Taboos , societal repressions and suffocating expectations
I watched this drama a long time ago and decided to revisit it to refresh my memory. Oh, dear, oh dear-this drama is rather daring! I didn't realise that back then, which shows how dangerous youthful ignorance can be (we really need to be protected/safeguarded until we reach full brain development, lol). It explores many taboo topics. It didn’t help that the boy really looked around 16-17 years old, but at least it didn’t pretend to be something it’s not and maintained its realism. I still felt for all the characters involved, I felt for FL cause she was so desperate to break free, I could relate to her being slowly suffocated by the society's expectations ... however, the ML's mother was downright creepy! Couldn't stand her! Her gaze was so unsettling, especially the way she looked at her son-so possessive and incestuous, yuck. That made me feel like it was the most uncomfortable aspect of the drama, which is quite telling considering the inappropriate age gap between the leads. Saying that, it does not mean I was not conflicted about their relationship. But yeah, the point remains ,the drama was about breaking taboos and escaping societal expectations. The FL was on the verge of a mental breakdown...flirting between romantic schoolgirl fantasy and a bitter, mundane reality. I was just hoping she would make a better choice (even though she had tendency to quickly fold under pressure) cause it is difficult to expect from a youth to make informed decision when they are still growing ,maturing and can't differentiate between passionate infatuation and a genuine love. She wasn't that mature either and was clearly unprepared for an adult life. The other aspects of their intimacy...it's just...I refuse to acknowledge that the age of consent is still so low in Japan. It's very icky. But overall, who are we to judge when to comes to love , sometimes I think...there's plenty of adult in their 30s and 40s that are completely clueless about that no matter how old they get .The passage of time won't guarantee emotional and mental maturity. Nonetheless, I love 90s J-dramas-they feel nostalgic to me now and they are often thought-provoking...Also, as many people has pointed out this drama is not exactly about the romance. It is about much more than that. The OST was also very good.Was this review helpful to you?
Blissful experience
I wish this film had never ended. I long to stay there forever-it's so comforting, peaceful, and blissful. I just want to cry. It is so simple. Surrounded by nature, with just a right amount of solitude and kind-hearted people, the gentle passage of seasons, and delicious, healthy food. I've lost count of how many times I've watched this beautiful piece of cinematography, and I will cherish it forever. I hope to see more films like this in the future! I know there is quite a lot of art-house and slice of life Japanese films like this (I appreciate them greatly)...but this Korean remake really hit the spot! I love both, Japanese and Korean culture but sometimes I am more keen to experience Korean way of doing things and acting so ...I wish for more films like this from them.Was this review helpful to you?
This review may contain spoilers
to be continued?
I was very excited to see this film as I am very keen on Lee Jong Won and Kim Jun Han and folklore based horrors.Unfortunately, I left the screening quite disappointed. The actors delivered solid performances ,no complaints whatsoever. Especially, Kim Jun Han character was creepy and had this unsettling vibe surrounding him. I'm not going into much detail but the film was marred with red herrings, unimpressive water ghosts and chaotic and inconsistent writing-basically,lazy storytelling.
There were no rules,rituals or folklore based survival tactics. The film's world building was inconsistent, everything appeared to be an illusion after the sunset (and even before -another fallacy),just being in the close proximity guarantee your death. Having Gyo-sik's body already sitting in a real-world morgue in the hospital while his clone roamed the lake completely shattered the movie's timeline and violated the idea of the soul exchange according to the Korean folklore (escape from the lake is Mulgwishin Jakjeon (Water Ghost Tactic): they must actively lure, trick, or drag a living human down into the water to take their place).It was also very puzzling that the crew knew that the senior DP was missing after visiting the place, choose to ignore the reservoir bad lore and refused to implement any safety measures.
To think this film generated so much noise and hype doesn't inspire confidence, and it was commercialised more effectively than it was crafted.It was done well enough to make a stir and make so many people go to the theatre yet quality of film does not support it. My expectations were shattered.
There are some good jumpscares though,clever use of diegetic ambient noise and the atmospehere was thick and unsettling.I felt their terror, their ability to escape was non negotiable. Classic B-rated flick I would say,nothing novel ,no solutions or set rules to escape,no coherent narrative .They were simply doomed the moment they stepped into the lake/reservoir area and stayed after the sunset.
I am rating it 6.5/10 as the director abandoned consistent folklore logic for a generic, mindless "kill-them-all" doom and gloom ending. I think Exhuma deserves all the accolades as all events ,rituals,folklore and mythology behind it were very well researched and implemented. I understand that not everything should be logically explained in the horror genre but in the case of Salmokji it was kind of a let down.
'To be continued' gives me some hope that another film will explain the idea behind everything and gives some reason to the inconsistencies. It can be salvaged pretty well.
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bittersweet food for thought and an art of letting go
It might be hard to believe, but I find myself returning to this drama from time to time. It offers me the right perspective when I start to lose myself and spiral out of control. Although the pacing feels somewhat slow, it’s actually quite well-balanced - the episodes are short, and the story flows smoothly. I love that everything is centred around food-it adds a warm, comforting touch. This series is filled with as much heartbreak as it is with warmth and heartfelt healing. By the end, I’m left with a bittersweet longing and a deep appreciation for a simple, ordinary life and familiar daily routines. Yes, it’s sad, but it’s also so incredibly lovable! The actors are just wonderful! Especially, subtle and understated Han Seo Kyu's acting made me tear up. I really do hope for more slice of life dramas like this-not necessarily about this topic but about slow, mundane reality of our lives. Would be lovely to see something cosy, unassuming ,revolving around simple joys .Nonetheless, Recipe for Farewell really seems like a piece of poetryWas this review helpful to you?
