To My Star Season 2: Our Untold Stories

I really do love this. It hurts, it's frustrating, and it's sweet.
The first half of this second season, my head is just filled with 'whys'. why did he leave, why, why, why?
But I understand, in the end. Did not like it, but I understand, and I wish things had been different, that they had been able to see each other's struggle and pain. ksj you damn softie, should have made hjw grovel a little more . But they got their happy ending and I really enjoyed this drama.

I wish there had been more, maybe scenes of them doing better, trying to communicate and make things work in their relationship.

Read More

Your Star has burned out and you're poking it with an electric stick

That's how I felt watching this show for the first time. Originally, I planned to make this long-ass review dissecting everything about the plot, character development, cinematography... so I went to rewatch the whole first season and episodes 1-8 of season two to prepare for a finale. Made a bunch of notes and quotes from the series. Intended to give points for every good thing a character does. Take away points from stuff they do wrong. Then I realized there would be a lot of substracting and negative numbers are ugly, so I switched strategy to giving black points. Looking out for for stuff to judge them on and drafting up my HJW defense rant of "To My Sta(lke)r: The Series."


I won't do that.

For one, I'm tired. It's 12 - 1 am where I'm from and this show has totally spent me. I could let it sit for a day or two, but it won't make me feel any more rested about it.

Secondly, it would go against everything the show's trying to portray. And portraying it does really well, so I will respect its message. It's a good one.



Let me just say some general advice for people that have yet to watch the show.

1. This isn't a feel-good story. It's heavy. Make sure you're prepared for that (TWs may include: portrayals of simulated violence, panic attacks/seizures, abandonment, manipulation, forceful following [I won't say 'stalking' because I'm playing nice], scamming, and more. Hearts will most likely break.)

2. Even though it may feel different from season 1, it's actually doing a really good job of expanding on what's already been established and keeping the characterization consistent. I recommend rewatching season 1 beforehand if it's been long since you've seen it last time.

3. There's a lot of details. Lot of symbolism. Lot of flashbacks and getting back to past scenes. Paying attention to it makes the show look way more logical and believable in my opinion. Rewatching might help you from getting lost in it.

4. Take your time. Some might like the show more if they binge it, but don't force yourself into continuing right away if it makes you feel uncomfortable. It was originally releasing 2 episodes per week, and the pacing feels adjusted to that (odd episode usually sets stuff up, while even episode sets it off).

5. Try to keep an open mind. Things may not be as they seem at the start.


Overall, I think this is one of the best BL shows I've ever seen. The characterization is insanely good in this one! The plot is on roughly the same level as in season one. Not my favorite, but good enough. It serves its purpose, which is uncovering the truth about main leads. The length felt suffocating on weekly basis, but looking back at it, I can't see what they could have left out without the show suffering from missing it. It's just very well put together in that way. Every little detail counts. I must say the ending didn't go exactly as I'd like, but that's personal preference. Everything else was solid.

If you liked season one, I think you will learn a lot more about the main leads from season 2. If you're new to TMS and somehow stumbled here, I very much recommend starting the show to anyone who's looking for something more complex and character-oriented. Start with season one, though! Both movie and the tv series are about the same, so either one is fine [around 2 hours long]. In both cases, just be aware it's not a light show to watch.

Read More

a star needs their universe

didn’t go into this thinking it would be as good as the first season because dramas rarely are but man am i blown away. fantastic scriptwriting, acting, directing… you name it!

majority of the season was angst and there is no denying that - but these characters are broken people and with that you’re going to have them react to things because of their pasts and their own personal issues. however, you also get to watch them grow not only individually, but also because of each other. the conflict wasn’t unwarranted either. we saw in season 1 how different these two are from one another and how much they both struggled individually so anyone that says it was just added for the sake of conflict is dead wrong. it was peak realism.

