The realistic, believable emotional connections among characters in S1 have been replaced by cheap and repetitive schmaltz. I've been successfully anticipating plot points and even specific lines of dialogue since early in episode 1.
I suspect that following the success of S1, the writer-director was given carte blanche to do as he pleased this time and had final say on most everything. Thus, as often happens with sequels to successful shows, there was no one around to tell him..."ummm...dude...you're repeating yourself."
After reading through comments, I'm not going to waste more time on this one.
His crying contest with G Dragon was insane. Kid was for-real-ass weeping tears within 10 seconds! I loved how he dutifully kept trying to catch his tears with the test tube, as instructed. :)
I did not say I was dropping it. As for your assertion that this is "about boxing," have you not noticed all the countless, ultra-violent martial arts scenes with bare fists, feet, furniture, bodies, and blood flying every which way? That is not "boxing." Have you not noticed the Yakuza/thug plot lines? Have you not noticed poor U Jin's mom being kidnapped every 15 minutes? Have you not noticed that the two leads never interact with women other than their mom or "sisters;" they never, ever go on dates with females or show any interest in that direction. Have you not noticed that the boys sleep in the same room, despite living in a mansion? Have you not noticed they cannot bear to be apart for more than 30 minutes without a check-in? Have you not noticed that they cry over how much they care about each other at least once each episode.? Have you not noticed that the movie is about many things, and boxing, as in the formal sport, is only one of them?
I am not saying the more-than-friends relationship between the mains is intended to be picked up on by people like you, whose toes curl at the suggestion of something romantic between members of the same sex. I am saying the show is written in such a way that those of us who are observant and not homophobic will pick up on all of the above, and that the rest of you will very much not do so. This is a wink-and-nod, subversive presentation of gay affection hiding in plain sight, and it is a tradition within the film industry from almost the beginning.
The best part is that perceptive people get to enjoy all this subtext AND have a chuckle at the obliviousness of you and yours.
They're as gay as I am, but the producers are too chickenshit to go somewhere with that.And yes, you're right...the…
lol Perhaps the script would beg to differ.
I refer you back to ep. 1 or 2 of S1. There was a humorous scene in which, I don't recall why, they were staying somewhere new. The woman showing them the room asked, "Which of you would like the top bunk and which of you would like the bottom," or similar words to that effect. One of the guys replied that they'd let her decide, to which she responded, "OK, then, you (Geon U) on top, and you (U Jin) on the bottom."
Then, after a moment, U Jin begged her pardon as she went about her business and said something like, "May I ask, ma'am why you put me on the bottom?" LOL I don't recall her answer, but that whole little bit clearly was wink, nod, wink to those who would pick up on it, about the two leads being more than just friends, even if they are too clueless to know it themselves.
If I get bored, I'll track down that scene and let you know where to find it. :)
Just realising that they have a big ass house with enough rooms I'm sure but decided to share a room....
They're as gay as I am, but the producers are too chickenshit to go somewhere with that.
And yes, you're right...the bunk beds are absurd, as is the fact that neither one ever interacts with a woman who's not their mom or someone they see as a "sister."
Maybe they'll come out in S3. A sex scene between these two would be E.P.I.C.
hmmm...overall, not feeling the love so far. As expected, the boys/mom/assorted others kept me misty through the first half hour, but then things began to feel like sequelitis, that most deadly of sequel afflictions, was setting in. The fight scenes, however...magnificently choreographed and performed.
Our boys are clearly in love. The best thing NF could do for this series is bring them out of the closet.
I'll be taking this one an episode at a time, as I feel the urge. Nothing about it has me running back to the tube for ep. 2.
To me, it wasn't "wrong" in either of our circumstances; as you say, it's simply what happened. And my god, your guy was only 8 years older than you, right? The Puritan Little Girls here, and maybe you, would freak out if they knew how much older my gentleman was. :D Many times throughout my life, I have thought back kindly on that man and how good he was to me. He may have saved my life.
