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a pleasant surprise
Overall: I enjoyed the duality of one of the leads, the aerial silks and more. 8 episodes about 45 minutes each. Aired on iQIYI. Approximately 3 months after the series finished airing on iQIYI, it was re-released on Deep Night The Series YouTube channel https://youtube.com/playlist?list=PLIh-ltO6DKlWlabCf7nTiWyyE_CcWnMdH&si=y-Xw77mcKFaLOrIJContent Warnings: manhandling, blackmail/coercion, past death, non con kissing, non con video recording/sharing
What I Liked
- clear premise
- sweet moments
- intimate scenes, mutual affection
- something I really wanted actually happened in the final episode, wish we could have seen a bit more of the relationship developments (maybe a special episode will happen???)
- Wela was smart and already knew something, he had agency
- aerial silks/pole
- the idea that people can act very different in different circumstances
- that Khem didn't want to do stuff when Wela was drunk (but drunk people will frequently say they are not drunk so I would have preferred they altered the scene slightly)
- GL representation
- a realistic point of tension with the main relationship
- mesh shirts
- apologizing and pretty good communication
- supportive parents
- (neutral) comedy sound effects (didn't seem to have as many or maybe I tuned them out)
- (neutral) there were a lot of characters introduced but the name tags many of them wore were helpful before I figured everyone out
Room For Improvement
- not a fan of, 'I won't tell your secret if I get to kiss you' type of stuff, luckily Wela held his own
- the shrieking in the first episode
- continuity error towards the end of ep 1, they were wearing different outfits when eating, perhaps they changed but it wasn't mentioned or shown
- nonsense stuff/convenient writing: 2 characters happened to have each others' phone numbers, drinking 1 shot wouldn't make a person so drunk that they wouldn't wake up and if it did they should go to the hospital, showing someone super drunk then not drunk and then not remembering things well the next morning (which a person would need to have been extremely drunk to have happen), the mom being worried about telling her son something
- the subtitles had several errors but I didn't take off points for it
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A fable about the pointlessness of conforming at all costs
WARNING: review is full of spoilers, and is basically an essay!TLDR: a fascinating exploration of 'fitting in' at the expense of one's authenticity.
Jung Hyun and Jun Seok like each other, but their romance is short-lived. Min Jae (Jung Hyun’s ‘friend’) senses there’s something going on between the pair, and so sets off rumours at their school, and then tells Jung Hyun about said rumours. In response, Jung Hyun distances himself from Jun Seok, and ultimately brings an end to their relationship.
What’s fascinating is that it’s not the homophobic society, nor Min Jae (who is trying to help his friend in a weirdly homophobic way), preventing the pair from being together. Rather, it's Jung Hyun’s need to conform that brings an end to their relationship. His need to conform is at odds with Jun Seok’s indifference to how others perceive him, and is conveyed subtly on multiple occasions. Perhaps most pertinently, given the title of this short film, the contrast between them is hinted at when Jun Seok asks Jung Hyun why he smokes, and he simply says ’Because…’ He has no real response, because he smokes purely to fit in with his classmates. In contrast, when Min Jae asks Jun Seok if he smokes, Jun Seok says, ‘Why, do I have to?’ He knows smoking is ‘cool’, but couldn't care less.
This all comes to a head as rumours are swirling and Min Jae has proffered his words of warning to Jung Hyun. Jung Hyun can’t stand the whispered judgment of his peers and so brings things to an end with Jun Seok, symbolically smoking with classmates we've never even seen before as he does so.
The film ends with the camera lingering on Jung Hyun standing alone miserably, gazing at his classmates as they happily chat away, completely oblivious to him. Melancholy music kicks in, and one can’t help but sense that Jung Hyun is starting to grasp that he has lost everything and gained nothing. He has ended things with Jun Seok at the expense of his authenticity and happiness, because he couldn’t stand being gossip fodder for his classmates. And yet as he looks around, it’s clear his peers never really cared about his personal life to begin with; it’s old news to them. However, the pain of ending things with Jun Seok will remain. But hey, at least maybe he’ll stop smoking…
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kawaaiiiiiiii....
As expected from a JBL, it was a top notch production. The details they went into creating the costumes from the manga was astonishing. And of course the cuteness-factor was over 10. 🤣They showed us two persons with each two personalitites. Extrovert AE turns into introvert Enaga because he want's to learn at a fashion school. He is a top model but he has to hide his normal appearance otherwise it would create trouble for him and the school. Chiaki is an introvert and shy whenever he is is not at home, but he turns into an extroverted energetic designer after he opens up to Enaga who he has to be partnered with for a fashion competition.
Chiaki turned to fashion after he had seen AE on a runway and he also turned to fashion to give him courage to be the person he wants to be. Both character struggle in their own way. But Chiaki struggles more when he develops feelings for Enaga still not knowing that this is his idol/bias AE. But as it is also in real life, the truth will come out.
