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Chemistry that truly carries the whole show.
Honestly speaking, this is not a special drama in terms of the plot - the light enemies to frenemies to friends to lovers has been done many times, but it’s undeniable the execution here was amazing. Gemini and Fourth are truly the best new BL actors out there.I have to say, both Tinn and Gun are perfectly written. Tinn has this amazingly goofy side of him that you cannot ignore, you just adore it. Gun is just a walking charm. It’s not all sweet though, and both the characters struggle with some internal issues, but are able to support each other in the best ways possible.
The relationship is simply wholesome. I loved how Tinn was focusing on Gun’s happiness and not just about his goal of dating him. I loved that they actually had a lot of nice conversations and tried to understand each other. I loved the mutual support. With the oversaturation in the BL industry with questionable and toxic stories, this level of understanding and mutual respect was simply refreshing to watch.
That’s for the main couple, what about the side ones? Sadly a bit of a failure. Either the chemistry was just not quite there, or the setup and progression was barely existing. Did I care about any of the side characters? Honestly - no.
Can we also just shortly talk about the mothers in this show? I could not be more happy with what we’ve got. Both Tinn’s and Gun’s mom are amazing in their own way. The drama perfectly showcases how good communication with your child is what builds trust and makes them want to confide in you for support, share their happiness and be honest about their struggles. Sometimes it’s important to take the initiative, but sometimes you have to give your child space and time and let them speak when they are ready, and not when you want to hear the answers.
Tinn's dad too, great person, I wish we got to see more of him.
The plot was great, but I also got a bit bored at some point. I still enjoyed all the adorable moments as I was watching, but I also had to motivate myself to start the episodes in the first place. This show was 90% fluff and 10% content (yes, this is an exaggeration, don’t sue me for it). And with that ratio it should be maybe 8 and not 12 episodes.
That said, there was one thing I will never complain about, no matter how many times it will happen even just as a filler fluff - good hugs. Hugs are underappreciated. Hugs are amazing. Proper hug on screen is at times better than kissing scenes. Melt into these arms and give us all butterflies! My School President definitely delivered in that area.
Fourth’s acting, his cheeky smile and warm gaze… Can we even ask for more? Yes we can, and we got it all - from the light and funny scenes, to more emotional and raw expressions, this boy delivered it all. Gemini also does great with acting. Surprised how well he does subtle comedy. For the rest of the cast - some did better, some did worse. We got the glorious “no tears just squeezing eyes hard” scene.
Production side of it was great. I am so happy to see the improvement in that aspect in the BL industry and the effort in making the show deliver a good storytelling both in writing and in the visual aspects.
Overall, the purest of the fluff. On screen chemistry that will make you jealous of not experiencing it yourself. Great main characters with fun personalities and relatable stories. But sadly also forgettable side characters and subplots there just to feel the screen time and overall repetitiveness of the story.
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In a circle we run, away from a cheeky teenager.
If you are ready for a whole lot of frustration, running in a circle, kids being scary straightforward and adults acting like shy teenagers - this is a perfect watch for you.Here’s the thing - it was so exciting, fun and enjoyable at first. Being more or less the same age as Minato, I could easily understand his panic about starting to have feelings for a high schooler. Even the idea is scary. That said, I feel like they failed with Minato writing wise, since he just... existed and everything was happening around him. The guy did not try to process it at all and it left the viewers with repetitive scenes and plots, since nothing was changing character wise.
Shin was saving grace with his pro flirting, honesty and undying motivation to make Minato his. He was far more dynamic of a character, actually showing some change in his behavior depending on the situation and the circumstances.
There were also a few nice side characters like Sakurako and Asuka who added some wholesome platonic moments to this romance driven show.
Plot wise, we've got whole side plot of Sakuma Takayuki which was stretched so bad, taking too much screen time and becoming quite an annoying addition to the drama. The teacher might have been the sweetest dude ever, but that plot should have been resolved in 2 episodes max.
Performance wise I do not have any complaints. Kusakawa Takuya did his best with Akira - the character was just not it writing wise. Nishigaki Sho truly impressed me. He did quite well with some more subtle emotions and perfectly presented the angst related to the first big teenage love.
Production wise, it gave a high budget since of life webdrama vibes - which personally I truly love.
Overall, I am honestly not sure how I feel about it. On paper it works, but when I watched it, I was getting either frustrated or bored, and I was wishing for the show to finally end. I don’t regret watching, but I’m also not sure if I would recommend it for others to check out. I also crave second season or at least a special episode, because the payoff after all the running away was quite short-lived.
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Seeking shelter while striving for home.
