“Nature or Nurture?”; The Ultimate Question of ‘ Hwayi:A Monster Boy’
Director Jang Joon Hwan and screenwriter Park Joo Seok’s attempted to delve deeper into the ultimate debate of “ nature vs nurture” with ‘Hwayi: A Monster Boy’ - a savage action-thriller that is expedited by its gratuitous fight scenes. Despite Jang Joon Hwan’s film bringing forward TV star Yeo Jin-goo’s first silver-screen debut, the film’s scant insight into the motives and drives of its odd ensemble of characters alongside shoehorned storytelling and dialogue, will likely test the patience (at times) of action-genre enthusiasts and casual watchers alike.
The movie focused upon the titular main lead Hwayi ( Yeo Jin Goo); a high-school boy who was kidnapped as an infant and brought up by a gang of sadistic thugs. From a young age Hwayi has been reared into becoming a perfect killer by his five “ dads”: Suk-tae (Kim Yun-seok), Jin-sung (Jang Hyun-sung), Ki-tae (Cho Jin-woong), Dong-beom (Kim Sung-kyun) and Beom-soo (Park Hae-jun). However after turning seventeen, Hwayi is soon forced to face the reality of his upbringing as questions soon rise towards his birth parents against his violent nurturing and environment.
Jang Joon Hwan’s 2003 success ‘ Save The Green Planet’ was a work that combined graphic violence, fantasy and social critique to create a daring result. In many ways ‘ Hwayi: A Monster Boy’ shared a lot of similar themes with its predecessor- bloodlust gore and themes revolving around captivity and humanity blooming to life in an attempt to hook and intrigue viewers. However, whilst ‘ Save The Green Planet’ was a movie that possessed tactful multilayered themes and topics, ‘ Hwayi: A Monster Boy’ struggled to sketch-out the same depth as Joon Hwan’s previous work due to a notable key issue; writing.
In theory, Hwayi’s complicated relationships with his five fathers should have been the backbone of the entire movie. However, their character-drives and definitive personality traits were so ineptly draw together at times in Park Joo Seok’s fictional and niche microcosm of convicts and killers, that it was often difficult to truly differentiate them apart. Aside from Suk-tae acting as the boy’s main rearer and as the leader of the group( who is revealed to have his own motives in a twist which whilst climatic, lacked pretension, )and doltish Ki-Tae who sincerely showed affection for the boy , the other men’s reasons and personal motives for bringing up the boy and corrupting Hwayi were rarely tackled or given convincing explanations.
Playing Hwayi as a character pushed over the edge, Yeo Jin Goo could admittedly often lack an air of subtlety by overstating his character’s angst. Nonetheless Yeo Jin Goo gives the main lead an edge of complex fragility, instability and sympathy for audiences. His budding romance for classmate and potential love interest Yoo-kyung (Nam Ji-hyun), one of the few female characters of the movie( who lacked definitive qualities) , acted as a lighthearted respite from the movie’s downbeat narrative.
Costarring alongside Yeo was Kim Yun Seok. The venerable actor added a running streak of brutality and viciousness to his onscreen persona Suk-Tae. Nevertheless despite the brilliant dynamic charm of Kim Yun Seok onscreen, tedious dialogue exchanges against lukewarm chemistry between him and Yeo during scenes rarely instilled tour de force moments when ambiguous feelings of love and contempt became apparent in their final conflict.
In terms of pacing the narrative is filled with adrenal energy- suspenseful and expedited by its violence, but given the myriad of action sequences and locations shown throughout the film, the pinnacle conflict of the movie was climatic yet slightly incoherent also . ( Especially due to sporadic editing at times.) A notable issue which should also be addressed within ‘ Hwayi: A Monster Boy’ was its presentation of female characters. Whilst it is arguable that Joon Hwan and Joo Seok may have been trying to present a critique towards the infringement of gender stereotypes within South-Korean society, the lacking scope for female archetypes aside from the nameless, abused wife of Im Hyung Taek ( Seo Hyung Hwa), and “ love interest” Yoo-Kyung, served little purpose or depth exploration aside from being plot devices to keep the storyline moving.
