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Mexico
A Drama who Embraced Both the Good and the Bad.
I'd be lying if I said this drama was satisfying. However, I'd also be lying if I claimed it was downright unsalvagable or disappointing. I think the ending was okay. Could it have been better? Certainly. But honestly, it could've also been way worst.
THE PLOT
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If you're hoping to see a drama about business, this is not it. If you're intolerant of love triangles, this may not be your cup of tea, as once we cross into the second half, it's all about the love triangle.
Having said that, the plot focuses on Dal Mi trying to follow her father's footsteps and show her sister that she made the right call in choosing to stay with her dad over leaving with her mom. While the show makes it look like that would be the heart of it, as we move towards the second half, the plot shifts to being romance-centric.
Basically, this is a story about a girl deciding if her heart belongs to her first or second love.
THE PORTRAYAL OF ROMANCE: Questionable and Borderline Toxic
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Perhaps the most problematic aspect here is the love triangle and the message it conveys. The love between the main couple starts with a lie that is never dealt with properly. The FL feels wishy-washy while the ML is left to struggle with an identity crisis that is never resolved. The fact that the couple stuck together despite the unresolved issues, felt like the romance embraced a problematic message of "pretend to achieve your goal" rather than "show/embrace your true self".
WRITING: A mixed bag
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
While the construction of the romance was problematic, the absence of consequences and the minimization of mistakes are marks of bad writing. Why have characters face problems if the writer will keep them safe from the consequences via cop-outs, plot armor, and/or having those consequences happen off-screen? Characters are supposed to face problems and make mistakes so they can learn, adapt, and grow.
Out of all the characters, Do San faced the most problems but had the least growth. The very fact that his identity crisis was never fully addressed and dealt with is perhaps the biggest disservice his character got.
I think the best thing this drama did was to showcase some beautiful family moments. It also gave us some beautifully written characters we got to enjoy whenever they stepped on-screen (HJP, Grandma, and, to a lesser extent because she had little screentime, In Jae). I also absolutely enjoyed comparing and contrasting Do San with Ji Pyeong --not to see who was better, but to see how similar they were despite their differences. I hoped they would've established some sort of friendship after the halfway mark, but Do San never matured enough to make it happen.
CHARACTERS
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
This is perhaps the best thing about the show and where the good, and bad aspects of writing comes into play.
Seo Dal Mi: A character who's introduced as someone who's decisive, ambitious and hardworking. Although she's shown to be happy, charismatic and a go-getter, her character is quickly overtaken by the love triangle until we hardly see her outside of scenes involving one of the guys. Her independence got replaced by her choice of a partner; shoving out of the focus her journey to success. Before the halfway mark, Dal Mi was the star of the show. But after she found out about the letters, her character lost her identity, becoming little more than a "love interest".
Nam Do San: A guy who's introduced as sort of a loser; a boy who has yet to grown into a man. He's constantly shown as uncertain about who he is, what he wants, and where he wants to go. So in an effort to find his own way, he relies on following other people's instructions. While Do San has family and close friends, he tends to disregard his own feelings and makes decisions based on others. Mainly, on trying not to disappoint his peers. However, in so doing, he ends up frustrated with himself because he's not being honest. So everything he's doing also feels fake to him and he ends up hurting himself most of all.
Han Ji Pyeong: A man who's introduced as a hotshot with a successful career. He's nonetheless shown to be a sacrificial character with no family and no friends. He doesn't want to think of others, let alone struggle with trying not to disappoint them. However, he's just as lonely and as dishonest with his feelings as Nam Do San. The difference is that he prefers not to bother with others so as not to give them an opportunity to hurt him. So in trying not to get hurt, he pushes people away, and, in turn, he ends up hurting himself most of all.
Grandma (SDM's Family and HJP's benefactor): She is one of the very best things about this show. Her bond with Han Ji Pyeong is marvelous to watch. The scenes between them are worth muscling through some of the flaws. She also gets a few but powerful scenes with Won/Seo In Jae (Dal Mi's estrangled sister).