Another good Korean BL that in a vague manner presents many interesting ideas and opens the door for some personal reflection. What do we want from life? How can we achieve it? Can we force it or the timing has to be right?We witness enough of Lee Yoon Dae and Cha Soo Hyuk’s past and present to understand why they are suffering and why it is hard to break from the vicious circle of the mystery. Lee Yoon Dae might have escaped, but he has no direction. Cha Soo Hyuk has the direction, but does not know how to escape.
Personally, I did find Soo Hyun more interesting. The way he was trapped in a toxic environment, the way he did not know how to give up the responsibility that was not his in the first place. Truly heartbreaking, but also understandable and relatable. Trying to deal with more than you can handle, always pretending that you are fine, you are strong enough to keep going. Living in a paused life.
On the other hand, Yoon Dae managed to voice his grievances and remove the toxic people out of his life,, but it left him alone, lost with no direction, no plan. Wanting stability, but not knowing how to achieve, where to start. Wanting someone to care for him, testing how far can push the boundaries before he gets abandoned.
While the potential of finding what they needed in each other was there, the question became - is the timing right?
A vague story needs a solid performance to carry it, and I'm happy to say both Lee Jae Bin and Jang Woo Young delivered. I did find some moments in Jae Bin’s acting a bit tense, but nothing too distracting. Jang Woo Young simply ate the role, there is nothing to improve in my eyes, nothing to correct.
For a short, rather low budget drama, the production value was great. Loved the use of dim light, low the rather dark and grimm setting, perfectly capturing the somber reality the characters were living in.
We also need to talk about the intro, because this is easily the best intro we have gotten from any k-bl ever. Perfection does not even capture how perfect it was - from the style to the music. Then, it should not be that surprising, the whole soundtrack was great.
Overall, yes, it was vague, yes, it lacked detail, yes - the presentation of the ending could have been improved, but it’s still a good show with well captured serious topics that gives you more than just a romance.
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Simplistic symbolism and how being a teenager is actually hard.
A rare case when my brain sees all the flaws, but my heart says: I don’t care. The whole show has a great juvenile charm to it, and the sloppy storytelling and in your face symbolism just adds to it. Sure, I strongly believe that with a few different directing choices this could easily become one of the best BL shows up to date, but even as it is right now, it’s truly enjoyable.Yes, the setup on the surface is painfully stupid. We are sold the story of this abusive authoritarian school and students fighting for their rights, but what is presented is 3 students not wanting to wear uniforms. Is it that simple? No. It was never about uniforms, it was about self expression and more accurately sexuality.
The uniforms and the rules were supposed to represent the norm in terms of sexuality. Following the rules in school meant following social norms. Suppressing your sexuality to fit with what was established and deemed as "normal". The whole show is a commentary on the conservative and outdated ideas and how they harm the youth. It’s a great subject with a idea on how to present it, but not as good of an execution.
The storytelling was not detailed enough. We are presented with a wall of rules that were established, yet we actually know about only two. What are the others? No idea. What consequences are the students facing if they break the rules? No idea. There is the curse, but that’s it. Where are the parents? The whole adult side of the show is ridiculously unbelievable.
On the other hand, it made perfect sense why the teens were being “overdramatic” - they are teens. Suppression of individuality at the time when it's most crucial to figure yourself out is not really a small thing. The Eclipse did a great job to make me sympathize with the issues these kids were facing and how big of an impact it has on them. From the point of view of an adult, my initial reaction was: why are they so dramatic? Just be patient for the next few months, graduate and move on. But that type of thinking is the issue - if they are told to follow the rules and not question anything now, how will they learn to fight for their rights later? Their actions as teens will shape their behavior, motivations, personalities later on. Nothing really changes as you grow up. First you are told to do what your teachers say, later you are told to listen to your professors. Then you need to follow your bosses instructions. That’s why it’s so important for the youth to ask questions, debate, reflect on the problems and issues and not just do what adults tell them.
For the characters, the leads were phenomenal - both in the writing and portrayal. Seeking validation and purpose. Sticking to the role one obsesses over, because it feels like it's the only thing that defines who we are. The fear of being seen as disappointment. The drama also touches on the subjects of depression and suicide. How we should not judge one’s struggles based on our own standards. How we should be patient with others, because we cannot know and truly understand what they are going through.
What I appreciated the most was the takes on coming out and accepting your sexuality. It’s not the “I don’t like guys, I only like you”. It’s not “everyone is either gay or loves gay”. None of the unrealistic scenarios here. It often takes time to figure yourself out, it takes time to accept what you find, it takes time to then admit it to others. In that aspect I could not like the relationship between Akk and Ayan more. Not to mention one of the best on screen chemistry I have seen in ages.
