Best K-POP variety show
Going Seventeen has been my source of happiness since 2017. From just the behind-the-scenes videos to a legend variety show. Nothing can beat this show. Thank you for an amazing year. It has been a really fun and wonderful year with you, GOING SEVENTEEN! If any of you reading this, you guys probably hesitate whether it is a good idea to start it but for me personally, if you ever find yourself into SEVENTEEN or just want something entertaining to watch, GOING SEVENTEEN, is the way to go. I really highly recommend this. Fyi, you don't have to be a SEVENTEEN's fan to watch the series. Seventeen have two separate fandom which is Cubic a.k.a just regular viewers of Going Seventeen, so don't feel burdened you can get to know them slowly one by one as you watch it. So have fun binge-watching these. I hope you can discover new happiness while watching it.Was this review helpful to you?
So Far, Most Re-watchable JDrama BL I've Seen
I've spent at least 6 hours of my life re-watching this drama! From Michieda Shunsuke's (Aoki) amazing facial expressions, to Fukomoto Riko's (Hashimoto) charming personality (definitely a scene stealer, it's so nice to see a strong female character like her), to Meguru Ren's (Ida) handsome face, this show finds itself ranking at the top of my list for 2021 BL's. Not to mention Suzuki Jin's (Akkun) acting - seeing him go from his more 'serious' role in Given earlier this year to something more lighthearted is a little head spinning; he has amazing range!As for the plot, there are some twists and turns in the first few episodes that had me cracking up and itching for the next episode to hurry up!
All in all, so far it's been an amazing experience to watch this show!
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STORY
Marriage contract is your average, predictable and cliché kdrama. We get our over-used closed and shut-down, borderline rude and arrogant rich, chaebol male lead; the younger, naïve, kind-hearted and poor girl and we see their love story develop through a very foreseeable melo plot-story. However, even if you feel you can predict everything from the first episode, MC manages to pull you in with its incredible and unique feel of raw-ness.
The characters are ordinary, and yet they are so original. The male lead is overly rough and mean on the outside, but with such a marshmallow core that makes him completely loveable from the first moment; the female lead is your average girl in need, but she is a fighter and you will root for her and her wonderful personality to be happy. Characterization and character development are commendable and one of the main reasons i would recommend this.
The drama is packed with small, simple moments of everyday life that superficially are skippable, but they ultimately make the drama what it really is. Small moments, like hugging a friend, trimming your hair, talking to your kid, playing with pets; moments that are insignificant in dramas, but mean so much for a person in real life, because they express happiness and sadness; life’s core traits. THIS is what this show is, and this is where it is unique, this is where it is extraordinary and this is where it exceeds expectations and becomes an amazing show.
Basically, what exactly is Marriage Contract? MC Is a story about how family can completely destroy you as a person, destroy your life, destroy your dreams, destroy your hopes, destroy everything you love. It depicts perfectly the bittersweet/love-hate feelings someone can have towards their family, and how these problems can be confronted. Opening up to a special someone is the key to being happy. Letting go, forgiving yourself and others, and ultimately loving and sharing your life with someone else; and when you've found that someone, live in the moment, don't spend your time restlessly thinking about the future. Be happy, in the moment!
The background of the drama is the very dysfunctional family of the male lead who desperately tries to find an organ donor for his sick and troubled mother. This is where the female lead comes into the picture, hence the marriage contract. See? Super simple, super predictable almost enough for someone to skip/drop this. And yet…. the drama is exquisite, in many ways it reminded me of It’s Ok, That’s Love.
Lastly, I would like to talk to you about the chemistry here, because it is probably the best thing this drama has to offer. I think i can safely say that real chemistry between the leads is rare in kdramas. Some people can ship any pretty faced actors together, I can’t. I need sparks; I need them to prove to me that they are worth my tears, my time and my frustration! Lee Seo Jin and Uee not only had sizzling and magnificent chemistry, not only they looked phenomenal together, not only each of their moments was heart-wrenching and mind-blowing, but they re-invented the term 'on screen chemistry' for me since they managed to actually seem like a family.
