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whats in it?
1. best tragidramedy japanese movie that seen by bokami
2. this isnt a romcom but it looks like it
3. musical? (yes, but the musical scene is just for the
protagonist psychological POV)..hmm metaphor?
5. its long but very fast pacing...and no scene was boring from
5mins onward to end
6. it have a yum yum puzzling story and once you combine
it...you will get an emotinal overflow
7. only ironman will not like this
8. the storytelling is nonlinear so confusion will rise if your a
fan of clche and straightforward spoonfeed kind of plots
9. Eyecandy cinematoraphy,,,,,is uber in this
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Should’ve been shorter.
If you’re not going to give us character development and more depth to the plot, then keep the drama short. It was fun and entertaining at the start, but the conflict everything revolves around of is not really that great. I think it would have been better if it had like 12 episodes. I eventually stopped caring about the main leads because of how little they change, they slowly stopped being likable, they just kept doing the same mistakes, the drama reused the same memories to justify their love story. We get it, they’re gonna end up together no matter what, but give us at least real situations that they can learn something from. In the last episodes I just kept watching because I founded Ji Woong’s story interesting.Visually speaking it was really beautiful, those visuals deserved a better story.
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I’ll repeat it to myself because I still do not understand. What did I just sit here for two hours and watch?
Have you ever loved a show so much that after it finished, you watched highlight compilation videos on Youtube? Maybe that’s just me. But THIS movie, is exactly what one of the Youtube videos feels like, but without the context of actually watching the show.
The entire movie jumped from scene to scene without context, explanation, motive, character development…. Nothing. And because of that, nothing really made sense at all. Side note. Why did the soundtrack pretty much only consist of this lullaby tune they tried to make into some sort of edgy score to the movie?! IT IS A LULLABY. No… Just no.
However, I have to say that most of the moments in the movie were quite intense and many were very interesting. They should redo this and make it into a 30 episode drama and I’m in for it. But as it stands watching it will simply confuse you. Most likely frustrate you. And definitely leave you staring at the screen, if you make it through to the credits wondering, ‘What did I just watch?’.
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Han Seok Kyu is an excellent actor who made me hate and love King Yeong Jo equally. Above the boring politics story line is a father/son relationship that was volatile. The conflicted thoughts and emotions Seok Kyu portrayed was palpable. Lee Je Hoon is unexpectedly good as Prince Sado. He was strong, conflicted, sad and did what he needed to do to realize a world for the citizens to the very end. I wonder if he was happy even once in his entire life. I believed him and that is a tribute to his acting. I love Kim Yoo Jung. She is a wonderful actress that only seems to get better as time goes on. They shouldn't have replaced her. The other actors are good too, but for me it was all about the father/son relationship.
The music is appropriate.
I will never rewatch this.
If you favorite genre is Seaguk, then you will certainly love this drama
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Yamapi (Naoki) is a great actor here but sometimes he falls a bit flat, making his character feel a bit two-dimensional, though it's mostly due to his lines (not his fault - he's a great actor).
The chemistry between Naoki and Riko was wonderful, though it's true when Natsuki said their relationship is just to "lick each other's wounds" I felt that it was true, in a sense that they played more on the "dream" part than the "love" part.
I love the way they portray characters and each and every single one of the character, be it minor or major brought an interesting part to the show.
Props goes to Shuji, Mai-chan and Utsu - they were supporting actors but they were FANTASTIC. Love the way they bring out their characters!
A light hearted drama without being too pointless or too serious - great watch. You can't help but to fall head over heels with Yamapi here!
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I'm a big fan of Yamapi, so it was obvious that I would give this a try. And I wasn't disappointed. The plot was a bit different from other dramas, or maybe I should say it was less drama than in other dramas. And believe it or not, I found that to be really nice.
It's a story about love and friendship and about finding your way in life. But, it was realistic and a story that could happen to anyone and that's why I found it to be different from other dramas. It's nice to once in a while watch a drama that could happen in real life and somehow I found myself recognizing so much that happened to my daily life.
