Coincidences:1. Two closeted, handsome, Asian immigrant gay dudes happen to sit in opposite halves of the same…
Well, except that for me, they DO take away from the story, because I'm sitting there thinking, "what a ridiculous series of absurdly impossible coincidences/improbabilities," rather than losing myself in the story.
So, in other words, I don't think it IS great writing, at least that aspect of it. Which isn't to say I don't like the story as a whole so far.
As I mentioned, what's frustrating is that I believe all of these absurdities, except the key one, the rescuer being the boxer, could have been written to feel like natural occurences, rather than lazy, writerly short-cuts.
After all, what are the chances of me running into my cyber friend on the subway in NYC? 20M to ONE!
Hi there. Yes, I like it a lot. I ended up watching through episode 3 and would keep going, but it's almost 5am here, so I need to crash. But, yes, yes, yes! It's very good. :)
Episode 2:I'm all a-glow. :)Loving the first-rate production values/acting/direction, etc. Great vibes so far,…
Coincidences: 1. Two closeted, handsome, Asian immigrant gay dudes happen to sit in opposite halves of the same church confessional in the whitest city in Europe, Berlin. 2. They sit there at exactly the same time. The above is actually about five coincidences, but whatever. 3. Said gay dudes are put in the same hospital emergency room recovery area. 4. Even though one dude got up and left while the other was still unconscious, somehow the unconscious one got released, dressed, and out the front door in time to catch up with the one who left. 5. The gay dude who rescued the other gay dude from a church fire happens to be one of the featured boxers at a match the rescued one's friend happens to take him to. 6. A random Asian chick who happens to be the sister of the rescuer/boxer, just happens to sit RIGHT NEXT TO the guy her brother rescued from the fire. 7. Asian sister throws down with some guy twice her size after brother throws the boxing match, and the rescued gay guy's friend decides to rescue HER, even though she's barely bigger and does not know the sister. 8. The sister happens to know SIX languages, so that they can all communicate even though they're from KO/JP.
See what I mean? :D
Now, one big coincidence can work for me because such things DO happen in real life. I have a very good cyber friend who I communicated with for five years while he lived in New York City and I lived far away. We never met and did not make plans to meet, but I did go to NYC now and then. About two years after we met online, I rode the subway in NYC, a city of more than 20M people. Who should walk onto the very same subway car and sit two rows in front of me...? My cyber friend. :) But, that's one amazing coincidence. Above, I listed about 16.
Loving the first-rate production values/acting/direction, etc. Great vibes so far, with one caveat: I can get on board with one, maybe two, super-convenient coincidences or improbabilities in a flick/drama, but they're pushing my limit here already. ;) Not that I'd stop watching, but plot devices like this that could fairly easily be written another way or made to not seem so outlandish, distract me from a story. If you wonder what I'm talking about, check the spoiler below.
Lastly, I wish to god Korean idols/actors would STOP with the plastic surgery. That's another thing that distracts me, and after seven years of watching Asian cinema/dramas and following some minimal Kpop, I can spot a nose job a mile away, particularly the Korean ones that tend to look eerily similar. Far too many K-performers look like siblings or first cousins; it's spooky, b ut also true. It's that ski-slope inward/downward curve that always gives the rhinoplasties away.
I've no doubt Ok Taec Yon was a handsome dude B4 the work he had done. It blows my mind that young people like him go under the knife and lose their natural good looks. It's sad. So, anyway, I'll be noticing that fake nose every time he's in profile, quarter, or three-quarter, and wondering how much of Hwang Jo Han's boxing $$$ he blew on plastic surgery. :D
Episode 1: What a treat! I had not paid close attention prior to watching this, and thought I'd be watching a MOVIE. So, when I click onto Netflix and discover it's an 8-episode drama instead, I was like, YAY. But then, I've seen, and dropped, a lot of Asian dramas that pack into 12 episodes what would have made one, good, 2-hour movie, so I was apprehensive going in.
But...episode 1 ROCKS.
Being pathetic and eager to watch this, I started at 2am where I am in the US, so probably will do one more episode and call it a night.