What’s more, the most astonishing thing of them all, the kid actress Shin Rin Ah managed to develop such an amazing chemistry not only with Uee (mother-daughter relationship), but with Lee Seo Jin as well (father-daughter relationship). The three of them looked so unrealistically wonderful together they will destroy and revive your feelings over and over again. One of the best overall on-set chemistries I’ve ever seen.
This drama is arguably a masterpiece, not because of an innovative plot or anything like it, but because of its raw simplicity and flawless chemistry.
ACTING
I’ll be frank. I’m tired of people hating Uee’s acting. I am not completely familiar with her previous projects, I’ve watched bits and pieces of them, but she certainly gave the performance of her life here, and I pity people who couldn’t see that! She is an actress who is improving, and she should be praised for this. She puts effort in her acting, she cares! She was impeccable, exquisite and luscious in every way here, there wasn’t a single moment where I didn’t feel what she was feeling, amazing facial expressions, great body expressions, very emotional crying, really mature deliverance by Uee overall. People, who disagree, apparently need someone to hate, please hate yourselves and leave Uee alone!
As far as Lee Seo Jin is concerned, for one, he was so hot, manly and handsome I was taken by surprise. Secondly he managed pull off brilliantly, a pretty complicated character, who could have been easily hated. He delivered a great and sensuous performance; he made his character understandable from the very beginning - he apparently took the time to actually understand his character before taking the role. What I’d like to especially mention is his terrific deliverance on the emotion of happiness. His character was largely depressed, the worst kind of depression; the kind, that is not visible and seem ok on the surface. Happiness is a funny thing, everyone can imitate and say they are happy but which of us actually are? Lee Seo Jin send shivers down my spine, specific moments made, not only his character feel more raw and real, but also it enhanced the whole point of the show and helped the drama have more impact.
Lastly, I feel the need to congratulate the kid actress Shin Rih Na, she is deadly talented, best kid actor I’ve seen thus far. Her role here, wasn’t just to be cute, her role was essential for the drama to make sense and she was exquisite in it. She has a bright future in this industry. These 3 should act together in the future again!
RECOMMEND/REWATCH
This is a melo-romance. People who like melodramas, you’ll like it, it is not overly sentimental (although it does get increasingly depressing), people who like rom-coms, this might be too much for you, but since I know you love a good romance, this is recommended. This kind of chemistry should not be missed or ignored! I will definitely rewatch this at some point!
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Face off.
While looking for her long lost sister, Shi Qi is overpowered by the scheming Prime Minister's daughter Shen Qin. When she wakes up, she discovers that a magician used dark magic to swap her face with that of Shen Qin. She finds herself married to General Xiao Hansheng in Shen Qin's place. Shen Qin assumes Shi Qi's identity and returns to the side of her lover the ambitious and ruthless Prince Ning. Shi Qi is unable to expose Shen Qin to either man as her sister is held hostage by Shen Qin. The plot tightly weaves together lurid affairs, murder and intrigue, treason and breathtaking, titillating romance. The suspenseful tension climaxes in a satisfying face off between the two women with a gobsmacking twist. Best to steer well clear of spoilers for this one.While the chemistry between the lead couple sizzles with passionate intensity, there is a quiet authenticity in how their relationship blossoms. The powerful hook of this romance is the simple convincingly articulated idea that Shi Qi has a unique identity that transcends her physical appearance and her true soulmate can sense her soul, the core of who she is. This is at sharp contrast with Prince Ning who lacks insight and does not have the same connection with his lover. That said, the second couple's dark chemistry is also alluring enough to make me root for them. While the story is quite dark, the dialogue is infused with wit and humour. The rapport and banter between the general and his much aggrieved military advisor hilariously and effectively captures the evolution of the general's feelings.
There is little to find fault with in the crisp, intriguing plot and the heartfelt performances by the young cast. Indeed these gorgeous young actors can give lessons to their more established peers on how kiss scenes should really be done and how not to sleepwalk through a drama. Is it a masterpiece? Nope but it is addictive enough for me to rate it an 8.0.