Overall, a goodfeel drama with good cast. Watch it!
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I need a moment. I need to get my mind together because this drama just blew me away! This is the 1st time I wrote a drama review because this drama is just the best thing ever! So please go easy on me! ^^
Anyways.. I did not just finish the drama now! I watched the last episode on the day it came out but I needed time to write the review..
First things first, why I like this drama:
1. It is so original. It's different all the typical dramas of rich guy, poor girl and all that not-so-sad sadness. When you watch this drama, the emotions all seem real. There's a reason for fear, for sadness, for pain, and for happiness. There are great losses in this drama, which is why there's sadness among the characters. It's not like the characters are sad because their "love" forgot about them (as seen in typical dramas, which I don't dislike at all).
2. Most things are unexpected. This goes back to the originality of the drama. The scenes don't have a similarity or parallel to another popular drama, which is why you get all excited for every moment. :D
So all those categories that I rated....
Story- The story is essential! It's what made things interesting! Usually historical dramas have boring parts but this historical drama is modern enough that you could relate to it. It also teaches a lot about history and gives an insight on how cruel the Japanese were towards Koreans and other Asians. The plot shows great development. There's many rising and falling points so the drama doesnt excite you all at once or bore you all at once. Makes you want to watch more. Really, I did not get bored in any episode because every episode had an exciting and somewhat calm moment. This drama is meant for wide range of people. There's action, history, and romance. What else do you want?
Acting/Cast- Truthfully, I did not know who Joo Won was before watching Bridal Mask. I didn't know any of the actors except for the guys who played the count and Kimura Taro. As I watched this drama, I was sooo impressed with Joo Won and Park Ki Woong's acting! Both of them showed so much character change and development! In fact, all the main actors and actresses and supporting roles were great! They didn't just act as the character. They were the character. The characters all brought out their best acting that you feel love, sympathy, or hatred towards the characters.
Music- The music is very dramatic and emotional. Whenever there's a heartbreaking scene, I hear the song Goodbye Day and I become even more sad that I could cry. When I hear Judgement Day, I know something dramatic and action-packed is coming up. That's how much the music influenced a scene and pretty much the entire drama.
Rewatch Value- Really I don't rewatch dramas entire (I havent yet). But when I get a break from school, I'm gonna totally rewatch the drama while I force my friends to watch it for the 1st time! Like I said, I never got bored in any of the episodes in Bridal Mask! I finished the first 20 episodes in 2 days and I was thirsty for more of this drama!
Overall- YOU MUST WATCH THIS DRAMA! IT IS TOO GOOD TO PUT ASIDE FOR SOME OTHER DRAMA! THIS IS THE BEST DRAMA EVER!
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This review may contain spoilers
Wang He Di and Chen Yu Qi the best couple in this drama !
I started watching this drama because of the lead actor Dylan Wang, whose films I've been watching recently. And it turned out that this drama is one of the best I've watched in recent times, despite the many cuts they had to make due to censorship!Nice plot, although the beginning and the first episodes in the palace are too long ... it's good that then they moved the main characters outside the city and they could continue the development of the relationship.
The main couple is incredibly cute! They both had very good chemistry, it was felt as their love developed. Dylan Wang as Xiao Duo, at the beginning as stiff, unavailable, but with humorous moments, gradually under the influence of Bu Yin Lou, he turns into a sweet, in love man who wants to protect his beloved with all his might. He can joke, flirt and those beautiful scenes when he stares at his beloved BYL with his beautiful unusual eyes, something fantastic, I love this couple! I really regret that the censorship cut out so many nice, romantic scenes with them! And there was so much positive emotional charge in these scenes!
Chen Yu Qi also played very well, she was intelligent, clever and cheerful. Her relationship with the lead lead was fantastic. They supported each other. I didn't know this actress before, but I really liked her. I hope they will play together in another drama someday.
The secondary characters also did very well. Fans that the plot also had a lot of funny elements, it did the whole drama well.
