softmilkmoe
Strong Woman Do Bong Soon
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I honestly have no idea how I was able to continue watching until the end. *contains a lot of small details that may be spoilers. Read at your own risk.*
There are so many little details to criticize and talk about in this series that would probably take me hours to write, so I'll just pick out the most important parts and summarize it. But with the mixed reviews of high and low ratings, I understand that it depends entirely up to each person's preference and personal taste. Here's my personal take.
THE ROMANCE:
I can enjoy some cliche and endure a little bit of cringe so I was able to stomach those moments and just gobble it up as it is. I found Bong Soon and Min Hyuk's relationship at the end pretty cute despite being over the top sugar cringe for many. I personally think their relationship gradually blossomed and it was a natural (and quite predictable) course of events. I think that was the sole focus of the whole story and therefore has the most proper development. BUT, before I got to enjoy that taste, I had to endure the horrifyingly out of place and annoying love triangle. I'm a HUGE sucker for well-done love triangles, don't get me wrong, but I couldn't even bat an eye on this one even if I wanted to. The love triangle scenes got my eyes rolling I just wanted to get it over with. Gook Doo's dense character felt unnatural and was a bit hard to sympathize with. It just didn't feel right. The other characters' romance were barely given any screen time, and rightfully so cause it wasn't even... anything special. In fact it was so shallow. Some guy holds someone else's girlfriend's hand and just like that she's in love. Girl you thirsty??
THE COMEDY:
The slapstick comedy is a hit or miss and is solely reliant on each person's sense of humor. I would admit that I laughed out loud on some particular scenes, mostly on the circumstances and their facial expressions (like Min Hyuk's secretary's high-key scared expressions, or the gang in the hospital's interactions). I know my boyfriend is a huge fan of exaggerated comedy like this, and when we watched a few of the hospital scenes together (Kim Won-Hae is one of our favorite actors) he was dying on his chair. After awhile of being repetitive though, it gets tiring and unnecessarily placed in awkward transitions, so I personally skipped them because it served no actual meaning or purpose to the plot anymore. Most of the side characters are there for comic relief, and tbh some of it is actually unbearable. I think they tried to make Bong Soon's parents' relationship one of those comical gags, but the portrayal was plain domestic violence and made me feel more concerned instead of relieved. Some of the characters were also static and exaggeratedly stereotypical that their sole purpose of existence was just that, to be pointless comical background characters with no personality aside from that one trait or stereotype they were given. Other than that, they are not memorable and the plot would've still moved the same without them. It's quite sad.
THE SUSPENSE:
The first time they laid out the mystery, it seemed exciting. The president needs a bodyguard, meanwhile the neighborhood is having a dreadful serial kidnapping case. Who could this person be? Is it connected?
I was hoping there would be some grand plot twist in the end. But all we get is an underwhelmingly forgettable mystery plots. The president's mystery case had very little impact and was painfully predictable (Oh, did you say he trusts one of his brothers? You don't say...). The other mystery was also not very memorable and was there for... basically nothing?? The motives behind the culprit was just... questionable. It'll leave you asking... that's it? that's all there is to it? It was beyond underwhelming. Imagine you were having a good night sleep and dreaming of something really nice and some random drunk dude decided to wake you up. That's how aggravatingly useless the point was.
THE CHARACTERS:
Honestly, this whole series revolved only around the relationship of the two main characters Bong Soon and Min Hyuk (just their relationship, barely the character development). The rest of the characters are given one trait that you could summarize in one sentence and that was that. Gook Doo is a dense and upfront policeman who only realized he likes his childhood friend too late. The mother is an abusive b*tch whose actions are never justified and her whole character is intolerable. The father loves his daughter very much and is constantly abused for.. being a good father and hardworking husband?? The brother is a nice doctor. Gook Doo's ex being lowkey thirsty. The gay employee being... gay? Yah.
