It's not so much about the age gap as it is about the actor being close to 20 years older than the role he's playing.
They say in the drama that he's "almost 30", and there's characters talking about how that's why he has to get married, it's at the beginning episodes of the show. So he was written AS a young character. At least if you consider late 20's to be young, anyways. He wasn't written as like the literal mythical god of war, I think it's like the honorary title they bestowed upon him. But he has no special godlike abilities, he's just a 29 year old normal mortal guy.
For me, it's because the character is supposed to be not-quite-30, and he clearly is nowhere near that. And also…
mehhhy but were they even really married though? The fact that she ended up hitched to him was pretty bullshit to begin with, and he wasn't nice to her when he came back at all... from an outsider's point of view, she was being abused, and the marraige was on iffy technical and moral grounds, really. I mean I do get what you're saying though. But I just ship the 2ML because he's hot, so of course I'd come up with any reason to defend him.
If I were 2ML, I'd try to steal her, and if I was FL, I'd pray someone sexy and nice would come and try to steal me. She married his coffin under an assumed identity. She stayed in the rain for him and got her dress all poisoned and all that stuff, and he still didn't treat her very well for quite some time... but she stayed because where else is she gonna go. From the moment her parents gave her away to get buried with the dead husband, she's been basically destitute, homeless, penniless, no support network whatsoever, and she has to ingratiate herself to the ML in order to survive. The power balance is so off, she can't really fall in love, she can only do what she has to to survive. He treats her like shit, so she makes him candy and smiles harder. And still he treats her like shit, so still she tries harder. That's not a healthy response, really. But without his grace, she'll starve in the street. After all that (family trying to kill her, nanny dying, ML treating her like crap, poisoned dress etc), she's probably Stockholmed.
So.... I think sexy 2ML is somewhat justified. Just personally.
For me, it's because the character is supposed to be not-quite-30, and he clearly is nowhere near that. And also…
Well, that's what I mean, he should have just marched straight over there, and hurt him badly. Instead he LARPed as the FL and cut her off from him, even though he knows she likes him and respects him. That's not very alpha. The alpha thing to do, instead of being so deceptive and weaselly and manipulative.... is to just beat the shit out of him. I could have respected him if he'd done that.
I don't see a problem with their age gap. The story is really about their age differences and Shen Keyi is called…
The archetypal pairing of ML(power/security) + FL(beauty) that naturally lends itself to big age gaps where the man is older than the woman by a lot... is really fairly cross-cultural and timeless. Same thing with multiple wives.
Some people are squeamish or not cool with those ideas, and some people are more accepting. I for one, fall into the former category.
I STILL don't get why, if they knew going in that they were going to cast a gizzardy 50 year old for the ML role, then why the F*CK did they cast such an attractive 2ML?!?! That's not how this works, that's not how any of this works.
Im really enjoying this. Mainly because any angst doesnt really last long but they have ramped it up the last…
For me, it's because the character is supposed to be not-quite-30, and he clearly is nowhere near that. And also the rubbish hair and makeup doesn't help. There were even some closeups where you can see his wig-line pretty clearly, with the little dot-pattern and everything.
Another thing he did that pissed me off, was the 2ML slingshotted that letter over the fence to the FL telling her he'll try to bust her out... and the ML impersonated the FL and wrote a letter back telling the 2ML to fuck off basically. THAT IS NOT KEW!!! It's taking the FL's choices and her freedom away from her. It would have been WAY more manly and alpha to get the 2ML letter, read it, and then come marching outside to say "hey, stay the fuck away from my woman!" Or better yet. To give the FL the letter and say "you're free to choose what to do, but I hope you decide to stay, and even if you leave, I won't give up trying to win you back." But what he did there was horrible. Just imo.
And the kiss scenes.... it looks like Michael Douglas making out with a cheerleader or something. I can't concentrate on anything but his strange looking neck. Seriously where were the stylists on this one. Even if they had just draped his hair over his shoulder to cover his neck and throat it would have been less distracting.
