1
ammmz
United States
uniqe that's what she is
If, like me, you enjoy watching thrillers and learning things in bits and pieces (i.e., secret forest, signal, even sky castle in the revealing formula), then this is ideal. I'm always looking for things that will both emotionally stimulate me and scare me (in a loose sense), as the ride in the Secret Forest did. They're apples/oranges, and Stranger has some of the tightest writing I've ever seen, but the thing about Trap is that it's thrilling, you're on the edge.Truthfully, if the actors were bad, it would be even more campy—because there is a bit of camp; some of the shit is just SO bizarre, uncanny, and left field. But they weren't. None of them were. Watching it was genuinely entertaining, and I enjoyed every twist and turn, and, girl, there are twists and turns. Is it flawlessly written? Although I def wouldn't say that, it's not nearly as bad as people are claiming. It's seven episodes, dude, like, lmao. It's a brief and disorientingly nuts watch, but it's also very good because it's very odd, and that's its appeal.
If OCN dramas aren't your thing—and they weren't mine, and sometimes still aren't, as I only watched them when I didn't want to think—but you like the same things I do (via my list/comments/reviews)? I would watch. It's clear that this is a unique genre, and I think it marked something of a turning point for the channel (Guest/Hand, a good show, comes to mind as a good catalyst for the change). This and Strangers from Hell, outstanding shows that were a part of OCN's "Dramatic Cinema," made it clear that these are a unique introduction to the channel, and they are of a different level, at least to my taste.
Yet, I think that both shows are mischaracterized or perhaps misunderstood (though for different reasons). There's mixed reception for Trap, and I suppose that's because I'm viewing the drama from a different perspective than some people, which is obviously where we're all coming from and I'm not special, BUT what I mean is: in my opinion, you have to have fun with this show; you have to see it as fun, while acknowledging the quality and critiquing where deserved.
They're literally taking you along for a ride that you can't get off of until it's too late. Like Kanye West said in Primetime (song), "I mean who says shit like that and doesn't laugh?" I think the team was definitely inspired by works by "auteurs" like Yorgos Lanthimos, Park Chan-wook, other contemporary auteurs of the uncanny or horror. It shares the quality of being frantic and fast-paced but also tension-building at a honey like pace. Can't explain it well but it's an intentional, and creative, way to bend temporality.
So, if you want a thrilling investigative story and enjoy bloody weirdness along the way, Do you love to have fun and be entertained? I'd honestly go for it. There's never a dull moment, that's for sure. and i loved being on the rollercoaster swear to satan
EDIT 8/5/19: i think this drama was aiming for pure insanity and it worked
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Special Labor Inspector Jo
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i really will cherish this show. it's a literal superhero story and satirical and it's so pure even if there are parts about everyone that aren't or are more morally grey. this show shows you that the good guys will always be ahead of you.
i can easily forgive so many strange plot devices or how absolutely ridiculous something can be if i just had the time of my life. there are flaws both creatively and technically, but the show is a beautiful breath of fresh air. and these are some of the best female characters i've seen in a show like this. i fell in love with everyone (even the evil ones or at least i knew their purpose...)
it's pretty progressive and has good social messages too and it's basically a 16 hour show about taking down baddies with your best friends and your cool teacher from HS that changed your life. the love and respect these characters share is incredible. i will have fond memories. if you like quirky stuff and love having fun with a fun interesting plot i RECOMMEND THIS!
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i can't give anything a 10/10 because that doesn't exist but also it's all arbitrary anyway.well it is certainly unique. there's a translation of a chapter or two of the novel where it comes from (https://koreanliteraturenow.com/fiction/excerpts/chung-serang-school-nurse-ahn-eun-young) and that will give you a huge working basis of the story themes wise. it's pretty straightforward and not at all. the jellies feed off of emotion and who knows how they even got there.
there is nothing normal about anyone in this drama. or, if there is, they stand out. but even the "normal boring ones" aren't or have their scars. there in lies a bit of a problem; because the story is so wondrous and in its own world it doesn't answer a lot of questions or it makes you pose many to which you won't get a response. a big one is that people trust the world they are in. for the teenagers it makes sense because adults are supposed to be trusted, though they can hurt them immensely. for everyone else either they're in on it or inconsequential.
there's also questions about attachment. one story in particularly i still question what it meant but it doesn't make it any less beautiful. there are cons from a technical standpoint but i can let them go because i felt so enamored and disgusted and sad and happy. it's also so fucking funny. the dialogue has a lot of meaning and it seems like everyone is a second away from a psychotic break but that's just life.
the best thing it does, which the original story definitely reflects, is make the fantastical world a physical manifestation of its themes. there's the question on how some of them come to be and some make sense. others we ask: why are they there? and they simply are. the use of adolescence is perfect because it's a time in your life when you're becoming something but also being told what that something should be.
