Do Boys Like Their Girls, Do Girls Like Their Boys , Or Do Boys Like Their Boys?

Based upon the manga ‘My Love Mix-Up!’ (消えた初恋) and adapted onto the small screen by screenwriter Kuroiwa Tsutomu and directors Kusano Shogo and Horai Tadaaki, ‘ Kieta Hatsukoi’ will likely put off a lot of mainstream drama watchers by its bizarre setup and seeming cataclysmic conglomeration of outdated cliches and tropes.

The premise revolved around high schooler and main male lead Aoki Sota ( Michieda Shunsuke) ‘s initial crush on supporting character and female lead Hashimoto Mio ( Fukumoto Rio). Mio gives him her rubber during an exam and Aoki is left to believe that Hashimoto has a crush on popular classmate Ida Kousuke ( Meguro Ren). When Sota drops the rubber by accident Kousuke picks it up and misunderstands that Aoki has a crush on him instead . Aoki decides to protect Hashimoto’s feelings by pretending that the rubber was his, yet rather than Kousuke deriding Aoki after rejecting him ( as Aoki expected), he finds himself in a sticky situation when Kousuke wants to “ get to know” Aoki more personally. However Aoki soon finds himself developing real feelings for Kousuke as they begin to spend more together.

Against the fear of the drama being a parody of itself ‘ Kieta Hatsukoi’ surprisingly does not reimburse the typical tropes and writing cliches in predictable ways. Diverged screenwriting takes on classic tropes will likely surprise viewers by sudden “ predictable screenwriting decisions” being changed by the decisions of characters and the route towards the developed relationships onscreen.

From an acting perspective ‘ Kieta Hatsukoi’ is fairly solid. There are admittedly some line deliverances throughout the drama which felt a little enforced or poorly delivered, but overall our main cast did help to present a charisma for their onscreen personas.

Michieda Shunsuke helped to present a sense of awkward charm as his onscreen persona Aoki Sota; a laidback high schooler, who finds himself involved in an awkward position. As a main character Sota has his strengths and weaknesses; authentically he’s your typical “ awkward teen”- misunderstanding scenarios and hates getting into awkward social situations whilst having only one truly close friend through “ Akkun” ( Suzuki Jin). On the other hand one of the biggest problems at times with Sota’s character drive was that whilst we were supposed to understand his “ conflicting” feelings for Kousuke, there never really felt like they were moments where we were able to see thus transcend gradually onscreen.

To explain this further and without major spoilers one of the greatest character-drives for Aoki surrounds his initial feelings for Hashimoto before seemingly falling for Kousuke despite their “misunderstandings”. Whilst it isn’t out of the question for individuals to be ineffably attracted to someone, it seemed odd that as viewers, we never truly reached a more emotive epiphany in the series for Aoki’s feelings for Kousuke being explored in more depth. Additionally there’s the issue surrounding Aoki truly feeling like an actual “ teenager” in the series aside from sometimes being shoehorned into the cliche of the “ whiny teen”; we rarely get to understand more about Sota’s background and family and whilst we are presented with a little indication into his fairly casual-bickering relationship with his mother in episode 2 ( the voice belonging to actress Mitsuishi Kotono) , we didn’t have a lot of opportunities to explore or understand more about Sota’s family dynamic.

Of course this isn’t to critique Aoki’s character entirely. Whilst some of his flaws felt more enforced than others ( not least of all often being the root-cause of conflict between his potential chemistry with Kousuke), Aoki coming to terms with his feelings for his classmate was surprisingly sweet as well as his friendship with his former-crush Hashimoto. Upon the former character mentioned Hashimoto and Aoki’s friendship surprisingly did not play on overt stereotypes or cliches- Hashimoto did not hold “ contempt” for Aoki , just as the male lead did not hold a grudge against his former-crush either. Admittedly whilst it’s understandable that the series didn’t want to draw-out Aoki’s initial “ feelings” for Hashimoto, it often felt as though the topic was swept under the carpet for a major proportion of the seriesm rather than being used as a plot-drive to present a greater growth between the friendship of Aoki and Hashimoto.


This naturally brings us onto the main love interest of the series and main lead Ida Kousuke. Played with a stern yet laidback charm by Meguro Ren, Ida Kousuke is the archetypical “ all-round-ace ” student. He’s a popular classmate, academically smart and sporty. Initially this leads Aoki to believing that he is Hashimoto’s crush and seemingly his “rival in love”. Kousuke is admittedly shoehorned for a major proportion of the series as the “ polar opposite” of Aoki; rarely flustered, sociable and suave. Aside from Aoki’s seeming initial misconceptions of Kousuke being slightly aloof, Kousuke proves himself to be a genuinely good person both within his brief yet insightful relationship with his mother ( Matsushita Yuki) in episode 3, as well as his childhood friend Todoya Shun ( Mochizuki Ayumu).

However admittedly where Kousuke often felt as though he could’ve been explored in more depth revolved around his seeming “ hero’s complex”. It’s revealed that Kousuke’s initial inability to say “ no” to others made him struggle with turning down Aoki’s feelings. However consequently Kousuke often struggled with elements of understanding Aoki’s anxiety or stress in different scenarios which naturally could put a rut in their onscreen relationship. Whilst this personality trait was briefly explored near the ending of the series it felt as though it could’ve allowed more opportunities to see symbiotic and mutual growth for both main leads; Aoki struggling to grasp his feelings for Kousuke, and Kousuke finding himself attracted by Aoki’s kindhearted actions. The relationship between both characters admittedly is drawn upon “ misunderstandings” and “ plot tension”, but the ending helped to present a heartwarming outcome for both our main leads.

The main side characters of the series are Hashimoto and Akkun; both of whom provide themselves to be good friends in need to Aoki. Whilst no major spoilers will be given towards the direction taken with both characters their arcs and development time admittedly did give way to some underdevelopment by the ending of the series, whilst whilst sweet, lacked a satiable build.

As a consequence of the diverged attention between only two plot lines in particular ; our main characters and then the subplot, the series would often fall into a staid and cyclical pattern of rarely diverging in episode formula; a new “ obstacle / climactic conflict” to “ get in the way of the main leads”, and then suddenly a “ quickly thrown-in solution ” to “ resolve” matters. Admittedly it isn’t entirely uncommon for dramas to fall into a status quo episode structure the series rarely used opportunities to explore a more dynamic buildup. This led to some episodes’ pacing ( especially by the latter-half of the series) often feeling anticlimactic and lacking sound-resolve.

The cinematography of the series is admittedly basic at best- whilst minimalistic shots did arguably help to capture the simplicity of Aoki and Kousuke’s overt onscreen relationship against warmer palettes and shades adding a romantic tone, it felt as though the series could’ve facilitated camera angles more towards conveying the characters’ emotions openly or invoke pathos through the captured scenery of the series. Certain tracks of the OST were admittedly a little generic in between scenes but during more emotive scenes the lack of lyrics and emphasis on instruments, did help to convey the characters’ feelings during certain some of these moments onscreen.

Overall ‘ Kieta Hatsukoi’ was a heartwarming and sweet drama. The second-half up until the finale was admittedly on a slight downwards slope in comparison to the first-half with certain writing elements and characters failing to meet dynamic buildup. However it’s undeniable that decent acting by our main cast as well as an intriguing main couple helped to present a charismatic charm towards our main leads which for those looking for a fairly sweet and heartwarming romance storyline, then ‘ Kieta Hatsukoi’ is perfect for lighting up your mood.

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Is It A “ Given” That This Is Actually Worth Watching?

Music dramas can often be uplifting and profound and ‘Given’ attempts to push the boat out completely. Based upon Natsuki Kizu’s shared-title manga, the drama ‘ Given’ focuses upon high schoolers Uenoyama Ritsuka( Suzuki Jin) and Satou Mafuyu ( Sanari)’s gradual love story, as well as learning to overcome their emotional wounds through playing the guitar.

Yet whilst the characters were flawed yet intriguing in their own right, let’s not sugarcoat it by saying that the acting was mediocre at the best of times. This isn’t to attack or spurn hatred towards any of the respected main cast, but regardless of counter-arguments claiming that because it was “ from a manga” and “ it was over-the-top because there was also an anime ”, a respected actor (even in a manga-based drama )can still stand out with their performance by making it beguiling or vivid for the audience . Instead between Sanari’s over-the-top and exaggerated facial expressions ( even in seemingly more serious scenes) and Suzuki Jin’s staid and monotonous line-deliverances, it was hard to really take anything from this drama aside from questionable performances and casting choices.

In terms of screenwriting “ Given” has certain virtues and more evident flaws also. The drama could often be heartfelt at times as Ritsuka attempts to navigate his feelings for Mafuyu, and Mafuyu tries to heal his scarred past through learning to play the guitar and music. On the other hand, the relationship between Ritsuka and Mafuyu felt awkwardly enforced for the “ sake of plot and to create drama” , rather than gradual and natural . Whilst “ Given” is stuck with having to follow certain storyline points from the first manga arc, screenwriting can still have certain liberties to explore points which the original manga author may have missed or skipped over in detail but the drama rarely facilitated this to its full potential.

This is case and point with Ritsuka as one of our main leads. On a strong note there is a lot which can be gathered up for viewers about Ristuka’s personality and a little about his circumstances. Ritsuka fits into the typical cliche as the “ laidback and cool type”. He sleeps during class , plays guitar after school with the band and whilst there’s not a lot of indication about his relationship with his parents , it is shown that he has a typical yet close relationship with his older sister Uenoyama Yayoi( Yagi Arisa). However this is where we hit a rut with Ritsuka’s character arc. He has the outlines as an intriguing character but he is rarely given the opportunity to be sketched out more definitively with sentience. The biggest example of this is his actual infatuation with the guitar. It is arguable that Ristuka may have just played at a guitar store a few times as a kid and piqued the interest of the band who gave him music lessons , or just naturally gifted but this just felt like a wasted opportunity in order to not deepen a more emotional bond between Mafuyu and Ristuka over their reasons for picking up the guitar. Even if there was no emotional cause or backstory behind Ristuka learning to play, even hearing his motives such as “ thinking it was cool” or being inspired by a certain figure would’ve undeniably have made Ristuka less like a plot device in order to keep an enforced pairing moving, and more like an actual individual with his own dreams and feelings.

The relationship between Mafuyu and Ritsuka was awkwardly enforced to say the least. It wasn’t necessarily that these didn’t have a good and heartfelt chemistry potential. However the reasons behind Ristuka suddenly liking him and confessing to him because “he had a guitar and looked lonely” felt sporadic and arbitrary.

Whilst as viewers we are only given mild hints that band mates Haruki Nakayama ( Yanagi Shuntaro) and Akihiko Kaji( Inowaki Kai) may have been aware of Ristuka’s sexuality, the sudden overt revelation in the first episode alone that “ well, he has feelings for Mafuyu now” and his confession to Mafuyu was superficial to say the least. In fact there was little prompt behind Ritsuka’s reasons for falling for Mafuyu besides “ he looked like he was interested in music and he’s mysterious”. This isn’t suggesting that we should’ve seen Ristuka closeted feelings for Mafuyu being dragged out for more than half of the drama, but it seemed odd that Ristuka didn’t even indicate once that he was unsure of Mafuyu’s sexuality (until a later revelation) before such an intrepid confession, or was overcome by his own feelings also. Adding to this there is also the fact that Ristuka lives in Japan. Whilst LGBTQ+ rights and attitudes have certainly improved over the years in Japanese society and amongst young generations , Ritsuka is still in high school which can sometimes be a breeding ground for bullying and homophobia amongst certain groups and individuals.