Bottom line - this is a total find of a delectably sexy and suspenseful romantic short-length drama that you must start watching now. Just do it. And thank @Noel for this stupendously good recommendation.
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The words corporate politics put me off for a while, but then I finally picked this drama because of Gung Min. I wasn't familiar with any of the other cast. Now I can't believe I was about to pass this gem off!
Here are few of the reasons why I loved Chief Kim-
-Sometimes, it doesn't require an unique plotline to make a successful drama, but what matters is it's execution. A group of people fighting against the corruption in their organisation might not seem like anything new, but Chief Kim is executed brilliantly. Not to mention, hilariously.
-I feel like, with the given plot, there could have been a lot of crazy misunderstandings, what with him being a bad person at the beginning. But the writer chose to deal with that fact in a straightforward manner, instead of going round and round in circles. I'm really thankful for that because it made it way more enjoyable.
-I really enjoyed the pacing of this show. In a typical kdrama, things go well in the start, and then around the last 5-6 episodes, everything goes wrong horribly which doesn't get resolved until the last episode. But I felt that wasn't the case with this drama. The pacing was a bit more consistent. Good and bad happened throughout the drama, not at any specific timings/ episode.
- I legit loved every interactions between every characters in the drama. Whether it may be Chief Kim & Seo Yul, Seo Yul & Ha Gyeong, Chief Kim & Myeong Su, Chief Kim & Ga Eun and any many others, each one was immensely enjoyable.
-I'm a big fan of bromances. Well, who isn't, right? The main lead, Chief Kim, is surrounded by a lot of guys. There are number of bromances going on simultaneously. My personal favorite being TQ's Psycho & Gluttonous Sociopath. They are just sooo cute!
-The chemistry between the characters is really good. Not just with the leading characters, but also between the supporting characters.
-There might not be any romance, but you can still ship two particular characters (I'm not saying who), I know I did.
-The comedy is SPOT-ON. This drama might not keep you on the edge of your seat, but it sure will have you falling off off it- with laughter!
-Last but not the least; watch out for the some drama scenes parodies. I loved them, and I'm sure you'll too. I'm not going to say which dramas, 'cause that'll spoil the fun, but they were pretty popular ones.
I'd like to end the review by saying that I'm not a drama re-watcher, but I'd gladly re-watch any episode of Chief Kim any-day! So please, give this a chance!
Happy Watching!
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The characters feel like real people that actually have impacts on everyone around them. This is awesome because many times writers of dramas tend to forget characters that aren't in the main couple/triangle. I love that this drama shows actions and reactions of so many people, all while being able to keep the viewers absolutely in love with the main characters. No one felt overshadowed or forgotten, and you can feel how everyone involved really cared about telling this story.
The cast is filled with some of my favorite actors of all time, so of course the acting is superb. The mark of a great actor is that you completely forget that they aren't their characters while onscreen, and the entire cast pulls this off perfectly.
As for the OST...probably the best I've ever heard. This is the first time I've purchased music from an OST, and I bought not one, but two songs from this drama. One particular song is used to drive the plot further emotionally, and in the two biggest scenes it's used, it works perfectly to really capture the viewers' entire being into that scene. Those scenes hurt so much, yet I found myself watching them over and over because of how heartbreaking they were and beautifully they were put together.
I already want to watch it again, and I've just finished! This has definitely become one of my favorite shows (not just kdramas!) of all time.
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This drama has set the bar too high
How can a drama be so perfect?SHOWSTOPPING, JAW-DROPPING and just SPECTACULAR.
And this is coming from a highly critical kdrama watcher. I have honestly dropped so many dramas just because they got boring, and the ending felt too predictable. But with this drama, it was different. This drama has set the bar so high that it has become the golden standard for me. EVERYTHING from the humour to the romance and the little plot twists keeps you engaged throughout. There will never be a moment where you get bored. Even in the midst of a scene that you would think to be serious, you will almost always end up laughing. And speaking of laughter, your belly will probably ache at the end of each episode lol.
Apart from the plot, the actor and actress have outdone themselves. They will 100% climb up your kdrama actor/actress list.
