rape is not romance.

Rape and the self-righteous man. Born in the obsessed 'holier-than-thou' male lead's mind, everyone's sins, and misfortunes lead back to the female lead. Unfortunately for the female lead the male lead's punishments of choice; mental abuse, verbal attack, physical and sexual assault. While the female lead's only saving grace is Stockholm syndrome, a plucky personality, and vivid daydreams. It takes a very screwed-up village (in story & discussion) to rush to judgement over 'a synopsis' that declares; a virgin man-eater, and her rapist; a handsome up-right and a religious (in story) pillar of the community, and not, the violent criminal that he really is. Rape is not romance, and it doesn't belong in the romance genre. Avoid.

(source; read; My Custom List "Rated One")

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soft porn and boring horror

Note: Horror was only added to legitimize the pron* scenes. The writer, did neither well.

After Dark will embarrass you whether watching alone, or in a group. It neither titillates, nor scares. It's embarrassing and not for the sexual content. Personal, cringe-worthy moments are built into most episodes; where, you feel for the actor, or a scene that just hurts to much to watch. With a story that is confusing, repetitive, and cliche-driven starting in episode one. You eventually wish it would just be over, and the actors could move on to better scripts.

Horror and supernatural fans avoid like the plague - A really bad plague film would be better than this. The rest of you not so familiar with the genres, this series is soft porn and boring horror. There are better films and series out there. Avoid.

* internet alternative spelling intentional.

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A lesson in how to create apathy in viewers.

Disclaimer: The synopsis is triggering. What it triggered was public anger toward the mother initially, and blanket disgust not personally directed straight at the rapist. I found that to be an odd distinction; and, I won't confirm, or deny the copy as written.

As one of the most maligned and vilified of 2022 releases. It deserves that, but not for the reasons stated. You can watch the first 4 episodes and skip to episode 28; you will have missed nothing in your journey. Even without that 24 episode filler, you won't miss out on any salacious and criminal behavior. Because, there is plenty to go around. But, will get to skip through, to the only warm moments in the entire drama. Don't take these to heart; they will only confuse.

The series is boring, and the episodes repetitive. Scenes redone and content repeated so many times, empathy for any character is lost. Editing the number of episodes down by half and it would still be too long. This drama is a lesson in how to create apathy in your watchers, and turn a blind-eye to the criminality of rape in dramas. Avoid.

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rape is not romance.

Rape and the final plot twist, or how to destroy a heroine (female lead) in 15 episodes, and not less. The female lead is a doctor with a moral compass, strong will, and a good heart. Stop there, a doctor. That profession usually denotes intelligence, empathy, being employed, and paying her own bills. Enter, the aging playboy male lead, and his toxically entitled family, along with a neighbor of the doctor. Where, karma and sins roll off, all of them, like the golden children they think they are. Stop again; sarcasm ahead. That doctor persona (according to ML family) just bleeds; gold digger, man eater, and promiscuity. I blame both the writer, and the director. Toss in a final hour rape and holding the female lead hostage - You now have one of the weakest and pathetic male leads I've ever encountered. There was no reason to rape the female lead. It did not belong there. Rape is not romance, and does not belong in the romance genre. Avoid.

(source; read; My Custom List "Rated One")

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rape is not romance.

Rape, as torture, to instill fear and punish the male lead's captive, the female lead. A revenge, born in the insanity of a grief-filled mind - The male lead blames the female lead, for a car accident that killed his at-fault wife. The male lead approaches the female lead and her sister, indebting them to him. He then pretends to court the female lead, until she believes he has feelings for her. But, after intimacy, the male lead bursts into that reality, by revealing it's all been for revenge. Now, the male lead is in control. Putting her in personal danger; with physical harm; under mental and sexual attack. All done in the name of white-cold-rage; calculated to bring the male lead's victim, the female lead closer and in his torturous control. The 'rape to romance' story-line was a stupid choice from the start. This, was a straight up revenge plot that should have had some criminal consequences. Rape is not romance, and doesn't belong in the romance genre. Avoid.

(source; read; My Custom List "Rated One")

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rape is not romance.

Repeatedly raped by the male lead, the female lead is abused and undeservingly deprived of dignity by most characters in this drama. That is not an understatement, and even when her pre-abused life, crashes in, the taint in the story remains. Some friends have no loyalty; family acquaintances, bizarre motives; the entitled, never held criminally responsible for any of their actions. It is a hard watch, and to think the male lead, is a hero from her childhood. No. That story line never goes anywhere, except for misdirection as the male lead tries to get information via email, from his victim's (FL) mom.

This could have been a better drama, but for the physical and sexual assaults by the male lead. If that 'rape culture" scenario was removed, the underlying story of an obsessed man, insane step-mom, and the suicide of a stepbrother and son, it could be a good melodrama. But, rape is not romance, and does not belong in the romance genre. Avoid.

(source; read; My Custom List "Rated One")

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rape is not romance.

I assumed the 2019 version was going to by-pass the outdated 'rape tag' (now with spoiler add-on) - Never assume. Unneeded on a honeymoon, or in a story-line. There was no reason for production to include it. The male lead does admit he raped the female lead, with what is essentially a nod.* Just getting that word through network censors was probably an unusual occurrence. But, as much as I want to give production that credit, the sad truth is. In all three versions, the director made the male lead a rapist. The writer continued into 2019; portraying the women as shrews, mistresses, and without dignity. The female employees in all versions, are a good example of how this drama perpetuates the myth that poor loyalties can be bought. Women's jealousies of other women will always rule their actions. While, the male lead character in this, will always avoid a sexual assault charge. What, an original. What, a remake. What, an adaptation. For the third, and I hope, final time for this unedited "rape to romance" script. Rape is not romance, and doesn't belong in the romance genre. Avoid.

