Between LISB and this, which would you say is better? I did like the "life lessons" aspect of LISB eventhough…
I'd have to say this show is at least more interesting than LISB, because at least it has the balls to show one of the MC as a complete, mean shithead bastard. I mean, he came back to his ex's apartment just so he could bang some twink in his bed. Then, he made his big speech about how noble and righteous he is for his honesty, blah blah blah...lecturing the documentary director and 100% humiliating his ex in front of her.
He has a point about the documentary being a sham, but instead of refusing to participate in it, then moving out like a decent person, he did what he did.
Again, I love deep gray characters who a plot gives me reasons to find myself understanding, at least a little, but this guy...wow, he's like deep charcoal gray, you know? lol
LISB's most offensive aspect was how boring it was. Another way the two shows are similar to me is that for the first two or three episodes I had reasons to like both of the leads, at least a bit.
I am all for gray-area characters, especially lead characters who challenge my assumptions/prejudices/biases. But Itsuki is written as such an irredeemably nasty asshole, a surly, lazy, arrogant brat, from the very first minutes of episode 1, that I don't see how anything credibly interesting comes of this story going forward.
If the script tries to make us sympathize with him after the developments of episode 4, it risks seeming absurd. If Yuma forgives and forgets, it makes him into a codependent doormat, unworthy of our sympathy, too. The only way to deal with a person like Itsuki is to run screaming in the other direction, no matter how much it hurts.
The above, and other reasons, are why this show has been giving "Life In Smokey Blue," another JP show in which two codependent, unsympathetic MCs left me cold.
Like, LISB, this show's next episode teaser scenes are likewise cut to be annoyingly misleading. Last week's teaser scenes deliberately made it seem that Itsuki had banged the documentary cameraman, not the little queen we ended up seeing him with. I should have known better...
Anyway...I will certainly keep watching; who knows, maybe this will surprise me, but I don't see how it will do so in any believable way.
Finally, while the issues the side story involving the documentary director's struggle with sexism and male jerks is totally worthy of focus, this is the wrong place for it. In a short drama, there's barely enough time to cover the MC, let alone all this secondary stuff.
After nine chapters of exciting, moving, cathartic, well-acted storytelling, t is difficult to imagine a more disappointing final episode than this one.
Cheese out the ass. Nauseating, saccharine sentimentality out the ass. Tropes, cliches, and stupidities out the ass. Massive implausibilities far beyond the capacity of the suspension of disbelief I eagerly granted during the rest of the show to overcome them...also, out the ass.
Sure, there was a smattering of the above during the earlier episodes, things that made me half roll my eyes, but never enough to make me stop watching. The finale dialed all of that up to a thousand.
Seriously, I wouldn't know where to start in listing all the things wrong with this finale. It's as though an entirely different set of writers, with a replacement director, took over like the ERPB invading a crime-ridden high school, and produced a giant turd to shit all over the excellence of what went before.
The only positive aspect of this last episode is that it left me far less sad than I would have been, to see it all end.
Wow. I would easily have rated this series at least a 9/10 up to the last episode. But, in light of the fact that the finale does, indeed, exist... Episodes 1-9: 9/10 Episode 10: 4/10 Overall: 7/10
I have a feeling the suits at Netflix leaned on the production to provide a cheesy, over-the-top, Hollywood/American-style, feel-good ending so all the dolts here in the US would eat it up. How embarrassing for all involved.
Strap yourself in, it's a wild and tough ride, but well worth the effort.Are you a teacher?
"Cathartic" is what I wrote in all-caps in my first comment here after watching episode 1. I've seen so many kids beaten up in Korean bully flicks and dramas that I feel this show is serving justice up for all of them.
I don't think that's an accident, either. There are several instances throughout the show in which we see a bully or other nefarious person get slapped or punched around, even after they're down. The first time took me back, but, hey, that's part of what this show offers up, and I'm here for it.
And if anyone thinks these cases are far-fetched, they haven't read enough about bullying in Korean schools. I have, and it's mind-blowing. Also horrible is how the parents are..f**king nuts.
Episode 9: WOW I knew that little shit was up to something, but this exceeded the bounds of even my twisted imagination. This show is killing me. I should have been in bed two hours ago, but I'm finding it impossible not to click on the "next episode" button. heeeeeeeellllllllllpppppppppppp meeeeeeeeeee!!!
Episode 8: I can't be the only one watching who wanted that eomma to die a horrible death. She doesn't deserve that handsome son.
I know some things have to be conveyed in shorthand due to time constraints, but Im Han Rim and Bong Geun Dae becoming the kid's hands-on addiction nurses and counselors was stretching it a bit. :D
And NO hospital would let somebody in severe withdrawal from drugs or alcohol go cold turkey like that. Not only is it barbaric and unnecessary, but withdrawal like that can kill. People have seizures and heart attacks coming off of shit like that, cold-turkey. At the very least, he would be given Valium, which eases the symptoms of withdrawal. Don't ask how I know. :P
Episode 7: Romance! This show is damn near perfect, and it's not even my kind of thing. :P
I'm impressed with how they're totally going with a sort of revenge-by-proxy, where we see bullies, gamblers, thieves, etc. get the shit beaten out of them even after the good guy has already won. Just full-on punishment shit going down here.