Adding to the head-scratching and distorted sugarcoated reality of student life, was the lacking sense of prominent messages towards what this series was actually trying to get across. It is arguable to an extent that the drama was trying to show the power of music as a journey of healing and love, but to cover more poignant issues such as suicide and LGBTQ representation without tying in the more harsh issues of these real-life topics was seriously poorly-tackled. Then of course there’s the issue of the drama rarely covering over types of relationships also. There’s the argument that Ritsuka had a strong bond with his band mates, but Mafuyu was rarely given scenes to get to know them more. The band mates also ( unsurprisingly) had their own romantic relationship- sweet, but nonetheless disregarded for a major proportion of the drama.

Overall ‘ Given’ isn’t a bad drama to watch if you’re looking for something to pass the time- it is uplifting , fluffy in parts and easy to binge-watch without a second thought. On the other hand those searching for a more insightful and well-rounded drama with a well-written storyline and dynamic acting may be sadly disappointed.

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Sweet, But Ultimately Boring...

Hi Bye, Mama!" did honestly showcase all the correct attributes of being a brilliant drama with a varied cast ( in particular the talents of Kim Tae-Hee, Kim Mi-Kyung and Lee Kyu-Hyung), intriguing characters and a unique storyline centralising upon the lesser-tackled subject in K-dramas of maternal love in addition to themes of bereavement and grief . However, as the story progressed, the second half of “ Hi Bye, Mama!” slowly began to degrade the storyline, characterisation and the pacing of the show into a dragging and painful experience for viewers trying to hold-on for another eight episodes .

Of course, this fault can’t entirely be imposed upon our main cast. Kim Tae-Hee was fairly brilliant as our female lead Cha Yu-Ri. Although she did arguably have some questionable acting moments when the show attempted to offer more “ comedy”, she still played the role of her character as both a mother who adores her child, and an individual with a heart of gold as well. Similar to Kim Tae-Hee, Lee Kyu-Hyung did also have to questionable line deliverances at times, but, he did add a level of emotional and multi-faceted complexity to his role as a re-married widow and surgeon who painfully feels guilt and grief over not being able to save Yu Ri’s life after the accident.

As a character, Cha Yu Ri is intrinsically a grief-stricken mother who is unable to do anything , but watch the events unfold around her daughter’s early milestones ( such as taking her first step and talking) which she is constantly remind of not being a part of. This is what defined Yu Ri as a character. She is a woman who will do anything to protect and watch-over her daughter . Then, in an attempt to heighten angst rather than actual logic, “ Hi, Bye Mama!” decided to resurrect Yu-Ri; arguably the distinct climatic point in the drama when the storyline and characters began to fall down.

Despite the ridiculousness of the story-arc, it isn’t necessarily the concept itself where the show failed but rather, the wasted potential of character progression. Being resurrected, Yu Ri seems to have left her brains behind on the other side at times within the show, making ridiculous and rash decisions as well as hiding important truths from her shocked former-husband which by default could have had a destructive psychological impact upon his own relationship with Min-Jung, one of the few maternal figures for her daughter, and of course his already estranged relationship with Seo-Woo.

Similarly, Cho Gang-Hwa started off as an interesting character; a man blaming himself for something he could not have foreseen, remarried for convenience rather than love and shying away from his daughter in fear of being reminded of Yu Ri. Yet even early on the drama, one of the most prominent issues which stuck out like a saw thumb for Gang-Hwa’s character, had to be how on earth he was still being paid and working in a hospital as a “ surgeon” if he had not performed a proper operation in years. Whilst the show attempts to offer a lacklustre explanation behind this, even if Gang-Hwa was kept on due to his talents, it is hard to understand why his colleagues and associates did not try putting him forward or suggesting to him therapy or grief-counselling at least once in the show.

In addition to this, for a character defined by his traumas and grief, Gang-Hwa’s reaction towards Yu-Ri entertains his life again felt both underwhelming and lacklustre; he was not defined by his previous emotions, or even attempted to sit down with Yu-Ri, but a fairly comical reaction in the grand scheme of things. Gang-Hwa’s relationship with Yu-Ri is ultimately complex, yet against all odds, the worst-written element of the show had to be Gang Hwa’s lacking progressive relationship with his ‘ new’ wife Oh Min-Jung and of course his daughter, Seo-Woo over the course of the series. It is understanding that perhaps Gang Hwa did marry Min-Jung out of convenience in an attempt to pass over grief and to raise Seo-Woo with a mother, but it seemed equally unfair towards how impassive he could be towards Min-Jung, not once attempting to develop a bond or even a friendship through marriage with her at all over the course of the series. Equally, his relationship with own daughter, Seo-Woo , was estranged for a major proportion of the series, seemingly “progressive” after the arrival of Yu Ri, yet a great jump in development from beginning to end.

Overall, “ Hi, Bye Mama” certainly had a unique storyline with themes of maternal love, family, death, bereavement and grief at the heart of the drama, which delivered certainly a bittersweet ending for viewers.
. However, as the story progressed, the second half was just disappointing; the characters became impassive at times within their own storyline, the cliches began to take over in favour of angst rather than development and the show soon became disappointingly dragging. This is certainly not a bad drama to watch if you have little else on the go, but certainly there a better shows out there which tackle these themes with more depth and pacing.

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Exploring Kang Dan Yi’s Tale of Redemption, Love and Resilience...

Written by screenwriter Jung Hyun Jung ( I Need Romance), “ Romance Is A Bonus Book” was a light-hearted love story between a divorcee, single mother Kang Dan Yi ( Lee Na Young) and her younger, successful childhood friend Cha Eun Ho ( Lee Jong Suk). Uplifting and sweet, it was notable that the series did have a couple of lose holes within its overarching completion...

Perhaps the most notable thing to say about the series is that its predominating story plays upon prominent cliches of the “ vulnerable and unemployed” female lead, the “ successful male lead with an obvious crush on the female lead ” and the evident lovelorn second male lead Ji Seo Joon (Wi Ha Joon). There was nothing entirely terrible about these cliches per se in the drama, however, the evident reoccurring presence of the “ male lead’s crush” as well as other dominant tropes of “secret dating” and “ jealousy” did become a little tiresome within the drama.

Nevertheless, it is wrong to bring the drama down entirely from its tropes and praise must be given towards the cast through their fairly brilliant performances as a whole .

Taking centre stage of the series, was undeniably main actress Lee Na Young as the female lead, Kang Dan Yi. Na Young was captivating within channeling the eccentric traits as well as optimism behind Dan Yi’s growth throughout the series.

As a character, Dan Yi was fairly likeable for viewers by her kind-heart, resilience and strength in the face of adversity. As a notably older character than her counterpart lover Eun Ho, it was intriguing to see how the show played upon Dan Yi’s age as a challenge towards work, self-confidence and her love life. Nevertheless, it did feel that there was lot left to explore with Dan Yi as an individual, rather than a merely an asset to the plot. Although the show did explore a little about Dan Yi’s previous relationship and her interactions with her daughter Hong Jae Hee ( Lee Ji Won), after their initial use in the beginning of the series, Dan Yi’s emotional reactions and exploring more about this side of her character as a mother and a divorcee , felt half-baked. It is understandable the show didn’t want to become too bogged down in the unnecessary details of Dan Yi’s past, however, it would have allowed us as viewers to see and understand more about Dan Yi’s current emotions and resilience if we’d learnt and seen more interactions with Dan Yi’s former husband and daughter. ( Not least more reasons why Dan Yi was going to marry him in the first place before having cold feet , as well as the lack of communication between Dan Yi and Jae Hee, besides not living together.)

Parallel to Na Young was Lee Jong Suk as the young male lead Cha Eun Ho. Whilst Jong Suk has undeniably had more captivating performances than his role in “ Romance Is A Bonus Book”, he did bring a certain charm within Eun Ho’s suave attitude and heartfelt affections for the female lead.

Cha Eun Ho was undeniably a fairly typical male lead within his framing in the show as the “ childhood friend” and the “ successful, younger lover”. Nevertheless, Eun Ho was a character who respectfully learnt to understand more about Eun Ho by rekindling his long-held crush once more.

The relationship between the two characters did feel cliche in parts by the necessity to prolong telling their colleagues that they were dating for a major proportion of the series, however, Eun Ho and Dan Yi had a symbiotically healthy relationship which did not draw out into emotional gaslighting or manipulation, by learning to respect one another over the course of the series making the pairing undeniably heartwarming for viewers.

Sadly, the side characters of the drama often felt slightly underdeveloped particularly with the associated ensemble of the colleagues such as Song Hae Rin ( Jung Yoo Jin) who harboured romantic feelings for Eun Ho as well as the second male lead Seo Joon who reversely had feelings for Dan Yi. Other characters such as Go Yoo Sun ( Kim Yo Min) and Seo Young Ah ( Kim Sun Young) had interesting roles in the storyline, but nevertheless could have been developed slightly more as individuals ( besides their rushed endings). The overall ending did feel completed and was undeniably sweet for the main characters.

In conclusion, ‘ Romance is A Bonus Book’ was slightly underdeveloped with feeding into cliche tropes and slightly half-baked side characters. On the other hand, the main leads were portrayed as individuals with character growth , the show had intriguing messages against ageism and work discrimination in Korea, as well as a heartfelt romance that could engage viewers without toxicity or unhealthy tropes. Definitely worth a watch for fun.

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The Sound Of Magic; Be Careful What You Wish For…

While we have seen a lot of music-orientated themes in Korean dramas and productions, it is less frequent to see the genre of musicals being tackled. Therefore, when news was released that the six-part Korean miniseries ‘ The Sound of Magic’ would be marketed a “ musical fantasy drama” based upon the fantasy webcomic "Annarasumanara” (안나라수마나라), there was certainly intrigue and hype around its upcoming release.

The series focuses upon main female lead Yoon Ah Yi ( Choi Sung Eun- ‘ Start Up’, ‘ Beyond Evil’). Despite being a top student in her school, Ah Yi has had it rough after her parents walked out on her.

Ah Yi secretly yearns that all of her problems will be solved by magic. However as the saying goes, be careful what you wish for. Ah Yi’s Life is turned upside down when she meets Lee Eul ( Ji Chang Wook- ‘ Healer’, ‘ K2’ and ‘ Backstreet Rookie’).

Lee Eul is practically perfect in every way. Helping to lift Ah Yi’s spirits up despite hard times, Lee Eul finds herself conflicted between fantasy and reality when she develops feelings for classmate and fellow hard-achiever Na Il Deung ( Hwang In Yeop- ‘ Freshman’, ‘18 Again’ and ‘ True Beauty’). However things become more complicated when Ah Yi discovers that Lee Eul is more than he seems.

Adapted to the small screen by Kim Min Jung ( ‘ Love In The Moonlight’, ‘ Imitation’), ‘ The Sound Of Magic’ is able to attain what many would probably define as “ lighthearted melodrama and fantasy ”. While the screenplay would occasionally dip into certain issues such as poverty, inequality and bullying, these topics were rarely discussed or brought forward prominently, instead used background themes to propel certain events of the series.

Admittedly this isn’t always necessarily a bad approach per say in a series. It certainly allowed ‘ The Sound Of Magic’ to maintain an easygoing charm. On the other hand, it is fair to admit that while the premise of the series was certainly engaging and the storyline boasted an intriguing array of characters, the production wasn’t without its more noticeable loose ends either.