The music is on point especially this one song that will get stuck in your head lol.
If you're a picky drama watcher I highly highly highly recommend this.
Have fun watching this :)
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There are some dramas that makes you remember them forever and Reply 1988 is definitely one of them. It's simply remarkable. If I could give a 100, I'd gladly do that with the full heart. Because it freaking deserves it.
I've been always been bound to 70's and 80's, because it's a time of my parents, their youth, happy days, their life and exciting stories and I've always listened them with a whole heart and a glowing eyes when they talked about their days. So, as this drama brings nostalgic feeling that's probably why I even LOVE it more. The lives of five teenagers, their parents and siblings are shown to the perfection that I wished I was with them there, sharing happiness and sadness together. That's how much influence this drama had and still has on me.
Out of all Reply series this is the BEST one for me. I loved how this drama showed problems our families face every day, where everything is not only black and white, yet grey, where we need to make a decision between what is right and what we want. The caring and loving of a family is the biggest gift we have, because no one will love you as your family do, especially your mom. Oh yes, since I'm on a mom theme, this drama the nearest shows how our mothers sacrifices everything for us, our happiness. That notion stroke me right into my heart, because my mom is the big victim for me and my brother. And that's probably why I got into this drama characters and stories. Another facinating thing is that great friendship we have only once in our lifetime. No matter how tough and hard it gets, besides your family, your friends are always there to give you support and to consule you. That was the case in this drama too. All five characters showed a true and pure picture of friendship. Five characters with different personalities, interests and thinking are together since childhood and became inseparable since then. Together they were stronger, together they were braver and together they loved more. I'm getting goosebumps just writing these words.
Characters are everything to this drama. Every single of them is written with a much thought that you really wanted to know all of their stories. I liked Deok Seon. She is funny, caring, loved by everyone and she's the only girl in their group. So, I wanted to be her with all those gorgeous and funny men. Ryu Joon Yeol, that man is a pure hotness. His character, Jung Hwan, stole my attention, I have to admit. His character is perfect, a man every girl wants. On the outside you think he doesn't care about anything, but in fact he's very caring and loveable. He doesn't know to express himself and as he said himself, he always misses timing and that's why he was always late for some stuffs. However, his heart is pure, honest, his smile very alluring and that's why he won me over. I experienced Choi Taek (Park Bo Gum) as someone who needs protection, clumsy, but very intelligent man, but through the whole drama I felt him like their dongsaeng, they cared and prepared everything to him, like a baby. He is the cutest one. Then, it comes Sun Woo, the man which I love dearly. He's such a cool character. Sun Woo is smart, the only man in his family he protects his mother and little sister, but also a man who needs love and attention. As the drama goes, his story becomes very interesting, so I can say that he's my favorite right after Jung Hwan. And last but not least is Dong Ryong. Oh man, I laughed so hard whenever he's on screen. His awesome sense for humor, charm, care is just to be wished for. A man every person needs for a friend. The ace of a group. ;)
However, what gives charm to this drama is parents and supporting characters. The family which I adored the most is definitely Jung Hwan's and his mom so much reminded my of my mom and I guess that's why I felt his family more than others. Ra Mi Ran is mom to be proud of, just like Jung Hwan and his brother are, a wife to love and respect forever and a friend on who can always lean on. Gosh, I love that woman from the bottom of my heart. Along with her, Bo Ra is my second favorite character. She resembles so much of me in every single way. Do I need to say more? :P Every character is written in its own way, with faults and virtues, but together they try to overcome it and be happy.
Music is brilliant. Those old music has always been dearest to me, innocent, pure and brings nostalgic feeling. With so many great soundtracks, famous singers from that period they really tried to find them use them all at the right scene and moment. I've been listening the whole playlist all day, that's how much I loved it.
Reply 1988 became my top 5 drama. The whole drama exudes strongly, leaves the feeling of love and happiness and you just feel complete after watching every single episode. I simply lived with this drama.
