The real fictive element of this show is not its futuristic, performative, and voyeuristic justice system but the fact that it depicts so many women in positions of power (woops, if only we would see more of that in Korean politics today 🙊)
Gosh, I am legit so happy that I decided to finish this. I expected a much darker, moody thriller but this went into a deeply moving, emotional direction instead and-- not gonna lie-- it brought me to tears multiple times. If anything, this gave me Handmade Love vibes: it had the same approach of linking magical realism to a series of slice of life stories and it was also able to package everything neatly into an episodic format. Also, the cinematography of this show was absolutely top notch, I could totally watch the episodes for the aesthetics and camera angles alone!
As someone who has never completely finished the original work (I know, blasphemy!) I had fun while watching, mostly because I got to enjoy some 2015 CGI nostalgia and questionable costume design lol. It seems that this adaption resembles the original work quite well, and that's also noticeable in the show's extremely fast pacing. Especially when binge-watching the story feels like it may have tried to do too much in such a short timeframe. Death Note definitely has a bit of a cult status, so I understand why the screenwriter tried to stay true to the original plot, but I think everything could have been more coherent if they had cut out some unnecessary plot developments and focused more on internal conflict instead. Especially some of the 'the-death-note-switched-owners-again' moments were not necessary and didn't really contribute to Light's relationship to his notebook. Whilst the first few episodes do try to do some character building on the main characters, the second half of the series ends being a bit too shallow for the audience to become truly emotionally invested (also because everyone gets killed off anyway lol). The plot twists are enjoyable but they don't make up for the fact that there is little tension between L and Light. And then also on a purely practical level, what is the freaking point of giving Light college friends at all if the show fails to acknowledge their existence in the second half of the series? Nobody's remotely concerned why the dude chose to suddenly drop all of his courses, goes work as an actual detective (sure hun), and disappears from the face of the earth? Also why is he not becoming some sort of celebrity for his connection to Misa? All in all, this show can be best enjoyed with a healthy dose of nostalgia to keep the logical thinking at bay, ilmao.
Edit: also, what is it with Japanese directors always casting women to take on the role of little boys? This could definitely be an interesting paper topic when it comes to exploring gender in Japanese cinema lol.
Yeah, I can totally see why there are so many conflicting opinions about this one: I think the enjoyment of the movie depends on your familiarity with (Taiwanese) horror in general. The story itself was okay but it leans heavily on jump scares to maintain tension instead of actually working on character development. This could have been resolved if we would know more about the motivations and personality of the journalist; we never really explore why she is so fascinated by these mysterious student disappearances after all. Also, the director has chosen to recycle most quintessential horror tropes--abandoned bathroom, creepy mannequins, and endless stairs--which is a cheap way to avoid real original screenplay if you as me. Sure, they are classic cinematic horror shots but they remain just that: copies of other works. The movie fails to bring anything new to the table. Not a movie for seasoned horror-junkies but a nice watch for those who want to ease into the genre.
Not gonna lie, I'm clutching my pearls now that Luke has been cast as the replacement for the ML... I found his performance in Oh My Boss! subpar at best and, while I realise that he probably has improved over the years, I am hoping that his monotonous acting will not be too distracting for me this time. Lots of people seem to love him, tho, so I'm keeping an open mind! Maybe this will be his ultimate redemption lol!
it's basically both an origin story and a set up for the probable third season. there's a character that shows…
Dang it, y'all are too positive about this! 😂 I normally tend you avoid longer shows (or series with several seasons in general) because I'm a binge watcher and, I can tell you, nobody is going to be particularly happy when interacting with the sleepdeprived, drama-dazed version of me... but y'all really have me wanting to watch Kingdom now lol!
it's basically both an origin story and a set up for the probable third season. there's a character that shows…
Okay, thanks so much, very helpful! Sounds like you'll get the most enjoyment from starting with the show itself then so I might as well do that instead!
Question from a Kingdom-noob here: would y'all recommend watching this if you haven't seen the original show? I don't really want to start watching this if you need prior info nor do I wanna spoil two entire seasons of good storytelling if I ever decide to watch Kingdom itself!
The finale had an oddly dramatic twist for an otherwise lighthearted show but it also wrapped everything up nicely. A pretty fun watch to kill some time!
Gosh, I am enjoying this show so much! It's such a simple plot but the execution is just solid. I seriously hope that this will receive all the hype in Korea too because this series may very well be the making/breaking point for future LGBTQ+ productions (that are not simply independent/niche films). Correct me if I'm wrong, but I think this has been the first proper BL series in Korea produced for a more general audience (considering we are getting 16 episodes produced with a reasonable budget, a decent cast, as well as an OST by a major K-pop group). If this gets good ratings, production companies may realise that stories like these are financially profitable. In that case, it's safe to say we can expect more well-funded BLs in the near future. Light On Me it's a simple show but I think it has much potential to radically alter the Korean drama scene.
It came as a bit of a surprise for me but this show was actually so much fun! It did a phenomenal job in fleshing out each character, creating realistic dialogue, and knowing how to pace a good love plotline. Things start out quite lighthearted and trope-y but become more intense towards the end, and all loose ends are wrapped up nicely with a life lesson about love, loss, and forgiveness. There is a careful balance between a wholesome storyline and a heavier undercurrent of teenage/young adult angst (where topics like sexuality, family relationships, and performance pressure are addressed). I rarely see scripts that portray the teenage experience with so much accuracy without coming across as condescending or detached. I basically binge-watched the whole season! Not to mention, casting James as the ML was just perfect: only he could've carried this character with this much care and respect. I swear, that guy has a 6th sense for taking on meaningful yet challenging roles: he never disappoints!
Well, that was a waste of time. Didn't get invested in any of the characters and the story was an absolute bore. It only got remotely interesting during the last 5 minutes and that was about it.
This may have been good during its prime but I couldn't get past the first episode. I think a healthy dose of nostalgia is necessary to be able to enjoy it 10 years later.
Ah, in that case I can't be much of a help I'm afraid! I don't have a clue where to watch screenings of original releases since I need to wait for the English subs anyway lol.
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And then also on a purely practical level, what is the freaking point of giving Light college friends at all if the show fails to acknowledge their existence in the second half of the series? Nobody's remotely concerned why the dude chose to suddenly drop all of his courses, goes work as an actual detective (sure hun), and disappears from the face of the earth? Also why is he not becoming some sort of celebrity for his connection to Misa? All in all, this show can be best enjoyed with a healthy dose of nostalgia to keep the logical thinking at bay, ilmao.
Edit: also, what is it with Japanese directors always casting women to take on the role of little boys? This could definitely be an interesting paper topic when it comes to exploring gender in Japanese cinema lol.
Not to mention, casting James as the ML was just perfect: only he could've carried this character with this much care and respect. I swear, that guy has a 6th sense for taking on meaningful yet challenging roles: he never disappoints!