Won/Seo in Jae: A character who the writer forgot existed halfway through the drama's run. She had one of the most interesting arcs, but ended up being pushed aside. She was someone who seemed to have made it in life, only for her adoptive father to double-crossed her, taking with one hand everything he'd given with the other. In Jae had the most painful thing happened to her. She fell from high above and yet, she landed on her feet --with her pride bruised but not broken. And somehow, she managed to build something great in the wake of that loss. However, it's rare for a K-Drama to showcase a female character pursuing success --less so as decisively as In Jae did, so this aspect of her character was minimized and ignored. Instead, all her success and growth happened off-screen and we're left to lament the potential for the portrayal of an strong, flawed, independent and kick-ass successful female character.
THE LOVE TRIANGLE: Drawn out, Questionable & Ultimately unpopular
---------------------------------------------------------------------
A thing we can definitely make as one of the biggest flaws is the drawn-out love triangle. This is why I don't think someone who barely tolerates an undecisive Female Lead will enjoy this show. I think this show would've benefitted from putting the triangle to rest sooner. Allowing all the characters involved to step out of the romantic plot and into a role more "self-involved".
But since that didn't happen, allow me to briefly cover the big aspect that got people riled up with Dal Mi's ultimate choice of man.
Nan Do San: is portrayed as outwardly a selfless guy but inwardly a selfish guy. While he's always trying to accommodate other people and fill in the role others need him to be, when it comes to Dal-Mi he turned out to be quite selfish. In a nutshell, NDS wants Dal Mi. But let's just clarify that loving and wanting are two different things. Wanting is about what you get. It's about possessing more than wishing someone well. So Nan Do San always considered his feelings first.
Han Ji Pyeong: may be portrayed as outwardly selfish, but he's inwardly a selfless guy. While he may push and disregard people left and right when it comes to Dal-Mi he really just wants her to be happy, even if that happiness doesn't include him. In that regard, he's selfless and loving. Because Love is about giving, even if you get nothing in return. So HJP always considered Dal Mi's feelings first.
Seo Dal Mi: I think the writer failed to transmit this character's love for her chosen partner the most. She never gave proper reasons as to why she had fallen in love with Nan Do San. So ultimately, her choice felt forced, wishy-washy, and more out of convenience than actual passion.
I still believe that putting the triangle to rest and having the guys make amends with each other and moving into a friendship (in typical K-drama fashion where we have to suspend our disbelief) could've elevated the show.
MESSAGE: Mixed & Problematic
----------------------------------------------------------------------
I think it's important to emphasize again the problematic message this drama embraces. One of which has to do with the character that has the community most divided: Nam Do San.
I think his character was the one that had the most potential for not only becoming an interesting and different type of ML but also for showcasing the important message that, before you can find love, you need to love yourself first. Unfortunately, the writing failed his character by making him embrace his flaws, pretend his problems away, and have him solely focus on his love for Dal Mi (which was portrayed more like an unhealthy obsession).
Honestly, I didn't like how the romance was constructed at all and I wished more thought had been given to the message they ended up putting out there. "Fake it till you make it" only makes sense when we talked about work, not when it comes to one's own sense of self. You can only wear a mask for so long before you start to hate yourself.
In that regard, I think Do San got a band-aid treatment for the gaping wound that was his inner, self-esteem problems.
The drama also lost out in tapping into the potential for an epic sismance. It's bad enough that we get so many dramas where there's either not even a second female lead (instead we get an FL surrounded by guys) or an antagonistic till the end type of second female Lead (my least favorite). So this show could've stood out by emphasizing the sister's love and reforging their bond, rather than focusing on so many lovey-dovey moments between the main couple; most of which felt unearned.
OVERALL
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
Suffice to say, when it comes to directing, this will be a drama I will refer to as the "exception to the rule" when it comes to visual mastery. A drama that shows even the director can lie to an audience for the sake of building false hope or cheap uncertainty so that, regardless of the ending, we "won't see it coming".
