Marshmallow-Chocoholic
Europe
Does The Glass Slipper Fit?
Ah, the “ Cinderella-Tale”. It’s the trope which embodied the ‘ Hana Yori Dango’ franchise, 2000s rom coms and 1990s shoujos countless others beforehand , where the outcast or plucky mundane heroine changes the spiteful, rich male lead ‘s life before he whisks her away to live happily ever after. The trope nearly defined the zenith of 2000s romance dramas, yet nowadays the “ Cinderella Tale” archetype is often seen as being retrospectively outdated . Now the trope comes to life once more with “ Promised Cinderella” but just how does this cliche actually play out in 2021? Is it a nostalgic trip about the old days of romance dramas , or is it just too outdated for its own good?
At its heart “ Promised Cinderella” is based upon the Josei ( aimed for older teens to women) manga of the same-name. It is a trope-worthy love story between 27 year-old Katsuragi Hayame ( Nikaido Fumi), a vagrant former-housewife and rich and pugnacious 17 year-old Kataoka Issei( Maeda Gordon) who Hayame is forced to move in with. However whilst Issei finds his feelings growing for his senior, Hayame finds herself torn between Issei and his seemingly kindhearted brother Kataoka Seigo ( Iwata Takanori) , leading to all the imagined twists and turns out of a love triangle setup.
The drama is undeniably lighthearted, with a more mature and serious heroine taking central position in the drama and also taking off that burdensome worry of labyrinthine plot line . Overacting was sometimes an undeniable problem here, but nonetheless the main cast were dynamic . Nikaido Fumi really embodied Hayame to life onscreen through her performance, en par with fellow costar Maeda Gordon as foul-mouthed high schooler Issei and evidently Iwata Takanori as Issei’s brother Seigo.
Yet is is impossible to turn a blind eye towards the numerous problems amounting in this drama towards Hayame’s “potential love interests”. As far as the main couple goes let’s not sugarcoat it. Hayame is a 27 year- old woman and Issei is a seventeen year- old kid. Understandably the drama has never established anything lewd between the two aside from Issei’s crush and of course age gaps can be shown in numerous and versatile ways. However when tackling the subject of age or generational gaps, a topic which admittedly does come up is how this can impact a relationship between lovers socially, culturally and psychologically.
The drama plays repeatedly upon the gag that Hayame is an “ old woman” ( despite only being 27) but rarely does it draw onto the more significant factors of this age difference for both parties. Issei is incredibly immature for his age. There is the argument that a lot of his conducted attitude is based upon his experiences and whilst we do get to see his character grow at times, he was the typical “ spoilt and insolent brat” archetype. He nearly constantly put Hayame down verbally by passing remarks even in social situations, whilst irksomely Hayame ( despite being 10 years his senior and with more life and relationship experience) seeming “ wittiness” would be thrown out the window in order to keep this lacklustre charade moving as part of the plot device.
Then of course there’s Hayame’s “ potential chemistry” with Seigo. Despite being the older brother of Issei , Seigo has his own dirty secrets which can flare up a nasty side to a seemingly “sweet as pie” trope character. Undeniably intriguing to watch this character unravel, but nevertheless it made it troublesome for viewers to truly root for a respectful and flawed yet likeable character in this drama. Seigo’s “ infatuation ” with Hayame without respecting boundaries sometimes or his own brother’s feelings could verge upon obsessiveness . Perhaps this problem wouldn’t have been so bad if the drama had noted or brought to light that Seigo’s actions were unhealthy or wrong but rarely was this brought up and instead often passed on as “ just fascination” . In a setup where both characters are supposed to be flawed but have their own unintentional screenwriting problems, it is hard to truly root for either main lead. ( Without the lingering thought that Hayame is nothing more than a plot device to keep this lacklustre potential romance “ more dynamic”. )
To make matters worse aside from the questionable relationships in this drama, ‘ Promise Cinderella’ pretty much ticks all the boxes of every romantic cliche that you’ve seen and done before a million times;
1)The jerk former husband who abandons his wife, and isn’t necessary to the storyline pretty much ever again? Check.
2. The female lead who is too prideful to bother actually looking for a job to get off the streets, but no because it gets in the way of the actual reason to be saved by a high schooler? Check.
2)Trying to cover for a “ divorce background” with her husband in order to pair off Hayame with the potential love interests, yet never actually covering legal matters or court processes because it is too much like adding something realistic to the drama? Double Check.
3)Introducing the crude, teen male lead with an inferiority complex and who has a reason for being rude but none of them justify his bratty actions, or allow an opportunity for Issei to issue an actual apology to anyone? Triple Check.
4. Subverting the entirety of the female lead’s strong willed personality in order to make her cutesy to the plot but then changing her again, and then making her docile once more ? Quadruple Check.
‘ Promised Cinderella’ isn’t entirely a bad drama per say. It was pure sickly sweetness in all its glory with an ending which goes down an expected route. The acting was solid and an older female lead adds an intriguing dynamic to the storyline with her potential love interests, however, at the same time, the storyline was often predictable and dull by not even attempting to play or add anything new to the screenplay setup . The relationship between the two main leads and the controversial age gap raised red flags for all the wrong reasons without even trying to present this gradually , and the fact the drama itself wasn’t entirely sure how to incorporate Hayame’s character or revamp the “ Bad Boy” trope with Issei made ‘ Promised Cinderella’ an undeniable guilty-pleasure , but a 2000s-style revamp which feels more out of time than a nostalgic trip down drama lane.
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The Drama That Will ‘ Reset’ Your Expectations…
Time loops and time travel in drama screenplays can often be a tricky subject to execute and director Sun Mo Long and co-director and screenwriter Lao Suan’s ‘ Reset’ was no different. Nevertheless whilst the series did fall victim at times to its own loose pacing and some tediously dragged out plot points, ‘ Reset’ offered viewers with a fairly suspenseful and intuitive take upon the niche of time loops.
The series revolved around Li Shi Qing ( Zhao Jin Mai) and Xiao He Yun ( Bai Jing Ting); two young bus passengers who find themselves involved in a fatal accident. However rather than perishing to their seemingly predestined fates, Shi Qing and He Yun find themselves trapped in a “ Groundhog Day”-style time loop. As Shi Qing and He Yun attempt to go to great lengths in order to avoid being involved in the accident, the main leads discover that fate has an odd way of catching up with them even when they least expect it..
‘ Reset’ notably incorporated multiple genres into its storyline. Suspense and mystery greatly dominated the events of the narrative , whilst elements of potential romantic chemistry lingered on the sidelines. However surprisingly even during lighthearted moments of the storyline, screenwriter Lao Suan did offer certain opportunities to flesh-out and explore its side characters and antagonists with some surprising heartfelt and tour de force moments also.
As for the pacing ‘ Reset’ was admittedly a slight mixed-bag. Whilst the series could be very quick-paced as well as knowing when to offer respite, the beginning did suffer slightly under the weight of tedious scenes, dialogue exchanges and tension. Admittedly whilst certain elements were necessary for building up the events of the storyline , this did bring about a somewhat laissez-faire structure with pacing often feeling slightly tedious or loose. The finale of the series was admittedly filled with some unexpected turns, but did lack an element of regimented structure by instead feeling somewhat dragged-out.
The acting of the series was admittedly fairly good. Whilst there were some less impactful deliverances of dialogue and interactions onscreen, the main leads did arguably offer brilliant performances. Bai Jing Ting delivered a loveable charm to his onscreen persona as game designer He Yun, whilst Zhao Jin Mai notably had a sweet and charismatic air onscreen as Li Shi Qing.
The chemistry between the duo onscreen could often feel somewhat stunted in parts. Whilst there were some surprisingly heartfelt exchanges between their onscreen personas, the questionable kiss exchanges and affectionate moments between both main leads at tones could admittedly feel insipid at times.
As for their characters, ‘ Reset’ was a strange amalgamation of dynamic writing opportunities for its side characters and antagonists , whilst its main leads could often lack opportunities for being truly fleshed-out. In particular, this became noteworthy with main female lead Li Shi Wing; naive, seemingly fractious and somewhat altruistic but lacking any greater sense of depth or character development throughout. Arguably whilst viewers did see some greater writing opportunities with He Yun and his own personal drives, the main lead did suffer a somewhat similar fate with being underdeveloped.
The cinematography of the series arguably remained one of the drama’s most stunning attributes. Through the directing reigns of Sun Mo Long and co-director Lao Suan, ‘ Reset’ did offer viewers with a notably stunning array of slick and professionally cut editing and scenes. The OST was admittedly just as pleasing with scores and tracks that whilst slightly generic in parts, did help to reflect the mindset and set the tone for the events of the storyline.
Sun Mo Long and Lao Suan’s ‘ Reset’ offered viewers with an intuitive and surprisingly suspenseful take upon the old trope of time loops and time travel. In execution, the series is admittedly weaker with lacking character development for its main leads and somewhat inconsistent pacing, but the slick cinematography and opportunities to see unlike side and antagonistic characters grow did offer some great takeaways from the drama also. Overall whilst ‘ Reset’ was not a drama without some prominent flaws , the series was admittedly a fairly good watch and engaging with its audience.
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Shall I Have a Cup of Coffee?
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A Drama Which Will Try To Warm Your Heart…
KakaoTV’s miniseries ‘ Would You Like A Cup Of Coffee?’ is based upon manwha writer and artist Heo Young-man’s ( known for his original adapted-webcomics such as ‘ Gaksital’ and ‘ Tazza’, )original titled work ‘ How About A Cup Of Coffee?’ ( also known as ‘ 커피 한잔 할까요?’ ) and attempts to offer viewers a heartwarming cup of the slice-of-life genre.
The storyline focuses on main lead Kang Gobi (played by Seongwu Ong) - a college student who initially failed his examinations. After talking to his mother in a heart-to-heart conversation over the phone Gobi finds himself down-beaten and decides to sit down at a nearby coffee shop where he first meets Park Seok ( Park Ho-San). The owner of the cafe ‘Second Coffee’, Park Seok is naturally doubtful when Kang Gobi asks to become his student. However as Gobi begins training under the seemingly austere hand of the master barista, he begins to unveil the value of coffee to different individuals and customers throughout the storyline.
With a compacted plot due to its episodes’ duration time (an average of half-hour episodes), it’s unsurprising that the miniseries’ minimal storyline has lead to a divisive response amongst audiences.
This isn’t necessarily to say that ‘ Would You Like A Cup Of Coffee?’ ‘s plot is “ dull ” or “ prosaic”. The storyline may have been basic and offered a mostly platonic setup ( with only brief romantic hints or spurred-on misunderstandings which are soon resolved), it admittedly did give the miniseries many opportunities to explore more heartwarming storylines and bonds between characters .
However a natural downfall for these seemingly sweet storylines could often come across as lacking a more impactful and emotional punch for viewers. This was often as a consequence of each episode being built upon the same loose structural foundation; an initial introduction to a character , the presented dilemma and then often a quick-fixed solution or revelation by the end of each episode- not always necessarily a bad approach per say, but it didn’t always facilitate towards giving a more hard-hitting revelation for viewers which ( time limits aside) could’ve easily been wormed into scenes throughout the series .
