*just finished binging the entire series for the first time* gotta sit this out for like a week or two to process my feelings about vegaspete i think they f--king broke me
Which one will win, the calculated, angsty build-up of this episode OR Shin Woo smiling with a flower behind his ear? I think the answer is easy :') Hoping lots of smiles from him in the finale! Also hoping we get some special episodes afterwards (a second season seems less likely) because, even if SW and TK do end up together, I need to see more of them :(
I really hope Nam Goong & So Hee do not end up together. Does anyone agree?
It's a bit late in the story for them to suddenly go out, but it could end in a way that indicates they might try dating? Idk, I'm pretty neutral about it, so maybe I prefer an open ending regarding their relationship.
the only plot twist I want right now is Nam Goong having feelings for Daon. my heart can't handle anything else.
Making the viewers think Nam Goong might be interested in Soo Hee, while he's been secretly into her crush.. now that would be the wildest plot twist. Of course I'm like 99% sure that's not the case at all, but it still makes me laugh thinking about it. Tfw you love your pal so much it looks gay :')
Episode 14 had me holding my breath the entire time, their date was just too wholesome. Not sure if I'm ready to welcome the next (and last) week, but it's been a joy :)
Constantly impressed by Namgoong's emotional intelligence. His way of confirming if Soo Hee was the one who leaked the picture was so smooth! He could have just snapped at her to force an answer from her but no, he gave Soo Hee the opportunity to speak out. A very smart and mature approach. Love him :) I'm so thankful that he isn't just a comic relief type of character (like he seemed to be in the beginning), this story needs him.
Rewatched the scene with Shinwoo leaving food for the cat and of course I've seen this exact scenario a thousand times before in teen romance content but who cares. I'm a sucker for all of this.
Well it just keeps getting better, isn't it :) I have a LOT of thoughts right now, but let me write down something…
Anyway, with all of this in mind, the two of them having so many things in common makes me understand better why Soo Hee is so keen on Da On. It's not just her being in love with him (if we could even call it that), maybe it's also because she thinks he is just like her. I'd argue she's 100% sure about it, that they are perfect for each other, which explain her stubborn "I am the one who knows him the best" mindset. Basically, she refuses to accept a different reality, even when it's right under her nose. And Da On has been dismissing her all this time, but it didn't break her motivation at all, since 1) he never outwardly rejected her due to his struggle of giving a genuine answer to anyone and 2) she's been expecting him to eventually give in. And I think it might have happened if it weren't for Taekyung showing up - which completely changes the course of things.
This brings me to the final idea of this long ass essay I'm writing here: what sets them apart right now is the fact that Soo Hee doesn't seem to see a problem with the way she is acting (see: Shinwoo and Namgoog spelling it out for her without any effect), while Da On struggles with himself more and more.
And that's thanks to Taekyung, whose honesty affects both of them in different ways: Soo Hee is at her worst; for her, the only (and easiest) option for her not to end up being hurt is to harm the one she (supposedly) cares about. On the other hand, Da On might be facing a moment of realization that this is not how he wishes to be after all (even if his current actions are harmful for Taekyung and himself). It's so difficult for them to change though, they've been dishonest and in-control for a very long time, so whatever's going to happen in the remaining episodes will tell us if they are ready (or not) to change.
I think Da On will definitely change (his contradictory behavior shows that), otherwise this whole plot would have been a waste. But Soo Hee, I can't say for sure, she might still have a chance of redemption and maybe that's because I don't see her as an actual mean person (not that I condone to the harmful things she's been doing, she just doesn't give me the full vibe of someone truly hateful, you know? she's just incredibly selfish and needs to understand that the hard way for sure).
Alright THAT'S where I'm ending this Soo Hee/Da On analysis and I appreciate anyone taking their time to read all of this :) Thank you! I haven't rewatched any episode, so maybe I'm missing some details, but whatever. Very excited to see the climax coming up.
Well it just keeps getting better, isn't it :) I have a LOT of thoughts right now, but let me write down something I was left thinking about when the episode ended. It's about Soo Hee.
Okay so, I was waiting to see what direction the writers have for her character and it seems like she's the blueprint of a Korean female "villain" in romantic shows like these. She makes you feel angry and gives the main characters a hard time, that's her job. And I don't mind that her personality feels predictable, because, for me, it becomes less superficial when you compare her with the other main characters, especially with Da On.
