damn, this comment section. I would continue with caution if youre sensitive to transphobic talking points. there is a troll crawling amongst us throwing misinformed youtube links into the void with an unhealthy level of hateful obsession.
I think this movie would have been genuinely fantastic with just some small changes that would help it tie the past to the present and carry themes forward more authentically as a piece of queer cinema. literally if they had made Dew's reincarnated self a lesbian struggling with identity and living in a small town in a similar way Dew was with phop finding paralells to his own journey, guilt, and current life circumstances, that would have broken this whole thing wide open and killed the uncomfy relationship between teacher and 10th grader involved in a reincarnated almost lover relationship. hell-- she can still be the reincarnated Dew. it would have built more profound personal meaning within her character's journey of discovering these memories and explain their closeness without havinf to turn the reincarnation plot romantic-ish-- like the movie says, this connection is more about unfinished business, anyway. had they better explored his relationship with his wife as well, that would have been great. particularly since his whole deal in the first half of the movie was his fear of the consequences of living authentically within a small town during a time when discrimination against homosexuality was and overt and overwhelming situation. this would have really brought the themes around much better and presented a story where the older generation acts as mentor for the younger generation as he aknowledges an old grief he's struggled to move past because he refuses to acknowledge it. it could have been a story about letting go of the past and moving toward the future. whether he authentically loves his wife or acknowledges he has been going through the motions in his resignation to circumstances and a desire for an easier way to live. just- this movie could have been far more than it was and the themes I talked about that already exist within the movie all the more prominent and compelling without the "yikes underage girl" factor. rather than moving on, the movie's ending feels more like continuing to live in the past and the implied "doing what we couldn't before" wrap up it currently has doesnt pack the rigjt punch for me. it felt inauthentic and kinda lame. the one time I wish the cpuple didnt get "back" together. while I can appreciate the different approach this tool compared to its original source, the implications of Dew being reincarnates as a girl (being amore socially acceptable choice, age gap aside) on top of the ambiguous implications of their jumping together without the cord being attatched left a bitter taste in my mouth since it didnt feel narratively or emotionally earned. the ending was fucked and could have been so much more. they could and should have developed the queer narrative further within the second half of the plot since it carried such weight in the first half. I guess what I'm saying is I wish this diverged even more from the source material than it did.
I didnt mind the mom twist, though I know it wasnt popular. Its the type of show that always intended to have a grand climax/face-off. They managed to sprinkle just enough hints to make me suspicious without it being horribly blatant about it so the twist was more a confirmation of suspicions and clearly planned in advance. The direction they were taking was pretty clear when everyone started asking "what if her mom is still alive???" After episodes of her being referred to as dead.
But the one huge issue I take with it is the horribly gaping plot hole where they never explained how the hell she managed to survive apparently getting shoved into a bag and thrown in a lake. Any rationale at all would have worked. Even dad hallucinating everything. That they didnt even try to explain it is the one huge issue.
I guess I m the only one who couldn't get into it.. It's just that..I watched the first few episode when it was…
In general my enthusiasm for shows tend to plummet when I follow then week to week vs binge watching. But we all have that show that we know on paper is good but never quite managed to connect emotionally with.
Like most dramas, it fell apart a bit toward the end. I also got a bit frustrated at all the lies the FL kept telling and the way she would kind of manipulate her way out of arguments and he would let her. But at the same time, I think in the end all the stuff both didnt say to each other is what built up into their break up. Their lack of communication broke them apart. And then the hated time skip. And how they just skimmed over the workplace plot's climax. Uuuugh.
Over all, though, I was incredibly invested from start to end and was pleasantly surprised by so much of the drama. The FL had a clear character arc through most of the drama. It was painful to watch them both be harassed and abused into submission on all sides and I could understand them cracking under the pressure. Especially since neither really confided in or relied on the other for stuff They were struggling with. They built up things well and naturally over all. Then it ended in typical kdrama fashion. Messy and with a time skip where they are separated and pine for each other. Sigh....
The last episode really gave off the feeling that it was planned for 40 episodes but they cut the last two episodes. It was rushed, left plots dangling and left me wanting so much more.
Aside from that, I loved this drama. It was everything I needed to cleanse my soul. I was gleefully giggling through the whole thing and loved the cast.
Its just a shame they had to end it like that. We really needed more closure at least with the mom plot...
I think whether you like this drama or not depends entirely on your expectations going in. If youre expecting a romcom, this is not it. If you dont mind the first half's largely non-romantic plot then you'll get something out of it. After that, dont expect a particularly dramatic and earth shattering romance. Enjoy it for what it is. A low-scifi story that isnt all that serious, even with lives on the line
While there are things to criticize in the plot, like how often they did fake-outs of Dongmae's death and how over the span of the series Japan becomes comically evil in an almost cartoonist way while still being brutally terrifying, there was not a single character I disliked in the main cast. I especially loved Yanghwa and still can't comprehend how not a single one of the men in the show felt any attraction to her because she is wonderful.
I've seen some people feel it drags a bit in the middle but I didn't think so?
But the one huge issue I take with it is the horribly gaping plot hole where they never explained how the hell she managed to survive apparently getting shoved into a bag and thrown in a lake. Any rationale at all would have worked. Even dad hallucinating everything. That they didnt even try to explain it is the one huge issue.
Over all, though, I was incredibly invested from start to end and was pleasantly surprised by so much of the drama. The FL had a clear character arc through most of the drama. It was painful to watch them both be harassed and abused into submission on all sides and I could understand them cracking under the pressure. Especially since neither really confided in or relied on the other for stuff They were struggling with. They built up things well and naturally over all. Then it ended in typical kdrama fashion. Messy and with a time skip where they are separated and pine for each other. Sigh....
Aside from that, I loved this drama. It was everything I needed to cleanse my soul. I was gleefully giggling through the whole thing and loved the cast.
Its just a shame they had to end it like that. We really needed more closure at least with the mom plot...
While there are things to criticize in the plot, like how often they did fake-outs of Dongmae's death and how over the span of the series Japan becomes comically evil in an almost cartoonist way while still being brutally terrifying, there was not a single character I disliked in the main cast. I especially loved Yanghwa and still can't comprehend how not a single one of the men in the show felt any attraction to her because she is wonderful.
I've seen some people feel it drags a bit in the middle but I didn't think so?
The ending ripped me to shreds, though.