Whilst admittedly it often felt as though camera angles could be a letdown for conveying more emotive scenes and emphasis on characters, the cinematography is masterful within its focus upon minimalist shades and palettes surrounding the cafe. The emphasis of beiges and light browns presented a warm-hearted and easygoing ambience in scenes surrounding the cafe- a microcosm world of safety and comfort for its customers and two baristas, as they shield away from the striking mundane reality of everyday life in the outside world .
The acting remained a strong forte for the miniseries. It was admittedly not flawless ( with certain performances remaining more questionable than others), but Park Ho-San and Seongwu Ong’s dynamic and naturally gradual mentor-teacher chemistry certainly became one of the major highlights for audiences. In addition to this ‘ Would You Like A Cup Of Coffee? ’ takes a pragmatic approach within its small niche of main and reoccurring characters - inclusive enough for audiences to understand their different roles and personalities , but arising to some more explorative issues also.
Kang Gobi is our main lead of the series. A “ self-conscious and downtrodden youth”, Kang Gobi’s facilitated character growth comes through his developed passion for coffee. Yet whilst Gobi admittedly did offer audiences with solidarity through being able to relate to similar struggles , it is honest to note that his character did often fall short of being an “everyday hero” due to sometimes lacking more subtle character growth through his journey rarely feeling more gradual, alongside lacking social or familial bonds outside of the storyline or prior to events ( with only a brief insight with his mother) to make him feel more like a sentient character .
The second male lead of the miniseries Park Seok embodies the typical “ sagacious master”archetype. The deuteragonist of the miniseries is mysterious, level-headed and a man of few words, but Seok is a surprisingly heartwarming character against all odds for audiences ; austere and aloof to begin with, but proving himself to be a sincere and supportive mentor and friend throughout different obstacles that Gobi faced in the series.
However Park Seok could often feel like an insipid character onscreen. With Seok’s archetype as a “ mysterious” archetypical main lead, the element of mystique is often key to piquing viewers’ interests and fascination. However where writers can often present opportunities for these characters to grow can be through revelations of their personality, identity and flaws which can sometimes purposefully change or at least shape a different perception upon characters for viewers . Admittedly whilst we gain some insight into Park Seok being widely revered by coffee connoisseurs as well as having unlikely social circles , we rarely had more opportunities to explore moments where Seok’s “ stoic” facade could be broken often rarely giving viewers an insight of his “ human” side through more emotive feelings or reactions.
There’s also the reoccurring side characters of the series who pragmatically exist to keep the storyline moving ( leading to some tender as well as wasted character opportunities); Kim Joo-hee ( Seo Young-hee)- a coffee lover and music columnist who shared a profound relationship with Park Seok and regularly visited the coffee shop , high schooler and part-time bakery worker Ga On ( Choo Ye Jin); a regular visitor who after an initial misunderstanding with Gobi, developed a friendship with the main lead and Ahn Min Na (Kim Ye Eun); a tired webcomic artist who is a regular customer at the cafe.
Then of course there’s the ending of the series; arguably without its problems by leaving some loose ends for viewers, but appropriate and without its more bittersweet edge either.
So what is left to say about the miniseries? Is it worth watching, or is it a waste of time? ‘ Would You Like A Cup Of Coffee?’ is similar to what its drama-title suggests; those expecting a darkly deep and powerful storyline with flawless and memorable execution and writing, may be slightly underwhelmed by the finished product of the miniseries. However for those who wish to indulge in the rich creamy sweetness of an easygoing and laidback binge-watch , alongside a fairy fast-paced plot and some heartwarming moments on the side, then ‘ Would You Like A Cup Of Coffee?’ is an ideal-watch.
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Is This A Drama Series Worth Investigating?
Loosely based upon the real-life exploits of Tokyo Shimbun reporter Isoko Mochizuki, director Fujii Michihito’s drama ‘ The Journalist’, is adapted in-turn from his 2019 shared-titled feature-film. The Netflix six-part drama offered a golden-opportunity to the director in order to “flesh-out” weaker moments from his original work by offering viewers a vivid vignette of the world of corruption and journalism. Yet despite a brilliant performance by actress Ryoko Yonekura , Yamada Yoshitatsu and Kodera Kazuhisa’s sultry and harrowing storytelling could feel somewhat niche by the second-half.
The storyline focused upon highly-revered and inquisitive journalist Anna Matsuda ( Ryoko Yonekura). When confronted with the shady dealings of a political crime at the heart of Japanese society, Matsuda alongside cynical government official Shinichi Murakami (Go Ayano), guilt-stricken bureaucrat Suzuki Kazuya (Hidetaka Yoshioka),Kazuya’s wife , Mayumi (Shinobu Terajima), and university student Ryo (Ryusei Yokohama), find themselves fighting against a common enemy through Shinjiro Toyoda (Yusuke Santamaria); a PR specialist and official adviser to the prime minister.
Perhaps one of the greatest takeaways from ‘ The Journalist’ came through raising ethical and moral questions towards the universal problem of corruption; especially at the top of worldwide governments. However whilst the series did allow food for thought for its audience, it is noteworthy to point out that no trope or cliche is left upturned in Yamada Yoshitatsu and Kodera Kazuhisa’s screenplay for the reboot. Whilst an artistic licence does allow influences from similar storylines and productions to worm into the series in parts, ‘ The Journalist’ ‘s regimented paper trail to corruption led to some tedious and over-stretched moments throughout. Dialogue , interactions and Matsuda scrolling over documents for a torturously long period onscreen against suddenly falling asleep on her desk and then repeat, could often feel as though the series was trying to heavily pound the insertion of “the devil being in the details” rather than expediting certain events of the storyline.
‘ The Journalist’ is admittedly self-conscious from the outset. Rather than allowing the series to spiral into an over-the-top parody of conspiracy theories and rushed plot, the miniseries allowed itself to be compacted into six episodes. Yet whilst elements of the series’ appeal with Yonekura and Terajima taking frontal stage did begin to make the series feel as though it was a reconstructed reenactment , the actual focal point of the series, the corruption, was rarely covered. Instead, whilst the series did offer opportunities to present the climatic buildup of events and revelations, the brushed over and lingering presence of the main plot drive created an addictive yet slightly farcical edge during later scenes also.
Nevertheless,Fujii Michihito’s return to the director’s chair did certainly present its perks also. Respectfully choosing TV veteran Ryoko Yonekura instead of her movie counterpart South Korean actress Shim Eun-kyung, allowed golden-opportunities to explore the emotional, sentient and conventional range of the main female lead. ( Even if hard-nosed Anna can coincide her psychic ability to arrive at people’s doorsteps just at the right moment.) In addition to this Fuji combined a heavily aesthetic approach to the series- artistic cuts and editing combined with a nail-biting score did deliver a tense atmosphere for viewers. However, the second-half delivered a somewhat languid finale for the series with slower pacing attempting to slow down and make viewers take-in the storyline, but slowly becoming somewhat tiresome and repetitive.
Fujii Michihito’s ‘ The Journalist’ did present a necessary revamp in parts in comparison to its movie counterpart . The six-part series delved into relatable and harrowing issues striking a chord for viewers worldwide . Yet whilst Fujii Michihito’s moody cinematography and in particular Ryoko Yonekura’s brilliant acting did keep viewers intrigued and enticed, niche storytelling and archetypes could make ‘ The Journalist’ feel slightly cyclical and dragged out in parts also.
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Will This Drama Be Your ‘ Knight’?
SBS’ ‘ Let Me Be Your Knight’ offered viewers a predictable and cliche-ridden setup surrounding the haughty singer of LUNA ( a popular idol group ) Yoon Tae-In ( Lee Jun Young) who is diagnosed with somnambulism. In order to avoid media-attention, the CEO ( Kwak Ja Hyung) of the idol group’s contracted company employs world-renowned in-house somnologist Kang Sun Jun ( Jung In Sun). However there’s a catch; the CEO ended up employing Kang Sun Jun’s identical twin sister In Yoon Ju ( also played by Jung In Sun) instead. With her own personal motives for taking up the false identity of her estranged twin, Yoon Ju finds her nerves tested to the limit when she begins having to keep watch over the insufferable Yoon Tae-In as well as sharing a house with his fellow band mates Lee Shin ( JR), Kim Yoo-Chan ( Yoon Ji-Sung ), Woo Ga-On ( Kim Dong Hyun) and Seo Woo-Yeon ( Jang Dong-Joo).
Directed by Ahn Ji Sook and composed together by a quartet of screenwriters (Shin Seo Ha, Hae Yeon, Seo Jung Eun and Yoo So Won) as a marketed story about “ romance and healing, ‘ Let Me Be Your Knight’ is undeniably a fairly disengaging and “ fluffy” drama.
Of course, a good drama doesn’t always necessarily need to have labyrinthine plot points and often romantic escapist dramas do present versatile opportunities for dynamic screenwriting. However, where an ultimate problem did lie with ‘ Let Be Your Knight’ ‘s presented formula is that reimbursed cliches and tropes often led to predictable and generic outcomes throughout the storyline.
There was an admitted problem with the casting choice of Jung In Sun as the main female lead ; she didn’t seem to quite match the role for audiences . Respectfully the age of her character In Yoon Ju ( as well as arguably her “ twin sister”) is never truly specified throughout the series. However, with consideration to Yoon Ju’s notably more benign personality traits, mannerisms and soft-spoken tendencies at times, ‘ Let Me Be Your Knight’ often seemed to indicate that the screenwriters should’ve facilitated to two possibilities; a younger actress to play the suggested role, or changing elements of Yoon Ju’s age or mannerisms as a character to better-suit the casting choice of Jung In Sun .
Admittedly this isn’t entirely the fault of the actress. Yoon Ju presented a polar opposite to her seemingly “cold” twin; emotional, kindhearted and notably benign at times but rarely did she seem to have a quintessential requirement for her character’s seeming “ difficult past and problems”; flaws .
This isn’t to say that Yoon Ju didn’t have potential to have intriguing character exploration moments ( including her complicated relationship with her sister as well as the loss of her parents) nor did she show affection to others throughout the series. However considering the fact that Yoon Ju has had to take up the false identity of her sister; a qualified professional in sleep diagnosis and aside from a comical “ initial struggle” early on, it seemed odd that neither the band mates or CEO Moon didn’t begin to grow slightly suspicious by her actions or mannerisms early on. As a consequence, the female lead often suffered from a predestined fate as a “ carte blanche Mary Sue”; a plot device in order to keep the storyline intriguing,but missing out on truly engaging with the audience as a fleshed-out and definitive female lead.
Costarring alongside Jung In Sun is Lee Jun Young. Jun Young is undeniably a good actor and has proven his talents in versatile roles over recent years. However there seems to be a recent and notable pattern with In Sun being cast in the “ stoic” male lead role with his onscreen persona Tae-In being no exception.