Of course it’s wrong to entirely critique the movie. Admittedly well-mounted cinematography served as aesthetic eye candy for viewers with inventive and intuitive choreographed fight scenes paired together with a subtle yet momentous score.
Overall ‘ Hwayi: A Monster Boy’ was a film which will likely appease and irk audiences alike. The notable cast lineup did not disappoint and whilst the polished and slick fight sequences and gruesome violence will likely appeal to many fans of the genre, the bogged-down dialogue against cliche-ridden characters and plot will test genre aficionados and casual watchers alike. However, whilst the ending certainly helped to wrap up several key plot points, the end outcome of ‘ Hwayi: A Monster Boy’ was a mixed-result of gory and hare-brained carnage against some insightful delves into nurture, crime and parenting along the way.
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A more relevant and modernized version of a classic story done amazingly well!!
Review Summary/TLDR;1. The classic plot has been revamped to make it more relevant and interesting
2. Plot holes have been fixed and details added, making the story richer
3. Well-paced episodes, that don't feel too slow or rushed
4. Dynamic and fleshed out characters, made to be more real and complex
5. Excellent character development
6. Stellar acting from the cast
7. Incredible chemistry between characters, whether it be as friends or romantic partners
8. Good music, that really enhanced the story
Overall, a great watch that will have you laughing, crying, squealing, and feeling all the other emotions possible.
Full Review
Of all the various remakes, I have to say Thailand did it best. Whether it be in production, music, visuals, acting, or anything else. I completely enjoyed watching this version of F4.
Let's start with the plot. While it's true they didn't change much of the plot, they changed it in ways that matter. They've added details, backstories, and even some new plot lines that really explain character motivations and honestly help the viewers connect and empathize more with the characters. The focus on the world of business, the harshness associated with it, and the privilege the rich get, is something extremely relevant to society today. They were able to incorporate this into the plot and make it seem like it was always meant to be there. I liked that they also aimed at exploring the power of social media throughout the show, whether it be at school or following the lives of the boys. Essentially they've fixed up plot holes and added in details, that make the entire thing fresh and new, which is exactly what it needed. Even If you have seen another adaptation of F4, there is no way you would find this boring or repetitive. It was the perfect blend of romance, humor, angst, and emotional payoff. The pacing was incredibly well done as well, the 16 episodes were structured and planned out so well, I can't think of a single thing they missed. Of course, I wouldn't be mad if we got more fluffy moments between the main leads though. If I had to complain, I should say that there were a few scenes that were much more dramatic than they should have been or plots that were taken a little too far. I think it's just something inherent to Thai dramas as a whole, and it didn't happen often, so it didn't really bother me too much.
In terms of production, F4 really outdid itself. Everything looked amazing, the cars, the clothes, the houses, the school. In addition, every scene was shot beautifully, and with meaning. Everything thing had a touch of symbolism to it, representing a bigger picture. I loved that. Even flower garlands were used as metaphors at one point. I haven't seen any other works from this director, but you can be sure I am going to check them out. They are extremely talented.
Now my favorite part of the entire series, the characters and acting. In my opinion, everyone did an amazing job, but some did stand out more than others. First of all, for this to be Tu and Dew's first series, my mind is blown. They did so well. Tu was perfect as the strong-headed FL and Dew made me swoon with every move he made as Ren. Win and Nani did great as well. I love that they and their characters were given more of a chance to shine as well. In past versions, they seemed like side characters, who were just there, but here they had dynamic personalities and actually advanced the plot. I love love love what they did with MJ, and I am a fan now. You can bet I am going to watch everything Nani is now. Even Prim as Kaning was adorable, and I enjoyed watching her relationship with Kavin develop.