Have to say...coming here to leave this comment, I saw part of a comment just below mine that felt like it might be a spoiler. If anyone sees this, and that IS a spoiler, please tell the moron who left it to put it behind a spoiler button. Thanks. And if it's not a spoiler and they're not a moron...thanks anyway. :)
Just a reminder that just cause they may not kiss does not make this show any less queer
Of course it does. How many straight romance movies or dramas do you know of in which there is NO physical expression of love/affection, let alone sex? And why are you running interference for possible disappointment in this regard?
JC and CMh have perfect height match. I like it when they are both the same height and no one dominates the other.
That's a great observation. I see them as entirely equals in all ways, other than differences in temperament that are complimentary to each other. The physical aspect has a lot to do with that, but I hadn't consciously made the connection.
Genuinely asking: when are they passive-aggressive?Secondly: do you know what sadomasochism is? Cause they are…
"I forgot to tell you, when I asked you to move in, that I am moving out." That's about as passive-aggressive as it gets. What he's saying is that he knew good and well when he asked the other guy to move in, that he was moving OUT, but he chose not to mention that. And no, that's not something you "forget." That's just one example.
Ummm...yes, I know what sadomasochism is. lol I do not mean it in a sexual sense, I mean it in an emotional/psychological sense. Of course, I'm exaggerating a tad to make my point. Shizuka masochistically enjoys being treated like shit by his older brother, but he keeps allowing it to happen, as he has his whole life. His brother sadistically enjoys treating Shizuka like shit because he feels his father treated HIM like shit, so what better revenge than to shit on Shizuka, who he thinks was the favored child.
Meanwhile, masochist Sakutaro enjoys being treated like shit by sadist Shizuka. Shizuka keeps Sakutaro on a yo-yo of uncertainty and yes/no/push/pull BS and Sakutaro keeps going back for more. Shizuka the sadist keeps yanking Sakutaro's chain, probably because it's what his brother does to him.
Of course, none of these gentle, soft-spoken Japanese gentlemen would admit in a hundred years that they were doing any of this. Being direct is not the JP way.
1 
1 
So, in other words, I don't think it IS great writing, at least that aspect of it. Which isn't to say I don't like the story as a whole so far.
As I mentioned, what's frustrating is that I believe all of these absurdities, except the key one, the rescuer being the boxer, could have been written to feel like natural occurences, rather than lazy, writerly short-cuts.
After all, what are the chances of me running into my cyber friend on the subway in NYC? 20M to ONE!
I don't know that it's "Western," but it's a gay-themed series, not a classic Asian BL.
Yes, I like it a lot.
I ended up watching through episode 3 and would keep going, but it's almost 5am here, so I need to crash. But, yes, yes, yes! It's very good. :)
Yikes! There...at the very end. Is that who I think it is...?
The drama is quite good. If it weren't nearly 5am here, I'd likely binge the rest of it.
So, I'll do that tomorrow night.
A lot of lovely moments in this episode.
1. Two closeted, handsome, Asian immigrant gay dudes happen to sit in opposite halves of the same church confessional in the whitest city in Europe, Berlin.
2. They sit there at exactly the same time.
The above is actually about five coincidences, but whatever.
3. Said gay dudes are put in the same hospital emergency room recovery area.
4. Even though one dude got up and left while the other was still unconscious, somehow the unconscious one got released, dressed, and out the front door in time to catch up with the one who left.
5. The gay dude who rescued the other gay dude from a church fire happens to be one of the featured boxers at a match the rescued one's friend happens to take him to.
6. A random Asian chick who happens to be the sister of the rescuer/boxer, just happens to sit RIGHT NEXT TO the guy her brother rescued from the fire.
7. Asian sister throws down with some guy twice her size after brother throws the boxing match, and the rescued gay guy's friend decides to rescue HER, even though she's barely bigger and does not know the sister.
8. The sister happens to know SIX languages, so that they can all communicate even though they're from KO/JP.
See what I mean? :D
Now, one big coincidence can work for me because such things DO happen in real life.