Tae-In is a character who is notably hard to warm up to during the initial events of the storyline ; he’s brusque, aloof and aside from gaining the adoration of the “maknae” of the group Woo Ga-On ( Kim Dong Hyun), has struggled to get along with the rest of the band. Admittedly Tae-In’s growth is gradual through his initial self-depreciation after the flop of the band’s recent album ( which he mainly wrote) as well as gradually falling for the female lead. However similar to Yoon Ju’s missed-out opportunities to be explored as a well-rounded character, Tae-In’s more evident character drives such as the traumatic link of his somnambulism, gradually developing a closer-bond with his teammates and even his exact reasons for attraction for the female lead, were rarely covered in order to shoehorn him into particular scenarios and plot events.
The onscreen chemistry between Lee Jun Young and Jung In Sun whilst decent enough, did seem to lack a certain dynamic charm for audiences. Tae-In and Yoon Ju’s gradual attraction from one another to “ contempt to love” rarely flowed coherently due to the characters often being enforced into romantic cliches and scenarios, rather than gradually developed.
In addition to this, there’s the issue also with consideration to the indecisive writing decision of the “love triangle” between Tae-In, Yoon Ju and fellow band member Seo Woo Yeon (Jang Dong Joo). Whilst the “love triangle” trope was used in the series as an attempt to “ keep chemistry alive”, there was rarely time to truly see this dynamic with more finesse. Woo Yeon was often limited merely to his archetype as the “ second male lead”; the dreamer who is pointlessly chasing the female lead without clear reasons or even definitive character traits along the way.
The side characters of the series admittedly were often used in a seeming attempt to fill-out screen time through various subplots. It’s wrong to entirely state that these subplots weren’t interesting per say; Yoo Chan’s complicated relationship with his mother, Shin’s clandestine relationship with radio presenter Ji-yeon (Ha Young) and Ga-On’s traumatic experiences as a trainee did seem to put forward some intriguing side storylines throughout the series. On the other hand whilst a lot of the side characters were arguably more fleshed-out than the main leads, the primal focus on the main storyline rarely gave opportunities to delve deeper into the subplots. Instead these storylines were often slightly rushed, brushed over or given anticlimactic resolutions by the ending of the series.
‘ Let Me Be Your Knight’ was arguably self-conscious from outset about not overcommitting itself to a complicated plot in twelve episodes. Nevertheless whilst the basic formula surrounding the main leads’ romance and issues is compacted, the series did often seem to struggle with truly expediting plot. Instead the pacing of the series could often be tedious in parts with niche plot setups and enforced dialogue becoming apparent. Perhaps if the series had given more opportunities to exploring characters, or even a definitive plot goal, then ‘ Let Me Be Your Knight’ could’ve had a less anticlimactic and impactful ending.
The cinematography of ‘ Let Me Be Your Knight’ was admittedly decent enough under the directing reigns of Ahn Ji Sook. Most scenes throughout the series were filmed throughout a usage of slick, long distance and closeup shots and gave a professional and glossy edge to filmed sequences and key moments. However despite the aesthetic edge of filming, the innovation of presenting the arts in intuitive ways , reflecting the emotional scope of its characters through palettes or tones ( aside from niche pathetic fallacy in certain scenes) , or even vivid mise-en-scène moments were greatly absent from the series.
The OST of the series was admittedly a mixed-bag. For a series which mainly focused upon its central characters being in the music business and industry, it seemed odd that certain song tracks in the series were slightly insipid at times . This isn’t to say that these songs were bad per say. In fact there were definitely several tracks which helped to definitively reflect the mindset of the characters and will likely grow on some. On the other hand, it seemed surprising that the OST didn’t always deliver a memorable punch for the audience either.
‘ Let Me Be Your Knight’ is a fairly lighthearted and niche romantic melodrama . Whilst the acting performances are decent enough and the side storylines did offer intrigue for viewers, the drama could often feel unable to escape its own set-limitations. In particular certain casting choices, predictable screenwriting tropes and character archetypes alongside poor pacing in parts, presented ‘ Let Me Be Your Knight’ as an above-average drama; watchable and enjoyable during a binge-watch, but lacking in more definitive traits also.
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It’s No “ Secret” That This Drama Is A Waste Of Time...
First of all before saying why this drama didn’t met up to many expectations of drama fans, it’s important to say that there were some genuinely intriguing aspects towards the show.One of the most apparent aspects of the drama was the international relationship between our Vietnamese female lead and aspiring reporter Chi Mai ( Hoàng Yến Chibi) and South- Korean Hallyu Star JIN ( Sung Joon). Although it isn’t out of the question for dramas to tackle international relationships or respectfully cast actors from different countries ( such as renowned South-Korean actor Lee Jong Suk being cast in the Chinese drama Jade Lover, or a young Lee Joon gi’s appearance in the Japanese movie with actress Aoi Miyazaki in Virgin Snow ), it isn’t a theme or relationship which is often tackled or centralised in many typical Asian dramas.
Respectfully a lot of this can be to do with natural cultural differences and language differences between the two countries, and in My Secret Star there is the evident problem of Chi Mai and JIN’s words being lost in translation without Mai’s earphones which help to translate their conversations back and forth.
On the other hand, My Secret Star was severely flawed by the aspect of story -writing and pacing. Although the show was very short, there was little to actually develop or process the relationship between our main leads.
Undeniably the main focus of the show was the supernatural element of JIN transforming into a young child when someone makes physical contact with him. In a typical cliche manner, JIN naturally discovers that he is immune to Chi Mai’s touch leading the two to spending more time together.
This is certainly a sweet element to show within the portrayal of their relationship, however, after the few early episodes of My Secret Star, this supernatural element is nearly drawn out the picture entirely and by the ending of the drama, it’s magically “ solved” without rhyme nor reason . It isn’t necessarily that this aspect of the show shouldn’t have been included, however, it was a strange move by the scriptwriters not to symbiotically use this as a plot device within portraying the development between the leads and challenges which allow them to grow closer in later episodes.
In addition to this , despite JIN and Chi Mai’s status as an international couple, there were few culture shocks or differences between the two leads as well as general intrigue other one another’s country at all within the show. It is of course certainly not a necessary aspect to beat genuine romantic feelings, however, if a show is trying to tackle a relationship where both parties are from different countries and speak different languages, there is the natural element of wanting to learn more about someone’s background.
This is hardly shown in the drama and whilst JIN reveals a little bit and his past and resentments towards becoming famous, there’s little explanation or actual drive as to why Chi Mai wanted to become a reporter even through revelations of her childhood .
Overall My Secret Star wasn’t a show which was incredibly dire, however, poor story writing , characterisation , outfits ( particularly the Korean misrepresentation of the “ gay” fashionista ) and an inaccurate representation of international relationships, made the show incredibly cliche and a waste of time.
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Bulgasal: Immortal Souls
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‘ Bulgasal: Immortal Souls’; Intriguing Premise, But Relentlessly Dragging…
Korean folklore and mythology paired together with elements of horror and fantasy are certainly not new to the world of K-dramas. From director Jang Young-woo(‘Mr. Sunshine’, ‘Sweet Home’, ) alongside screenwriters Kwon So-ra and Seo Jae-won ( ‘The Guest’), ‘ Bulgasal: Immortal Souls’ offered viewers with a seemingly woeful revenge fantasy epic. However whilst the intriguing premise and impressive cast lineup will certainly hook and entice viewers, ‘ Bulgasal: Immortal Souls’ ‘ lacklustre plot , pacing and character-writing became more prominent as the storyline progressed.
In the early exposition of the narrative , Kwon So-ra and Seo Jae-won attempted to foreground the events from six hundred years ago surrounding the inauspicious birth of main lead Dan Hwal ( Lee Jin-wook). Deemed cursed, Dan Hwal is transformed into a bulgasal ( a vampire-like immortal creature that feasts on human blood), while heroically fighting monsters as a solider. Hwal is determined not to throw away his humanity and seeks out revenge against the former-bulgasal who cursed him. No longer a prisoner of mortality and time, Hwal desperately seeks out the creature’s reincarnations throughout the centuries.
A present day time-skip reveals to the audience that Hwal believes that he’s found the former-bulgasal’s current incarnation Min Sang-Woon (Kwon Na Ra) . However there’s a catch; Sang-Woon is a mortal human. Together with her sister Min Shi Ho ( Gong Seung Yeon), the siblings have spent most of their childhood running away from monsters that most would only believe existed in fairytales. Sang-Woon soon finds her life ineffably intertwined with the monster who she’d be told to fear the most; the bulgasal. Hwal and Sang-Woon find that fate has had a mysterious way of bringing them together as past incarnations of people from the past soon enter their lives. However, the mysterious appearance of sadistic bulgasal Ok Eul Tae ( Lee Joon) soon threatens their fates. With his personal vendetta and morbid fascination with Hwal, Eul Tae is determined to stop at nothing to enact his own revenge.
While screenwriters Kwon So-ra and Seo Jae-won do give comical moments throughout the drama it is important to establish that these are sparse and spread out. ‘ Bulgasal: Immortal Souls’ isn’t a series for the lighthearted . The storyline focused upon elements of grim suspense ( particularly through the appearance of the monsters)as well as gratuitous gore . Nevertheless despite some stunning aesthetics surrounding fight scenes, the abundance of explicit violence in director Jang Young-woo’s fantasy series has been received with mixed reception also.
Naturally it isn’t out of the question for a series that primarily focuses upon blood-drinking entities and malicious monsters to delve into bloodthirsty scenes. In fact it is even arguable that the absence of violence from the series would not have allowed director Jang Young Woo to have a wider scope towards exploring and captivating the tainted and savage world of the characters.
On the other hand for a series which attempted to present itself as an narrative immersed with complex and psychologically conflicted characters, it felt odd that ‘ Bulgasal: Immortal Souls’’ heavy reliance upon gore and violence for shock-value thrills would rarely allow opportunities in order to flesh-out weaker characters, plot holes or quintessentially deliver an impactful coup de grâce by the ending of the series.
The acting of the series could admittedly have several slip ups with line deliverances but the main cast were fairly dynamic onscreen. Actor Lee Jin-Wook has long been typecast in rom-coms . However, since his venture into different genres through ‘ Voice’ and having previously worked alongside director Jang Young-woo in ‘ Sweet Home’, it should come as no surprise to viewers that Jin-Wook carries himself well onscreen as main lead Hal. The actor added a surprising touch of heartache and mystery to his onscreen persona which, whilst slightly limited by the scope of script, did give Hal an intriguing streak for audiences .
Mysterious, reserved and powerful, Hal is an intriguing main character with many notable flaws and strengths. Despite his curse Hal is able to retain his humanity due many personal drives throughout the series. Nevertheless whilst Hal’s motives were admirable, there was always a slight sense of dull focus upon Hal truly struggling or being presented with more conflict ( due to initial foreshadowing) with his primal instincts . Of course whilst there is the argument that Hal may have used six-hundred years to practice self-restraint, but, it did seem odd that this wasn’t a conflicting trait for a character to struggle more ( even in flashbacks) with an obstacle against his seeming crusade to regain humanity throughout the storyline .