1 
1 
If you can't handle the content, stop watching.
The realistic, believable emotional connections among characters in S1 have been replaced by cheap and repetitive schmaltz. I've been successfully anticipating plot points and even specific lines of dialogue since early in episode 1.
I suspect that following the success of S1, the writer-director was given carte blanche to do as he pleased this time and had final say on most everything. Thus, as often happens with sequels to successful shows, there was no one around to tell him..."ummm...dude...you're repeating yourself."
After reading through comments, I'm not going to waste more time on this one.
Too bad.
1/10
Kid was for-real-ass weeping tears within 10 seconds!
I loved how he dutifully kept trying to catch his tears with the test tube, as instructed. :)
I did not say I was dropping it.
As for your assertion that this is "about boxing," have you not noticed all the countless, ultra-violent martial arts scenes with bare fists, feet, furniture, bodies, and blood flying every which way? That is not "boxing."
Have you not noticed the Yakuza/thug plot lines?
Have you not noticed poor U Jin's mom being kidnapped every 15 minutes?
Have you not noticed that the two leads never interact with women other than their mom or "sisters;" they never, ever go on dates with females or show any interest in that direction.
Have you not noticed that the boys sleep in the same room, despite living in a mansion?
Have you not noticed they cannot bear to be apart for more than 30 minutes without a check-in?
Have you not noticed that they cry over how much they care about each other at least once each episode.?
Have you not noticed that the movie is about many things, and boxing, as in the formal sport, is only one of them?
I am not saying the more-than-friends relationship between the mains is intended to be picked up on by people like you, whose toes curl at the suggestion of something romantic between members of the same sex.
I am saying the show is written in such a way that those of us who are observant and not homophobic will pick up on all of the above, and that the rest of you will very much not do so.
This is a wink-and-nod, subversive presentation of gay affection hiding in plain sight, and it is a tradition within the film industry from almost the beginning.
The best part is that perceptive people get to enjoy all this subtext AND have a chuckle at the obliviousness of you and yours.
Perhaps the script would beg to differ.
I refer you back to ep. 1 or 2 of S1. There was a humorous scene in which, I don't recall why, they were staying somewhere new. The woman showing them the room asked, "Which of you would like the top bunk and which of you would like the bottom," or similar words to that effect. One of the guys replied that they'd let her decide, to which she responded, "OK, then, you (Geon U) on top, and you (U Jin) on the bottom."
Then, after a moment, U Jin begged her pardon as she went about her business and said something like, "May I ask, ma'am why you put me on the bottom?" LOL I don't recall her answer, but that whole little bit clearly was wink, nod, wink to those who would pick up on it, about the two leads being more than just friends, even if they are too clueless to know it themselves.
If I get bored, I'll track down that scene and let you know where to find it. :)
Yes, a 1 rating is intense. :) I save that for movies/series I drop.
And yes, you're right...the bunk beds are absurd, as is the fact that neither one ever interacts with a woman who's not their mom or someone they see as a "sister."
Maybe they'll come out in S3.
A sex scene between these two would be E.P.I.C.
hmmm...overall, not feeling the love so far.
As expected, the boys/mom/assorted others kept me misty through the first half hour, but then things began to feel like sequelitis, that most deadly of sequel afflictions, was setting in.
The fight scenes, however...magnificently choreographed and performed.
Our boys are clearly in love.
The best thing NF could do for this series is bring them out of the closet.
I'll be taking this one an episode at a time, as I feel the urge. Nothing about it has me running back to the tube for ep. 2.
(Don't you know you're supposed to be DEVASTATED by such an experience?) :D
And my god, your guy was only 8 years older than you, right?
The Puritan Little Girls here, and maybe you, would freak out if they knew how much older my gentleman was. :D
Many times throughout my life, I have thought back kindly on that man and how good he was to me.
He may have saved my life.