Both actors portrayed their characters to perfection imho. Everything was done just right. The only thing not as perfect was maybe the kiss - but I can forgive that, because at least it was not a deadfish kiss . 🤣 For me it's a show to recommand and for most it will be a light breeze in the autumn when there is some cold but also a lot of sun and it will make you smile most of the time.
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It is worth watching for the comedy and cute romance. Chemistry was great with the leads. Plus, no Face Tune blur of the faces that leave actors looking like they are wearing smeared masks. Imagine seeing a pimple, a few or chicken pox marks in a new Chinese drama! The actors look natural. Their makeup actually matched the skin tones which is rare to find these days! Budget was low, but, it did not detract from the story or the comedy. You will notice the costumes are not custom made to each actor or may be a bit wrinkled from multiple uses. There are fewer extras, soldiers and court nobles. These do not detract from the entertainment value.
Story
The base story is the standard palace drama where power struggles and back hall machinations take place daily. The young emperor has to establish his leadership against the typical power hungry competitors. He is supported by a girl dressed as a eunuch. This is no earth shattering epic drama. The story is light hearted and very funny at times. There are enough dramatic episodes to add variation and closure. No frustrating cliff hangers in a drama that is half the length of typical dramas and succeeds in bringing the drama to a satisfying end.
Acting/Cast
I was pleasantly surprised the male lead was ruggedly handsome and not a typical idol. He played his character well. He was a good match for the female lead. They had very good chemistry. Their comedic timing was also good. The emperor was straight faced and stoic but isolated from the real world. The girl was bubbly and streetwise. Their interactions seemed natural. I would like to see these actors paired in a modern romantic comedy.
The supporting characters were good. They enhanced the entertainment value of the drama.
Music
The music is not bad at all. This is a rom-com and not a documentary or historical heavy drama. The popular music that is the introduction to every episode has a touch of rock. It shows up again when the king makes a big entrance. It was the first sign this drama is more comedy than drama and viewers should not take it too seriously. Most of these palace dramas get boring when they try too hard to be authentic and overly dramatic.
Rewatch
I would not rewatch from start to finish. But, I will definitely rewatch the cute parts between the leads and the funny parts of the supporting casts.
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Everything in this drama was realy great and shown realy well. The actors fit the characters very well. This was was my first j-drama after a three month break and I'm realy happy I watched it... ^^
About the cast : They all were amazing together. Keiko was Riko, Tomohisa was Naoki and for me they will always be these. Because they were amazing and it's like these roles were made for them to play. When you see them fighting you can feel your heart aching and when they make up you can finaly feel at ease
There is one main song (like in, probably, every j-drama) but it's enough to say that the music is perfect because the song is amazing fot the show.
So, I can surely say that for me this drama was outstanding. At first you can think that a violinist and a basketball player would never be good for each other, but later on you see that you were wrong. ;)How they meet, how they talk, how they help and advice each other was beautiful. How they see each other by coincidence and how they feel embarased. You can feel their emotions yourself and you feel like it's effecting you, too. And that's why you fall in love with this drama even more. And that's amazing.
I'd definitely say that it's a must-watch drama!
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Watch if you lack stress in life
I did not really want to post a review of this. Since I dropped it mid way around episode 20ish and just watched the final 2 episodes. For me the chemistry is low for this pairing too.Warning this is a very tiring, stressful and frustrating series to watch. Because the plot is so extreme with never ending issues. From the start of their relationship, its just non stop issues, issues and issues. The issues are so forced, ridiculous and extreme every other episode.
So if you want to pull your hair out, feels nauseating, experience cringe and dog blood. This series is for you. Happy ending in the end so if thats the goal, just watch a few early episodes and then skip to last 2 episode will make it a better experience.
But really there are better things to watch out there.
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It's really great to see a drama that touches upon the subject of age. Often times, especially in places like Japan, a woman's value is determined by trivial things such as her age (saying women past 30 are undesirable, their lives are defined by whether or not they eventually end up with someone during their 20's, etc etc.), but that is not the case in Sumika Sumire.
Sumi-chan is encouraged to enjoy her newfound youth. Never once is she portrayed as weird/gross for trying to live her new life, even though she is, technically, a 65-year old woman. She is met with plenty of love and encouragement from almost all of the other characters. And In the end, she changes not only her own life, but the ones of those around her as well.
Overall, it is a very sweet, light-hearted, and positive story. I like to think that Sumire, in its own way, is trying to tell people that if you're unhappy with your life, it's not always too late to try and change it. I mean, obviously, you're not going to magically end up with a younger body or go back in time or something. But, to me, the message is still pretty clear: you're never too old or too far gone to find happiness. Everyone deserves a second chance at life, and even if you feel hopeless, it's never too late to try.