I lost the most nerves because of the character of Murong Gao Gong, the one who was initially undervalued, unsuccessful and fixated on memories of a girl who once helped him in his childhood, a prince, and then a cynical, psychopathic emperor fixated on an imaginary unrequited feeling for his childhood savior WAS. Ruthless if anyone opposed him. Peter Ho played it so well I wanted to strangle him. It's a pity that he took revenge on the main characters until the very end.
I didn't like that the solution was rushed and in the last episode. Fortunately, it worked out well for the main leads. But there are no scenes between the two main leads after they split up and the final scene ends with the main leads running out of town, but it's unclear if they ran out or not because the episode ends here. I know there was a scene of the main leads out of town on a hill in a beautiful romantic setting, and I don't know why they cut it. This scene would have ended the whole thing beautifully. So I am sorry about that. I recommend it for shaving.
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A Mature and Underrated Gem in the BL World
When it comes to showing off their stunning male actors’ butts, nobody does it better than Be On Cloud. From KinnPorsche to 4 Minutes and now Shine… truly the masters of cheeks on screen 🍑😂It’s so rare that I genuinely love both couples in a BL, but this series absolutely delivered. Apo and Mile already proved their magic in KinnPorsche, and now seeing Son (Krailert) for the first time was such a revelation, he’s like a stunning Thai god, beautiful and perfect in every way.
The attention to detail is incredible. From the 1960s setting, the vintage clothes, cars, and houses, the production team poured so much effort into making this drama authentic and immersive. Every episode held my attention, I was never once bored, and the story kept me captivated throughout.
The highlight for me is Krailert secretly seeing his lover. It powerfully portrays the struggles of same-sex relationships and the pain of staying closeted in the 1960s. The NC scenes are another standout. They’re not just erotic but also deeply romantic, with the hauntingly beautiful violin background music making them unforgettable.
This series deserves way more recognition. 10/10 highly recommended for anyone who loves BL done with depth, beauty, and heart.
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Jung Woo-Sung is a must-watch actor. His versatile performances are hard to come by these days.
So if the storyline seems intriguing AND I get a chance to watch him deliver, I'll take that as a nod to dive into the fresh pool. Jung Woo-Sung always has something special to offer to his audience/fans.
Storyline:
Padam Padam has to be one of the most original scripts up-to-date (at least from all the Korean dramas that I've watched thus far). I love how the series does not look down on its' viewers. In other words, the plot doesn't go around in a continuous loop. Most, if not everything, gets resolved and there's no hiding/bickering between characters for too long. Hence, it doesn't make the viewers angry. The main character is very straightforward/honest, so perhaps that explains why the plot doesn't stall also.
The pacing of Padam Padam was just a tiny bit slow for me. However, I don't know exactly what they could have left out, since I believe most of it was necessary. Perhaps, it's just me who finds it a tad slow paced for my taste (especially near the end).
So what does this series have to offer?
a) Pathos driven. It will pull at your heartstrings whether you like it or not. I didn't cry, but I know people who did.
b) Sense of humor/comedy. The comedy nicely contrasts with the emotional/seriousness. There's quite a lot and it's incorporated together really well. It doesn't feel forced. I actually even laughed out loud at some parts (especially the bantering between Gook Soo and Kang Chil).
c) Family Relationships. There are a lot of heart-tugging/tender relationships (especially b/w a father and son, and son and mother).
d) Friendship. I absolutely loved the bromance between Kang Chil and Gook Soo. Those two are my favorite 'pairing' from this drama.
e) Very Romantic. Our two leading stars are not afraid to express their emotions on-screen. They looked sublimely natural together. Love the small/big romantic gestures. It doesn't feel cheesy either.
f) Strong dialogues/writing. This obviously enhances the series' quality.
g) Originality. Like, I've mentioned above.
h) Unpredictable. It's actually quite unpredictable, since there's an element of fantasy involved.
j) Fantasy. There's a touch of supernatural which I was hesitant at first, but it worked nicely. I wish they would have delved more into the 'chicken mutant'.
i) Crime drama. Not your typical gangsters. Phewww!
k) Realistic. One of the most realistic Korean dramas out there, despite it being marketed as a melodrama. The poor characters actually wear the same clothes multiple times. No characters are super 'evil'. Many themes (hope, will, and miracle) relate to our modern society/life. Even the locations and reactions from the characters are realistic. In fact, realism is probably the series' strongest point (aside from the great casts).