THE GAMING COMPANY:
Okay so I'm fully aware this is the most useless subplot they have that people shouldn't even pay attention to and blindly follow through, but as an artist who knows a thing or two about game development, I felt really confused and triggered about this whole subplot of Bong Soon wanting to work for a game company. She wanted to develop a game with herself as the main character. First of all, as far as I know, you can't get hired for just your ideas. You need to be able to DO something. What exactly can she do? All I see was her trying to decide on weapons of her character model by clicking the screen... I have so many questions... Is that on photoshop? What exactly are you clicking? Who drew your model? Are you the artist? Then why is she drawing with a goddamn MOUSE??? What exactly is the planning and development team? Planning sounds like project management, development sounds like programming.. but those two are usually different teams as well..? I'm a little confused.
The most accurate portrayal was Min Hyuk drawing her character on a tablet. Yes, that's how you do digital art. Wait, the president can draw--?? Is that what he contributes to the com- WHAT?
Holdup it's not even the biggest bullshit I've seen: After she pitches her game, few weeks later it's ALREADY OUT? Do these people know planning takes months and coding can take years??? How is it out alre- HOW??????
Anyway, I know these are very minor details but I would have at least appreciated if the writers did a little research on the basics of making a game or at least consult someone who works at one.
OVERALL
Overall, I think the bad outweighs the good points in this drama. There were too many things that the writers wanted to do and so they packed almost all the genres in this drama and it just became a complete chaotic mess. The main plot was underwhelming, the subplots were pointless, the characters forgettable and underdeveloped, the comedy and romance were tolerable at best. The transitions were jarring and sometimes confusing. Every theme was fighting each other to overpower the other but they all ended up mediocre and exhausted.
Halfway through I asked myself why I was still watching this, and I really thought about the answer. There was nothing that kept me going. Nothing that made me want to continue. I was simply bored.
I've given my two cents and have stated my concerns/opinions so you can figure things out on your own.
The verdict of this is drama being worth a try is entirely up to your taste.
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A Rant.
It's a really enjoyable show overall, but there are some visible flaws that bothered me a lot and that's what I want to focus on in this review. I do recommend trying this movie out if you're not as picky as I am in terms of small details like natural character development and such.THE COMEDY
The actors were amazing; they played their role flawlessly and nailed all the funny scenes. My biggest problem was the lack of support on those particular scenes with background music. So many times they lay out hilarious dialogues and facial expressions, but leave us with complete, awkward silence. Nothing to accompany the funny thing that just happened. We all know what kind of humor will ensue in this subgenre of body swap- obviously the ridiculous, unbelievable scenarios and awkward misunderstandings that can cause second-hand embarrassment to us viewers. They really missed out on amplifying the comedy by not adding ANY comedic music at all. The uncomfortable confrontations that were supposed to be funny became uncomfortable for me as well. It made me laugh but felt bad for it afterwards. It just left a lil bitter aftertaste in my mouth. I thought maybe they were trying out a different vibe with the lack of comedic musical cues, perhaps a more realistic and subtle approach to comedy like The Office. But... it's not the same. They had background music for the sad scenes, for the intense scenes, for the normal happening scenes, so why not be consistent and add it on the funny scenes too? It was subconsciously jarring and unpleasant.
THE CHARACTER DEVELOPMENT
One of the biggest flaws I found in this show is the lack of portrayal in our main character's development. It posed an important lesson about greed and regrets, but failed to show us the reality of the people living these lives. The main character stumbled upon his first love and for some reason, he just... loves her again? At first we'd assume that they fell apart due to some unforseen circumstances in the past, perhaps some kind of star-crossed lover subgenre. But then they tell us "Nah man the guy broke up with her cuz he wanna marry a rich bich" that left us with our mouths wide open. Say what? You're telling me, the guy feels sorry for abandoning his ex girlfriend because...? Because what? He literally forgot she existed until he saw her again?? He obviously never looked for her or even cared if she was alive! How did he change into a good man??? How could he just give up everything he's ever done, all of his hard work in the company... just to live with his middle class ex girlfriend and biological daughter whom he never cared about in the first place. I'm just so confused. You can't convince me "oh he's changed cause he realizes he has a daughter" like, a GREEDY gangster like him who left his loved one and DISRESPECTED HER IN HER FACE, GETTING ENGAGED WHILE THEY WERE STILL TOGETHER, does not just change into an earnest, caring man in an instant! Stop capping! Man just thinking about it makes me mald.