“The reason I miss that time and that street isn’t only because I miss my younger self. It is because my parents’ youth, my friends’ youth – the youth of everything I loved was in that place. I regret not bidding a final farewell to the surrounding of my youth that can never be brought back together again. To the things that’ve already gone, to the time I can’t return to… I bid my belated farewell. Goodbye, my youth. Goodbye, Ssangmun-dong” -Deok Sun-
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The Drama of 2022 That Has Everything You Could Ever Want
I think it's safe to say this is one of the best things I've ever seen.I loved this drama so much.
I've never written any reviews on here before, but I think this one deserves it.
The drama has ended, but it will always be with me.
I was sceptical about the drama having only "16" episodes (there were so many stones unturned), but everything was executed well.
They gave us an excellent, satisfying ending; it has to be one of my favourites. Everything tied together perfectly at the end.
I have a lot of respect for the writer; it was their first drama, yet all the elements were perfect, and they included so much in just 16 episodes!
The characters were all complex and interesting.
I love Kim Hye Soo, and she was brilliant in this. Her character is one of the best female leads I've seen. She's strong, understanding, kind, and just the best. All of the Grand Princes were perfect; they had their flaws, but that's what made them so lovable. I adored getting to know them and their stories.
All of the characters were fantastic, including the Queen Dowager in all her evil glory (I despise her guts, but her character is admirable).
I think Under The Queen's Umbrella is severely underrated; people automatically deem it boring because it's a historical, but I have to say, I never felt bored, not even for a second.
This is one of those gems that surpasses all your expectations. (Even though I actually had a lot of expectations because I love Kim Hye Soo)
Historicals have a stereotype, one of being boring, but sometimes you need to look at the broader picture and give things a shot.
This drama is full of everything you could want: mystery, action, romance, politics, strong characters, and more!
This was a heartwarming and lovely show, and it is one I will rewatch time and time again.
Highly, highly recommended!
If it's not obvious already, I give it a 10/10.
No, scratch that; this drama deserves a 1000/10. (I still can't believe it is the writer's first drama. Everything, and I mean everything, was perfect.)
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Let's start with the story, One Spring Night tells a tale of two people who fell in love despite the whole world telling them not to. They tugged at my heartstrings with their beautiful, mischevious relationship that not only had to bear the weight of internal struggles but also had to face the societal pressures that came along with being Korean. It's as much a social drama as it is a romance story, so please go into it keeping that in mind. The cultural differences will make some decisions hard to understand but all of them make perfect sense, regardless. Jeong In and Ji Ho's slow burn romance coupled with extremely lovable side characters, realistic and fleshed out "antagonists" (though I'm not sure if I want to call them that because they weren't inherently evil, just handicapped by their circumstances, upbringing and morals). All in all, OSN offers what most dramas tend to lack these days: authenticity. It makes you feel like you're there with the characters and you grow fond of them. A beautiful, minimalist love story.
The acting is so extremely well done that I don't even feel like I'm watching Jung Hae In or Han Jimin (or any of the actors for that matter). Everyone, EVERYONE, did a brilliant job of internalizing the characters. From the minor characters to the major ones, all of them gave a very natural performance that made me think that the characters were people that could actually exist IRL. I would also like to applaud the writing and directing. There are plenty of scenes whose artistic value could be seen even through my inexperienced eyes. The drama is a treat to watch.
I also really, really loved the music. It fit really well with the setting of the scenes. Best of all, I feel like the OST wasn't used to manipulate the mood of the show which gave it an even more authentic feel. It complimented the scenes and wasn't distracting at all. They do have limited songs playing in the background but tbh I didn't mind that at all. I'll think of OSN when I listen to We Could Still Be Happy haha.
I want to add that another reason why this drama is so special is because of its exceptional secondary characters. All of them feel like you could be friends with them. They're flawed yet extremely raw and realistic. They aren't caricatures or used as a plot device to further our main couple's story but instead they power through struggles of their own. They're all very different from each other but equally endearing. This show deserves an award for creating characters like them.
Anyway, I really loved this drama and it has become one of my favourite dramas of all time!