Each episode doesn't feel like a separate episode. It rather feels like a whole storybook told from the POV of the protagonist, Yang Kang Chil. And thankfully, he's a well-rounded/flawed character.
Acting/Characters:
I enjoyed most of the characters. I wasn't on the edge of my seat rooting for them, but I am glad that I went on such a wonderful/heart-warming experience with them.
My favorite characters are: Kang Chil, Gook Soo, Mi Ja (Kang Chil's mother) and Min Hyo-sook.
You grow to love these characters as you understand their motives/reverse-psychology tactics. Their reactions are very realistic and each character has distinct qualities which makes them unique. I despise when characters are just written to support the main characters’ existence. Padam Padam is definitely not one of those cases.
Without a doubt, Kang Chil’s character stood out the most. He’s such a heart-warming character. He has lots of flaws, thus many ranges of emotions. Probably every emotion that exists can be seen in his character. The reason why Kang Chil is such an expressive character is largely thanks to Jung Woo-Sung. His face contortions and smiles don’t require words to back up his character’s (Kang Chil) unique thoughts. I can’t remember the last time I saw a character with such huge range of complex emotion. Jung Woo-Sung has never failed to amaze me (perhaps in Athena, but that wasn’t the actors’ faults). He really understands his character well and it shows A LOT.
Gook Soo is also an amazing character (too bad Kang Chil is hard to beat). I love his innocence / contemplation of what is a miracle or not. He’s like the archetype of Kang Chil. In a way, they both bring out the best in each other and it is indeed rare to come across such a strong bromance. They truly stick to each other through thick and thin. Kim Bum has improved A LOT from the last time I saw him in Boys Over Flowers. When I first saw him in BOF, I never thought of him as manly, but he has definitely changed my mind. He’s also a very versatile actor. I can’t wait to see him in another project that will do him justice like this one. He’s a young actor that should be used to the fullest potential (like Kim Soo Hyun).
Mi Ja is the epitome of a caring mother. She often uses reverse psychology because she doesn’t want to show her weakness. And I love how she’s so brave / strong even though she’s a single mother. Definitely love the relationship b/w her and Kang Chil. It’s also rare to see a bonding mother-son relationship in K-dramas. The closest one that I’ve come across is Will it Snow on Christmas?
I don’t know why, but I just love Hyo-Sook’s presence. I admit that I wasn’t too fond of their countryside accents at first (shallow me!), but I grew to like hers. Her conversations with Gook Soo were also tender / cute. She really brightens the mood whenever she appears, which is nice for a change.
On a side note, since Ha Ji Min plays a huge role as well, why not talk about her? I personally thought her character, Ji Na, felt unoriginal for me. She's your typical Korean drama girl. I was hoping for a more in-depth characterization b/w her and her father. It wasn't a huge deal in the end though.
Nonetheless, Ha Ji Min played her character beautifully. If a less experienced actress played her role, I think it would have been hard to watch, since Ji Na isn’t a very interesting character to start. The thing that stood out for me the most is how Ji Min reciprocates Woo-Sung’s actions/love. They felt so natural together that it was hard not to believe that they aren't more than just friends in real life. Ji Min and Woo-Sung are probably one of the best/most natural on-screen couples I’ve seen. I’ve already mentioned in my review of The Princess’s Man how I like it how couples give the same amount of effort in the relationship (HATE when the man does everything). And they did just that, or they even went beyond it! One look/one touch, sparks were flying all over the place.