Also, a lil chubby high school boy trained for like 2 weeks in the gym and all of a sudden he's a sexy, six pack black belt martial arts master who can smack two big-body bouncers and ten "skilled?" gangsters, on separate occasions. I know this is not supposed to be realistic, but that really caught me off guard and it was such a turn off, development-wise. They really do be pulling a shounen anime teenage soft boy training arc into the mix, huh.
Anyway this review became a little too aggressive and informal, sorry about that. I liked this movie, but I had to subtract some points because these factors really broke my immersion with the show, and it could've been better if only they gave it a little more thought rather than slapping a generic comedy trope that ends with a cheesy happy ending and waiting for the money to rain down. Not gonna lie I did enjoy the ending like a good spoonful of sugar, but I don't have a sweet tooth.
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My inner hopeless romantic has awakened.
Nothing is perfect. This series has a lot of little flaws and plot holes here and there, but without a doubt still deserves the popularity and praise it has received up till now.(warning: includes some specific scenes/details that may be spoiler to some)
I haven't watched very many kdramas so I'm not well versed in its world and cliches, but I have a very refined taste when it comes to what I consume. This series left such a wonderful aftertaste in my mouth that I can't find myself being satisfied with anything else for a long awhile. I started watching this randomly as it was on my bookmarks from a recommendation on some forum, but I never knew it would drastically awaken something deeply buried inside me: the young, hopeless romantic child in me.
CHARACTERS
In terms of character writing, I must say that the male lead has awaken the inner romantic child inside of me. It was my first time watching this actor and I couldn't help myself from staring at his beautiful, godly face. Holyshit he is HOT. I've never had a crush on an actor like this before, mind you. His face was perfect for his role, not to mention the character writing was obviously pandering to young romantics given the cliche nature of this "innocent but strong lone wolf falls in love for the first time" stereotype. But they handled that character really well in my opinion. It wasn't completely unrealistic and there were no extra gimmicks. He's just a very (highly) skilled antisocial man. The female lead character was also well-written to fit the male lead. She wasn't a damsel in distress that needed someone to save her, she was ambitious, enthusiastic, and fierce. I loved her upbeat, relatable personality with the dancing and singing and smiles. There are certain moments where she seems dumb with her choices but it wasn't anything irritating. To be honest I really loved the main characters writing. They seemed carefully crafted in fine detail with lots of thought put into. They were lovable to the point that you just want to meet them too. All the other characters weren't as memorable, but they weren't flat cardboard cutouts either. They did a fine job with the acting that you wouldn't really notice anything bad. You will be sucked into their world in no time.
ROMANCE
I was never interested in romance on kdrama until I watched this show. In fact, I skipped almost all the cheesy and borderline cringy scenes with main characters except for this one. The romance in this series was well-written, with natural depth and gradual development. I found myself getting interested and attached to their relationship, rooting for their happy ending. There were no unnecessary rivals, love triangles, misunderstandings. The love was pure and honest, they tell each other how they feel without beating around the bush or sappily dragging an incident all day long. Their chemistry would suck you in dry but will leave you wanting for more. For me, the way the developed feelings for each other was my favorite (the first few episodes when they met and interacted). Especially the scene where they were being hunted by a group of gangsters and she wanted to protect her junior. That was a very special scene to me out of everything this series had to offer (well, that scene AND the "spend the night under these white bedsheets" scene. Fuck, those two are just... chef's kiss.)
MYSTERY
I think this has the lowest points for me. The first few episodes were intriguing, but got confusing. There were hints scattered all around but I don't think all of them were picked back up again to be explained in the end. One example I could think of was Ji An's backstory. In the beginning it was apparent that she was traumatized after being abused and hit (which she ended up having broken ribs for), but it was never fully addressed in the end how it happened despite the trauma being a part of her while the story progressed (she gets seizures after seeing violence, and a little bit of flashback often appear). Who hit her? who abused her? because of the way the story was laid out, everyone would assume it was someone she knew, but I guess the writers wanted to leave it up to our own imagination. There are a few more instances like this, but overall it shouldn't be too much of an issue and you can just turn a blind eye on some of it.