Choi Sung Eun is an upcoming actress in the South-Korean film and TV industry. While some viewers may have seen her before in productions such as ‘ Beyond Evil’, it is likely most will be unfamiliar with her name. Nevertheless despite a few awkward line deliverances at times, Sung Eun delivered a fairly decent performance at main female lead Yoon Ah Hi; a downcast and hardworking girl who finds herself encountering a mysterious magician.

As an onscreen character, Ah Yi is admittedly a mixed-bag of writing tropes and strengths. The “ hardworking” female lead is a cliche that has often been overdone in Korean productions and dramas. Admittedly it would be wrong to suggest that Ah Yi was an entirely “ bad character” per say.

Her genuine doting and sincerity for her sister, her disillusioned beliefs surrounding her mother and yearning to get her back, and certain levels of her personal struggles such as being bullied and financial struggles, did add a touch of relatability and engagement for the audience with Ah Yi’s character.

On the other hand despite the unlimited potential for Ah Yi to become a fully likeable character, it was hard to ignore that Ah Yi’s character-arc felt somewhat poorly put together at times, especially with regards to her ineffable muteness as well as delving further into her feelings towards her parents . ( To explain this further, it is important to acknowledge that being reserved and struggling with anxiety or trauma are certainly separate and complicated issues. However rather than connecting this succinctly with her own emotional struggles as well as in reality, Ah Yi’s personal problems could often feel shoehorned rather than explained in detail. In addition to this nuanced issues such as her living or financial situation not being noticed by others such as teachers or at least by social services seemed a little odd also.)

Then of course there’s the subject surrounding Ah Yi’s potential love interest and supporting male lead. Since his popular roles in ‘ True Beauty’ and ‘ 18 Again’, Hwang In Yeop had become a familiar face and name for viewers. However rather than playing his associated “ bad boy” roles, In Yeop took on his onscreen part as hardworking student Na II Deung, adding a fairly consistent performance to his onscreen role.

As a character, II Deung suffered a similar fate to the female lead when it came to screenwriting. The role as the “ potential love interest” for Ah Yi was surprisingly subverted at times when intriguing glimpses were provided into II Deung’s own personal life and struggles.

On the other hand while chemistry certainly was prominent between the leading actors and certainly easygoing , it was difficult at times to really see or allow this onscreen relationship to develop further outside of lighthearted banter or “ necessary plot moments”. Of course, later episodes certainly relished in exchanges between the two main characters but it was difficult to see this relationship having been developed particularly through evident common ground or growth.

However while Hwang In Yeop may certainly have attracted attention for certain viewers, it is likely most viewers will be intrigued by the starring role of Ji Chang Wook as the beguiling magician Lee Eul.

As an A-lister actor, Chang Wook has respectfully had his fair share of good and bad performances over the years. Nevertheless his performance as main lead Lee Eul was certainly decent enough, adding a surprising charm to his onscreen persona which admittedly could’ve been taken further by the writing .

To a certain extent, screenwriter Kim Min Jung captivated this well by Lee Eul offering an air of mystique for most of the series. Despite seemingly being introduced as a seeming “ heroic” figure for Ah Yi, it is soon proven that Lee Eul is certainly not a knight in shining armour as truths come to light.

On the other hand, it often felt as though while viewers did not entirely have to know the precise events of his backstory to work out his character-arc and role in the series, it often felt as though ‘ The Sound Of Magic’ rarely brought forwards Lee Eul’s seemingly “ unpredictable” edge and mystery. It often felt as though this could’ve easily have been done by at least foreshadowing or helping to boast his onscreen presence through different mood lighting or cinematography.

Then of course aside from the main characters, there is also the topic surrounding supporting characters. The majority of the supporting characters were often placed as merely background characters for storylines or events ( such as Ah Yi’s parents, her younger sister and II Deung’s parents). Admittedly the supporting cast’s performances varied somewhat dependent on ability. However it is hard not to talk about side characters without at least acknowledging “ Ah Yi’s bully” Baek Ha Na. Unsurprisingly, Ha Na’s role as Ah Yi’s tormentor is rarely explained or justified aside from Ha Na being “ shallow and mean” and helping to intensify angst and drama during “ necessary moments”.

The execution of ‘ The Sound Of Magic’ is a fair mixture of slow-paced angst and quick-paced storyline. Although this was necessary at times for helping to establish characters and storyline events, it could often lead to parts of the miniseries feeling somewhat slow and dragging in parts and rarely fleshed out at certain points of the narrative. ( Therefore often leading to certain events of the narrative feeling overly predictable or convenient.) In particular, this was evident through the formula of musical compositions being given in episodes. Although they were often lighthearted or melodramatic,certain compositions could sometimes feel arbitrarily placed in the trajectory of the series.

In addition to the main storyline surrounding the female lead, there were a few noticeable side storylines such as Ah Yi’s internal monologues addressing her mother, the male lead’s hone life and his relationship with his parents as well as the mysterious disappearances of students at the school. Although they were certainly intriguing subplots, they were rarely fleshed out. Of course while it is hard to create an entirely flawless adaptation of a work or webcomic, it often felt as though ‘ The Sound Of Magic’ could’ve flourished more by sticking to fewer storylines and developing them well.

The ending of the series will admittedly remain a subject of debate for a lot of viewers. While some viewers may enjoy an uplifting finale, others may feel let down by the sudden rush of plot events and failing to answer a lot of continuous questions and resolutions for the characters.

Naturally there is also the discussion surrounding the OST of the series. ‘ The Sound Of Magic’ was composed of a mixture of angst-ridden musical compositions and lighthearted pop tracks, ‘ The Sound Of Magic’ can be said to have an admittedly odd mix of genuinely memorable and generic songs. Tracks including “ 아저씨. 마술을 믿으세요? “(Annarasumanara), “회전목마” (Merry-Go-Round) and “잘자” Have A Good Night) remained particularly memorable.

Perhaps a certain virtue of ‘ The Sound Of Magic’ came through the cinematography approached by director Kim Seong Yoon ( ‘Who Are You:School 2015’, ‘ Lovers In The Moonlight’ and ‘ Itaewon Class’). High quality and stunning in parts through a blurring between reality and illusion, Seong Yoon’s lighting and mood certainly helped to captivate a lot of the characters’ emotions and struggles. Admittedly it felt as though the series could’ve benefited by delving deeper into a phantasmagoria of dreamlike or magical sequences in later episodes.

Overall ‘ The Sound Of Magic’ offered viewers with slightly “ darker” lighthearted angst and melodrama wrapped into a guise of magic and fantasy. Although the series certainly boasted an intriguing array of characters and skimmed-over issues and topics, the narrative often felt like a patchwork of narrative events and pacing rather than succinct. ( Especially by the ending of the series.) Nevertheless Ah Yi and II Deung’s potential onscreen chemistry remained entertaining and certainly offered viewers with an indulging and certainly magical binge-watch.

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Cruising Through Nostalgia; The Retro Film That Missed A Few Gears…

There’s something about Moon Hyun Sung’s ( ‘ As One’, ‘ The King’s Case Note’) ‘ Seoul Vibe’ that held a lot of potential on paper; a group of 80’s youths caught in between the past memories of the autocratic government of South Korea, as well as the newly democratic era marked by the Olympic Games and economic growth. However , while ‘ Seoul Vibe’ possessed a certain nostalgia of 80’s fashion brands and VHS camcorders, the general progression of the narrative and car chases played out like a paler imitation of a 'Fast & Furious' franchise movie interpolated with a less gritty Scorsese action film .

‘ Seoul Vibe’ opens up inexplicably in 1988 Saudi Arabia, with ace driver Dong Wook ( Yoo Ah-In-‘ Burning’, ‘ Hellbound’) skirting around a rough desert track in his dilapidated Chevy with his videographer and younger brother Joon-Gi ( Ong Seong Wu-‘ Moment At Eighteen’ and ‘Would You Like a Cup Of Coffee?’). Returning back to Seoul, the duo reunite with their old friend and taxi driver friend Bok-nam (Lee Kyu-Hyung - ‘ Life’, ‘ Dr John’ and ‘ May It Please The Court’) , resident DJ John (Go Kyung-pyo) and Dong and Joon’s sister Yoon-hee (Park Ju-hyun), learning that their part of the city has pretty much been demolished to the ground ahead of hosting the Olympic Games. The only thing left is their father’s old auto body garage, somewhere that the group seeks refuge inside.

Enter the big nuisance of the film: Prosecutor Ahn ( Oh Jung-se). Knowing all about Joon’s illegal involvements overseas, Ahn strikes a deal with the group that he will eradicate the group’s criminal records in exchange for the crew bringing down the money laundering operation of underworld kingpin Kang In-sook (Moon So-ri).

As mentioned previously, ‘ Seoul Vibe’ possessed an edge of nostalgia that was as warm and bubbly as its neon palette schemes and Coca Cola bottle shots. However against its sweet and entertaining edge, ‘ Seoul Vibe’ struggled when it came to its execution. The comedy was variable from scene to scene and while the mindless car chases and lack of physics can be taken with a pinch of salt, the writing of the movie was a mixed bag to say the least.

It’s necessarily bad per say that ‘Seoul Vibe’ was heavily inspired by movies such as from the ‘ Fast & Furious’ franchise. However rather than interspersing the film with lively and fleshed-out characters ( aside from a few backstory mentions that rarely play a bigger role), a plot boasting unique, key and central messages against its backdrop of an ever-changing late 1980s South Korea or helping to explore the relationships and dynamics of the group to their full potential ( especially considering most of them or siblings or old friends), the film often felt somewhat cut and pasted from other works. In particular, this was shown by the formulaic events of the narrative; the setup, the big chase scenes, the final showdown and then the fairytale ending for the main characters.

The acting front of ‘ Seoul Vibe’ was fairly consistent. The chemistry between Dong-wook’s gang of old friends and misfits was decent enough but rarely did it feel awe-inspiring. There wasn’t a lot of opportunities given in the movie to actually explore these bonds or for viewers to fully understand the significance of their achievements together. One of the few spotlight performances of the movie was Park Ju-Hyun ( ‘ Extracurricular’) , who starred as the two brothers’ sweet and lively younger sister.

The OST of ‘ Seoul Vibes’ was certainly one of its few soaring prides with tracks such as “You be Illin’” from Run-DMC and " One for the Treble” by Davy DMX, helping to add to the cartoonish and easygoing vibes of ‘ Seoul Vibe’.

‘ Seoul Vibe’ is a fun and energetic action romp which is filled with a lot of lighthearted fun. However while ‘ Seoul Vibe’ was entertaining and did provide a small lens into a bygone era, the storyline felt as though it could’ve been taken from any car chasing action film. Perhaps with better execution, writing and special effects, ‘ Seoul Vibe’ could’ve been a lot more than the finished product.

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A Nostalgia-Ridden Love Story To The 1990s …

When discussing about directors Frankie Chen and Chen Yu Shan’s ‘ Our Times’ , the movie is often directly attributed on a surface level as merely being a stereotypical and cutesy love story between its two main leads Lin and Taiyu . However is arguable that when you are able to delve further beneath the film’s surface ‘ Our Times’ isn’t just a literal romance, but a love story and homage by its creators to the nostalgic days of youth in 1990s Taiwan.