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I've seen lots of dramas but this has to be my all time fav. Its defently worth watching and rewatching. Nothing like a warm heartfelt drama. You would almost think its real. Something all us girls dream bout. Im so so envious of her -sigh-
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If you are looking for a dramas to watch that’s has a cute and sweet female lead and a hot, smart but slightly wicked male lead, then this is the series for you.
Firstly, what I enjoyed about this series was the fact that the male lead didn’t get swayed by the other females that were chasing him, he showed his commitment to the female lead on multiple occasions and not once did he choose another females side over the female lease.
The second thing I liked about this series was the female lead. Once she was determined to like the male lead, she stayed with him, even though her sister and parents didn’t like the male lead. She was a sweet female lead who was kind to everyone and showed growth as the series went on. She wasn’t as naive and gullible like she was in the begging . She became more smarter, but still sweet.
The first thing I didn’t like about this series was the first villain who appeared in the begging. I felt like her presence was just unnecessary and the fact that she just disappeared without addressing the main plot of this series was just a fail for me.
I would have given this series a 10/10 if it was not for the last 4 episodes. I felt that they were unnecessary and they just caused unnecessary tension between the ML and FL. The last 4 episodes were unpleasant to watch and they didn’t add anything to the series as a whole.
I would have watched the ML and FL relationship grow after all the oppositions around them were solved.
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May This Level of Love Never Locate Me
SU HYEON is dumb as rocks. No really, he’s a stupid-head. Knowledge was chasing this fool but he was faster. Cuz what the eff you mean you made a contract with some dude that forbid you from dating the guy you’re in love with, who btw likes you back?? Make it make sense Sharon. Then this doo-doo head honoured the contract for 11 years. Eleven effing years!!! Like?? WHY Bob? WHY? I legit thought he was gonna be a smart villain cuz dude showed up in ep1 already mad like the audience owed him money, with anger issues the size of Antarctica, only for him to be two feathers short of becoming a chicken nugget.Anywho, what do you think happens when a psychotic professor, a bad-tempered rich boss and a persistent, loving co-worker falls in love with a hard working and charming boy-next-door fella? TOXIC CHAOS. There’s stabbing, manipulation, horror movies, attempted murder, abuse, threats, stupidity, kidnapping, forced marriage, did I mention the bread knife? Oh and a very cute photo booth date. This drama was an absolute, complete and utter shit-show, and I enjoyed every single moment of it. Let me explain.
SEONG HYEON is lovely, yes, but at what point does the embarrassment reach your ancestors and brings shame to you and your family's goat? That co-worker was so sad to look at, worrying, crying, begging and still Daon refused to date him and kept pushing him away. Even so, this dude kept coming back like a puppy playing fetch until he got stabbed and almost died. Susan, do you have a humiliation kink, is that it?
JAE MIN is a manipulative psycho and needs rewiring, yes. But he’s also a pathetic sore loser. Dude kept Daon on the hook for 11 years, only to lose him to a guy who wears couple outfit to work, and then for sympathy points, this loser went and stab himself with a bread knife. And of course when his arse was rejected, this mfker kidnapped Daon and forced a ring on his finger to marry him, then tried to burn himself and Daon alive so they could die together. His reason? He saw Daon first during break at school one Tuesday so he belongs to him. Bitch ass!
DA-ON. I mean what was the appeal? The poor-ness? He was like a lighthouse, attracting every boy in a five meter radius to him. No, really, why everyone and their mama wanted him? Sure he’s hard working, sweet doe eyes dude, knows how to ignore calls he don’t want to answer and stand up for himself-ish, but literally the only thing interesting about him was that he was a poor person who wore expensive cloths. Plus he was also sort of dumb with some of the decision he made. Or was it that his face gave off protect me vibes? What was it? He couldn’t possible be the only Mary Sue these dudes came across in that country.
Listen, the short end of the matter is, 3/4 of these people are crazy, dumb and psychotic. And the last one has a humiliation kick and seems to be immune to rejection, together they make one heck of a dramatic, enjoyable show, so you know me, I was sat. As always, I went into this show knowing nothing. In the first episode I was like, so love triangle got too boring huh? now we having a love square, alright sign me the eff up, I am ready for some drama. And drama I got.
Before we go further, 3 things...
Seong Hyeon = Puppy Co-Worker
Jaemin = Professor Psycho
Su Hyeon = Angry Director-nim
THINGS I LIKED:
- When Angry Director-nim punched Professor Psycho. Wished he'd have added four more during the finale.
- That sweet movie date and photo booth scene... so cute.
- Every time Puppy Co-Worker stood up for Daon.
- Every time Daon stood up for himself.