Brace yourself, this is a bit long omg.
Soo Hee and Da On: These two characters are quite similar and I'm going to dig a bit into this connection they have.
Da On, we know by now that he's a complete people pleaser. That tells us he's got a very fragile sense of self and, as we see in this episode, as expected, he cannot handle his own image being changed into something he doesn't have control over. The way people see him serves as his own made-up definition of who he is (a nice, perfect, reliable classmate and friend). This matter is so crucial to him, he would sacrifice his own happiness to the fake comfort of dishonesty. There's a lot we haven't been told, but the hints point at possible family trauma - aka his parents have ridiculously high expectations of him, or something like that. It's a pretty common trope and he does give off that vibe, but we'll see.
Soo Hee's personality is ALL about being in control as well, but the thing that sets them apart is the approach. She's more straight-forward and vocal about it, that's why she gets visibly upset in front of others/doesn't hold herself back, whereas Da On hides the way he feels when he's bothered by something. Soo Hee is definitely the persistent type of person, she behaves in a way to intimidate others, which of course serves her need to be in control at all times. And who needs to be so cautious? Obviously someone who doesn't want to get hurt.
Having said this, it's obvious that both Da On and Soo Hee use manipulation to obtain the results that makes them feel safe or satisfied: direct manipulation (SH) and indirect/passive manipulation (DO). Now, of course manipulation isn't an inherently bad thing, it's human nature and it's very common for teens to rely on it, because they're in the process of growing up as people. This only makes the story feel very in touch with reality, so that's great!
That kissing scene threw me off so badly, what was the point of it? Literally zero contribution to the episode. We know Aaron is a very kissable man but come on. If they wanted to show skinship that badly, Shi Lei was obviously the better choice.. this series makes me want to get drunk.
THAT being said, the episode wasn't terrible, I liked some parts of it (especially Yu Zhen realizing he needs to reflect on his own feelings and actions) but I really don't vibe at all with the implications regarding the ex's intentions and involvement :/ let's see how this ends I guess.
So happy with the pace of this series so far. The development is linear and well-written, same with the atmosphere…
Also, as others pointed out, there's so much foreshadowing in ep. 8, that's exciting! I have to say though, Shinwoo's subtle in-love smiles are killing me, it's so cute to see him gradually allowing himself to embrace his own feelings instead of rejecting them out of fear. It's a solid point for his self development, even if he doesn't end up with Taekyung in the end. I'm definitely here for him stepping it up :) Maybe there will be more moments of Shinwoo being unsure (it feels more realistic that way, given his personality), but to see him facing forward is very refreshing. Cannot express how frustrating it is when it takes until the last episode for a character to act up.
So happy with the pace of this series so far. The development is linear and well-written, same with the atmosphere of every episode and it's great to see how each character has its own role instead of being shadowed by something important happening between others. Great work :)
So I finally binged this series and the way I see it, I think that whatever's happening between Taekyung and Da-on at the moment is ultimately going to help their development! I mean, I can see why Da-on would be genuinely attracted to Tae and how it could change him as a person (right now, it looks like he's on THIN ice all the time despite the perfect image he's trying to preserve). As for Taekyung, being mislead by someone so nice when you aren't used to having friends is a pretty interesting premise. At least this is the plot direction I'm hoping for out of this "love triangle".. there's a lot of potential. Shinwoo.. is it just me or does he have second lead syndrome vibes although he's the MC?? tbh this only makes him even more endearing :') I'm rooting for him so badly!!!
EDIT: Forgot to mention that I spotted a picture of the original Tournee du Chat Noir (The Black Cat) in Shiwoo's room which is historically linked to cabaret. That's a form of art from the previous century that really helped lgbtq people shine and feel free despite the oppression back then. Not sure if it's intentional or just a random aesthetic choice, but it stood out to me :)
The acting felt smoother this episode, the editing too, the fashion was great... and that's about it. I wish the writers would stop sabotaging every good thing in this show.
people are saying it's possible that netflix picked it up? which is why there are no subs yet. god, it better be just a rumour or else, f*** it i'll do it myself.
stop feeding this man comedies, he deserves a main role in a solid series. nothing will top cruel city, obviously, but we know how remarkable his potential is. i'm still going to give it a try though because i'm very fond of him and he's always amazing, but i wish he'd get what he deserves once in a while.