i have to commend the acting from both of the leads here. seo woohyun was amazing in carrying seojoons sensitive and emotional nature. when he smiled everything around him lit up, and when he was crying it was like a storm was arriving on a once sunny beach. kim kangmin was just as fantastic. he spent the majority of the front half stone cold and upsetting to watch and that takes great skill. still, though, you could pinpoint glimpses of hope, sadness, anger, relief. the second half he really got to shine with some more emotional scenes and i just have to praise him because of one scene in particular (you’ll know the one). amazing acting from the both of them.

the music in this drama fit so well. i need the OST on repeat right now!! the technical aspects were all around great. pay attention to the “flashback scenes” because all i can say is you will be wowed by the time you reach the end of the drama. every scene in this drama carried such weight, no matter how big or small.

overall such an amazing watch. i don’t want to lose these characters but I am so satisfied with the ending.

Read More

I have no words!! poignant and melancholic!!

I have no words for how amazing this show was...mind you this is not an easy watch as in it's your typical BL and people looking for fluff will be disappointed ..but if complex flawed characters and realistic relationship depiction between two people having distinct personalities is what you are looking for ..this is your show..if you want to see what happens when the honeymoon phase is over and insecurities and personal demons start taking over ..this is your show...I will be re-watching this coz its required to properly understand the characters and their motivations !! but anyone looking to watch something mature for a change please go ahead and watch it !!!

Read More

I loved it.
The first season was really good it nailed but this one, gosh, they were amazing, their acting is so good their chemistry is everything... I'm not gonna even mention how beautiful they are that isn't needed.
Jiwoo, I really hated him in the first episodes but I think it's because we are kinda alike, we leave people so they don't leave ushahah
But Seojun he's the love of my life, I really hope that in the future I can find my Seojun, he's so nice, so beautiful, so kind, he's a human being full of light, and just like Jiwoo, i have a black heart who needs a little star to light up my days and be my universe. I really believe that I feel this way towards this drama and characters because of it.
The actor did an amazing job, I loved the little "mention" about Kang Min wearing a school uniform in a series, an indirect to School 2021 ahahaha
Everything seemed amazing and complete, I really enjoyed the fact that they explain where Seojun's trauma came from, his relationship with his parents...
I was also really sensitive while watching this drama, I rarely cry with series/movies but when Seojun was home alone and received 2 messages from HoMin and Pil Hyun saying that they loved him made me feel so sentimental that I started crying ahahha
All of this just to say that I loved it so much, they nailed it with this second season

Read More

Have you ever been so in love that it make you feel scared?

The slander that Jiwoo got because of his weird push and pull behavior is just undeserved. People whine about wanting to have realistic BL, THIS is realistic! This is how relationship is in real life! Sadly, angsty romance like this happens more often than good fluffy romance, in this economy having a good healthy relationship is pretty rare you know. Most of the negative comments complain about how it is unnecessary to have this angsty sequel, but believe me, most relationships in real life are only fluffy and romantic in the early stage, there are stressful phases in a relationship which is needed for both people to grow. It's okay if you don't want to watch, so you can save yourself from the heartbreak, but if you did it's also a great follow up story that gives you a perspective on how tricky a relationship could be. The writing in this season is even more smooth too! I totally dig the sudden happy flashbacks that cuts to the gloomy after break-up scene, it makes me feel sad too, as if I am feeling what Seojoon is feeling. After a harsh breakup, your brain somehow always managed to give you random flashbacks that would totally make you feel shitty.

So first, I think we had to understand that Jiwoo and Seojoon have a completely different personalities. It is understandable that Jiwoo finds adjusting to Seojoon's fast-paced, high energy and flashy life a hard thing to do. This poor boy been an introvert all his life, living a lowkey life and having a humble aspiration, that he just wants to be a cook. Jiwoo is also someone who took pride and has high ego about his own life, he didn't want anyone to pity him or give him things just because, he works hard to achieve his dream and I think Seojoon should understand that. He did should learn how to stop pushing people away though, but after years of being alone, having someone who suddenly barges in into your life could be exhausting, Jiwoo pushing Seojoon away is just a way for him to protect himself. Have you ever been so in love with someone it makes you feel scared? Scared that you're not good enough, that you could make mistake that'll probably hurt your s/o, scared that if you fall too hard you couldn't ever recover from the heartbreak. Jiwoo is just like that, he is a little overthinker who actually cares too much. Not to mention that his close friend did cause trouble for Seojoon, so he probably still feel guilty because of that. The relationship is getting too scary for him to explore, so he ran away. It's not great, but some people just have the tendency to do that, Jiwoo is just one of them.