Im thinking Who in their right mind would want to watch this absolute horrifyingly inappropriate angst ridden…
It's not horrifying. You know what IS horrifying is you goose-stepping into the comments section of a show you have no interest in, and demand strangers to get doxxy on a public forum just to satisfy your smug need for confrontation and moral superiority. Do you smell your own farts too?
So your disappointed the weird horrible inappropriate relationship wasnt inappropriate enough
If that were the case, why would I even bother watching at all. I don't tend to start -let alone finish - dramas with a premise I find morally repugnant. I can't imagine why anyone would. Reminds me of the pearl-clutchers who watched Hidden Love and then screeched about the age gap. If it's the main reason why YOU don't like it, that's fine with me idgaf.
In real life he is dating a 25 year old.😂😂😂
I figured that must be why they gave him the role. Like in America, George Clooney and Sean Connery were both playing younger parts well past their prime, due entirely to their fame-level.
In my opinion, if people can accept older female lead characters, then they should accept older male lead characters…
The script is written for a 30yo ML character. Idgaf how old the guy is, but he can't pass as a 30yo character. And I don't like it when it's a 45yo female trying to pass as a 30yo character either. Not that I ever recall seeing such a thing... It's the same if an 18yo actor was cast to play a 12yo character. Or a bunch of late 20's/early 30's actors playing high school students. It has to at least be plausible ffs. What is this telling people what they "should" do.
So your disappointed the weird horrible inappropriate relationship wasnt inappropriate enough
The actors were unconvincing, imo. Gong Yoo was too old to be playing a HS student, and the ML/FL chemistry felt flat. Which is funny, because both of those actors separately are really really good in other things I've seen. But put them together, and idk.... I just didn't think it was such a good pairing.
If I were 2ML, I'd try to steal her, and if I was FL, I'd pray someone sexy and nice would come and try to steal me. She married his coffin under an assumed identity. She stayed in the rain for him and got her dress all poisoned and all that stuff, and he still didn't treat her very well for quite some time... but she stayed because where else is she gonna go. From the moment her parents gave her away to get buried with the dead husband, she's been basically destitute, homeless, penniless, no support network whatsoever, and she has to ingratiate herself to the ML in order to survive. The power balance is so off, she can't really fall in love, she can only do what she has to to survive. He treats her like shit, so she makes him candy and smiles harder. And still he treats her like shit, so still she tries harder. That's not a healthy response, really. But without his grace, she'll starve in the street. After all that (family trying to kill her, nanny dying, ML treating her like crap, poisoned dress etc), she's probably Stockholmed.
So.... I think sexy 2ML is somewhat justified. Just personally.
it's right there in your comment.
Some people are squeamish or not cool with those ideas, and some people are more accepting. I for one, fall into the former category.
I STILL don't get why, if they knew going in that they were going to cast a gizzardy 50 year old for the ML role, then why the F*CK did they cast such an attractive 2ML?!?! That's not how this works, that's not how any of this works.
Irrelevant.
Another thing he did that pissed me off, was the 2ML slingshotted that letter over the fence to the FL telling her he'll try to bust her out... and the ML impersonated the FL and wrote a letter back telling the 2ML to fuck off basically. THAT IS NOT KEW!!! It's taking the FL's choices and her freedom away from her. It would have been WAY more manly and alpha to get the 2ML letter, read it, and then come marching outside to say "hey, stay the fuck away from my woman!" Or better yet. To give the FL the letter and say "you're free to choose what to do, but I hope you decide to stay, and even if you leave, I won't give up trying to win you back." But what he did there was horrible. Just imo.
And the kiss scenes.... it looks like Michael Douglas making out with a cheerleader or something. I can't concentrate on anything but his strange looking neck. Seriously where were the stylists on this one. Even if they had just draped his hair over his shoulder to cover his neck and throat it would have been less distracting.
Mkay.