the world embodies conformity, the jellies and interesting reflection of all the differences and weird shit around us. the authorities, whoever they may be, wants its people to live in "safe happiness" which is nothing at all. or it wants to make money and suck happiness and fortune from others. it shows the world as the antagonist for these people. but they're all fucking weird. weird is both a pejorative and a positive. it deals with being an outsider, being a woman, growing up, how things can majorly affect your life. the will to live when everyone tells you you're strange or wrong. in pyo as a disabled character is incredibly important and they don't shy away from the difficulties but he's also a more physical way of letting us know that we can love people and accommodate them, be mindful, and have genuine relationships. they're up and down and fucked up but you want the best for your life and theirs. there's a lot of beauty in it along with the worst parts of life. "what can i do but live it out, just like you couldn't avoid the crane?"
it's also super philosophical. definitely definitely (i think) pulling inspiration from his dark materials, horror like jordan peele and stanley kubrick, and the mark of a director who is really interested in the silly and bizarre and evolving psyche particularly in women. she also has a pattern of exploring sexuality and gender (within and without the binary.)
the acting from everyone is great. jung yu mi shines. she's so small, so melancholy, so grumpy. but so funny and weird and she embodies ahn eun young who wilts and perseveres. nam joo hyuk is surprising in this role because it's....natural. he has grown immensely. a big thanks to the director and the cast and crew for drawing that out but also for him for genuinely showing growth. i hope this isn't an anomaly. because acting is a craft and something you should practice and want to hone. some people can and some people can't. everyone else is also a gem. the ensemble class are fucked up and wacky but we end up loving them. they're the pinnacle of awkwardness and the worst parts of growing up. and when what the authority wants "safe happiness" gets ahold of them they shun all the things you're not supposed to be: different. all these young kids and/or younger actors do a great job. and the teachers, especially the key weirdos, and the few appearances by some very integral characters are fantastic.
the thing is you can't really pin it down. i feel like the review makes it seem normal in any sense of the world and it is not. it's a fever dream in a way. mostly i compare it to the confinement and release from a psych ward. the music is gorgeous, seriously gorgeous. the theme song is beautiful and strong. korea's musical roots being used for something as deep as spirits and growing up, years of collecting time and humanity, is beautiful to hear. and then there's the themes of being strange and out of this world. i also love how the sound cues didn't come where expected.
every part of the show was taken seriously but the show doesn't take ITSELF seriously which is a conundrum. but it's an absurd world! we live in it! do your best, cry, and have fun.
this leads me to the directing and editing. it was fucking magnificent. if anything else, i would rewatch it for this. i love her style already but the editor brought the vision to life in such amazing ways. there's one scene where it's a teenage recreation of a shaman practice but it was meant to show their true joy and ecstasy of being together and it was cut super well. you know when editing is good, bad, or mediocre. usually people say when you can tell it's edited that's bad (which i agree with, it takes you out) but it made me realize how good the direction and editing were. the emotional beats, the blocking, the sequences pulled me in because nothing about this world was normal but i was there. i wanted to keep these snapshots in my mind. save them forever and have them inspire me, too.
i would rewatch it...i think. im lazy but yea.
overall it's a story about placement in the world. that's inherently sociopolitical—that's something you can't escape from with art and it doesn't let itself. but it lets itself play out in a way that's nonsensical. it's construction is thought out and intense, but it also knows that life isn't meant to be lived so confined so it comforts you with the burden of life. there's a lot of talk about life, creation, surroundings and it's very philosophical in the way that it isnt at all. in my darkest times i go back to some of my favorite quotes. many of them are on suicide and life by camus. the show embodies that. it even says it. basically: death is easy, life is difficult, but it's worth being present and feeling everything.
they tell us: you're trying your best. keep doing it. there's no getting better and laughing at the top of your lungs to success. you don't need to drain other people to reach wellness. there's survival and being happy and all of that shit is mixed up. and there's no normal; what the hell is normal anyway? there's a reluctance to face yourself, keep going, and want to have a beautiful contribution in the world. why not? so what? you can be selfish and selfless and angry and crazy and kind and love and be loved.
"what can i do but face it? what do you know about me anyway? my problem isn't some story in a comic book"
"they're not that different. i'm saying you should use weapons. don't hurt yourself and have fun while you're at it. be someone who is loved by others."
"how am i supposed to fight them alone with this?"
do you know who i am? i am school nurse ahn eun young.
