HAVOC
This review may contain spoilers
DON'T MISS GAMING GOLEM LORDS CONQUER THE WORLD STARRING A GIRL GAMER (INNOVATION!)
Woah. After Love Scenery, I had a huge c-drama hangover. I didn't feel like watching *any* full-length dramas—like at all. Then I remembered there was this one drama I was waiting for... or one of the dramas I've been waiting for... and here I am.
The YES:
1. No stupid-ass unnecessary breakup. YES PLEASE!
2. No chase. No lead really chases the other. You slowly see them fall in love with each other. There's no pestering either. It happens slowly but very clearly. It's the tiny moments you see as the viewer who knows they both like each other, while the characters are coming to the realization they like one another. It's very refreshing.
2a. The confession. Every drama usually wants to go with the super dramatic approach (fireworks, etc) when confessing. Not here. It was like a breath of fresh air seeing them just simply sitting there and have the conversation like adults. While dramatic confessions are great (don't get me wrong), this was—once again I say—very refreshing.
3. No cluelessness. It was subtle, but I loved the fact that the ML read the sign from the FL when she said that she didn't want him to go meet with his "blind date" partner for the *last time*. She said this when she thought he couldn't hear her. He did hear her, and I just love the fact that he read that signal. Usually, in c-dramas, I see people acting so delusional when signals are clear—and I hate that.
4. The lips moved. I repeat—the lips moved. That's it. It wasn't super out there, but they moved. And I'm loving these new dramas with lips moving. So less frustrating. Innovation!
5. E-sports/gaming drama! I love how many e-sports/gaming dramas there are. From veterans like Love O2O to zoomers like Love Scenery/Go Go Squid!/The King's Avatar, I've not met an e-sports/gaming drama I did not like! (Well, uh, *cough*, except for Gank Your Heart. I hated that. With a passion. Pei Xi punching me though is still on the table.)
6. The fact that I can say "you should watch this" and not have a solid "but" after. I'll explain. A lot of dramas I've also rated 8.5 stars, I can say "you should watch this, but [blank]." For this one, I can't think of an unarguable "but", except for the 1st and only point in "NO" section below... but even that, I'm playing devil's advocate. Like Go Go Squid!, I would say "you should watch this, but the first few episodes are so hard to get through you just need to push through." Another 8.5 rating that has a "but" is Intense Love. I love that show.... and "you should watch this, but the FL is very overly dramatic and childish at times." The only "but" I could find is quite weak and not a lot of people would mind it, so that's why I'll consider this "no buts". .... Actually, after about a week or two, I've decided that this definitely deserves a 9, c-drama wise. The fact that I keep thinking about this drama... and the *amazing* soundtrack... just proves how much I love this.
7. Can we talk about the soundtrack though?? Why did most of the songs slap so hard?? Unexpected, but very much welcomed surprise.
8. Team chemistry. All of it. All the members, even the substitute MID, the ex-MID and the glorified nanny.
8a. I feel the need to add in the totally amazing fucking scene as a point of YES. The scene... oh man, when they started singing during the last match... I fucking love the chemistry. I love it. Periodt.
9. I'm adding this on after my second re-watch... Hierophant can literally like slap me in the face, and I'd still beg. Like why do I fan-girl like a twelve year old every time he comes on screen? HUH?? HE'S TOO GOOD-LOOKING TO BE KEPT ALIVE. If there was any "antagonist" ever (if you can consider him one), he's literally my favourite ever. Like he's fucking everything. Hoping to see Wang Yi Jun starring in a drama eventually. I would eat that shit up right away.
The NO:
- I guess to be pretty nit-picky:
1. After they got together. The romance part felt sweet, yeah, but... Okay, so I know romance dramas tend to want to appeal to younger girls like pre-teens or you know, that demographic, but I wish it was more mature. I would probably say "eh" if these characters were like say in high school or early university, but these characters were fully graduated adults in a workplace.
1a. After my second re-watch, I want to say the "after" part actually feels very good. Like I actually love it, so really, you can discard the "NO" section—it doesn't exist.