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The story seems simple and full of tropes: amnesia, chaebols, cinderella-like characters, car crashes, etc. but none of them felt melodramatic at all-especially when those cliches would usually spell out melodrama in other dramas. The drama's anchor is on the chemistry between Seo In Guk and Nam Ji Hyun and the drama knows its strengths so it focuses on that. The progression of their relationship is organic, genuine, honest, and just full of cuteness! The story isn't fast in the sense that things are always happening but the continuous character growth in the relationships is what will keep you watching. You become invested in all the characters and grow to love them- all of them. That was the draw for me.
I love this drama and its Cinderella feel. It's such an easy watch but not boring- and that's so hard to achieve, having light cuteness that's balanced by heartfelt moments
I really liked the OST especially Tiger Moth by Monsta;it's still playing on repeat.
I recommend SKL, completely if you like:
-cuteness overload, in a good way
-a well-done rom-com (actually hilarious and romantic at the same time)
-no melodrama because the writer defies all the cliches you think will happen
Shopping King Louis is one of the most pure, innocent, and heart-warming dramas I've watched in a long time. I sincerely recommend this to y'all especially if you need a little bit of Louis to lift up your spirits!
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I liked how it leapt right into the story, with the introduction of the two main characters. Then we got to meet supporting characters, whose stories interested me also. The chemistry between Ling and Qi Luo was amazing, and I love how their relationship slowly developed. I really enjoyed the little things that made the characters endearing to me, like when Ling annoys Qi Luo in class, trying to get her attention. The relationship develops at a realistic pace, with the facades and defences of each slowly disappearing, and their true natures and vulnerabilities revealed.
I became emotionally invested in these characters, and to me that is a sign of good acting and writing. I cried several times throughout, and just when I thought surely nothing else could possibly happen to these people, something did. But there was still that sense of hope, that they could overcome everything with each other's support.
So, an emotional roller-coaster, but well worth watching, and just as good to re-watch.
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Surprisingly good and cute! worth a try!!
The ML improved SO FREAKING MUCH since PYHOMS. His visuals, acting, chemistry with the FL has improved A LOT so give it a try, you won't regret. I fell in love with the entire cast. The story progresses really well and I'm glad I didn't skip this. I didn't fast forward any scenes but instead I rewatched (which I almost never do). the story doens't get draggy or boring anywhere.The FL isn't the typical damsel in distress but quite a strong one for a big change from her previous works. The leads have a sizzling chemistry and not to mention the second leads too! They have an interesting story. The actors portray their roles perfectly. I don't know how I'll be able to move on from this! Their smiles are so damn freaking contagious OML I can't stop smiling. The second couple have a really good story pace and not simply rushed just because they had to be together for the sake of being together. I wish they had an entire drama for themselves!
In short, you'll get hooked up when you smell the chemistry between all the actors and not to mention the kisses :,-) honestly this drama set the bar high for cutesy rom-coms xo.
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1This review may contain spoilers
BL that manages to be more than BL in some ways
In a nutshell:The story is interesting though some may bemoan the way the series doesn’t seem to have a major conflict or point of tension for quite a few episodes. However, the series never feels slow or boring to me. There is a lot to love about this series because it doesn’t always tell the story in an in-your-face manner. But this could well be its weakness too. For example, if it had emphasized how one of the main characters’ (Pharm) incomplete recollection of his previous life early could pose a problem to their relationship, the tension and suspense built could have maintained the interest of more viewers.
In a coconut shell:
The series starts with the tragic double suicide of Korn/In, certainly not the lighthearted schoolboys-fall-in-love stuff that is so common in BL (though the characters are students). The double suicide is the result of parental objections to their relationship because of their sexual orientation, a rather serious consequence compared to popular BL series that treat the topic of objecting parents less seriously (e.g. Together with Me: The Next Chapter in which the parents change their minds, and Dark Blue Kiss in which the parents are surprisingly open-minded). The seriousness in tone, though not all that persistent, makes it different from a lot of BL that focus on the couples’ relationship without such a strong regard for the society in which the story is set). Where the Dean/Pharm story is concerned, the use of common BL tropes (like a “straight” guy falling in love with another guy) is rather sparing. This may be a good thing, but the side couple (WinTeam) may appeal to BL fans more and may be more conventionally BL.
