Dreamin will never be a Mr Plankton song when Chunking Express(1994) made the best use of it! They just played it randomly in scenes it doesn’t even fit or used it as the outro in this drama BOO TOMATOES
Anyways, call me a hater but i will be chuckling any time i see praise for this drama bc i know woo dohwan hasn’t done anything for me since after save me so thirst watch delirium is not clouding my judgment like the rest of yall THANK GOD!
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Those who get it, GET IT!
I understand we’re all sick and tired of seeing stories about school violence esp coming out of SK it feels like you can never escape this genre in particular but i felt this film did a good job at delivering it in a fresh new way.I’ve seen some people complain about how one dimensional the characters feel esp the villain but i think that’s the strongest point of this story. At no point did they try to shove his backstory down the viewers throat in attempt to have us sympathize with him. He was simply an evil entity unable of feeling an ounce of remorse. I watched the directors comentary on this and they mentioned how this was very much intentional. They wanted to emphasize that he had no redeemable traits whatsoever. I do feel like it can be argued that they still decided to cast a very good looking actor to play the villain so it was a bit counter productive but i think that could also serve as a commentary on how much value society puts on outer appearance given audience’s reaction to his character.
I do like how the fl is written to be a bit morally ambiguous in the beginning as well. As she’s also trying to navigate through this new system and learn to survive after being forced to give up her dream as a boxer. She didn’t just assume the role of a hero from the jump and started fighting for justice, it took time for her to understand the gravity of the situation and realize she’s the only hope for those poor souls that were being viciously bullied. I understand that her goofiness esp towards the begining and random tonal shifts of the movie can throw some ppl off but i don’t think it’s particularly distasteful as some are claiming. It seems to just be a stylistic choice esp considering this is a webtoon adaptation, it’s bound to have some cartoonish elements.
I absolutely enjoyed the acting performance in this. Both main leads devoured their roles it was a sight to see. I have not really been the biggest Shin Hyesun enjoyer as i’ve mostly seen her in second lead roles in the past and maybe one movie where she was the main some years back but nothing that was memorable for me to care so i never quite understood the hype but im here to say i get it… i really do! She’s a charismatic actress with so much charm and appeal it’s crazy. I do think she shines brighter with certain type of projects and this seems to be one of her best!
Lee Junyoung is a recent discovery for me, even though i’ve seen of him here and there i’ve never really paid enough attention but i was able to go through his filmography recently and i’m more than impressed. It’s both scary and impressive how he transforms into a different person with every new role and manages to look nothing like the character he played before. He’s a chameleon. Even in the different villainous roles he has taken on, there’s something distinct about each one of them not just in the way they’re written but in the way he plays them that they’re all very distinguishable from eachother. Sugang in particular is a character that’s so violent and brutal down to the fibre of his being that he doesn’t blink when he tortures people relentlessly in fact he finds joy in doing so. The way LJY is able to portray that type of bloodthirsty viscous look through just his eyes and those signature quirks he gave his character adds to the charm and appeal. And as someone that had just seen him in a contrasting role it’s that much more impressive he has definitely become one of my elite employees!
This movie has great action sequences and really satisfying fighting scenes. I understand the logic behind a high school bully holding his own against a pro boxer can seem off but there are some things to consider like the fact that it’s emphasized that he’s not a minor even though he’s still in high school so he’s physically more matured compared to his peers, he’s also a man and a different weight class, he could potentially have training as well (an assumption but thinking he doesn’t would also be one), Simin hasn’t participated in an actual competition in years she could be rusty… so many possibilities. He might’ve held his own but he still got his ss BEAT to mars and back i think that’s enough to prove who’s better so i don’t think its something that requires too much of a suspension of disbelief from viewers…
All in all, a great watch i would recommend it to anyone capable of having fun but heed the trigger warnings bc there are some stomach churning scenes (none of the ones where sugang is getting beat up! those were fun to watch hehe)
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