This review may contain spoilers
Why Mask Girl was great and why some couldn't understand the meaning behind it!
Some are free to dislike or even hate this Kdrama, but it is important to recognize that not every female lead in a Kdrama has to fit the mold of a "strong good girl." We need more complex, enigmatic, and twisted female characters. Personally, I look forward to the day when I can witness a compelling kdrama centered around a female serial killer. Because why not?Among the many memorable scenes in this K-drama that I loved, two that stood out to me were when Mi Mo murdered Oh Nam and when she and Chun Ae joined forces, gripping the rope from opposite sides, killing Chun Ae's abusive boyfriend. These scenes beautifully conveyed the feeling of saying, (I'm done!) even if they weren't executed most kindly.
This kdrama delved into the lives of women from different eras and age groups who harbored dreams and aspirations but were compelled to conceal their true selves, wear a mask, and conform to societal expectations and the whims of men. Some succumbed to defeat and strayed down the wrong path, while others, like teenager Mi Mo, representing the new generation, came to understand the essence of their experiences. This realization was poignantly depicted in the scene where Mi Mo watches a videotape of her mother's performance when she was an innocent child at the end of the show. And even she said that since then, the nightmares that haunted her about her mother have stopped.
To some, it may appear as if there are too many stories interwoven within this story. However, upon closer look, each character embodies a distinct facet of the female experience:
- Kyung Ja represents the older generation of women who were unable to even realize their dreams, thereby dedicating their entire lives to their children and utilizing them as instruments to accomplish their own aspirations and desires that they couldn't do themselves. Hence the obsessiveness in her mind & her crazy way of holding on to God's beliefs as the women in her generation were told.
You can see some of this in Mo Mi's mother as well, as she hates how her daughter wasn't good enough for her expectations.
- Mo Mi embodies the generation of women who were told to be beautiful and finding a tall, handsome, and charismatic man was the ultimate dream and the sole path to love, even if said the man turned out to be the ultimate idiot.
And if she happened to feel good about herself or her body in some way, some creep will see her as a thing to claim!
Nonetheless, women like Mi Mo fail to comprehend that loving oneself is the key to happiness and earning the affection of others. Thus, in her pursuit of conforming to society's superficial beauty standards, believing that it would enable her to start fresh, be beautiful, and be loved, she inadvertently destroyed herself. Consequently, she was labeled a monster despite her "new attractive appearance".
- And finally, Mi Mo symbolizes the younger generation, a girl who is angry at people "the society views on her", dreading the possibility of ending up like her mom, "the previous generation of women," and has a hatred towards her grandma's way of thinking, "the older generation of women.
But in the end, she gradually grasps the reality that the world is not simply divided into black and white, decides to accept herself as she is, forgives her grandmother (Mo Mi's Mother), and contemplates how her mother's fate might have been different had the world been more understanding.
Overall, the show was crazy and dark indeed, but so are the lives of these 3 women.
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because I love unique crazy concepts like this, it's different.. It’s not the same type of rom-com dramas - which I have to admit, I love watching them from time to time - BUT also I love watching a real drama with so many plot twists ! I mean who doesn’t ?
And “W: Two Worlds” had the spark, the cliff hanger, and the crazy story that makes you always don't know what’s gonna happen in the next 5 minutes !!
the only problems that I had with this drama, that slight moments when it was about to get repetitive in one point but the writer got him/herself together in one episode - thank god - .. plus I did like the way it ended, but I think it could have been done better than that !
The Actors: * Lee Jong Suk as Kang Chul: he’s on my top actors in Kdramas list, not because his looks, but he is really great actor, watching him since his small role in “Secret Garden” to his big lead role in “I Hear Your Voice” to my one of favorite dramas “Pinocchio”, that man has the skills to portray his characters very well, and he knows how to choose his dramas very well !
* Han Hyo Joo as Oh Yeon Joo : it’s my first time watching her in a drama ! but I gotta say the sad decisions she made - you know what I mean if you watched it - was like a knife in my heart, she made me feel bad for all she had been through even though it’s just a drama, especially in the last 8 eps I guess of the drama, she was really good.
* Kim Eui Seong as Oh Sung Moo: Oh! that man I watched him in “Six Flying Dragons”, and now I watched him in “W: Two Worlds”.. and I have to say I LOVE HIM MORE IN W .. it doesn’t mean that you are old that you can’t slay in a drama.. HE SLAYED :D I don’t know but he really was AMAZING .. did you watch him the last episode?! LIKE damn.. my feelings was all over the floors because of him !! and I really loved all of his scenes with Jong Suk and the development in his character through the drama.. HE WAS GREAT !!!
and Shout Out to all the Support Roles in this Drama who did amazing job too such as: ( Lee Shi Eon as Soo Bong / Jung Eugene as Soo Hee / “and the one that I wish they give him a lead role in a drama before I die” Lee Tae Hwan as Do Yoon .. Plus that crazy fanboy professor of Oh Yeon Joo :D :D unfortunately I don’t know his name )
Music: I didn’t like the songs because I guess I don’t remember any of them !! Sorry~
Rewatch Value: Definitely worth Rewatching Again and Again !!!
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