- When Daon rejected Angry Director-nim
- When Daon left Professor Psycho's arse at the hospital after he stabbed himself.
- When the ring Professor Psycho forced on Daon's finger didn't fit during that insane wedding/marriage. Dude wore white and everything. Psycho.
- When after Angry Director-nim apologised for everything he did to Daon, Daon didn't say one single word back to him and left. Yes, Daon did not owe him even a word or a second more of his life, my man left his arse immediately and I clapped.
- That one year gap between Puppy Co-Worker and Daon while he was in Dubai. Thank you for that, Daon needed some alone time from all three men to be with himself for a bit, and I think he might have gotten that in that year, which was good for him,
That being said, you know me, I've always got my rubber chicken ready to slap some folks, so, imma say it...
EVERYONE ON THIS SHOW HAD THE IQ OF AN UGLY POTATO
Yes everyone was crazy, toxic and giant red flags in their own way, we've established that, no need to get into it. instead, let's talk about the decisions they made that made me feel like they really really not smart enough for the Hunger Games. Cuz:
DAON:
- He allowed himself to be tossed around by Professor Psycho and Angry Director-nim for ELEVEN YEARS during their sick games. 11! Boy? Professor Psycho kept him on the hook and he seemed all too happy to be dangling there when we met him.
- Yes, Daon was poor and needed the money, but staying in a work where the boss constantly harass you is a choice, even if said job was your dream. Sure he stood up for himself, but really, all that hand pulling couldn't have been healthy. And at what point does the threats and angry outburst that leaves you injured become too much? Quit Sharon, quit. Find a new dream,
- And how the hell is him putting yourself up to be forcedly kissed the right choice to saving Puppy Co-Worker? I'm still going WTF at the kissing scene. Like? Sure he needed to get Angry Director-nim away from Puppy Co-Worker so he doesn’t crack his skull with a beer bottle, but what was the need for that effing kiss? They couldn't talk? What gives?
- Literally, Daon is an adult, he could have Communicated the situation with Angry Director-nim to Puppy Co-Worker and both could have come up with a solution, instead of trying to play some sort of unnecessary hero. That decision vex me pass.
- I get that Professor Psycho hid his claws very well, but why the eff did Daon rushed over to Professor Psycho’s house when he found out he’d been manipulating and hurting him this whole time? And that too ALONE? Child? I’d have changed my number and blocked him everywhere. Heck, I’d have moved to a different city, but no no, not our mary sue, he wanted face-to-face answers cuz he trusted the psycho, so he matched in there and almost got assaulted. Child use that coconut head of yours would you? This dude literally put your sister in the hospital like three seconds ago.
- I feel so sorry for Daon especially when he was ready to open up to Puppy Co-Worker and got shut down, but dude speak. Open your mouth and say your peace, the worse he can do is put his fingers in his ears or still ignore you after he hears it, but really, SPEAK.
- Letting himself get kidnap: Sure he didn't ask for it, but even me who didn't spend over 11 years with these dudes knew something like this was gonna happen. I wasn't even shocked he was kidnapped, though I was that it took that long for one of them to do it. Daon is too trusting and forgiven cuz I'd have told Professor Psycho to burn whatever he had for me instead of meeting him in that underground garage.
- Not seeing that none of these 3 boys deserved him. Like, dude, let them go and heal then start over. Edit: Alright, in the finale after the stabbing and telling him to go to Dubai at least Puppy Co-Worker earned his place by Daon's side.
PROFESSOR PSYCHO
- His first mistake was manipulating a dumb dude who was unstable and had a short temper, really did he think he could keep it up for forever? I'm shock Angry Director-nim didn't snitch like a day later.
- Dude had Daon to himself for eleven years and didn't make a move. Sure he said he didn't want to date him and then lose him if they broke up. Then what was the point of liking him at all? Like did he want to put Daon in a glass case and stare at him? How is you hiring people to get him drunk, take compromising pictures and then to hurt his sister something you do to the person you love? He wanted Daon to learn his place, and this was his way of punishing him, and then being the one to be there for him at the same time. The asylum is too good for him.
- And did he seriously think Daon would forgive and still like him after he learned everything and his answers to everything was 'Cuz I love you?' idiot.
- Trying to assault the man he claims to love right after shouting 'I love you.'
- Stabbing himself. Like? Who was that supposed to hurt? No really, what was the play here? Let us be serious in this life peoples. Then of course he had the audacity to blame Daon cuz apparently he'd done so much for him and he wasn't allowed to leave him. Child if you don't go sit down! And why the hell did the hospital let him go after that? Dude should have been in the psych ward.
- Thinking the audience a fool and saying he's given up Daon. LMAO, you is the devil, aint no way I'm believing that. I don't know who kidnapped Daon, but I won't be surprised one bit if it was him. Heck, I'd be surprised if it's not him. Edit: Was right, it was his crazy arse that kidnapped Daon. Loser.