*note: When responding to the second female lead and her conspirators screaming accusations of purposeful seduction for pregnancy:
FL: "That Khun P'wee raped me."
SFL & toadies: "minutes of white noise."
ML:"I'm sorry, Nong Phen (SLF)."
[ep 29, 15:54]
(source; read; My Custom List "Rated One")

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rape is not romance.

Rape by a significant other is just as criminal as a stranger, and in this case an extra helping of trauma was heaped on in the form of domestic abuse. But, in the end and seven years later, friends and family handed the victim (female lead) and her innocent young son over to her unrepentant male lead abuser, during a parental kidnapping. While the male lead and his toadies escape their karma. The abusive male lead with a 7 year time skip disappearance. The violent second female lead-mistress with a plane ticket complete with tearful airport goodbye scene with the other second male lead. And vicious mother-in-law, who died less-than heroically after trying to murder her grandson by proxy (abusing his pregnant mom). And I thought, it was 2020. Rape is not romance, and doesn't belong in the romance genre. Avoid.

(source; read; My Custom List "Rated One")

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rape is not romance.

Rape in a romcom and fandom. Male lead's motivation not an excuse. The female lead's reaction is not open to interpretation. The more watchers debate, the more I want to point out sexual assault by the male lead is not punishment, or love, but criminal. To think a character (FL) has it coming to right a wrong, is an odd way to defend a drama. Both the writer and director should have adapted; rape is not romance, and does not belong in the romance genre. Avoid.

FL: "Saying sorry will it make it any better? If someone were to rape you and say sorry. Will you forgive them?"
(22:31 episode 25)
(source; read; My Custom List "Rated One" https://mydramalist.com/list/389deQR4)

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rape is not romance.

Original sin and the parent story. Where the 1990's-fashion is outdated, and rape is not. Since then, adapted twice (2019, 2006) with only the costumes and sets updated. Though, I'm pretty sure directors knew this when they made the male lead a rapist in all 3 versions; 'Rape to romance' is an outdated story-line and violent mindset. But still, in 2019, 2006, and in this original from 1990; modern screen-writers and 3 production teams failed viewers perpetuating 'rape culture' on screen. Unneeded in a story line then, and still not needed - Rape is not romance, and does not belong in the romance genre. Avoid.

(source; read; My Custom List "Rated One")

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rape is not romance.

Seduction, jealousy and lies take our female lead from overseas homecoming and traumatic cheating fiance, into the clutches of conniving sister and insane brother act 'toxic team entitled'. Where bystander silence masks inhumanity, male lead anger justifies sexual assault, and female lead family-stupidity unconscionable results. Abused mentally and physically by the male lead, both lead's families, friends, and employees - The female lead spends most of this drama being everyone's scapegoat, punching bag and misjudged victim. The male lead's words below, clinched this review. Rape is not romance, and does not belong in the romance genre. Avoid.

ML: "Or do you want to rape me too? Just like how I did to you is fine." The male lead says smiling, trying to get the female lead to take him back.
[ep15 51:03]
(source; read; My Custom List "Rated One")

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the stupidist ML in any drama

This is the oldest version, and it didn't age well. This will cause frustration, and irritation in the watcher. You are warned.

The story-line is repetitive, generic at times, and drags in the next instant. Just when you think a reconciliation might happen for the main characters. The male lead makes promises which are promptly forgotten in the wake of the 'same misunderstanding' in the next episode. It gets to the point where I had to ask; Isn't this the same problem and didn't he just promise to fix it in the last episode? Till eventually I wondered; Why do I expect anything different from this drama. As dramas go, the male lead is one of the most obtuse and ineffectual leading men I've ever cringed over. Do I recommend this? Avoid the heartache. Just say no.

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advised trigger; teacher and student relationship

"Lesson in Love" could have delved a lot deeper into the backstory. The first six episodes set viewers up for a completely different tale, one that should have gone much darker than it did. One where a compromise of tag-principals, might have been warranted. The student and teacher relationship was still what it was, even without the manipulation of timed events. The implication was the same. Instead of playing with that tag, as later flashback reveals. If the writer had clarified those in advance, it would have made both leads' choices acceptable in the end. The writer did cover certain aspects of past facts; playing on similarities and comparisons to tie up loose ends. But, that liaison was an adult college student and a married professor, and not an underage teen. "Lesson in Love" falls short of what it needed to be to convince me the topic deserved to be covered. I would say an average watch that didn't deliver on its promises in the end.

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It isn't the cast change; it is the script.

I don't recommend season two - Go out on the finale from season one. By the time you get done with this, the questions you had at the end of season one will be unanswered, and that other dramatic finale will be the only thing you remember from this series. Because from this moment on, this story changes, and becomes an unrecognizable repetitive loop not vested in the original adventure except in title only. It isn't the cast change; it is production without continuity.

Season one's characters are regulated to little screen time, if they show up at all. Even, the effects, and choreographed action season-one was loved for, are absent from the screen. The main couple disappear into a cart for 75% of the episodes. I personally think the director just wanted to showcase the character Ye Hong Yu in this season - Pretty visuals, with no invested substance; filler. While, Sang Sang and Ning Que, the female and male leads, became secondary characters by omission.

Where, in the previous season the leads were the highlight of an intricate couple's tale (Sang Sang and Ning Que) of fantasy, revenge, and mystery. I blame production, that took the lively couple, and split them into a triangle, that was as devoid of color as they could paint it. With repetitive scenes, and dialog that sucked life out of a dynamic tale-of-adventure we came to know in season one. It was a waste of time, a waste of talent in 42 more episodes of what should have been amazing. I can't recommend it, not even for closure.

(Watched as aired.)

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