soodal_j
This review may contain spoilers
The age gap may deter you from watching this series, but I believe that this drama was much more than just a love story.
First of all, the point of this drama is far from just condoning or justifying sexual relationships between a minor and an adult. The point of this drama was to masterfully exhibit the complex relationships between these characters and their growth through intentional storytelling. The way the story was put together and told made it so worthwhile.
All of the characters were so dynamic, especially the main characters (Wako, Fuuta, and Yumeaki). I found myself getting tired of watching so many dramas where the characters were never faced with any real conflict that would cause them to make crucial decisions that would shape their character. This drama was different. Wako, Fuuta, and Yumeaki were faced with real and applicable internal conflict that forced them to make decisions. I was able to understand who these characters were through action, rather than blatant dialogue telling me who these characters were. This is a perfect way for a director/writer to present a character's beliefs, morals, and personality; it made watching the show more interesting and worthwhile since sometimes, these characters do irrational things. But that is the point.
Wako irrationally fell in love with Yumeaki because human emotions are more complex than just believing in certain things. Even though Wako promised herself she would never cheat, she ended up cheating because humans are irrational beings that can sometimes be driven by emotion rather than their brain. Whenever Wako was faced with the opportunity for stability, she never took it, no matter how much it seemed to be the best decision for her. It's easy to be frustrated with Wako because she may not be making the "right" decisions, but I think that's what made her character so profound and refreshing from cliches.
Additionally, all of the main characters were flawed, flawed in a way where you possibly can't sympathize with them. Wako is easily swayed by men, Yumeaki is overly possessive, and Fuuta doesn't care about Wako's feelings in terms of her career. But we all have flaws in real life, it's just that we actually know these characters' flaws. If we in the real world knew everyone's flaws, we would probably hate everyone, too. Aspects like these from the drama made this show realistic, reflective of the real world, and purposefully accurate.
The fact that Yumeaki is 15 proves more that the stars just don't perfectly align when we want it to. Love is not always convenient nor paved in a way so that is was meant to be or an easy decision. That is why he HAD to be 15 for the sake of the story- it was utilized to make the impact of the story more obvious. Yes, the sexual relationship made me uncomfortable, too. But I just ended up skipping those scenes since I was in it for the storytelling! Also, I do believe the sexual relationship wasn't necessarily being justified or condoned. Nor is cheating. I believe the writers are using these as flaws to the characters, making the man-vs-self-conflict more apparent. The writers are not necessarily saying that it's good or that it's evil. They just want to stir thought and have you form your own opinion.
The production & cinematography was also extremely pleasant to watch, despite the harsh story. There's symbolism within everyday objects that were shot during this drama, like the capsule toy machine, a cup being overfilled with water, the ocean, and the socks that Fuuta leaves out at home. I appreciate how natural these objects were intertwined with the story while also enhancing the storytelling. It's not every day when these little details are added into dramas just for the sake of storytelling. Additionally, there were many beautiful shots, especially within the made-up film within the drama when the moon fell into the ocean. The music fit very well, as it perfectly hit the feeling of desire, nostalgia, and curiosity.
It's no surprised there are mixed reviews about this drama, this drama was MEANT to be controversial. It was written so that the audience can really think about the decisions of these characters and take away the fact that human relationships are complex and not as easy as sugar-coated stories make them seem. The writing wants you to reflect on what your moral beliefs are, what you would do, and what your social standing is. The drama is not forcing you to accept sexual relationships between minors and adults, it wants you to truly question it. To stir conversation.
Note: I've never written a review before, but I had to after watching this because it had moved me to realize humans are complex and we may never really understand ourselves. I'm sorry this is so long, I obviously got carried away, but I really wanted to try to provide a new perspective on Love and Fortune. If you read all of this, which I highly doubt lol, thank you and I'm sorry!!
First of all, the point of this drama is far from just condoning or justifying sexual relationships between a minor and an adult. The point of this drama was to masterfully exhibit the complex relationships between these characters and their growth through intentional storytelling. The way the story was put together and told made it so worthwhile.
All of the characters were so dynamic, especially the main characters (Wako, Fuuta, and Yumeaki). I found myself getting tired of watching so many dramas where the characters were never faced with any real conflict that would cause them to make crucial decisions that would shape their character. This drama was different. Wako, Fuuta, and Yumeaki were faced with real and applicable internal conflict that forced them to make decisions. I was able to understand who these characters were through action, rather than blatant dialogue telling me who these characters were. This is a perfect way for a director/writer to present a character's beliefs, morals, and personality; it made watching the show more interesting and worthwhile since sometimes, these characters do irrational things. But that is the point.
Wako irrationally fell in love with Yumeaki because human emotions are more complex than just believing in certain things. Even though Wako promised herself she would never cheat, she ended up cheating because humans are irrational beings that can sometimes be driven by emotion rather than their brain. Whenever Wako was faced with the opportunity for stability, she never took it, no matter how much it seemed to be the best decision for her. It's easy to be frustrated with Wako because she may not be making the "right" decisions, but I think that's what made her character so profound and refreshing from cliches.
Additionally, all of the main characters were flawed, flawed in a way where you possibly can't sympathize with them. Wako is easily swayed by men, Yumeaki is overly possessive, and Fuuta doesn't care about Wako's feelings in terms of her career. But we all have flaws in real life, it's just that we actually know these characters' flaws. If we in the real world knew everyone's flaws, we would probably hate everyone, too. Aspects like these from the drama made this show realistic, reflective of the real world, and purposefully accurate.
The fact that Yumeaki is 15 proves more that the stars just don't perfectly align when we want it to. Love is not always convenient nor paved in a way so that is was meant to be or an easy decision. That is why he HAD to be 15 for the sake of the story- it was utilized to make the impact of the story more obvious. Yes, the sexual relationship made me uncomfortable, too. But I just ended up skipping those scenes since I was in it for the storytelling! Also, I do believe the sexual relationship wasn't necessarily being justified or condoned. Nor is cheating. I believe the writers are using these as flaws to the characters, making the man-vs-self-conflict more apparent. The writers are not necessarily saying that it's good or that it's evil. They just want to stir thought and have you form your own opinion.
The production & cinematography was also extremely pleasant to watch, despite the harsh story. There's symbolism within everyday objects that were shot during this drama, like the capsule toy machine, a cup being overfilled with water, the ocean, and the socks that Fuuta leaves out at home. I appreciate how natural these objects were intertwined with the story while also enhancing the storytelling. It's not every day when these little details are added into dramas just for the sake of storytelling. Additionally, there were many beautiful shots, especially within the made-up film within the drama when the moon fell into the ocean. The music fit very well, as it perfectly hit the feeling of desire, nostalgia, and curiosity.
It's no surprised there are mixed reviews about this drama, this drama was MEANT to be controversial. It was written so that the audience can really think about the decisions of these characters and take away the fact that human relationships are complex and not as easy as sugar-coated stories make them seem. The writing wants you to reflect on what your moral beliefs are, what you would do, and what your social standing is. The drama is not forcing you to accept sexual relationships between minors and adults, it wants you to truly question it. To stir conversation.
Note: I've never written a review before, but I had to after watching this because it had moved me to realize humans are complex and we may never really understand ourselves. I'm sorry this is so long, I obviously got carried away, but I really wanted to try to provide a new perspective on Love and Fortune. If you read all of this, which I highly doubt lol, thank you and I'm sorry!!
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