- His reasons for all the bad things he did being because he saw Daon first. HAHAHA if that's how it works then someone owes me a man cuz I saw some of these people first. Then it turns out he didn't even met Daon first, it was Puppy Co-Worker, so I guess his reasoning was right... cuz Puppy Co-Worker did end up with Daon. Oh well, his arse is in jail so...
ANGRY DIRECTOR-NIM
- Sabotaging his own company because of the guy who didn't even want to breathe the same air as him. Again how was this the solution?
- Making that contract with Professor Psycho. Even if that psycho had something on him, it was still dumb as hell to say yes and then honour it for 11 years. 11!
- Pulling out a ring the night after forcefully kissing the boy who can't stand him. LMAO. Brotha go sit down.
- Again: Saying yes to that contract. He must have been feed stupid pills since elementary school, cuz ain't no way.
- Only punching Professor Psycho once and not shoving him out that nice window behind them. Wasted opportunity if you ask me.
- Using threats and violence to try and win Daon's love. Bish are you new to this whole love and romance nonsense?
- Whatever the hell deal he made with the mother.
- Trying to form another alliance with Professor Psycho. Like that 11 years contract wasn't enough? dumb as dirt that one.
- Again trying to ruin the reputation of his company for someone that didn't want him. He should have went to work on Professor Psycho when he got him away from the cops, few punches and slaps, what good did talking do?
PUPPY CO-WORKER
- Kept coming back to be hurt: He kept saying I just want to stay beside you, and then expected more. Sure they both knew that was his end game, but really after the 100 rejection dude should have taking a hint. At what point does the hand pulling stop being romantic?
- Tirelessly fighting to be together with Daon, a broken guy who clearly have emotional issues, family issues, trust issues and too much pride and didn't really accept help. Sometimes we need to forget love for a second and think about the end prize, cuz...
- Letting Daon go when the dude was finally ready to love him back. Yes, I understand the hickey was suggestive, but he waited all those time, and couldn't spare Daon like 3mins for him to explain? See nonsense. Watching himself be heart broken when he didn't have to vexed me. All he had to do was listen to what Daon had to say.
- Looking at it, Puppy Co-Worker might just be the smartest of the bunch, at least all he did wrong was humiliate himself by falling in love with an emotionally unstable cute co-worker, and got stabbed. At least he didn't waste 11 years of his life like those three fools. Plus in the end he got the guy, so...
PLOT:
The premise of this drama wasn’t anything new, we’ve seen plots of everyone being in love with that one special lead, so basic at best. What made this good was the execution. This drama was good at confusing us for a while. In the beginning I thought Professor Psycho was the knight in shining armor. Sure I knew he was cray-cray the moment he switched up and rejected Daon like he was a last week's meatloaf. Still, I thought he was the good guy and that love letter and gift was for him, but as it turned out, Daon had a thing for Angry Director-nim all along, was honestly shocked at that. The little reveals in this drama made it interesting and kept me watching. I enjoyed the plot cuz although it wasn’t new they added elements that entertained and held my interest every episode.
DAON NEEDS TO BE ALONE
Up until the finale of this show, I believed Daon needed to be alone. These three stressed him out so much, our boy was on those stairs at work having a panic attack, then he got kidnapped on one of the most important days of his life. None of these boys deserved him. Yes, we can argue about Puppy Co-Worker but think about it, isn't his constant persistent a problem of his own, his stressing our boy who have enough problems of his own out. He means well, but he needs to take a chill pill, like stop saying you want to just be by his side and then lowkey pressuring him. Edit: But in the finale they had me with the cake to the nose and the saving him by getting stabbed, and then I'll wait 100 years for you so go live your life scene. So I guess, if one person could end up with Daon, I'm glad it was Puppy Co-Worker .
No, I will not be shipping Daon and Angry Director-nim, Sure he was a fool and got himself manipulated by Professor Psycho and his mother, which made him hurt the boy he loved and then lost him, so yeah, poor loser, but his personality is not one to cheer for. He’s a giant red-flag and our poor Daon has been through enough, both with his family and Professor Psycho, so I won't come add this abusive dude to the list. Let us be serious in this life peoples! Sure in the finale he came to his senses, but after everything I am so very very glad he did not end up with Daon.
As for Professor Psycho, yeah, imma need him to take a drive off a cliff, dude is doing too much all in the name of love. That's not love, that's craziness, get professional help or like therapy. Or even better, join an asylum. Glad his crazy arse ended up in prison in the finale, he deserved it and so much more.