In the parts of the story that use common BL tropes, the series does become more like BL and somewhat less realistic. The inclusion of a BL fangirl of sorts (Manaow) and the way Dean’s swimming team do not seem to bat an eyelid when their captain brings his boyfriend with him on a team outing are where BL fans find themselves in familiar terrain, though we can guess how often that happens in real life in Thailand. Interestingly, these elements seem to be used to contrast past and present, making a point about how increased openness towards homosexuality in society makes a huge difference for same-sex couples and even the two fathers who live in regret after their sons’ deaths. The society in the Dean/Pharm parts of the story feels much less oppressive that the atmosphere in the Korn/In story. We can see this from the minor characters’ behaviours: whereas Pharm’s friends accept and encourage his relationship with Dean, In’s good friend only quietly feels happy for him when he sees In together with Korn. Such subtle touches make the story rather interesting and worth re-watching.
There doesn’t seem to be a rush to bring the plot to new heights of tension. There is neither an excessive preoccupation with kissing and sex scenes nor an aversion to them. Although a number of viewers seem to find UWMA to be rather slow-moving or that it’s not clear where the story is going, I have a different opinion. In fact, the story is fairly well-paced, with the flashbacks seldom being unnatural as they show the parallels between the previous lives and the present lives. I suppose one thing that frustrates some viewers is the way the Dean/Pharm storyline doesn’t seem to have any obvious conflict for a large part of the series, which may give the impression that it is going nowhere. However, I like the way events are foreshadowed and how the characters slowly recall and come to terms with their past lives. As I watched each episode on a YouTube playlist, I get to the last part before I know it (it’s quite a different experience when it comes to series like I Am Your King Season 2).
Another aspect of the series that I like is how Dean and Pharm have different personalities from their past lives. The differences are more subtle in Dean, who seems calmer but also more determined to make his relationship work out than Korn. As for Pharm, while he’s clearly attracted to and in love with Dean, he does not rush into the relationship. As a really good cook, Pharm is set apart from In who cannot cook to save his life. This difference isn’t merely superficial for the patience and skill with which he cooks indicates a different personality. Both Dean and Pharm seem to have “learnt” something from their previous lives. The dynamics of their relationship are somewhat different too. While we see more passion between Korn and In, we see more tenderness between Dean and Pharm. The interplay between the parallels and differences indirectly creates suspense: will the couple finally have a happy ending, or will history repeat itself? Most of the time, the story seems geared towards a happy ending but there is foreshadowing of a problem to come, especially in a scene where a monk reminds the couple of the importance of forgiveness. In the end, we see that Dean/Pharm must reconcile with the people in their past lives and settle their unfinished business before moving on as themselves in their present lives. It seems paradoxical in the end, but it makes sense: Dean and Pharm have acquired new identities and cannot be living in the shadows of Korn and In forever, so while accepting that they are reincarnations of Korn and In, they must still be able detach themselves from their past lives. (An interesting scene in the last episode with Dean and Pharm dreaming of Korn and In as third parties and not as themselves for once shows that they have finally managed to move on as Dean and Pharm, not reincarnations of Korn and In.)
I also love WinTeam in this series although it often looks like the WinTeam scenes are a teaser/test for a possible Season 2 which will focus on them. I would love to watch a Season 2 with WinTeam as the focus though even with the same production team, I believe a Season 2 with WinTeam will be enjoyable in a rather different way. If this series doesn’t appeal to you, you could still give Season 2 a chance if it is made.
Edit: After considering why I've been feeling that something is a little lacking in this series despite my love for it, I realize that there isn't that much on how the characters fall in love. For Dean and Pharm, each immediately feels like the other is the one on first sight because of their past lives, so we can only look to Korn and In. But while we can see the depth of Korn and In's love, we don't see enough of what makes their love so strong. Our involvement in their story would be stronger if there had been a bit more showing Korn and In's love for each other.
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