This could’ve easily been presented even in his seeming complicated antagonistic counterpart Eul Tae; a bond which whilst necessary for plot-drive rarely delivered an impactful blow. In addition to this even as someone who was ‘detached’ from human history, it seemed an odd plot fall that Hal rarely gave insight into meeting past incarnations, figures or people throughout this period of time.( Aside from the initial exposition and some brief “ historic” photos shown between the past and present .)
Then of course Jin Wook’s costar Kwon Na Ra as the main female lead of the series. A former idol, Na Ra’s acting portfolio from ‘ My Suspicious Partner’ and ‘ My Mister’ to ‘ Doctor Prisoner’ and ‘ Itaewon Class’ , has certainly given an opportunity for Na Ra to express her eclectic range of acting abilities onscreen. The actress added a surprising level of angst and mystery onscreen helping to convey a natural and mysterious charm to her onscreen role as Min Sang-Woon. Nevertheless, whilst Na Ra is a dynamic actress , her character was arguably very limited by the writing .
It isn’t necessarily bad per say how the drama’s narrative introduced us to Sang-Woon and her sister through initial flashbacks. It allowed us as viewers to comprehend the world that Sang-Woon and Shi Ho have been forced into as a consequence of impending fate, as well as foreshadowing her initial meeting with the main lead . On the other hand, here’s where we do hit a pitfall with Sang-Woon as a character; she’ never really feels as though she has a personal-drive, definitive flaws or goals. It is arguable that perhaps Sang-Woon’s main goal has been to protect her sister and her naivety has proven to be one of her downfalls. On the other hand for a character brought up under unusual circumstances, it seemed odd that the drama rarely pointed out Sang Woon truly being shaped or affected by her environment. Even if her gullible nature is viewed as an arguable weakness of her character, it seem bizarre that other characters ( especially her sister) didn’t point this out or at least draw expectations towards her personality being different from her seemingly “abnormal” upbringing.
Sang Woon and Hal’s unusual bond is presented as seemingly one of the major driving forces of the series. Whilst there is arguably a slight romantic tension between Jin-Wook and Na Ra’s onscreen personas, their relationship is platonic for the most part. Nevertheless whilst it was intriguing to watch Hal and Sang Woon’s bond develop from animosity to sincere trust, both main leads’ relationship could often feel somewhat
stagnant at times. This seemed to come as a result of both main leads’ interactions often feeling enforced and shoehorned into plot setups. As a consequence , this allowed limited opportunities in order to flesh-out characters outside of the “ main events” of the narrative.
Then of course there’s the discussion surrounding Ok Eul Tae. A-lister Lee Joon is no stranger towards taking on different roles throughout his acting career, and his part in the series as Hal’s fellow bulgasal and opponent, Ok Eul Tae, was no exception. Joon added a somewhat twisted charisma to his onscreen persona; likely to shock and intrigue viewers of equal measure.
As an antagonist, Eul Tae is supposed to serve as Hal’s opposing counterpart; he’s sardonic, remorseless and unpredictable. In order to reiterate the opposing natures of Eul Tae and Hal beyond spoken words, director Jang Young-woo would often cleverly place heavy focus through camera angles upon the characters’ clothing. Eul Tae’s bright, expensive and somewhat gaudy suits presenting his illusive personality, whilst Hal’s somewhat drab and dull attire highlighted the main lead’s honest nature.Nevertheless whilst Eul Tae acted as the necessary “ driving force” of the events of the series, the main antagonist rarely left an everlasting impression upon audiences due to often being present as shoehorned “ for the sake of evil”. His rivalry, origins and intrigue surrounding another bulgasal could’ve easily been the most intriguing element in the series. However, lacking opportunities to truly delve into character parallelisms and differences between the main lead, the antagonist and other side character presented few opportunities to make Eul Tae a truly terrifying or well-defined opposing threat. As a consequence Eul Tae could often feel akin to a plot device “ dilemma”; easy to thrown into the equation to present conflict but rarely possessing a definitive edge.
Actress Gong Seung Yeon ( ‘ Are You Human?’, ‘ Circle’ and ‘Flower Crew: Joseon Marriage Agency’) takes on the role as Sang-Woon’s level-headed sister Shi-Ho.Shi Ho was notably intriguing due to her contrasting personality-type to Sang-Woo; she’s less naive, reserved and observant also. On the other hand whilst Shi Ho did serve her necessary purpose for “ plot drive” and revelations in the series, the second female lead could rarely feel entirely sentient due to her lacking opportunities to truly grow or be defined by her own personality traits. ( In particular a massive plot revelation surrounding Shi Ho was left greatly abandoned after its initial use in the series.)
Additionally there’s Nam Do Yoon ( Kim Woo Seok). Whilst Nam Do Yoon was necessary for adding “ shocking twists” in an attempt to keep the plot afloat a, it often felt as though these revelations were predictable outcomes . Screenwriters Kwon So-ra and Seo Jae-won seemed to create Do Yoon purely on the basis of plot-motivation; attempting to shock and surprise viewers with Do Hoon’s revealed reasons and motives for being in the storyline, but lacking the element of shock or an emotive punch due to lacking foundations surrounding Do Yoon as a character from the outset. Kwon Ho Yeol ( Jung Jin Young) and Hye Suk ( Park Myung Shin) also presided in the supporting cast ; potentially playing intriguing characters, but rarely having personal character-drive.
The pacing of the narrative was admittedly not one of the drama’s fortes. Whilst a pacy opening gave leeway towards downplaying later elements of the storyline in order to build suspense, ‘ Bulgasal: Immortal Souls’ notably fell into the trap of repetitive storyline events. Potentially intriguing opportunities in order to build up characters’ personalities, backstories or even relationships were cast aside in order to make way for a gradually dwindling “ threat” in each passing episode. However rather than attempting to at least create a fearsome presence for the antagonistic force onscreen, ‘ Bulgasal: Immortal Souls’ notably became hooked on tiresomely dragging out events beyond their expiration date.
Under the directing reigns of Jang Young-Woo, ‘ Bulgasal:Immortal Souls’ was notably stunning in parts. The figures and supernatural entities from Korean mythology found throughout the storyline had notable aesthetic and visual influences from Guillermo Del Toro’s ‘ Pan’s Labyrinth’ and Kwon So-ra and Seo Jae-won’s previous supernatural-horror project The Guest’ onscreen. In addition to creature visuals, the cinematography was a notable highlight with beautifully filmed shots of snow-filled landscapes and scenery often predominating scenes. However despite some gorgeous filming techniques, ‘ Bulgasal:Immortal Souls’ was slightly degraded by its somewhat shoddy CGI and choppy editing; often taking away from potentially stunning and emotive moments of the series.
The OST is notably synchronic with a lot of fight or tense scenes. It does not particularly distract the audience with vocal tracks but rather instrumentals; quintessential for helping to build up tension or reflecting the inner- turmoil of the onscreen characters, but rarely giving an impactful deliverance also.
‘ Bulgasal: Immortal Souls ’ attempted to give viewers a terrifying and thrilling fantasy horror epic. Interweaving the classic cliche in recent fantasy shows of mostly modern settings against Korean mythology, ‘ Bulgasal: Immortal Souls ’ ‘s potentially intriguing screenplay by Kwon So-ra and Seo Jae-won was greatly let down by the direction of plot. Instead of allowing golden opportunities in order to explore multilayered characters, world-building and a tense storyline, the drama’s layout instead delivered a somewhat niche and shallow array of characters who lacked creative flare, as well as a narrative filled with plot holes also. The ending of the series was notably anticlimactic; rushed in an attempt to wrap up several key plot points, but failing to tie up a satisfying outcome for the plot and characters. Overall, ‘ Bulgasal: Immortal Souls’ was an generic and somewhat niche supernatural series; watchable for those willing to disengage during a binge-watch session , but filled with wasted potential also.
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Enjiya ( 演じ屋);The Bittersweet Revenge Tale…
Revenge tales have long been the creme de la creme of classic drama storylines , however, “Enjiya” attempts to revamp this classic setup with our main lead Tomoki ( Isomura Hayato)’s own dish of revenge best served cold . Falsely accused of sexual assault on a train by a stranger ( Ito Momoka) and her accomplice ( Ito Asahi), Tomoki finds his life turned upside down by losing his fiancée ( Tokunaga Eri) and his job overnight. Tomoki journeys to a rooftop in order to commit suicide, only to be a witness to an “enjiya” ( the namesake of the drama); a staged event where clients can request anything they want for a pricey fee. Tomoki decides to employ the services of a mysterious enjiya worker Aika ( Nao) in order to inflict revenge upon all those who falsely accused him of this wrongdoing .
There was a lot of uncertainty where PD Noguchi Teruo ( as the screenwriter and director) was initially going to take “ Enjiya”. Revenge tropes revolving around the lead as a “ wronged person” popularly take form in getting revenge against a lover or ex often over other setups, so seeing a drama where the male main lead was more focused upon his revenge against a set-group of individuals( including strangers) than a lover per say definitely made this a different, yet intriguing watch. The drama flits between soap-opera-style setups (such as when a distraught Tomoki discovers his fiancée’s boyfriend) and of course dark satire and comedy ( Tomoki’s awkward discovery that the seemingly stabbed woman, Aika, is actually acting for a client in a disturbing and lewd fantasy).
Yet the vitality of this setup would undeniably not have come to life without its main cast. Whilst Isomura Hayato is often an overlooked actor by respectfully starring in lesser-known dramas/productions or side roles, he really shone through onscreen as Tomoki. The actor’s donned sloppy haircut, anxiety and mix of emotions present in his facial features captivated Tomoki’s character, emotions and psyche perfectly. Parallel to Isomura was evidently actress Nao who played suave and mysterious enjiya worker Aika. Similar to her costar , Nao has often played in lesser-known works or in smaller roles over the years, yet her performance here was undeniably one of the main highlights of the drama also.
As far as the rest of the casting choices are concerned, the acting is a bit of a mixed-bag respectfully. This isn’t to say it was unwatchable or dragging down any of the other actors, but some performances were admittedly better than others during certain moments of tension or angst . Adding onto this was also Noguchi Teruo’s screenwriting logic also. The screenwriter and director has respectfully suffered from this problem and mixed-criticism for this exact reason in the past and it is evident to see where problems arise here; the logic of characters, as well as realistic scenarios were fairly hare-brained at the best of the times. Actions of characters could sometimes feel lacklustre or out of place by failing to build-up more complexity. Then of course there’s the issue with minor details. This was shown such as with the train seemingly having few mentions of CCTV footage ( and even if was obscured and misinterpreted why it wasn’t covered in more detail), the criminal records of Tomoki’s accusers not coming under fire at least once in the police questioning and of course the fact that Tomoki seemed to have “ no one to lean on” ( not even mentions of friends or family) after the incident also.