Conclusion:
1. Chinese dramas are always so great at building up romances, so it's usually the execution of the romance that falls short. I guess this followed the trend in that way. (Edit: I WAS BRAINDEAD OBVIOUSLY WHEN I WROTE THE EXECUTION FELL SHORT. IT'S ACTUALLY REALLY FUCKING GOOD, AND I'M SORRY I EVER THOUGHT OTHERWISE.)
1a. But I'd still totally recommend this to anyone who wants an e-sports/gaming romance. 100%.
[09/04/2023]
On my third re-watch (whoops) I have more things to say:
1. This drama really touched on the public/fans aspect in a way that explained media today. The fact that you're in the public eye doing a craft you're good at suddenly means fans are allowed to form parasocial relationships with you? Demand apologies? Demand you not have a personal life beside gaming? No. That's extremely toxic, and you think these things about anyone in the public eye—you're not a fan. This drama tackled parasocial relationships well, in that yes, the artists appreciates your support and it's helped them achieve what they have, but you don't have the right to critique their personal life (relationships). The drama also demonstrates the power of social media. You could be completely in the right (ie. someone making up a fake story about you) but since you're the public figure, you're automatically assumed to be the worst. Tong Yao faced this frequently, and it's truly not fair. Once again, this ties back to the parasocial aspect.
You are not in the celebrities life. Leave them alone. You don't know them.
2. While I did learn about the huge controversy behind this drama, how Hierophant was made to be a real life LPL player, Faker, and how he was made to be the villain in the drama... I mean, I loved Hierophant. I don't think he was portrayed poorly in any way in the drama. I don't watch LPL, so I can't comment on the accuracy, but I do watch esports (Valorant specifically) and I do agree that it must suck to see your career dramatized, but at the end of the day... it's a c-drama. Huge respect to Faker.
3. Yes, I enjoy esports. Yes, I have certain Valorant pros I love to watch. But do I think I have a right to bash them online if they do badly? Do I think I have a right to bash their choice in relationship partner? No. I support them because I enjoy watching them play. Boundaries are clearly an issue for people these days due to social media, but it's important for fans to sit their ass down and be humbled. Shoutout to PRX! They lost in the finals, but I didn't hear any fans bashing them. I still love them and still do the fans. PRX something even apologized. They don't owe us anything but to play their best. #WGAMING.
The YES:
1. No stupid-ass unnecessary breakup. YES PLEASE!
2. No chase. No lead really chases the other. You slowly see them fall in love with each other. There's no pestering either. It happens slowly but very clearly. It's the tiny moments you see as the viewer who knows they both like each other, while the characters are coming to the realization they like one another. It's very refreshing.
2a. The confession. Every drama usually wants to go with the super dramatic approach (fireworks, etc) when confessing. Not here. It was like a breath of fresh air seeing them just simply sitting there and have the conversation like adults. While dramatic confessions are great (don't get me wrong), this was—once again I say—very refreshing.
3. No cluelessness. It was subtle, but I loved the fact that the ML read the sign from the FL when she said that she didn't want him to go meet with his "blind date" partner for the *last time*. She said this when she thought he couldn't hear her. He did hear her, and I just love the fact that he read that signal. Usually, in c-dramas, I see people acting so delusional when signals are clear—and I hate that.
4. The lips moved. I repeat—the lips moved. That's it. It wasn't super out there, but they moved. And I'm loving these new dramas with lips moving. So less frustrating. Innovation!
5. E-sports/gaming drama! I love how many e-sports/gaming dramas there are. From veterans like Love O2O to zoomers like Love Scenery/Go Go Squid!/The King's Avatar, I've not met an e-sports/gaming drama I did not like! (Well, uh, *cough*, except for Gank Your Heart. I hated that. With a passion. Pei Xi punching me though is still on the table.)