I have a very good cyber friend who I communicated with for five years while he lived in New York City and I lived far away. We never met and did not make plans to meet, but I did go to NYC now and then. About two years after we met online, I rode the subway in NYC, a city of more than 20M people. Who should walk onto the very same subway car and sit two rows in front of me...? My cyber friend. :)
But, that's one amazing coincidence.
Above, I listed about 16.
I'm all a-glow. :)
Loving the first-rate production values/acting/direction, etc.
Great vibes so far, with one caveat: I can get on board with one, maybe two, super-convenient coincidences or improbabilities in a flick/drama, but they're pushing my limit here already. ;) Not that I'd stop watching, but plot devices like this that could fairly easily be written another way or made to not seem so outlandish, distract me from a story.
If you wonder what I'm talking about, check the spoiler below.
Lastly, I wish to god Korean idols/actors would STOP with the plastic surgery.
That's another thing that distracts me, and after seven years of watching Asian cinema/dramas and following some minimal Kpop, I can spot a nose job a mile away, particularly the Korean ones that tend to look eerily similar. Far too many K-performers look like siblings or first cousins; it's spooky, b ut also true. It's that ski-slope inward/downward curve that always gives the rhinoplasties away.
I've no doubt Ok Taec Yon was a handsome dude B4 the work he had done.
It blows my mind that young people like him go under the knife and lose their natural good looks.
It's sad.
So, anyway, I'll be noticing that fake nose every time he's in profile, quarter, or three-quarter, and wondering how much of Hwang Jo Han's boxing $$$ he blew on plastic surgery. :D
How is this boring?
Never mind...forget I asked.
What a treat!
I had not paid close attention prior to watching this, and thought I'd be watching a MOVIE.
So, when I click onto Netflix and discover it's an 8-episode drama instead, I was like, YAY.
But then, I've seen, and dropped, a lot of Asian dramas that pack into 12 episodes what would have made one, good, 2-hour movie, so I was apprehensive going in.
But...episode 1 ROCKS.
Being pathetic and eager to watch this, I started at 2am where I am in the US, so probably will do one more episode and call it a night.
Have to say...coming here to leave this comment, I saw part of a comment just below mine that felt like it might be a spoiler. If anyone sees this, and that IS a spoiler, please tell the moron who left it to put it behind a spoiler button. Thanks.
And if it's not a spoiler and they're not a moron...thanks anyway. :)
I'm stoked! :D
How many straight romance movies or dramas do you know of in which there is NO physical expression of love/affection, let alone sex?
And why are you running interference for possible disappointment in this regard?
Also, they're gay men, not "queers."
I see them as entirely equals in all ways, other than differences in temperament that are complimentary to each other.
The physical aspect has a lot to do with that, but I hadn't consciously made the connection.
That's the opposite of what I'm saying.
Anyway, never mind. Have a great day.
Unbelievable.
Not gonna argue with that load of delusional excuse-making.
If this were real life, you'd be an enabler of these kind of people.
That's about as passive-aggressive as it gets.
What he's saying is that he knew good and well when he asked the other guy to move in, that he was moving OUT, but he chose not to mention that. And no, that's not something you "forget." That's just one example.
Ummm...yes, I know what sadomasochism is. lol
I do not mean it in a sexual sense, I mean it in an emotional/psychological sense. Of course, I'm exaggerating a tad to make my point.
Shizuka masochistically enjoys being treated like shit by his older brother, but he keeps allowing it to happen, as he has his whole life.
His brother sadistically enjoys treating Shizuka like shit because he feels his father treated HIM like shit, so what better revenge than to shit on Shizuka, who he thinks was the favored child.
Meanwhile, masochist Sakutaro enjoys being treated like shit by sadist Shizuka.
Shizuka keeps Sakutaro on a yo-yo of uncertainty and yes/no/push/pull BS and Sakutaro keeps going back for more.
Shizuka the sadist keeps yanking Sakutaro's chain, probably because it's what his brother does to him.
Of course, none of these gentle, soft-spoken Japanese gentlemen would admit in a hundred years that they were doing any of this. Being direct is not the JP way.
That's my take.
"While grants generally do not have to be repaid..."
The "poor woman," lol.