Ter22331

A beautiful story + perfect cast let down by a shallow storyline

I really thought this was going to be an iconic drama for me. It felt like the book Pachinko, watching a family's rise and fall across multiple generations. I was so convinced this was prestige TV.

But by episode 26, I've accepted that perfect casting and amazing cinematography can't fully make up for a shallow storyline.

How many times can we watch Li Zhen be set up, people turn against her, she proves her innocence and they accept that they were wrong to doubt her. And then just a few episodes later, it happens again in the exact same way. My final straw was the case with the bad glue by Uncle Decai. It was so obvious that she was being set up by someone from within the family, but still the characters act all confused and even want her to hand over the family seal. It made no sense. I couldn't believe that these are the people who have been running a centuries-old relatively successful business.

This whole "doubt Li Zhen then she clears her name and everyone likes her again" happens so many times to the point that it becomes unbelievable. It's clear the writer didn't know how to create conflict without over-relying on this trope.

When I realized that this is a story that just goes round in circles, I realized I don't need to watch the rest. Watching Li Zhen prove people wrong and stand in her integrity the first few times is enough for me - I don't need to see it happen 10 more times with the same characters over and over.

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An insightful subversion of the dom-sub trope

I did not expect to love this show the way I did. Naoya and Takaaki will live in my heart for a long time...

I loved that we were drawn in with this idea of your run-of-the-mill toxic power play couple, only to have the rug pulled out from underneath us in the first episode. I thought this was a really insightful exploration of dom-sub relationships, subverting the usual tropes & expectations (e.g. the richer, more successful partner as the dom, or the bottom as the sub.)

Takaaki was the more interesting character for me. In one episode he commented on how his high school relationship with Naoya was the perfect outlet for his desires, which he felt were shameful. (I interpreted this as a powerful metaphor for queerness.) Takaaki really blossomed thanks to his relationship with Naoya. Anyone on the outside looking in would think he was being taken advantage of, but it's exactly what he needed to feel safe enough to explore his own desire.

In later episodes, it warmed my heart watching him struggle as an adult to express his wants, outside of Naoya giving him orders. He was so terrified of becoming like Naoya's dad, so afraid that his passion was too possessive to be healthy. And even though this was never (or rarely) explicitly discussed, Naoya intuitively knew how to bring him out of his shell and make him feel like an equal in their relationship. Naoya's EQ is really high and he did a great job steering their relationship out of the hierarchy they'd been stuck in.

Don't watch this looking for sexy power play, cause I'm not sure you'll be satisfied. But if you're interested in a beautiful, healthy exploration of desire through the lens of power play, I think it's worth a look.

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An unflinching portrait of 2 flawed humans

This is one of the most raw explorations of love I've ever seen. It doesn't sugarcoat it, but it doesn't try to be dramatic either. It's just an unflinching peek into the human psyche. I'm amazed at how deep this was, considering it's just six 20-minute episodes.

If you're like me, you start out feeling closer to Kasuga. Although he's the one pushing the lie, it feels like he's doing it for good reasons. It's only at the end, when each person opens up, that we realize the lie wasn't just the documentary; it was the whole relationship.

Kasuga's monologue in the final episode had me reflecting on my life quite a bit, noticing where I sometimes have the same unhealthy traits. But Itsuki's final words just blew me away. They were sharp but honest - exactly what we've come to expect from his character.

I think it's an interesting social experiment for the viewers as well: if by the end, knowing what we know, we still wish that Kasuga & Itsuki could have found their way back to each other, what does that say about us? We see the truth about their incompatibility but a part of us still hopes that all those problems can be wished away, just like Kasuga. Or maybe we just choose to ignore the problems and lie to ourselves about what we know will happen. This is why I resonated with Kasuga's speech about doing it all over again, even if he knew it won't work. It's not smart, but it is human.

The cinematography was PEAK. The shots were beautiful. You can see the thought put into the composition in certain scenes. It was quiet but grounded.

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A perfect first love romance

Oh my god, I feel like I'm on a high after finishing this show. It was just too adorable. It perfectly captures the essence of being in love for the first time.

The chemistry between the leads was strong but chaste. It felt like a beautiful bubble - pure, safe and sweet but also intense and overwhelming, which is exactly what a first love should feel like.

Watarai and Hikio are just the cutest characters, and I love that the writer delivered a green flag romance that's still intense and addictive. (I love red flags, lol, but it's good to watch a cute, healthy love story every now and then.)

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An amazing "meet your idol" performance!!

I loved this so much.

Usually in these stories the MC is all the things we wish we were - pure wish fulfillment.

But Chiaki is the total opposite. He's a complete poser and he always looks out of place in AE's world. His facial expressions are so honest, it's difficult to watch sometimes - you wish he could just be a bit cooler. But I love that the show doesn't tone him down. It's a very realistic portrait of what it would be like to meet your idol: just a shaky, blubbering mess lol.

And dear god, AE is portrayed perfectly. His gaze is INTENSE - no way anyone is keeping their composure when he looks at you like that.

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Even a good novel isn't enough to cover for a poor director

I wanted to like this because I can tell the novel's author created something good. The substance is there, but the delivery is noticeably lacking.

Scenes just happen one after another, making the show feel disjointed. It's like the director just focused on adapting the storyline without thinking about how one scene flows into the other.

It's entirely possible to watch this for the story and ignore the flaws. But with all the other better dramas currently airing, it's hard to convince myself to spend time on this.

Mostly I'm just disappointed by the director & scriptwriter. It feels lazy to rely on a story to carry the show, without investing effort in HOW that story is being delivered to the audience.

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