ENDING
Not quite satisfying because they didn't show much of the characters lives afterwards (eg. what happened to the characters after being caught? The big brother? Ahjumma? Everyone else?) It felt a little rushed, but at least we were still given a lovely romantic scene at the end where the only thing the writers can assure us canonically is that they are now together and happy. That itself will be good enough.
MUSIC
I needed to address this so badly. The first episode hit me with that main soundtrack and I instantly fell in love. It was the first thing that made me want to keep watching because hot damn I can't get enough of that sound. I don't know what it is but I am in love with it. I was a little concerned about the way they overused it though. They used that main track for almost any scene - be it a funny, romantic, or suspenseful scene - often more than three times in one episode. I tend to enjoy my story through the music, because that's how I can reminisce and go back to particular moments in time with the characters. So now I don't know which scene I could associate that soundtrack to. I also need to specially mention their main romantic OST Eternal Love that plays usually at the end, during a romantic scene. The first time I heard it I thought of a band from my childhood that I used to listen to, and holyshit when I looked it up it WAS from them! Michael Learns To Rock! You have no idea how happy that made me feel, learning that one of my most precious favorite bands as a child was used in this precious, precious series. It made me love this even more. Those two were the most memorable ones to me, (maybe the cute little acoustic happy beat as well) but every other OST did its job very well.
OVERALL
I really enjoyed this story for the romance, which was the opposite of what I usually enjoy when watching series with concepts/mystery-driven plots. I've seen low-rated reviews and read them, and I think they have great valid points looking at this series in an objective manner (and perhaps it was simply not their preference). But for the most part, for everyone else who enjoyed this story, we were able to get past those little flaws and the series took us by the emotional level. Because of this series I wanted to draw Webtoon again. I wanted to write stories again. I even wanted to dedicate my own story heavily inspired by Healer as a character himself. His writing (the personality, looks) is just too... beautiful for me. It was all my fantasies in a full package tied neatly with a red ribbon and I never thought I'd find it. I never thought I'd the find the most fitting story for my taste in a korean drama.
Even as a writer myself, all the flaws and plot holes I noticed, I ignored happily. I can excuse whatever tiny bad details it has and give this series a shining, shimmering perfect score because of the way it made me feel.
I binged this show in two days, but I know it will stay in my heart for years to come.
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Welcome2Life was an unexpected random journey full of sweet treats that will leave you a smile in your face and a menacing toothache. May contain minor spoilers, since I want to talk about the greatest points of this series in terms of story and character writing.STORY
I'm a huge fan of stories with a supernatural twist. The concept of him experiencing a parallel universe was well-written with intent and spice. In terms of the script, I must say, it's very very cheesy. There's a lot of lines that makes me cringe, but you can easily brush it off because the actors did a wonderful job with setting the tone and atmosphere to make it fit the scenes. You can truly feel their emotions in their voice and expressions, and that's what makes it bearable.
One of my favorite moments is the turning point when Jae Sang woke up from his coma. I felt that shit real hard. It went from like having a really amazing dream that you never want to wake up from to it becoming nightmare, but in the end the sun rises and you do open your eyes whether you want to or not. I felt his pain so deeply after going back to the real world. Seeing how things are completely different makes you long for something far and precious that has disappeared and can never come back. It made me feel... hopeless. The writers did such an amazing job at making us feel the protagonist's feelings especially his pain and suffering. Every flashback of his alternate life makes me cry without fail (thanks to his amazing acting and the background music). It's so heartbreaking and well made, I can't count the number of times I bawled my eyes out and that's a good thing.
The only things that bothered me a bit was some scenes felt a little dragging, questionable, and unnecessary. But they're not that big of a deal so you can definitely ignore the little plot holes here and there. The actual plot itself isn't all that fabulous or unique, but the execution and plot devices used were effective and immersive. A wonderful ride.
