I’d like to read the novel but I didn’t even find the raws ! 😭
This is late but it's been translated and published under the title Rouge Street: Three Novellas (Shuang Xuetao). Can't believe I am still waiting to watch this movie lol
I don't know, I REALLY enjoyed this show. Ending was a bit anti-climactic but still, this was a very delicious snack. Korea really needs to start making longer BLs. They have such good premises and some great acting, then squeeze all that angst, chemistry, drama and backstory into too short a series with rushed endings. It is doing their BL industry a disservice.
That being said, I DO understand the financial and social constraints so this is just a mild, personal grumble not a castigation of the creators.
Gritty little gem. The ending is exactly how I wanted it to be. Desperation, greed, violence, corruption, subservience/loyalty to an employer, familial love, dedication to a desired future career; so many facets of humanity portrayed really well in eight shortish episodes. Bravo!
I was up and alert when I should have been asleep. Wanted a little tidbit to pass the time, to lull me and decided on this show (I am at the halfway point). I wasn't expecting this perfect (for me) little gem. The chemistry, the yearning, the furtive glances and UST in this are everything.
I suffer from horrible insomnia so this hit so close to home. I also had a special someone, that for whatever reason I could sleep deeply when they were beside me. It's been over a decade since that relationship was over and sleep has never been the same. It's a mystery, but there you go. I get it Dong Wook, I honestly do.
Is anyone still looking for English subs or did you all find a place to watch it? I am a bit late, just saw this show pop up somewhere today and came to MDL to see reviews.
I really like this kind of drama. Dark and cold not sparkling like other bl dramas. If you know drama like this…
A few "non sparkling" KBL dramas, shorts and movies (please beware some have TWs and graphic sex scenes):
Dramas: Long Time No See To My Star Let Free the Curse of Taekwondo Bad Guy and the rest of the ones from SUKfilm You Make Me Dance I also recommend watching KBL short movies, they tend to be way less glossy: Rec Going South Queer Movie Being Me Wedding etc.
Full length movies: Flight Night (TWs) One Summer Night Tropical Night No Regret So Long, See You Tomorrow
It was a pent up, frustrated, wtf are we doing, what do we mean to each other, where the hell is this going, why are you under my skin, I don't even know if we should be doing this kiss. It was never going to be "pretty" ;)
This show in 5 episodes manged to pack a wallop of pain, yearning, emotions, angst and family drama that some cannot do in 12 or more. Unfortunately it was too short to explore all the themes it touched on to allow the viewer to be fully invested in their story. The brevity left a lot of unanswered questions, not in a way that avoids a "tied up in a bow conclusion" -which personally I don't need- but one that leaves you feeling not satiated and needing more.
I appreciated, even loved, the indie feel, a break from the sometimes glossy, candy floss KBL fare. I am sad that something so good almost slipped my radar because I haven't heard much "talk" ( I don't think it is on many, if any BL lists here) about it. I just randomly found it while idly browsing. All in all, a total surprise gift out of the dark for me and I so wish it had been longer. It's like a would be masterpiece draft... oh what could have been.
About damn time these agencies start protecting their talents. Allow them to live as normal as possible lives, let them date etc. and stop leaving them out to dry in the wind when things get tough for them. They are humans with lives and feelings, not fodder for the unhinged masses to chomp on.
It's weird cause technicially this is a good show; it features a coherent story (for the most part), good acting,…
It's akin to: you go eat out and the appetizer was ok, the main course was yummy and the dessert terrible. So then do you tell a friend to dine there or not? :) It was such a jumble of stuff...
Well, that's over. I honestly have NO idea how to rate this. hahaha There are elements I loved, the dark and violent themes (I am a fan of all things dark in the crime genre), the stellar acting from the cast and the production level. That being said some of the writing drove me ABSOLUTELY APE SHIT BANANAS.