Second, Seojoon had issues too. The problem is that he didn't understand boundaries, he just keep on pushing and pushing. This is also understandable because he is just so in love with Jiwoo, and it is hard to let go of someone who had been deeply rooted in you. Jiwoo helps him with his anxiety and panic attacks, although it is not healthy and Seojoon should've not used Jiwoo as the sole anchor of his life, it's understandable why he just can't let Jiwoo go that easily.

Third, the complexity of the characters made me fall in love with the movie. It hurts, but it's a good kind of hurt because there are still good moments between the two. It's just like watching someone grows in their relationship. The exquisite cinematography, the color tone, the outfits, the casts, the music! To me personally To My Star 2 had the best cinematography out of all BLs I've ever watched. I like the warm earthy feeling too, it's really pleasing to the eyes. Kangmin's acting is amazing, it's amazing how his little details in expression elevate his cold-ass character. Woohyun is also amazing, how he could express hurt and vulnerability makes Seojoon the perfect 'the man who can't move on'.

Overall! I am in love all over again with both of them through this second season, it's hard to make a good second season but To My Star 2 managed to do it so well!

Read More

A technical review of the screenplay

I just don’t know why people don’t understand that this series was poorly written. Before you start attacking me, I am fine with you liking this series for whatever reasons – maybe it made you think of your own relationships, or about the complexity of relationships in general. It is enough to like this series just for the chemistry of the two mains, the OST, and the acting. That’s all fine. It just doesn’t take away from the fact that this is written very poorly. There are innumerable technical flaws with the writing and they occur consistently all the way up to the end.

I know I’ve mentioned it before but let’s just look at the restaurant, again. First of all, there is no way that this restaurant would ever have been financed [and as we know, Ji Woo had no money to finance this himself]. No banker would look at Ji Woo’s business proposal and think that it might be a good idea setting up a ritzy Italian restaurant in a small Korean village. As the banker I would also ask Ji Woo what experience does he have in business, because this doesn’t just involve being a chef. Restaurants are one of the riskiest businesses, so as the banker I would already be wary of financing anyone, let alone this proposition set forward by Ji Woo. If we get past that, how is it that Ji Woo stays afloat with no customers for a year? Why doesn’t he even try to drum up business, doing some advertising, and possibly mending fences with people in his community, as well as changing the menu to accommodate the palate of the local inhabitants? The ingredients are super expensive for this kind of restaurant and he would have to pay for rent, and utilities. How does he stay afloat? Where is the staff at this restaurant? When he finally does get business how is he able to be the cook, the waiter, the dishwasher, and the cashier for every customer? I’ve run this kind of business, and I’m telling you that that is impossible. The example of the restaurant I’ve been talking about here is just a concrete example of a flaw in the writing and should give you an idea of the sloppiness that is endemic throughout this screenplay.