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the drama starts off very slow. there are tons of themes throughout the story but ultimately it's about community. i tuned in to it real time, so i won't know what it's like to binge it. but looking back...story: a con-man setting up in a small town before they are to be flooded for reconstruction of their land. not only speaks to displacement but also of seizing land and not caring about people. it's sad. they don't have much money and hope and each other is all they have. their community is beautiful but vulnerable. so that means someone can take it.
acting/cast: good. never seen uhm tae gu ever. a) he's hot (LOL) b) he's incredible. kim young min was fantastic. elder choi. jin sook. esom has gotten better. there's nothing to distract you
music: i literally never paid attn i know music and sound are important but i just....for certain stories they aren't integral. this is one of them.
rewatch value: i don't know. it's subjective, i don't think that makes our breaks the drama. plenty of things i'd never watch ever again. i think what mdl means is it entertaining enough for you to re-watch and not get bored. i don't think i'd rewatch it but it's up to you.'
overall: ok so it's like........a slice of a life drama. but what if in this life you were poor and in-and-out of jail and basically everyone hated you because they don't know the real you. and people are unsure of themselves. and....if a con-man tries to set up shop in your city to exploit its inhabitants. the drama takes us through it.
i know people say that maybe they shouldn't have named this 'save me 2' but they should have. they're two sides of the same coin. it questions reality and our beliefs and shows a society where poor people bear the brunt of change with no say. it's interesting. nothing about this could not happen in real life honestly. like there are crazier stories and it's plausible. and that's the sad part.
imo, it's a happy ending. because we have to continue. i think it's a much more emotionally responsive peace to the previous season and i think we all get to feel like woolchori is in us....
and to reiterate....uhm tae gu did. what. he. had. to. do.
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how was this even worse
at this point they are so awkward around each other like their uncomfortableness seeps into the performance and it's embarrassing to watch. i know there's a movie coming and i understand capitalism adores shit like this but i am honestly just begging them to stop. when i see gifs of them i start laughing. when i saw them kiss i started to laugh. i tried so hard to get through this and i couldn't. i was so embarrassed and it felt so fucking awkward so wholetime i[m like this is a fucking walking commercial in a very bad way.and i think the major issue is the unnecessary time jump since no one believes these people have been living together for a fuckin year. how the hell have they not gotten it together yet? how the fuck truly how the fuck can them touching even be frickin awkward. the montages and everything don't help it is just drowning drowning drowning in being uncomfortable and ridiculous. i don't even know their personalities at this point and the actors are absolutely walking blank faces now.
now mike and toptap have gotten better and in thct (idk that other drama theyre in i aint watch) theyre even better and i'd looooooove to see more of them. and in the first round of the regular series they actually kiss. at first i was like this is stupid but they actually are working together and it is fun to watch them. this is a good example where people are not (seen as or as much as) conventionally attractive but they shine through the way that the main couple couldn't for several reasons. it begs the question on how many people even want to be actors but i digress
just embarrassing and cringe. oh and the storyline....dude 20 minutes away? after a year??? but also he refuses to be touched??? it hought it was two years but it's one so they are still in that hmoon phase yet it is unbearable to see them in the same room. you're adults, you live together, and have been together for a year and you cannot deal with being away from him for two weeks when it's a 20 minute drive. at first i thought it was funny since i'm not taking this seriously anymore but then you realize they want you to find it charming and that they're so in love and for everyone to have philosophical talks and moments as they long for each other but it is a waste of time. and from a technical standpoint i cannot for the life of me understand why they didnt put the sexuality conversation in the actual series at its running time. why are you doing it when it is set 2 years later? can someone edit their scripts for the love of christ?
and at least in the series they had their previous interactions and the set ups to go off of. i'm not sure how this is redeemed from the series (even though i don't think they ruined the series it just wasn't that great) when they are now acting like all their history doesn't matter and the world started yesterday? this universe is a damn mess and i jessss....
what the fuck? what the fuck?!?!? i am gonna torture myself by watching this movie arent i
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i wondered why i gave this an 8....lmao
i'm going to be fair and give the honest rating that i think but i am upping it with like a 3 point curve (so a 5, but an 8 for what im about to explain) because i believe that if you have stumbled upon bl like i had and just watch this stuff to get lost mindlessly it is worth it.it's insulting to call this "bromance" imo. they are a legitimate couple. they're in love. it's weird to me how this genre is so ridiculously rape-y and misogynist and weird and fetishizing but even with the growing censorship in china they put life into this relationship. the novel isn't amazing and i think addicted is one of the grossest things she has written and what was produced but almost all their scenes where they are heavily physical were non-consensual.
so here you have a novel about two dudes in love, it gets a visual adaptation, and there are limits to what they can show. they were more touching and intimate than any other chinese ones i've seen (addicted, like love) and the other couples ARE LITERALLY KISSING (or "kissing" in addicted's case)
there's nothing platonic about the end of this relationship. they may not officially ever say they're together but there is every cue to believe what they have together. and it's really cute and the actors have great chemistry.