The standouts for me have to be Bright and Cindy though. Oh my god. Bright is already a well-established popular actor, and as always he did great, but his version of Thyme is honestly the best one I have ever seen. He isn't a single-minded arrogant bully, who was turned good by the power of love, no. He is a real person with real flaws and actual motivations that lead him to do the things he does. From the very first episode, we see a glimpse behind the curtain of his facade as a ruthless bully allowing the viewers to truly understand, empathize with him, and at one point even start caring for him. Something we never saw in other versions. Instead of just watching his journey of falling in love, growing up, and becoming a better person, it feels like we are taken along with him. We see every instance where Gorya has an impact on him and how it slowly starts to change him for the better. His personality is much more dynamic and well fleshed out, which is honestly one of the biggest reasons why this may be the best F4 adaptation. I love character development, and Thyme had the best of it.
Cindy though, wow! We didn't really get to see her shine until the last few episodes, but every time she was on screen I was captivated by her. Her acting was outstanding, easily my favorite of the entire series. She has been acting for a while, and you can see the experience, but I know some veteran actors who aren't as good as her. She did amazing. Thyme's mother is such a complex, intriguing character. She has actual motivations and reasons for her actions, which is one of the best things that can be done for an antagonist. But an antagonist who does what she does out of love is such a hard character to play, and she nailed it. With every expression, and look in her eyes, you can see the emotion just rolling off her in spades. Whether it be hate, arrogance, love, sadness, or fear, she expressed everything so beautifully, even if I tried I couldn't tear my eyes off her. Even though it came off a little rushed, I was so glad to see her character development because it was something I was waiting for. From the beginning, you could tell, that while her actions appear selfish, her motivations weren't, and we just had to wait for her to realize what's truly best for her son.
As amazing as each actor was individually, the chemistry between all of them was outstanding. The couples were cute and made me squeal, but it was their friendship that sealed the deal for me. They had an actual bond and truly cared for each other. They were real friends that were truly supportive no matter what and it was amazing to watch. It showed that as important as romantic love is, friendship and family are just as important in shaping a person and helping them grow. Even F4s interactions with Gorya were adorable, in my head, I call them the Gorya protection squad, and honestly, that should be canon. Also, I don't care what anyone says, but Kavin and MJ are the true MVPs, they never failed to make me laugh.
Lastly, the music. It was so good, I loved it. Who am I (the intro song), is easily my favorite, shooting star is really good too, and I personally enjoyed Nani's Best Life. I am not a huge music buff, so I don't really pay much attention to the music, but F4 did an amazing job. Nowhere did I feel that the music was odd or mistimed, in fact, it only enhanced every scene it was in.
This was an enjoyable watch and my favorite part of Saturdays. Every week, without fail, I would wait to watch this, and promptly after the episode was over I would be in anticipation for the next. Without a doubt, the best remake of Hana Yori Dango. If you are skeptical about picking this up because you didn't like the previous adaptations or are worried it's going to be more of the same old thing, let go of your doubts and give it a try. I guarantee you will be hooked.
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Everyone's personal stories were so genuine and full of honest, relatable, real humanity, respect, and unique stories I've never seen on screen(s) or read about before. I laughed or cried of worried or got angry with each character of each episode. This show is full of chaos and calm, love and heartbreak, happiness and depression, anger and kindness, respect and fear, understanding and knowledge, but most of all this show has so much honest to goodness love, kindness, respect, light, and relatable humanity! If you have the time to watch this series from beginning to end, I sincerely suggest and hope that you do!!
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Short... but so sweet!
Story: Back story and world building was mostly through narration, but for a period drama and with such short time frame, it was good enough. And the back story was interspersed with scenes that made the plot move.Acting/Cast: The two mains were really good. I don't know if they are veteran actors, but the way their eyes and voice projects their character's emotions and inner struggle. They are really good, even on par to those Cdrama actors in a Cdrama with a lot of funding.