My gripes: 1. Korean shows seem to have a problem with timelines and all things time related; where people seemingly travel major distances in a jiffy while at the same token it has come to a standstill for others. This show was guilty of this to a level that was difficult to ignore.
2. I understand the protagonist is by no means a hero or super genius, assassin etc.. He's just an ordinary old guy but MY GOD the depth of his bad judgement ( yes, I get that this is how the character was written) made it near impossible to sympathize/empathize with him and the frustration almost drove me to insanity. A lot of times seeing a regular Joe go through things, make mistakes and learn as he goes is appealing but this show was just LUDICROUS. His naivete and dumb moves went beyond enjoyable drama to "ugh I want to stop watching this RIGHT NOW". 3. One particular moment that could have been deliciously dramatic, instead of being a BANG, whimpered to a squeak. ALL that build up and the payoff was a big fat NADA. IYKYK. 4. What in the holy name of terrible forensic shite?!?! 5. After the first half it lost it's "psychological" edge. I don't know how better to explain it other than when the hunted became the hunter it was a bit dull. I usually root for the good guy but here I just kind of wanted the show to end.
My "things I liked" list: 1. The thrill at the onset of their trip. 2. The build up of the eeriness as the ride went on, you could FEEL the discomfort escalate. 3. The fact that the show did not pull it's punches with the violence etc. and didn't pussy out of going to really dark places. Many psychopathic serial killers are brutal and this demonstrated it perfectly. 4. The actors all did a really great job. 5. There was a twist I particularly enjoyed. 6. Absolutely remorseless, diabolical antagonist.
So, ultimately, a quite thrilling show became bogged down with flaws and bad writing that ate away at what was a great start. I loved some parts of it (first half was a master class in the psychological thriller genre) and MANY other parts I wanted to bang my head against something, ANYTHING hard. Flashes of brilliance, thunderclaps of utter all around stupidity from multiple people and a somewhat tepid conclusion. All in all a bumpy, roller-coaster of a ride.
Give it a go if you are not averse to violent, bloody scenes, enjoy a cat and mouse game and revenge. Pass if you are a stickler for logic, easily frustrated or someone who likes a smart protagonist.
Life is hard. For ALL of us, despite the distractions, aspirations, expectations of ourselves and from others, the glimpses of hope, the great days, the bad days, the fortitude to continue no matter what we face etc. and the days when we just want to throw the towel in. For some the battle is more than they can conquer and all they seek is PEACE. I hope he finds/found it. R.I.P.
My deepest sympathy to those who knew and loved him.
Episode 4: Holy shit, the stupidity of this cab driver is bloody infuriating!!! I'm screeching at him through the screen. "HURRY THE FUCK UP! Get the phone!" Despite this, it's still a pretty thrilling ride so far. But my dude, COME OOOON! Ugh
Edit Episode 5: His stupidity is boundless and he is now irredeemable in my eyes no matter the ending. One parent is smart, decisive, determined and focused on vengeance. The other is an incompetent fool whose bad judgement is infinite. My head hurts. I have not the words.
Where did you watch this? It said Iqiyi when i searched online but it's not there?
Thank you for the suggestion, I finally was able to watch it!!! I had replied to you a while ago just to say thanks but I guess I never hit post. lol Space cadet. I came today to mark it as completed and saw that my reply wasn't here.
Bingeing this, which I believe is always best (for ME). There is no wait in between events and cliffhangers from a week ago. The emotions, the highs and lows from the last episode carry right on to the next, thus making it more dramatic without that lull that happens when waiting weekly for a new one. I'm huge on waiting to watch stuff all in one go over the course of a few days/week depending on the length of the series.
Episode four mini analysis: Some people forgive easier than others. They just do. Bigger hearts, lofty ideals, they maintain a more practical approach to issues etc., so many varying reasons. For some people its EASIER to do so because there is no blood/DNA connection where the expectation of unconditional love, paternal care is absent. A non relative can forgive whereas an abused biological child holds deep and bitter resentment. The familial bond has been betrayed/tainted and long broken, so there is no making up and "fixing" things. The cord has been forever severed.