Original or replicated props,popular culture references to 90’s idols such as Aaron Kwok and Andy Lau, outfits and copied hairstyles from the era given to the drama’s cast animated scenes to life with euphoria as bubbly palettes and vivid hues onscreen attempted to perfectly capture the rose-tinted warmth and sweetness of adolescence throughout the movie.

However that isn’t to say that Chen and Shan entirely limit the nostalgia-ride with merely visuals. The reimbursed injection of the “ordinary girl meets her Prince Charming” trope admittedly did have its highs-and-lows throughout the movie.

An evident feminine-perspective to this cliche helped to add a breath of fresh air to an otherwise overused trope. Flashbacks and flash forwards throughout the drama’s non-linear storyline between Lin Zhen Xin’s dilemmas as a young woman in her thirties( Joe Chen) against Lin’s naive teen-self ( Vivian Sung) helped to present Lin Zhen Xin’s journey throughout the movie.

Nevertheless ‘ Our Time’ ‘s pragmatic focus upon Zhen Xin’s embroiled meeting with the seemingly fearsome delinquent Taiyu (Darren Wang) could admittedly sometimes feel shoehorned by cliches in an attempt to keep the drama’s plot-drive afloat throughout the movie’s duration. Considering that this is one of the focal drives of the storyline it wasn’t necessarily bad per say that the film attempted to offer opportunities to bring forward the two unlikely lovers together. On the other hand the movie could often feel as though it was trying to drive the series sometimes through enforced misunderstandings leading to further drama, rather than allowing coherent events to take place and then resolving problems throughout the film.

One of the most pleasant surprises of the film came through the movie’s lineup. Joe Chen played the older-self of the female lead; a woman in her thirties stuck in a deadbeat office non who begins to reminisce about her school days back in the 1990s. Despite Chen not having as many focused scenes as she should’ve done as the main character’s older-self in the film, the actress was able to interplay her character incredibly well with younger actress Vivian Sung.

Sung is arguably one of the main highlights of ‘ Our Time’. Whilst at times the actress could admittedly feel as though she was putting on a slight over-the-top ambience to her onscreen persona in order to sway audiences towards her image as the “ dorky teen and fan girl ”, Sung could also surprisingly captivate a loveable and down-to-earth charm to Zhen Xin’s teen-self for audiences.

Costarring alongside Joe Chen was Jerry Yan as main male lead Hsu Tai Yu’s older-self. The actor’s well-known performance as the main lead in the popular adaptation of the original ‘ Meteor Garden’ did carry through with a slight gruff charm onscreen. Nevertheless Yan’s appearance whilst necessary to wrap-up events was limited and brief to say the least.

The notable star-attraction of the series as the younger Hsu Tai Yu was Darren Wang. As the actor’s breakout role Wang portrayed troublemaker Taiyu with a few awkward line deliverances at times but quickly made up for this through surprising heart and soul in tour de force moments of the momvie, as well as wittiness when screen time called for it also.

On the other hand for a movie filled with easygoing nostalgia and sweet chemistry between the leads ‘ Our Time’ could often fall victim to pacing. For a film exceeding a two hour duration trying to captivate an audience is quintessential and dragged-out scenes and dialogue exchanges could often sometimes weigh heavily upon its paced-narrative. Plot points could sometimes feel slightly cyclical at times without adding anything new to the storyline; something that could’ve easily been fixed if the storyline had arguably kept its structure a little more rigid and succinct .

The ending admittedly on a crisp and sweet note for audiences- expected of the genre but fitting for the characters and events of the movie.

Frankie Chen and Chen Yu Shan is an expected love-story with cliches and shoehorning sometimes worming its way into the events of a laissez-faire paced plot. Nevertheless there’s no doubt that there’s something oddly endorsing about its cast, bright palettes and authentic set pieces as well as Chen and Shan’s homage not just to the 1990s, but an attempt to engage audiences through the universal experience of nostalgia also.

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A Thought-Provoking Adaptation..

With numerous adaptations across television and film ( including a predecessor Japanese version in 2001, as well as a loosely- based South-Korean adaptation called “ Hello, God” in 2006 ), it is only natural to raise the apparent question whether this recent Japanese version of Flowers For Algernon is actually worth watching as a stand-alone production.

In this Japanese version of the eponymous novel, our main protagonist Shiratori Sakuto ( Yamashita Tomohisa) is a kind-hearted young man with an intellectual disability. Working for a floral delivery service, a misunderstanding between Sakuto and researcher Mochizuki Haruka ( Chiaki Kuriyama) leads Sakuto to developing a benign crush upon Haruka. Wanting to become “ smarter”, Sakuto with Haruka’s aid enters a top research programme with the hope of improving his IQ, however, as one thing leads to the next, Sakuto begins to realise that the world he’s been in living isn’t as perfect as it seems, as his relationships with his colleagues, friends and Haruka will change irrevocably.

In screenwriters Nojima Shinji ( Love Shuffle, 49) and Ikeda Natsuko ( Zekkyou, Ouran High School Host Club-2011) ‘s contemporary adaptation of Daniel Keyes’ 1959 eponymous novel, there would seem to be two prominent made to this version ( sans the cultural localisation in Tokyo) alone.

The most evident change being that the show places more sympathetic lighting for the characters associated with our main protagonist Shiratori Sakuto ( Yamashita Tomohisa), with an actual didactic focus upon most of these characters as individuals with emotions and their own problems rather than just merely plot devices. Then of course, the greatest change in the show comes through the focal point of the “ casual romance” between our main protagonist Sakuto, and researcher Mochizuki Haruka over the course of the series and a lot more than their predecessor counterparts in the novel.

Whilst their obstacles and later development in their relationship are paramount for Sakuto’s progression as a character, the relationship between Sakuto and Haruka truly ceases to be challenging in terms of the overarching storyline . Haruka for a major part of the series felt a little more objectified to simply the “ love interest” than an actual individual with thoughts and feelings. Arguably, this is the mould in which Sakuto “ sees” Haruka within, however, even in her own scenes, there was little to really draw up about Haruka as a individual , apart from creating more and more “ naive” and unfair misunderstandings for Sakuto without acknowledging how he may feel also.

Arguably Sakuto is fairly similar to Haruka in this department towards sometimes being “ unnecessarily cruel”, particularly towards the unfortunate second female lead Kawaguchi Rio ( Tanimura Mitsuki). Whilst the show did constantly attempt to make us question the boundaries of ethics and principles both in science and our male lead’s “ actions” , it is hard to truly feel pity for Sakuto in some cases after his behaviour with Rio- a kind-hearted girl who fell in love with Sakuto despite his intellectual disability, and soon became a form of “ grief” for Sakuto to inflict his feelings and anger upon. Whilst this did certainly add a touch of realism to complexity of actual relationships, the way that screenwriters Nojima and Ikeda initially dealt with Rio as both an individual and her storyline, felt both lacklustre and anticlimactic in the grand scheme of things.

In all honesty, the acting of Flowers For Algernon could sometimes be a bit of a mixed bag with genuine heartfelt, with some questionable performances. Yet what should certainly be said is that our main leads do not disappoint.
Whilst Sakuto is a complicated and questionable individual, there’s no denying that Tomohisa was brilliant within his dual performance as our main lead between the fine drawn line of innocence and cynicism over the course of the series . En par with Tomohisa, was undeniably costar Chiaki Kuriyama. Despite her character’s flaws, Kuriyama added much needed charisma to Haruka as a character. In addition to this, the show tackled some surprisingly difficult themes from discrimination against those with an intellectual disability, abuse and deeper philosophical and ethical questions including the pursuit of happiness in the face of intelligence.

Overall, it’s fair to say that Flowers For Algernon is a show which is fairly rough around the edges; the romantic factor ( although not predominant ) is a little lacklustre as the focal point , certain characters ( such as Rio) could have been written with more intrinsic purpose to the overall show and the pseudoscientific elements of the show could have been explained in more depth than just “ passed over” for the sake of plot progression. However, Flowers For Algernon is still surprisingly thought-provoking with deep moral questions posed for both viewers and our main protagonist Sakuto, an intriguing premise and a bittersweet , yet appropriate ending for our main lead’s journey from beginning to end. Although not flawless, this is worth a watch if you’re looking for something with thought-provoking questions.

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An Untypical Seoul Love Story...

Revisiting Weightlifting Fairy Kim Bok Joo with additional years of knowledge about genres, actors and tropes, it’s intriguing to note exactly how this series has attracted such a cult following , and why certain issues can still be correlated with it as a failure in mainstream South-Korean popular culture as well.

It first must be said that Weightlifting Fairy Kim Bok Joo doesn’t necessarily have an original idea within its concepts of love triangles and trauma in college , but its characters and comedy are surprisingly well- rounded and relevant for its “ youth” sub genre.

Our main female lead is the eponymous Kim Bok Joo ( Lee Sung-Kyung); a self-conscious and kind-hearted female weightlifter who ends up falling for obesity doctor Jung Jae-yi ( Lee Jae Yoon). Her affections become complicated , however, when she meets Jae-yi’s mischievous younger brother and swimmer Jung Joon-hyung ( Nam Joo Hyuk) who in-turn shares a deeply traumatic past and a complicated history with Bok Joo’s new roommate, gymnast Song Shi-ho ( Kyung Soo-Jin).

Perhaps the most appraised element of the show is its sensitivity and portrayal of mental health issues as well as sexism; Joon-Hyung suffers from trauma , Bok Joo lacks self-esteem and is often cited as “ less feminine” (by both genders) for sport choice and despite her nastier flaws, Song Shi Ho is heavily implied to struggle with an eating disorder .

Yet against the more angst-ridden moments of the show, one of the most surprisingly well-portrayed relationships in the drama is shown through Bok Joo and Joon-Hyung. From teasing to an eccentric friendship to something more, it is still fairly refreshing watching this drama again that Bok Joo’s feelings weren’t something which magically ensured she was “ head over heels in love “ with Joon-Hyung ( even by the ending of the show), but something she learnt gradually and naturally . This is for once a touch of freshness and realism to a relationship in a drama; feelings are complicated and whilst it is romanticised to find one’s true love at first glance, it isn’t always a reality .

Yet getting to the more pressing issue , it’s important to note that often there are several “inconsistencies” which are glossed over by drama fans when it comes to this show. The biggest being pacing- whilst viewers get to know the majority of our main characters in the first few episodes, the show sometimes did hit a slag in terms of story development often either being dragged out or just incredibly slow.

Additionally, the other issue is whilst the issues around the characters are fairly well-tackled, some of our characters were lacking depth including our female heroine. Bok Joo did defy a lot of stereotypes compared to many Korean dramas as a female athlete who stands her ground , but is still conscious about makeup and boys, however, this didn’t initially define her as a character. When it boils down to it, Bok Joo always felt a little too roughly drawn-out for her own good. She had all the right elements of being an intriguing heroine but besides being used for angst and comedy during the show, Bok Joo lacked a lot of actual character depth.

Admittedly this isn’t just Bok Joo. Whilst Joon Hyung’s trauma and past were surprisingly well-delivered, Joon Hyung was often played too much as the farce character with Bok Joo- sweet, but lacking an inner core of depth as an individual.

Overall it’s fair to say that Weightlifting Fairy Kim Bok Joo will always have its lovers and haters - whilst undeniably brilliant due to its portrayal of relationships , mental health and youth issues, it’s easy to see why the show is overrated to a certain extent with certain glossed-over issues, poor character writing and slow plot. A fun show and certainly worth a watch, but not flawless.

