MJ Koontz

it was just a wink, wink, nudge, nudge elbowing that these two are the heroes or super heroes of this town. Her the big educated city dentist who opens up a clinic when there isn't one for "miles," delivering babies when needed, and being the right hand "his girl Friday," to Chief Hong.

Chief Hong, well, since the first episode he has been the towns savior. When anyone needs anything for any reason he shows up, lends a hand, and saves the day. Exemplified in how the town falls apart when he is sad and holed up in his home.

In short, its just that it's not the two of them. Their life is this town and place and the people there. They are its backbone and indispensable family members. Our "from the big city" dentist is now just as entrenched and integral to these people as our male lead, Chief Hong.

Stove League is on my list now!! About to go look at Hometown, see if I'm interested!!!

Just finished this. Episodes 1-10 were utterly FANTASTIC!!! I was mad I had to go to sleep and not just binge.

Then episode 11 hit, and well, I understand they were going for cute, but all the realism and believability just went straight out of the window. What had been some very strong chemistry and excellent push and pull between the leads gets replaced with typical schlock, saccharine sweet candy coated ridiculousness, and superficiality.

It takes until halfway through episode 12 (which these aren't short episodes mind you) to get back on track, and 13 and 14 are strong again. Although the chemistry between the leads never seems to fully recover. Like you can see them acting with each other, when the director screamed CUT! You get the feeling they pushed each other away rolling their eyes. I dunno, it just doesn't ring genuine to me after episode 11 happens.

But then there is big bad episode 15 and this show suddenly throws everything, including the kitchen sink, at you. In what is the definition of HEAVY HANDEDNESS. Hometown slides into every trope one can imagine in order to try and get tears out of you as a viewer. The backstory reveal was just very unbelievable in how it went down. Even more so that our main lead blamed himself for things that were obviously completely out of this control. And then after you get put through this ringer, they cap the episode off with death.........because why not.

Episode 16 is a sweeping hour and half film that basically just ties up every story line the show introduces into nice pretty bows. Everyone gets exactly what they wanted the entire time. Love blossoms for everyone including elementary school children. And all the characters you have grown to know, love, and hate, end up in a parade-like procession down to the sea.......

The authentic and HONEST feelgood story telling that got me hooked in the beginning and shined so bright in the first 10 episodes, de-evolved into fake, trite, manufactured storytelling, that barely mimics real emotions, let alone real lives.

Sad about it.

I'm with a lot of the commenters, Move to Heaven was a strong entry. The procedural aspects were my least favorite part, I'm not a fan of such content. That the show still held me shows how great its other strengths were. When the story focused on the main cast, their relationships, and past, it was great.

Navillera started out strong and enjoyable, but when the "A" (no spoilers) diagnosis comes into play it became overly sentimental. Every time a character found out they gasped or collapsed for like 5 minutes. Every single character individually in the show. And yeah, the end, though pretty and sweet, did become emotionless and have a "staged" unrealistic feel. So it lowered my rating for it to just a bit above average. But I'm also not biased against Song Kang.

Devil Judge has its flaws, a whole lot of them. From how it shows its women characters, to its message, to a small side dish of homophobia, and to some really over-the-top acting by a certain villain. It is very much NOT a perfect series. I actually wrote a full review for this one here on MDL. But Devil Judge is an example of the sum being greater than its parts. While not a level 9-10 YOU CANT MISS IT, level show. It is extremely enjoyable and fun with a great aesthetic, and a nice bromance....the doppelganger story being its weak link. It also , IS better than a lot of the material put out there, especially in the very crowded K-Drama world. I would rather watch 100 Devil Judges to a whole BOAT LOAD of other shows I'm trying to sit through. Compared to Vincenzo and Taxi Driver, Devil Judge is the best of the big 3 break out Anti-Hero stories so far this year.

Doom at Your Service, I'm only half way through...and watch maybe an episode every week or so. Yeah, it hasn't grabbed me or become binge worthy. At this rate, I might get it done by the years end and as such, can't properly grade it till completed. I will say this, I am also watching Black, and Tale of the Nine Tailed, which all have the same freakin premise...human woman falling for supernatural godlike man....yawn. Out of those three (which all sit 6-9 episodes in) I would watch Doom.

The C-Drama I can't say anything about. I refuse to watch C-Dramas because of China's homophobia and censorship laws, which are becoming worse with each passing day. I will not support the content.

Though, I am SHOCKED that Vincenzo, Racket Boys, and Squid Game are absent from this list. If I were to pick the 3 MOST over-hyped, overrating, and disappointing viewing experiences of 2021 K-Dramas, it is by all means these three. Not a 1 of them got above a 7 rating from me, and Racket Boys I'm stuck on episode 12, can't get myself to go back and finish it.

While you do promote a 2019 show, great, but it doesn't fit your write-up.

Your write up is on 2021 and the shows in it that are being overrated. Thus, including this 2019 show the article would need to be about shows of the last 3 years compared to this one.

So, in keeping with the spirit of the article, what in 2021 SHOULD we be watching. Since the article is about overrated 2021 programs, I would like to know the underrated, undervalued, and under-watched shows of THIS year you think deserve more spotlight.

This is not wrong, but it is also not right. While the breakdown of the shows movement through its episodes is correct, and Sang Woo's fall to main villain is also correct. It short changes who Sang Woo was before he came to the game and doesn't address the 3rd male lead and his point in the "triangle" (a running theme of the show, 3 points) of the male archetypes.

You do refer to Jang Deok Soo / "No. 101" but do not give him credit for the place he plays here. You down play Sang Woos position coming into the games and his previous actions as simply "grey." And your breakdown of his motivations in episode 3 game 2 are biasedly forgiving and again downplayed.

Jang Deok Soo / "No. 101" is the villain the bad guy the openly upfront killer.