For the acting, I've been a fan of Khaotung for some time. Realistically speaking, he is one of the best that Thai BLs can offer. I rewatched some scenes simply because of his performance. Thank god First was cast as his co-star, also delivering a solid portrayal.
Production wise I don’t really have complaints. I think some of the setup and directing ideas were too big for the production team, which led to a few questionable and ridiculous takes, but damn the show was pretty.
Overall, I liked it a lot. Yes, the setup and the way they decided to present some serious issues was questionable, but I still believe it was better than the majority of BLs out there. The biggest problem was the transition from rules at school being the issues, to how they relate to the overall social norms and homophobia - it was too jarring. You get the idea behind it all, but you still feel like it’s a bit too disconnected from each other.
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When the characters regress and you are questioning reality.
After watching one episode one would think the female lead will get an amazing character development and slowly will learn how to prioritize her own needs. One could not predict she will infect male lead with her Jesus complex - and yet this is kind of what happens.Not gonna lie, Takumi was adorable. The twist on the contract marriage and the initial presentation of him as a cold male lead was done perfectly and set my expectations for the rest of the show slightly too high. On the other hand, Yae was just frustrating. While at the beginning the situations she put others’ needs ahead of her own made at least some sense, later it was just too much to handle and the script was leaning into some ridiculous territories.
I think the writer just fails to deliver a character development. I know not all characters need one, but her behavior was truly pathological on a whole new level. If anyone needs character development, it’s her. What’s worse, I feel like her “giving up so others can be happy” persona started to influence male lead too, which led to at best questionable last episode.
That said, I did enjoy them as a couple and their scenes were adorable and blast. The actors had amazing chemistry and as a viewer it was clear to me how in love they are. I also really liked all the side characters - which, surprise surprise, actually got more character development than our leading lady…
Overall, a decent rom-com that is lacking in some major areas.
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Honestly, what happened?
I want to start by saying - splitting it into 2 parts is dumb and I truly do not understand the logic behind it. I refuse to call it a season, because it is not - it’s the same story, same arc, same characters, direct continuation, no?The 6 episodes we’ve got were truly just an introduction to the characters and plot - nothing less, nothing more. And I don’t even think the introduction was that good for a lot of the elements.
Van has no personality and the only interesting and entertaining aspect of his character were the few reactions he gives when interacting with Mi Ho. That’s it. I love Kim Nam Gil, I do, but this role ain’t it.
Mi Ho is fine and I love her chemistry with other characters. The issue was - for a fantasy driven action flick, they wasted too much time telling us who she is in the present time. We don’t care. I couldn't care less about her struggle for power in her father’s company and the nasty aunt. I did not need a lengthy set up on why she had to go to Jeju. Only 6 episodes - time is precious, why are we wasting it? Also, this is a side rant, but every time the magic happened and Da Hee made the moaning sound I was like: girl, this ain’t the sound you should go for in this situation…
Surprisingly, the character I was the least excited about ended up the most fun and entertaining. Kang Chan Hyuk aka Father Johan. Eun Woo should take more roles like that, fitting his personality. Yes, the more "emotional" scenes were often lacking, but overall this is a lot better than many of his previous performances.
The cold emotionless lead is just not his thing. I liked how Father Johan was honestly a rookie compared to the forces he had to go against and he was too confident for his own good. I especially loved him testing Van and how far he can push before Van starts punching back.
Eun Woo as a cheeky priest was to die for. The child became a man. Man of faith and man of kinks for many viewers.
Production was painfully questionable in the CGI department. Just the manifestation of the power/energy was great. The barrier set by “the villain” looked amazing. But then, the design of the possessed was laughable, the execution was wanky. I liked the tree spirit monster, but that’s it. The worst of it all? The CGI models for the actors when they were doing the crazy fighting scenes - the movements were just bad. Then we also have the awkward scenes where the use of harness and lines could not be more obvious. I don’t think they practiced enough…
Overall, a mess. As much as I had fun watching it and joking about it with other users on feeds, the quality of the show itself is just bad. I’m so confused… What happened? I assume they had the budget, the cast was also good… So why was the end product just mediocre at best?
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It felt like the highlights of a greater story.
You know what? I want to watch either the show they teased in the trailer one year ago, because what we’ve got was just completely different material, or what we’ve got here, but in a longer format.I’ll start with the biggest flaw I saw, to get it over with. Earth was miscast. To everyone who honestly thinks Earth fits the role - drop me the name of your country, I gotta go and find myself a 40 but looking 20 daddy. Don’t know what kind of fountain of youth your government is selling for you to think he is believable “about to be” middle aged man, but I want some of it.