the censorship itself is a huge problem so i find that it is reasonable to attack that. but we know the paramaters and this still managed to show us love better than other ones. perhaps people hate the fact that they believe they need to literally have sex on screen for it to be legitimate. if so, that's sad and kinda weird.
anyway u want sth fun and cute and dumb i recommend it and they ! are in love!!!! yuan xong's dedication to xia yao is a beauty to watch and how xia yao returns those feelings. like yx is so in love with him and protective and xy accepts it and tries to give it back in kind. cute
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it was ok
i am rewatching it now to see if i missed anything to make me think it was just okay-to-bland and no i feel the same. it was fine, it was cute but that's it...it was just ...ok? the more i sit with it the more flat i think about it while knowing in my brain it was cute but not feeling it the way i want nor what others do.imo what the show lacks is heart and a sense of true intimacy. of friends, of space, of romance, of life. it's evident even the way the scenes are set up. i understand that they were in higher alert for covid when this was filmed but that's the reality of all productions from here on out until the world gets its shit together. additionally, though i do not think that it is as high as people think, if the budget for production WAS high then it absolutely should have been better! we should have been able to see it with thoughtful production, editing, shot choices. and i'm sorry but it was shot very perfunctorily and that was evident. but the whole thing is so sterile /and/ perfunctory so it makes sense.
i don't care for nor notice patterns of supposed cross-gender norms (miscategorized as heteronormativity) placed on these relationships or characters and i do not think that is the issue since BL is definitively and staunchly dedicated to masculinity even when it tries to imply some type of 'female' in more feminine characteristics. i mention this because the issue with them wasn't the tall/short thing but there was 1) a difference in caliber of acting 2) very obviously that other kid is young and he is very very small so it is kind of jarring to see one, who is very much not college aged anymore, and someone else who graduated high school 2 years ago (and is very much college age!)
what's most shocking to me is the reception of the show. i have noooo idea how it got so popular or even exactly why like what kind of contagious feelings that people caught for this show. i know there must be people who are pretty ambivalent towards it like i am. i wish it had more oomph or pizzaz or something. i have seen and watched way worse but i have also seen, watched, and /enjoyed/ the way worse and that's the biggest bummer for me. it doesn't have to be special but it could be something eye-catching, or really funny, or something to just stand out or makes you want to latch on to it except for the red clothing or the BLK coffee shots but that's about it and that's not enough. even his fake tattoo was boring and so new (hello! makeup!)
i didn't care for the manhua but they're so different that it doesnt really matter anyways. maybe the story from conception wasn't that interesting anyway? who knows but this one had no ambiance (literally with the way it was edited and no audio tracks of ambiance but also figuratively)
i don't remember the music (and i am literally rewatching it) and usually i hate music in these shows anyway so let's just say it was fine. would i rewatch? well i am now so.
the girl was hot and i love plurisexuals and that's about all i have to say now
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in the beginning you think it's alright and you will let ma yi deum get away with two things a human being should never do. maybe she'll grow? and i really love the way they portray that sexual abuse is not okay. and oh look they cover a gay character. she may be damaged and she may have an agenda but she will change as a person.
unfortunately that is not the case. the show would be a typical procedural with a very progressive and impressive message. we do not tolerate sexual abuse and the victims deserve to be heard and believed. great. fair enough.
except ma yi deum is an atrocious human being. she gets reassigned but couldn't give less of a fuck about these victims. her ambition isn't honorable because it's not ambition it's callousness. women do not have to choose one over the other. we can live our lives and be ambitious. or even in the case of a ruthlessly ambitious character--there's a point to it. there's writing that supports it. and jung ryeo won is a good actress but she is not fit for ma yi deum.
there are people who like her which i do not understand. but i write this review for the people like me, who love women and feminism and want to help the world, who wanted to continue this but couldn't. ma yi deum literally watched a woman be assaulted and was "disgusted" and walked away. she goes to that woman to withdraw testimony from their boss. it's convoluted and fucking RIDICULOUS but you're like ok it's just ep 1. well. she outs her client in ep 2?
if you don't want to do your job and only give a shit about yourself and your mom, a plot that's frankly ridiculous because who CARESSSSSS, then quit. this is a serious issue. it's abuse. if you do not care about these women (people/men) then don't even bother. beg to get reassigned. she is an awful person. she is not a woman i'd ever want to know or to ever defend me or ever someone i would have solace in. she is not well written enough to give a fuck about. there are some crazy amazing female characters. pretty much all of SKY castle is made up of terrible people and these women who don't know left from right. never once did i think i hate them. i was on their journey. they were flawed and horrible and i was moved.