Sang Woo is the prodigy top-of-his-class white collar criminal.

Seong Gi Hoon is dead beat dad "peter pan" addicted massively in-debt gambler who mooches off his mother to survive.

All three are morally 'grey," all three are not great or even good people, and all 3 signify a certain degree of your or societies "moral decay" meter.

But only 2 of these people have committed actual crimes. Which is significant.

Sang Woo is not here because he is in debt or being hounded by bill collectors or loan sharks. He does not have a terminal illness and hospital bills, and he has not signed his body away, which is the description our masked game runners give the contestants.

He is here because he is running from the police after committing multiple crimes, some of which he admits are still not known, that total over 6 billion won (So far he is only on the hook for 600 million but he knows the full amount). This is very very serious. It is not just morally grey. It wasn't he made a mistake, or made the wrong choice, or was in a bind and did something bad to get out of it. This was purposely, repeatedly, skillfully, and criminally egregious acts of which he is still covering up and hiding.

He also never shows remorse over doing said crimes. Never asks for forgiveness, and never plans to fess up to them. He is too ashamed to see his mother, yes, but is it over his crimes or his failure? Those are two separate things. And his answer to this problem is more lies, telling her he is off in America.

When it comes to facing his crimes and accepting punishment vs death. He chooses death, by suicide. When it comes suicide or killing others for a boatload of cash. He chooses boat load of cash and killing others.

In Red Light/Green Light you point out that he is willing to help our ML. But, you also have to look at how he "helps." His strategy is to use another player as a human shield. That is, he tells Seong Gi Hoon that it's motion sensors and to hide behind another player so it sees, and kills, them instead. He also doesn't help pull our ML free from the dead corpse that is laying on him and placing him in terror in the first place. Already, he is showing he is willing to use others as long as it insures his survival. Seong Gi Hoon is just currently not in his way or of use to him.

This is of course easily juxtaposed against Ali Abdul, who in a moment of heroism, actually catches and steadies our ML in the same game, risking himself to keep our ML (a stranger) alive.

Now we have the moment of the vote, and the extremely obvious choosing of stay and do the contest for money. No one watching is shocked by his choice for the money over stopping the insanity. Why, because we as an audience already understand that he isn't a good person. He is there because MONEY matters more to him then his own mother's livelihood, more than law, more than morals. You see, even if he wins, unlike our ML or our FL, the money will not solve his problems. The money will instead give him the means to smuggle himself out of Korea and live like a king abroad while keeping him out of the grasp of the law. But if he wins what he can't do, is pay off a bill or collections or shark, and be free. His crimes stand whether he is rich or not, and he will still go to jail either way. This is very key in how he approaches the game and the decisions he makes.

Episode 3 and game 2, the first game when they all choose to come back and participate. Cha Sang Woo weasels information out of our FL by promising her he would help her and tell her how to play the game since she is NK and didn't play them as a kid. Yet, when he walks into the room sees the symbols on the wall, puts the shapes together with the melting sugar tip, and comes up with an idea of the kids game that matches, he well, tells no one. He doesn't hold up his side of the bargain and go explain what he thinks it is and how to beat it to our FL, no he has what he needed from her and now she is worthless to him and forgotten.

While you say he didn't know but only had an idea of the game and thus isn't morally culpable in not sharing his idea, this is where your bias on what you want him to be and need him to be for the sake of your argument comes into play. Even if he isn't 100% positive, he has one hell of a strong hunch. And what is the harm in sharing this information? How does it cause any issue? Won't it either be helpful or at worst benign?

His hunch is so strong that he immediately chooses triangle, the easiest to solve. Even more interesting, is when the group decides to all do triangle since he is, he talks them out of it. Thus, he actively works AGAINST the likely survival and benefit of the other group members. Given the information he has, what is the harm in them all going to the same shape? If he is right, then it helps everyone. If he is wrong, then it doesn't matter anyway because they will all be in the same boat of unknowing. But, he ACTIVELY puts himself first, and places the others in harms way, and gives himself the edge in the money. If they die it is more for him and less competition.

This shows as truth when our ML picks umbrella. Sang Woo knows, or strongly has an idea, that whoever picks umbrella is a dead man walking. And here is where we, as an audience, come to the full understanding of who he is and where his moral character lies. He has a moment, an instant where he calls to our ML and almost gets him not to go to umbrella. His warning, his knowledge of what he thinks this is, is right on the tip of his tongue. And then he stops. He makes the conscious decision NOT to tell him and lets our ML go off to his fate.

No matter what you want us to believe about the situation or how downplayed you have made it in your write up, the show specifically, and pointedly makes this clear to the viewer. As later when Sang Woo turns in his triangle and is safe, he looks over at our ML with a look of knowing, and arguably maybe guilt. When our ML sees this it triggers his memory in one of the few flashbacks of the entire season, just to reiterate the scene described above and again drill it into the viewer of what Sang Woo has done. Our ML is stricken with this, and because of how he thinks, he does not want to and/or cannot believe that Sang Woo did this. Once our ML actually wins as well and ends up back in the dormitory, the show again makes him actually say to Sang Woo, "Its not like you knew or anything" of which Sang Woo plays dumb.

Quickly, when it comes to Sang Woo defending the others that night when it is understood that they are allowed to kill each other, this goes back to the 1st game. Sang Woo needs human shields, cannon fodder, a pack or group to ensure his survival. He cannot join our open killer Jang Deok Soo because he cannot trust him and has nothing to offer for safety. Yet, Jang Deok Soo is the largest threat. Sang Woo needs people that are strong enough to help him, but not able to overpower him, and he surrounds himself with such, shortly those that he feels are nonthreatening. It is a symbiotic relationship to ensure survival. But it only goes as far as this. If push comes to shove, he will let any or all of them die if it means he stays standing. Remember, he is a highly educated man from the top universities in Korea who has committed multiple crimes of which the police still have not fully discovered the extent. Sang Woo is a very intelligent, conniving, and capable man.