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A “ Bloodcurdingly” Dire Drama...

Upon paper, Blood actually has quite a good plot premise; vampires created in a “ I am Legend” - style way by infection (rather than the traditional manner in most vampire shows) , a protagonist infected since birth who wants to defy his fate and help others by becoming a doctor , as well as a female lead who actually had the potential to be a strong and independent asset within the show rather than just a mere love interest .

Instead, there is a sense of discordance within the overall drama between Ahn Jae- Sung’s moping upon screen for nearly half the series around a hospital (which after the first few episodes no longer seem to have something called “ A and E” or a regular flow of surgery operations )and Gu Hye Seon raising her voice as she flouts about the hospital stalking Jae-Sung as Yoo Ri Ta, without a second glance at the fact she’s in a senior position and in reality would be inundated in a pool of work requests and submissions.

It isn’t that Jae-Sung is a bad actor as he’s proven his talents before in shows like The Beauty Inside (2018) as one of the suave Male leads who was comically charismatic . Yet there’s no sugarcoating that Jae-Sung ‘s performance as Park Ji Sang was not one of his best and for a major proportion of the show, Jae- Sung came off as rigid and tight. Similarly whilst Gu Hye Seon is renowned for her performance in Boys Over Flowers (2009), she channelled her character, Yoo Ri Ta through a mixture of a deliverance of yelling her lines and stoic expressions as well.
Admittedly this also a fault of the director, the story writing and characterisation of the overall drama as well. Rather than directors Lee Jae Hoon and Ki Min Soo pulling up Hye Seon and Jae- Sung’s performances over minor errors in earlier episodes to improve their performances and avoid later mistakes, they seemed to be too obsessed with the thought of trying to deliver a contemporary drama which they thought that Korean audiences would lap up after recent waves of western vampire franchises in Korea.

Yet the scriptwriters must also be put under the interrogation light here for their part as well in regards to the lack of characterisation and plot as well. Rather than Park Jae Bum actually allowing us to see Ji Sang’s own personal struggles as well as a sense of attachment towards Ri Ta’s own experiences as a development within their relationship, the scenes that viewers do see ‘ moments of the past’ are neither talked about or mentioned again leading to a very rigid “ romantic’’ ( if you can call it that ) relationship between both characters for a major proportion of the show. Perhaps the one saving performance of the show was Jin Hee who was actually fairly good within his performance, however, the same cannot be said for his character Lee Jae Wook who had the potentially to be possibly one of the most intriguing characters of the drama, yet typical to the cliches he was forced into a lacking sense of depth and purpose within the show.

For most of Blood, Jae Bum seems obsessed with trying to cram in a myriad of useless plot points amongst only a couple of useful ones before rushing to the action and ending by the finale. Rather than building or progressing the show over a course of sixteen episodes, there’s little explanation or reasoning behind a lot of the events of Blood; presumably Ji- sang not ageing at the same rate of humans ( and if this applies to all vampires in the show), the actual motives behind our antagonist and of course what was up with the ending as well.

It is wrong to say that Blood is entirely unwatchable as it did actually have some good points such as Kwon Hyung Sang as the much needed comical relief of the series ( for most of it at least) and an intriguing plot premise, yet rather than Blood being one of the best cult classic Korean dramas of all time, it’s a farce of itself with dire acting, directing and writing. Overall it’s fair to say that Blood is a perfect drama to binge watch if you’re bored and looking for something to watch, but it is certainly not worth investing time and effort towards.

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Twenty-Five, Twenty One’; A Bumpy Trip Down Memory Lane…

Anyone who is aware or familiar with the  modern-classic, the ‘Reply’ series, will appreciate that the concept of nostalgia, mysterious flashbacks and trying to piece together events between the past and future ( especially with regards to romantic relationships) are not ground-breaking writing setups.

Nevertheless while ‘ Twenty Five, Twenty One’ does not play around with a new or an original  idea, the narrative did offer viewers with a heartfelt coming-of-age story. In addition to this, ‘ Twenty-Five, Twenty-One’ presented an unravelling mystery. Although the drama could often be captivating, it is important to acknowledge that ‘Twenty-Five, Twenty One’ still suffered at times from inconsistent pacing and execution.

The main narrative and timeline of ‘Twenty Five, Twenty One’ is predominantly set in the late 1990s and focuses upon its two main leads; aspiring athletic fencer, 18 year-old Na Hee Do ( Kim Tae Ri- ‘ Mr .Sunshine’, ‘ The Handmaiden’ and ‘Space Sweepers’ ) and her hardworking ‘’sunbae’’ and potential love interest, college-student Baek Yi Jin ( Nam Joo Hyuk- ‘Who Are You: School 2015’, ‘ Weightlifting Fairy Kim Bok-Joo’ and ‘ The Light in Your Eyes’).

The second timeline of the series is set in the near-present day. Instead of focusing solely on an adult Hee Do, the subplot instead focuses on Hee Do’s young daughter Kim Min Chae ( Choi Myung Bin- ‘ The King’s Affection’, ‘ Dramaworld2’). Within these future events of the main narrative, adult Hee-Do ( played by Kim So Hyun- ‘The King and I’) is revealed to have been shaped greatly by the unfolding  events of her past.  She is no longer an optimistic dreamer, and instead has turned into a prudent helicopter parent; attempting to mould Min Chae into becoming a prodigal ballerina through a regimented routine and regime, but without always acknowledging her daughter’s personal feelings and dreams.

Annoyed and fed up by her mother’s micromanaging, Min Chae is shocked when she stumbles upon her mother’s old diaries, photos and journals. Intrigued, she begins to digress through her mother’s personal coming-of-age accounts during the aftermath of the 1997 IMF crisis. Min Chae is astounded to follow her mother’s journey and slowly begins to understand more about her mother’s past  and circumstances, especially with regards to her complicated feelings for Baek Yi-Jin.

Screenwriter Kwon Do Eun is most likely known by viewers for her critically-successful screenplay ‘Search: WWW’. Similar to her previous work, Kwon Do Eun added a similar stylistic approach of heart-warming angst and multi-layered characters throughout the screenplay for ‘Twenty-Five, Twenty-One’.
 
However despite several tonal similarities between Do Eun’s screenplays, it is important to note that ‘Twenty-Five, Twenty-One’ takes a different approach with its storytelling, particularly by using a non-linear narrative.  Non-linear narratives can allow for some brilliant opportunities in order for screenwriters to explore character-depth, intensify climatic build-ups through flashbacks and flashforwards, as well as helping to entice the audience.
 
This was particularly apparent in ‘Twenty-Five, Twenty-One’ via the main storyline by focusing  upon the potential romantic relationship between Hee Do and Yi Jin, as well as the complicated  mother-daughter bond between Hee Do and Min Chae during certain scenes in the subplot surrounding events in the present-day.
 
With regards to the latter mentioned plot point, the potential onscreen chemistry between Hee Do and Yi-Jin was quintessential towards impacting events in the narrative. Admittedly and refreshingly rather than allowing the storyline to be entirely focused upon the romantic elements of Hee Do and Yi-Jin’s relationship, the series offered opportunities also for viewers to divulge deeper into the aspirations and sentience of the characters at times.
 
In particular, this was shown through the difficult journey taken at times by the female lead and male lead through different complicated situations and interactions. For the female lead, this was apparent throughher prickly relationship with her mother and news anchor Shin Jae Kyung ( Seo Jae Hee- ‘Run On’, ‘ Artificial City; and ‘The Youngest Son Of A Conglomerate’) as well as her rivalry with with Go Yoo-rim ( Bona ‘ Hit The Top’, ‘ Girls’ Generation 1979’ and ‘ Your House Helper’).
 
For male lead Yi-Jin, his personal conflicts came early on in the series. After his father’s affluent business went bankrupt nearly overnight during the economic crisis, Yi-Jin was forced to take on several part-time jobs in order to make ends meet. However, Yi-Jin feels as though he has struck gold after landing a position at a broadcasting company. Yet similar to the female lead’s personal struggles in order to attain her dreams, Yi-Jin soon acknowledges that his journey into the television industry isn’t as straightforward as it seems.
 
Nevertheless although the narrative helped to offer moments for characters to feel dynamic, it is hard to ignore that  Hee Do and Yi-Jin were still shoehorned  at times into specific roles and scenarios in order to drag-out misunderstandings and angst. In particular this was often prominent through Yi-Jin’s age difference and dating experience in comparison to Hee Do, who was sometimes subjugated during some of these moments as a victim of her own inexperience.
 
This wasn’t entirely a bad writing decision per say. Although age difference relationships can often be the subject of debate in narratives, when approached tactfully, they can allow for some intriguing explorations into setups, character archetypes and sociological barriers between love interests. Nevertheless although some praise should be given to Do Eun’s overtness with the setup and subject matter tackled, it is still notable that, Yi-Jin and Hee Do’s dilemmas could often feel somewhat cliché and enforced. Perhaps this was also due to the fact that of these misunderstandings and climatic scenarios ( particularly incidents where Hee Do would jump to conclusions or misconceptions about Yi-Jin) did become more repetitive as episodes progressed.
 
Kim Tae Ri and Nam Joo Hyuk starred as main leads and potential lovers. Kim Tae Ri added a likeable charm to her onscreen persona, Hee Do. It is a difficult feat at times for an actor playing the role of a younger character to adopt specific mannerisms or characteristics in order to make their performance feel authentic. Nevertheless although there were some moments of overblown dialogue, Kim Tae Ri brilliantly helped to bring young Hee Do to life through her bubbly character and personality. In addition to Tae Ri, A-lister actor Nam Joo Hyuk co-starred alongside the actress as main male lead Baek Yi-Jin. Although there were moments initially where Joo Hyuk’s performance could feel somewhat stilted by his limited screen time and interactions with the female lead, Joo Hyuk was gradually allowed more opportunities in order to add an emotive edge to his onscreen character.
 
It is important to point out that the main leads’ onscreen chemistry was decent enough. Kim Tae Ri and Nam Joo Hyuk’s initial chemistry felt somewhat stagnant in parts, but certainly did improve as episodes progressed.

In addition to the romantic relationship explored between the main leads in the series, there is also another important bond covered in the subplot; the relationship between Hee Do and her daughter. Kim So Hyun takes on the role as the adult-version of Hee Do. It seemed surprising considering the respectful age of Kim Tae Ri, that another actress was cast to play an older version of her character. Nevertheless, So Hyun helped to embody a certain believability with her onscreen performance. Alongside actress Kim So Hyun, co-star and child actress Choi Myung Bin delivered a brilliant performance as Hee Do’s daughter Kim Min Chae.
 
The maternal bond explored in ‘Twenty-Five, Twenty One’ between the main female lead’s adult-self and her daughter is arguably one of the most intriguing as well as shoehorned subplots in the drama’s narrative. Of course, screenwriter Kwon Do Eun added a certain level of depth to the onscreen relationship. Hee Do’s reasons for becoming a “controlling figure” within her daughter’s life are more complex than merely out of spite or jealousy. ( Her relationship with her own mother playing a big part with wanting to give opportunities to Min Chae.) Similarly while it would be easy to portray Min Chae as the “ fractious” daughter, Min Chae’s frustration seemed to reflect a lot of convoluted feelings.