So yes, before the finale I thought Daon would be better off single, cuz what he had was not love. The manipulative psycho wasted 11 years of his life, the foolish angry boss caused him his first love, and the persistent love puppy needed to take a breather. To me, Daon needed time to himself until he truly learnt to trust again. He needed to find himself after the 11 years of mind-eff the two guys put him through. But after everything that happened in the finale, and that one year gap where he was apart from Puppy Co-Worker, I am okay he ended up with Puppy Co-Worker cuz they both deserves to be happy, but really, if he'd ended up alone, I wouldn't have complained either. Though I legit thought they were gonna surprised us by going off the predictable plot and killing Puppy Co-Worker, you know, give us something different, but no such luck. At least they happy, so yaay?
Overall, a very enjoyable drama, the best bl out of SK this year. Highly recommends to all bl lovers looking for some toxic drama with lots of headache, you won't be disappointed. One of my favs this year.
Anywho, I hope to see the cast in more work in the future.
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GIVE ME BOY PREGNANCY!
be warned this is toxic and FULLLLLL of red flags everywhere so this won’t be for everyone.I have been waiting for a true omegaverse to come out into a live Adaptation forever. And the fact that it’s coming out of China just makes me so happy. like GIVE IT TO ME.
As soon as I saw the first trailer for this, I went ahead and Searched out the source material so that I could read it because I needed to know what this is gonna be about and if we were truly going to get in an Omegaverse.
I have never been happier
That being said, I’ve also never watched a live adaptation that literally pulls Page from Page from the Book. it’s following the book so closely that I’m a little shocked.
that being said, it makes me even more excited for the things that are coming.
I will admit I am a bigger fan of the second couple The secretary and the boss And I’m really eager to watch their story play out.
there are definitely trigger warnings from the book though. and since they are following the source material so closely I assume they will always be on the series.
anyway I’m excited. give me all the toxic.
**** spoilers /Trigger warnings****
there is SA
cheating
minipulation and obviously deceiving. (enigma pretneding to be an omega and omega pretending to be a beta)
male pregnancy — we actually DO get MPreg here and I love it.
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Meandering plot that leads to nowhere, unresolved subplots, ridiculous ending
The series started off decent enough. I was rating this a 7.0 at Episode 6. By Episode 10, I was completely disillusioned by the terrible writing that didn't really allow Lee Jong Suk, Im Yoon Ah and Kwak Dong Yeon to display a wider range of their acting skills. Surprisingly for me, Yoo Tae Joo is probably the best thing to emerge from this chaotic, confusing mess.This series spent more than half of its episodes in the penitentiary. It wasted most of its time getting the audience trying to guess who Big Mouse is, who in the world is the "invincible" guy who managed to swindle something like 100 billion from crooks in the upper echelon of a shady corporation. The possible suspect moved from person to person, and this was how the drama dragged its feet from Episode 1 until Episode 10. The inanity.
The mayor, Choi Do Ha, turning out to be the big bad was no surprise, it was obvious from the point he sought out Park Chang Ho and got him involved in his quest to retrieve the ever so secretive "scientific paper". CDH's reasons to enlist PCH's help was superficial and illogical, it just didn't make sense to me. Right here and there is a big glaring plothole. There's no such thing as a "secretive scientific paper". Do the writers know that peer research papers go through a lengthy review process and is processed dozens of times before the final publication can be made? There's no way a paper that exposes the hazards of a radioactive substance of that magnitude can be kept secret for so long. It's just ridiculous writing.
Not to mention Hye Jin's murder was unnecessary, and to top it off, her death didn't even serve any purpose other than providing nonsensical shock value to the audience. She escaped to the US only to come back to get murdered. LOL. Why? If I were thousand of kilometres from my psychopathic ex, I wouldn't go back to where he was. Yeah, her ex-husband is worse than scum, and he didn't even get punished for her murder. Her body was never found! This subplot was completely dropped by the writers. For what? Yeah the mayor Choi Do Ha is also scum for helping him dump Hye Jin's body. Then it turned out Choi Do Ha wasn't even Choi Do Ha, he usurped the identity of a dead boy! What in the world. LMAO. Tell me how you do that as a kid. Who helped this kid changed his legal papers? This trope is tired and old, and honestly if people want to pull this in modern storylines, they need to provide a more viable and cogent explanation.
After all the twists and turns this drama flipped out, it was revealed that Big Mouse is really not a single entity. It's one guy, who's the head of some secret organisation, like Freemasonry, but mafia ala vigilante-style, with some dozens of members who abide by a set of organisational "code" - that also wasn't made clear to the watchers. Lmao I don't even know how to describe this circus house - this is the worst drama Lee Jong Suk has ever been in.