However even amongst its more evident mistakes and it’s surreal premise the drama wasn’t afraid to try to tackle trickier subject areas and topics . The prominent premise of the drama itself revolves around the illicit and unusual trend in Japanese culture of unique businesses which accommodate themselves to the unusual services of their clients. This can range from customers looking for a romantic love interest, friend , a confidant, maid and even a fake family member for various reasons and often for extortionate prices. Consequently Teruo’s drama offers a surprisingly dark reflection upon modern Japanese culture and isn’t afraid to pack a punch when needed.
The ending offers a classic case of a dish of revenge best served cold- it’s bittersweet but a concise ending to the story. Overall ‘ Enjiya’ can easily be overlooked by many due to fuzzy camera quality and set designs often coming across outdated and marks of a novice filmmaker, however, the storyline was oddly intriguing . Whilst certain characters ( including our antagonists) could’ve done with more development and build-up, the story offered an engaging take on the revenge trope. A surprisingly good watch.
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A “ Record” Of A Waste Of Time....
Despite its fresh appeal with Bo Gum with a suave pre- Military haircut and So-Dam’s brilliance as a witty makeup artist, the drama was simply lacklustre . Although the drama did obviously touch upon the problems of relationships ( familial and romantic) as well as career choices for our young protagonists, Record of Youth simply reduced most of the characters to nothing more than plot devices throughout the drama.
On one note of appraisal , Bo- Gum was (,as usual,)brilliant within channeling the soul of his character, Hye-Jun. Playing an “underdog” model and aspiring actor, Park Bo Gum did seem to truly step into fleshing out a character , who was rawly undercooked in depth and characterisation by the scriptwriters through his ability to portray the raw emotion of Hye- Jun throughout the drama.
Sadly, however, the scriptwriters didn’t give any justice towards Bo-Gum’s character, Hye- Jun.
This was defined by one fatal mistake by the scriptwriters’ focus upon Hye- Jun as a plot device in regards to his his relationship with Jeong- Ha, meaning that any characterisation that viewers see throughout the drama for Hye-Jun, is severely underdeveloped by the ending of the show.
The most notable example towards this problem, had to be from his sudden “ anger” to “ apathy” around his father and brother and of course his shared love for his mother and grandfather . Whilst his initial feelings towards his father and brother in the beginning of the show was understandable, it was a strange leap in Hye- Jun character to suddenly go from being incredibly infuriated at times by his father and brother, to simply “ not caring” and remaining “ cool- headed”. This would have been understandable if we’d actually see Hye- Jun progress with the plot, but instead, any emotional capacity he possessed as a character is simply thrown away by the near ending of the show. In particular, this is also portrayed by his attitude to Jeong- Ja and his careless decisions within their relationship.
This of course moves us onto So- Dam as Jeong- Ha, a witty makeup artist with her own dreams to become a beauty influencer. Parallel to Bo-Gun’s acting, So- Dam was brilliant within capturing the comical and heart driven moments of her character and therefore there is no denying that Jeong-Ha seemed to be more developed as a character upon some grounds that Hye- Jun.
This also includes the ability towards viewers actually learning why Jeong- Ha aspired to be a makeup artist from her father, something which we never really learn in depth as to why Hye- Jun wanted to be an actor apart from the fact that “ he wanted to do it for a long time”. Additionally, it was refreshing also to come across a level- headed female lead who isn’t ditsy in a relationship, or starts a screaming match with her enemies, but approaches things in a calm , succinct and realistic manner as an intelligent and reasonable individual .( Such as being professional whilst dealing with a senior makeup artist determined to make her life hell.)
Despite her strengths, sadly Jeong- Ha’s greatest flaws from the scriptwriters probably did also come from making Jeong- Ha sometimes a little too “level- headed” than for her own good. Whilst this did naturally add to the “ drama” of the show, it was just as bad for other reasons that Jeong- Ha did not speak out or communicate with Hye- Jun about her feelings or respected boundaries within their relationship. Her attitude towards encouraging and growing closer to Hye- Jun’s best friend Won Hae-hyo ( Byeon Woo- Seok) , was understandable due to her anger towards Hye- Jun, but it seemed both unfair and unkind (regardless of her excuses )towards leading Hae- Hyo on in such a manner. By the ending of the show, a lot of Jeong- Ha’s strengths were sadly greatly overshadowed by her decisions as a consequence.
Ironically, whilst normally I wouldn’t comment upon the reasons of a second Male for chasing after the female lead in such a cliche manner , Woo Seok’s portrayal of Hae- Hyo as a Male lead who has had everything handed to him on a silver plate by his mother, Kim Yi-young ( Shin Ae- Ra), did add some understanding as to why Jeong- Ha became such a figure of interest for him.
One of the biggest emotional trials which Woo Seok comes to grasp with in the show, is realising simply how overbearing his loving mother truly is within controlling every aspect of his life ( including his career) and his sister’s ( a part of freedom which manifests within his sister dating another one of his best friends).
With the fact that his best friend , Hye- Jun, has had the freedom to chase his own dreams and aspire to do acting on his own part, the aspiration of chasing after his best friend’s girl did add the note of a cliche. On the other hand, this understanding towards why Woo- Seok was intrigued by Jeong- Ha, wasn’t left blank for viewers by the scriptwriters. This was simply because Woo Seok wanted control over a relationship. This of course , did add
some explanation and depth to his decisions, but it was overly cliche and stepped across several boundaries of disrespect for both Hye- Jun as a friend and of course Jeong- Ha within the drama as nothing more than an object for both Hye- Jun and Woo- Seok to use.
Whilst of course the drama did delve into some additional “ youth issues” (including a minor plot line of homosexuality,which was only brushed upon for the plot to advance), the drama really didn’t add enough depth or even covered the universal issues as a youth drama. Although we must bear into respect Korean culture and “ sensitive topics”, it was still too glossed over not to come across a youth drama which tackles issues such as drinking , partying, or even smoking , especially with the younger characters’ ages. This is not to glorify these acts in any manner, but, these are issues which realistically, most youths tackle fairly universally ( especially in Korea). For a drama to not even mildly suggest these youths have never done such an act, seemed more of a commentary upon appeasing younger audiences to “ not do this in real life” , than to learn about the real world for youths.
In addition to that his, there was of course the glossed over image of the fashion and makeup industry as well. Whilst naturally the drama did delve into the problems of “ scandals” for Korean celebrities and of course blackmail, these issues became overly repetitive. This of course is an issue which tackles many celebrities on a daily basis in a Korea, but did we really need to have this screamed at us by Hye- Jun’s manager Lee Min Jae ( Shin Dong Mi) for several episodes without thinking to tell Hye- Jun to be more cautious? Probably, not.
In reality, there was little actually exposed about the severity of other issues in these respected industries ( especially fashion ). It’s understandable that the drama didn’t want to delve into this too much in in order to focus on the relationship of Jeong Ha and Hye Jun, but, there was still a lot of exposed ground which the drama could’ve covered on even briefly. Not least, the actual problems for young models upon eating disorders, smoking , diets and of course especially, for young makeup artists, revenue and exploitation as well. For a drama not to even cover upon the issues in addition to poor characterisation, left Record of Youth as a forgettable and cliche show which did not tread any new ground upon Korean dramas.
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When In Rome ( or Seoul), Take A Leaf Out Of Vincenzo’s Book...
Park Jae Bum’s ( The Fiery Priest, Chief Kim)screenwriting as well as director Kim Hee Won ( The Crowned Clown, Love You) did leave a distinct mark of their combined style by mixing heavy-hitting tension with lighthearted moments throughout the storyline .
Yet whilst the comedy is evidently prominent in the plot to relieve more vigorous themes, it is probably fair to say that typical of Jae Bum’s screenwriting, the comedy often felt slightly juvenile in parts and an unnecessary weight at times. ( In certain episodes, you’d go from having an incredibly intriguing and fierce revelation exposing the mafia’s dark roots, only to have a tiresome gag in the next such as a word play upon Vincenzo’s name in early episodes.)
Admittedly, there are several moments in the drama ( even by the main cast ) which may raise an eyebrow by questionable line deliverances. However, as far as acting is concerned, the main cast were absolutely brilliant as our main leads.Song Joong Ki and Ok Tae’s Yeon headline the drama by their high-profile acting careers, however, even fellow costars Jeon Yeo Bin and Kwan Dong Yeon will quickly win the hearts and affections of the viewers also.
The characterisation in the drama was honestly a mixed bag. Song Joong Ki’s character Vincenzo was undeniably an intriguing protagonist. Whilst initially falling into the trap of the romanticised ‘ good gangster’, it was intriguing to see screenwriter Jae Bum breaking this mould in order to develop Vincenzo with sentience and realistically questionable morality rather than merely being a " hero who saves the day". However, there was a lot which felt vacuous with Vincenzo’s character, not least never going into his actual reasons for joining the mafia as a consigliere ( which was always half-baked) , his bond or relationship with his adopted Italian parents and ultimately exploring the actual reasons why his birth mother gave him up in the first place.
Next, is our main female lead Hong Cha Young ( Jeon Yeo Bin). Cha Young did initially seem to go down the route or being a little irksome in the beginning of the drama, but, her unreserved assertions and loyalty towards Vincenzo soon become defining qualities about the character. For instance, Cha Young has long-held enmity throughout the show towards Kim Yeo Jin’s character Prosecutor Choi Myung Hee. (Or ‘ Zumba Snake’) which certainly was maintained . On the other hand, similar to Vincenzo , Cha-Young is not a flawless character. Sometimes, she struggled to be lifted from being anything more than one- dimensional such as her textbook-style, (rather than emotional) responses initially to the events around her father Hong Yoo Chan ( Yoo Jae Myung) in earlier episodes. ( Which after their initial use in the main storyline, were disregarded completely without Cha-Young even contemplating this significant factor again.)
As far as the relationship between Cha Young and Vincenzo is concerned, it was a fairly predictable formula. There was nothing inherently wrong with it per say and did present some essential bonding moments between the characters, however, it often felt a little enforced for the sake of plot when it was necessary , rather than developing this with the respected characters’ thoughts and feelings in mind.
Antagonists are an intriguing conversation to talk about in the drama. From the cliche cronies, law firm enthusiasts Choi Myung Hee ( arguably one of the most annoying villains in the show) , CEO of the rival law firm Woosang Han Seung Hyuk ( Jo Han Chul) and the " dumb, but not so bad" masqueraded CEO of ‘ Babel Group’( Kwan Dong Yeon), the show has an odd array of trope advisories .