Nevertheless despite Do Eun’s presentation of the relationship, it is hard to ignore that while this was still only a subplot, the storyline revolving around Min Chae and Hee Do was often shoehorned into a limited time frame, with inconsistent time-skips and flittering in between rarely helping to smooth out this counterplot by the ending of the series.

Sadly this was a slight problem with ‘ Twenty Five, Twenty One’. Although the narrative was heavily focused upon the events of the main leads and their complex potential onscreen chemistry, subplots and side characters could often be left out of the equation. This was mainly due to the fact that in a time space of sixteen episodes, the narrative had to be compact and focusing upon the main narrative rather than homing in on side plots did become necessary as episodes progressed.

On the other hand this is admittedly where ‘ Twenty Five, Twenty One’ could sometimes hit a slight rut; the side characters and subplots were often somewhat inconsistent and rushed. Even in a non-linear narrative, the series would often leave certain side characters’ intriguing backstories and character-arcs on the sideline, briefly explored in order to fill in screen time though rarely given a concise conclusion by the series finale. ( This was apparent for side characters such as Go Yoo-rim, Hee Do’s rival, played by idol-actress Bona [ Hit The Top’, ‘ Girls’ Generation 1979’ and ‘ Your House Helper’], Choi Hyun-Wook’s [ Real:Time:Love ’, ‘ Racket Boys] role as Hee Do’s popular classmate Moon Ji-woong, Lee-Joo Myung’s [ My Fellow Citizens!’, ‘Missing: The Other Side’ and ‘ Kairos’ ] role as Ji-woong’s childhood friend, Ji Seung-wan and of course Hee Do’s daughter played by Choi Myung Bin, Min Chae.)

Nevertheless it is hard to ignore that while there were some evident inconsistencies with pacing, ‘ Twenty Five, Twenty One’ was able to encapsulate a certain nostalgic and retro tone through the visionary eye of director Jung Ji Hyun ( ‘ You Are My Spring’, ‘ Search: WWW’). The opening of the series brings forth a stylistic approach of fuzzy gradients and vivid title sequences, akin to the opening credits of a TV show from a VHS tape.

There is also a subtle difference placed between the present day scenes and the past ; drab and mundane shots are suddenly animated to life in flashbacks through an explosion of vivid palettes and warm tones, helping to capture the buzzing warmth and joie de vivre of Hee Do’s youth. ( One of the most memorable and striking parallel scenes drawn between the past and present day being through the bubblegum blue diner that Min Chae is shown to visit with her mother in the present day. The bright blues are strikingly odd against the mundane attire of the characters. In the same episode, a parallel scene is shown through Yi-Jin’s visit to a similar diner; instead strikingly bright and warm through the bubbly and rose-tinted perspective of the past.)

As for the comprised soundtrack of the series, ‘ Twenty Five, Twenty One’ is admittedly less ambitious than it should’ve been. For a series set against the backdrop of the late 90s where music (especially in South-Korea ) was being explored and pushed beyond conventional tastes, it felt odd that ‘ Twenty Five, Twenty One’ was somewhat limited to an array of somewhat generic upbeat love ballads and schmaltzy pop singles. Nevertheless it is important to acknowledge that there are some catchy songs within the OST , in particular TAEIL’s “Starlight (스타라이트)" remaining one of the most memorable tracks throughout the series .

Overall ‘ Twenty Five, Twenty One’ is a coming of age tale which offered a nostalgic and poignant reflection for viewers upon youth and childhood. The issues of chasing dreams, the difficulties of being at the passing boundaries between childhood and adulthood as well as struggling with friendships and young love, were central and universal messages within the drama’s narrative. However despite the bubbling sweetness of ‘ Twenty Five, Twenty One’, the series wasn’t without its more apparent faults of inconsistent pacing either. Nevertheless viewers will likely be captivated by the narrative’s refreshing and lighthearted nostalgia ride, niche in parts, but surprisingly offering several shocking twists and turns by the finale. Overall a very good watch.

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‘ F4 Thailand: Boys Over Flowers’; The Adaptation That Could’ve Been So Much More…

When ‘ Meteor Garden’ first introduced a mainstream audience to the world of Kamio Yoko’s shoujo Cinderella story back in 2001, very few individuals would’ve been able to have predicted the ongoing legacy and impact of Yoko’s work. Indeed nearly two decades and multiple adaptations later, a new generation has been introduced to the world of ‘ Hana Yori Dango’ through the Thai adaptation of the mangaka’s work ‘ F4 Thailand: Boys Over Flowers’. The sixteen-episode series has gained popular attention by fans and critics alike. However despite its praise, it is important to acknowledge that the series hasn’t escaped the realm of scrutiny and criticism either.

Similar to its predecessor adaptations , ‘ F4 Thailand: Boys Over Flowers’ introduces viewers to its main female leader and heroine "Gorya" Thitara Jundee ( Tontawan Tantivejaku). An ordinary girl coming from a humble background, Gorya has entered Kocher High School, a prestigious school for the heirs of Thailand’s wealthiest families, through a varsity scholarship.

Gorya’s parents are over the moon with her attendance at the illustrious institution. Despite not being able to afford new shoes for their daughter, they are determined to ensure Gorya will finish high school with a praiseworthy diploma from Kocher. Yet despite rubbing shoulders with some of Thailand’s wealthiest heirs, Gorya has become weary of drawing attention to herself, especially with regards to her family status.

Aside from befriending classmate Hana (Wanwimol Jaenasavamethee), Gorya is determined to keep her head down until graduation. Indeed instead of partying or enjoying a hedonistic lifestyle like some of her classmates , Gorya spends her time predominantly divided between her studies, home and her part-time job at florist shop ‘Maytee O Garden’ ( a word pun homage to ‘ Meteor Garden’) where she works alongside best friend Kaning ( Yongwaree Anilbol).

However, Gorya’s hopes for a quiet life at school are soon dashed when she ends up on the wrong side of notorious F4 leader "Thyme" Akira Paramaanantra ( Vachirawit Chivaaree). With fellow F4 members “ Ren” Renrawin Aira ( Jirawat Sutivanichsak), "Kavin" Taemiyaklin Kittiyangkul ( Metawin Opas-iamkajorn) and "M.J." Methas Jarustiwa ( Hirunkit Changkham), Thyme’s tyrannical reign of bullying and authority over the school are suddenly challenged by Gorya’s defiance to become a scapegoat.

Despite Thyme’s bombardment of bullying tactics to make her back down, Gorya finds the determination to carry on through her growing unrequited feelings for F4 member Ren. Suave, mysterious and yearning over his childhood friend Mira ( Yongwaree Anilbol), Gorya finds her heart torn between her crush and her convoluted feelings for Thyme.

Of course it is important to to acknowledge that while ‘ F4 Thailand: Boys Over Flowers’ is an adaptation from mangaka Kamio Yoko’s bestselling work, ‘ F4 Thailand: Boys Over Flowers’ is respectfully ( like nearly all of the adaptations) a standalone production in its own right. Therefore, this has allowed certain opportunities and limitations by screenwriters Waneepan Ounphoklang, Jarinee Thanomyat and Suwanun Pohgudsai in order to encapsulate their respectfully young target audience.

One of the most efficient ways of keeping the audience intrigued came through the evident prevalence of technology in the series. From smart phones to social media, ‘ F4 Thailand: Boys Over Flowers’ placed heavy emphasis upon the sphere of modern youth culture. ( Especially through issues such as online harassment and cyber bullying in the early first part of the narrative.)

Nevertheless despite the grandeur shown through the everyday lifestyle of Thyme and the F4 , it is hard to ignore that issues such as abuse and bullying being glossed over by the series have been the subject of mixed-reception also. ( Especially with regards to the divisive relationship shown onscreen between Thyme and Gorya, arguably more lighthearted in comparison to other adaptations though not without its more controversial moments either.)

Tontawan Tantivejaku took on the role as main female lead and heroine "Gorya" Thitara Jundee. Actively involved in the world of modelling, it may surprise some that ‘ F4 Thailand: Boys Over Flowers’ marked the model’s acting debut . Nevertheless despite Tontawan Tantivejaku offering a fresh face to the role of the “tough and defiant” female lead, it became apparent that Tontawan’s inexperience at times often led to several awkward line deliverances over the duration of the series.

Of course this isn’t to entirely blame Tontawan Tantivejaku for her acting. Considering that it was respectfully the model’s first acting role, Tontawan carried herself surprisingly well throughout most of the drama , adding a surprisingly sweet and dynamic edge to her onscreen persona.

As an onscreen character, Gorya is admittedly a mixed-bag of writing strengths and flaws for the female heroine. Where other adaptations have struggled to encapsulate the female lead’s wider interactions with her family as well as their economic struggles, ‘ F4 Thailand: Boys Over Flowers’ added a surprisingly sentimental touch by focusing upon simple and daily interactions with Gorya’s family during most of the series.

However for a female lead who could be surprisingly resilient and laidback in comparison to some of her predecessors, Gorya could often feel as though she had hit a writing rut by the halfway point of the drama. This was mainly due to the fact that despite her initial growth by warming up to the F4 and attempting to navigate her own ambivalent feelings for Ren and Thyme, the second-half of ‘ F4 Thailand: Boys Over Flowers’ attempted to enforce Gorya into the leading role of the “ fickle heroine”; showing open affection, before seemingly changing her opinions out of an inconvenient dilemma and then dragging out major misunderstandings between herself and Thyme.

Although this cannot be entirely faulted as a bad writing decision per say by helping to intensify the tension of the series, ‘ F4 Thailand: Boys Over Flowers’ could sometimes inhibit further opportunities to see Gorya fully explore her mixed feelings in depth, or at least being given opportunities to grow or be explored beyond her specified role. ( This often resulted within Gorya’s later role in the series feeling somewhat stunted and enforced; rarely allowing her actions such as bending to the will of Thyme’s mother, feeling well-matched against her disposition and character.) Nevertheless despite a rocky first performance for the young model, there is certainly potential to see Tontawan Tantivejaku taking on future projects.

Then of course costarring alongside Tontawan Tantivejaku was Vachirawit Chivaaree ( alternatively known as ‘ Bright’) playing main male lead of the series, “Thyme” Akira Paramaanantra. For those familiar with Bright’s acting career, specifically for his role in the ‘2gether; The Series’, then most will probably agree that the actor certainly seemed an unusual choice. Nevertheless, Bright could be surprisingly tactful at times within his performance as Thyme; adding a nuanced touch of uncertainty and mixed-emotions through intonations and even micro-expressions onscreen.

However despite a superfluous amount of effort put into the role by the actor, it is hard to ignore that Bright’s approach to his onscreen character could feel somewhat overacted . This is not entirely the actor’s fault per say. Thyme’s written dialogue could often overblown at times and in addition to an onset of niche setups, Bright’s performance as Thyme was often somewhat inconsistent as a result.

This of course brings us onto one of the biggest elephants of the room within ‘ F4 Thailand: Boys Over Flowers’, main male lead Thyme. There are certainly some positive attributes to comment about Thyme. In comparison to some of his previous incarnations who were defined purely by their haughty exterior and sardonicism, Thyme could often be said to be a “ kinder” version of his predecessors. Indeed, Thyme was often defined by his petulance and fractiousness around the female lead ( such as his demands and desires) , but he certainly often wore his heart upon his sleeve also.

However although it could be said that Thyme offered a more open and empathic version of the main lead in comparison to other incarnations, there is still a divisive issue for critics and fans alike surrounding the relationship between Thyme and Gorya throughout the duration of the series.