The pain in this episode hit HARD. The perturbed glances from one, the cold disdain from the other... my heart. :(
This one takes patience. The screenplay, execution, plot, time jumps all make for a disconcerting watch unlike most shows that immediately "make sense" or lay things out in a way viewers can consume easily. This wasn't a fun, adventurous day at the amusement park. It was a long, twisty, dark and painful walk though a suffocating maze. Death hid at every turn, waiting in the corners to strike its next unwitting victim.
The drama doesn't answer all your questions or make for an easy watch; indeed it instead left the viewer mystified as to the purpose of everything that was happening. It confuses, seemingly plodding at a slow pace but in actuality as much as it is a thriller, I believe it's aim was not to "thrill" (or excite) in the conventional definition of the word. Instead just like it's antagonist, its mission is to hypnotize you, manipulate your mind, make you question your own sanity and finally draw you into its web. A lot of the appeal for me was the fact that I questioned if this person DID have supernatural abilities or had he fooled me as well?
I was so immersed in my viewing, waiting to see what would happen next even as the story left me befuddled. I kept going to comments on a pirate site JUST to read theories after every episode, trying to see if I was way off in my thinking or if others had similar thoughts . It was comforting to see I was not the only one thoroughly perplexed about what direction the show would take. I had the gist of what was happening but was curious what the conclusion/end game would be. The irony of who Guru was and the cultists blind loyalty demonstrated exactly how TERRIBLE cults are and how much psychological damage they do.
It might seem like an underwhelming finale to some, but I found it absolutely devastating. You will question in the end if there are any winners and if so at what cost the battle was won. We all have different likes and this didn't work for some. For me, it was my yummy nightly drink of "WTF, this is weird man" chased by the "aaarrrggggh this is too cute and funny" My Sweet Mobster. A double feature with Uhm Tae Goo. I am a lucky girl 😊😍
1 
That being said, I DO understand the financial and social constraints so this is just a mild, personal grumble not a castigation of the creators.
I suffer from horrible insomnia so this hit so close to home. I also had a special someone, that for whatever reason I could sleep deeply when they were beside me. It's been over a decade since that relationship was over and sleep has never been the same. It's a mystery, but there you go. I get it Dong Wook, I honestly do.
Dramas:
Long Time No See
To My Star
Let Free the Curse of Taekwondo
Bad Guy and the rest of the ones from SUKfilm
You Make Me Dance
I also recommend watching KBL short movies, they tend to be way less glossy:
Rec
Going South
Queer Movie
Being Me
Wedding etc.
Full length movies:
Flight Night (TWs)
One Summer Night
Tropical Night
No Regret
So Long, See You Tomorrow
Just some suggestions for you to check out!
I appreciated, even loved, the indie feel, a break from the sometimes glossy, candy floss KBL fare. I am sad that something so good almost slipped my radar because I haven't heard much "talk" ( I don't think it is on many, if any BL lists here) about it. I just randomly found it while idly browsing. All in all, a total surprise gift out of the dark for me and I so wish it had been longer. It's like a would be masterpiece draft... oh what could have been.
I WANT MORE!!!
My gripes:
1. Korean shows seem to have a problem with timelines and all things time related; where people seemingly travel major distances in a jiffy while at the same token it has come to a standstill for others. This show was guilty of this to a level that was difficult to ignore.
2. I understand the protagonist is by no means a hero or super genius, assassin etc.. He's just an ordinary old guy but MY GOD the depth of his bad judgement ( yes, I get that this is how the character was written) made it near impossible to sympathize/empathize with him and the frustration almost drove me to insanity. A lot of times seeing a regular Joe go through things, make mistakes and learn as he goes is appealing but this show was just LUDICROUS. His naivete and dumb moves went beyond enjoyable drama to "ugh I want to stop watching this RIGHT NOW".