However, finishing up assessing ' Vincenzo’ wouldn’t be completed without talking about the drama’s main villain Jang Jun Woo. This is because, Jun Woo is designed to be the " ultimate twist villain" and " big bad" early on in the series, but, he was often underplayed as a dead weight and minor threat until later events. This wouldn’t have been such a bad screenwriting decision, if the show had used some time to go into Jun Woo’s backstory ( apart from a couple of brief flashbacks) or sketched him out more than just a " villain you’re supposed to hate". Jun Woo is far from romanticised or glossed over and whilst later episodes enjoy going into a " Sherlock Holmes And Moriarty" rivalry between Vincenzo and Jun Woo, there was little sense of actual build or intrigue behind similarities (and even differences) between them. Of course, Jun Woo served his main purpose; a disturbing evildoer, but he could have certainly been so much more than a one-dimensional moustache twirling villain.
The ending did hold the drama in good-stead with a bittersweet cliffhanger which reflected the overall themes and genres of the show. Admittedly, there were a couple of things which could have been tied more concisely in the ending ( despite its long duration), but, it did bring an appropriate finale. With an odd balance between genres and screenwriting decisions, Vincenzo is attractive for viewers’ attention by its main premise and cast. Certainly enjoyable in parts and not unwatchable, but, a little overrated for what its worth.
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Reviewing A Classic In Retrospect; Kore-eda’s Philosophical Experiment…
Looking back in retrospect ‘ After Life’ ( 1999) is one of those movies which few Asian film enthusiasts know about unless they’ve been told or stumbled upon it before. Admittedly it’s understandable as to why ‘ After Life’ is often buried in the past- it’s heavy-going and arguably slightly dated within its filming techniques and appearances, but there’s also something oddly distinctive about director Kore-eda's approach to the movie.
The premise is simple enough: what happens after death. However contrary to a heavenly or a hellish after place which exists in so many other religions, Kore-eda a takes a visionary approach to the afterlife where the dead stay in a house for a week and are given the choice to hold onto one memory out of all others to preserve as they enter the afterlife. Over the film’s duration length capturing just one week in this mystical plane, 22 recently deceased mortals visit the lodge each with their own stories to tell and problems to face.
Kore-eda recalled that during the screenwriting process he was inspired by the crucial importance of memories during the onset of his grandfather’s Alzheimer’s, leading him to become curious about ideologies and views of individuals. This process led him to interview reportedly more than 500 individuals about their experiences and which are embellished throughout the film.
However whilst the storylines present interesting food for thought from a teenage girl who wants to relive her experiences at Disneyland ( before choosing something more personal after an epiphany), an old libertine who decided to choose a surprisingly sentimental memory and others choosing simple daily pleasures ( such as a bus ride) in different seasons, ‘ After Life’ often struggled to tackle these experiences in more sentimental depth. This is mainly because whilst there are many intriguing characters, there’s little time to actually give them screen time to be explored more thoroughly.
Throughout the duration of the move there are only three characters onscreen to be given dominant screen time; Ichiro Watanabe (Taketoshi Naito), a 70-year old businessman who died in the wake of an unsatisfactory life of menial work , and his afterlife guardians , Takashi Mochizuki (Arata) and Shiori Satonaka (Erika Oda). Whilst later revelations provide a climatic ( and then anti- climatic) revelation towards a shared link between Takashi and Watanabe, the build-up and resolution often lacked a more intriguing drive to viewers due to its slow pacing being intertwined with its shared other residents onscreen .
Of course this isn’t to bring down ‘ After Life’ entirely as in addition to its more philosophical and profound themes found in the storyline, Kore-eda is a masterful planner with the film’s cinematography also. Enlisting the talents of Yamazaki Yutaka ( who had previously won awards for his artistic filming in documentaries) through shooting on a 16 mm film as well as famous photographer Sukita Masayoshi in flashback sequences through a 8 mm, and 16 mm film in monochrome, ‘ After Life’ is visually memorable. Minimalistic filming techniques of snow, long empty halls and unoccupied rooms present a great contrast to the clever representation of the modern Japanese way station through limbo to the afterlife ; a reflection of the inescapable and fascinating mundane reality of the afterlife. Just as the rest of the film offers profound moments and should be counted by interpretation, the ending offers a reflective experience also.
So what is left to take from ‘ After Life’ ; is it a movie worth watching or is is overly dull and pretentious? ‘ After Life’ is a movie which even for the most erudite viewer is borderline mind-numbing at times with slow burn dialogue and cinematography dominating screen time. Of course this isn’t to say that the film is bad or unwatchable. Director Kore-eda’s imagination is reflected throughout the film’s palettes and concept, with poignancy reflected in each memory, as well as deeper questioning as revelations to come light. By far more intriguing food for thought than entertaining or exhilarating, ‘ After Life’ is not an easygoing movie and will likely not be to everyone’s personal tastes or likes. However those willing to delve into the film’s philosophical experiments and experience, will likely commend the film for being an intriguing piece of Japanese film history.
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Undeniably, Seo Kang Joon truly stole the show within his dual performance as callous hearted businessman Nam Shin, and of course our loveable and naive robot main lead Nam Shin III. Whilst most actors struggle to make subtle assertions for audiences when they are playing dual characters, it was intriguing to note from expressions and body language, the evident difference between human and robot Nam Shin. For audiences, it truly felt as though we were watching two different actors onscreen with Joon’s effortless transition from naive Nam Shin III in one scene with his bodyguard , friend and later love interest Kang So Bong (Gong Seung Yeon) to the sardonic and cynical Shin in the next moment.
Seo Kang Joon was naturally asset to his brilliant persona as both Shins in the series, however, it was also thanks to the fairly well-written characterisation of screenwriter Jo Jung Joo that allowed Joon to fully innovate his acting skills and array of emotions onscreen. As audiences, we are supposed to note the clear differences between both Shins as characters and our sentiments towards them. The human Nam Shin is put forwards to be cynical, selfish and aloof, whilst ironically the robot Nam Shin III maintains a benign sense of innocence and altruism throughout the series. Whilst it did feel a little enforced for us to stereotype human Nam Shin as “ the one we aren’t supposed to like” and Nam Shin III as the “ favourable hero”, it was surprisingly well-tackled how screenwriter Jung Joo subverted from this obvious “ black and white” framing by slowly explaining previous flashbacks and its foregrounding behind the personality split of our two characters.
Without spoiling too much for viewers, the human Nam Shin isn’t intrinsically someone who is intrinsically “ evil”, ( though certainly not a virtuous figure either ) but an individual trying to retract from years of emotional and psychological neglect by both his parents. From a young age, Nam Shin has been forced to grow up fast by being wary of others ( thus Lee Joon Hyuk’s character Ji Young Hoon being one of the few friends that Nam Shin has in the show) and having his innocence and naivety stripped away from him at such a young age.
In contrast Nam Shin III was built upon the memories of the “ innocent” Shin by his mother and scientist Oh Ro Ra ( Kim Sung Ryun). Shin III was brought up in a complicated, yet fairly familial environment by Ro Ra and her scientific partner David ( Choi Deok Moon) with a sense of emotional stability and respect kept between the trio. This is what makes Shin III an oddly likeable, and heartwarming character; he grows to develop his own individualistic core, free from machinery and wires unlike many of the “ humans” in the series based upon his emotional and human experiences. It is because of this that the human Nam Shin gradually grows to detest Nam Shin III; his machine counterpart that still reflects a life that he never had of innocence and being loved openly by his mother.
The relationship and obstacles which occurred between both Nam Shins was easily the tour de force of the series, however, a notable problem which did arise within the portrayal can probably be found in a later and hard-hitting plot twist for both characters. Although it does notably effect Nam Shin III more based upon his circumstances, it felt a little lacklustre in the grand scheme of the show to not consider Nam Shin’s own reaction towards this news in more emotional manner by allowing us viewers to get rid of the previous barricades or isolation around him and actually allows us to see him as an individual, rather than a plot mechanism.
On the other hand, it is important to not forget the brilliance of Gong Seung Yeon’s role as Shin’s bodyguard So Bong. Although arguably a little less in the limelight due to her simplistic role in manner of speaking as the “ love interest” of the series, Seung Yeon was able to capture something truly brilliant within her development of body language and general ambiance around Nam Shin III. As a character, So Bong is used as the archetype of the “ fearless female lead” and for a major proportion of the series, screenwriter Jung Joo plays upon this role for So Bong for all it’s worth.However, there was something oddly heartwarming behind So Bong as a character and her growth at times throughout the series. Initially starting as dishonest and an opportunist, So Bong’s relationship with Nam Shin III is intricately complicated, yet oddly allows us her to reveal her true self as a kind-hearted advocate of the robot. Additionally it was certainly refreshing that So Bong did not fall for the cliche trick in K-dramas of being in a love triangle with human Nam Shin, even notably accepting the fact that regardless of whether Nam Shin and Nam Shin III were identical, she’d always hold more faith in Nam Shin III due to his purer principles.
Naturally this does draw us onto whether the relationship between a robot and human was too problematic within its promiscuous undertones, or notably heart-rendering within this series. Whilst it does draw in some ethical questions which did feel a little glossed at times within the drama , the relationship between So Bong and Nam Shin was fundamentally the ideology of “ boundless love” for both characters, as well as surprisingly well-developed with the ridiculousness of the setup . It was refreshing for once that the two love interests were given time to actually develop a bond as friends before moving on with their relationship. Fundamentally, whilst the romance factor could have fallen into the trap of becoming an unnecessary quality in the series of interesting science-fiction elements and high budget CGI , it instead helped the strength the bonds and character development between the two main lead’s overall.
However, despite being enjoyable, the series was not flawless within its execution; minor plot inconsistencies became apparent in the storyline, and for those with analytical minds, it may appear additionally frustrating that the characters do not evidently address the elephants in the room of these evident mounting problems arising into their view and refusing to do anything for the sake of “ plot development” in the storyline . Nevertheless, the final ending of ‘ Are You Human Too?’ was surprisingly bittersweet for audiences, with an intriguing ending scene which was purposefully symbolic .
Therefore it is undeniable to probably take away that ‘ Are You Human Too?’ did have a brilliant premise, undeniably brilliant CGI which did not undermine the more serious moments of the series and fairly decent characterisation as well. In terms of acting, Seo Kang Joon was certainly fairly brilliant ( alongside his costar Seung Yeon), in his dual role as Nam Shin III/ Nam Shin with an ability to beguile audiences through both of his performances.Yet whilst it would be fun to claim that all the acting and characterisation in the show was top-notch, there were a couple of notably questioning moments and cliche story-writing, not least through Park Hwan Nee’s role as Shin’s fiancée Seo Ya Na and the moustache-twirling “threat” of the series, Seo Jong Gil ( Yoo Oh Sung) and plot inconsistencies to be wary of. On the other hand, there’s no denying that overall ‘ Are You Human Too?’ was a well-written romance and as science-fiction and fantasy drama, which is certainly worth watching as an escape from ordinary conventions.
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The Eternal Search for ‘ Happiness’…
Against its seemingly antithetical title screenwriter Hang Sang Woon and director Ahn Gil Ho’s‘ Happiness’ attempted to mirror similar issues from prejudice, isolation and loneliness which occurred particularly during the COVID-19 pandemic period. The unusual combination of genres highlighted a hellish fight to not only escape from the “infected “( the mysterious disease ravaging the population and leaving the infected in a zombie-like and feral state with few lucid moments ), but surprisingly a bittersweet love story between its main leads also .