Fight scenes are expertly choreographed and executed. Not only that, but the way they are filmed is wildly creative and makes the scenes doubly exciting. Wow.
You are blowing my mind in "Teach You a Lesson." I despise your character, but admire your acting. Wow!
Most impressive is that you took me from loathing your character for most of the episode 6, to feeling a spark of compassion as he began to understand how his victims felt. Well done!
Some people smoke. I don't; I think it's gross. But some people smoke IRL, so some people smoke in movies. Actually,…
So, even though you know it is stinky and gross and bad for you, if you moved to France, you would start smoking? When you see a murder mystery film, do you feel tempted to go murder someone?
If someone tries smoking because they saw it in a film or drama, they were probably going to smoke anyway. That's on them.
No other women on Earth can shriek like Korean women can shriek. Not even close. :) I've needed an excuse to mention this for a very long time. The female ERPB officer is hilarious, the way she can finish off a shouted command with an ear-piercing high tone...ouch!
The computer nerd on the ERPB gets more entertaining with each episode. I sense romance in the air.
I'm blown away by the performances of the actors playing students. In this episode, the bullied girl and the lead bully do some gobsmackingly powerful work. I hated him intensely but at the same time admired the actor who was portraying him. The actress playing the girl had me in tears with her realistic performance. Outstanding.
To this point, all the actors playing parents have been great, too. B*st Kdrama I've seen in a long time.
I thought Korea was #1.What country occupies that spot?
Sorry. :P I was totally joking. See the little winking/smiling symbols right after that statement? Yes, the last thing I would do is give that asshole the satisfaction.
I thought Korea was #1.What country occupies that spot?
Sorry. :P I was totally joking. See the little winking/smiling symbols right after that statement? Yes, the last thing I would do is give that asshole the satisfaction.
Although, for about 3 weeks after he won the election in 2024, I was a bit of a wreck as were many, many other sane people. I didn't sleep for three nights. It was horrible. We are such a f*cked-up country.
I thought Korea was #1.What country occupies that spot?
Oh my gosh, yes. That show was powerful.
I just looked, and the US suicide rate is #5 out of 38 OECD nations. Obviously, we have plenty of problems here that drive people to extreme measures. :(
I thought Korea was #1.What country occupies that spot?
Oh, usually Korea is ranked #1 among OECD (Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development) nations. Several countries in Africa and SC Asia have higher rates of suicide than Korea, but OECD rankings are a more accurate picture, comparing Korea to its peer nations.
I'm American. I'm curious why you thought the US would have a high rate of suicide. I've considered it myself since Tr*mp seized power 18 months ago. ;)
1 
1 
He has a point about the documentary being a sham, but instead of refusing to participate in it, then moving out like a decent person, he did what he did.
Again, I love deep gray characters who a plot gives me reasons to find myself understanding, at least a little, but this guy...wow, he's like deep charcoal gray, you know? lol
LISB's most offensive aspect was how boring it was.
Another way the two shows are similar to me is that for the first two or three episodes I had reasons to like both of the leads, at least a bit.
What do you mean?
My god.
I am all for gray-area characters, especially lead characters who challenge my assumptions/prejudices/biases.
But Itsuki is written as such an irredeemably nasty asshole, a surly, lazy, arrogant brat, from the very first minutes of episode 1, that I don't see how anything credibly interesting comes of this story going forward.
If the script tries to make us sympathize with him after the developments of episode 4, it risks seeming absurd.
If Yuma forgives and forgets, it makes him into a codependent doormat, unworthy of our sympathy, too. The only way to deal with a person like Itsuki is to run screaming in the other direction, no matter how much it hurts.
The above, and other reasons, are why this show has been giving "Life In Smokey Blue," another JP show in which two codependent, unsympathetic MCs left me cold.
Like, LISB, this show's next episode teaser scenes are likewise cut to be annoyingly misleading. Last week's teaser scenes deliberately made it seem that Itsuki had banged the documentary cameraman, not the little queen we ended up seeing him with. I should have known better...
Anyway...I will certainly keep watching; who knows, maybe this will surprise me, but I don't see how it will do so in any believable way.
Finally, while the issues the side story involving the documentary director's struggle with sexism and male jerks is totally worthy of focus, this is the wrong place for it. In a short drama, there's barely enough time to cover the MC, let alone all this secondary stuff.
Only you and other kentz desperate for a made-up scandal would refer to that excellent piece as the "n-word manhwa."
Sort of like calling "Teach You a Lesson" the "unjustified use of government violence against innocent students" drama.
Lord.
Terrible wrap-up.