Past this point in the series, he is mostly openly evil. He is only not the worst because there is Jang Deok Soo. That is until Jang Deok Soo's death. Once this "worse" moral decay is removed from the equation Sang Woo instantly becomes the worst of the bunch and the ultimate main villain of the show. However, as in going back to my opening paragraph, if Jang Deok Soo did not exist, then Sang Woo would have been the worst in terms of "moral decay" from the beginning and would have ALWAYS been the main villain. Jang Deok Soo was the character that made him look or seem better, not as bad, or more decent. When, he really never was. He just becomes more open and transparent in the end about his motivations.

The series drives this home in the final episode. When our ML is punching the crap out of him he screams "You killed all of them., Its all your fault." In game 2 Sang Woo sent them all off to die, giving our ML the most likely chance of failure, he openly deceives and kills Ali, and then he slits our FL throat. Outside of the "old man" every death of a meaningful character to our ML in the series is at the hands of Sang Woo and at different times during the shows run.

Even the final conversation in the 12 am stare-down of the street beggar in the final evil reveal, the bad guy asks our ML, "Did you learn not to trust anyone?" IE, your childhood friend and teammate from the start was always fighting against you, killed everyone, and was in the end your ultimate enemy. Also, that the second friendliest and seemingly most benign character ended up the ring leader of the entire games.

Sang Woo, might not have yet killed by the beginning of the show. But he was killer who had just not yet found his first victim. He was morally bankrupt from the get go, always in it for himself only, and betrayed everyone every chance he got. As @MiyamotoMusashi writes, you are supposed to see the divergent paths of our ML to Sang Woo. Our ML cannot kill in cold blood. It is not in him and as the games progress he finds himself trying to save those that he can. Unlike Sang Woo who was always capable of killing and looking at others as disposable, the games just provided him the opportunity and push to do so. As he become closer to victory the more monstrous he became.

There isn't any genre, (except snuff), of film or tv that I do not enjoy, as long as its scripted. I don't like reality or game-show entertainment. I started this series because I WANTED to watch it. I loved Prison Playbook. I like feel-good entertainment. Also, I am in my 30's. I don't know how old I need to be to think this is worth watching. I also put in 12 episodes out of 16. Gave it a really fair shake.

But, its honestly just not that great. Again, I said it wasn't a bomb, and I also said if you watch episode 12 you will be in 2 camps about it. But the series, from a critical standpoint, is just not that good. At its best, its average, using low-hanging fruit story-lines and forced sentimentality instead of actually designing great stories, genuine human moments, real emotions, and fluidity.

The villagers, are just a complete story on the side, that seems to act as nothing more than filler. The story-lines of the villagers, so far out of the 12 episodes I've seen, have nothing to do with the main plot or any of the main characters, except for the woman with the play room. She is actually incorporated and worth knowing.

Good writing would incorporate the story-lines with each other. Develop them together, and have them feed off each other. Instead it is like 2 different shows. One of the villagers, a show with over-the-top antics, unrealistic caricature characters, and almost manic storytelling. The other of the kids, their families, and their coaches surrounding the world of badminton.

Every now and then there is a "cross-over" event where the two separate casts might be at dinner or meeting simultaneously or something. But otherwise they could be completely divided.

Just as people keep excusing poor, slow, clunky, underdeveloped writing as "slice of life," when it is not. "Feel good" storytelling doesn't mean fake, melodramatic, and superficial.

If you are talking about the dad character, yeah, for me he is the definition of a bad coach and also a very poor father figure. If its any consolation, he does get better through the series, and finds a backbone towards the end. But, he honestly isn't that likable of a character, I would have stayed away if I was his wife too, and he is written as a walking punchline whose jokes are always falling flat.

Saw an article on the MDL main page today about this series, (and how it is a MUST watch) and it made me remember I had tried watching it and even came here to write a comment. Nineteen days ago I wrote the original comment, and I haven't gone beyond episode 12 (the episode that spurred me to write it). I said I would finish the series, but apparently there is a strong chance, I wont. I had told myself to take a beat and find something else to watch then circle back, but in that time had completely forgotten entirely about the series or that I left it unfinished. That doesn't bold well for what I'd call a lasting impression, or a memorable watch.

I understand if this show wasn't your cup of tea or didn't give you the feels you were expecting and you should always have the right to express your opinion freely.

But, your short and concise review paints a bare bones sketch of what really happened in this show and between these characters that doesn't accurately portray the transpired events.

Do Hyun was not a great boyfriend. He was an extremely bad boyfriend. Kind, caring, warm, and hard-working yes, but great boyfriend no. Those positive qualities are how he is in life, but not mutually exclusive to how he is as a boyfriend.

Controlling, selfish, stretched-thin, narrow minded, and unsupportive can also all be used to describe Do Hyun. These negative qualities are what caused him to lose Song Yi, not the simple event you state. That event was the ultimate culmination of slowly building issues and problems between them that were pulling the two apart.

Do Hyun met Song Yi while being part of the crew kicking her out of her family home. This was our first warning sign of flaws in his character and that their relationship was ultimately doomed. Do Hyun comes from a lower income single parent family causing him to work 3-jobs while going to school full-time, meaning he understands what it is to be without and holding on by a "thin thread." Even during the show his father is threatened with rents he cant pay, loans he is in default and his own family is on the brink of losing everything. Yet, given this, he still has no problem kicking others in his same predicament out on the street.