And please don’t start with: some people look younger than their age. Sure, but this is literally not the case in this story. Not once was it part of the discussion how he looks good for his age. I mean, the fact that Wen even asked Jim if Li Ming was his son suggests, Jim is supposed to look his age. He just looked way too much like a peer next to Mix and Khaotung.
Because of that, many scenes that were more hard hitting and emotional, felt simply not sincere. He is the main character, so if I cannot connect to him, the whole show starts to fall apart. This is what happens when profiting from a popular and established pairing is more important than proper casting. Pro tip to directors - if you are not willing to cast age appropriate actors, do not try to make shows with big age gaps between characters or about characters who are in their late 30’ and 40’. (Putting this casting into perspective - the actor playing Heart’s father is 45).
That said, I’m not gonna act as if it will for sure ruin the watching experience for everyone - it will not. It’s just something that I personally cannot ignore, especially since the character’s age was brought up over and over again in conversations.
Putting Jim aside, I actually enjoyed a lot of other characters and their interactions. Wen and Li Ming were truly adorable, with this older/younger brother dynamic, and Wen did a good job being the bridge between the uncle and the teen. He made them both understand each other better.
I also found Wen’s and Alan’s relationship fascinating and wish we would see more of it. It seemed like they made almost every possible mistake to end up in this situation, and trying to fix it right away would be an impossible task.
Heart and Li Ming were obviously fans’ favorites. Did I like them? Yes. Do I feel like their interactions were too similar to My School President and it was a bit like watching the same characters just in a different context? Also yes.
Honestly speaking, Alan was my favorite character and one that I was most curious about. It should also be illegal to give Khaotung such a tiny role taking into consideration his talent. I find it a bit funny how, in my view, two most talented actors in the show were sidelined like that.
While I enjoyed Earth and Mix in their other projects, I did not quite like them here. The main couple was for me the weakest aspect of the whole show. I enjoyed the characters far more with other people, compared to watching them interact with each other.
Giving credit where credit is due, Moonlight Chicken tries to tackle more serious issues and steps away from the typical high school romance. It does not follow the “one relationship for the life” idea, showing the past relationships of the main characters. It gives us a deaf community representation in a tactful manner. It shows that at times putting more effort will not save the relationship, and the most healthy way is to just end it and leave. It shows various types of parents-kids relationships, and how there are no right and wrong universal answers, it all depends on the circumstances.
While I appreciate the writer and director bringing all these important issues to the table, I also feel like they were more of an appetizer than a whole meal. It’s undeniable that they did not have enough time to truly dive deep into any of these topics, so at the end it felt more like highlights of a greater story. Personally, I prefer my slice of life character driven shows in a slower pace, that gives me time to digest everything that is happening on the screen.
The quality of the production fluctuated quite a bit. Some scenes were a true perfection and there was not a detail that had to be changed to improve them. But then some scenes had such sloppy lighting I actually laughed. What I loved for sure though were the set designs. Aesthetically pleasing, but not over the top that it looked unnatural. You saw it and you believed - yes, someone lives/works here.
Overall, it has many great messages, many great lines. Could have been one of the best BLs if the production was a bit more daring, but also selective in terms of the story and the casting.
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Right or wrong is only a matter of perspective.
I love a show that makes me engaged. That makes me think and question presented topics. That makes me want to think how I would react if I was presented with the same ideas, what would be my questions and doubts, and who would I side with. That makes me analyze the statements of the characters trying to figure out what flaws they might have, and in what aspects they are correct. Three-Body is all that.I saw quite a number of people say that you need to be patient with this show to enjoy it. I would honestly disagree. Being patient means you need to tolerate something negative, and I see no such a thing in the show. Slow pace? For me it added to the charm of it. The even pacing, how each time they dropped a new hint, they added a few more questions, the mystery of it all, the lack of answers - for me, these are exactly the things I loved about it. So if someone finds these annoying, I don’t think any level of patience will make them like Three-Body in the end.
My favorite aspect of the drama was how it exposed the limits of human’s perception and cognition. How limited we are by our beliefs, hopes, motives, experiences and even biological aspects. We are painfully biased towards our own species. But it also shows how normal that is and that it can be, at least to some extent, overcome.
Not to mention the diversity of the characters in terms of their personalities, motivations, moralities. It’s truly an art how they slowly showed all the layers of the characters, their perspectives and plans. It was a perfectly crafted journey. They knew exactly when to disclose different information to keep the interest of the viewers.