Music:
Originally, the songs didn’t peak my interest, but as the drama and its’ characters pulled me in, I started to take notice.
My two favorite songs are “You’re a Fool” by Brown Eyed Girls (JeA) and “In Order to Live” by Noel.
“You’re a Fool” matches so well with Ji Na’s perspective. The melody pulls at my heartstrings.
On the other hand, “In Order to Live” fits the mood and it makes me palpitate whenever it comes at the end of the episodes.
These two songs make you feel like you’re living a part of these characters’ lives.
The other songs were nice, but they didn’t stand out.
Bonus:
It took me awhile to get into the way it was filmed. First of all, it was shot like an actual film.
The backgrounds/scenes look rather gloomy for my taste. Though, it gave it darker/grittier atmosphere which complemented the tone of the drama. Hence, I slowly came to appreciate the cinematography. It added realism to the storyline.
Did I mention that Woo-Sung and Ji Min look beautiful here? Honestly, beautiful, beautiful couple! Not just in the looks department, but the way they cared for each other.
Love the addition of Tengie!! I'm an animal lover, so maybe that's why.
Overall:
Loved it! Padam Padam is a well-rounded drama if you’re looking for a melodrama that’s realistic (does that make sense?). Not only is it realistic, but the characters are thoroughly fleshed out (with a few minor missing). I loved the concept and the twist of fantasy.
If you’re a sensitive person, you might want to carry a box of Kleenex with you while watching this. Padam Padam excels at bringing one moment of sadness followed by a moment of happiness. The mood transition happens quite quickly, but it’s plausible (can’t really explain it until you’ve seen it). My mom actually cried while laughing at some point (no, she’s not crazy).
It’s quite uplifting and inspirational too. So if you’re looking for a change/originality in K-dramas, be sure to give this a chance. You won’t regret it.
It's not the type of drama that I would watch over right away, since some parts were kind of slow (for me at least).
Overall rating for review: 9.5/10
Purely for entertainment: 9/10 (Why not 10 instead? Padam Padam is a spectacular drama, but I did not obsess over it)
My Dramalist rating (avg): 9.25/10
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Potential but ultimately failed
This drama had potential, but ultimately failed to deliver on almost every front.📍Characters
Let’s start with the characters. Most of them were flat and one-dimensional, making it hard to stay emotionally invested. Supposedly emotional moments, like the loss of Mei Lin's parents, felt empty, because we never saw who they were or why their absence should matter to us. It was impossible to care about her journey.
Ironically, Luomei, who had very limited screen time, was far more engaging than the lead. She brought more intrigue and depth in just a few scenes than Mei Lin managed in the entire show. I honestly wish she had been the protagonist. The only other standout was the actor Liu Xue Yi. His performance was exceptional and carried several scenes that otherwise would have fallen flat.
📍Story
The drama’s concept was good in theory, but poorly executed. The pacing was all over the place. Early episodes built tension only to deflate it a couple of episodes later, robbing the story of momentum.
What made it especially frustrating was how much potential the main characters had at the beginning. We were introduced to a red flag male lead and a badass assassin out for revenge, characters that actually sparked interest. But instead of developing them further, the drama stripped them of their edge way too soon. They either turned into something completely different or simply lost their drive. It felt like the characters we were initially promised just… disappeared. That loss was noticeable and honestly kind of sad.
The middle section was particularly tedious, almost nothing happened, and we were bombarded with scenes centered on side characters like the emperor and his young concubine, or the villain and his love interest. Their stories added little to the main plot and took up far too much screen time. It was frustrating and felt like filler.
By the end, the story veered into chaos, with characters dying left and right for no real reason. It felt dramatic for the sake of being dramatic, completely unnecessary and devoid of emotional impact, especially since there had been no meaningful development leading up to it. They did wrap up the ending fairly well though.
📍Production
The OSTs were fine, but nothing memorable. The cinematography, however, was beautiful, and the casting seemed promising at first. Unfortunately, these strengths weren’t enough to make up for the lack of compelling storytelling and character depth.