Writers Waneepan Ounphoklang, Jarinee Thanomyat and Suwanun Pohgudsai arguably did present the notion that Thyme was hopelessly infatuated by Gorya. However it is hard to excuse that despite his seeming bursting affections for the female lead, his treatment towards Gorya’s could sometimes be unnerving.

To explain this further it is important to point out that Thyme isn’t the first incarnation to come under rapid fire for his treatment of the female lead. Surprisingly this is not to say that these actions and problems should not have existed in the series. (In fact it could be argued that they could’ve allowed an open platform to address these issues, especially with consideration to the target audience.)

On the other hand it is hard to ignore that Thyme’s frenetic actions were often a sticky subject in the series. Respectfully while Thyme was held accountable for some of his actions, it will still provoke debate and discussion surrounding the initial aftermath of his actions also. ( In particular having resorted to often “ blowing up” around Gorya; resorting to yelling, throwing things or becoming openly aggressive with his body language during arguments rarely being addressed with more script .)

Then of course there’s another big issue to discuss with regards to ‘ F4 Thailand: Boys Over Flowers’; Thyme’s “complicated” relationship with his mother and major antagonist of the series, Roselyn Paramaanantra ( Cindy Bishop). In comparison to certain adaptations which rarely ventured into the realm of Thyme’s bond with his mother being on a knife’s edge, the narrative often did present some early indications towards Thyme’s relationship with his mother being a difficult subject.

However instead of offering potential room for growth, Thyme’s estranged relationship with Roselyn was often widely disregarded until it was necessary for specific plot points. This was mainly due to the fact that
Thyme’s mother was often shoehorned ( like many adaptations) into the specific role of the antagonist; expediting the plot and dilemmas as well as giving the necessary introduction for Gorya and viewers to his older sister Tia ( Maria Poonlertlarp) but rarely being explored further. ( This was particularly shown in the latter-half of the series, leading to a dissatisfying conclusion for many.)

Then of course there’s Jirawat Sutivanichsak ( know alternatively by his nickname ‘ Dew’) as second male lead Ren. Similar to his costar and fellow model Tontawan Tantivejaku, ‘ F4 Thailand: Boys Over Flowers’ marked Dew’s first acting debut. Dew’s performance was decent enough by channelling into the mystique charm of his character. However whilst the rookie actor certainly made a decent acting debut, his performance in ‘ F4 Thailand: Boys Over Flowers’ could admittedly feel a little lacklustre with certain line deliverances.

Admittedly Ren served as a good example of writing an intriguing love rival for the main lead and a potential love interest for the main heroine. While he did not arguably quite possess the same joie de vivre as some of his counterparts, it was hard to ignore the fact that Ren possessed an element of enticing mystique and suave charm as an onscreen character . Nevertheless similar to some of the writing issues of the series, Ren’s character arc and development could feel somewhat flat lined by shoehorned plot events. ( In particular his character-arc and ambivalent feelings for his sister-figure Mira suffering from an anticlimactic conclusion.)

Tontawan Tantivejaku’s chemistry with costars Bright and Dew is admittedly variable from scene to scene. Nevertheless there is a certain charm especially from Tantivejaku’s onscreen and potential chemistry with Bright ( despite some arguably more divisive issues surrounding their onscreen characters), that helped to bring scenes to life and keep viewers enticed.

In addition to our main leads it is important to acknowledge the subplot revolving around supporting characters, M.J. and Kavin . Kavin’s potential wavering onscreen relationship with Kaning was placed on the sidelines of the narrative as a filler-in subplot to the main narrative ( though somewhat rushed by later plot events) , while M.J.’s “side story” was forced into a brief sponsorship sketch with KFC at the end of episodes. ( Often resulting in a conspicuous placement of a KFC food or drink product onscreen.)

However this is naturally where a major rut did hit the writing team for ‘ F4 Thailand: Boys Over Flowers’. Instead of having the opportunities to cram in myriads of chapter titles and arcs into a space of twenty, forty or fifty episodes, the series was limited with a short and compact time space of sixteen episodes. Naturally this enforced the writers to be cutthroat at times with certain plot lines and attempting to accommodate itself to fit its restricted format.

As a consequence of this time frame, ‘ F4 Thailand: Boys Over Flowers’ often seemed to fall into the honey trap of heavily relying upon several trope-induced storyline events of its predecessors in order to pad out the narrative. While the drama did make some executive decisions with plot revelations and decisions, it could often enforce certain plot events to feeling somewhat rushed. ( This was shown in particular with the delivered ending. Although helping to deliver a satisfying conclusion for viewers with regards to the delivered verdict of the main leads’ potential onscreen relationship, the heavy reliance upon endings from previous adaptations as well as failing to wrap up some counterplots were apparent.)

The production and filming for ‘ F4 Thailand: Boys Over Flowers’ has admittedly been through a bumpy ride under the leadership of directors Patha Thongpan and Aticha Tanthanawigrai through COVID-19. As a consequence of these issues, it was noticeable that ‘ F4 Thailand: Boys Over Flowers’ could sometimes be somewhat choppy with its editing approaches and style. Admittedly this was not entirely the fault of the production team per say. Yet rather than attempting to work around production problems and missing scenes, it could often lead to these sporadic editing cuts feeling starkly presented against some of the drama’s slicker production edits and glossy gradients. ( This was apparent in particular with episodes around the halfway point where at the ending of an important scene, the episode suddenly cut off into a less than smooth transition with little context or relevancy hinted at for viewers.)

The OST of ‘ F4 Thailand: Boys Over Flowers’ is predominantly composed of an array of gushing love ballads and pop songs, upbeat and lovelorn tempos gradually blending into one another as BGM during various scenes of the series. Nevertheless despite some respectfully less memorable songs throughout the duration of the series, there were still some surprising gems such as emotional solo track “ One Last Cry” by Violette Wautier and “ Who am I” by BRIGHT, WIN, DEW and NANI arguably remained particularly ear-catching throughout the drama.

‘The series offered an ambitious and intriguing direction to mangaka Kamio Yoko’s series with updated subject areas and topics attempting to resonate with a new generation. A young cast with many notable leads being played by acting rookies served as a good launching pad ( similar to many other previous adaptations) towards potential new projects and careers. Nevertheless whilst the series could often feel flawed by its inconsistent acting, storyline direction and production problems , ‘ F4 Thailand: Boys Over Flowers’ has offered a fresh and revamped adaptation for a new generation. Although perhaps ‘ F4 Thailand: Boys Over Flowers’ may not appeal to everyone, it is certainly a satisfactory binge-watch.

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Love Is Not Always Blind…

‘Koi Desu: Yankee-kun to Hakujou Garu’ ( alternatively translated as ‘ It’s Love; Yankee-Kun and The White-Cane Girl’) is based upon the manga ‘ Yankee-Kun and The White Cane Girl’. Adapted to the small screen by screenwriter Matsuda Yuko, ‘ Koi Desu: Yankee-kun to Hakujou Garu’ revolved around the sweet and unusual love story between Akaza Yukiko ( Sugisaki Hana) , a girl diagnosed with amblyopia ( a condition where the individual suffers from impaired or degraded vision) who uses a white stick, and a kindhearted delinquent Kurokawa Morio ( Sugino Yosuke). Despite initially being put off by his persistent attitude and self- proclaimed “ feelings ” for the female lead, Yukiko finds herself gradually warming up to the eccentric delinquent despite many obstacles that face them.

Whilst sometimes a quick aside from comedian Hamada Yutaro ( playing himself) or a voiceover by Yukiko could feel a little arbitrary at times , it was evident to see that throughout more predictable romantic setups, the drama desperately pushed forward positive and didactic messages in order to disperse social stereotypes and stigmas surrounding blind and visually impaired individuals.

However whilst praise and commendation must be given to ‘Koi Desu: Yankee-kun to Hakujou Garu’’s themes and depictions, the acting could admittedly was a mixed-bag . Of course this isn’t to bring down any of the respected actors as individuals. Sugisaki Hana’s onscreen performance as Yukiko captured the mannerisms of her character’s amblyopia subtly, whilst Sugino Yosuke added a heart-melting charm to Morio onscreen. Nevertheless it is notable that certain line deliverances by the cast could sometimes feel exaggerated.

As a character , Akaza Yukiko undeniably has her screenwriting strengths and weaknesses. She’s not defined as a main female lead by being “ frail” or “ timid” female lead trope due to her visual disability, and instead, was often shown to have a more stubborn side when problems arise due to a hurtful experience in the past. Whilst this incident admittedly did play a major role through brief foreshadowing in early episodes, the “tense” buildup could often feel anticlimactic . Foreshadowing towards Yukiko’s past could’ve easily been brought up early on to deliver greater impact in later episodes. In particular this subject could’ve easily been conveyed more frequently through conservations and interactions with her older sister Izumi ( Nao) as well as her father Seiji ( Kishitani Goro).

However this also brings up the elephant in the room in the series also; Yukiko’s family dynamic. Understandably it is not uncommon for different beliefs and viewpoints to be taken by family members towards a visually impaired relative. In the series this was often reflected by the differences between Yukiko’s sister being overprotective towards Yukiko whereas her father Seiji could often adopted a laissez-faire and easygoing attitude. It felt odd that aside from Izumi being the first to disapprove of Kurosawa being “ unworthy” for Yukiko, there was little reaction or insight into Yukiko’s own feelings towards her sister acting this way. Additionally there was rarely little conflict presented between Yukiko and Seiji’s different viewpoints in order to present greater insight for viewers into this differing family bond also.

Naturally this brings us onto main male lead Kurosawa Morio. Morio embodied the stereotypical stock trope of the “ delinquent with a heart of gold”.His physical appearance ( and especially his scar) have given him a bad reputation over the years. However despite first appearances, Morio is revealed to be a naturally kindhearted soul. Throughout the series Morio tried his best to accommodate to Yukiko by asking and learning more about her everyday life. Yet whilst Morio is undeniably a male lead with a big heart , there were certainly moments regarding his character arc which could often feel disjointed. Of course it was not necessarily quintessential that we had to know everything about Morio’s background or past. Nevertheless there was still a lot of potential to have delved deeper into his reasons for being perceived as a “ failure” and dropping out of school, greater social stigma surrounding his “ delinquent” appearance ( aside from a few key scenes when it was necessary to the plot) , the reasons behind his current adopted mindset as well as his home environment also.

Of course this brings us onto the main topic of discussion; the romantic relationship between our main leads. Sugino Yosuke and Sugisaki Hana had fairly dynamic onscreen chemistry together adding to a charismatic and friendly interactions onscreen. As characters it shouldn’t come as a surprise that there were many obstacles presented throughout the storyline to “ complicate” matters between Akaza Yukiko and Kurosawa Morio’s potential relationship. Naturally whilst a lot of these opportunities saw opportunities to facilitate heartfelt and angst-ridden scenes in order to explore relationships, feelings and strengthen relationships chemistry, there were some still some predictable tropes which lacked the element of surprise also .

Overall ‘Koi Desu: Yankee-kun to Hakujou Garu’ is a fairly sweet and laidback love story. The acting front is decent enough ( sans from a few awkward scenes and lines) and the main leads have enough chemistry to keep viewers entertained. Admittedly the characters could often feel archetypical at times but the series enjoyed diverging from expectations and allowing characters to grow from their experiences. Perhaps whilst a few areas and topics which could’ve been brushed up more, ‘Koi Desu: Yankee-kun to Hakujou Garu’ will likely be a fairly heartwarming watch for any romance fan.