Music: The ending ost is ok. Maybe because the film is short that is why there is no time for the OST to hit on me like other c-period drama had done.
Rewatch Value: Because it is short and has complete story, I will surely re-watch this in the future.
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the issues regarding real-time keyword search was good too but it was unresolved until the end of the show so i wasn't really tuning in on that.
tbh for me what really spiked up the drama was scarlett & jihwan !! so glad they added these two to the plot or i would've dropped it half way. jaewook's first appearance was arnd ep7 and i start to continue watching the drama again. ngl i had high expectations from the reviews i've heard but it was somehow underwhelming. #JiHwanSaviour tho
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I'm glad it was a happy ending
I wish I could write long and heartfelt reviews like my better minded drama watchers, but I don't really have much to say about this drama, except that I strongly recommend to watch it if slice of life is your kinda drama.I think ML has a thing for FL but knows it won't float with her, so he's choosing to pretend it isn't there, what do you think?
Looking forward to FL's next drama, if it comes anytime soon, and of course, CEW
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For people who already watch period dramas, know that the best known stories usually involve the Monarchy, the Court and the Commoners. But this tells us a little about how the Department of Eunuchs, since when are chosen in childhood, to the highest title of Head of the Eunuchs. This is very interesting, because there are few dramas that show the importance of this class to the Monarchy. It also show a bit on the hierarchy of the court ladies, responsible for serving the Royal Family.
This drama is based on the stories of King Yejong, eighth of Korea, King Seongjong, ninth king of Korea, grandson of King Sejo and King Yeonsangun, tenth king of Korea (considered the worst tyrant of the Joseon Dynasty). Despite the plot change a little, still follows very faithful to the real story. It involves a strong friendship with childhood Chun Dong (later Kim Cheo Sun) and Yoon So Hwa. Thus we see the story develop. Thus it can be seen how power is something that seduces all around. As the fight to survive inside the palace is difficult and no one is free from being framed.
What I liked most of this production, was how they treated each character. All had their importance from beginning to end. Only I know how I cried during episodes. As care of certain details, leaving even more faithful to the historical literature.
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Alessandra De Rossi and Empoy did a very good job with how they showed the emotions of their characters.
This movie will definitely make you cry, laugh and fall in love.
And Kz's version of Two Less Lonely People In the World was just awesome.
I rarely praise movies or TV series from my country Philippines, this is definitely an exception.
If you want to watch something worth your time from the Philippines, this is the movie you should be watching.
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This review may contain spoilers
My New Sappy Comfort Drama?
I am not someone who is overly critical when watching dramas so I do tend to overlook lazy writing and illogical plotlines as long as it is still enjoyable to watch. First of all, THE LEADS ARE SO CUTE. I found out the FL is 5'8 but the ML still towers over her because he is 6'2. I'm such a sucker for height differences. With that being said, this might be a filler drama, something to watch while you are in waiting for episodes of a different drama. The story starts when both the leads are in college, FL falls in love with ML but he is indifferent toward her. They get married and she realizes that she cannot make him love her. The writers take us on a ride with this one because I actually felt really bad for FL because our girl was getting neglected by POS ML. We do get some chummy moments though. Fast forward 6 years later and our leads reunite in Africa where *surprise* FL gets kidnapped. In the beginning, FL is very reluctant to even interact with ML, which is completely understandable considering he was so cold towards her when they were married. She then gets transferred to the hospital where he works and becomes his mentee. Somewhere along the lines, I'm not sure when this happens maybe I missed it skimming, she warms up to him and starts to take care of him again as she did before. Now, this is a bit bizarre to me because he makes her do unreasonable chores and tasks for him and somehow, instead of being pissed, she emphasizes with him because he had to be alone all these years. Patriarchy amiright? Anyway, they have this second chance romance going on which I thought was really cute, many people in the comments and reviews sort of bash her for going back to him but they're such a cute couple I can't really say anything. REAL FAT SPOILERS AHEAD SO READ WITH CAUTION!!!!!Okay so here is the real kicker, the ending sucked major balls. I read the comments on here when the last 6 episodes came out and I was afraid to watch it but I powered through and honestly, it is not as bad as I thought it was when I initially watched it. I have to admit, what happened had to happen (you'll know what it is if you watch it) for the ML to grow and have a chance of changing his dogmatic ways. ML kept hurting FL throughout the drama, even after being given many chances (this is why you never give a man another chance smh) and he simply was not growing and changing into the person FL needed him to be. The last scene of the drama is really cute and leaves much to the imagination, something that I really enjoy in dramas. If you are really someone who hates this, I say stop at episode 30 and call it a day. Not much development happens after that. Overall, this drama was an 8/10 for me. Not entirely great but still a good watch. Thanks for reading and I hope you enjoy this drama!