After nine chapters of exciting, moving, cathartic, well-acted storytelling, t is difficult to imagine a more disappointing final episode than this one.
Cheese out the ass.
Nauseating, saccharine sentimentality out the ass.
Tropes, cliches, and stupidities out the ass.
Massive implausibilities far beyond the capacity of the suspension of disbelief I eagerly granted during the rest of the show to overcome them...also, out the ass.
Sure, there was a smattering of the above during the earlier episodes, things that made me half roll my eyes, but never enough to make me stop watching. The finale dialed all of that up to a thousand.
Seriously, I wouldn't know where to start in listing all the things wrong with this finale.
It's as though an entirely different set of writers, with a replacement director, took over like the ERPB invading a crime-ridden high school, and produced a giant turd to shit all over the excellence of what went before.
The only positive aspect of this last episode is that it left me far less sad than I would have been, to see it all end.
Wow.
I would easily have rated this series at least a 9/10 up to the last episode.
But, in light of the fact that the finale does, indeed, exist...
Episodes 1-9: 9/10
Episode 10: 4/10
Overall: 7/10
I have a feeling the suits at Netflix leaned on the production to provide a cheesy, over-the-top, Hollywood/American-style, feel-good ending so all the dolts here in the US would eat it up.
How embarrassing for all involved.
I don't think that's an accident, either. There are several instances throughout the show in which we see a bully or other nefarious person get slapped or punched around, even after they're down. The first time took me back, but, hey, that's part of what this show offers up, and I'm here for it.
And if anyone thinks these cases are far-fetched, they haven't read enough about bullying in Korean schools. I have, and it's mind-blowing. Also horrible is how the parents are..f**king nuts.
WOW
I knew that little shit was up to something, but this exceeded the bounds of even my twisted imagination.
This show is killing me.
I should have been in bed two hours ago, but I'm finding it impossible not to click on the "next episode" button. heeeeeeeellllllllllpppppppppppp meeeeeeeeeee!!!
Are you a teacher?
For real.
I can't be the only one watching who wanted that eomma to die a horrible death.
She doesn't deserve that handsome son.
I know some things have to be conveyed in shorthand due to time constraints, but Im Han Rim and
Bong Geun Dae becoming the kid's hands-on addiction nurses and counselors was stretching it a bit. :D
And NO hospital would let somebody in severe withdrawal from drugs or alcohol go cold turkey like that. Not only is it barbaric and unnecessary, but withdrawal like that can kill. People have seizures and heart attacks coming off of shit like that, cold-turkey. At the very least, he would be given Valium, which eases the symptoms of withdrawal.
Don't ask how I know. :P
Romance!
This show is damn near perfect, and it's not even my kind of thing. :P
I'm impressed with how they're totally going with a sort of revenge-by-proxy, where we see bullies, gamblers, thieves, etc. get the shit beaten out of them even after the good guy has already won. Just full-on punishment shit going down here.
Fight scenes are expertly choreographed and executed.
Not only that, but the way they are filmed is wildly creative and makes the scenes doubly exciting.
Wow.
I despise your character, but admire your acting.
Wow!
Most impressive is that you took me from loathing your character for most of the episode 6, to feeling a spark of compassion as he began to understand how his victims felt.
Well done!
When you see a murder mystery film, do you feel tempted to go murder someone?
If someone tries smoking because they saw it in a film or drama, they were probably going to smoke anyway.
That's on them.
Best. Episode. Yet.
No other women on Earth can shriek like Korean women can shriek.
Not even close. :)
I've needed an excuse to mention this for a very long time.
The female ERPB officer is hilarious, the way she can finish off a shouted command with an ear-piercing high tone...ouch!
The computer nerd on the ERPB gets more entertaining with each episode.
I sense romance in the air.
I'm blown away by the performances of the actors playing students.
In this episode, the bullied girl and the lead bully do some gobsmackingly powerful work.
I hated him intensely but at the same time admired the actor who was portraying him.
The actress playing the girl had me in tears with her realistic performance.
Outstanding.
To this point, all the actors playing parents have been great, too.
B*st Kdrama I've seen in a long time.
I was totally joking.
See the little winking/smiling symbols right after that statement?
Yes, the last thing I would do is give that asshole the satisfaction.
I was totally joking.
See the little winking/smiling symbols right after that statement?
Yes, the last thing I would do is give that asshole the satisfaction.
Although, for about 3 weeks after he won the election in 2024, I was a bit of a wreck as were many, many other sane people. I didn't sleep for three nights. It was horrible. We are such a f*cked-up country.
Another stupid, made-up "controversy."
That show was powerful.
I just looked, and the US suicide rate is #5 out of 38 OECD nations.
Obviously, we have plenty of problems here that drive people to extreme measures. :(
But, wow, Korea really is in a league of its own.
https://www.oecd.org/en/data/indicators/suicide-rates.html
I'm American. I'm curious why you thought the US would have a high rate of suicide.
I've considered it myself since Tr*mp seized power 18 months ago. ;)