Now a lot of the other issues in this screenplay are open to interpretation and I’ve been going around in circles talking to people about them. Here’s the unquestionable flaw with how various issues like mental health are raised and dropped in this series without explanation or without any reasonable follow-up. In a good work of literature you develop your themes and your characters constantly and there is no confusion unless specifically intended by the author for artistic reasons [oh, I can already see some people saying there was artistic reasons for this nebulous mess]. You shouldn’t have to work and struggle to figure out what is going on and what a character’s motivation is. It’s like when a chef prepares an intricate meal but no one has difficulty understanding that it’s delicious. The chef has done all the work for you. Here, we are constantly working to figure things out, and that is the problem and why it is not a good screenplay. Let’s talk about the mental health issue. First of all, does Ji Woo have something like severe depression? There is no backstory that explains this to us, so we can’t ever be sure. Before his parents died, did Ji Woo suffer from depression or did he get it from his parents dying, like a form of PTSD? Did this possible mental illness affect his relationship with Seo Joon? What is the resolution of this possible mental illness after they get back together? None of these questions are ever answered, and leaves you constantly guessing as to the character’s motivations. People were speculating that he has a reason for abusing Seo Joon because of his “mental Illness”, but we are left wondering at the end whether this is due to a mental illness or him just him being an asshole. There is no conclusive explanation for any of this and it is central to the story because we never know why Ji Woo acts the way he does. Why is he nice to everyone other than Seo Joon? Really, people with mental illness are not going to be so selective in who they treat well. I never really know who Ji Woo is and the only personality trait I can clearly understand about him is that he is a little shy. If I was in a creative composition class, I would be given an F for the development of this character, and since he is the central character that would sink my whole work into the ground.

What about Seo Joon? I understand that he is totally in love with Ji Woo and would give his right arm to find out where he went, but he strangely neglects to go after him. Anyone in a committed relationship would tell you that this would never, ever happen. Let’s assume that Seo Joon’s connection to Ji Woo is incredibly strong, and something akin to a parent’s love for their child. Just imagine instead of calling 911, and scouring the streets every night for your kid, you send them some text messages, saying that you missed them, and hope they are having some nice cake, at least, for their birthday. This is just such aloof behavior on Seo Joon’s part, and it makes you think he just doesn’t really care, but at the same time you know he is desperate to find Ji Woo by other things, like how he finally sends someone out to search for him in the crazy way that he does, stopping all work till he gets what he wants from his boss. Why does Seo Joon forgive everything that Ji Woo does? Where is the backstory that tells us that Seo Joon has always been a saint, a little Buddha hiding away in the movie business? That seems like it would be an interesting story to explore - like how many lives has Seo Joon saved with his indefatigable kindness? I’ve just never seen this character trait developed so I’m always surprised by it when it comes up.
There are constant questions of all the character’s motivations and who they are. As another example: the girlfriend. Why does Ji Woo’s girlfriend want to get back together with him? Didn’t she ever figure out that he was gay? How deep was their relationship? Is this the only person she can think of to have a relationship with, and why are there no alternatives? I can never figure any of this out. The little girl who becomes attached to Ji Woo like he’s her father, but why? He doesn’t seem like he’s very good with kids, and is certainly cold with virtually everyone. Why does she suddenly run away from everyone? What kind of trauma does she have in her past that causes her to act out like this?

Let’s talk about proportions, weighting, and structuring. This series has eight episodes of angst and the drumbeat of it is constant, followed by 2 episodes of fluff. It is frontloaded with endless seeming conflicts between the Main Leads, with no development, save one moment when they momentarily reconcile after finding the young girl. In many good screenplays we see a lot of dynamic progressions between the characters. This is very stimulating and provides a lot of the entertainment in a given fictional work. This screenplay, instead, focused on the same scenes of vitriol and fighting continuously. Seo Joon attempts to reconcile with Ji Woo, and Ji Woo pretends he doesn’t care about Seo Joon. This scene is repeated in endless seeming variations for eight episodes. This is totally uncreative, and very, very tedious to watch. Why are there 8 episodes of this and only 2 with a totally different kind of screenplay? And why are there two totally different worlds in this one screenplay that seem almost entirely disconnected? If you think this is common, you are mistaken. Even in a fairytale there is continuity, and the dark undertones of the past are not forgotten as they are here.