There was a scene where Park Chang Ho was tortured in a white chamber - why?! To extract information about the 100 billion dollars he siphoned off - allegedly. After he became Big Mouse, did PCH expend any energy to find this place he was held in, and did he bust it with his newly gained cronies of the Big Mouse organization so as to prevent future abductions and illegal imprisonment? No. And because of that, while we saw that the mayor truly "loved" his wife Joo Hee, in the end he nevertheless subjected her to the same white chamber torture after learning that she had betrayed him. It was just so inconsistent with their characterisations.
Holy crap, I still have so much to go on, but I'm trying to end this review quickly. The loving relationship Park Chang Ho had with his wife Ko Mi Ho was dealt a cruel blow after she was exposed to "radioactive" water. She quickly developed cancer, which progressed to Stage 4, within weeks of exposure. Like?? LOL, that's crazy. First of all, the drama told us NK9 is a highly toxic material that was found in the wastewater of their plant, but we weren't told how toxic it was. We just have to believe that it's super-super toxic, okay? I wonder if the writers came up with this idea from the time Japan announced dumping wastewater from the Fukushima plant into the ocean, which was met by protests and condemnations from Korea and China, but endorsed by the US. Anyway, in real life, allegedly, drinking water with radionuclides in it could take years for harmful effects to show, and yes, that includes an increased risk in cancer like leukemia. But the people in the drama who had contact with this radionuclides-filled water actually developed leukemia and died within weeks after its one and only exposure (Tak Kwang Yeon, Ko Mi Ho)! What's even more hilarious is that Choi Do Ha was eventually killed by the same radioactive water (that looked as clean and clear as your normal chlorinated pool water btw) on the same day he swam in it. Upon being told by Chang Ho that the water was radioactive, Do Ha then crashed into the pool like a plank. LMAO.
So what about the 100 billion that everyone was after in the first place? The 100 billion that placed Park Chang Ho in this predicament he said he didn't want to be in? Where is it? Gone, Soon Tae said. Someone stole it, and that was that. No mention of it ever again. What about the hospital that Joo Hee was serving director at, the hospital that had forced the next-of-kin of their dying patients to sign DNR agreements? Joo Hee had been serving at the hospital as a director, there's no way she was ignorant of all the criminal activities in the hospital. She's very much aware, and her last minute redemption by exposing everything her husband had done gave no closure on whether she was being held accountable for her actions as well. For a massive scandal like that, she would have been imprisoned IRL. I mean, really, what about the rushed cremations of the dead patients, what about the evil head nurse and all the other bitchy nurses who distributed life-threatening pills and injections, masquerading them as flu shots, medicine and vitamins? There was no comeuppance for them. Nothing. So really, what the hell did I just watch?
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Not that great
The drama has definitely surprised me by turning out rather average. It is not a bad one to be sure but it is not great, nor mind blowing nor even that intense. It is mainly quite mellow for a thriller and way too melodramatic. The plot is not original, full of inconsistances and uses the same old cliches like coma, amnesia, bad guy is actually an angel inside and so on. But more then that the script is poorly thought out, not enough attention given to details and too many times the scripwriter takes the easiest way to create conflicts and not even tries to give any sort of explanation. For example the story behind the serial murders happened in the past is very sketchy and for the most part ridiculously unbelieveble. Like the story about humantraffikers or a person kept in an asylum for 15 years without any purpose whatsoever except to serve as a poorly made plot twist. Or the MLs parents' motivation to conceal the truth about the ML is what exactly?The leads are both missed opportunities. The ML is first shown cold and calculating and having problems with emoting. However it lasts for like 2-3 episodes and the other 13 episodes he spends being a big crybaby and getting beaten, tortured and framed by everyone. The FL, in theory the most conflicted charater of the drama, is actually the most bland one. She is defined only by her love for her husband and her unending cycles of trusting-not trusting him. Perhaps if more time and effort was put into her being thorn between her duty as a police officer and her feelings for the husband she would have been interesting. But alas she is a total letdown
The melodramatic part about the main couple's struggles is problematic for me as well. It is so syropy and forced. The beginning of their relationship shown in flashback gives weird vibes as the FL comes across a classic stalker who is forcing herself on the ML while he clearly and vehemently says he is not interested. She insists because (in her own words) she sees in his eyes that he loves her. Not very romantic really. Again it could have been a touching story if given more details and shown more subtly.
Now to the good part.
Lee Joon Gi 's acting is great (no surprise here).
Also I liked a lot the reporter friend of the ML. The most believable and realistic character. Sometimes weak and full of fear, sometimes brave, trying to do his best but still commiting mistakes and feeling guilt, passionate about his profession. And what a great portrayal by the actor, especially the way he shows love for the ML sister. So very sweet.
The serial killer is also great. Very scary indeed.
They should have made him appear earlier in the drama, because the evil doers in the first half are somewhat boring.
The little girl is adorable.
Nice OST. Sinister background music is especially good.