How hard is it to understand the show? I’m not gonna lie, it’s not an easy watch, but that comes from someone who knows exactly nothing about physics. I had to rewatch a few scenes to understand the theories, some google searches also helped. All that is not needed to get the big picture, but it adds to the viewing experience.
Were there any things that bothered me or could potentially bother others? Yes. Since the drama invites you to analyze everything and pay attention to all the details, it’s also easier to pick up some inconsistencies. That said, a lot of them can be excused by the unreliable narrator at any given moment and their own goals in sharing some, but not all information, and at times even distorting it.
What’s more - we don’t get clear cut answers for a lot of questions asked. Some of it might be the result of the drama being based on just the first book in the trilogy, but some seem to be left vague with no hope for solid answers even in next installments. I can clearly see how this could piss off many people, me being weird, I actually enjoyed it. The fact that I had to form my own theories on why some things happened based on the hints and bits of information was an additional entertainment for me.
There were two moments in the drama that made me go: okay, that’s dumb. That said, two scenes in 30 episodes is a ration of dumbness I can easily ignore.
Last criticism I have is the whole existence of Mu Xing - she did not bring anything new or important to the table. She did not offer an interesting perspective nor a unique take on the events happening. She was there as a plot device and I find it a bit disappointing.
For the performances - some were better than others, but all were great. Chen Jin and Wang Zi Wen did an amazing job portraying the same characters in different moments of her life. You can see the changes in her, but she still seems like the same person. I loved Yu He Wei as Shi Qiang and he easily became my favorite character. I loved his bond with Wang Miao, and even though they could not exist in more different worlds, they formed a perfect partnership.
One performance that seemed a bit flat was Li Xiao Ran as Shen Yu Fei - she was supposed to be this driven woman with a mission, but she overall just seemed numb and detached.
The production value was perfection. I truly have zero complaints. I loved the small animation bits explaining the Farmer and Shooter theories, I loved the game graphics, I loved the set designs. I especially loved everything about how the past story was presented. So many aesthetically beautiful moments.
Talking about Three-Body, I need to mention the soundtrack. I was in awe from the first seconds of any of the songs and even just the ambient sounds used for many scenes. It added so much to the storytelling and perfectly built the atmosphere.
Overall, I could not recommend it more if you like complex stories that require full attention and some additional brainpower for theory making, since they don’t really spoon feed you all the answers. How much you can enjoy the show depends on how much you are motivated to figure out the mystery and story behind the characters.
Ps. Can it be viewed as stand alone? Kind of. Depends on how much of a closure you are expecting.
Ps 2. I need 2nd season yesterday.
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Great moments, but moments only.
Who likes a healing show about a timid female lead who moves away from the toxic environment to end up in another toxic environment and receive close to no character development? Not me.Like many other slice of life shows, this one also has little to no plot, which is completely fine. These are not supposed to give you thrills and excitement, they are supposed to be relaxing and warm. When I go into slice of life, I’m getting ready for a little bit of life lessons and characters I want to befriend, ones that make me want to root for them. Did this show deliver any of these? Not really.
Starting from Lee Yeo Reum - doormat, timid, no self love nor self respect. No issue with that. I wanted to go on that self improvement and self discovery journey with her. But damn this girl got on a merry-go-round and ended up in the same circle of self pity. The moment I thought she learned her lessons, she went back to the old ways - ready to blame herself, ready to take a step back, ready to run away. Trying to fix it all in the last episodes is not the way to go.
While An Dae Beom was better and for sure a stronger character, he also got easily manipulated by others, mostly by Ji Young. At some point I started to question myself - am I liking the character or am I just completely biased towards Yim Si Wan and I will just buy anything he sells?
Then we have all the other characters who either: started well and ended annoying, started annoying and miraculously became nice in between scenes, started annoying and ended annoying. There was honestly barely anyone to root for… Which is a true nightmare for a character driven slice of life drama.
To be perfectly honest though, I can deal with annoying characters, but I cannot stand conflicting messages. Yeo Reum tells herself to only think about what she wants and feels and not care for others, but also tells Bom to put her grandma and her family before her own emotions and well being. Protecting an alcoholic and abusive father is fine, but protecting your son with developmental issues makes you the top enemy. I am sorry, but what am I supposed to learn from this show? What is the message? What does the writer want to present and tell me? For me, it all made no sense.
Yes, the ending message was great - appreciate what you have, find happiness in little things, you don’t have to excel in everything, just being happy is enough of a reason to be alive and enjoy the moments. IT’s all great, but why did they fail so badly with all the other issues they talked about?
And I know how some people will scream “realism” as an excuse for some of the topics. Sorry, but you cannot explain some awful takes with it, while also ignoring the complete lack of realism in other aspects. You can’t have both.