However, despite the problematic romance, I think Han Ji Pyeong's character encompasses and embraces the healthiest message I've seen in a K-Drama... love is selfless and kind. Love doesn't need other's acknowledgment, it just gives and expects nothing in return. And for that alone, this drama is worth a watch.
THE PLOT
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
If you're hoping to see a drama about business, this is not it. If you're intolerant of love triangles, this may not be your cup of tea, as once we cross into the second half, it's all about the love triangle.
Having said that, the plot focuses on Dal Mi trying to follow her father's footsteps and show her sister that she made the right call in choosing to stay with her dad over leaving with her mom. While the show makes it look like that would be the heart of it, as we move towards the second half, the plot shifts to being romance-centric.
Basically, this is a story about a girl deciding if her heart belongs to her first or second love.
THE PORTRAYAL OF ROMANCE: Questionable and Borderline Toxic
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Perhaps the most problematic aspect here is the love triangle and the message it conveys. The love between the main couple starts with a lie that is never dealt with properly. The FL feels wishy-washy while the ML is left to struggle with an identity crisis that is never resolved. The fact that the couple stuck together despite the unresolved issues, felt like the romance embraced a problematic message of "pretend to achieve your goal" rather than "show/embrace your true self".
WRITING: A mixed bag
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
While the construction of the romance was problematic, the absence of consequences and the minimization of mistakes are marks of bad writing. Why have characters face problems if the writer will keep them safe from the consequences via cop-outs, plot armor, and/or having those consequences happen off-screen? Characters are supposed to face problems and make mistakes so they can learn, adapt, and grow.
Out of all the characters, Do San faced the most problems but had the least growth. The very fact that his identity crisis was never fully addressed and dealt with is perhaps the biggest disservice his character got.
I think the best thing this drama did was to showcase some beautiful family moments. It also gave us some beautifully written characters we got to enjoy whenever they stepped on-screen (HJP, Grandma, and, to a lesser extent because she had little screentime, In Jae). I also absolutely enjoyed comparing and contrasting Do San with Ji Pyeong --not to see who was better, but to see how similar they were despite their differences. I hoped they would've established some sort of friendship after the halfway mark, but Do San never matured enough to make it happen.
CHARACTERS
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
This is perhaps the best thing about the show and where the good, and bad aspects of writing comes into play.
Seo Dal Mi: A character who's introduced as someone who's decisive, ambitious and hardworking. Although she's shown to be happy, charismatic and a go-getter, her character is quickly overtaken by the love triangle until we hardly see her outside of scenes involving one of the guys. Her independence got replaced by her choice of a partner; shoving out of the focus her journey to success. Before the halfway mark, Dal Mi was the star of the show. But after she found out about the letters, her character lost her identity, becoming little more than a "love interest".
Nam Do San: A guy who's introduced as sort of a loser; a boy who has yet to grown into a man. He's constantly shown as uncertain about who he is, what he wants, and where he wants to go. So in an effort to find his own way, he relies on following other people's instructions. While Do San has family and close friends, he tends to disregard his own feelings and makes decisions based on others. Mainly, on trying not to disappoint his peers. However, in so doing, he ends up frustrated with himself because he's not being honest. So everything he's doing also feels fake to him and he ends up hurting himself most of all.
Han Ji Pyeong: A man who's introduced as a hotshot with a successful career. He's nonetheless shown to be a sacrificial character with no family and no friends. He doesn't want to think of others, let alone struggle with trying not to disappoint them. However, he's just as lonely and as dishonest with his feelings as Nam Do San. The difference is that he prefers not to bother with others so as not to give them an opportunity to hurt him. So in trying not to get hurt, he pushes people away, and, in turn, he ends up hurting himself most of all.
Grandma (SDM's Family and HJP's benefactor): She is one of the very best things about this show. Her bond with Han Ji Pyeong is marvelous to watch. The scenes between them are worth muscling through some of the flaws. She also gets a few but powerful scenes with Won/Seo In Jae (Dal Mi's estrangled sister).
