This review may contain spoilers
Missing a KEY ingredient
I enjoy a good toxic romance as much as the next guy, okay. I’ve enjoyed many a comparable story to this one. The issue I have with this particular toxic romance is that, in order for a toxic romance with a happy ending for the toxic pairing to be good, you need at least 1 of 4 things:
(1) a redeemable quality in the bad guy to make you like him despite everything
(2) a good backstory and redemption arc
(3) both characters are toxic
(4) bad guy has god-level visuals and/or an undeniable aura
This show had NONE of those. So, in my opinion, this was not a successful toxic romance story.
Acting:
Great job all around. Can’t deny that everyone did a good job portraying their characters. Poom and Up were fantastic. I think the casting was good for the most part However, I think they could have gone a different direction. Like, I wouldn’t say the casting for Ming was as good as the casting for Vegas, ya know? His acting was great, but he didn’t have like some sort of mannerism, or a natural swagger, or some sort of physical quality that forced me against my will to root for him despite his actions like other villains or toxic love interests do. It could have been anything. An expression of some sort, just anything to get me to root for him even a little bit. But, alas. None to be found here. Supporting cast was good, they weren’t really in it much, though.
Writing:
Listen… I like the basic concept with the whole stand-in who is a stand-in thing. But good god did they ruin it.
Oookay. So I already mentioned my main issue with this story. But DAMN it really is a serious issue. You NEED to make me root for the bad guy at least a little. At least give me context as to why tf they are the way they are so I can attempt to empathize. Like, I love a flawed character but a flaw is a bruise on an apple and there is a story behind that bruise. Sure, you can have a rotten apple character. But if you want that rotten apple to have a happy ending, you gotta do something to either make me understand the apple, like the apple, and/or desire the apple. NOW Joe… obviously he’s a loveable and pitiable lil guy. I do not for the life of me see what he saw in Ming. I can’t wrap my head around it. No shot that a man with a face like his was NEVER propositioned by someone before Ming in that truck, but he acted like he’s never been desired before, and that led him to somehow fall deeply in love within a matter of days. Idk, man… Nothing made sense with that guy. No real redemption arc here and no repercussions. Even the weird plot change to making Mr Papa Big Money the bad guy for a hot sec was executed so poorly. Idk, this was just a waste of a decent concept.
Chemistry/Romance/Kissing:
I felt like there was chemistry in the beginning of the story, but I couldn’t really feel it for the rest. Like, they had better chemistry when Ming viewed Joe as Tong’s replacement. This was not a well-executed romance. The kissing was fine.
NC Scenes:
Pretty solid stuff with the direction they went with them. I think the decision to write and shoot them as more raw and impulsive shots rather than making them artsy and intimate fits the story well. Actors really went for it. I love a vocal bottom situation, bro delivered.
Music/SFX:
I honestly didn’t really pay attention to the music in this, so it was fine ig. SFX were solid.
I just… Like… Idk… I just wish they gave me a reason to give a shit.
Now, for some highlights from my notes:
- Boy is beautiful
- Lmao not the two top trouble
- Ming is losing points at every turn here
- Run for the HILLS from that man, Joe
- The fact that Ming is endgame is INSANE I actually hate everything about him he needs at least one single redeeming quality but there is NONE to be seen
- The only positive thing you’re getting in this situation is dicked down and that does not suffice
- “And who said I was someone to you” to the person whose affections you accepted and MOVED IN WITH is INSANE
- THIS IS A MING HATE ACCOUNT
- “In this life, you won’t be able to find a better boyfriend than me”?????? I’d rather date Joo fucking Jaekyung, bro.
- I CANNOT BELIEVE that they expect me to watch these two end up together later
- AND he’s gonna sabotage his career to help Tong because he’s jealous?????
- Bro is a BLACK flag
- The description and tags on this show did NOT prepare me for any of this lmao
- This BEGS for a revenge plot
- Put this man in a psych ward OH MY GOD
- No because we’re not just gonna say “I’m sad I missed you so much” and have things be better
- Okay so Ming wants him to be the stand-in for his stand-in, who’s a stand-in. He’s to be the stand-in stand-in’s stand-in… So he’s a stand-in who was a stand-in and is gonna be a stand-in for the stand-in who was a stand-in… Joe the stand-in, who is now Joe the stand-in, will be a stand-in for Joe the stand-in who was a stand-in… Just making sure
- Lies of P(Joe)
- “No, no, no. I spent like 7 years obsessed with Tong just because I liked him for his back in a movie promo, which was actually YOUR back and that’s totally normal person behavior and I think we should just like be happy together now” LOCK HIM UP LOCK HIM UP LOCK HIM UP LOCK HIM UP
- Bro cooked 2 meals, drove him to work once, then used his mother to get brownie points so far. Current redemption score: -1
- Ming fucking him face-to-face is not nearly as impactful a plot point as I’m sure they intended
- Umm.. Wait.. Hold on… I think I must be mistaken… THAT was the redemption arc??? Final redemption score: -0.5
- GASP “You traded your privacy for little old me??? Wow, what a dreamboat” and NO ONE CLAPPED
- *Put one foot in front of the other, and soon you’ll be walking out the dooooor* JUST DO IT
- This last episode is trying so hard to like patch things up but I could not give less of a fuck at this point
- Wow, everyone changed their minds real quick here for a happy ending
- Tong gets off scot-free with a happy ending too??? What the fuck is this story
- This joyous dinner feels like a fever dream… Am I high??? What the fuck
- Wut: If you take this job we’re no longer brothers
Also Wut: You’re back with Ming? Live your life, brother.