BEING AN AWFUL HUMAN BEING DOES NOT MAKE YOU COMPLEX. it just makes you awful. if that is your only personality trait then why do i care? seriously why do i care about ma yi deum? literally anyone else i would be sympathetic towards with her background but i am not. i don't care about her absurd stupid fucking life because she is not meant to be cared about. she is meant to die alone and bitter and upset that no one cares about her since that is how she treats the world. i can give countless amount of characters (like i mentioned above) that are just awful. walter white? he is terrible. we hate walter white. we also realize breaking bad is about HIM and we continue to watch his destruction. we hate him but he IS the show because he isn't just a bad human being. he's a father, he's a spouse, he's loved, he's intelligent, he can mimic emotions, he can have emotions, he can SUFFER. he's bad but the writers know the MOST BASIC of concepts: people contain multitudes. it's not just about how ridiculously awful you are and trying to be tough then yelling all the time and crying. if i see her it's on sight truly.
so if you find that one single character--who happens to be the main character!--can ruin the show for you? i don't recommend. it's worth it if you can stomach her then i believe like....it's a dumb show but like at least you're with her. but she sucks and is an insult to women. i would never want to be associated with her EVER. and this is not how a woman with a goal who supposedly cares about their dumb mom plotline acts. ugh. i'LL NEVER RECOVER.
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why they have more chemistry when they werent 2gether? (ba dum tsh)
i quite literally will never understand how they had much better chemistry in the beginning. the only explanation i can give is the popularity and uncomfortableness bringing an uptick bc of it. because otherwise the show was so cute in the beginning. the scene with the car and the bike iw as proud of—rom com-y and very 10 things (which they also reference again. hate that movie, but i loved the tropes from there here.)and i guess yu get kind of blindsided. i didn't watch it because they were attractive—i hate that actors have to be when your charm and shine and attractiveness will shine absolutely through with your character and actors are hired not for looks but because of the way they move themselves and are able to act and that they have striking faces for the camera but we are not reliant on looks we fall in love with the people they play. but that takes too much time—but that certainly helped and their acting while not great was much better than what i had seen.
the couch scene was the last thing i remember that made me feel good about it. the pandemic was also starting up and i feel like so many of us got attached to it for that reason, truly, because my feelings about watching the show will always remember that and how difficult this time was. i can't rewatch ITSAY and i am not watching the sequel because it reminds me of that time so heavily and the show was already gut-wrenching for me. when i think back on this one i'm just like "....wow...so that was a thing in my eyeballs huh?" and i'm like damn at least it helped me a little. but what the fuck happened? i never watched all of the last episode and i saw the high 5 but from that to the special eps you start to truly realize the insane cracks in them and this relationship and the story. you look back with a different mindset and when you go to watch it's like glaringly obvious that they are embarrassed to be there and have no clue what they are doing.
on top of that: no, no one needs to fuck or kiss or whatever so we know the love but considering they make jokes and imply it and we get 0 z e r o indication of any deeper intimacy when they ARE in a relationship and /move in together/ and for the special supposedly being together for 2 years. i'm flabbergasted at that point it really was: WHY are you living together, do you people not touch each other??????? like what even was that?? when you see people you can get a feel of their interpersonal relationships so you can generally tell if someone is a sibling, friend, partner and for them it's like just two guys (5 feet apart in a hot tub....) just being there and everyone saying "see theyre in love" but bish wheryuuuurrrrrr and they "kiss" and "have sex" but they can't hold hands? that's an indication that they think intimacy = physicality; this is a pitfall for most media but especially when it is with men and geared towards women (as opposed to women focusing on women and a woman also directing these things) for BL. we saw them kiss in the special and that was appalling to me. truly one of the worst things ever because i felt nothing. but these shows think just cos just because they are physical FINALLY after work and no nbuild up with intimacy that we are now getting some sort of reward. this is all about expediency and getting otu as much money as they can but couldn't they have done a bit more to make it believable? (no so why bother when you can just have money)
i do not understand this show at all and i can't believe we watched something light fun and lovely and now all my memories are soooooooo embarrassed it's just fucking cringe man just cringe so awkward lol. god capitalism sucks smh
a lil extra aaside: for the love of god can men just stop calling each other feminine stuff or having chars play more feminine so we can tell which role they have in the rship. it is insulting, misogynist, transphobic, probably all the other -ists and it is especially annoying when something that is used between male couples as a joke (which i think is fine as long as women arent fucking implicated) and something for them and for their intimacy and rship you just have a bunch of beige walls being annoying about gender roles and penises WE GET IT we get it we get it women? NO. men? ok!