Money is money, work is work, its just business, he needs to get his. It is Do Hyun's mindset and a mindset of many people. This temperament will be what honestly destroys them in the end. It shows that when push comes to shove he will choose himself over others. His issues and problems matter more than others. He will stay afloat at any cost, even at the cost of Song Yi.

During Do Hyun and Song Yi's flirtatious will they wont they phase of season one, I, like you, was very much pro Do Hyun and anti Tae O. Tae O was narcissistic, selfish, and spoiled. In fact, I watched episode 1 and quit the show thinking, another rich asshole will get the girl. But when I finally went back and watched episode two, the positives of Tae O emerged. Kind hearted, loyal, supportive, and loving are in equal share. Just as Do Hyun's negative qualities grow in strength as the show progresses, Tae O's positives become stronger. He even carries guilt in being wealthy and tries to help those he loves as much as he can to make up for his life being easier than theirs.

Ultimately for me, by the time your aforementioned trip to find Son Yi's mother occurs, I already wanted Song Yo to dump Do Hyun and was happy the trip set it straight in her head.

Now, for the misogyny in your above review, which actually offended me. "How about YOU being there for HIM??!!! For once!!!!!" are your exact words. Unfortunately Son Yi had already bent over backwards since saying "yes" to Do Hyun to fit into his life, schedule, likes, and wants. She changes her entire life to try to appease him and make him at peace. It is Do Hyun who does not give an inch ever in their relationship.

The moment Do Hyun and Son Yi officially began dating, Do Hyun started to try and control her. He immediately wanted to put distance between her and Tae O, an over twenty year friend, because he was simply a guy. (Just like Tae O's villainous controlling GF) Even though Do Hyun fully understands Son Yi's predicament (back to him help put her on the streets), and even Tae O being his only friend, he wants her out of Tae O's house no matter the inconvenience and hardship to her. While he states, I'm sorry I want this, he still demands it of her, multiple times.

Once Son Yi does leave, Do Hyun is over the moon even though she has gone from a permanent living situation to an in-flux temporary one. Now she is staying at a GF house while her GF parents are traveling. When the parents return she has nowhere to live, and no money to pay for a place. Do Hyun states there are ALL GIRL boarding homes (again there better not be men around in a VERY DATED mindset for someone in their early 20's) to which she says she cannot afford it. Do Hyun neither offers to help in this situation offering his own place, money, or to actively try and help her find a permanent place. She just needs to not live at Tae O's or with any guys.

While there are other examples, this is already very long, I'm going to just focus on the event you mention. When Son Yi goes to try and find her mother, she asks Do Hyun to come along and support her, (A running theme in the show is that Do Hyun always has something to do and Tae O ends up being there for her) and this becomes true again.

Yes there are family issues Do Hyun is dealing with, but they are not new and are ongoing. When Son Yi asks him to come with her Do Hyun simply doesn't want to deal with it or go. There is nothing pressing at that moment he cannot leave. In fact, later when Son Yi calls him from a rest stop Do Hyun is just sitting at home, alone. This is VERY important, especially when Tae O asks him why he couldn't be there with Son Yi. Do Hyun sits in silence. Why, because he does not have a valid excuse. It simply wasn't something he was willing to stop his life to go do. And Tae O hangs up on him not bothering to push for more.

Even more telling is when Do Hyun, unable to reach Son Yi or Tae O, and thinking the two of them together alone in another city, leaves his job in the middle of the night, and gets a bus to where they are. In short, stopping his life to go support Son Yi and deal with her issues regarding her mother and being by her side was not an option. ( And would have kept Tae O and Son Yi from being alone in another city) Stopping his life because he thinks his girlfriend may be cheating on him with another guy, yep he is willing to do that. Again selfish, only when it is going to negatively affect him, does he change his ways and show up.

Do Hyun ultimately is an old fashioned goal oriented stuck in his ways guy, even in his twenties. To think what he will be in his forties or fifties is frightening. He has stated he is going to take the civil service exam and work a steady decent paying job with built in retirement. Those are his dreams. He is focused on this goal and will not allow anything, let alone girls, get in the way. But then he meets Son Yi, and wants Son Yi, and when he gets Son Yi, he wants her just to be there waiting for him at all times when he has the time for her. He claims he wants her to rely on him, but then doesn't show up when she needs him because it is inconvenient to his life, goals, and plans.

Tae O, yes is rich and doesn't work. But he always puts Son Yi as a priority. Above his family, his schooling, his other friends, and yes EVEN HIS CURRENT GIRLFRIEND, Son Yi stands as more important than all. He even loses his GF over her. Tae O will take any repercussions thrown at him over her. This is a very large distinction, and it isn't simply because he has the time. He has been doing it for 20 years, even before they were old enough to work. Son Yi is simply his number 1.

Love takes timing. Do Hyun is not in a place where he has the time to give to someone else. Possibly, in the future, once he has his steady job Mon-Fri 9am-7pm, he will be able to nurture a relationship properly. But that is also if he finds the right girl, that carries his same old fashioned ideas on the world. Son Yi was never that girl, and will never be. She is much more vibrant, dreamy, and out-of-the box. Even Tae o complains about her nature at times. But, he doesn't try to change her. Do Hyun does, and tries to make her be the girl he wants and not the girl she is.

One of the stronger Kdrama entries I've watched so far. Unlike Vincenzo, with its awful caricatures of side characters, or Taxi Driver, which was basically Batman in a cab, The anti-heroes of The Devil Judge were fun and realistic, while touching on strong themes, with acting that (save for the president) was not over-the-top and campy.

Solid 8

Not happy about the homophobia in the verdict of episode 5. The Hero team of judges were social champions for everything out there, until it came time to sentence a sexual predator. Suddenly a Texas prison (Cause it had to be in the west and not South Korea) with a cell block of burly men eluding to the sex they would have when the convicted got there was seen as horrible and harsh or maybe even worse than the country choosing physical castration. Really? I think most men would choose ALMOST anything over being castrated. And guess what, he doesn't have to go to Texas. Men have sex in prisons world wide. Its pretty normal because there aren't women. Just WHY?