Won/Seo in Jae: A character who the writer forgot existed halfway through the drama's run. She had one of the most interesting arcs, but ended up being pushed aside. She was someone who seemed to have made it in life, only for her adoptive father to double-crossed her, taking with one hand everything he'd given with the other. In Jae had the most painful thing happened to her. She fell from high above and yet, she landed on her feet --with her pride bruised but not broken. And somehow, she managed to build something great in the wake of that loss. However, it's rare for a K-Drama to showcase a female character pursuing success --less so as decisively as In Jae did, so this aspect of her character was minimized and ignored. Instead, all her success and growth happened off-screen and we're left to lament the potential for the portrayal of an strong, flawed, independent and kick-ass successful female character.
THE LOVE TRIANGLE: Drawn out, Questionable & Ultimately unpopular
---------------------------------------------------------------------
A thing we can definitely make as one of the biggest flaws is the drawn-out love triangle. This is why I don't think someone who barely tolerates an undecisive Female Lead will enjoy this show. I think this show would've benefitted from putting the triangle to rest sooner. Allowing all the characters involved to step out of the romantic plot and into a role more "self-involved".
But since that didn't happen, allow me to briefly cover the big aspect that got people riled up with Dal Mi's ultimate choice of man.
Nan Do San: is portrayed as outwardly a selfless guy but inwardly a selfish guy. While he's always trying to accommodate other people and fill in the role others need him to be, when it comes to Dal-Mi he turned out to be quite selfish. In a nutshell, NDS wants Dal Mi. But let's just clarify that loving and wanting are two different things. Wanting is about what you get. It's about possessing more than wishing someone well. So Nan Do San always considered his feelings first.
Han Ji Pyeong: may be portrayed as outwardly selfish, but he's inwardly a selfless guy. While he may push and disregard people left and right when it comes to Dal-Mi he really just wants her to be happy, even if that happiness doesn't include him. In that regard, he's selfless and loving. Because Love is about giving, even if you get nothing in return. So HJP always considered Dal Mi's feelings first.
Seo Dal Mi: I think the writer failed to transmit this character's love for her chosen partner the most. She never gave proper reasons as to why she had fallen in love with Nan Do San. So ultimately, her choice felt forced, wishy-washy, and more out of convenience than actual passion.
I still believe that putting the triangle to rest and having the guys make amends with each other and moving into a friendship (in typical K-drama fashion where we have to suspend our disbelief) could've elevated the show.
MESSAGE: Mixed & Problematic
----------------------------------------------------------------------
I think it's important to emphasize again the problematic message this drama embraces. One of which has to do with the character that has the community most divided: Nam Do San.
I think his character was the one that had the most potential for not only becoming an interesting and different type of ML but also for showcasing the important message that, before you can find love, you need to love yourself first. Unfortunately, the writing failed his character by making him embrace his flaws, pretend his problems away, and have him solely focus on his love for Dal Mi (which was portrayed more like an unhealthy obsession).
Honestly, I didn't like how the romance was constructed at all and I wished more thought had been given to the message they ended up putting out there. "Fake it till you make it" only makes sense when we talked about work, not when it comes to one's own sense of self. You can only wear a mask for so long before you start to hate yourself.
In that regard, I think Do San got a band-aid treatment for the gaping wound that was his inner, self-esteem problems.
The drama also lost out in tapping into the potential for an epic sismance. It's bad enough that we get so many dramas where there's either not even a second female lead (instead we get an FL surrounded by guys) or an antagonistic till the end type of second female Lead (my least favorite). So this show could've stood out by emphasizing the sister's love and reforging their bond, rather than focusing on so many lovey-dovey moments between the main couple; most of which felt unearned.
OVERALL
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
Suffice to say, when it comes to directing, this will be a drama I will refer to as the "exception to the rule" when it comes to visual mastery. A drama that shows even the director can lie to an audience for the sake of building false hope or cheap uncertainty so that, regardless of the ending, we "won't see it coming".
However, despite the problematic romance, I think Han Ji Pyeong's character encompasses and embraces the healthiest message I've seen in a K-Drama... love is selfless and kind. Love doesn't need other's acknowledgment, it just gives and expects nothing in return. And for that alone, this drama is worth a watch.
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