Marshmallow-Chocoholic
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There Are Better Versions Out There..
Boys Over Flowers tells the story of poor, yet hardworking high -schooler Jan- Di ( Ku Hye- Sun) , who attends on a scholarship, a place at a prestigious high school for the rich and famous of Korean society . After angering the leader of the F4( a group of boys consisting of the school’s most notorious heirs) , Gu Jun- Pyo ( Lee Min- Ho) , Jan- Di finds herself cornered by Jun Pyo’s bullying tactics and , in frustration, declares war against the F4. Despite the mayhem around Jun- Pyo’s attempts to make her yield her declaration and give-in, Jan- Di finds comfort within the presence of taciturn and mysterious F4 member , Yoon Ji- Hoo ( Kim Hyun- Joong), however, her comfort may be short lasting when Jun Pyo begins to develop a complicated crush on Jan- Di.
First of all, I will give this adaptation upon reflection one praise; the amount of hours it must have taken the stylists to do Lee Min Ho’s stylists to do that perm. All joking aside, Boys Over Flowers isn’t an entirely dire drama, but, it never ceases to surprise me even now, how many drama watchers overrate this version as the “ best” , with most never having fully watched the original Taiwanese, Japanese ( as well as the unofficial Chinese version ) or even the more recent official Chinese adaptation, to draw this indecisive conclusion together .
Though, let’s not sugarcoat something about any of the adaptations( including some of the more critically - appraised versions such as the original Meteor Garden and Hana Yori Dango) . Boys Over Flowers ( like all the adaptations ) is sourced from the original 90s / 00s romance( or “ shoujo” )manga called Hana Yori Dango ; accounting the romantic cliches seen in all the versions of a poor girl and a rich and spoilt kid who turn from enemies to friends , to of course, eventual lovers. As you can imagine, Boys Over Flowers regurgitates all of the cliches from the original manga ( whether for better or for worse) with natural added changes for Korean audiences ( such as Gun Pyo’s name in the original manga/ Japanese drama , is Domyouji Tsukasa as well as several culture changes such as the “ Puppy Date” in the Japanese version, being updated with a Korean Sauna scene between Jan Di’s brother and father).
Whilst I don’t typically compare original versions or adaptations in my reviews out of respect for the culture or story, I think it is intriguing (especially as it’s not often drawn together when reviewers consider this drama), to particularly compare some differences between the acting choices, plot and characters across some of the adaptations / manga. The first comparison undeniably comes from the choice of Hye- Sun as our female lead. Unlike a lot of adaptations, it took me awhile to find what truly annoyed me about Hye- Sun’s portrayal. It was nothing to do with her physical appearance as some drama watchers have pointed out ( if anything, this made her role seem a little more realistic, as even in the original manga, she’s described as an ‘ everyday girl’) , but, rather the lack of emotional appeal which was put into her portrayal of a supposedly ‘ relatable and ordinary’ female lead, as well as of course, moments of overreacting within emotionally angst- ridden scenes . Naturally, it can’t be said that Hye- Sun was entirely at fault here, as the scriptwriters also played a part as well within her character. To put if simply, there was nothing intrinsically driving about Jan- Di as a character. She was not independent or fierce as shown in the first episode by crumpling too soon rather than progressively over Gun Pyo’s influence, or even the seemingly ‘ kind- hearted’ girl suggested earlier on in the show ( whilst I appreciate she may have been in a state of shock, note the scene in Episode 5 when Gun- Pyo fires a normal and everyday working sales assistant in front of her, she doesn’t even bat an eyelid). In the other adaptations, there is always something driving about the female lead which makes her likeable or at least an approachable character. Consider Inoue Mao’s portrayal as Jan- Di’s earlier counterpart in the Japanese version , Tsukishi Makoto. Love or loathe her portrayal, Mao truly captured Makoto as a fiercely hardworking, and equal to Tsukasa, putting her foot down even when Tsukasa raises his voice at his friends. In a similar manner Barbie Hsu’s version as Shancai had her moments, but, she was still a fiercely strong female lead. Therefore, it’s hard to truly evaluate especially as a seemingly apparent ‘ strong and independent’ female lead, that Hye Sun’s appearance is truly comparable to some of the other versions ( such as the Japanese version).
This of course, moves us onto Lee Min Ho’s portrayal as Gu Jun- Pyo, the Male lead and the leader of the F4. In all honesty, there was a certain essence that Min Ho captured as Jun- Pyo (/ Tsukasa Domyouji) as the lovelorn lead through his comical lines, actions and tender moments towards Jan- Di. In a similar manner to Hye- Sun, however, Min Ho’s role wasn’t particularly profound. In fact whilst Min Ho’s career did kick off after this drama, there was no real approach to depth or apparent seriousness within both Min Ho and the scriptwriters ‘ approach to Gu Jun- Pyo’s character both behaviour-wise and psychologically . Whilst the drama did take the typical ‘ he’s not that bad, after all ’ trope ( as shown in all versions ) and explore a more complex version between Jun- Pyo and his mother ( as seen during his childhood) and his sister , there was still little put together about how this truly impacted upon Gu Jun- Pyo to explore some more vulnerable and challenging moments again his ‘ Macho’ persona. One of the more profound portrayals of the Male lead undeniably goes to the lesser- talked about role by Jun Matsumoto as Domyouji. Whilst having some questionable acting moments in a similar manner to Min Ho, Matsumoto and the scriptwriters did reach out to exploring the Male lead in more vulnerable moments with his estranged relationship with his mother ( as shown in one of the first few episodes when his mother fires a chef on unfair grounds ) and glimpses into Domyouji’s softer side in childhood and the present to the reasons behind his character. Yet even more recent and light- hearted portrayals such as Dylan Wang’s portrayal as Dao Ming Si in the recent version of Meteor Garden (2018), have provided a more realistic approach to this character, highlighting both the fault of Min Ho and the scriptwriting in comparison to some of the other adaptations.
Before talking about Hye- Sun and Min Ho’s chemistry, it is wrong to leave out Hyun- Joong’s portrayal as Ji- Hoo, as the second lead of the drama( let’s ignore the controversies in order to evaluate Hyun Joong as an actor here) . There was nothing entirely wrong with Hyun- Joong’s portrayal of Ji- Hoo. In fact, out of the majority of the cast in this drama, Hyun- Joong probably captured his character the most in a more “boyish “ haze for Jan- Di’s feelings . To an extent, there were even some moves in this drama which I did prefer more than the original versions,( not least the complications between Ji- Hoo and his grandfather adding to some emotional scenes). Yet the Korean version did leave out a core essence of Hyun- Joong’s character compared to other versions, and that was certainly his emotional complexity between his mystery and his equally hidden feelings for the female lead. In the original manga and the Taiwanese version Meteor Garden ;2001 ( portrayed by Vic Chou) , an essence to Rui/ Ze Lei as a character, is that he is mildly autistic and ,consequently , his feelings for both his sister- figure and Makoto/ Shancai remain complex throughout the series. In the Japanese version ( and consequently in the Korean and Chinese versions as well), Oguri Shun’s portrayal of Rui Hanazawa is left out to be a consequence of learning problem, but rather his peculiarity as a character. In the case of Shun’s portrayal, Rui is portrayed in the ‘ cool, mysterious manner’ and is perhaps one of the few versions in which the character’s feelings for the female lead, remain partially open throughout the show.
On a slightly more positive note, the one thing which I must prefer slightly about the Korean Drama in comparison to most of the versions, was the sense of believable ‘ rough and and tumble ‘ bonds between the other F4 members in this version as childhood friends ; portrayed perfectly by Kim Bum and Kim Joon. Whilst there is no doubt that the Japanese version showed us this bond extending out more to Makoto as well, the Korean version did seem to highlight this friendship slightly more profoundly with Jun Pyo, with the other members teasing Gun Pyo over his feelings and Jan Di’s reactions. My other slight personal thought to the drama, was undeniably the greater chemistry between Kim Bum’s role as Yi- Jung and Jan Di’s best friend, Ga- Eul than in other versions ( particularly the Japanese drama between Nishido and Yuki), with more profound moments revealing a backstory to Yi- Jung which is often disregarded in other adaptations.
Moving on to the chemistry between our leads throughout the show, it is undeniable that there was chemistry between our leads, Hye- Sun and Min- Ho as well as the gradual development of their characters. On the other hand, there were less fresh and monumental developments which truly exposed the rocky obstacles within their relationships like other adaptations ( though there were some carried- out traits from the Taiwanese/ Japanese versions such as the visit to the female lead’s house, the ‘ Maid’ storyline from the Japanese drama and the manga as well and of course the betrayal scenes), leaving a less impressionable chemistry than other versions. In addition to this, the ending of the drama certainly hints at the possibilities, but felt a bit of a waste of time within the build- up to their relationship, even when considering with more hinted suggestions such as the walking side by side scene in Meteor Garden or more tied endings like the proposal scenes in Hana Yori Dango and Meteor Garden ( with the Japanese Movie sequel even hinting to Makoto ready to start a family with Domyouji). Overall, it’s fair to say that whilst Boys Over Flowers isn’t unbearable to watch, it’s riddled with cliches from beginning to end copied from other versions with lacking originality, characters and plot inconsistencies, questioning whether it may be better to seek out versions of this show and not waste your time watching the Korean version.
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A Comical Spy-Thriller, Though Lacking In Character Depth..
‘Terrius Beside Me’ regurgitates the classic trope seen in dramas before when the “ tough and rough” agent ( So Ji-Sub) is launched into an unfamiliar and everyday environment in order to pull out exaggerated comedy and awkward scenarios . In the case of our main lead, this manifests through becoming the clueless babysitter for the two children of his kind-hearted neighbour ( Jung In-Sun). It is undeniable a generic and ‘’subtle’’ setup between domestic blandness and oddly light-hearted fluff, yet amongst the more angst-ridden moments of the show, the balance between action and the bittersweet experiences that the characters are subjected towards often felt lacking in greater characterisation and defining development.Our main lead and agent Bon is a definitive example of this problem. Undeniably, So Ji Sub is a veteran within the acting field, and his ability to capture the stoic, yet comical brilliance of an agent stuck in the unfamiliar environment of everyday life helping to provide the majority of the comical elements of the show. As a character , Bon is an intelligence agent, used to appearing apathetic, cutthroat and struggling to emotionally reach out to others as a consequence of his traumatic experiences when he was active in the field. Bon’s “ mission” in the beginning of the shown to collect intelligence , also acts as his first chance in a long time to interact with individuals outside of his line of duty. This is what makes the show somewhat endearing in certain comical moments, as Bon learns to develop emotional attachments with the most unlikely characters ( the children and their parents who live in the apartments).