✨️ Final thoughts
In the end, it was a disappointing experience that wasted a good concept and a talented cast on weak writing and direction.
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1When two Maniac's are meant to be together. Along with Barcode glowing up with his new partner.
I've been Williamest's fan since ever I saw them in Me and thee, as long as I saw them doing so well, maintaining their characters, I searched out for their other dramas together, and then saw Thampo, and I loved itt, and then I saw the teaser of You Maniac, I got to excited to watch it as soon as possible.And I didn't expect it to get out, like this, out of nowhere. I totally thought I'll take some time.
The 3 episodes released till now, are so good, the chemistry between the protagonists is so up the hipe. I really loved it..
Along with the chemistry, the story also lives up the hipe.
The bar setting is pretty engaging, I like the Cinematography and the second couple I'm really cheering for them.
It's barcode's time to shine, after Kinnporche, after such a devastating separation of jeff and him, he finally chose to follow his dance career and glow up back as an incredible actor. He's role is adorable, as a doc chaser.. Acts like a lover boy
Omg it's damn underrated, many of bl fans aren't counting on this. What you'll love it just hang on a bit, the first 2-3 episodes
Really worth the watch.
I'm kind of up for it. Doing great till now.
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This review may contain spoilers
Careful diving into this drama, you might hurt yourself from its shallowness.
Started with a promising premise. All humans, regardless of how famous, smart, or well-off, need love and healthy relationships. Instead of seeing true growth from our leads, we get an ill-advised relationship that was doomed to fail because the deep-rooted issues were never addressed.Filmed with soft tones and moody vibes, you couldn't escape the shallow interactions and conversations between most of the characters, especially the FL and ML. Doona's persona (looks and vibes) appeared cartoonish, with just enough emotion and doe-eyed stares to take you along for the ride. She insists on wearing crop tops because, you know, when you abandon the K-pop industry, you want to be sure you still look the part and don't get me started on the creepy groomer vibes from the person she's obsessed with.
She meets a seemingly well-grounded, sincere guy who really wants to be her friend and help. Unfortunately, the way it's written, his mind's intellect, and his heart's good nature were no match for the urges in his pants. She needed therapy, not a boyfriend. We get the ending we did because it actually makes sense!
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The idea is better than the execution
This series is a hot mess, to be honest. I was looking forward to it for a while before it aired. I like the cast in other things and I really was excited to see a bit more frankness and reflection on the toxic aspects of the BL industry. I have been watching BL dramas intermittently for years and I really hate the romanticisation of assault and rape as well as toxic fan behaviour in response to fan service. I so wanted this to be an intelligent exploration of the importance of respecting boundaries and consent both on- and off-screen and how taking fan service seriously can really objectify the actors in a way that hurts. This series sort of gets a third of the way there I think.The plot is a bit messy and fragmented at times. The focus is generally on the lead couple and their relationship. However, their relationship evolves at an odd pace. Nubsib being in love from the beginning was kind of annoying to me, I prefer a bit more evolution personally. Although the first scene with them both is genuinely well-performed. Gene seemed to be attracted but unsure and that never fully went away or evolved into something more secure. Consent was really well-explored with them and a constant communication in their relationship which is rare in BL and I really did like. But, to be very frank, there was often little else to their relationship. There was mutual attraction and respect, but minimal evolution and growth. Although the child actors performances were genuinely excellent, the history of the characters and their shared childhood is an overused trope and was executed poorly, in a very ‘info dump’ kind of way.
The acting was inconsistent and I think some of that is about the script itself. The script had minimal meaningful dialogue and the character development is poor. There were several times where Nubsib is asking Gene to listen to him and then proceeds to say nothing. It’s stupid and impossible to act properly. The dialogue was not character-driven and was often more about saying something about the industry which made it feel fake and preachy, rather than raw and relevant/human.