CHARACTERS
I would say that one of the strengths of this series is the character development. Well, for the main protagonist mostly. Everyone else around him didn't really change much, but he was the center of it all, and the lessons to be learned that we can as he does is the focus anyway so it works out. He has the "bad guy becomes good guy" trope, but in a well-written way, not taking any shortcuts and actually taking time. I love how they added a realistic touch to his thought processes and actions, most notably when he realized he might stay there for good. Yes, just because he's suddenly transported into an alternate universe with a shabby but happy, fulfilling life doesn't mean he will immediately realize that it's a good thing. Seeing him falter over his past self, not being able to let his rich life go, became one of the strongest points of his character because in that way, we get to see how he progresses. It emphasized his growth as a human being as we watch him think, struggle, adjust, and finally appreciate what's in front of him. It was a fulfilling moment both for the character and for us watching over him and rooting for his development.
I like Shi On a lot, but sometimes I feel like she's just a really big plot device since she never had enough character development. Sure, her perspective on Jae Sang slowly changed and their relationship (kind of?) improved, but it doesn't feel as impactful or meaningful. She's mostly portrayed as the "love interest that changed the protagonist." Her only redeeming qualities is that she's pretty and can kick some ass, but I think that's nice too. It's good that they made her someone who can depend on herself and defend herself. (Went a little weird after watching her kick about 10+ grown man asses all at the same time, but we take those..)
The other characters are also just kinda there to support the protagonists since of course we need to have a team as an investigation unit. But they deliver fun moments that are enjoyable anyway, so it's not much of a waste. In fact, I think they made the series more fun, especially the trio. They were random and entertaining and their relationship is heartwarming. I love the hacker too, I think he was a great addition as a character.
As for the antagonists... well, they're... bad I guess? They don't really have enough personality other than being mean, rude, and having an evil laugh. Oh, and a mental illness. At times it feels comical, but hey, it's for the plot.
I think the only thing that bothered me a bit was the love triangle. It felt a little forced in a sense that there isn't much need for it. I think they did him dirty like that, with the team leader being labeled as "just the second male lead (for all you second male lead syndrome fans out there) who obviously doesn't get the girl but enjoy him because he's hot." At first I thought it was cute and subtle, but when he came all out on Shi On, it just felt uncomfortable and unnecessary. His love didn't serve any purpose to the story but instead to pander to a formula, because we all know that people dig love triangles. You can literally take him out of the equation and nothing will change at all. NOTHING. He does nothing but take damage for our heroine (which obviously any of her team can do) and drag his missy unrequited ass around idk. He didn't even do enough to strengthen the main couple's relationship (just a short moment of jealousy, that's it.) It was disappointing and a let down, but whatever.
Everyone did a great job.
MUSIC
There's a background OST that plays on very crucial moments whenever flashbacks appear and it breaks me every time I hear it. God I fvcking love those flashbacks. That BGM really fits the scene's atmosphere and the character's emotions. But that's it. None of the songs really stood out to me personally, so I don't think anything else will be memorable enough other those times when we crave for that lost dream.
OVERALL
I watched the trailer of this kdrama which piqued my interest and I'm so glad that I decided to give it a try. I binged it within a week and I'm so satisfied with everything despite the small flaws. It will give you a great emotional roller coaster ride with a few bumps and twists that you might not want, but overall you will enjoy the breeze and have fun anyway.
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DISCLAIMER: I recommend you watch this series without any knowledge or expectation about it. Having high expectations can ruin the experience.I binged this series in 3 days, and that says a lot. I usually don't watch continuous episodes unless they intrigue me to my core, so this series was definitely one of those. The main take away here is that this show has more emotional value to its storytelling than focusing on the basics and the logic. I'll discuss what I mean through this review.