On the other hand, a major problem with the show’s tackling of Bon as a character can be seen through turning a slight blind eye to the evident emotional and psychological problems which arose as a consequence of his backstory. Although it was understandable that the show may have deemed this “ too dark” within Bon’s interactions with the children and it would take some of the more light-hearted moments of the series, it seemed odd and a poor plot point to bring in darker themes of death, torture and emotional manipulation, without the ultimately mentioning or developing upon the consequential effects for the individuals.
This naturally draws us onto the main female lead Ae-Rin; another defining example of a character who had many traumatic experiences , but ultimately seemed detached within her responses. Whilst it is hard to truly fault the brilliant talents of Jung In- Sun, her character’s emotional responses and actions throughout the show felt greatly mismatched towards her actual background as an “ everyday individual” unknowingly caught up in this odd conspiracy.
It is refreshingly noticeable that the show didn’t rely upon the typical trope of Bon and Ae-Rin’s relationship overtaking the main storyline. Instead, the romance between the two characters is noticeably more subtle, however, it soon becomes apparent for viewers that Ae-Rin’s responses and behaviour is oddly misrepresented by her responses to her surroundings.
For a woman who has lost her husband, looking after her children and struggling to find a job early on in the series, Ae-Rin seems to neither bereave, contemplate or be emotionally affected her scenario at all. This is not suggesting that instead Ae-Rin should have a “dramatic mess” as noticeably individuals do respond to grief in different ways. On the other hand,, after its initial use in the first episodes, the storyline never truly brought up or explored the realistic element of Ae-Rin’s actual response or time to contemplate memories with her husband. In fact, we learn very little about exactly Ae-Rin married him, how they met and naturally about her own experiences growing up at all in the series- elements which would have easily fleshed-out the female lead and touched upon the more realistic elements of the show.
There are other minor characters in the show such as Do Woon ( Sung Joo) and his evident lacklustre pairing with the other minor female character and agent in the series Ji Yeon ( Im Se-Mi). Although an undeniably “ sweet” relationship progression between the two characters, their interactions and lack of screen time didn’t really engage or motivate the viewers to feel strong emotions or responses to these characters as individuals.
The other centralised characters of the show also include Sohn Ho Jun as Yong Tae , the reluctant and minor antagonist of the series . Yong Tae is often played off comical relief for a major proportion of earlier episodes, yet he surprisingly has an intriguing backstory and a deeper sense of morality which oddly grounded him at times a lot more than our main characters. On the other hand, Yong Tae’s motives and reasoning sometimes felt a little half-baked. It was supposed to obviously dramatise the plot, but a lot of coherent reasoning behind Yong Tae’s actions often felt lacking in greater depth.
Ultimately the action scenes of the show in between the light-hearted comedy and jokes was often lacklustre. By default, this should have been prominent within an action-comedy, however, the fighting sequences were often lacking in greater suspense, and the outcomes for the leads are fights or dangerous situations was often too glamourised in order to offer a “ less explicit” censorship for the network.
So, is “ Terrius Beside Me” actually worth watching? The show ultimately acts as a fairly sweet comedy with light-hearted moments, fairly decent acting and intriguing plot, however, the more profound edges of characterisation, coherent plot line and unexpected, well-written twists were lacking during the show’s more profound and moving scenes. A generic action-comedy which is undeniably fun to binge-watch, but certainly not worth watching if you’re expected a memorable and profound storyline.
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Park Chan-Wook’s Bloodthirsty Magnum Opus ...
It is hard to truly understand what to expect when first diving into Park Chan-wook‘s 2003 cult-classic “Oldboy”.
It could be considered a “mystery”, a “bloodthirsty revenge- thriller” or even an ill-fated romance story. Regardless of how you look at “Oldboy” , however, it's predominantly a tale which plays out upon to make viewers revel in horror and contemplate the deeper meanings captured in each spellbinding frame behind this film.
Director Park Chan-wook starts with a great premise, and uses it as a springboard for a flawed-yet-compelling
tale of the our main protagonist Oh Dae-su ( Choi Min-sik)’s surreal and nightmarish journey to discover why he was locked up in a single room for 15 years in solitude. As the tale progresses, we are introduced to the thrilling
cat-and-mouse games between and the mysterious businessman , Lee Wu-jin (Yu Ji-tae), with the vulnerable female love interest Mido (Kang Hye-jeong) caught in the crossfire.
“Oldboy “above all of Chan-Wook’s works, might distract from the events depicted, except they are just as unexpected and unpredictable. Since the story is told from Dae-su's point-of-view, the viewer as much in the dark as he is, and we are just as desperate for answers as Dae-Su. Wu-jin proves to be a top-notch villain. For every move that Dae-su makes, his opponent is at least one step ahead of him with violence typically at the forefront .
On the surface, Park’s variety of filmic bloodshed is represented with animalistic savagery. The director avoids glamorising the content and implies violence by cleverly cutting around the acts themselves. But the gory details are unimportant, thus they are not shown. This is a revenge story much more than making viewers want to wince at the implication of nails being pulled out and severed tongues. Finding a difficult balance between method and story, Park instills purely emotional responses in his viewers and it is truly emotionally exhausting.
Choi Min-sik undeniably captures the brilliance of a man consumed by unbearable, unassuageable emotion with the necessary primal drives towards his own survival and revenge. In one of the movie’s most captivating and violent scenes, Dae-su is shown to hold up a hammer with contemptuous emotions lingering upon his face.
A white dotted line then appears on the screen, joining his weapon and his victim's. Then, the cutthroat action emerges. Park Chan-Wook’s camera follows Dae-Su’s sudden race down a narrow corridor as he takes down dozens of opponents, in an extraordinary moment of cinema and the humanised emotions of Dae-Su’s expressions as he begins his rampage down the hall.
Yet, the true humanity of the movie is served in the relationship between Dae-su and Mido. Kang Hye-jeong did undeniably capture the naive innocence of her role as Mido; a young woman caught up between the role as helper, protector and lover of Dae-Su. Undeniably, however, Hye-Jeong’s acting did sometimes come off a little lacklustre in comparison to her costars Min-Sik and Yu Ji-Tae, however, she was still able to channel the assertion to viewers of “ Oldboy” in later scenes that this this is not your typical love story, and later
revelations for viewers will certainly serve to provide this assertion as true. After all, revenge films, like their subject matter, are "best served cold."
Dae-Su’s true opponent , however, turns out to be a suave sociopath called “Lee” played astoundingly by Yu Ji-tae. Lee is the essence of a brilliant villain who seemingly has everything :money, success, a beautiful apartment and a flawless appearance, yet the call for his own profound role as the true antagonist of the film manifests through a final game with Dae-Su which entails his unusual motives.
The ending is an undeniable cliffhanger, leaving viewers confused and pondering upon Oh Dae-su’s decisions. Left with our uncertainties, Park allows the viewer to pass their own judgment, however, there’s no doubt that any answer comes with its own disturbing spin, leaving the viewer in an uncomfortable position no matter what their outcome.
“ Oldboy” isn't for everyone, but it offers a breath of fresh air to anyone fed up of the predictable and tame setups of Hollywood thrillers. This is a movie drenched in a bloodbath of violence, yet it still balances the scales of contemplative and profound story writing with twists straight out of Shakespeare’s tragedies , and a villain established with his own emotive flaws and interests for viewers. A definite watch.
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An Undeniable Classic, Though Certainly Cheesy Within “ Manga“ Tropes .
Despite its two additional seasons often seen to “ milk” the storyline , the first season of “ Gokusen” will still stand strong for many J-Drama fans as a “classic” from its later successful and beloved cast ( not least the “rookie” appearances of J-drama actors who would become beloved household names for many fans such as Nakama Yukie, Matsumoto Jun, Oguri Shun, Matsuyama Kenichi and Ito Misaki). Yet, like nearly all drama adaptations based or derived from manga, Gokusen isn’t entirely “ flawless” either...Gokusen is a little over-the-top and often tried to emulate anime and manga during fight scenes ,character interactions and tropes , which often came comes off as ridiculous and surreal in a fictionalised , yet live-action setting. Ultimately, Gokusen builds up the contemporary and beloved Japanese trope of delinquents; a concept which is waning in popularity in more recent dramas and movies, but still touched upon something a fundamentally classic message of individualism and the problems faced by youths deemed “ bad influences” by society .
Nakama Yukie plays the beloved role of Yamaguchi Kumiko; a female-teacher with a hidden secret of her family being part of the Yakuza, but someone who inflicts “ tough love” upon her students when giving them life lessons.
In all honesty, Nakama Yukie’s inexperience within previous acting roles prior to Gokusen does become evident within her sometimes awkward expressions, reflexes and cheesy line deliverances onscreen, yet she quickly makes up for this within her brilliance of revealing her true-self to her students when the glasses come off and during the more light-hearted moments of the show with adding a touch of deadpan humour to her lines.
Yet, refreshingly for a show where the angle of Shin and Kumiko’s relationship became a minor later subplot of the manga , Gokusen scraps this romantic pairing entirely in order the focus on the more didactic messages of the storyline. On the other hand, the show did have the one unnecessary element of Yamaguchi’s character having a crush upon the handsome police officer in favour of playing out an “ adult romance”. Although this is used for comedy rather than depth ( and later becomes a running gag with Yamaguchi developing a “ new crush” in each season), the pairing between Kumiko and the police officer wasn’t interesting or engaging towards the plot, and should have been cast aside in order to focus upon the main storyline.
Parallel to Nakama Yukie, Matsumoto Jun’s role as a rookie remains prominent within certain line deliverances upon screen, however, his role as the stoic heartthrob and delinquent ringleader Sawada Shin still remains one of his most renowned roles in the drama community and is often seen as kick -starting his successful career of acting, with fellow costars Oguri Shun, Matsuyama Kenichi and Ito Misaki into similar stardom.
Even though there are arching story lines, the episodes were often repetitive at times within their setup;
Kumiko’s students get into some form trouble, Yamaguchi ( or “ Yankumi” as she’s dubbed by her students) sticks up for them and ends up showing off her Yakuza inherited/taught fighting skills, and the students learn something either about life or themselves in the process. It is undeniably a generic formula in Gokusen, yet again all odds, there was something surprisingly heartwarming about nearly every episode taking time for viewers to get to know characters as individuals, rather than merely background characters, making the bond between Yamaguchi and her student surprisingly well-developed and consequently making each episode rewarding for viewers in the process.
Gokusen is undeniably cheesy at times within its line deliverances, cliches and contemporary fashion and outfits, yet,there is something prominently strikingly, entertaining and heartwarming about Gokusen. The storyline tackles many themes which are still relevant today ( delinquency, judgement upon appearance and real-life problems for disadvantaged students), the characters are strikingly engaging and the pacing can easily keep you hooked from beginning to end. Although not realistic and often playing out to the realms of fictionalised fantasy, it is easy to see how Gokusen still captivates audiences years after its original release. Certainly worth a watch if you’re looking for something more comical and light-hearted.
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Can You Sink Your Teeth Into This Vampiric Romance?