The villain of the story should have been the industry with toxic production staff being controlling and manipulative for money and fans crossing the line over and over, hurting their faves in the process. We do have some of that, particularly towards the end. However, there is also Aoey, who is clearly unwell and is extremely toxic. His character is necessary, his characterisation is not. It feels like cowardice to create a villain out of him because it means fans can see his character and call him the villain, rather than see the villainy of the fans in the series and reflect on themselves and their fandoms. There are too many villains. It dilutes the message of the toxicity in the industry and is a much weaker plot device that is overused throughout the story and makes it unnecessarily melodramatic.
The sound design and soundtrack was often irritating and distracting. There are times when sound effects and music are not only unnecessary but also damaging to the scene. If it adds nothing to the tone or mood, or if it distracts from the tone or mood intended, don’t use it. Loads of post-production sound and music does not make a bad story, script or scene better, it can only do that to a good scene, it can always make it worse.
This series really is variable. The final episode is really good. But a lot of it is unnecessary, draggy or distracting.
If you watch BLs it is definitely worth a watch, there are enjoyable parts and it is somewhat educational. You might skip or speed through parts, to be honest, but I still think it has some valuable stuff to say, even if it could have been said better from a storytelling point-of-view. However, if you don’t I think you could safely give this a miss.
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weak story, poor writing, skip the first 15 eps
Early on I got very bad vibes of Love Me, Love My Voice, a show I rated at 5/10. There are parallels in the relationship development but I'll try not to repeat the same review.The 1st thing I notice is the Canada Goose branded outerwear in the opening scenes in another Chinese-in-a-foreign-land scenario. There's a lot of nice designer winter wear in the first 6 eps, yet how is it possible to have packed 5 different puff down jackets into the single suitcase each character carries. But I digress.
Yin Guo is a 21 y/o pedigreed pool player who arrives in Helsinki, Finland with her cousin to check out a univeristy he's interested in while she herself is signed up for a local 9-ball tournament. They meet 27 y/o Lin Yi Yang, a graduate student & retired champion snooker player. It took 4 episodes just to get this much information. I didn't know when the story was starting, what the characters' backgrounds were, or even what their university majors were (& never will find out by the end). In fact, the first 15 eps could easily have been condensed into 3 eps. A lot (& I mean a LOT) of time was spent with the ML staring silently at the FL while she shifted around awkwardly. They don't talk much, but somehow the ML decides he's madly in love. He admits he doesn't know how to date so all he does is take her out to eat, resulting in 8 eps of food touring all over Helsinki. Everyone else just talks about their relationship status. By Ep13 the 9-ball tourny was only a distraction, there's still no story in sight & I've just watched one of the emptiest 15 eps of a drama ever.
This is the 1st time I've seen Leo Wu so stiff & expressionless, like he doesn't know what to do with his character, trying to portray someone deeply pained but not quite getting it. At least with his last sports drama, Nothing But You, we got a detailed glimpse of the tennis world. In Snowstorm there's very little explanation of world of cue sports. Billiards, snooker, pool, 8/9-ball... it's obviously a varied & highly nuanced game but no insights are offered by the time the show is already half over.
Not until Ep15 does the story finally get off the ground after characters from YiYang's past gradually get introduced as they all start converging into Helsinki for the tournament. Things move along as YiYang makes a career decision, the professional competition circuit begins, and he comes to terms with the events of his past, clearing the way forward to a future he strives for. In the beginning it seemed that Yin Guo would be the central character. However, by the 2nd half, all the story conflicts & developments involved YiYang, making him the central character. The show was more interesting whenever there was less focus on Yin Guo, which leads to the question of how important a character is she really, considering all the screen time she gets. She's left unchallenged, unchanged, & actually does very little for YiYang except sleep with him (& almost carelessly at that). After the conclusion of an exciting pan-Asian cue sport competition, the drama reverts to the conventional wrap-up ending, i.e. waste of time final episode, and without really concluding any of the supporting characters' arcs (who weren't that developed to begin with).
So, a disappointing show given that Leo Wu has been in so many other far more entertaining dramas.
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