The TVN drama presented an odd accumulation of fast-paced thrill and tension through its plot twists as well as tender and bittersweet scenes by taking a moment to slow-down the storyline and allow viewers’ to contemplate and soak in events. Yet like most intriguing fusion-genres in execution ‘ Happiness’ could sometimes not escape certain pitfalls of writing errors and character-drive along the way.
Of course ‘ Happiness’ offered viewers a fairly impressive lineup of acting abilities and most notably our main cast. Actress Han Hyo Joo brought forward Yoon Sae-Bom to life through adding an unlikely sweet charm to her onscreen persona ; a professional counter-terrorist operative whose pursuit of happiness by moving into a new apartment proves only to be a blunder during the events of the series. Sae-Bom’s reactions and interactions with others throughout the series could often feel prosaic during early episodes; initially driven for the “sake of plot “ rather than upon reflection of viewers getting to understand more about the female lead through subtle character growth . Nevertheless as the series progresses Sae-Bom provided to be a major asset to the plot and allowed some time to focus on developed sides of Sae-Bom’s personality from altruism to stubbornness in order to present some focus on the importance of humanity and depth within the female lead.
Costar Park Hyung Sik’s reprisal of an intriguing role was highlighted through his onscreen persona Jung Yi-hyun ; a suave and observant detective investigator who had shared-history with female lead Sae-Bom from their school days and provided to be one of the first key characters to come across findings of the mysterious disease during a case. Yet whilst Yi-Hyun was undeniably an intriguing character he could often suffer from the fate of many main characters through becoming an inherent “ plot device”; necessary to keep the storyline moving, but sometimes lacking in more subtle character development. Naturally Yi-Hyun did have golden opportunities to be explored in more depth during some key moments in the series but this could sometimes lack greater exploration.
As far as the chemistry between our main leads is concerned ‘ Happiness’ admittedly was a bumpy road- good onscreen chemistry between Hyung Sik and Hyo Joo could often fall victim to more staid cliches and setups which did not always weigh up against the more heavy-hitting moments of the series. Naturally later episodes took a little more time out to focus on some subtle relationship development between the main leads but often this was interwoven with more serious scenes and storyline moments also.
the supporting characters of the drama also have an intriguing part in events of the drama from Han Tae Seok ( Jo Woo Jin); a discharged military informant agent to the residents of the apartment ( some of which are admittedly less well-defined than others.)
Ahn Gil Ho plays upon subtle palette changes and lighting tones throughout the mis-en-scénes of the drama - key scenes crafting an important ambience throughout the series through this setup and pragmatic choice of OST, whilst some quintessential moments admittedly lacked the same ingenuity when required.
‘ Happiness’ offered viewers an intriguing concept with a dash of profundity and romance in between its zombie-style thriller setup- it isn’t inherently terrifying , but director Ahn Gil Ho and writer Hang Sang Woon are able to add a touch of suspense and sweetness in an intriguing and pacy storyline. The writing could sometimes wane through the pressure placed initially upon odd tropes, cliches and setups( especially for our main leads) during early episodes.( Alongside the heavily dominant setting of the apartment growing slightly bland.)However later scenes spent time focusing upon the storyline in more depth; brilliantly brought to life by our main cast’s dynamic performances by our main leads and the interwoven cinematography of the director. The ending was admittedly filled with a few loose ends but did deliver a sense of completion for the series. Overall whilst ‘ Happiness’ wasn’t without its more evident writing faults the drama offered an intriguing storyline with contemplation with a good cast and intrigue for viewers, as well as allowing room for philosophical thought towards the true definition of happiness in life.
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In between raving hype surrounding the main cast and the plot, screenwriter Son Eun Hye’s ‘Dali And The Cocky Prince’ has erupted quite a stir amongst avid drama watchers praising the series as ‘’dynamic’’ and ‘’fresh’’. However, this boils down one ultimate question; “Is ‘Dali And The Cocky Prince’ actually worth watching, or is it a classic case of an over-hyped production?”
The series applies the basic romantic comedy formula of ‘’ opposites attract’’; Moo Hak( Kim Min Jae) is a confident and nouveau riche social-climber, whilst Kim Da Li (Park Gyu Young) was born into “ old money” and is a naturally talented art exhibitor and critic . During a trip to an art exhibition in the Netherlands Da Li and Moo Hak end up encountering one another for the first time . Soon afterwards Da Li finds herself struggling to keep her art gallery afloat and consequently through several setups become indebted to Moo Hak. However (typical of romantic cliches) Moo Hak and Da Li begin to fall in love…
One of the greatest strengths of ‘ Dali And The Cocky Prince’ comes through Kim Min Jae and Park Gyu Young’s onscreen chemistry. In between some of the more questionable line deliverances at times Min Jae and Gyu Young’s pairing was dynamic and fun, but ( playing to the drama’s strengths and downfall as a consequence of testing viewers’ attention spans) slow-burn.
Actress Park Gyu Young’s performance and stylist helped to convey a sweet and charismatic charm surrounding the female lead. Da Li is refreshingly not your typical ‘’spoilt princess’’ female lead archetype. She is kind-hearted, an afficionado of Modigliani and has a natural artistic flare which has long been nurtured by her parents ( her namesake evidently being famous Spanish surrealist painter Salvador Dali), but as a child of a prestigious family, she often finds herself lost in cloud cuckoo land when dilemmas regarding the museum are raised. Whilst aspects of Kim Da Li’s past and background help to explore her character in more depth and do help to present her goals, personality and motives, Da Li undeniably did often feel shoehorned into the role of the ‘’ victim’’. (Especially in later episodes as more revelations come to light.)
Of course, the ‘’victim’’ trope isn’t always necessarily a bad thing in a series. It can help to explore characters in more depth and it did present some more raw moments for otherwise seemingly impeccable characters. For example Da Li is not truly made aware of her attempts to bury her head in the sand until Mu Hak acts as her personal anchor to ground her back to reality. However, whilst praise must be given to presenting Da Li as someone who gradually faces reality with grace and charisma, it seemed odd that the series didn’t present more opportunities for the female lead to take her first steps through more independence and personal growth rather than being enforced into the role for the “ sake of plot tension”.
Of course this naturally brings us onto our second topic of debate; male lead Jin Moo Hak. Expected of his namesake from the title Moo Hak has become accustomed to a wealthy of hedonism and money since his tiny family run-restaurant turned into an international food conglomerate through successful business ventures. Kim Min Jae walks onscreen with an air resonating Jay Gatsby; gaudy suits, satisfaction over materialistic purchases and truly buying into his own ideology that money can truly buy love and happiness.
Moo Hak is arguably the perfect foil and counterpart to Dali; arrogant, haughty and overly confident (which both provides to his advantage and lands him in hot water throughout the drama) but not without his more “ redeeming” character traits either. For example Moo Hak is undeniably a hardworking and charismatic entrepreneur, as well as gradually more empathic as he comes to see ( from Dali) the importance of genuine and authentic relationships that money cannot buy. On the other hand Moo Hak ( similar to the female lead) is very much enforced throughout the series as a plot device; existing to create a splash of tension and jealousy to keep their potential romance “ interesting”, but often dismissing more intriguing elements of Moo Hak’s journey and success along the way.
‘ Dali And The Cocky Prince’ really did not shy away from reimbursing all the overused tropes and cliches you’ve seen before from the “ foreigners” to the the infamous “ drunken escapades of your main character”, “ mistaken identity” and even the “ shower scene” find their ways multiple times throughout the drama.
However one dreaded creme de la creme of cliches which appeared in the storyline occurred through the issue of the “ love triangle” setup between Moo Hak, Da Li and her “first love” second main lead Tae Jin ( Kwan Yool). In the expected setup that you can imagine, Tae Jin and Da Li ended their relationship on an “awkward note”. (Pining and unrequited love ensues for Tae Jin as the “ impartial female lead” is milked by screenwriter Eun Hye throughout the subplot.) Then to add the cherry on top of “ tension for the sake of tension” there’s also the unrequited feelings ( which are often played for comical foil than actual heartache) of Ahn Chak Hee ( Yeonwoo) who often “bickers” with Moo Hak over her feelings for him and leading to numerous comical misunderstandings.
Thankfully Eun Hye only added these “ tropes ” as a side storyline with an major plot shift to a “ thriller mystery” subplot soon taking frontal stage as the focal point of the drama. In between these scenes there’s a notable shift on other characters unexplored in this latter half.
For example there’s supporting character Won Tak ( Hwang Hee) who is a hardworking police officer with a sibling like relationship with Dali, and Moo Tak’s quirky secretary Yeo Mi Ri ( Hwang Bo Ra). Whilst admittedly both characters were often the root of “ plot motivation” or “ comical foil”, they admittedly did add a sweeter note to the darker subject areas of the drama.
Then of course there’s the last topic surrounding director Lee Jung Sub’s take on the cinematography. Whilst honestly it did feel as though Jung Sub had some more evident missed opportunities with playing with the artistic creativity of the plot, there were admittedly some brilliant scenes and aesthetics carried through adding a warm palette to the romantic-comedy. The ending was admittedly trope-induced; not bad per say, but lacking more fluid coherency towards the characters’ own choices and decisions in the final act.
So what’s left to say about ‘ Dali And The Cocky Prince’ ? Is it worth watching or is it an “overhyped” drama? The biggest thing to say about the rom-com is that the drama accommodates from lighthearted to more serious to suddenly lighthearted again, and isn’t afraid to interplay the cinematography more subtly with this.Our main leads had good chemistry and it was surprisingly sweet to see the “ polar opposite” trope executed once more. On the other ‘ Dali And The Cocky Prince’ isn’t an inherently original or brand new concept with tropes and cliches often weighing down more intriguing story elements, characters and even the ending (to a certain extent). The drama isn’t entirely “ original ” as a consequence of this screenwriting decision and whilst the comedy may vary for viewers, the drama is certainly a decent and sweet enough rom-com.
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‘Tomorrow’; Death Meets Satire In Rowoon’s Latest Fantasy Series…
Mortality is never an easy subject to tackle in dramas. Based upon the eponymous webcomic (‘ 내일’) by Llama, fantasy series ‘Tomorrow’ decided to bring forth the topic of death in a powerful smorgasbord of social issues and topics. Instead of reimbursing the old cliché of grim reapers being harbingers of doom and death, ‘Tomorrow’ rebrands its morbid psychopomps as fashionably suave members of the Crisis Management Team, attempting to save certain unfortunate souls from suicide.
The series focuses upon an alumnus from a prestigious university, Choi Jun-Woong (SF9’s Rowoon-‘Extraordinary You’, ‘She Would Never Know’ and ‘ The King’s Affection’). Struggling to land himself on the job market, Jun-Woong’s life is changed forever when he ends up encountering angels of death Goo-Ryeon (Kim Hee-sun-‘My Fair Lady’, ‘Angry Mom’ and ‘ Alice’) and Lim Rung-Gu (Yoon Ji-on-‘Dear My Room’, ‘Be Melodramatic’ and ‘Jirisan’ ).