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High School King of Savvy
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the story isn't outstanding and there are some truly strange moments but i was never bored. i can always go back to this and watch on a rainy day and see their story unfold. all the love and friendship and family.
one thing i will say is that i understand the premise could bother some people. i am mostly just super against age gaps (particularly the older male/younger female because of how the actors are aged as well) but they are genuinely...on the same playing field. a lot of people don't like soo young? i guess. which is like she's weird and probably has neuoroses but she was also the heart of the drama. perhaps very socially awkward or neurotypical like whatever. she is a smart capable STRANGE naive woman. and min hyuk was a strange strange clever wonderful teen. when you see them together (besides stating it with literal words ) there's no power imbalance or hierarchy. it also helps that the actors are close in age. had she known who he was from the start would probably be a different story but it goes to show how much you can ruin something by making it creepy via the dialogue if something abt a r=ship is taboo.
i say give it a go. it's not crazy amazing and i wouldn't recommend it as a show to get "into" but just something to watch and laugh with and absurd. i'm fairly positive if you go into it with an open mind, you'll very much enjoy it.
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good? bad? who knows
it....wasn't great. not much happens. they weren't great actors, not the worst. my biggest issue with the show is though both couples are likeable, i ended up preferring saifahzon and i think that is absolutely solely because our main couple had way. too. many. kiss (or "sex"). scenes. this was before sz got together so it isn't about that. i was actually thinking of quitting the show regardless.i think when they had finally had sex the first time the rest of the ep was them just making out in places and it was just bonkers to me. i literally wanted it to end. if i wanted to watch softcore porn i would. but i don't want to? it's not even that it was steamy or salacious; it was for a BL i guess but. it just was not good for the structure and plot like idk it was overkill and you could see it. like what even is this writing? it's too gimmick-y. i don't even have anything to say abt the production bc my number one thought when it comes to this show is: did they really need to show us all that?
anyways tho it was like cute...
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i tried
even though i knew the content had numerous—and i mean NUMEROUS—issues i thought i could skip around and see how the couples, particularly kinnporsche, fit with one another. i was willing to concede about their relationship itself if it could be salvaged so to speak and the potential to leave behind (not forget! but gloss over as a viewer with limited time on this earth) the abuse and rape. the abuses are unacceptable and lazy writing ;purely for salaciousness sake but the show has more problems than that.the writing is bad and so is the pacing; because the source material is an issue but man....there is, essentially, no story itself. "bad" characters and their "bad" choices should have a purpose but they do not because /nothing matters/. this isn't the sopranos or breaking bad—horrendous motives and people but a theme running through the show and that LETS us know they are bad and that consequences lurk in every corner. there is nothing in the show that has me coming back to watch as a viewer and not even the relationship, ostensibly the viewers main draw since i cannot believe it is the story itself, is....dry.
i'll have to dissent in opinion about the acting. apo isn't bad but he is very very very aware the camera is around and carries the weight of them i think and it's distracting. when they went on their first date and were sitting by each other his smile was so farcical and it just became obvious. they don't really have much chemistry but they are comfortable kissing and being naked around each other. great?
the writing is bad, the jokes are bad, the plot is bad, the characters are bad, and the relationships are empty. i'm kind of bummed out that this aspect—the rship, the draw of the show—wasn't even good enough to grip me or have me even continue with the vaguest of feeling. tharntype is not a good show but in the first season i could at least see WHY this MIGHT be attractive to some. here it was just....there? and after the first time the whole borderline softcore porn thing gets really boring. like super boring.
i don't have much more to say. the only thing that i think this show could be of influence of—for a genre that has so many failings—is actors being more willing to do the physical bits of the genre or romance in general with a partner. maybe they will become more comfortable with other screen partners and not look as robotic, maybe it will be influential in that sense, but that doesn't really shake much of a table and if you're a good actor...then you should pick roles you know you can fulfil. so basically what i am saying is that being able to be physical with another human being, as an actor, does not mean that the acting is good and that this script called for that intensity doesn't mean that it actually generated real feelings or chemistry on a deep level.
i wouldn't say it's a shame, this is just another show in a long list of shows that exist. they obviously spent a decent amount of money and are getting that money back; if money-making is the goal then they succeeded. but merit? i'm not sure. i will give it to the camera and lighting crew and the DP though. oh and production design or location scouter because the locations and the shots were really gorgeous. the lighting in the horrendous scene where he rapes his drunk "boyfriend" was BEAUTIFUL and that bathroom was gorgeous. and the styling wasn't so bad either particularly for apo. i really enjoyed the whole frilly and heeled boots thing. but that's about it and it doesn't really entice me when the thing itself, the content, is...what it is.