6. The fact that I can say "you should watch this" and not have a solid "but" after. I'll explain. A lot of dramas I've also rated 8.5 stars, I can say "you should watch this, but [blank]." For this one, I can't think of an unarguable "but", except for the 1st and only point in "NO" section below... but even that, I'm playing devil's advocate. Like Go Go Squid!, I would say "you should watch this, but the first few episodes are so hard to get through you just need to push through." Another 8.5 rating that has a "but" is Intense Love. I love that show.... and "you should watch this, but the FL is very overly dramatic and childish at times." The only "but" I could find is quite weak and not a lot of people would mind it, so that's why I'll consider this "no buts". .... Actually, after about a week or two, I've decided that this definitely deserves a 9, c-drama wise. The fact that I keep thinking about this drama... and the *amazing* soundtrack... just proves how much I love this.
7. Can we talk about the soundtrack though?? Why did most of the songs slap so hard?? Unexpected, but very much welcomed surprise.
8. Team chemistry. All of it. All the members, even the substitute MID, the ex-MID and the glorified nanny.
8a. I feel the need to add in the totally amazing fucking scene as a point of YES. The scene... oh man, when they started singing during the last match... I fucking love the chemistry. I love it. Periodt.
9. I'm adding this on after my second re-watch... Hierophant can literally like slap me in the face, and I'd still beg. Like why do I fan-girl like a twelve year old every time he comes on screen? HUH?? HE'S TOO GOOD-LOOKING TO BE KEPT ALIVE. If there was any "antagonist" ever (if you can consider him one), he's literally my favourite ever. Like he's fucking everything. Hoping to see Wang Yi Jun starring in a drama eventually. I would eat that shit up right away.
The NO:
- I guess to be pretty nit-picky:
1. After they got together. The romance part felt sweet, yeah, but... Okay, so I know romance dramas tend to want to appeal to younger girls like pre-teens or you know, that demographic, but I wish it was more mature. I would probably say "eh" if these characters were like say in high school or early university, but these characters were fully graduated adults in a workplace.
1a. After my second re-watch, I want to say the "after" part actually feels very good. Like I actually love it, so really, you can discard the "NO" section—it doesn't exist.
Conclusion:
1. Chinese dramas are always so great at building up romances, so it's usually the execution of the romance that falls short. I guess this followed the trend in that way. (Edit: I WAS BRAINDEAD OBVIOUSLY WHEN I WROTE THE EXECUTION FELL SHORT. IT'S ACTUALLY REALLY FUCKING GOOD, AND I'M SORRY I EVER THOUGHT OTHERWISE.)
1a. But I'd still totally recommend this to anyone who wants an e-sports/gaming romance. 100%.
[09/04/2023]
On my third re-watch (whoops) I have more things to say:
1. This drama really touched on the public/fans aspect in a way that explained media today. The fact that you're in the public eye doing a craft you're good at suddenly means fans are allowed to form parasocial relationships with you? Demand apologies? Demand you not have a personal life beside gaming? No. That's extremely toxic, and you think these things about anyone in the public eye—you're not a fan. This drama tackled parasocial relationships well, in that yes, the artists appreciates your support and it's helped them achieve what they have, but you don't have the right to critique their personal life (relationships). The drama also demonstrates the power of social media. You could be completely in the right (ie. someone making up a fake story about you) but since you're the public figure, you're automatically assumed to be the worst. Tong Yao faced this frequently, and it's truly not fair. Once again, this ties back to the parasocial aspect.
You are not in the celebrities life. Leave them alone. You don't know them.
2. While I did learn about the huge controversy behind this drama, how Hierophant was made to be a real life LPL player, Faker, and how he was made to be the villain in the drama... I mean, I loved Hierophant. I don't think he was portrayed poorly in any way in the drama. I don't watch LPL, so I can't comment on the accuracy, but I do watch esports (Valorant specifically) and I do agree that it must suck to see your career dramatized, but at the end of the day... it's a c-drama. Huge respect to Faker.
3. Yes, I enjoy esports. Yes, I have certain Valorant pros I love to watch. But do I think I have a right to bash them online if they do badly? Do I think I have a right to bash their choice in relationship partner? No. I support them because I enjoy watching them play. Boundaries are clearly an issue for people these days due to social media, but it's important for fans to sit their ass down and be humbled. Shoutout to PRX! They lost in the finals, but I didn't hear any fans bashing them. I still love them and still do the fans. PRX something even apologized. They don't owe us anything but to play their best. #WGAMING.
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