3. One particular moment that could have been deliciously dramatic, instead of being a BANG, whimpered to a squeak. ALL that build up and the payoff was a big fat NADA. IYKYK.
4. What in the holy name of terrible forensic shite?!?!
5. After the first half it lost it's "psychological" edge. I don't know how better to explain it other than when the hunted became the hunter it was a bit dull. I usually root for the good guy but here I just kind of wanted the show to end.
My "things I liked" list:
1. The thrill at the onset of their trip.
2. The build up of the eeriness as the ride went on, you could FEEL the discomfort escalate.
3. The fact that the show did not pull it's punches with the violence etc. and didn't pussy out of going to really dark places. Many psychopathic serial killers are brutal and this demonstrated it perfectly.
4. The actors all did a really great job.
5. There was a twist I particularly enjoyed.
6. Absolutely remorseless, diabolical antagonist.
So, ultimately, a quite thrilling show became bogged down with flaws and bad writing that ate away at what was a great start. I loved some parts of it (first half was a master class in the psychological thriller genre) and MANY other parts I wanted to bang my head against something, ANYTHING hard. Flashes of brilliance, thunderclaps of utter all around stupidity from multiple people and a somewhat tepid conclusion. All in all a bumpy, roller-coaster of a ride.
Give it a go if you are not averse to violent, bloody scenes, enjoy a cat and mouse game and revenge. Pass if you are a stickler for logic, easily frustrated or someone who likes a smart protagonist.
Long ass ramble over.
My deepest sympathy to those who knew and loved him.
She's like, "I'm just gonna wipe them ALL out." Oh well...
Edit
Episode 5: His stupidity is boundless and he is now irredeemable in my eyes no matter the ending. One parent is smart, decisive, determined and focused on vengeance. The other is an incompetent fool whose bad judgement is infinite. My head hurts. I have not the words.
Episode four mini analysis: Some people forgive easier than others. They just do. Bigger hearts, lofty ideals, they maintain a more practical approach to issues etc., so many varying reasons. For some people its EASIER to do so because there is no blood/DNA connection where the expectation of unconditional love, paternal care is absent. A non relative can forgive whereas an abused biological child holds deep and bitter resentment. The familial bond has been betrayed/tainted and long broken, so there is no making up and "fixing" things. The cord has been forever severed.
The pain in this episode hit HARD. The perturbed glances from one, the cold disdain from the other... my heart. :(
The drama doesn't answer all your questions or make for an easy watch; indeed it instead left the viewer mystified as to the purpose of everything that was happening. It confuses, seemingly plodding at a slow pace but in actuality as much as it is a thriller, I believe it's aim was not to "thrill" (or excite) in the conventional definition of the word. Instead just like it's antagonist, its mission is to hypnotize you, manipulate your mind, make you question your own sanity and finally draw you into its web. A lot of the appeal for me was the fact that I questioned if this person DID have supernatural abilities or had he fooled me as well?
I was so immersed in my viewing, waiting to see what would happen next even as the story left me befuddled. I kept going to comments on a pirate site JUST to read theories after every episode, trying to see if I was way off in my thinking or if others had similar thoughts . It was comforting to see I was not the only one thoroughly perplexed about what direction the show would take. I had the gist of what was happening but was curious what the conclusion/end game would be. The irony of who Guru was and the cultists blind loyalty demonstrated exactly how TERRIBLE cults are and how much psychological damage they do.
It might seem like an underwhelming finale to some, but I found it absolutely devastating. You will question in the end if there are any winners and if so at what cost the battle was won. We all have different likes and this didn't work for some. For me, it was my yummy nightly drink of "WTF, this is weird man" chased by the "aaarrrggggh this is too cute and funny" My Sweet Mobster. A double feature with Uhm Tae Goo. I am a lucky girl 😊😍