perhaps this is repetitive but: these are not morally grey, interesting, or even just balls to the wall fucked up characters. these are characters from what is essentially a wattpad fanfiction and it's not on par with actual good television or even good romance (TO ME or IN MY OPINION or whatever since people take this shit so seriously) but a very very very long long long commercial for how to not be a human being. are the men hot? who knows and that's not a good enough reason but i honestly couldn't even tell because it was so cringe-y so many times and the jokes aren't funny and it's just SO ??!?!?! it's just so...????? i showed my roommate and she was like 'i don't think they really fit' it's just confusing idek how else to explain. this is a really...is baffling the right word? it's a baffling show? lmao. it just EXISTS? gorl idk
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however, it gave us perth who is, so far, one of the best thai actors i have gotten to see in any of these shows. who has an actual passion for acting and to continue that. i really admire it. he's so childlike and immature both as a character and just as a kid IRL at the time but it's really nice to see him act, for his certain charm to come out; he became the one i loved to watch. i loved him. and pete as a character really facilitated that. it was sort of made for him to do a blank slate on since perth's so small but not intended to be read as feminine or with any background trauma (like pete) so it was just easier to connect with him as someone who has a lot less of an identity both because of intentional purposes and the writing's own flaws. it's interesting to see how he's evolved since then. and you get to see this young new actor with a true passion for the craft. it's less about ae as a characer and more about just getting to watch someone grow into a better version of what's on the page. genuinely that's the best part of the show and what i'm happy it gave us.
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enjoyed it loads
The summary here sums it up, so that's what the show is about.
themes: autonomy, loss, grief, adultery/betrayal, abandonment, parental bonds, motherhood, marriage, reinventing yourself, found families
It's engaging, but not because of the logistics. I didn't care about the plot of trying to switch these two back, and it becomes pretty secondary. It's about how everyone deals with the changes, how they affect them, and how to get things back on track.
This show is hilarious, and I barely skipped it, even if some of it was filler or not as interesting. The foreign actors did well (minus the older euro-aussie man). And there's a bit of English in the show spoken by Koreans who are obviously not fluent but do their best and sound good. The foreigners only attempt a little Korean though I assume they know more of the foreign language than the cast does English, just for necessity's sake. Honestly, it's surprising because most foreign actors on these shows are so abysmal, but since they were an integral part of the cast.
The cast is stellar, and god Lee Yoo Ri and Uhm Ji Won (who I'm obsessed with since little women, which I need to finish) are so beautiful/hot. that doesn't and shouldn't matter. Still, being in their 40s at the time or just getting out of it, they are seen as "older," but your 40s are also your prime, in a different way than previous years, and unique. Because she looks younger for her age, LYR's character in her original body is 32, but they swap, and IRL are only 2y apart, so it was very genius casting in that regard. But they're both phenomenal. I didn't realize LYR was the hot infuriating reporter daughter from father is strange, and I ended up loving her there. She's fantastic at physical comedy but is also a brilliant character actress.
UJW is AMAZING, and she stole the show for me. They are both so adept at changing who they are, and god is LYR funny as Lee Bom, but UJW as Bom and Bo Mi was a sight to behold for me. The way her body moves, how tall her frame is, and her hair which is all purposefully opposite, are a challenge for her to embody bo mi, but she pulls it off, and we get to see her as Lee Bom, growing more. She was an immense joy for me here, and I didn't expect to see her. This woman is FUNNY. Also I can tell she speaks at least some English because she has the typical Korean-laced English accent that shows she's practiced.
Everyone else was honestly terrific and so funny. You could feel the relationships are genuine; the husband actually kisses the woman he's having an affair with, they actually cry, they actually get to let themselves look ugly and be weird, have no inhibitions when acting. Very good-looking cast btw, even the ones that aren't typically attractive.
Mostly I loved how funny it was and the themes they inserted. Bo Mi is a bitch, and she's adopted, and she has two friends from the orphanage they grew up in and essentially abandoned them. So they all experienced abandonment, and even though this show is almost wholly a farce, it has moments of genuine emotion sprinkled in, where you get frustrated, and there are times I did cry.
lee bom has everything and bo mi has nothing but lee bom loses everything. her story was the toughest because she was naive at times, mostly because she was privileged, but that privilege didn't make her a horror; she was a lovely woman, and people consistently underestimated her as if that showed a lack of life experience. Except she was a fantastic actress and had her strengths, just like Bo Mi was intelligent with her street savvy. She didn't need to protect her money; it was always protecting her family and doing what was best for them. You can tell that though she wanted things perfect, it was from a good place. Her daughter's love for her was so admirable, and their relationship was great. Si Won adored her mom.
Bo Mi was a harder character to like and get into—she changes quite a bit but her regular personality often comes out and trumps that change making it very difficult to care for her sometimes. But Lee Bom makes watching Bo Mi worth it. Her love for Bo Mi doesn't falter. She realizes really late how alienating she has been and though I wish they did more to change that it wasn't strictly about changing her in a way we could tell immediately. It indicated that these things take time, and the show is really about how they live their day to day and the people around them.