Last, but not least plot wise - the “mystery”. When the characters have to explain EVERYTHING to me through the dialogues and flashbacks, it means the writer completely failed to set it up. I should be watching and connecting the dots myself, not get everything served with a narration.
From the acting and production side, it was great. Kim Seol Hyun improved greatly since her debut, and everyone knows Yim Si Wan is one of the best idol turned actors. The teens did an amazing job too, I especially liked a.mond’s performance - cheerful and hyped, but with hints of sadness and tons of loneliness.
Visually, Summer Strike is beautiful, I cannot deny it. They used the environment they were filming in to its full potential. What’s the point though, if the story is not on the same good level of execution? This year we had a holy trinity of dramas with amazing and beautiful moments, but also poorly executed overall plot and character’s development, and laughable villains - Today’s Webtoon, Cheer Up and Summer Strike.
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Daonuea? Cute, chill, awkward. Somehow have like 3 guys after him, go figure. At the same time, I hated him. He claimed to care for people and their feelings while also acting like a coward leading people for whom he obviously has no feelings. It’s not like he was truly an awful character, he had his moments and overall I enjoy his interaction, sadly only with people that had no romantic links to him.
Then we have Khabkhluen… I don’t even know where to start. His whole story? Ain’t buying it. This level of lack of communication, but also ONLY when it involves Daonuea? Ain’t buying it. The “progression” of his feelings? Ain’t buying it. He was just poorly written, that’s that. While it was fun to watch his silent moody demeanor at first, as the drama progressed I simply got tired with it, since the guy had like -10000 initiation levels. He just did not do anything.
I don’t care enough about the side characters to write about them. Some had some random not well executed last minute stories presented, but who cares? Not me.
I think my biggest issue was how they built the conflict, or rather dropped it out of nowhere. What it felt like - they obviously did not have enough plot for 8 episodes, so they had to invent some random issues that had no place to exist and be part of the show, that’s how ridiculous they were.
The acting was… mediocre? I was fine with most scenes, but the cast failed me with anything involving deeper emotions.
Overall, damn this was disappointing. It had a decent start with the first two or three episodes, and went DOWNHILL from there.
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Slice of life murder mystery with some dark and over the top humor.
It’s such a weird mix of genres and tropes, but somehow it works perfectly. You get yourself a crime murder mystery, slice of life with some deep and meaningful moments and conversations, comedy that at times is rather dark, and in other scenes slapstick and over the top. It might seem like a silly comedy at first, but it gets dark closer to the end.The whole story is led by a genius idiot Ahn Dae Seong. He is what I would call a smart person who is unable to make smart life decisions. How can anyone have such a strong brain power, but still be so street dumb is beyond me, but it works in this scenario extremely well. That said, he is actually a truly nice and genuine person. He apologizes when he does something wrong, works hard if he thinks the cause is worth it, and he cares for people in his life. Even though he might make everyone frustrated, it’s hard not to like him and not to root for him.
The supporting cast is also to die for. Well written and built personal stories and backgrounds with well placed hints made each one of them a perfect suspect, until we found out the truth. It’s hard to predict who the killer is (at least for the first half of the show) and why they do it. As I watched, I might have felt frustrated with how Dae Seong is suspicious and calls everyone a suspect, but when you look at it from his perspective, everyone was in fact acting suspicious, just for vastly different reasons than he assumed.
From all the supporting characters, Fish was my favorite. Truly adorable little potato, knew it from the start. They also have one of the more powerful and interesting back stories of them all, that is presented in a sensible manner.
Of all the characters, the one that annoyed me was the detective and 5dollar, but I still understood where they were coming from. Dae Seong truly did everything he could to seem like a potential killer, and literally no one in that neighborhood was helping with the real investigation. And from 5dollar view, he might have seen himself as a victim, no matter how twisted it might seem from our perspective.
That said, even though I truly enjoyed the premise and many side stories, I feel like at times they tried to do too much in too little time. Since everyone was presented as a potential suspect, they all had to have their own individual stories told to explain the circumstantial evidence. Since the number of supporting characters was high, some stories were bound to get less screen time and felt more like fillers. Since some were not explored enough, they got a little bit boring for me, as I was not that engaged in them. Yet somehow, they were able to give a perfect closure for all presented plot lines.
There were also some situations that I questioned why the characters had barely any reaction to, and took barely any actions to solve them.
The last thing that was a bit unsatisfying was the reveal who the killer was. While for the most part it was not easy to predict who it might be (since everyone seemed equally suspicious), when all suspects started to be proven innocent, all hints pointed in one direction so the suspense died.