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This review may contain spoilers
This is the kind of drama that is going to be hard ro review for me. The reason for that is this show had very very good moments but at the same time alot of stuff were a little bit dragged out and unrelated to the actual storyline.But let me tell you what the best part of this drama is, it's the character Shizuka played by Kaho. I might have to think about it abit deeper, but just at the top of my head she is one of the most interesting and mysterious characters I've seen in a good long while. Even after finishing this show I want to know more about her.
So, the storyline is pretty interesting at it's core but some moments are dragged out. I don't mind sitting through slow dramas as long as the good parts are good enough and I felt that about this show. The good parts were worth the wait. If you can't stand slow dramas you might want to avoid this or at least expect to not like it as much as I did.
The acting is pretty much flawless, that's what I've come to expect from WOWOW shows at this point. Kaho, like I said, is amazing as Shizuka and the various police officers, private investigators and other supporting roles are great. I have to admit, in the first episode I kinda felt Kaho was miscast as the main character but it changed the second she appeared in the second.
The music was very good and I still remember the "main score" of the show which I really liked.
Ultimately the reasons I can't rate this show higher are these. The first episode is really slow until you get into to the actual plot. Also I didn't really love the ending, I won't go into that cause of spoilers. And last, I wanted to know more about Shizuka.
But I recommend this drama, IF you think you can manage the slow pace.
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But then I caught the scent of Scent of a Woman. The main leads were two of the actors I thoroughly enjoyed watching- Kim Sun Ah from My Name is Kim Sam Soon and Lee Dong Wook from My Girl.
Also, the tag says “comedy” and like all romcom addicts, I’m forever searching for the sweet and fluffy stuff, which will make me roll up and down on the carpet in absolute glee…
This drama was incredibly filled me with bittersweet ache that seems to linger beyond the moments on the screen the screen. I didn’t expect to cry soooo much!! I didn’t think I’d ever be so wrapped up in a series that I too would be praying for a miracle, that it would last forever, that nothing would happen, that they’d have more moments together, that even if there is no grand wedding at the end, that they’d just be able to live well and be happy… It was like Yoon Jae and Ji Wook were close friends/family of mine and my hear twisted and turned at each episode.
The two leads made this a worthwhile drama for me although I suppose that, since I watched My name is Kim Sam Soon, I was a bit frustrated with Yoon Jae’s reluctance, but stepping back and putting her character first, I can understand why she would make certain decisions. I was especially HAPPY with LDW’s character, Ji Wook. He was firm, steadfast, devoted and had this air of innocence about him. I loved loved loved how he showed his love for Yoon Jae. He reaffirmed, for me, that love is beyond measure.
Their love/romance was the loyal/last forever kind, it was steady and heartbreakingly sweet- it didn’t speed up into something that I couldn’t relate too, or drag too much that made me want to give up on them. I enjoyed their moments together and watching how each episode made their bond deeper.