THIS!

Life is short, people are bad, religion persecutes us and requires us to sacrifice ourselves eternally (no matter which religious body one is subscribed), the world of gay men is filled with aging vampires who want to suck the beauty and youth from the naive and wide eyed. No matter what our end may be (fate), the journey there still matters. Our lust and greed will actually consume us, (His death was his decision for money he didn't need and after, his remains are cannibalized-literally consumed).

In short nothing new, morals and topics covered much more in-depth and with more resonance elsewhere, and without erotically charged graphic gang rape, pornographic bloody body dismemberment and cannibalization.

So possibly the grotesque and shocking scenes are meant to haunt you and create a greater impact of these themes...but IMO detract and over-shadow the topics at hand.

Though, out of everything, the interviews at the end have the most impact. Is the director willingly stating that he is as much of a monster as what he depicts in an almost slap in the face to his own actors as they share their own life dreams on turning 30, sitting nude, exposed, and being exploited for the film he is making now? Or are all of them still in character and meant to drive home the fact that men, or people, in this world are truly as naive and lost as our protagonist was?

Most interesting to me, was that upon the first cross, all in the white of innocence, our main character is duped, tied down, and forced into being gang raped by 30 men. While his last scene he is a willing participant who undresses himself and puts himself on the red cross, an active agent in his own death and ultimate perversion. We never really get to see this transition in character and mindset of our protagonist, it just happens.

The world has seemed to not care about any message. In trying to find the film you will likely end-up on some porn sites where watchers have edited together the graphic sex to be something for masturbation. And can there be anything more perfect than a film the uses sex work and gang rape to show the utter destruction of its main character, and then those very scenes be used by the world for arousal, proving that the world really is as heinous as the film suggests. And maybe, just maybe the director didn't use the best methods to tell such a story.

Then again, one of the actors is a famous porn star, so maybe this being the films legacy, is the exact META statement of our society he was aiming, again bringing us back to the interviews before the final credits and what exactly was he trying to get across with them.

For anyone who wants to know if this is worth sitting through 16 episodes, watch episode 12.

You are going to be in really 2 camps about it.

1) If you are like me, you will finding it cloying, unrealistic, trite, superficial, over-the-top and mawkish.

2) If you are like others you will think its one of the best written emotional journeys in the world and as one commenter put it, "the best episode of a drama ever."

This episode sums up how the entire series operates. And though it contains 1 spoiler moment, everything else that transpires in the episode is self contained. Which is how the series is designed. As much as it is the story of these characters, their problems and issues arise in an episode and are either solved in the same episode or the following one with a smile, hug, everyone happy, and even more important forgiven for their transgressions.

Again all the adjectives above can not only describe the episode but the series as a whole. Episode 12 just is the epitome and was hard for me to sit through. (Cringe Factor)

I feel blackmailed by the content to not write anything negative because it screams look at how wholesome and warm our story is. Why would you ever say anything negative about such good life lessons? I mean it seriously does this with the subtlety of a stomping dinosaur at a flea parade.

Unfortunately I have watched 12 whole episodes at this point and only have 4 more to go. So, I'll finish it. I do care enough about the majority of the actual Badminton players to watch them finish out their unremarkable journeys. The acting, for the most part, isn't bad, and the production is top shelf, and the story has moments of entertainment (Mostly when all the adults are cut out and you focus on just the badminton players and their relationships with each other.) So its not like this is a stinking bomb or anything.

Though, I can't figure out who is the target audience. Because it is rated 15+, but seems written for 8 or 10 year olds to learn life lessons. Is it the whole completely unnecessary, should have been removed from the series, side character villager's suicide story-line that grabs it such a rating, because otherwise the show seems very much tailor made for children.

Finished.....AAAANNNNDDDD NO!

Just all around this was a NO.

I mean I gave it a 4. Decent production and solid acting got rewarded with a star each for a total of 2.

Otherwise this was a messy train wreck. The last entire half of the series is a completely different animal than the first 12-13 episodes.

There are people who praise that K-Drama's, and most Asian dramas in general, only have 1 season. BUT, I am starting to see a flaw in this design. There is a pattern emerging where the writers and story want to breathe beyond the initial premise of their shows, but only have 1 season to do so, and end up with messes like this. This is not even close to the first show I've watched fall victim.

In truth, this likely could have been 3 seasons of 10 episodes. That would give it a 30 count which is only 6 above the 24 it already has.

Season 1 the high-school story.
Season 2 the college story.
Season 3 the current timeline career story.

This would allow us time with certain couplings and been heart broken as they pulled apart. Met new characters and opened up this world. Watch the character change and grow into who they are in the end. Moments would have had more resonance and viewers would become more invested.

Point is, with how the show actually was created, we spend too much time on season 1 story that season2 and 3 are undeveloped rushed drivel that boringly limps to its finish.

Even if it did have to be crammed into 1 24 episode season you can divide that equally into three sets of 8 episodes to tell each part of the story.

OR going back to my previous comment above and picking a moment in time and moving to it, they could have simply told the story in Part A and Part B each taking 12 episodes.

Part A ending where everyone graduates High-school.

And Part B starting where our FL rushes into the hospital at age 30 because her father has fallen ill and up upon our ML who is now a stranger to her. Thus, the audience would immediately have 1000's of questions that the remaining episodes needed to answer about what happened between then and now, as we navigate if they will finally become more than friends. Flashback could sparingly be used to key moments during their college years. And we could spend more time with new characters such as the ML new female doctor coworker, and the development of our betrothed side couple.

In short, there simply had to be a better structure and flow to this story than there was!