I was truly positively surprised by the acting too. Lee Kwang Soo brings a comedic aspect to everything he does, it’s hard to deny it. I was quite scared it would be impossible to create any suspense and a more serious mood when he is on screen and I was completely wrong. He aced the emotional scenes. I actually liked his more serious takes more than the silly comedy ones.
Kim Seol Hyun shined the most closer to the end. In the first half of the show, her character seemed a bit like a plot device, but it all led to quite a prominent role in the later episodes.
All the cast members did their best to present realistic and relatable characters, and for me, they all delivered. Ahn Se Bin as Yul? Amazing performance for a child actress, especially with such a demanding role!
Production value was extremely high for a mini series like that. Aesthetic wise, it had a bit of a retro vibe. Not making it look like a big production was a good choice, since it fits the world building - all happening in a small neighborhood with just a few characters - it should feel familiar.
I have to say, one song from the OST gave me chills when it was first played - Nokdu’s Orange Dream. From the arrangement, instrumentation, vocals, to the lyrics, it truly is a perfection. It serves as a good introduction to Dae Seong as a character - someone stuck in the past glory, dreams and hopes, who is unable to move on. The whole OST was lit and extremely fitting every scene specific songs were played for.
Overall, such a surprisingly good watch. I expected nothing, and got more than I could receive even if I had rather high hopes.
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James did an amazing job as Boo. I believed every second of his acting and it truly broke my heart. I could clearly see how vulnerable he was. How he fought, gave up and fought again. The few glimpses of hope he showed, how it motivated him to take action, but also the fear that paralyzed him at times. The whole arc of the character was amazing. The parallel between the beginning and ending scenes created this perfect, cohesive picture. Truth to be told, when I saw the ending sequence with Boo's narration I was shocked by how perfect it was. I would not change anything. The most satisfying ending I have ever seen in a drama. I could see that a lot of thought and planning was put into filming and writing it.
The good writing can also be seen with Bell's character. In the beginning, the conversation she has with her superior about the connection and empathy she feels to her patients was foreshadowing of what's to come. She was an amazing friend to Boo, but she was truly not that good of a psychiatrist. And I am 100% fine with it, as it was well written for her character. Not only was she just an intern, so she did not have that much practical experience yet, she also picked that specific job because of emotional and personal reasons that made it hard for her to stay objective.
I love how the show tackled the issue of how depression can affect others around them and how hard it is for people who have never been depressed and have no psychological/psychiatric knowledge to understand it. Starting with the dad, who had a hard time accepting his son might have such a big problem, to Simon, who might have had good intentions, but at times his actions were not fitting when dealing with someone struggling emotionally like Boo.
The show hints about many issues concerning mental health. One of the lines that is stuck in my head is "You think because he's depressed, he can't do anything wrong?" said by one of Simon's friends. Just this one line made me pause the show. I started to think, how much responsibility can a person with severe mental problems really take, how can a victim of their actions feel and react when they can't even truly blame anyone for what happened? Who should take the responsibility? There were many moments that just made you stop and think about the presented topic.
I also have to talk about the clever editing and them trying to visually present the symptoms of depression and Boo's feelings. I felt like they truly wanted to make sure the audience would understand the presented content. The perfection of the scene that was Bell explaining to Boo's dad the core idea of what depression is, was too perfect for me to describe. Her psychiatric approach and explanations intertwined with Boo describing how these symptoms express in him... wow. I literally clapped as I was watching this scene, because I was simply so impressed.
That said, even though in my eyes, this show is pure perfection, it's not for everyone. It's extremely graphic and at times emotionally exhausting. It presents the severe case of depression with all the symptoms of it (including self harm and suicide attempts). It might be too heavy for some.
I would recommend it for anyone who struggles with grasping the idea of mental health struggles and feels like it's hard to imagine how it can manifest in a daily behavior and what it truly means. The explanation does not get any better than here.
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CHARACTERS
While the writer had a clear idea for both male lead characters, Dong Sik and In Woo, and both of their stories were quite well developed and concluded, Shim Bo Kyung was left to do what usually side characters do - react the right way to progress the plot.
Dong Sik, the definition of a loser, because of a quite humorous and coincidental string of accidents takes the persona of a serial killer. Having an amnesia and being faced with the reality of either being a pushover or a serial killer, he thinks of the former being more painful and scary and he accepts the possibility of being a psychopath, rationalizing all of his humane and empathetic behaviors for them to fit his new identity.
