You Make Me Dance (Movie) (2021)

Red string or red herring?

You make me dance is a story that is as unlikely as its pair- a debt collector and the debitor. It offers nothing new either in its plot or in its characterisation. But it makes us sit through till completion because of how honestly it portrays that unlikely story. Jin Hong Seok is a machine living his monotonous life and Song Shi On is at the prime of his youth full of hopes, dreams and wishes. One seems about done with his life while the other actively wants to begin his. In another world where chance encounters with supposed couples do not happen, these two might have as well lived their lives blissfully unaware of the other's existence. But here they form a strange bond that develops with the help of some even stranger rationale. It's also strangely engaging despite the lack of a strong plot and any actual conflict.

In many ways, the movie is simple minded and that can be refreshing to those who do not want to spend their time dissecting all the layers underneath a character. There are themes of abandonment and midlife crisis but they are not addressed, just mentioned. I wouldn't say any character is well rounded but that is on the story- the characters are molded to fit in. It's an easy watch if we just accept the things the way they roll out and here's the catch- in spite of all its misgivings, the movie is surprisingly acceptable. Not in a "this is ridiculous but it's funny and emotional" kind of way but more along the lines of "yes, it's far from perfect but it's not impossible". That definitely goes in favour of the movie.

Another impressive aspect in this clichéd story is that it doesn't depend on fate, much in contrast to its opening scenes. The leads try and make things happen instead of leaving them up for Fate to chance upon and throw in their way. Whether this was intended or it just unknowingly came to be, it feels good.

The figurative red thread keeps making metaphorical appearances throughout and is well used. I didn't understand what purpose the CEO of Chachacha was supposed to serve, but thankfully her scenes are limited and she is present more to pull the story towards the required ending than to be an actual obstacle. Same goes for Shi On's senior. The final twenty minutes could have been written, edited and presented much better. Everything was building up to that point and it felt as if the balloon just popped all of a sudden without any reason. It was an unsolvable mess of poor writing and poor execution and that was actually the bigger disappointment compared to the wafer thin story line. Music is good even though it doesn't stand out. Cinematography is okay and the performances are convincing. This isn't something I'd fawn over now or later but it's not bad as a one time watch.

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Light-hearted and Cute, but Unrealistic and Illogical

Completed - 2/18/2022 - 7.75 rating

If you are not watching this aired weekly, it's best to watch the movie version than the drama version. The story flows better and it's not as fragmented. This is a cute and light-hearted BL drama/movie, with decent chemistry and somewhat good-looking actors. Also, something is wrong with the synopsis here, "After a serious row, he is thrown out of the family home and is left with an emotional wound. " <--- I didn't see that happening!! Serious row? Thrown out??

What I enjoy:
1. I like the bus scene with their pinkies in the air. Really cute!
2. Cute interactions between the leads.
3. Great songs - Korean BL dramas never disappoint me with their songs.
4. Production value seems decent enough for a low-budget web drama.

What I don't enjoy (spoilers):
1. The acting of Won Hyung Hoon (Creditor) is not very good. I know his character is supposed to be quiet, but he comes off as bland and emotionless.
2. Unrealistic and illogical plot lines (stop reading if you don't want my cynicism to spoil your happy bubble):
= Will a debt collector really trust you enough to extend your loan payment for a month after a dance that's not even that good?
= The whole debt collector profession in this drama is unrealistic.
= If a debt collector moves in with you, you should kick him out immediately (DANGER!), no matter how nice he seems.
= Just because Shi On got the audition to play the lead role, doesn't mean he automatically has money. He actually has to work first to get paid. Why does it seem like the loan is totally forgiven all of a sudden?
= If they assume the loan is forgiven, then why did Hong Seok leave Shi On in the end? As Shi On said, the previous relationship ended and they can start anew. Why leave? I still don't get it.

Though it seems like I dislike this drama/movie, I did have an enjoyable time. I needed something light and short, and it suits my needs. I just can't give it a higher rating, as it doesn't seem fair to the other dramas that I rated a 8.0 and above.

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