And the FINAL EPISODE, 24, that is a joke. Seriously, that is called an exposition dump, and it is one of the single most frowned upon tactics in writing. Literally any writing 101 class will spell this out in all caps on what NOT to do. The entire episode is just re-showing scenes (Or Really a 1 episode version of the series) we just watched while the ML narrates his point of view to explain away his actions and tell us see he was kinda a good guy all along........

And then it ends.

NO!

Also, once again out of the triangle, the better option, the better man, the better everything, gets the shaft.

Why do these shows keep destroying good guys.

Oh yeah, cause "good guys finish last," and K-dramas won't let us forget it.

Okay, so.....WTF is happening? On episode 19.

All obstacles were simply removed. Any characters giving any conflict in the show just disappears for our couples with no actual resolution. The plot/writers just apparently decided, okay we are done with this. (One of which was awful)

And now in the past like 3 episodes we are speeding through years of the characters lives....YEARS.....Through gap years, entire undergraduate programs, med school, etc. None of the new characters have any impact, space to grow or exist, and are all ghosts serving just the plot. Past characters are just gone, mentioned, or have cameos.

This is poor story telling. If you want to flash forward or time jump, then pick a point and move to it. Write the story around this new point and where the characters are at that time, and pick up the threads you want to follow. Introduce the new characters that will impact the story now and let us get to know them.

This sped-up quasi story telling is just giving us simple moments of life through a collapsed space that the viewer is completely unattached to in anyway. It is sort of like telling a forward moving progression story through flashbacks, without us being in the present of the characters for context.

And yeah, now all the cuteness and fluffy qualities are gone. And the ML is like a new character. Somewhere, somehow, with no therapy, or any break-through that I'm aware of, or any happenings on screen, and without any exploration of the plot threads of his past and why he is such a stand-offish jerk to everyone, he is now like the best boyfriend ever and king of the hospital and everyone's favorite. He now is cute and nice to everyone all the time. HOW THE HELL DID THIS HAPPEN? WHERE WAS THE CHARACTER GROWTH? He literally was one way of being and acting and now he is the complete opposite.

Finished episode 12, so I'm 50% done.

MFL is cute and all, but her borderline obsession with the ML is starting to eat at me. She has no value for anyone else in her life. Friends that are there to support her and help her and who time and time again show how much they value her, are left high and dry. When she is rejected, without even speaking to them she tries to transfer schools. No matter what the SML does, its never good enough, just because she really wants the ML. And the ML does not need to do a single thing to get this admiration. IF he even shows her kindness, which is sparse, it is so BASE LEVEL and throw away, that its almost sickening to watch the FL go dreamy eyed over it. I understand making someone your #1, and the most important, BUT that does NOT mean treating everyone else around you as if they mean nothing to you and that they give nothing to your life and can be thrown away on whims.

While they have taken some strides in making the ML a bit more likable. I still do not condone his actions and his behavior and still do not want him to find happiness nor get the FL. OF course the episode ended with a significant moment...but I'm sure it will be resolved quickly.

My question, why is the ML able to be so rude, heartless, and brutally honest with our FL, yet will do just about anything and everything, including being supportive, to the Female Rival of our FL?

The series seems to show that he is not interested in her, but is interested in our FL, yet he treats this other girl, who is obviously scheming and manipulative, with respect and kindness. Is it just to create drama in the show? Shouldn't he be as stand-offish to everyone like he is to his own friends? Why does she always get a pass with him?

So far Lessons I have learned from this series:

1) Treat girls like shit. They will like you for it.
2) DO NOT show females that you support them and admire them. They will not care or hold value in it.
3) As long as you are handsome and smart, you can treat anyone however you want and will be forgiven, still liked, wanted, and admired.
4) Men should do nothing in order to gain companionship. ALL WORK should be done by the females.
5) If you are a man and DO try to woo a woman, you will be considered less desirable and not wanted.

Let's see what else I can learn before this is over.

Wow, not watching the CDrama first must make a BIG difference. Now that I've skimmed these comments.

I'm watching this now and I hate the ML. Yet people here call him a puppy. Is he damaged goods? Yes...but I'm only on episode 3 and I hate him, damaged or not.

I don't care what might be on his insides. There are 2 thoughts to who people are. "What's on the inside is what truly counts" and it's opposite "You are how the world perceives you."

And I fall in the grey area between the two.

What's on the inside can make someone I wouldn't be attracted to into my simp. Or a verified Adonis into a god. But it can also take a god and turn them into a devil and make them the ugliest person in the world..

However, how one comes off to me, strangers, and people around them is actually who they are no matter what happens behind closed doors or how sweet someone has the ability to be. Because how they treat you and those around them matters greatly...and ignoring that is one hell of an easy way to end up in an alienating, toxic, or worse, abusive situation.

Our ML is an out and out ass to someone who is kind, sweet, and supportive to him. While I gave him leeway because she outwardly stated she liked him and he outwardly stated he did NOT like her, so being a dick since she won't leave him alone after is understandable. But then they make him secretly want her, and mad when she starts paying others attention, and doing things purposefully to get her to notice him.

ALREADY in 3 episodes, every single time he is asked to step up to the plate and actually support this love lorn girl, he fails wholeheartedly. Even worse, he degrades her and basically kicks her when she's down and makes her situations worse. He openly allows other to degrade her and will spend time and support those that debase her.

That is bullshit and fuck him. I don't care if he likes her, he should never be allowed to have her. Whether you like her or not.

Especially when their friend group is awesome, and the SML is so very kind, supportive, attractive and just, so far, wonderful to her. I like everyone else in this show and find it so enjoyable, funny, cute, and fluffy whenever the ML is NOT on screen. And I hate it when he shows up. The show just gets sucked dry of it's charm.