There seems to be an odd resurgence in fantasy dramas with the vampire trope. I am not one to complain. Vampire shows and narratives can be really interesting for writing if approached well, and Heartbeat certainly had an interesting premise from the offset.Heartbeat was written by Kim Ha-na and Jung Seung-joo, and directed by Lee Hyun-seok and Lee Min-soo. The narrative focuses on Seon Woo-hyul ( Ok Taek-Yeon),
an ancient vampire who is desperate to become human and end his immortality . Having waited centuries to fulfil the wish of his beloved, Yoon Hae-seon ( Yoon So-Hee) to finally become human, Woo-Hyul enlists the help of his vampire friends Lee Sang-hae ( Yoon Byung-hee ) and Park Dong-seop ( Ko Kyu-Pil) to seal him in a coffin in order for him to finally become human.
In the present day, part-time school nurse Joo In-hae ( Won Ji-An) ends up accidentally awakening Woo-Hyul a day short from the ritual being complete. Now a half- human, In-hae and Woo-Hyul awkwardly end up living together, while beginning to slowly develop feelings for one another. However, nothing is ever simple in this relationship, and soon trouble looms on the horizon for them.
Heartbeat is a fairly lighthearted take on the fantasy vampire story. For the most part, the series is fairly easygoing and comical, playing out mostly as a slice-of-life and rom-com series. The fantasy element submerges from the depths in each episode with a small push to direct the storyline. While there are some more angsty moments in the series ( particularly around Woo-Hyul’s backstory), the series is fairly engaging on this part . However, where this issues lie comes through the second half of the series; especially in the very rushed execution and conclusion.
In many ways, this did offer a fairly good balance of genres. The comical setup highly relied on the polar opposite types of In-Hae as the cynical, cold yet surprisingly empathic individual to Woo-Hyul’s egocentric, , yet, surprisingly kindhearted role in the series. This dynamic did work well for the most part, though admittedly, building on the fantasy element and especially lore, was a little undeveloped at times. ( So many unanswered questions left hanging in the air over the vampires and their existence as well as their state of being.)
The acting of the series is decent. Ok Taek-Yeon really shines through as the main male lead. It could have been easy for Woo-Hyul to have become a somewhat irritating character with his misunderstandings and egocentricity at times, but, Taek-Yeon really adds a charismatic edge to the character through both lighthearted and more serious moments.
As a character, Woo-Hyul definitely grows on viewers. It could have been easy for the show to have fallen into old tropes with the immortal vampire being sullen or brooding for most of the series. While Woo-Hyul definitely has his more morose moments through flashbacks and backstory with Hae-Seon, his charisma definitely comes through with being able to remain fairly allured by the modern world. Woo Hyul is self-absorbed with his appearance and qualities, yet almost maintains a sense of comical naivety, to the point of annoying In-Hae beyond belief ( and leading to his shopping spree incident early on). However, despite often being egocentric, Hyul does show his kindness towards others in small acts even in the first episode .
Perhaps one annoying element of Woo-Hyul’s backstory is that while Hae-Seon is a major part of Woo-Hyul’s life, we do not see a lot else about his backstory and character prior to these events, or even in the short aftermath. Sans the necessary plot points, which could have been used instead to have shown the true impact of Hae-Seon’s influence upon his life and decisions .
Won Ji-An stood out as Joo In-Hae also, offering a fairly strong performance as the downtrodden female lead. Refreshingly, In-Hae is a character, who, similar to Woo-Hyul, is a lot more than meets the eye. She has her own personal demons ( which are touched upon slightly in the series though not to their full potential), and maintains a fairly upfront and straight- laced persona in front of Woo-Hyul. Despite appearances, In-Hae does have a softer side. Viewers see glimpses of this early on ( such as helping one student in the school after being bullied) and throughout the series during key moments. ( For example thanking Woo Hyul for taking care of her after she is bed-ridden from a fever.)
In-Hae does have her own potentially interesting backstory, but like some minor elements of the series, this was often pushed aside slightly in later episodes. This was not bad per say but it did put her backstory on the back burner a fair bit. The majority of In Hae’s development revolves around her potential romances, as well as glimpses into her softer nature.
Both main leads are interesting in their own right, and by far, enact as a major highlight of the drama’s storyline . Ji-An and Taek-Yeon have fairly good chemistry. Their characters have a good balance between being a polar comedic duo, while also learning to rely on one another and help each other out during times of the crisis. It was surprisingly sweet to see their relationship unfold in the drama and gradually develop during the series.
However touching upon the romantic element of the series, it is hard not to bring up the issue of the love triangle trope ( you could even argue love square or even pentagon depending on viewpoint). Having a complex romantic pairing and unrequited is not unusual in Korean dramas, and is a trope which is executed a lot within narratives. They are not inherently bad and can be diverse and well-written, but one problem they can often run into is whether they are truly necessary or well-resolved in the long-run.
In this case ( and for the sake of argument), love triangle/ square comes through Shin Do-sik ( Park Kang Hyun), an old classmate of In Hae and a successful real estate development specialist.
Do-Sik’s role in the series was pretty evident early on; he was to be the potential love interest as the second male lead, and the exact foil of Woo Hyul. Do-Sik is the epitome of the “ nice guy” trope at drift ; he is well-mannered, reserved and constantly looking out for In-Hae while his feelings remain apparent to everyone (except the female lead).
However , Do-Sik spends his time fawning over In Hae or practically stalking her from the shadows to the point of being more than a little obsessive. While in some cases, it is evident Do Sik is concerned about In Hae’s circumstances ( such as walking home drunk late at night) and mental well-being , he spends a lot of time watching her from the background or following her around similar to a lost puppy . Do Sik’s character arc only exists around In Hae, to the point of most of his flashbacks being centred around this too. It is a shame as while is not inherently bad, Do-Sik’s more interesting elements are often put aside and he becomes somewhat flat. The series did seem to possess some self-awareness of Do Sik’s character arc by attempting to involve him more in later episodes, but, a mixture of still being centred around In Hae at the end of the day did draw some further questions on this development as well as his antagonistic role in the series .
Another key side character includes Na Hae-won. Without major spoilers, Hae-Won is connected to the characters in more ways than one. She is a wealthy heiress who has returned from a long time of being overseas. She is an old friend of Do Sik and has an active interest in the old house. Naturally when she hears that Woo-Hyul and In-Hae want to turn it into a guest house, she helps to invest. Hae-won acts as a major driving force ( both negative and positive) within the relationship between the two main leads. It was sad to see the initial hints of Hae Won’s calm persona being driven out the window in the second half of the series, as well as her growing obsession over Woo Hyul. While I understand the series wanted development, it was cliche and sadly undermined her character in the long run.
Additional key side characters include Lee Sang-hae and Park Dong-seop, the goofy vampires and friends of Woo Hyul. Both characters enact as comedic relief in the series and while they are fairly entertaining, it would have been equally interesting to have touched upon how long they have truly known Woo Hyul, and why their friendship does run so deep. Despite this, both characters do show genuine care for Woo Hyul and do come to his aid in key moments.
Ko Yang-Nam ( Kim In Kwon), a catman being, is another key character and ally of Woo Hyul. Yang-Nam very much plays the role of the wise sage in the series. He is concerned over Woo Hyul’s predicament and begins to realise ( for conclusions he has come to even unknown even in the series), that Woo Hyul is in serious danger.
Rose ( Seung Yoo), a vampire and close friend of Woo Hyul and his friends, helps them out a fair bit on minor plot events, and Ri Man- Hwi ( Baek Seo Hoo), an antagonistic side character, who proves to be a thorn in Woo-Hyul’s side. Other side characters include the tailor Kim-Ok ( as well Young-ki) and his son ( Kim Do Geon), and the butcher Ko Ki-Sook ( Baek Hyun-Joo). There is a running comical subplot about Ki-Sook being determined to run out Woo Hyul and In Hae from the house. In all honesty while I understand this was meant to generate some laughs, it was a little irksome to see Ki-Sook constantly trying to annoy them. The fact that In Hae and Woo Hyul’s guest house could generate serious business and revenue into the area ( including for her business) seemed pretty reasonable to anyone, making it even odder than she was often condescending or rude to the duo with little reason aside from being petty . ( Despite Woo Hyul becoming one of her regular customers.)
The execution of the series was okay with a brisk sense of pacing and action and conflict development in early episodes . Perhaps my one complaint came through the romantic development. Don’t get me wrong. I like a drama to be well-paced, but it seemed the series often tried a little too hard on the trope of “ will they? Won’t they?” without giving us the time or opportunity to see these breadcrumbs in place. The ending seemed to push this romance full force before attempting to throw in a major “ plot twist” in the ending, with major questions arising over this arc development. This resulted in this second half feeling just rushed and anticlimactic and this in the long run, half-baked.
The cinematography was fairly good. It was fairly sleek for the most part and the CGI was okay too. My one complaint is that the palette schemes were a little uninspiring in some scenes and could have easily been used more carefully or frequently to match the emotional effects of scenes or key moments. The OST was fairly decent with some songs such as Hang Seung Yoon’s “ I Revive” being particularly catchy .
Overall, “ Heartbeat” is a decent romantic fantasy drama. The series has a decent plot premise and good cast, but struggled to develop and characterise beyond the limits of cliches and rushed execution. Overall, a decent watch for a binge session.
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The Good Bad Mother; A Good or Bad Watch?
I will be frank in my honest thoughts about this drama; it very much met my expectations. I will be open to saying it
did not exceed them, but it was a reasonably engaging and entertaining watch for the most part.
The Good Bad Mother was written by Bae Se Young ( Intimate Strangers, What a Man Wants and Life Is Beautiful) and directed by Shim Na Yeon ( Hip Hop Teacher, Beyond Evil and Moment at Eighteen). It focuses on pig farmer Jin Young Soon (Ra Mi Ran). Young Soon is left to take after her son and the farm as a single mother after the death of her husband. Her son, Kang Ho ( Lee Do Hyun), is reared by Young Soon to study and succeed, even at the cost of his unhappiness. Kang Ho grows up seemingly unhappy, pushing away his mother and long-term childhood friend and sweetheart, Lee Mi Joo (Ahn Eun Jin), to climb up the social leader as a prosecutor.
However, when Kang Ho is involved in a life-changing accident, Young Soon gets a second chance to spend time with her son. Kang Ho's past soon catches up with him and Young Soon as they find themselves in their sudden change of circumstances.
This is a story we have seen in Korean drama screenplays, where a character is forced to go through difficult circumstances and reconciliation. Mostly, The Good Bad Mother is a melodrama focusing on numerous tragedies but with a more slice-of-life comical edge through the country life trope. One surprisingly profound element of the series came through some of the themes tackled, including disability, illness, political corruption, murder and cover-ups. Admittedly, these themes were only partially addressed to their full potential, but the drama did highlight where characters encountered these issues.