1 
This brings me to the final idea of this long ass essay I'm writing here: what sets them apart right now is the fact that Soo Hee doesn't seem to see a problem with the way she is acting (see: Shinwoo and Namgoog spelling it out for her without any effect), while Da On struggles with himself more and more.
And that's thanks to Taekyung, whose honesty affects both of them in different ways: Soo Hee is at her worst; for her, the only (and easiest) option for her not to end up being hurt is to harm the one she (supposedly) cares about. On the other hand, Da On might be facing a moment of realization that this is not how he wishes to be after all (even if his current actions are harmful for Taekyung and himself). It's so difficult for them to change though, they've been dishonest and in-control for a very long time, so whatever's going to happen in the remaining episodes will tell us if they are ready (or not) to change.
I think Da On will definitely change (his contradictory behavior shows that), otherwise this whole plot would have been a waste. But Soo Hee, I can't say for sure, she might still have a chance of redemption and maybe that's because I don't see her as an actual mean person (not that I condone to the harmful things she's been doing, she just doesn't give me the full vibe of someone truly hateful, you know? she's just incredibly selfish and needs to understand that the hard way for sure).
Alright THAT'S where I'm ending this Soo Hee/Da On analysis and I appreciate anyone taking their time to read all of this :) Thank you! I haven't rewatched any episode, so maybe I'm missing some details, but whatever. Very excited to see the climax coming up.
(And more Shinwoo ofc, he's insanely cute)
2/2
Okay so, I was waiting to see what direction the writers have for her character and it seems like she's the blueprint of a Korean female "villain" in romantic shows like these. She makes you feel angry and gives the main characters a hard time, that's her job. And I don't mind that her personality feels predictable, because, for me, it becomes less superficial when you compare her with the other main characters, especially with Da On.
Brace yourself, this is a bit long omg.
Soo Hee and Da On: These two characters are quite similar and I'm going to dig a bit into this connection they have.
Da On, we know by now that he's a complete people pleaser. That tells us he's got a very fragile sense of self and, as we see in this episode, as expected, he cannot handle his own image being changed into something he doesn't have control over. The way people see him serves as his own made-up definition of who he is (a nice, perfect, reliable classmate and friend). This matter is so crucial to him, he would sacrifice his own happiness to the fake comfort of dishonesty. There's a lot we haven't been told, but the hints point at possible family trauma - aka his parents have ridiculously high expectations of him, or something like that. It's a pretty common trope and he does give off that vibe, but we'll see.
Soo Hee's personality is ALL about being in control as well, but the thing that sets them apart is the approach. She's more straight-forward and vocal about it, that's why she gets visibly upset in front of others/doesn't hold herself back, whereas Da On hides the way he feels when he's bothered by something. Soo Hee is definitely the persistent type of person, she behaves in a way to intimidate others, which of course serves her need to be in control at all times. And who needs to be so cautious? Obviously someone who doesn't want to get hurt.
Having said this, it's obvious that both Da On and Soo Hee use manipulation to obtain the results that makes them feel safe or satisfied: direct manipulation (SH) and indirect/passive manipulation (DO). Now, of course manipulation isn't an inherently bad thing, it's human nature and it's very common for teens to rely on it, because they're in the process of growing up as people. This only makes the story feel very in touch with reality, so that's great!
1/2
THAT being said, the episode wasn't terrible, I liked some parts of it (especially Yu Zhen realizing he needs to reflect on his own feelings and actions) but I really don't vibe at all with the implications regarding the ex's intentions and involvement :/ let's see how this ends I guess.
EDIT: Forgot to mention that I spotted a picture of the original Tournee du Chat Noir (The Black Cat) in Shiwoo's room which is historically linked to cabaret. That's a form of art from the previous century that really helped lgbtq people shine and feel free despite the oppression back then. Not sure if it's intentional or just a random aesthetic choice, but it stood out to me :)
stop feeding this man comedies, he deserves a main role in a solid series. nothing will top cruel city, obviously, but we know how remarkable his potential is. i'm still going to give it a try though because i'm very fond of him and he's always amazing, but i wish he'd get what he deserves once in a while.