Yet people here say he's nice and that the show isn't cute of sweet or fluffy like the CDrama.

I guess I'm happy I'm watching this one. Cause there is very little more you can do the ML without turning him into a true villain, I already want to punch him...do y'all want me to get blades and start cutting to?

Episode 12 is the perfected example of why this series doesn't function. Is this a horrible series, no. It is entertaining. And for this reason alone is why many like it. However, as entertaining as it might be, it never can pull itself above mediocrity because the writing and plotting just will not allow it.

I have already highlighted some issues above, and then under spoiler put in some plot point commentary. However, I began refraining from doing so further. There is no need for me to pick apart each case or episode. Even though, I want so very badly to do just that. Episode 12 is seriously pushing me to my limits in not doing a complete deconstruction here.

So in broad generic non- spoiler terms.

Our 2 Main Male leads act the same in episode 12 as they do in episode 1. This is a major problem. Neither have grown as characters in any way which considering what they have learned about time, events, the cases they have moved through together and what they have uncovered about those around them, to behave in the same manner and approach situations in the same way is boggling at the least.

They also act as if they are untouchable. Openly and outwardly letting those they suspect as corrupt or duplicitous know they are gunning for them. They lob threats like throwing away chewing gum wrappers, and approach every case as if they are blunt instruments instead of seasoned trained detectives. And then, they actually tell these very people the details of the cases they are working, knowing that those people are corrupt. Then get flustered and surprised when crap starts going sideways.

It is incredibly frustrating and infuriating to watch. This makes them their own worst enemies and creates most of the problems they actually have to try and get around.

Meanwhile our Female lead has become the ineffectual member of the team. Which isn't shocking considering the amount sexism on display and the problematic victimization they have done to women in this show. Hell, our Female Lead has been victimized TWICE for the sake of plot, (In the back of a freezer truck, and the hands of a serial killer). In the past, the female lead is in training, so being unprepared is understandable. When we meet her in episode 1, she has become a jaded paper pusher who is respected for a past we do not see or EVER LEARN ABOUT, but presently has become a nothing on the force. And now she is the leader of the team, AWESOME, yet it takes a man, our male lead who is a fresh newbie, to bring the cases that need solving, and figure out all the missing pieces....and in the meantime she is virginal-ly waiting for the corpse of the 1 man she loved who has gone missing to be discovered. And again needs to be saved by the other male leads multiple times.

The main crux of how the plot functions with these characters, is to keep information out of everyone's hands. The female lead doesn't tell of her past, her love, or her mentor. Our Main lead, doesn't tell his past, why he is there, why he is looking into fellow officers, or any of the information he discovers on any of the cases until he is forced to. Our second male lead, refuses to work with anyone and tells nothing to nobody and acts hurt when he gets betrayed and looks around and has no friends.

Information is relayed in the most plot divisive ways instead of naturally or with any intuition by the characters.

I'm still holding my tongue on specifics but I wish I could just fully elaborate what I mean by all these comments.

Oh, and what is the rhyme or reason of how the walkie operates? Its in linear time in 1 timeline while functioning over decades in the other timeline. And yet, we know it only works at 11:23 (which I think I've figured out why that time) but why not that time every night. I mean many things could be ironed or worked out if the main leads would and could communicate, but the walkie seems to only come alive when the plot wants it too.

There might be. As all cultures have their own history with the arts. I heavily see Japanese influence in Korean Dramas, from cartoon sound-effects, to trope characters, stock side characters, and over-the-top storytelling and acting. Anime themes are very present in K-Dramas.

But as you talk of "natural" or real being based on European standards, I don't quite agree. There is a natural evolution to art, especially theater. Even by today's standards, if you go to see a play in the west, the type of story , how it's portrayed, and the way performers ACT is very different than what you get in film or television.

Performing on stage, or in a traveling troupe, or live in general requires a very different set of skills than performing on camera. Everything is heightened to be overly dramatic so those even in the back of the theater can see what is happening. More leeway must be given in the social contract that is the suspension of disbelief in plays as sets, props, changes in time, etc...become relative and limited.

This created a problem, and even the WEST did it for a very long time, in which moving to film kept these non-realistic acting standards. Which is the silver screen of Hollywood where musicals, niors, and grand romances owned the day.

Slowly, over time, the medium of the screen took shape and these began to fade. Musicals were left to the stage, niors became gritty crime dramas, and grand romances went to daytime soap operas or realistic stories of everyday people in everyday lives. Everyone didn't have to be super rich, the man the greatest catch in the world, the outfits as if everyone was about to walk down a runway. And then realistic stories of just life began being told in all their dirt, quirks, and imperfections.

On camera you could create realism and realistic fantasy (Marvel anyone). This has become the standard of film and tv. But it was an evolution to get there.

Asian Dramas in general seem to be going through these steps. Their stories are modern and set in today, but are still built and told, and acted like the West in the past. Everyone is rich, or wants to be rich. Everyone is fashionable and beautiful and the archetype of society. Everyone acts as a proper woman or man should act in society. When telling real stories they are exaggerated to become grandiose, and the rough edges rounded to be tame. Etc....but as the stories become repetitive, and the culture shifts and grows...so to does their art.

Japan has already mostly shucked this false husk of storytelling while K-Dramas have not.

China is currently once again clamping down on C-dramas and actors to reign in how their shows are reflecting society in order to keep society from changing. Because they don't want this evolution in society or art.

However, it is not a direct carbon copy of the west. As eastern ideas, histories, and styles still prevail. And again its going through this growth in a different age than the west and in a very different world.

Okay, this has a lot of opinion and anecdotal evidence without actually supporting or backing up any of what the article claims. For example:

1) You bring up Vincenzo as an example of Netflix Western influence on K-Drama and then do not give a single example of what that influence is or how Vincenzo is different than other K_Drams.