The acting for The Good Mother Bad Mother varied, though most of the main cast was pretty good. Ra Mi Ran ( familiar to some watchers for her performances in Sympathy for Lady Vengeance, Avengers Social Club and Cruel Intern) offered a fairly stellar performance as Jin Young Soon.
Jin Young Soon is a problematic character to explore. On the one hand, she is very multifaceted; it would have been easy for the writer Bae Se Young to have cast Young Soon in a villainous light or wholly attempted to have redeemed her character. Instead, we get a surprisingly good middle ground with Young Soon; she is neither truly forgiven for her actions nor demonized. This was surprisingly refreshing for a Korean drama. Of course, Young Soon is not without her writing flaws, one of the main issues being that while we do get to see her character develop and her ending is teased throughout, it still felt a little anti-climactic against the backdrop of the other events of the series.
Lee Do Hyun ( a familiar face to many for his roles in Sweet Home, 18 Again and The Glory Part 1 & 2) starred as the male lead and son of Young Soon, Kang Ho. Kang Ho goes through a multitude of character arcs throughout the drama. Without major spoilers, Kang Ho starts as a reasonably callous individual at first glance before developing into a more well-rounded and kindhearted individual through his accident. As the narrative progresses, the drama elucidates that Kang Ho is a character that has more to him than meets the eye, and this certainly proves to be true. Perhaps one element which did feel somewhat absent through Kang Ho's character arc came through a very deus ex machina ending; his trauma is unresolved, he goes through issues and then finds a solution. There is nothing wrong with this formula per se, but considering the amount of tension building behind his character arc, it felt a little odd that these circumstances came so quickly.
Another central character to talk about is Lee Mi Joo—Ahn Eun Jin (More Than Friends, The One and Only and Goodbye Earth) plays the role with a calm yet bittersweet edge. Mi Joo's relationship with Kang Ho and the mysterious identity of her children's father remains one of the major driving forces of her character. One element of her character that I felt I was a little lacking was that while her goals and dreams were built up a lot or explored to their full potential, they rarely followed through by the drama's ending.
Then there are the primary antagonists of the drama, Song Woo Byeok (Choi Moo Sung) and Oh Tae Soo (Jung Woong). Their role in the drama plays out similarly to moustache-twirling villains; they are necessary to keep the conflict going, but aside from that, their characters are rarely explored further. Other noticeable characters include Bang Sam Sik (Yoo In Soo- Strong Woman Do Bong Soon, Alchemy of Souls and The Uncanny Counter Season 2: Counter Punch), the childhood frenemy of Kang Ho and Mi Joo, who acts as the primary comic relief of the drama series. ( However, Sam Sik has his surprising redemption arc in parts of the series.) Of course, there are the villagers who help propel the comedy and more lighthearted moments alongside Song Woo Byeok's henchmen. Young Rak's wife (Park Bo Kyung-Shadow Beauty, Little Women and Moving) remained an amusing character. Her gag of constantly wearing odd face masks for beauty routines and eccentric comments fantastically lit the mood. Her character resolution was a little weird, but it seemed befitting of her character's personality.
The execution of the series had an odd progression. The first episode delved into the setup and conflict, then slowed down until the halfway point. Although this was necessary to help flesh out specific plot points, it did cause a scenario where certain teased plot arcs and characters were left free-falling by the second half of the series. As a consequence of this execution, certain plot events were left unaddressed. The one element of the narrative that was achieved came through pacing. There were a few scenes which were unnecessary in parts of the drama. Still, for the most part, The Good Bad Mother was engaging with its narrative due to being able to balance the elements of angst, lighthearted moments and comedy reasonably well.
The cinematography of the series was pretty stylish. It was not particularly innovative, but there were a few striking scenes, such as when Kang-Ho and Ahn Eun Jin were caught in the rain or the final scene with Jin Young Soon. The OST was reasonably upbeat and dynamic for the most part. Admittedly, there were a few more tracks which stuck out more than others, such as ''A Dreamy Town'' by Ha Jin and ''Talk About Love/ 사랑을 말해요'' by Lee Moon Se, which were pretty good.
Overall, The Good Bad Mother was a surprisingly engaging watch. Although it may have borrowed from many tropes in Korean dramas, the series remained engaging through its equilibrated themes and an intriguing array of different characters and plot. Overall, worth a watch.
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A Likeable Female Lead, But Certainly Cheesy Even By 2000s Standards...
The first thing to say about ‘Vampire Host’ for those curious or who have stumbled upon this drama by chance, is that if you’re easily offended by “ mild” sexualisation , low-budget special effects, dark humour or Matsuda Satoshi‘s questionable acting when he “ transforms” as his vampiric character Suou, then this series probably isn’t for you. All joking aside, ‘Vampire Host ‘ is a show which is a product of its time , but retrospectively it was not an entirely “ dire” drama either. In fact, against its many obvious cliches and tropes which emerged throughout ‘ Vampire Host’ , the two main characters interactions and personalities were fairly captivating for viewers.As a character, Rion is surprisingly a subversion of typical “ ditsy” or “ girl-next-door” contemporary drama stereotypes of the time ; she’s outspoken, curious and fairly intelligent, being able to point out and work numerous things ahead of Suou when they begin solving crimes . However, perhaps my biggest complaint about Rion as a character was that she had little backstory or interaction outside of necessary main characters , that allowed us to see Rion become more “ fleshed-out”. In addition to this, the scriptwriters’ choice to sometimes sexualise Rion during the “ cosplay” scenes, may also raise some eyebrows for modern watchers . Although it is easy to see the comical side of this rather than the drama actually making more lewd suggestions , it did feel a little out of place for some of these scenes with the notable “ horror and crime” undertones of the show.
The second primary character of ‘ Vampire Host’ is Suou; a mysterious, yet unconventional vampire working as a host in Tokyo. It was oddly refreshing for a drama produced during the heyday period of the vampire genre, to see Suou as an actual individual rather than the stereotypical “ mature and stoic” approach often taken in vampire shows. Suou is humorous , dim-witted ( at times) and easily irked by Rion’s interest in the “ supernatural”; ironically cynical towards the mysterious and ineffable crimes which are thrown their way. Yet, one of the biggest problems of Suou’s character can often be traced towards his ending decision in the series and his overall relationship with Rion .
On this note, it’s probably important to stress that if you are looking for an overt romance between Suou and Rion over the course of the drama , then ‘ Vampire Host’ probably isn’t for you. Although there are romantic undertones between the two characters, the drama is primarily focused upon the mysterious, morbid crimes that the two characters are exposed to over the course of the series .
Although the storyline has a main plot, the episodes were fairly cyclical and repetitive within their structure; a new and mysterious crime emerges, a victim or disappearance occurs which alerts Rion or Suou’s attention , the duo try to find more clues and confront the mastermind before finally solving the case. This is ultimately an easy storyline to follow, yet, the story-plot only introduced in the last couple of episodes, often felt rushed and lacklustre in the grand scheme of Thurber . Rather than spreading out or hinting towards this intriguing storyline in earlier episodes and scenes, the delivered felt more anticlimactic jigsaw puzzle, than something for viewers to happily take away with a sense of completion .
Overall, it is probably fair to say that ‘Vampire Host’ isn’t something which can be defined as a timeless classic; it is low-budget in terms of special effects, film quality and styling , the cliches can be seen as outdated as well as ridiculous, and the acting is certainly questionable at times as well. Nevertheless, there was an odd appeal towards the series within its intriguing characters and morbid plot focuses. This isn’t a drama to watch if you’re looking for something with actual visual and sensical quality, but it is a certainly a cheesy welcome break from heavier dramas which have focused on these themes in the past .
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Nature of Nurture? The Ultimate Question of What Creates A Monster...
It is a debate which has puzzled, confused and bemused psychologists, philosophists and ethicists for centuries; is it our environment or innate what make us tick as human beings ?Why is it two children raised in different environments and circumstances end up as criminals?Suspenseful as it is thought-provoking, screenwriter Kwon Ki Young ( Suspicious Partner,Protect the Boss) helps to bring this question to life through the focus us upon selective amnesic and genius criminal profiler Lee Hyun ( Seo-In guk). A sudden return back to South-Korea after years studying in the United States, opens up new wounds when he meets Detective Cha Ji-an ( Jang Na-Ra) in search also of the missing, calculative psychopath Lee Joon Young who both took something precious from them in their pasts. In addition to uncovering this old case again ,mysterious prosecutor Jung Sun Ho ( Park Bo-Min) 's sudden involvement in Lee Hyun's case will uncover some dark truths that perhaps would have been better left uncovered...
With a surprising cameo of D.O. as the younger Joon Young (our surprisingly captivating psychopathic killer), there's little to actually fault about our main cast's delivered performances .Jang Na-Ra and Seo-In Guk were brilliant within captivating the humanity and angst of our individual characters and undeniably Park Bo-gum was captivating within his role as the calculative and mysterious prosecutor with a dark past.
The majority of the drama centralises upon the intriguing cat and mouse games between Lee Hyun and our killer with surprising twists and turns along the way. However, the oddest and probably most out-of-place subgenre within the show of thrilling mind games and traumatic pasts, has to be the romantic element of the show evidently between Cha Ji-an and Lee Hyun. Whilst it did attempt to relieve these more ''noir'' elements by adding the light-hearted edge of romance, the pairing between the characters soon became a little over-centralised in the show. This didn't necessarily take away from the intrigue, but it lessened the impact of the events in particular of the more suspenseful elements of the drama as well as Ji-an's past for viewers. In addition to this, there were some notable plot inconsistencies around procedures and in particular the slightly ambiguous ending . ( It is difficult to say whether this was merely an intelligent attempt relieve Lee Hyun's trauma, or just simply lazy story-writing .)
Overall whilst Hello Monster was flawed by its questionable pairing choices, some inconsistencies and ending, the drama was certainly an intriguing and captivating suspense story with a decent story premise, intriguing characters as well as good performances from our cast. Certainly worth a watch if you are looking for a suspense story with more ethical questions, in particular the belief of ''nature and nurture'' and what makes us human.
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Will ‘ Ghost Doctor’ Truly Haunt You?
Rain is back. This time in a melodramatic medical-supernatural drama which whilst casting its net far and wide towards a wider audience demographic , isn’t without its flaws either.
The plot is set mainly around a working hospital. Previously mentioned Superstar singer-actor Rain stars as Cha Young Min; a first-rate doctor who is renowned in the hospital for his prodigal skills. However despite his impressive clinical acumen, Young Min is notorious for his cold personality and acerbic tongue directed towards colleagues and patients alike.
Nevertheless, everything changes for Young Min when he’s involved in a fatal accident. Whilst his physical body is rendered in a comatose state, Young Min discovers that he is now stuck as a living ghost anchored to the grounds of the hospital.