Having said that, I feel the other characters were just a touch too much. I wanted to see them less and less, and see more and more of the moments between the main couple. There was soo much more that could have been done/shared between them, but then again, if there was more, I’d be wringing out my pillow and paying tissue bills.
Should you watch this? Yes, definitely. If you’re a true romantic, or even if you’re not. This tugs at your heart and is a soothing balm on your soul. I too have started my “Bucket List”.
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A Boring Yet Surprisingly Irritating Watch with a Sprinkle of Beautiful Visuals
If I were to just judge this drama by the first 3-4 episodes, I would without a doubt say it had the potential to be a really fun and cute story if done right…I loved the direction it was going in in the beginning. However, after seeing how the story was unraveling in the later episodes, my interest in this show started depleting as well as my expectations for this show…What started out as your typical cute fluff content, with all the fuzzies and butterfly feelings, soon became the exact opposite. As it started trickling down to just a lot of annoying toxic behavior and cliches with a boring general plot…so if you are looking solely for fluff or a well scripted romance story skip this. But anyways….lets begin!!In terms of plot, theres really no plot…which you'll figure out pretty early on into the show (around ep 5 onwards.) Not much is happening in terms of the story, it was just a lot of back and forth repetitive scenes and conversations focusing primarily around the workplace, so you can imagine how quickly boring that got. On top of that, they started throwing a lot of drama and aggravations one after another that really added NOTHING to the development of the story nor the progression of the mains relationship. The execution is sooo poorly done, it seemed like they didn't exactly know what direction to go in so they started just throwing everything in hoping something sticks.
There’s no denying that the two main leads visually are a beautiful and handsome couple, and they definitely had their fair share of adorable moments, but those scattered cute moments were not enough to save this. It didn't hide the fact that their whole relationship throughout this entire show was ALL OVER THE PLACE, that sometimes it was really hard to root for them. Honestly I don't even know why this drama was set at a workplace because their relationship was only hindering their professionalism at work but also hurting their relationship in general.
Oh My Boss tried to balance work life with romance within its story but I think it failed in executing it leaving really weak stories for both. There was definitely an attempt to show various situations of the kinds of people we can bump into at the work place which could be interesting to see, however unfortunately majority of it were negative encounters which made it more aggravating than engaging. I would’ve rather seen more stronger character development in both leads in their work life; their problem solving (professionally) as well as their pursuit in romance. Also it would've been super interesting to actually see the finished results of their clients projects, we only ever saw them go to meetings and signing contracts so I felt like we never got that full satisfying feel when they succeeded. It was just overall super hard to become invested and interested in the story when there were more annoyances than positives which is unfortunate because I really loved the first few episodes.
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Although the plot was good, it did have plot twists that I didn't expect at first but it all added up in the ending. The acting throughout the series was good and personally, I really loved this series. I really loved the soundtrack, but the soundtrack wasn't memorable in my opinion. The acting was very good, and the chemistry was there with all the characters.
Overall this drama wasn't the worst drama I have seen, but I can see why some people may not like it. It's very good, and I would recommend watching it. I don't think I would rewatch it again. This was also one of the first dramas I have seen, and I have no remorse after watching it.
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Short drama with theatre show feelings
This story plays mostly in historical setting which I preferred to the modern setting. It was fast paced, funny, clever, full of scheming and clichés, but still unexpected. The quality of the costumes and the set was very good and the acting was not bad either. I think the females did great job. I really liked the character of the 6th prince, he had great chemistry with the FL.This is no time travel drama but more a "dream", where the female lead lives in her changed script and tries to survive the fight between all the consorts. The story switches also to the modern world, so we understand the female lead and her story better.
The episodes are very short, story is about 2-3 Minutes + nice ending OST...but I still enjoyed them and was looking forward how the story continues. With last episodes were little bit rushed in the modern setting and also very surprising to me on the other way, the historical ending felt more finished and somehow I expected it will happen like this.
Although very short, it is entertaining theatrical series with nice quality.
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