"5. You'll get to experience second lead syndrome, maybe."
I laughed so much reading this because that's exactly what happened! But in all honesty the second lead syndrome shouldn't exist! It's the pinnacle of bad writing but I guess the silver lining is we got to see Kim Seon Ho really shine.
I totally agree with all the CONS & PROS especially the first one (both:))! However I still think you are being way to generous with the score.
Your review is so spot on! I'm so glad there are still rational and critically thinking people out there.
"Lessons and morals of the story? Cheat, lie, play dirty, fight your mentor and those who help you, blame others for your failures, never be grateful to your friends and family, use "fate" to explain your mistakes, and win the girl. Wonderful, very heart-warming."
EXACTLLY! This bit hit home big time! One thing I just can't wrap my head around is, if we put aside the whole romantic fan war thing, is how can anyone enjoy to be spoon-feed these utterly wrong and misplaced, not to say downright dangerous values, let alone praising them?
Playing devil's advocate for a moment, ok you found some value in the business side of things if you are new to the whole start-up thing. And I do admit the sandbox (or accelerator as they are usually called) in the first few eps is pretty accurate and interesting but in the second part, when the real deal starts even this falls apart badly. For example relying on pure luck and kindness of the overly forgiving mentor that you abused not long ago to raise investments, no exit-strategy, evaluations etc.. is quite laughable actually.
So what is really there left to enjoy? After ep.9 (or even before actually) this sadly, to the detriment of everyone else, becomes every angry teenager's wet dream. Lash out your sense of entitlement without any repercussions because the world owes you something. Because you are ... soooo special?! And worry not you are gonna be rewarded for it!
But hey maybe that was the writers intention. Maybe that was the target audience from the get-go? If that's the case I would say it's only right to cut it some slack. There has to be content even for the niche market.
But just the fact that it feels and plays out (with all the PR, cast, production value etc) like a serious drama I would say shame on them for consciously and deliberately using dirty and cheap tricks to lure people in under false promise. Very Disney like - bait and switch. And it deserves all the criticism it's getting and even more.
"I don't think I'll be watching another Bae Suzy or Nam Joo Hyuk work for a while to cleanse my palate from their portrayal of the worst characters in kdrama history, which is ironic given that I started this for them in the first place."
Laughed so hard because I felt exactly the same. Now to be fair it's the characters not the actors but ever since watching Start-Up I just can't stand Nam Joo Hyuk. I tried but just can't. Maybe it's because this role was so close to him and brought out that part, but I swear everything else now feels exactly the same to me.
So well said! I couldn't agree more. Second male lead syndrome shouldn't exist! Now I appreciate that sometimes it's hard to walk the fine line and not to turn the lead female character into a bitch that can't decide between the two guys but ... why do you create such a great second lead only to tie his feet to a telephone pole. The poor guy never really stood a chance. I really hate it when the second male lead is a great character (on purpose) just so the writer can cheaply use it as a carrot-on-the-stick for the first male lead to build the tension and then throw it away. Especially when she/he uses deus ex machina to constantly "save" the main lead from absurd situations and consequently the second lead always fails. Or some absurd obsession like in this case that makes everything kinda obsolete.
Put them all in a plausible situation with plausible interests with equal opportunity and let it come down to the complementary character traits in the end.
I'm a huge PSJ fan but this was the first time I wasn't rooting for him and it made me quite mad. The writing/his character just wasn't up to par and didn't do him justice.
Except this show was written by a woman lol.
I laughed so much reading this because that's exactly what happened! But in all honesty the second lead syndrome shouldn't exist! It's the pinnacle of bad writing but I guess the silver lining is we got to see Kim Seon Ho really shine.
I totally agree with all the CONS & PROS especially the first one (both:))! However I still think you are being way to generous with the score.
"Lessons and morals of the story? Cheat, lie, play dirty, fight your mentor and those who help you, blame others for your failures, never be grateful to your friends and family, use "fate" to explain your mistakes, and win the girl. Wonderful, very heart-warming."
EXACTLLY! This bit hit home big time! One thing I just can't wrap my head around is, if we put aside the whole romantic fan war thing, is how can anyone enjoy to be spoon-feed these utterly wrong and misplaced, not to say downright dangerous values, let alone praising them?
Playing devil's advocate for a moment, ok you found some value in the business side of things if you are new to the whole start-up thing. And I do admit the sandbox (or accelerator as they are usually called) in the first few eps is pretty accurate and interesting but in the second part, when the real deal starts even this falls apart badly. For example relying on pure luck and kindness of the overly forgiving mentor that you abused not long ago to raise investments, no exit-strategy, evaluations etc.. is quite laughable actually.
So what is really there left to enjoy? After ep.9 (or even before actually) this sadly, to the detriment of everyone else, becomes every angry teenager's wet dream. Lash out your sense of entitlement without any repercussions because the world owes you something. Because you are ... soooo special?! And worry not you are gonna be rewarded for it!
But hey maybe that was the writers intention. Maybe that was the target audience from the get-go? If that's the case I would say it's only right to cut it some slack. There has to be content even for the niche market.
But just the fact that it feels and plays out (with all the PR, cast, production value etc) like a serious drama I would say shame on them for consciously and deliberately using dirty and cheap tricks to lure people in under false promise. Very Disney like - bait and switch. And it deserves all the criticism it's getting and even more.
"I don't think I'll be watching another Bae Suzy or Nam Joo Hyuk work for a while to cleanse my palate from their portrayal of the worst characters in kdrama history, which is ironic given that I started this for them in the first place."
Laughed so hard because I felt exactly the same. Now to be fair it's the characters not the actors but ever since watching Start-Up I just can't stand Nam Joo Hyuk. I tried but just can't. Maybe it's because this role was so close to him and brought out that part, but I swear everything else now feels exactly the same to me.
Put them all in a plausible situation with plausible interests with equal opportunity and let it come down to the complementary character traits in the end.