Perhaps by a whim of fate, Young Min stumbles upon a shocking revelation: he can possess the body of amateur resident doctor Ko Seung Tak ( Kim Bum). The grandson of the hospital’s founder,
Seung-Tak is nearly Young-Min’s polar opposite. He’s laidback, disengaged with his duties as a doctor but secretly cares deeply for the well-being of his patients and wards.
As Young-Min and Seung Tak are forced to share the same body, they begin to help one another grow as well as unravel suspected foul-play in their midst…
Screenwriter Kim Eun Hee is likely most known for her previous works ‘ Winter Sonata’ (2002), ‘ My Fair Lady’ (2009) and ‘ Live Up To Your Name’ ( 2017).
Similar to her previous repertoire of melodramas and cliche-ridden narratives, ‘ Ghost Doctor’ isn’t inescapable from its shoehorned storylines or some character archetypes. The villainous motives and goals of the antagonists could feel somewhat monotonous, whilst the attempts to influx subplots with romantic chemistry between the main leads and their potential love interests could feel vapid also.
Of course this isn’t to entirety critique Eun Hee’s screenplay. Whilst there were noteworthy niche moments , there were some refreshing takes upon niche character tropes; Seung-Tak ( as the “ affluent heir”) standing out in particular.
In addition to this under the directing reigns of Boo Sung Chul ( ‘ My Girlfriend Is A Gumiho’, ‘ The Heirs’ and ‘ Your Honor’), ‘ Ghost Doctor’ is able to maintain a crisp narrative with enough bromance, arbitrary medical knowledge terms and vocabulary and comic relief thrown-in order to keep viewers entertained.
Whilst there are notably moments where the series could darken quickly under the weight of the established supernatural and medical subtext, the series rarely delved deeper beyond a basic plot-level into these issues. Naturally this allowed more opportunities in order to offer lighthearted respite, but did provide fewer narrative moments in order to truly diverge further away from niche setups or tropes also.
Then of course there’s the discussion surrounding cast choices. Indeed, the casting choices of a-listers Rain ( ‘ Full House’, ‘ I’m A Cyborg, But That’s Okay’ and ‘ Please Come Back, Mister’ ) and Kim Bum ( ‘ Boys Over Flowers’, ‘ Mrs Cop.2, and ‘ Tail Of The Nine Tailed’ ) as the main leads will likely remain one of the major attractions of the drama.
Kim Bum and Rain offered fairly solid performances throughout. Whilst overblown script moments and dialogue was admittedly apparent at times in ‘ Ghost Doctor’, the duo’s onscreen bromance was one of the surprising highlights of the series.
Costarring alongside Bum and Rain was singer-actress Uee ( ‘You’re Beautiful’, ‘ Ho Goo’s Love’ and ‘ Marriage Contract’) as main female lead and Young Min’s old flame from the past, Dr.Jang Se Jin.
Whilst Uee’s performance was decent, her character’s development was admittedly greatly restricted by plot. Angst-ridden opportunities in order to explore the seemingly egocentric Young Jin’s backstory, gave way to notable inconsistencies between wasted character development moment for Se-Jin, as well as notably lukewarm chemistry between Uee and Rain onscreen.
Alongside Uee, there is also idol-actress Son Na Eun ( ‘ Twenty Again’ , ‘ Cinderella and the Four Knights’ and ‘ Dinner Mate’) as Seung Tak’s potential love interest Oh Soo-jeong. Na Eun’s onscreen chemistry with Bum was admittedly sweet in parts, but slightly inconsistent; lacking screen time in order to explore Soo-Jeong as a sentient character, as we as delving deeper into their potential relationship.
However, a shoutout must be given to supporting cast members playing the meddlesome “ ghosts” Im Bo Mi ( Yoon So Hee- ‘ Sword And Flower’, ‘ Witch’s Love’), Choi Hoon Kil ( CIIPHER’s Choi Seok Won- ‘ Phantom School’ ) and Hwang Kook Chan ( Han Seung Hyun- ‘Haechi’), with actor Sung Dong-il( ‘ Miss Hammurabi’, ‘ The Cursed’ and ‘ Pawn’) particularly standing out as mysterious ghost at the hospital, Tess. Yet similar to other characters in the series, the subplots and backstories surrounding the ghosts were only brought up when necessary; compacted and intriguing side stories, but nevertheless restricted within the compacted narrative.
‘ Ghost Doctor’ notably differs greatly between its first-part and second-half. The first-half spent time tried to build up dilemmas and characters, whilst the second-half attempted to heighten and intensify the obstacles set out for the main leads.
Naturally this did emerge as a double-edged sword for the execution of the narrative. It allowed some time for viewers to get to know characters and setups, but it could often feel as though by the halfway point , the intense and climatic buildup were somewhat fizzled out and disengaging for audiences .
Conniving Vice President Han Seung-won ( Tae In Ho) served as one of main antagonistic forces of the storyline. Whilst his limitations to fulfil his
role as one of the main plot obstacles are explained, Seung-Won was the epitome of “villainy for the sake of it”; heinous and manipulative, but rarely possessing an edge of fleshed-out characters, or decisive motives along the way.
As a consequence the latter-half of the series admittedly felt somewhat rushed and disorientated in parts. The attempts to drag out certain plot points and scenarios often led to the second-half feeling stretched too thin. The antagonistic and potential climatic buildup felt bedraggled in later episodes by an attempt to quickly wrap up events also.
Under the directing reigns of Boo Sung Chul, ‘ Ghost Doctor’ notably possessed a glossy tone. It did become apparent at times that the editing for the series was somewhat amateurish in parts. During certain episodes of ‘ Ghost Doctor’, a seemingly professional and slick sequence could be suddenly be debased by the presence of unsystematic editing in-between scenes and sequences.
Of course this isn’t to say that the cinematography was unwatchable or entirely mediocre. The filming quality was still professional, if a little uninspiring at times with limited camera angles and tones rarely standing out.
The accompanied OST offered viewers with an array of dulcet soundtracks . Whilst some of these tracks could admittedly feel a little generic, there were a small number of impressive compositions placed during key moments and scenes, such as CNU ( of B1A4)’s vocal and instrumental version of ‘ Fly Away’.
‘ Ghost Doctor’ is highly reminiscent of the offbeat series of supernatural and fantasy K-dramas which arose in popularity during the 2010s. Naturally anticlimactic and limited writing opportunities did serve as one of the drama’s prominent letdowns . However, whilst the ending certainly delivered a sweeter tone for viewers, lacklustre romance and certain writing moments may be disappointing viewers also. Certainly a decent binge-watch.
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The Mad Pastel Infused Survival World Of Hwang Dong Hyuk…
Hwang Dong Hyuk’s’ Squid Game’ is a world where the corruption of capitalism and moral decadence takes allegorical form in the vivid pastel hues of the game arenas.
The “ fight to survival” genre is nothing new in the world of dramas. ‘ Squid Game’ itself comes off as a weird fusion between ‘ Liar Game’ (with the unusual twist of South Korean childhood games) joined together with the blood-stained violence of ‘ Battle Royale’. However the series isn’t without its own unique twists. Even before stepping into the nightmare-fuelled pastel world of Dong Hyuk’s ‘ Squid Game’ prominent messages about South-Korean society from social prejudice, xenophobia, racism, sexism, misogyny and hypocrisy litter their way onscreen.
Actor Lee Jung Jae could vary between overacting with certain line deliverances, as well as oddly heartfelt as main character Ki Hoon . Ki Hoon has hit an all-time-low in life and spends his time between struggling to get out of debt, avoid gangsters and get time to spend with his daughter. When Ki Hoon is given the chance to participate in the game for ₩45.6 billion by Gong Yoo’s brief cameo as the mysterious and suave diplomat for the games , he soon runs in with childhood friend Sang Woo ( Park Hae Soo) and believes the opportunity to compete to be too good to be true. However Ki Hoon is given a new perspective upon life through games and his seeming amorality becomes replaced by feelings of remorse and guilt towards his past actions.
As the series progresses the series reveals that many of Ki Hoon’s competitors (and even the game guards) have their own personal moments of flaws, strengths and ulterior motives for being involved in the game. Ki Hoon’s old childhood friend Sang Woo ( Park Hae Soo) stands miles apart in Ki Hoon’s eyes initially as an alumni of Seoul National University ( one of the top South Korean universities) due to being an intelligent as well as an analytical individual. However Sang Woo has his own reasons for joining the game due to being heavy in debt as well as his risky bets. Alongside Sang Woo and Ki Hoon is kindhearted immigrant Ali ( Anupam Tripathi) who feels indebted to Sang Woo in particular after helping him countless times, however, Ali hides his own reasons for joining the game also. Together their last close ally is an elderly gentleman No.1 ( Oh Young Soo) who despite seemingly joining the game as a death warrant for his illness, No.1 has a lot more to him as a character than initially meets the eye.
Alongside our main team is seemingly merciless North-Korean defector Kang Sae Byeok ( Jung Ho Yeon), violent gangster Jang Deok Soo( Heo Sung Tae), the foul-mouthed and vocal Han Mi Nyeo ( Kim Joo Ryoung) and sardonic outcast ( introduced not until later episodes) Ji Yeong ( Lee Yoo Mi).
Aside from the actual players there is also police detective Hwang Jun Ho ( Wi Ha Joon) who infiltrates the games as a guard in hope of finding the fate or whereabouts of his missing brother. There were many unexpected twists and turns with characters which will certainly keeps viewers on their feet.
However after the halfway point the screenwriting of ‘ Squid Game’ undeniably hit a slight rut. It wasn’t particularly that suddenly the drama felt slow-placed or lacked logic, but there were multiple occasions where plot moments often felt unexplained or lacked more depth. For example there is a brief subplot involving illegal organ donations of deceased players which whilst wrapped up quickly, questioned a lot about how the guards had established this trade for so long behind the frontman( the head honcho)’s back. Additionally there’s also greater questions about the guards and how they became involved, the VIPS ( aside from some questionable acting), how no one has ratted the existence of the games out and ultimately whether the game operators keep tabs on the surviving winner.
However the drama was undeniably quite profound and heartfelt at times . It wasn’t afraid to present the destruction of childhood and the dog-eat-dog world of South-Korean society. Whilst there were some flaws with the series failing to wrap up certain storylines or character arcs, the cinematography of director Hwang Dong Hyuk’s visionary setting is subtle towards more prominent messages, foreshadowing and hints towards the fate and motives of characters.The OST is composed wonderfully by Jung Jae Il who combines original pieces for the series with traditional Korean and orchestra instruments to create an emotional ambience during scenes. In addition to original pieces several classical music pieces were included with one of the most subtle homages being paid through ‘An der schönen, blauen Donau Op. 134 (Johan Strauss II)’ during several scenes. ( For those who don’t know this piece was also used in the controversial game-changer to the survival game genre, the 2000 Japanese movie ‘ Battle Royale’, which helped to inspire the series and is likely a nod and a wink to the film.) The acting front was admittedly a little wobbly at times but fairly good otherwise . Overall ‘ Squid Game’ is a fairly entertaining watch with prominent messages, intriguing characters and twists which will keep you on the edge of your seats. It is not one for the lighthearted.
