36
82
17
Jeana
In Fucking Beast Mode
Fun, dramatic and mindnumbingly stupid Season 2 of the Makjangiest Makjang on the block
Even though I enjoyed this A LOT, I have mixed feelings about this show so I'mma break it down into pros and cons. Read till the end before getting triggered.
Cons:
▪︎The first half:
"Can this show get any more ridiculous?" asked my tired brain after it finished yet another episode full of repetitive, pointless misery that was only half as entertaining than what it used to be.
Don't get me wrong. The shock value is still high albeit it gets more and more predictable with every episode. The black comedy is still top notch, I was morbidly laughing my ass off 90% of the time. It's still a fairly easy to watch show. Kinda like junk food, you know it can't possibly be healthy for you but you're still watching. Almost begging for it to get better.
This is a Makjang. So, I trust that if you like those and you've watched season 1 you already expect this to be over the top and exaggerated.
However, despite how OTT it was, season one had a solid direction and the characters were actually built nicely.
Behind all the noise, if you looked, you could find some nuance and thought behind the way characters functioned. So, by all counts it was a well made show and it wasn't a surprise that it became a household name in Korea. That's great but then obviously the drama creators got greedy and they wanted to prolong the victory for two more unnecessary seasons.
By ending the last season the way they did, they found a sure shot way for us to continue. Surely, we were all angered by the triumph of the bad guys and wanted to see justice prevail. Going to watch season 2 was the easiest decision for all of us. Unfortunately, in just a few episodes, the drama writers made me effectively stop giving a shit about everyone in the show.
The writing was just terrible, nonsensical and laughably bad in this one. It's like they ate a bunch of plotlines and then vomited it out on screen. There's no point of this show because things happen just for the sake of happening. During most of the drama, there isn't a single character you can root for and the evil characters that were interesting and charismatic asf in season 1 start to seem hollow and one dimensional in this.
It's the same old thing over and over and over again. Bullying, murder (but not really), revenge (but not really) and Repeat. And we are getting no where. It gets tiresome to watch a repeat of season one with none of the wow factor.
The worst thing is that for most of the show, the protagonist is Yeon Hee who is the single most brainless character to ever appear on tv. She was horrible in season 1 and unfortunately, worse in season 2. She functions on half a braincell and only knows how to whine and scream my ears off. That's it. Not a single ounce of sense in that woman.
There are a few hilariously unfunny plot twists that the writers pulled out of their ass and they stank of bullshit.
Yes, the antagonists did deliver their best. Cheon Seo Jin killed her performance as always. The acting didn't suffer and remained at the top but what's the point when you've stopped giving a fuck about the story and the characters?
It's just a cycle of seeing miserable and mindlessly evil adults and teenagers be pointlessly cruel, greedy and annoying for 13 hours straight.
The direction is still crisp, the drama exudes luxury of the Hera Palace and I love the brilliant music pieces but we already saw all that in season 1.
For a show to function, the good guys need to be on equal footing as the bad ones but here the antagonists >>> protagonists. Even when the bad guys suffer it's mostly because of their own stupidity and infighting. Hardly any badass good guy moments in 70% of the show and at one point, you're just wishing for them all to just kill each other and save you the frustration.
▪︎Pros:
So, I wrote all that and you're like um, is there anything left to say? Yes, there is. The show finally picks up in the second half. Don't get me wrong, the writing is still completely bogus and the plot is very silly and unrealistic BUT you finally get a character you want to root for.
This is the 30% of the show that absolutely makes you want to power through sitting right at the edge of your seat.
I don't want to give spoilers but I'll just say a badass bitch is back in the house and once she comes, watching the show becomes much easier.
Episode 12 is literally one of the most satisfying episodes as slowly but surely our good guys get ready to whoop some major asses.
Throughout the show there are some very touching moments in the way the parent and child relationship is portrayed. Some scenes were really nicely executed and I got some major feels even when overall the drama lacks emotion because of the inconsistency in pace and writing.
The ending is also very satisfying but annoying in equal measures.
Overall, is this drama WACK? Yes.
Is it trying to be anything else? No.
Will I be watching season 3? Fuck yes.