Waking up outside of his corporal body after an accident, Jun-Woong discovers that he has been physically rendered in a comatose state. He is given the choice by Director, Jade Hwang (Kim Hae-sook- ‘Precious Family’, ‘My Father Is Strange’ and ‘Inspector Koo’): he can choose to be trapped in his unresponsive body for three years, or he can work with them in a ‘’half- dead’’ state, reducing his comatose state to six months and then landing any job he wants after he wakes up.
Woong is assigned to the Crisis Management Team alongside Goo-Ryeon and(, by default of being her protégé,) Rung-Gu. As the unlikely trio attempt to work together as a team, Jun-woong soon discovers that his new position is far from being a walk in the park.
Adapted to the small screen by novice screenwriters Park Ran, Park Ja Kyung and Kim Yu Jin, ‘Tomorrow’ places heavy emphasis upon prominent social messages and themes.( Including sensitive issues such as suicide, the trauma of war, inequality, bullying, the generational trauma of South-Korean comfort women, depression, peer pressure and eating disorders.)
Without a doubt, ‘Tomorrow’ is a varied accumulation of satire, provocative angst and mirthful wit. Although the series was often tactful within its approach to various subject areas and themes (in particular helping to offer light-hearted respite in-between heavy-hearted points of the narrative), the screenplay could admittedly feel somewhat out of place at times with its attempts to balance between hard-hitting messages and comic relief.
Of course this is not necessarily to say that the comedy shouldn’t have existed at times. Certain issues tackled in ‘Tomorrow’ were certainly supposed to be heavy-hitting and the requirement for an interim of slapstick comedy or comical exchanges was certainly necessary. (In particular, this was shown at times by Park Ran, Park Ja-Kyung and Kim Yu Jin being able to strike a surprisingly harmonious balance for most of the series through the kaleidoscopic array of themes and contrasting tones for their audience.)
However despite certain commendation certainly having to be given to the trio of screenwriters for their consistently provocative themes and tones, ‘Tomorrow’ could sometimes feel as though it disengaged between its plot and themes. To explain this further it is important to reiterate that comic relief was often quintessential within the screenplay in order to offer respite from darker themes and subject areas.
On the other hand, it did become noticeable at times that the series would often fall victim to divulging deeply into comic exchanges. This would often divert attention away from building-up the narrative events and characters, or alternatively struggling with the opposite problem by failing to allow a necessary brake or moment of light-hearted respite for audiences to grapple with events or characters. ( This seemed to flare at times later in the show in episodes such as ‘’Someday, Because Of You’’. Although the episode tackled a heartfelt subject area and was surprisingly bittersweet , it often felt as though the prominent meanings behind the messages in the episodes weren’t as reinforced as they could’ve been.)
Of course, this is not to make out that the entirety of the writing for ‘Tomorrow’ was inadequate or unwatchable in any way. Although perhaps certain issues ( in particular mental health and eating disorders) were perhaps
not fully explored by the screenplay or given speedy outcomes , ‘ Tomorrow’ often placed a certain level of open finesse with addressing issues and helping the audience and the characters coming to terms with them.( In one of the later episodes of the series entitled ‘’Spring’’, the audience were supposed to be particularly hit home with an onslaught of emotions with the controversial and historical subject area of Comfort Women, focusing on a dark chapter in South-Korean history.)
Naturally this brings up the discussion surrounding character-writing within the adapted screenplay for ‘Tomorrow’, as well as the performances by the main cast. Perhaps one of the most notable roles in the drama is given to main male lead Choi Jun-Woong, played by idol-actor Rowoon.
Rowoon has often been the subject of intrigue and debate with his previous career trajectory as the ‘’ leading man’’. Nevertheless, Rowoon offered a fairly consistent onscreen performance as the main male lead and it is fair to say that for many viewers, this could easily be seen as one of Rowoon’s best performances yet. As the main character of the narrative and storyline, Jun-Woong embodies what many would probably classify as the ‘’everyman’’ trope.Of course, this wasn’t a bad approach per say. It is sometimes common in fiction to see a main character become a medium for the audience, especially with a character being uprooted from their mundane, everyday life and being placed in an unfamiliar world or setup.
For main lead Jun-Woong, this was evident through being caught between two worlds: the afterlife and then the everyday mortal world. ( This was also shown arguably through Woong being conflicted in initial problems with common problems of interview and job struggles and then again with attempting to navigate his new role as a member of the Crisis Management Team .)
However, this also brings up an intriguing debate with regards to Jun-Woong’s character-arc. It shouldn’t come as a surprise that Jun-Woong is purposefully supposed to be flawed at times. Naturally this did not always enforce Woong to be placed as ’ heroic’’ figure at all times within the series.
He had his evident flaws and ‘ Tomorrow’ placed heavy emphasis upon some of Woong’s values feeding into an evident critique of social conformity by South-Korean society vs developing subjective morality and beliefs. ( In particular the screenplay would sometimes bring this idea up in early episodes with Woong’s shared social views on issues such as bullying, before contrasting this in later episodes with the main lead developing his own values and standpoints.)
Although it certainly allowed Woong to act as an embodiment of social views, it is noticeable that this often forced Woong into playing “ certain roles” in order to propel the storyline. Again, this isn’t always a bad writing decision but it did often feel as though there were some poorly tied loose ends such as Woong’s own personal struggles with his situation, his backstory and personal goals were often disregarded until the ending of the series.
In addition to the casting choice of Rowoon, it is hard to ignore Kim Hee Sun’s performance as grim reaper Goo-Ryeon. Hee Sun’s acting career has been eclectic and while respectfully her acting performances have varied, the actress’ pink dye job certainly helped Kim Hee Sun to embrace her suavely mysterious onscreen persona as the female lead. Alongside fellow costar Yoon Ji-On who played her laidback mentee Rung-Gu, audiences will likely find themselves tearing up and laughing at the antics of the two characters’ interactions and appearances onscreen.
As an onscreen character, Goo-Ryeon is arguably one of the most enigmatic and intriguing characters in the series. She is often fairly detached from overtly emotional displays like Woong but she is impassioned by her cause to help others. Initially viewers are supposed to remain uncertain of Ryeon’s onscreen presence. In particular, her unconventional acts of tough love towards the main lead and those she is seemingly supposed to save will bring about topics of intriguing debate for viewers.
However as the series soon reveals, Ryeon’s root cause for her actions are sourced from genuine sincerity for her position as a member of the Crisis Management Team, especially as a result of her complicated backstory. Naturally as a consequence of this writing point, ‘ Tomorrow’ placed heavy emphasis upon her mysterious backstory in the latter half of the series, similarly echoed to a lesser extent with side character Rung-Gu also.
Despite both characters having their fair share of traumatic and difficult backstories, it often felt as though Ryeon’s character arc felt a little rushed in particular. . Of course while audiences certainly did see a few hints of foreshadowing at times earlier on in the series ( in particular with Ji-On’s trauma), it certainly felt as though some of these backstory revelations and plot twists could’ve been developed or built up. There was a lot for viewers to digest with regards to Ryeon’s past and her important connections to other characters but due to an anticlimactic buildup, the momentum of these events rarely felt as though that they had reached their entirety even by the finale.
Aside from the main characters, it is also important to mention about some of the reoccurring characters of ‘Tomorrow’ also. Model-actor Lee Soo-hyuk ( ‘ Vampire Idol’, ‘The Scholar Who Walks The Night’ and ‘ Doom At Your Service’) starred as Park Joong-Gil, the straight-laced head of the Humanitarian Management Team who shares a complicated past with Ji-On, as well as Kim Hae-Sook playing the role of the Jade Hwang, the head director of the afterlife and the bureau of grim reapers. The supporting characters certainly had their necessary roles to play in the events of the narrative. In particular during the later events of the series, viewers are given several surprising backstory revelations but admittedly these side characters felt as though they deserved more screen time or interactions with the main cast in order to build up their character arcs slightly more.
Then of course there is the discussion surrounding the execution of the series. Perhaps it is important that ‘Tomorrow’ decided to offer viewers with a fairly systematic approach; introducing viewers to main lead Woong’s predicament and his unlikely alliance with the main leads, the new dilemma or issued faced in the episode, the reactions and causes of debate for the characters and viewers, the dilemma reaching its climax and then helping to resolve or bring a conclusion to the events of the episode.
This approach by the trio of screenwriters certainly allowed the screenplay to tackle a wide array of issues and problems. However, it certainly did not come without its problems either. A lot of the storyline’s early plot objectives were rarely sketched out aside from the “ mission of the team”, leading seemingly important events or obstacles for the main leads being disregarded at times and then being given half-baked conclusions by the ending of the series. As a consequence, the ending of ‘ Tomorrow’ will likely leave viewers with mixed-feelings; bittersweet and certainly offering a denouement to the events of the storyline but rarely tying off all loose ends or bringing a complete feeling of satisfaction for viewers also.
Stylistically under the leadership of directors Kim Tae Yoon (‘Another Family’, ‘New Trial’) and Sung Chi Wook ( ‘Special Labor Inspector Jo’,‘ Kairos’), ‘Tomorrow’ was often caught up in an impressive onslaught of aesthetic shots and glossy gradients, with mood lighting and tones helping to add emotional turbulence and significance for characters and viewers in certain scenes. Perhaps one slight nag with the cinematography came through a lack of consistency. Rather than attempting to stick to a particular consistent form of filming or shots and tying these scenes and moments with the worldbuilding and lore of ‘Tomorrow’, the extravaganza of surrealist scenes and panned shots heavily influenced by big-budget movies felt somewhat disengaging from the screenwriting and world building at times. Nevertheless it is fair to say that ‘ Tomorrow’ did boast an impressively stunning array of imagery and scenes.
The OST for ‘Tomorrow’ was comprised mainly of a collection of modern pop tracks, varying somewhat dependent on personal tastes. Perhaps there may be certain songs such as the surprisingly upbeat rap song ‘’Red Light’’ by J.don and the morosely lovelorn ballad ‘’My Loneliness Calls You’’ (‘’나의 외로움이 널 부를 때’’) by Suran which will appeal across the board for viewers.
The sixteen-episode webcomic adaptation will offer viewers with a surprisingly heart-wrenching mixture of social commentaries, traumatic character backstories and comic relief. At times, ‘Tomorrow’ often struggled slightly with maintaining a harmonious balance between its writing and messaging. ( This often lead to parts of the storyline feeling rushed or lacking a sense of completion such as the ending or certain character arcs.) However for those looking to indulge in a fantasy series beyond the surface level with some prominently current social and critical commentaries with a touch of traditional Korean folklore and mythological beliefs in the modern world , then ‘Tomorrow’ will certainly offer viewers with a good watch.
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