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See You My 19th Life; A Surprisingly Sweet Adaptation…
See You In My 19th Life is based on the eponymous Korean webcomic. When news arrived of the series receiving an adaptation, I must admit, like many readers, I was sceptical of the idea.Nevertheless, the series did offer some of the brilliant charm from the webcomic as well as offering a new take on the initial concept. However leaving out some key details did miss the mark a little, especially when it came to the execution of the series.
The drama is initially focused on nine year old, Ban Ji-eum (Park So-yi) who begins to remember her past lives. In particular, she can remember her past eighteenth life as Yoon Ju-won , the playmate and childhood friend of the wealthy heir Mun Seo-ha (Jung Hyeon-jun). When Ju-won died tragically, she was reborn as Ban Ji-eum, a girl surrounded by poverty and abuse.
Running away from home after her megalomaniacal father took away her money, Ji-eum meets restaurant owner Kim Ae-kyung (Cha Chung-hwa), and convinces her that she’s her reincarnated uncle Kim Jung-ho (Lee Jae-kyoon),as well as remembering her past incarnations .
Over the years, Ban Ji-eum takes time to cross paths with Seo-ha, the boy she promised to stay with in her past life. Now in her 20s, Ban Ji-eum ( Shin Hye-sun),has spent years trying to become a high-achieving individual in order to purposefully apply for Seo-ha’s company. However, fate has other plans. When Ji-Eun and Seo-ha cross paths, certain mysteries and deep wounds will soon emerge from the surface.
See You In My 19th Life was based on the webcomic of the same name by Lee Hey and was adapted to the small screen by director Lee Na Jung and writers Han Ah Reum and Choi Young Rim. The concept of the webcomic and the series is pretty straight forward: it is a fairly lighthearted romantic drama about boy meets girl with a fantasy twist. In typical Korean drama fashion, there are multiple surprise twists to try and keep viewers entertained, some of which lean heavily into the original work, others of which were taken into a completely different direction and leaving the series feel a little rushed in the twelve episode format.
The writers interestingly don’t really bother with the small details on the element of reincarnation for Ji-Eun. I suppose a lot of this came from the fact the premise is very straightforward about Ji-Eun possessing preternatural intelligence, skills and abilities from her past incarnations as second nature. While we do get to learn a little about her past lives, a lot of details were often absent or missed out for sake of the time frame, a shame for such a rich opportunity to explore how Seo-ha possesses so much knowledge.
The acting front was okay. Nothing particularly flawlessly outstanding, but Lee Bo-young delivered a good performance as Sang-a, the individual who help drive Seo-ha to coming back and running the hotel .
As characters, there’s a lot to unpack about the drama’s depiction. Ban Ji-Eum starts off fairly similar to her webcomic counterpart; calm, composed and collection, but the drama takes her personality in a different direction through being quite quick to fly off the handle at times. While I think it was refreshing to see Ji-Eum develop beyond just being composed and collected and have her own complex inner turmoils , it did sometimes take away from the witty charm of Ji Rum’s character and mystique. After all, Ji Eum is meant to be a tough nut to crack. Her ability to remain laidback and mysteriously charming while Seo-ha enacts as being naturally anxious and turmoil driven, allows the pairing to work. Without it, Ji Eum did not have quite the same screen time impression or character drive.
Adding to this ( and without major spoilers), there’s the issue of her reincarnations. We learn some of these past incarnations are very interesting individuals. However when addressing the biggest issue of her first incarnation ( something which was very pivotal to the webcomic), it is hard not to draw some obvious disparities between the two works. I don’t have a problem necessarily with the direction the drama took it in. After all, the series is only meant to be based on the concept, not a page for page adaptation. However, it is hard not to point out how in these late episodes, the way this past incarnation was handled and rushed did not truly give it justice for Ji-Eum’s character development and arc.
Then there’s Seo-ha. Compared to his webcomic counterpart, Seo-ha seems to play more active and dominant role in his potential romantic relationship with Ji-Eum. To some extent, this worked really well; Seo-ha is a traumatised and kindhearted individual, so it would stand to reason that he begins to connect with Ji-Eum over time. On the other hand, it is hard not to bring up the issue of how the drama tackled certain aspects of Seo-ha’s character development. Seo-ha’s mother and her circumstances, his childhood trauma and of course the ear issue, are all quickly played off at times for the romantic side, while only reappearing when it was necessary to add some drama and conflict.
Speaking of which, the issue over Seo-ha’s ear has remained a point of debate for fans and watchers alike. On one hand, I think it is a very positive step to see a Korean drama depicting a male lead with a hearing impairment even on the small screen, particularly in a positive light . However, I believe the director and writers could have easily have driven home more about the day to day issues for Seo-ha or its implications for his mental and physical well-being more than they did onscreen.
In addition to the main leads, there is also Yoon Cho Won ( Ha Yoon-Kyung), Ji Run’s sister from her past incarnation, and Ha Do-Yun ( Ahn Dong Goo). While the second leads get their screen time, it is a shame that the series cut off their subplots and potential character development in later episodes. As a result, their screen time and potential onscreen romance fell a little flat.
Perhaps one of the biggest issues of See You In My 19th Life came down to pacing. The early episodes seemed to struggle a lot with picking up a brisk pace. While it is understandable to have a slow first episode to explain the basics and establish the plot, the fact this went on for at least two or three episodes was a little concerning. After this point, the series did pick up slightly and was sable to be fairly entertaining. By the latter half , the series tried to speed run the major conflict of the webcomic. In all fairness having a twelve episode format is limiting to exploring a major plot in such a short space of time. However rather than accommodating the plot more succinctly or executing it a few episodes earlier on, the series rushes through major events ( such as the murder plot and important past life ) and seems to miss the initial purpose of some of the plot events to propel the romantic storyline. Instead, viewers are left with an odd imbalance between the romantic side of the series, and this odd thriller plot hole, leaving the themes and tone of the drama to feel a bit at odds with one another. The final episodes were a little rushed but did end on a bittersweet note.
The cinematography was fairly innovative in early episodes and did seem to pull every trick to make it eye-catching. Sadly this consistency was not the same in later episodes, but the series still possessed a fairly glossy and stylish tone. The OST was decent also with some good tracks such as “Here With Me” by Doyoung and “무음 (Silence)” by sunwoojunga.
See You In My 19th Life was a fairly standard and sweet romantic series. It was nothing particularly out of the box when considering the intriguing concept, but despite some notable issues over pacing and writing development, the drama was fairly engaging and remained a fun watch. Overall, a decent series for a binge watch.
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Aliens, Friendships and Corny Comedy: The Three Formula Ingredients of ‘ Glitch’.
Aliens,aliens, aliens: any k-drama fan will know that since ‘ My Love From The Star’ came riding on the hallyu wave, there’s been a certain infatuation in Korean popular culture with narratives focusing on supernatural love interests and smoulderingly sexy paramours from out of space. However ( as the title would suggest), ‘ Glitch’ is an odd anomaly in the equation of science-fiction in the Korean drama industry . The female lead is not in love with some hunk from the far reaches of the galaxies, nor is she an aspiring actress attempting to “make ends meet” or swept off her feet by the “ one”. Instead, viewers are made to question one major thing; is the little green man that the heroine begins to see in dreams real, or is she finally losing her mind, and how can an old friend from the past help with her boyfriend’s disappearance ?
Written by Jin Hansae ( ‘ Extracurricular’) and directed by Roh Deok ( ‘ Very Ordinary Couple’), ‘ Glitch’ tells the story of mundane office-worker Hong Jihyo ( Vincenzo’s star Jeon Yeo-been). Thirty years- old and still living at home with her parents, Jihyo is used to taking part of her daily drudgery at the office. However, Jihyo has a secret: after her boyfriend Lee Siguk (Lee Dong-hwi)’s disappearance, she has been receiving surreal visions and dreams of a small green alien.
Unsure of whether she is losing her mind or onto a possible lead, Jihyo enlists the help of old school friend Hong Bora (Nana), a hostess for an online show about outlandish conspiracy theories about aliens. Bora agrees to helping Jihyo as they attempt to find out answers to Siguk’s mysterious disappearance.
As proven with the chosen director and writer, ‘ Glitch’ is a show which aims high with its concept and ideas: its not afraid to be unconventional with its mystery sci-fi elements, unusual female characters ( especially those who enjoy smoking and are fairly indifferent to romance) , and an odd camaraderie which comes into place between them. Nevertheless while certain elements of ‘ Glitch’ can be perceived as purposefully fun with its genre-switching or surprisingly relevant with its address ( including towards the current issue in Korea of pseudo-cults and repressed mental health), this is admittedly where one of the show’s flaws can often be underpinned: the issue of the drama’s presentation as a comedy.
It shouldn’t come as a surprise that for a show about crackpot conspiracies and little green men in visions that comedy does play out a lot in the show. Naturally, it would be wrong to try and make out that for a show where this is highly relied upon, that it’s unwatchable or overly bad. ‘ Glitch’ is fairly quirky and witty with its style of comedy; things falling off walls, slapstick moments and bon mots exchanged between characters ( especially in the UFO enthusiasts club) . Fun at times but certainly variable for individuals also. However, the comic relief also brings about the issue of being heavily relied upon in large chunks of the narrative even when it was not always necessary or required. Although this issue will be explained further by tying into the problem of pacing for the show, ‘ Glitch’ struggled to get its feet off the ground in early episodes. The running theme of craziness vs. reality is a concept that has been tackled a lot in tv shows, but writer Jin Hansae almost seemed to be caught in a slight rut with how to lift this further by propelling events or exploring characters early on. Indeed, while there were many interesting plot points and characters ( including with regards to relationships and past trauma), attempts to enforce laughs in episodes often led to the major moments of suspense and tension feeling somewhat undermined and dissipated at times.
Nevertheless, it is hard not to talk about the show without bringing up the main cast. As mentioned previously, Vincenzo breakout star Jeon Yeo-been plays the main role as heroine Hong Jihyo. Jeon’s performance is fairly good. Although the actress admittedly feel a little enforced with her line deliverances ( although often as a result of her written dialogue), she did add a surprisingly likeable charm to Jihyo which made her character who you can grow to like in the frame of the narrative. ( Even if her character wasn’t always given the same opportunities to grow and develop also,)
One of the surprising stars of the series was Nana as Hong Bora; eccentric, somewhat over-the-top yet surprisingly sincere, there was something oddly captivating about Bora which made her a likeable character against all odds. She certainly had her grating moments as a character at times, but Nana really helped to embody an extra sweetness which will likely melt your heart .