Obviously what i liked he most was the bond between the two women. they even say that female bonds and the strength of such in the face of adversity, of men in between them, is easier to betray than to remain steadfast with the love you're supposed to protect. To me it has queer themes and I appreciate how female and found family centric this was. It was never about romance (there is little to none) and Lee Bom learns she needs her daughter, her friends from her life and her agency and even the news studio, and bo mi to be happy because they all actively want each other to be happy and be in each other's lives. BTW the news studio cast? Ace. I fucking loved them and Bo Mi's weird love for them and how they also didn't take her shit. Particularly the wonderful, gorgeous Chun Soo Hyun (Mi Ram)
To bom, bo mi is "my love" and to bo mi, bom is "my dear bom, my other half"; "i am her, she is me, don't insult her to me" and they know each other.
The show displays the strength female friendships, family, and friendships. And these all amount to found family and finding your place in the world. Love and others help you do the right thing, and you receive true love when you do. To be in service to others isn't a detriment but a benefit to our lives. Additionally, the main villains are men (purposefully); as bo mi said, "if you're born a woman you at least have to succeed" but we don't have to play their game.Bo Mi and Lee Bom were each other, and in love with each other, and will always have each other and by extension, by building a good life and living the way they want and while helping others, they regained their bodily autonomy that was lost not due to the incident that got them in the swap but the actual circumstances of real life. The show has ALL THIS while being so hilarious for the most part and not serious and just very sweet. It's subtle and engaging and beyond entertaining. There are some flaws but mostly I have glowing things to say so recommend
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qt
"try living with the lights on, how nice would it be to live like that?"even though it's not perfect, it's still fun. she's one of those actors who has chemistry with anyone she's on screen with (romantically, platonically, normally, or antagonistically) and brings energy to a scene. hye yeong taps into eun joo's genuine and pleasant nature, and eun joo is bubbly and sweet without being overbearing. rhy's character here matches her since eun joo isn't untidy at all (trust me, she isn't messy), but she was so fucking miserable that she couldn't break out of the fog of not having the life she wanted.
themes: baggage (literal and figurative), growing up/personal growth/millenial coming into adulthood, being a ~modern woman, depression, first love, slight labor commentary, family and indivudality
the drama's central force is eun joo's ability to inspire change in others through seemingly insignificant do it yourself endeavors. an account of a lady whose existence was governed by her job and how she ultimately had to let go of it or she would waste away. especially since the epidemic began, this is a familiar story of being exhausted, burned out, depressed, and wanting to just live for once.
it was good to see that the diy stuff wasn't random, and she started doing it because she admired min suk and his art; the writers didn't forget that they were both artists, and she transitioned from one medium to another, and it worked. he encourages her to use her knowledge and fighting spirit. he temporarily pushes her away, but she fights hard to maintain her independence rather than crumble. (she already was but being dependent on a man).
kim jae young was good too. they're both my type, and he's large and huge, so his awkward physique contributes to min suk's character. their love builds slowly, and we don't truly see them together-together until the end. it's not a slow-burn in the usual sense; the show is about her, and he's part of her life, but not all of it.
ryu hye jin, her ostensible foe, has an interesting progression throughout the story. there's an allusion to/expression of a romantic side/ connection of their ex-friendship. it hurt both of them a lot more than it should have to still care so much about each other, like, 15 years later. rhj was a huge bitch, but nothing could make eun joo not be herself. a significant part of who eun joo is comes from the love and support of her family, which includes her brother and sister as well as her parents and her childhood best friends. she has this pull, not in an annoying way—not in the way that is told instead of shown—and her friends, random individuals she's met, coworkers, and others she helps along the road are pulled to that.
anyway, the romance was my favorite part—they had chemistry and i wish we could see them be more intimate, but i'm glad we saw them kiss, which is important. they also demonstrated that they physically desired each other. i'm going to rewatch, but i remember thinking that min suk is hella bf material (and she gf material. bisexual wifeguy/husbandgirl) since she has a big effect on his life (and vice versa); they've known each other since they were kids. and their memories are so... tender and profound? if it were longer and more romantic, they could make it more intimate and make out more, which i'd love 2 c. they're just drawn to one other and made to just be together. we're spared a misunderstanding and a true love triangle.
as a viewer, i want to see them cool in love and hot 2gether, but eun joo had to go through her journey and emerge knowing she could weather any storm with him. i saw happiness after this and loved that a lot less due of the superfluous turmoil. because it's slice of life, they avoid it and let us enjoy their time together without it being overbearing (aka obnoxious).
i cried a bit— most people can connect to the feelings because d eath is simpler than living and that's part of the beauty of life; it's tough. you want to see eun joo do anything (and look hot/cool doing it) because she is unapologetically herself. she made a place for herself in the world and is always getting better, learning, and changing. even though her life isn't perfect, it's just good enough.
(i also thought the show's costuming were fantastic. very interesting for people who like style/fashion.)
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