For me, who has downed 140 shows in about 6 months, yes I just ventured into the Asian Drama world this year, I found Vincenzo to be VERY Korean and I only gave it a 7 out of 10.

My examples supporting this statement are as follows:

All the side characters are cartoons and not real people, and mostly there to act like anime characters and bring comic relief, (This is a big problem in K dramas and really Asian dramas overall.) The structure of the show is 1 season completing the entire series with over hour long episodes and a count of 20. COMPLETELY K-Drama structure. It used music ques, songs, and score over and over again and equated classical music to being educated and wealthy...all of these the style of K-dramas to save on soundtrack costs and traditional tropes. It romanticized Western cultures and places, namely Europe. Common in K-Dramas. The story was ultra violent and bloody at times, but the romance was childish and stunted as if we were watching High-schoolers flirt with one another and not mature adults. And as always a single kiss with the highlight, slow motion and all, of their affection. LIKE all K-dramas that violence is okay but human relationships are dirty, stuck in the Western 50's and 60-'s television Donna Reed era where married couples slept in separate beds. Most of the courtroom cases and shenanigans were undeniably unrealistic, not even attempting to appeal to true law, and the story was PLOT driven and NOT character driven, meaning people came and left and failed and succeeded, and were one way and then another way whenever the plot needed them to be and do and work. (This is starting to really get to me with K-Dramas. While this happens in the west frequently, it is normally the sign of poor writing, and low quality goods. But in Korea, these are shows getting 8.6 and 9+ ratings here on MDL and are huge hits in ratings.) The show goes for over-the-top gusto and over-acting instead of realism. (This is one of the single largest differences in Western entertainment vs Korean the lack of realism) And the villian of the show is seriously a cartoon psychopath that is better fit for a cartoon or comic book than a real living breathing enemy. A massive K-drama problem when it comes to creating any type of villain.

So what was the "Western" Netflix influence?

2) You claim K-Dramas are now starting to be multiple seasons....but then say it happens in J-Dramas and even name one you are looking forward to, (After saying you hate waiting for seasons)

Yet, I know of 1 K-drama so far that has more than 1 season, Kingdom. Sweet Home is rumored to have a 2nd but it isn't officially announced. Taxi Driver is getting a second season, but that isn't made by a western company or distributed currently globally and the season 2 isn't actually made yet or known when it will release. All the other Netflix shows (again your example of westernization) are so far single seasons. Even with the cliffhanger ending and number 1 rank on MDL that Move to Heaven has, there still is no official announcement of a 2nd season...this isn't to say there aren't others, but the VAST MAJORITY of K-dramas that I have heard about, watched, have recommended to me, and know are all 1 season.

However I have come across multiple J-Dramas with multiple seasons and or special episodes or completions. Hell the NETFLIX J-drama (Yes Netflix makes Japanese Dramas too) Alice in Borderland is an example of one that is already filming its second season. Ossana's Love has multiple seasons, and of course there is the one you mentioned above, and this is just to name a few.

So how is this a difference between the two sets of content?

3) You claim you do not like fantasy, supernatural, or violence (Which is cutting out and excluding a MASSIVE swath of content if you truly adhere to this) and say J-Dramas offer more than K-Dramas. I cannot argue this, however, I can argue its opposite. That is the BULK of K-dramas I've watched do not have any fantasy supernatural elements...I've actually sought out the ones that do, because I got bored. Violence...yeah, anything Period Piece related gets violent and then there are actually action shows....

However I have found JUST as many J-Dramas that are fantasy, HUGE amounts of Supernatural, and violent you betcha....VERY VIOLENT. Also Japan is more western when it comes to relationships and sex and thus on top nudity and actual mature relationships are easily and readily found in their content. Slow motion kisses from 18 different angles are not the norm climax for a Japanese relationship....THOUGH, they do make those shows as well, for people who want that.

So I feel this is just your biased opinion on what you search for and watch other than what K-Dramas and J-Dramas actually make and put out.

And finally, your claims of Japanese isolationism in media and attitude instead of homogenizing in globalization and becoming western.

This is a complete misunderstanding on your part.

Japan is THE most Westernized Asian nation outside of those that were actually controlled by Western Powers. They globalized half a century ago. Their goods and products are largely the second strongest in the world and have been since the later 70's through the 80's. From Automobiles (Honda/Acura, Toyota/Lexus, etc) to gaming (Nintendo Sony PlayStation, Sega) to Anime and Manga (A world wide multi-billion dollar entertainment phenom) to decor (There is a defined aesthetic used in interior design and furniture making) to even food (How many people eat Sushi worldwide and number of Sushi or Hibachi restaurants exist (Wagyu or Kobe Beef anyone) compared to Korean restaurants or styled food) And Japan has stronger relations with western countries than eastern countries in general. (Hated by both Korea and China).

The entertainment you watch is already the product of the western and Japanese mixing together. This is why you probably actually like Japanese Dramas more. Because they actually appeal more to western styles. They produce a wide variety of entertainment and can run the gamut on childlike to mature audiences, it is not a 1 size fits all unlike traditional K-Drama. They also don't create JUST romantic melodramas.

Korea is relatively new to the scene and yes is currently globalizing their product (IN ALL INDUSTRIES not just entertainment) They have been one of the fastest countries to industrialize and move into the global view. And you are watching their evolution as they do this. If there are any moving changes to their entertainment, (Perceived or real), this is why.

And by the way, Netflix does very very little to influence on a shows creation. It is why so many in the entertainment industry want to work with them. They are a closed platform. The algorithm will decide if you get a second season or not, but season 1 for the most part is whatever you create. And their shows are created by people, and companies, in each of their foreign markets, to appeal to that specific market and gain subscriptions.