Ryu Kyung-soo delivered a fairly consistent performance as Kim Byung-jo; a character well-rounded in his intentions but slightly less memorable in comparison to the dominating presence of the female leads. ( Especially with regards to his unrequited feelings for the heroine.)
As mentioned previously, ‘ Glitch’ heavily relies upon the essence of slow-pacing. This isn’t always necessarily a bad thing per say as it did allow for opportunities for suspense to build and for numerous questions and intrigue to build in the viewer’s mind. ( Including the notion about the two female leads’ broken friendship, the manifestation of aliens and the actual, true fate of Lee Siguk.) Nevertheless while slow pacing can be a blessing for a series, it does admittedly have its foibles; especially when it boils down to the issue of keep viewers hooked. A noticeable problem that has arisen a lot with ‘ Glitch’ comes through the dilemma of the series failing to really get going in the first few episodes or picking up the pace in certain scenes to enliven the elements of suspense and tension to their fullest. In particular, where major plot moments could’ve done with an element of quick-paced deliverance or shock value, was sometimes largely absent from the series. ( Especially with regards to the ending.)
The aesthetics of ‘ Glitch’ are surprisingly tactful. Director Roh Deok seemed to have a keen eye for engraving the show’s inspiration from naughties sci-fi classics. Through flashbacks to the era, warm and effervescent neons and hazy urban scales with a surprisingly familiar warmth (that starkly contrasts the cold and brutalist settings of sci-fi tales), ‘ Glitch’ is surprisingly stylish with its artistic approach. ‘ Glitch’’s OST wasn’t entirely bad per say but it was hard to really pinpoint any particularly mesmerising or standout tracks either.
‘ Glitch’ was an odd drama on reflection: it was evident that attempting to appeal to a wide audience of fans ( from sci-fi, comedy and mystery) but it often felt as though it struck a lot of loose chords along the way. ( Especially as the comedy felt somewhat enforced in parts also; including with awkward moments and dialogue exchanges too.) Nevertheless, the series did have an interesting premise and fairly good performances by our main cast as well as some stunning aesthetics. Perhaps the one thing ‘ Glitch’ could do with on reflection would’ve been better character writing as a lot of the characters ( including the heroines) rarely felt fleshed out. However, for those looking for something entertaining on the surface level and a quick binge-watch, then ‘ Glitch’ is likely to hit the mark exactly.
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A Sweet Fantasy Web Series, Though Sadly Lacking...
My 20th Twenty is pretty much what the title suggests; Kang So Won ( Choi Yu Ju) was turning twenty during the millennium ( 2000). However, after encountering a bitter witch ( Go Soo Hee )who takes offence at So Won's actions, she is cursed to remain at the age of twenty forever.
While sounding like a dream come true to remain youthful, So Won finds her situation turning into a living nightmare. Her friends and those close to So Won cannot remember her after a year. She is forced to move from different jobs and places after a year ( due to the spell) and remains like a living ghost.
Now chronologically in her forties, So Won is desperate to try and find a lead about the witch and finally break her curse. After several mishaps, she meets cold and stoic Min Kang Hyun ( Jung Su Bin) and the kindhearted Jo Sang Wook ( Dawon). Despite bearing a close resemblance to her first love, Kang Hyun is the opposite of him in both temperament and personality. However, as the series progresses and So Won finds herself chasing further leads, she becomes more involved with the two youths.
For a short web series, My 20th Twenty has a surprisingly interesting premise: a girl is cursed to remain twenty forever, it is not all it cracks up to be, and she finds love along the way. It is simple, yet sweet. Naturally, it is fair to say the series was never going to be a tour de force example of flawless writing and execution. The characters are fairly cookie-cutter from other drama and pretty much ticks all the boxes you would expect from a short romance series; the oblivious, yet charming female lead, the stoic male lead and the bubbly second male lead, jealousy, and a hidden secret somewhere in the midst. It is a fair cliché series with characters only playing their roles to be assets to the short plot.
The acting is better than you would think, shockingly. Naturally, there are some more questionable and cheesy acting moments, but the main leads delivered fairly well, with all things considered.
The execution of the web series was one of its major downfalls. It would naturally be a rush, and try to fit in as much as possible into such a short time. Still, the heavy focus on the romantic factor for most of the narrative often left the more intriguing elements of the female lead's quest to find the witch in the background, leading to a rushed resolution. The ending was fairly sweet but was a byproduct of this writing direction.
Overall, My 20th Twenty is a fairly lighthearted and sugary web series with a romantic factor and a surprisingly interesting premise. Sadly, time restraints, a restricted budget and writing did mean the series felt a little easy to forget from short web dramas with similar plot scenarios and setups. Overall, it made an easygoing binge-watch, but little else.
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Reviewing In Retrospect; ‘ Hana Yori Dango’
Four years after the Taiwanese hit series ‘ Meteor Garden’, Japanese network TBS finally commissioned the rights for adapting their own series based upon mangaka Yoko Kamio’s ‘ Hana Yori Dango’.
Despite the critically-mixed 1995 Japanese movie sharing the same title, TBS’ ‘ Hana Yori Dango’ marked the first domestic and televised production adaptation of Kamio’s manga onscreen .
After the unimaginable success across Asia of ‘ Meteor Garden’, ‘ Hana Yori Dango’ was undeniably left in its predecessor’s shadow. Nevertheless whilst perhaps ‘ Hana Yori Dango’ did struggle to attain the same international success as the Taiwanese adaptation, the Japanese series was well-received domestically as well as amongst small circles of international drama enthusiasts at the time.
The series marked the breakthrough roles and the array of talents from several young and familiar faces in the Japanese acting industry ( especially Inoue Mao, Matsumoto Jun and Oguri Shun), as well as gain successful popularity through a sequel season and a movie adaptation also. However despite the drama’s praiseworthy reception for being one of the most “ underrated” adaptations, ‘ Hana Yori Dango’ cannot escape from its flaws either.
Similar to its predecessor( ‘ Meteor Garden’) and its source material, TBS’ ‘ Hana Yori Dango’ reimburses the “ Modern Cinderella” tale with “ mundane” main female lead Tsukushi Makino ( Inoue Mao). Makino is an ordinary middle-class girl who attends the elitist and and private Eitoku Gakuen through an acclaimed scholarship. However despite the prestige for attending the school, Makino is regularly sickened by the materialistic beliefs and principles of her wealthy classmates. Determined, Makino pledges that she’ll keep her head down until graduation.
However despite her obstinate decision, Makino’s plans are soon scuppered when she ends up befriending Sanjo Sakurako ( Sato Megumi). Sakurako ends up on the wrong side of the notorious Tsukasa Domyouji ( Matsumoto Jun). The conglomerate heir of one of Japan’s richest families and the ring leader of the school’s notorious clique, the F4, Tsukasa is renowned for his merciless bullying tactics . In particular, Tsukasa is associated with sending his signature “ red card”; the recipient being instantly labelled as a social pariah by the rest of the school.
Unable to sit back and watch her new friend suffer, Makino declares war on the leader of the F4. Nevertheless despite Tsukasa’s red card and bullying schemes , Makino finds comfort and determination to carry on through her crush on mysterious and suave F4 member, Hanazawa Rui ( Oguri Shun).
Meanwhile Tsukasa’s growing contempt and fascination for the female lead soon provides to complicate matters further, as Domyouji Tsukasa finds himself falling in love with Makino Tsukishi. As Makino finds herself torn between her complicated feelings, Tsukasa’s estranged and fierce mother Domyouji Kaede ( Kaga Mariko) proves only to complicate matters further…
Adapted to the small screen by a small screen of different directors ( Katayama Osamu, Ishii Yasuharu and Yamamuro Daisuke) and screenwriters ( Takuma Takayuki, Fujimoto Yuki, Takahashi Natsuko and Arai Shuuko), ‘ Hana Yori Dango’ has often been cited by aficionados of the franchise as one of the most “ faithful” adaptations to date. ( Although the series does notably adapt and tweak certain events from the manga in order to expedite storyline.)
The series is notably lighthearted and niche in parts. The comical elements of the series rely heavily upon sociocultural and sociolinguistic jokes which whilst offering certain comical relief , can be harder to grasp for audience members unfamiliar with Japanese culture.( One of the most notable gags in the series found through the original manga joke surrounding Tsukasa’s malapropisms, the “lessons” taught by Makino’s father [ Kobayashi Susumu] to her younger brother Makino Susumu [ Tomiura Satoshi] , as well as Tsukishi’s boss and dumpling store owner Sengoku Sachiyo[ Kato Takako]’s “eventful” past with famous celebrities.)
Nevertheless despite some over-the-top jokes within ‘ Hana Yori Dango’, the narrative could surprisingly take a wistful edge at times also. Domyouji’s estranged relationship with his mother is brief yet subtly tumultuous for audiences, whilst the throbbing teen-angst surrounding Makino’s feelings and Hanazawa Rui’s unrequited love for his sister-figure Todo Shizuka ( Sada Mayumi), is given a bittersweet presence within the events of the narrative.
On the other hand it’s undeniable that ‘ Hana Yori Dango’ isn’t a storyline inescapable from predictable and shoehorned tropes. The events surrounding the female lead’s “ dilemmas” as well as the archetypes of “ niche bullies” or “ twists” often led to predictable outcomes. As a consequence, it was apparent that ‘ Hana Yori Dango’’s heavy reliance upon themes surrounding bullying, assault and blackmail were
quintessential for the events of the storyline, but were given a ham-fisted approach by the writers.
Despite Mao Inoue debuting as an actress around the age of five, ‘ Hana Yori Dango’ is still considered one of Inoue’s breakout roles playing main female lead Tsukishi Makino. The young actress’ performance is admittedly slightly exaggerated in parts with certain line deliverances and comical dialogue exchanges often falling flat at certain times . Nevertheless, Inoue Mao was able to carry on through her performances during some of the drama’s more sincere and heartfelt moments with a dynamic charm.
As a character, Tsukishi Makino is notably headstrong, resilient as well as kindhearted. Whilst it is important to respect that other incarnations of the character are variable and independent from one another, it is notable that Makino’s inability to bend so easily at first to the will of Domyouji Tsukasa gave her a slightly more tactful and resilient edge at times than other versions. On the other hand similar to numerous counterparts, Makino could often feel as though she was somewhat dulled by her greater character drives and goals outside of her “ potential” love interests.
Costarring alongside Mao was Matsumoto Jun. A member of the famous ARASHI boyband, Matsumoto Jun’s performance as Domyouji Tsukasa was admittedly heartfelt as well as somewhat dull in parts. Jun’s comical or lighthearted exchanges could sometimes lack finesse. On the other hand Jun’s prior acting experience in dramas such as ‘ Gokusen’ seemed to come to good use during heart-wrenching moments of the series, by adding an angst-ridden charm to his onscreen persona also.