???????????
- “I’m going back to Korea because I know he’ll make you happy” ???????? BASED ON WHAT
- No.
(1) a redeemable quality in the bad guy to make you like him despite everything
(2) a good backstory and redemption arc
(3) both characters are toxic
(4) bad guy has god-level visuals and/or an undeniable aura
This show had NONE of those. So, in my opinion, this was not a successful toxic romance story.
Acting:
Great job all around. Can’t deny that everyone did a good job portraying their characters. Poom and Up were fantastic. I think the casting was good for the most part However, I think they could have gone a different direction. Like, I wouldn’t say the casting for Ming was as good as the casting for Vegas, ya know? His acting was great, but he didn’t have like some sort of mannerism, or a natural swagger, or some sort of physical quality that forced me against my will to root for him despite his actions like other villains or toxic love interests do. It could have been anything. An expression of some sort, just anything to get me to root for him even a little bit. But, alas. None to be found here. Supporting cast was good, they weren’t really in it much, though.
Writing:
Listen… I like the basic concept with the whole stand-in who is a stand-in thing. But good god did they ruin it.
Oookay. So I already mentioned my main issue with this story. But DAMN it really is a serious issue. You NEED to make me root for the bad guy at least a little. At least give me context as to why tf they are the way they are so I can attempt to empathize. Like, I love a flawed character but a flaw is a bruise on an apple and there is a story behind that bruise. Sure, you can have a rotten apple character. But if you want that rotten apple to have a happy ending, you gotta do something to either make me understand the apple, like the apple, and/or desire the apple. NOW Joe… obviously he’s a loveable and pitiable lil guy. I do not for the life of me see what he saw in Ming. I can’t wrap my head around it. No shot that a man with a face like his was NEVER propositioned by someone before Ming in that truck, but he acted like he’s never been desired before, and that led him to somehow fall deeply in love within a matter of days. Idk, man… Nothing made sense with that guy. No real redemption arc here and no repercussions. Even the weird plot change to making Mr Papa Big Money the bad guy for a hot sec was executed so poorly. Idk, this was just a waste of a decent concept.
Chemistry/Romance/Kissing:
I felt like there was chemistry in the beginning of the story, but I couldn’t really feel it for the rest. Like, they had better chemistry when Ming viewed Joe as Tong’s replacement. This was not a well-executed romance. The kissing was fine.
NC Scenes:
Pretty solid stuff with the direction they went with them. I think the decision to write and shoot them as more raw and impulsive shots rather than making them artsy and intimate fits the story well. Actors really went for it. I love a vocal bottom situation, bro delivered.
Music/SFX:
I honestly didn’t really pay attention to the music in this, so it was fine ig. SFX were solid.
I just… Like… Idk… I just wish they gave me a reason to give a shit.
Now, for some highlights from my notes:
- Boy is beautiful
- Lmao not the two top trouble
- Ming is losing points at every turn here
- Run for the HILLS from that man, Joe
- The fact that Ming is endgame is INSANE I actually hate everything about him he needs at least one single redeeming quality but there is NONE to be seen
- The only positive thing you’re getting in this situation is dicked down and that does not suffice
- “And who said I was someone to you” to the person whose affections you accepted and MOVED IN WITH is INSANE
- THIS IS A MING HATE ACCOUNT
- “In this life, you won’t be able to find a better boyfriend than me”?????? I’d rather date Joo fucking Jaekyung, bro.
- I CANNOT BELIEVE that they expect me to watch these two end up together later
- AND he’s gonna sabotage his career to help Tong because he’s jealous?????
- Bro is a BLACK flag
- The description and tags on this show did NOT prepare me for any of this lmao
- This BEGS for a revenge plot
- Put this man in a psych ward OH MY GOD
- No because we’re not just gonna say “I’m sad I missed you so much” and have things be better
- Okay so Ming wants him to be the stand-in for his stand-in, who’s a stand-in. He’s to be the stand-in stand-in’s stand-in… So he’s a stand-in who was a stand-in and is gonna be a stand-in for the stand-in who was a stand-in… Joe the stand-in, who is now Joe the stand-in, will be a stand-in for Joe the stand-in who was a stand-in… Just making sure
- Lies of P(Joe)
- “No, no, no. I spent like 7 years obsessed with Tong just because I liked him for his back in a movie promo, which was actually YOUR back and that’s totally normal person behavior and I think we should just like be happy together now” LOCK HIM UP LOCK HIM UP LOCK HIM UP LOCK HIM UP
- Bro cooked 2 meals, drove him to work once, then used his mother to get brownie points so far. Current redemption score: -1
- Ming fucking him face-to-face is not nearly as impactful a plot point as I’m sure they intended
- Umm.. Wait.. Hold on… I think I must be mistaken… THAT was the redemption arc??? Final redemption score: -0.5
- GASP “You traded your privacy for little old me??? Wow, what a dreamboat” and NO ONE CLAPPED
- *Put one foot in front of the other, and soon you’ll be walking out the dooooor* JUST DO IT
- This last episode is trying so hard to like patch things up but I could not give less of a fuck at this point
- Wow, everyone changed their minds real quick here for a happy ending
- Tong gets off scot-free with a happy ending too??? What the fuck is this story
- This joyous dinner feels like a fever dream… Am I high??? What the fuck
- Wut: If you take this job we’re no longer brothers
Also Wut: You’re back with Ming? Live your life, brother.
???????????
- “I’m going back to Korea because I know he’ll make you happy” ???????? BASED ON WHAT
- No.
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