Seo In Woo, a serial killer who thinks he found his soulmate and killing partner in Dong Sik. His growing obsession over Dong Sik leads him to also credit the main lead with more wits, smarts and planning skills than he is capable of. Never being cared for by people in his environment, he hopes for a place of understanding in Dong Sik.
Shim Bo Kyung, who wished to be a detective until her father's accident. Since that time she kept having hallucinations of her father at the prime time of his career. The hallucinations were nothing more than her repressed hopes and wishes to follow his footsteps in the crime department. Sadly, her character in most cases was just used to forward the plot, the idea of hallucinations was not addressed enough. Not to mention her character was extremely inconsistent in terms of her skills. At times she had amazing intuition and deductive skills, but at the same time she failed to notice and connect many, quite obvious clues.
The combination of these three characters made quite an interesting and entertaining story and the ever changing interactions between them made me question who at the moment has the upper hand.
ENDING (no spoilers)
The fact that the ending was quite predictable from the get go was not a problem, since this drama focuses more on the journey not the destination.
PROS
Good acting of all the main and supporting actors, a variety of different characters that make it easier to find someone we can relate to, extremely good chemistry between Dong Sik and In Woo and the shifts in the dynamics between them.
CONS
Too much comedy took away from the serious aspect of the drama and made the villain less scary and impactful (he is a serial killer after all), unrealistic portrayal of police work to the point of it being ridiculous at times, less entertaining second half of the drama, not a strong first episode.
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This review may contain spoilers
You really have to turn your brain off before watching. Is the chemistry between Jae Hyun and Jimmy good? Sure. They are cute. Yoon Oh and Peach as characters have good dynamics with contrasting personalities. But is this enough to watch the show?
I feel like the show tried to portray the subjects of loss, regret, miscommunication/lack of communication. How some people can be so focused on their own feelings, they can’t see other people and the truth that is there. It all felt extremely flat though. Having not much screen time, it’s not wise to add many plot lines and side characters. Pick one main and one side plot and develop them as well as you can - that’s the way to go.
Quite a number of things make no sense. Peach staying at his dead friend's house, and no one questions it. The investigation of the police was a joke itself. Yoon Oh can manipulate objects in real life, since his mom heard him playing the guitar, but it’s not really brought back for them to communicate with each other in any way? Give him a laptop, making him type! Peach flirting with the air with the people around him. These are just a few things that happened without proper explanation, and were there just for the sake of the plot progression, even though they made little sense.
The biggest let down was Yoon Oh’s relationship with his mom. It would be an amazing plot for his character development and driving force of the show, but they decided to just… resolve it in the first half of the show and bring it back at the end. This should be the focus!
The quality of the acting depends on the actor. Jae Hyun for sure does well in his role, while Jimmy struggles quite a bit. He has improved a lot since his Why R U days, but I don’t think he has yet reached the level worth compliments. Got to love them dry crying scenes.
The drama is for sure pretty. Saved quite a few screenshots. The cafe scenes were just aesthetic heaven for me. The soundtrack was also one of the better aspects of the show. All songs were fitting the scenes they were used for.
Overall, it was all just misdelivery. Not once have I felt sad, even with such an emotional topic. Yoon Oh vanishing Thanos style made me laugh my ass off at the end, especially with how they robbed fans of that kiss.
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Usually I have no problem if there are some unhealthy aspects in the relationship of the main couple, but when all the relationships in a show are toxic at various levels (or at least questionable), I might be disappointed.
THE GOOD
Realistic and flawed characters. And oh boi they were flawed. My blood boiled more than once while watching. It did make the story more probable in my eyes though. The bad characters were truly villainous. If you need to find a nice example of a psychopath, you can find it here.
True diversity in female characters. It was not just a bunch of fangirls running around after hot guys, they all had their own personalities and motivations. The chemistry, as I already said, was amazing, but not only between the couples, but also the group of friends - it had such a realistic feel to it. What's worth mentioning: development of some minor characters and how their behavior was turned into these small plot twists.
THE BAD
What was Bright's character? I'm sorry, but damn I hated him badly. The age difference in looks between him and Farm freaked me out so bad so many times. It didn't feel like a dude using an innocent guy, but rather playing around with a child. And while I appreciate where it led Farm's character (that was extremely realistic), I hate how it was not really addressed as something bad by anyone.
THE QUESTIONABLE
As I said, having some questionable things going on with the main couple I can deal with, quite realistic. There is a whole different story when there is literally not even one normal, healthy relationship in the drama. When the most typical and not-problematic one is a student going after his professor... I'd say you have overused the dramatic plotlines to get your viewers interested.
Overall, I did enjoy it, binge watched it in two days. The additional commentary from the subber did make the viewing experience better tho :)
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