Domyouji Tsukasa is an interpretative character for screenwriters and directors alike. However Tsukasa’s character archetype has notably fallen into two categories throughout past adaptations; fractious, jovial and angsty, or satirical, brooding and unpredictable. As it happens Jun’s Domyouji Tsukasa notably fell into the latter category for most of the series. ( Similar to his manga counterpart.)Tsukasa did notably have his “ darker” character moments, but the screenplay was heavily focused upon presenting a more lighthearted as well as a “ complicated” familial scenario for Tsukasa. However similar to his manga counterpart and other adaptations, Tsukasa’s greatest character flaw could often be found through his inability to truly repent or be remorseful over his actions or treatment of others; offering limited character development at times for the male lead.
Then of course there’s Oguri Shun as second male lead Hanazawa Rui. Similar to his costar Mao Inoue, Shun’s acting career began during his childhood. On the other hand prior to his role in ‘ Hana Yori Dango’, Shun notably took on the roles of “unusual” characters such as his parts in ‘ Great Teacher Onizuka’, ‘ Summer Snow’ and ‘ Gokusen’.
Whilst playing the role as suave and mysterious Hanazawa Rui was certainly not a stretch for Shun, it seemed an unusual casting choice and decision for the actor to take on a “romantic potential love interest” role which could’ve easily been one-dimensional. Although Shun’s performance is somewhat limited in parts by dialogue and interactions, the acting surprisingly gave the second male-lead a charismatic and beguiling charm for audiences.
Hanazawa Rui’s onscreen counterparts have always differed. Whilst certain adaptations have depicted Rui as sweet, easygoing and somewhat flatline second male lead, others have stayed more faithful to the original manga by depicting Rui’s mysterious, cool-headed and taciturn personality. Naturally the Japanese version of Hanazawa Rui does make some nuanced changes towards Rui as a character in comparison to his predecessor and manga counterpart. On the other hand whilst Rui had his own character drive and a battle of ambivalent feelings, the second male lead could feel somewhat shoehorned into the plot through various scenarios as the narrative professed.
The chemistry between our main leads is admittedly variable. Whilst there are heart-wrenching and lighthearted moments where the onscreen chemistry between Shun, Inoue and Matsumoto could feel natural and concise, there were other moments in the series where this could feel limited and slightly stunted by plot.
Aside from the main cast, there is also Mimasaka Akira ( Abe Tsuyoshi) and Nishikado Sojiro ( Matsuda Shota), fellow F4 members, who whilst gradually developing an unlikely friendship with Makino and necessary at times for major plot dilemmas , could often feel somewhat staid and shoehorned into scenarios. Similar to the flawed position of Sojiro and Akira, there is also Makino’s best friend Matsuoka Yuki ( Nishihara Aki) and Tsukasa’s older sister, Domyouji Tsubaki ( Matsushima Nanako); supportive and kindhearted characters , but rarely having sentient character-drive also.
Hana Yori Dango’s narrative notably follows the first major arc of the manga with a fair degree of accuracy . ( Although notably certain minor events and characters are left out or tweaked.) The storyline is notably fast-paced during initial events and is mainly pacy in parts. Nevertheless by the halfway mark, the narrative notably slows down in order to focus on a dragged-out plot dilemma as well as the gradual events leading up to the finale. Whilst this wasn’t entirely a bad writing decision per say and did allow opportunities in order to focus on sentimental elements of the storyline, it could often create a slightly grating experience in parts for viewers by the second-half.
Under the directing reigns of the trio,’ Hana Yori Dango’ is notably an eclectic array of slick editing and shots as well as somewhat amateurish and sloppy editing techniques. Of course whilst it is important to review this in retrospect, ‘ Hana Yori Dango’ could still feel dated at times with its filming even for a 2000s drama. Nevertheless it is notable that despite some dated technology for modern viewers, ‘ Hana Yori Dango’ is one of the few adaptations in the series which helped to captivate the authentic wealthiness of its characters through flashing well-known haute couture fashion brands onscreen. ( TBS’ sponsorship deals certainty paid off well .)
The OST is also very memorable, especially the array of instrumentals- mostly variations of the same theme. Whilst some of these tracks could often blend into one another, one of the most striking tracks during heartfelt moments of the drama came through a euphonious version of the theme, ‘ Blue Mind’; climatic, heartwarming and surprisingly subtle.
Overall ‘ Hana Yori Dango’ offered viewers with a luxurious and fairly faithful adaptation of Kamio’s beloved franchise. Whilst modern viewers may struggle to relate towards the somewhat insipid presentation of themes, shoehorned tropes and dated technology, ‘ Hana Yori Dango’ does offer viewers with a somewhat simplistic and bubbly charm. The acting is decent enough and whilst there are some inconsistencies at times, the onscreen chemistry between Matsumoto and Inoue is surprisingly sweet and engaging. The ending of the series offered viewers with a cliffhanger. Whilst this did allow the drama to setup events for the sequel season, it did admittedly leave the finale of ‘ Hana Yori Dango’ slightly rushed in parts. Nevertheless ‘ Hana Yori Dango’ was a surprisingly decent adaptation with a surprisingly engaging charm and appeal for audiences.
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‘ Shibatora’; The Repetitive Drama That Enforces Every Trope…
Based on the manga series by Yuuma Ando, ‘ Shibatora’ ( alternatively known as ‘ Babyfaced Detective Taketora Shibata’ or ‘ シバトラ’) was adapted to the small screen by screenwriter Muto Shogo. Whilst Shogo’s screenplay was notably an amalgamation of angst-ridden topics and lighthearted comedy , the series did notably suffer greatly under the weight of pacing, character writing as well as plot-motivation also.
The series focused mainly upon main lead and recently promoted police detective Taketora Shibata ( Teppei Koike ). Forever being mistaken as a teenager due to his youthful appearance, Shibata finds himself being sent illicitly undercover by his new boss Sakura Chiba ( Miki Maya ) in order to resolve juvenile crime cases. However, Shibata hides a secret from his peers. Taketora Shibata possesses the ability to see the “ grim reaper’s hands”; an ominous sign surrounding individuals who are going to die within 24 hours. Alongside the help of his old friend and owner of alternative clothing store “SABBATH SABBATH” Fujiki Kojiro ( Fukiji Naohito), Kojiro’s employee Hakuto Shinsuke ( Tsukaji Muga) and previous case victim Hosho Mizuki ( Ohgo Suzuka), Taketora becomes determined to help save the young people involved in various crimes.
One of the most notable things to comment about the screenplay for ‘ Shibatora’ came through the parallel differences between the adapted TV series and ‘ Shibatora’’s original source material.
Of course as a standalone production in its own right, it is expected that ‘ Shibatora’ will take some different creative differences than the original manga. Indeed, Muto Shogo added particular focus on the darker subject matters of the series. However whilst Shogo did place some “edgier” undertones as the series progressed and the severity of crimes worsened, the impact and value of these events were somewhat inanely delivered also.
For those familiar with Teppei Koike’s works ( ‘ Gokusen 2’, ‘ Love Com’, ‘ Dragon Sakura’ and ‘ The Team Medical Dragon’ in particular), Koike’s zestful and sincere charm as main lead Taketora Shibata was well-suited and fairly convincing throughout the series. However, Koike’s costars notably brought forward a mixed-bag of acting talents. Whilst some of the supporting cast offering decent enough performances, other costars’ lack of acting experience and inconsistent line deliverances could be extremely questionable for viewers at the best of times .
Admittedly whilst the mixed-range of acting talents is a partial problem with the series’ untactful narrative, the screenwriting was one of ‘Shibatora’’s greatest pitfalls. Screenwriter Muto Shogo attempted to introduce a wide range of reoccurring characters and events from the original manga into the drama’s short timeframe. Whilst Shogo admittedly adapted the storyline in necessary parts such as combining the roles and backstories of certain characters in order to expedite plot points, this did notably give root to another problem; the storyline could often feel rushed.
The pacing of the series did present a double-edged sword; ideal for helping to present a fast-paced narrative rather than tediously dragging out events, but rarely presenting golden-opportunities to explore characters or solve weaker plot problems also.
For example, there’s the poorly-explained “ fantasy” elements surrounding Taketora’s supernatural ability throughout the series. Whilst admittedly this is a pitfall carried through from the original manga, Shogo seemed to particularly present this element of the series with lacking focus or depth; necessary as a quick plot asset, but rarely offering opportunities to explore Taketora’s backstory with more tact.
In fact Shogo’s tackling of the main lead’s backstory in the series was often poorly induced throughout the events of the storyline. Initially brought up as a seeming quintessential plot point, Taketora’s backstory is quickly passed off in passing dialogue by Kojiro ( an out of character writing decision also) instead. Perhaps if the series had foreshadowed or built upon the importance of Taketora’s backstory ( especially with all regards to the future events and the final “ antagonist”), then perhaps the ending of ‘ Shibatora’ could’ve been less anticlimactic and certainly fleshed-out with more depth.
Indeed this seemed to be reoccurring problem with ‘ Shibatora’. Even seemingly intriguing main characters such as Sakura Chiba’s personal vendetta for becoming involved in juvenile crime cases ( only mentioned several times), or the backstory and feelings of the supporting cast were rarely discussed or brought up in the storyline’s narrative also.
Instead the series’ eleven episodes notably became trapped in the pitfall of similar storyline formats. It became evident that each episode soon followed a pattern generic exposition, the possible case coming to light , a sudden revelation,the climax and then a final resolution. Whilst it is not of the question for a series to follow this basic structure when revolving around shared storylines, the lacking variation and ability to diverge away from previous episodes presented a somewhat repetitive and slightly tiresome formula for viewers.
Even in retrospect for a late 2000s drama, the cinematography under the directing reigns of Ishikawa Junichi and Iwata Kazuyuki was admittedly slightly worse for wear in parts . The somewhat sloppy cuts, editing and fuzzy long distance shots could sometimes unintentionally divert the attention of viewers away from necessary scenes and storyline. Nevertheless whilst the directors did sometimes struggle with delivering an impact throughout their field of vision behind the camera, they were able to present some brilliant moments of scenes and choreography also.
The OST of ‘ Shibatora’ arguably remained one of the greatest virtues of the drama. Admittedly, there were certainly tracks in the series which lacked a greater impact than others, but, the chosen instrumentals did often help to convey the emotional tones and themes of the storyline when plot could sometimes be greatly absent.
Whilst ‘ Shinatora’ admittedly covered darker subject areas and presented some adrenal-infused plot moments, the storyline was often weakened greatly by rushed pacing, questionable acting, lacking character depth as well as repetitive plot points. Perhaps whilst the blasting scores could often make up for storyline flukes by exploring the emotions of the characters, the lacking scope of character depth and backstory rarely allowed this to become a symbiotic asset. Perhaps for those looking for a quick and easy binge-watch then ‘ Shibatora’ is an ideal viewing experience. However for those wishing to indulge in an avant-garde, well-written and memorable detective and crime drama , then ‘ Shibatora’ is certainly not it.
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