Throughout this series, the viewer has to constantly work to figure things out, and no resolution of things is really complete or satisfactory. The conclusion of a year long conflict between two people is usually not decided in a quick two minute conversation. Sometimes it is, but it is usually not. The viewer needs an explanation as to why, in this particular case, a two minute conversation suffices to resolve the year long conflict. We might have some clarity on Seo Joon’s side, but what causes Ji Woo to suddenly become amenable to making up? The former 8 episodes are moving the audience hard in the direction that these two are no good for each other and should break up, but we have no counter for this and so we feel Ji Woo’s explanation is just too weak. He seems to have been affected by some texts he read. We instantly think to ourselves, but Seo Joon did many far more persuasive things to convince him that he loved him so why do those texts even matter? Let me pose an alternative. We needed something more dramatic here, like Seo Joon saves Ji Woo’s restaurant from financial ruin, or he saves his life somehow, then Ji Woo sees the light, but a few texts like I hope you had a yummy cake for your birthday? Is that what finally breaks through to him? For most of us it is not enough, and that really is indicative of weak writing.

If I was in a creative writing composition class, I would give this screenplay an F for poor research, poor character development, and illogical plot construction. I would give it very low marks for any artistic consideration as well, because there is nothing beautiful about the use of language here, or any deep symbolism. In describing any art work you can take a dispassionate look into the framework of the piece and appreciate it intellectually and not through your emotions. This is the best way to tell whether it is a good piece of art or not. I find many people on here are not doing that at all, but just running to conclusions based on a desire for this to be good, rather than looking at its parts and analyzing them. But what is the point of beating you over the head about this? Do I want to just belittle the people that like this? Not at all. I want you to enjoy good art when you find it and not waste your time on the things that are not close to being good. I would like people to spend their time looking at a Van Gogh painting rather than the doodle of a five year old, and this is my only point in criticizing To My Star. Good luck to you finding better series in the future.

Read More

Grumpy/Sunshine, Hurt/Comfort, Opposites Attract, Forced Proximity, Breakup/Reunion

To My Star the original had to grow on me, eventually becoming one of my favorites of all time. To My Star 2 was not that show for me.

It’s brilliant, don’t get me wrong. The acting is excellent, really quite flawless. But sometimes too realistic for this genre (and me, one of the last hold outs who can’t take ITSAY), in that I felt their (especially SeoJoon’s) pain too much. Even though I identified strongly with JiWoo. If you have any kind of empathy for the complexities of desperate personalities trying to make a relationship work this show will hurt to watch. If you fall too far into feeling like either JiWoo (me) SeoJoon (lots of other people) you will fall into disliking one of the main characters (probubly JiWoo). And it is really difficult to watch a couple you loved seeing get together, seriously breaking up, in a realistically cutting way, lashing out and hurting each other an everything, and then whole heartedly struggling to come back together again.

The directing is really good, but the characters motivations are sometimes intentional obfuscated and the flashbacks felt manipulative. Well done, but I did feel a little jerked around, and like I was meant to wallow and dwell in the pain a little too much. Like all Kdramas of this type, the weight is given to the maudlin not the happiness. Although the use of doorways as transitions to the past/future was really well done. Like the original, the narrative is messy and sometimes difficult to follow.

So should you watch it?

If you like angst, wallowing, and realistic relationship struggles in your BL, watch this. If you prefer fluffy comforting BL, avoid like the plague. For me the pay out was not sufficient to the pain. I enjoyed the performances, directing, and chemistry - the leads’ comfort with each other is unprecedented in Korean BL, but that’s not enough for me to rise above the pain of the narrative.

RECOMMENDED WITH SERIOUS RESERVATIONS

Read More

A masterpiece!

This show just hit the feels that I didn't know I would/could ever experience. Even though it hurt and it was a tough story to tell it was remarkable storytelling. It took you on a journey of self discovery that showed you the complexity of insecurities and the love you have for someone.

Both leads down a profoundly EPIC performance conveying many different emotions.

There is no one issue that I found with this story. I love how it was consistent and had resemblances to season 1. So much attention to detail that you miss on first watch.

It was just a beautifully told story.

Read More