PLOT
I came into this series without any expectations. All I know is that it was highly rated in this site, and the plot is intriguing, so I decided to give it a try. And I don't regret it. First episode became fourth, next thing I knew I finished it in three days. Since I went without any expectations nor knowledge on what it's all about, I was able to enjoy the series to its extent. They did a great job at putting cliffhangers that will make you want to watch the next episode. I found myself getting hooked and excited to click "next episode" because I really want to find out what happens next. The mystery and suspense were decent and well executed, but there will be plot holes and minor details that will bother you along the way.
While the cinematography and production was fantastic and almost perfect with its color grading, smooth transitions, and clear narration, they kind of messed up in terms of the characters aging. Most of them (usually the bg characters, suspects, and victims) did not look any different 15 years ago! (especially you, yeah I'm talking to you, Mr. Convenience store guy. What's your secret to such young perfect skin??) It felt disorienting and unorganized. It completely ruined the flow. Also, major spoiler ahead, when one of the main characters died, they literally brought her back to life. That was one of the worst things they could use a plot device! It negates every and all emotional warrant the scene deserves. I know it's a time travelling concept and the main character still needs shit to do for the main story, but they could've not killed this person and nothing big would really change! The action of reviving a character will make lives lose all value and substance, telling the viewers that there are no actual consequences to these people in the present. (which btw is completely contradictory of what they were trying to convey in the first place! That changing the past can be dangerous!) And you don't have to cry for them cause don't worry, they'll come back. This was the most bothersome and frustrating thing in the whole series for me. I hated it so much.
Lastly, The walkie talkie aspect was underutilized as a handful of reviewers said, I agree, but I didn't mind at all. I think the story and focus still worked despite it not being exhausted to its full potential. It was satisfactory enough.
CHARACTERS
The character writing was questionable at best. My biggest concern about the characters is the way this world was written. It is very clear cut in telling you who the protagonists are. They are the GOOD GUYS, and holy shit are they the only ones. Everyone else is lazy, useless, incompetent, greedy, passive, and submissive. You will see there are three main categories: The protagonists are the only honest and just ones, the antagonists are cartoonish-ly evil and obnoxious, and then there's the rest, the background characters, the stale and one dimensional support casts, the static cardboard cut-outs of the police force. Yes, you can say some of them are "gray" characters like the captain, but I believe none of their traits were written properly. You can kind of tell they were having dilemmas, but you won't learn to sympathize with any of them because they feel too forced and seemed like they were caricatures shaped to fit the puzzle.
The only saving grace in terms of characters was the acting. The characters themselves lacked depth, but the actors/actresses did a fabulous job at making their viewers empathize nonetheless because of their performance. I never thought that could happen but they literally did carried this whole series in their backs. Kudos to the skillful cast.
MUSIC
I think the music choices were good and it fits the scenes they're supposed to be in, but personally none of them stuck to me. I wasn't too hyped on any of it and it wouldn't be memorable in the long run. Nothing much to say about it except it worked.
OVERALL
The series I watched/binged before this was Welcome2Life, which I couldn't stop comparing it to. W2L had a draggy and (personally uninteresting) political side plot that the main plot had to follow through, but everything else was marvelous and sensational. Despite both series having the two parallel world concept, W2L will teach you that reality is harsh, and that your actions have consequences, and you will really feel the depth of its characters to your core.
What Signal has to offer was the mystery and suspense of the plot, but used the most basic and superficial character writing to make it work. I learned to enjoy every bit because I was excited to know what happens next. But maybe deep inside, I just wanted it all to be over with.
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Maybe it's because I'm new to the whole kdrama scene so you might even say I don't know any better, but I believe that stories are made for someone, and I'm so happy to have been able to find the story that was for me.Looking through the reviews, I was very surprised that there weren't a lot of pleased viewers. This drama had an interesting and "unique" concept that was actually well-written. Yes.
What makes this story so good is the writing. As a writer myself, here's my personal take on it:
I was in love with the way the plot was executed. The cinematography, the shots, the moments made, the script, and overall production. I'd say it's the best thing this series had to offer. It has the premise that will keep you at the edge of your seat wanting for more, at least that's how I felt and very rarely does a show do that to me. I found myself binging at night after not being able to help myself from finding out what's gonna happen. It has the right amount of suspense partnered with a few memorable OSTs. One of the my favorite experiences is being able to listen to a song or soundtrack that would remind me of particular scenes that I loved the most, and once again the show gratefully fulfilled that expectation for me.