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Mystery to Iunakare; The Engaging Japanese Mystery Series…

When news broke out that Yumi Tamura’s mystery-crime manga ‘ Mystery to Iunakare’ ( ‘ ‘ ミステリと言う勿れ’) would be adapted into a twelve -episode Fuji TV drama, there was certainly trepidation and excitement towards the delivered result.

Adapting a Josei manga to a television production series can be a complex affair for the production team. The abundance of manga chapters and volumes that often have to be forced into a compact screenplay , racing against time deadlines, as well as budgets and casting choices can truly make or break an adaptation.

Indeed, Fuji TV’s ‘ Mystery to Iunkare’ ( alternatively known as ‘ Do Not Say Mystery’ or ‘ ミステリと言う勿れ’) is no exception. However despite the restricted duration length, ‘ Mystery to Iunkare’ offered viewers with a fairly intriguing mystery-crime plot.

21 year-old Totono Kunou ( Masaki Suda- ‘Kamen Rider W’, ‘ Assassination Classroom’ and ‘ Konto ga Hajimaru’) is a student at Todai University and seemingly preferred pupil of psychology professor Haruo Amatatsu ( Kosuke Suzuki- ‘ Liar Game’, ‘ Doctor X’ and ‘ Konto ga Hajimaru’).

However Kunou has landed himself in hot water when he becomes a key suspect in the murder case of his classmate. Brought into Otonari Police Station, any doubts surrounding Kunou’s involvement in the case are soon diminished when he demonstrates his meticulous observational skills and intelligence to the detectives .

Detectives Seiko Furomitsu ( Sairi Ito- ‘ In This Corner Of The World’, ‘ The Naked Director’ and ‘ Momoume’ ) and Yuto Ikemoto ( Matsuya Onoe- ‘ Onna Joshu Naotora’, ‘ Hanzawa Naoki 2’ and ‘ Kamakura dono no 13 nin’) are shown to be particularly won over by the student’s actions and words, later giving him a helping hand during key moments and dilemmas of the narrative.

To a lesser extent, Kunou also helps to change the ways of Inspector Mariaki Aoto ( Michitaka Tsutsui- ‘ Bataashi Kingyo’, ‘ Iron Grandma’ and ‘ Jashin no Tenbin Koan Bunseki Han’). An enigmatic man carrying a big burden, Aoto is given some surprisingly enlightening advice by Kunou as to where he went wrong in the past.

As Kunou becomes determined to help solve mysteries and cold cases, Kunou finds himself involved in a growing mystery tying together his past along the way…

Nevertheless despite an intriguing setup, it’s important to note that the concept of the “ eccentric genius” and the “ mysterious and dark major case from the past” have been seen and done countless times before. However despite its “seen and done before” setup, ‘ Mystery To Iunakare’ is still able to grip viewers thanks to screenwriter Aizawa Tomoko’s established tone and character building.

Screenwriter Aizawa Tomoko, probably best known for her screenplays such as ‘ Very Sweet’ , ‘ Kagi no Kakatta Heya’ , and ‘ Boku Dake ga 17-sai no Sekai de’, adapted the screenplay for ‘ Mystery to Iunakare’ from Tamura’s manga. Similar to its predecessor, the series offered viewers with an element of dark suspense , tense mystery as well as moments of lighthearted respite in order for viewers to understand more about certain characters through interactions.

It’s hard to deny that the performances by the main cast of ‘ Mystery to Iunakare’ were fairly brilliant. Although there were some overblown moments of dialogue and acting, Masaki Suda playing the main lead of the series, Totono Kuno, and Sairi Ito starring alongside Suda as Seiko Fukomitsu, particularly stood out with their dynamic onscreen performances.

Nevertheless important to note that ‘ Mystery to Iunakare’ did feel somewhat limited at times by its pacing. Admittedly this did not engulf the full series. Tomoko’s narrative was fairly quick-paced at times, allowing several open opportunities in order to downplay key events and grip viewers through an array of intriguing characters also. ( Without definitive spoilers, these characters were gradually tied from counterplots into some events of the main narrative through various causes. )

On the other hand there were certainly several moments in ‘ Mystery to Iunakare’ that could feel somewhat stretched-out or felt unresolved . ( One of the most notable examples of this problem included Kunou’s childhood ; briefly touched upon in order to tie-in major events of the narrative, but often lacking a resolved ending or explanation .)

Under the directing leadership of Aizawa Hideyuki ( ‘ 5-ji Kara 9-ji Made’, ‘ Good Doctor’ and ‘ Radiation House 2’) and Hiroaki Matsuyama ( ‘ Liar Game’, ‘ Nobunaga Concerto’ and ‘ Switched’), ‘ Mystery to Iunakare’ was admittedly satisfactory with its editing and cinematography .

Of course this isn’t to downgrade the series completely. ‘ Mystery to Iunakare’ did boast some stunning tour de force moments through closeups of characters, settings and some pragmatic editing decisions. On the other hand ‘ Mystery to Iunakare’ could often feel slightly underwhelming at times by several sloppy cuts and limited camera angles.

Admittedly this isn’t entirely the drama’s fault per say. Fuji TV’s budgets are not extensive and limitations with filming should be expected. On the other hand it is hard to deny that it often felt as though that ‘ Mystery to Iunakare’ was still somewhat underwhelming at times by its limited camera angles and filming gradients.

Then of course there’s the discussion surrounding the OST. ‘ Mystery to Iunakare’ offered viewers with an eclectic range of comprised tracks; some of which were certainly more memorable than others. ‘ Mystery to Iunakare’’s main theme song and ethereal melody “ Chameleon” ( “ カメレオン”) by indie pop band King Gnu, alongside niche yet effective renditions of haunting classical music compositions such as Debussy’s ‘ Clair De Lune’ were particularly memorable.

Fuji TV’s twelve-episode series certainly offered an entertaining and enjoyable mystery-thriller. Of course, ‘ Mystery to Iunakare’ wasn’t without its more problematic issues such as execution and cliches. However with a potential sequel season alongside brilliant performances by the main leads, the drama series will like offer a satiable and indulgent viewing experience for any crime and drama fan.

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The Pirates: The Last Royal Treasure; A Tumultuous High-Seas Adventure?

The journey from screenplay to production has admittedly been a circuitous journey for ‘ The Pirates: The Last Treasure’. Originally intended as a sequel production for screenwriter Chun Sung Il ( ‘ Your Honor’, ‘ All Of Us Are Dead’)’s original screenplay ‘ The Pirates’ (2014), the severe impact of production problems were certainly evident onscreen.

Naturally to understand the root cause of some of the problems with ‘ The Pirates: The Last Treasure’ it is important to elucidate that the movie suffered a lot throughout its production.

A notable change of director from Lee Seok-hoon ( ‘ Dancing Queen’, ‘ The Himalayas’ ) to Kim Jung Hoon ( ‘ Petty Romance’, ‘ The Accidental Detective), original stars Son Ye-jin (‘ Crash Landing On You’, ‘ Personal Taste’ and ‘ Something In The Rain’) and Kim Nam-gil ( ‘ Bad Guy’, ‘ Live Up To Your Name’ and ‘ Fiery Priest’) abandoning ship alongside pandemic-induced delays did spell-out a lot of problems for Sung II’s production.

As a consequence of these contributions, ‘The Pirates: The Last Royal Treasure’ focused upon an entirely different setup from the first movie. Set in the late 14th century in the early Joseon period, the narrative focuses upon female pirate captain Hae-rang (Han Hyo-joo- ‘ Iljimae’, ‘ W’ and ‘ Happiness’).

After coming into possession of a mysterious treasure map, Hae-rang becomes fixated upon the notion that the hidden treasure was gold sourced from the royal palace and then lost at sea. However Hae-rang is not the only one obsessed over the promise of luxurious valuables . On board her ship is a cadre of bandits, led by ringleader Wu Mu-chi (Kang Ha-neul- ‘ Monstar’, ‘ Misaeng: Incomplete Life’ and ‘ When The Camellia Blooms’).

The self-proclaimed “ Greatest Swordsman in Goryeo”, Mu-Chi begins his schemes in order to launch a coup and take over the ship.

Nevertheless when unwelcome rival Boo Heung Soo ( Kwon Sang Woo- ‘ My Tutor Friend’, ‘ Stairway To Heaven’ and ‘ Queen Of Mystery’) arrives on the scene with a keen interest in competing for the treasure, Mu-Chi and Hae-rang may just be forced into an allegiance of sorts, as betrayals and twists soon come their way…

One of the most problems with ‘The Pirates: The Last Treasure’ came through its script. As mentioned previously, the production was naturally caught in a rut after Chung Sung II was forced to rewrite parts, recast and subvert the storyline in a very short space of time.

However whilst certain excuses can be given for the film’s troubling filming and writing schedule , it’s hard to truly justify the film’s unmodified and particularly cataclysmic opening act. A barrage of rushed character introductions, predictable betrayals, sudden flashbacks and dream sequences are crammed forcefully into a very short space of time .

Indeed, instead of spreading out the narrative and allowing the structure of the film to feel circumstantial and well-paced, ‘ The Pirates: The Last Treasure’ admittedly felt somewhat disorientating and chaotic in its first half.
The second-act admittedly was less anarchic and did allow some opportunities in order to tie together a form of coherent plot, but still due to the poor buildup and structure of the movie, the final act of ‘ The Pirates: The Last Treasure’ was somewhat risible.

Of course it’s wrong it’s wrong to entirely suggest that ‘ ‘The Pirates: The Last Treasure’ wasn’t an enjoyable movie at times. Whilst it’s gnawing inconsistencies of pacing and writing were evident, ‘The Pirates: The Last Treasure’ was still fast-paced, entertaining and adrenal-infused with its swashbuckling bravado and overindulgent CGI.

Then of course there’s our main cast. Aside from some inconsistent acting moments at times in ‘ The Pirates: The Last Treasure’, Han Hyo-joo was fairly solid as main female lead Hae-rang, whilst costars Kang Ha-Neul and Kwon Sang Woo were fairly decent also.

On the other amongst the jam-packed action of ‘ The Pirates: The Last Treasure’, the array of characters onscreen felt often vacuous. Absent opportunities in order to explore or flesh out characters, in particular how a young woman became a pirate captain, was rarely developed beyond its surface level plot hook.

As for the cinematography, ‘ The Pirates: The Last Royal Treasure’ offered viewers with a high-budget bonanza under the directing reigns of Kim Jung Hoon. The overall product glossy but often heavily indulging upon CGI en masse without a greater focus on shots or the art of capturing the characters in more subtle detail. The OST is an odd accumulation of tremendous scores, alongside upbeat modern bops; a surreal mixture which whilst working effectively in parts, could feel somewhat out of place in other scenes.

‘The Pirates: The Last Royal Treasure’ attempted to offer viewers with a fun and action-engaged plot throughout its 126-minute duration. Nevertheless, despite some engaging performances by our main cast and some fast-paced action sequences , ‘ The Pirates: The Last Royal Treasure: often felt as though it was a chaotic bricolage of poor-pacing, story direction and enforced tropes .

For those willing to overlook the flaws of ‘ The Pirates: The Last Royal Treasure’, the movie offered viewers with a disorderly swashbuckling adventure filled with daring laughs and fight scenes as well as hare-brained escapades along the way…

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