This is the crack I run on. You don't have to use your brain while watching it and it's strangely addicting.
So, keep your expectations low, turn off your brain and enjoy it to the maximum!
Cons:
▪︎The first half:
"Can this show get any more ridiculous?" asked my tired brain after it finished yet another episode full of repetitive, pointless misery that was only half as entertaining than what it used to be.
Don't get me wrong. The shock value is still high albeit it gets more and more predictable with every episode. The black comedy is still top notch, I was morbidly laughing my ass off 90% of the time. It's still a fairly easy to watch show. Kinda like junk food, you know it can't possibly be healthy for you but you're still watching. Almost begging for it to get better.
This is a Makjang. So, I trust that if you like those and you've watched season 1 you already expect this to be over the top and exaggerated.
However, despite how OTT it was, season one had a solid direction and the characters were actually built nicely.
Behind all the noise, if you looked, you could find some nuance and thought behind the way characters functioned. So, by all counts it was a well made show and it wasn't a surprise that it became a household name in Korea. That's great but then obviously the drama creators got greedy and they wanted to prolong the victory for two more unnecessary seasons.
By ending the last season the way they did, they found a sure shot way for us to continue. Surely, we were all angered by the triumph of the bad guys and wanted to see justice prevail. Going to watch season 2 was the easiest decision for all of us. Unfortunately, in just a few episodes, the drama writers made me effectively stop giving a shit about everyone in the show.
The writing was just terrible, nonsensical and laughably bad in this one. It's like they ate a bunch of plotlines and then vomited it out on screen. There's no point of this show because things happen just for the sake of happening. During most of the drama, there isn't a single character you can root for and the evil characters that were interesting and charismatic asf in season 1 start to seem hollow and one dimensional in this.
It's the same old thing over and over and over again. Bullying, murder (but not really), revenge (but not really) and Repeat. And we are getting no where. It gets tiresome to watch a repeat of season one with none of the wow factor.
The worst thing is that for most of the show, the protagonist is Yeon Hee who is the single most brainless character to ever appear on tv. She was horrible in season 1 and unfortunately, worse in season 2. She functions on half a braincell and only knows how to whine and scream my ears off. That's it. Not a single ounce of sense in that woman.
There are a few hilariously unfunny plot twists that the writers pulled out of their ass and they stank of bullshit.
Yes, the antagonists did deliver their best. Cheon Seo Jin killed her performance as always. The acting didn't suffer and remained at the top but what's the point when you've stopped giving a fuck about the story and the characters?
It's just a cycle of seeing miserable and mindlessly evil adults and teenagers be pointlessly cruel, greedy and annoying for 13 hours straight.
The direction is still crisp, the drama exudes luxury of the Hera Palace and I love the brilliant music pieces but we already saw all that in season 1.
For a show to function, the good guys need to be on equal footing as the bad ones but here the antagonists >>> protagonists. Even when the bad guys suffer it's mostly because of their own stupidity and infighting. Hardly any badass good guy moments in 70% of the show and at one point, you're just wishing for them all to just kill each other and save you the frustration.
▪︎Pros:
So, I wrote all that and you're like um, is there anything left to say? Yes, there is. The show finally picks up in the second half. Don't get me wrong, the writing is still completely bogus and the plot is very silly and unrealistic BUT you finally get a character you want to root for.
This is the 30% of the show that absolutely makes you want to power through sitting right at the edge of your seat.
I don't want to give spoilers but I'll just say a badass bitch is back in the house and once she comes, watching the show becomes much easier.
Episode 12 is literally one of the most satisfying episodes as slowly but surely our good guys get ready to whoop some major asses.
Throughout the show there are some very touching moments in the way the parent and child relationship is portrayed. Some scenes were really nicely executed and I got some major feels even when overall the drama lacks emotion because of the inconsistency in pace and writing.
The ending is also very satisfying but annoying in equal measures.
Overall, is this drama WACK? Yes.
Is it trying to be anything else? No.
Will I be watching season 3? Fuck yes.
This is the crack I run on. You don't have to use your brain while watching it and it's strangely addicting.
So, keep your expectations low, turn off your brain and enjoy it to the maximum!
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