PLOT TWISTS
The biggest thing that made me fall in love with this series (aside from the intriguing concept and superb execution) were the plot twists. The first episode was immediate and straight to the point; they laid out the first bang with charm and grace. The whole first episode was satisfying and entrancing. And they kept that suspense throughout the story until the end, with bigger, heart wrenching secrets. God, I fucking love plot twists that are done at the right time, right moment, and right people. I wasn't expecting any of it, and that's the shit I enjoy so much.
PLOT DEVICES (incoming spoiler)
There's something I noticed that the writers used quite skillfully with the execution. It was the use of parallels to show crucial moments of the past and present. The very big one that struck me was the funeral scene. We were shown that they met in the funeral as kids. Near the end they're shown on the same situation (At first I thought that someone's death was unnecessary, but they proved me wrong when they showed this scene), switching the scenes between the past and the present as it was happening, and showing a whole complete loop (in here, history repeated itself, masterfully). This scene was so beautiful that I just... I applause the writers for this fucking goddamn amazing writing, I can't praise this series enough. It deserves so much more oh my god.
THE FLAWS
Of course it isn't a plot without flaws. There are a few questions and motives that remained unanswered until the end, but to me I wasn't super bothered not knowing about it. It was the kind of plot holes that shouldn't really ruin your experience with the characters nor the story. One of the biggest one I could think of is: How did the female lead started dreaming in the first place? There was never an explanation, but even if we knew, what difference will it make to us? what else will that bring to the main story? Nothing. The explanation of how everyone else started dreaming was good enough, because that's where the main course started. It's kind of the same as a buffet. You only get what you want with the amount of how much you can eat; you don't need to put everything in the plate just because they serve it cause otherwise you'll just end up wasting food. There's also no good answer to the question, it will either ruin the whole concept or just drag the series longer. There are many others but they're so little and insignificant that I can't even remember them anymore. I'm just glad that things turned out the way it did. I wouldn't want it any other way.
CHARACTERS & RELATIONSHIPS
To be honest I didn't care much for the romance as much as I did with the mystery. I was satisfied with the suspense and the plot itself unfolding, so the relationships were just extra cherries on top. I actually skipped those unnecessarily long slow-mo of just staring at each other for a solid minute and every other sugar cringe moments they had. I wasn't there for the romance after all. But I do appreciate how well-written most of the characters are, from the main leads to the supporting cast. They don't shove any of those dramatic love triangles and instead had a wholesome second male lead syndrome going for us viewers. He didn't purposefully create any misunderstandings or quarrels/arguments and instead faced his unrequited love with maturity and a bittersweet smile. The antagonist was quite provoking and well-thought of, especially his actions and motives and character (the intense hand washing scene showed his internal conflicts so well that I almost feel bad for him). He was a sad guy who turned into a bad guy because he couldn't help himself at all. You will be angry at him and want him to pay for his actions, but for some crazy reason you will understand his actions and why he is a bad guy. He's not just evil for the sake of the plot needing a villain; he's evil because of his greed, mindset, and twisted personality. That is great writing.
CONCLUSION
I was actually watching Start-up before I looked into this series. It wasn't done at the time and wanted to busy myself with something else so I looked up the same directors/screenwriters and discovered this beauty. After I finished watching this show, I had tears in my eyes and a tiny hole in my heart. It left a beautiful void that I still try to fill up even now. After a few days I recommended it to my boyfriend and we watched it together. I'm usually careful with how I spend my time, I could've been watching a new series but instead I devoted another 16 hours to re-watch this show after finishing it. That was something new to me as I've never re-watched anything in my life (not a show nor anime), but it was then that I realized the re watch value was strong on this one. Even when I was re-watching, I was still getting the same emotional attachment as I did in the beginning with the plot and the characters. I still cried, again. I still laughed, again. I still felt broken, again.
I'm convinced that I didn't find this story. This story found me.
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