Rewatch value is zero for me
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However, apart from Park Saeroyi, I did have a few complaints for the other characters. Some characters were especially annoying, and lacked development. I did like that the drama showcased imperfect characters, but it also sometimes excused the ignorant behaviour of these characters - almost making it seem that such behaviour was appropriate to viewers. Some characters were especially inconsistent, and just seemed random. This switch was really annoying to see because it didn't make sense. I think these characters had a lot of potential to really compliment the story, but the writer just changed them randomly in order to make Park Saeroyi look good. I wish the side characters had contributed a little more to the overall plot but unfortunately we were unable to see that as viewers.
The show also became a little slow in the middle, but then quickly picked up its pace later. I was disappointed with the last two episodes as I felt that there were unnecessary additions to the plot. However, the ending was still quite nice and most questions were answered.
Overall, this was definitely a meaningful and enjoyable watch. The reason why this show is receiving such a high rating (from me) despite its flaws is because of the lessons it served. As I saw this show and went about my life, I found myself thinking about Park Saeroyi and the importance of hardwork. Even if it was fiction, I really learned a lot from this drama and was thankful for the insights I gained. In addition, Itaewon class held some especially beautiful scenes that had my heart racing and gave me goosebumps. The OSTs were beautiful, and I know I will play them countless times in the future! Itaewon Class may have been lacking in some areas, but it was still a great show that managed to keep me eagerly waiting for new episodes each week ((:
Edit: I wrote this review almost six years ago, during a time when I was uncertain and stressed about achieving my career goals. But I often thought of Saeroyi and drew strength from his perseverance to keep going. Now, six years later, I’ve accomplished a major dream of mine, and coming back to read this review feels incredibly heartwarming :,) Allhumdulilah for everything, and thank you Saeroyi for inspiring me to continue <3
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Use For My Talent; Sweet, But Unremarkable ...
Let’s be honest for a and disregard the " Korean vs. Chinese version" argument by openly confessing that neither version will ever be a " masterpiece". Of course, this is not to say that both versions of the show were "unwatchable". Both cast and production values in the dramas are good . However, the screenwriting? Well, that’s another issue entirely.
For those unaware, the Chinese version follows the same basic premise as its predecessor; successful male lead and owner of a cleaning company Gu Ren Qi ( Jasper Liu) suffers from Mysophobia as a result of trauma. Through a series of strange events, he ends up meeting and employing female lead Shi Shuang Jiao ( Shen Yue), however, she is his polar opposite by her unkempt and blasé nature towards dirt . Ultimately this leads to a complicated rocky road as Ren Qi discovers himself falling in love with our female lead.
Cultural changes aside, there are a couple of things which did work well in this version ; the male lead seem a bit more paved out as a character with his backstory, and he did not have the same accentuated reactions ( as his Korean counterpart) to a piece of dirt. However, ultimately Ren Qi did suffer the same fate as a" staid male lead". His backstory (rather than being used for development), is played upon the " tragic trope” card with few defining reactions or emotions outside of chasing the female lead Shi Shuang Jiao.
Shi Shuang Jiao was also your archetypical " prosaic heroine". There was nothing inherently wrong per say with Shuang Jiao as a female lead. She was sweet and a kind-hearted person,however, if you could put an evident sticky label on Shuang Jiao, then it would certainly read; the ‘“quirky and cutesy” female lead who is" stuck in the middle" between Ren Qi and the " boy next door" Lu Xian’( Dai Yun Fan). After all, Shen Qiao only truly existed in the series as the " love interest" rather than an individual in her own right.
Of course, then there’s the pairing between Shuang Jiao and Ren Qi. Admittedly, whilst there is certainly emphasis in the Chinese version of Ren Qi and Shuang Jiao sharing "mutual ground", this is also where the series hits a bit of a rut also. This is because whilst it is implied over their shared " traumatic pasts" helping their relationships to develop, it is hard to truly define what either Ren Qi or Shuang Jiao truly saw in one another ( apart from this) in the first place.
The side characters of the series were a little forgettable . Second main lead Lu Xian did have the potential to be intriguing , however, his ineffable desire to " chase after the female lead" and not truly having a life outside of wanting to win her affections put any possible character development down the drain . The other two pairings of the show between Zhu Yan ( Su Meng Di), Shi Jun Jie ( Yanan), Li Dong Xian ( Charles Lin) and Wang Qian Qian ( Huang Si Rui) were arguably more entertaining at times than our main leads, though they were certainly nothing to write home about either with cliche setups.
So, what’s left to say about " Use For My Talent" and is it worth watching ?The Chinese adaptation wasn’t inherently "bad" per say. It did have a really good cast and an incredibly sweet pairings. For fans of cutesy romantic dramas then this is right up your street, however, just don’t expect great character development either.
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