This review may contain spoilers
Eyes don't lie
What if I told you that the thing that affected me the most, the thing that completely added another layer of depth and understanding to this drama, was hidden in the characters' eyes?
I think I should start by talking about Pond's performance as Palm.
I cried so much. I was moved to tears over and over again because I've genuinely never seen a character transcend me quite like this one did. Pond portrays Palm's loneliness and vulnerability with almost painful accuracy. In absolutely everything: his deep, painfully sincere eyes, the tone of his voice, his subtle and attentive gestures.
And I want to hold on to the strong belief that there is a lot of Pond in Palm.
Actually, I deeply believe there is a little bit of Palm in all of us (even if none of us could ever embody it with quite the same accuracy).
Palm is a character shaped by an overwhelming loneliness. First, by the absence of people/family around him, and then by his complete lack of ambition, born from an absolute absence of purpose. In a way, he simply endures his loneliness because his existence has become absurd, lived almost entirely through passivity.
And yet, when love finds its way into his life, it's as if his entire existence suddenly takes on a new meaning.
Ultimately, despite his role as a "bodyguard" and his physical presence, Palm is incredibly fragile. Because when he gives his heart to Nuengdiao, he isn't only giving him the entirety of his most sincere feelings. Loving him also gives him a reason to exist.
A reason to keep going. (God, love is fucking beautiful. T^T)
But Palm and Nuengdiao are both characters defined by loneliness. And I personally think that Palm is alone, while Nuengdiao is lonely.
The two protagonists resemble each other, and yet they are completely different.
They both place an enormous importance on love, but they don't express it the same way. They both experience an overwhelming sense of loneliness, but that loneliness comes from completely different places.
And it's precisely in that difference that their relationship becomes so complex, and yet incredibly intense.
Because the things they don't say protect them just as much as they destroy them. The moments they share seem to exist forever in their thoughts, yet only for a fleeting second in the present.
Shout-out to Episode 9, which personally made me cry the most. I've genuinely never seen an episode manage to immerse us so deeply in both love and sadness at the same time.
I also absolutely loved the entire arc on their little paradise island. AAAHHDSHS. I feel like I could talk forever about their chemistry. Just please tell me I'm not the only insane person who was way too affected by all that sincerity, by the way they look at each other, by every little glance they share.
Pond and Phuwin honestly left me speechless. They're both so incredibly talented that I almost feel grateful I got to witness something like this with my own eyes, for free.
As for the story itself, I think it sometimes had a tendency to fade into the background. And honestly, I didn't mind that. But whenever they were on the run, it was almost as if the plot suddenly remembered it had a job to do and started throwing problems at them again.
Maybe this drama does have a bit of a drama queen tendency every now and then. Seriously, all those shootings, all that chaos, and then when everything finally gets resolved... we don't even learn anything new. (what happened next ?)
But honestly, the setting was idyllic, the face cards never declined, and the cinematography was absolutely breathtaking. The shots were gorgeous.
And the dialogues... Majestic.
The words were chosen so beautifully that every now and then I had to pause just to stare at my screen and wonder whether my own existence had any meaning.
And honestly, now that I've finished this drama, I realize just how much the title resonates with Palm and Nuengdiao.
Because Never Let Me Go isn't really an order driven by the fear of losing someone.
I think the real question is:
When will I be enough to realize that I don't want to let you go?
That hit me hard.
I think I should start by talking about Pond's performance as Palm.
I cried so much. I was moved to tears over and over again because I've genuinely never seen a character transcend me quite like this one did. Pond portrays Palm's loneliness and vulnerability with almost painful accuracy. In absolutely everything: his deep, painfully sincere eyes, the tone of his voice, his subtle and attentive gestures.
And I want to hold on to the strong belief that there is a lot of Pond in Palm.
Actually, I deeply believe there is a little bit of Palm in all of us (even if none of us could ever embody it with quite the same accuracy).
Palm is a character shaped by an overwhelming loneliness. First, by the absence of people/family around him, and then by his complete lack of ambition, born from an absolute absence of purpose. In a way, he simply endures his loneliness because his existence has become absurd, lived almost entirely through passivity.
And yet, when love finds its way into his life, it's as if his entire existence suddenly takes on a new meaning.
Ultimately, despite his role as a "bodyguard" and his physical presence, Palm is incredibly fragile. Because when he gives his heart to Nuengdiao, he isn't only giving him the entirety of his most sincere feelings. Loving him also gives him a reason to exist.
A reason to keep going. (God, love is fucking beautiful. T^T)
But Palm and Nuengdiao are both characters defined by loneliness. And I personally think that Palm is alone, while Nuengdiao is lonely.
The two protagonists resemble each other, and yet they are completely different.
They both place an enormous importance on love, but they don't express it the same way. They both experience an overwhelming sense of loneliness, but that loneliness comes from completely different places.
And it's precisely in that difference that their relationship becomes so complex, and yet incredibly intense.
Because the things they don't say protect them just as much as they destroy them. The moments they share seem to exist forever in their thoughts, yet only for a fleeting second in the present.
Shout-out to Episode 9, which personally made me cry the most. I've genuinely never seen an episode manage to immerse us so deeply in both love and sadness at the same time.
I also absolutely loved the entire arc on their little paradise island. AAAHHDSHS. I feel like I could talk forever about their chemistry. Just please tell me I'm not the only insane person who was way too affected by all that sincerity, by the way they look at each other, by every little glance they share.
Pond and Phuwin honestly left me speechless. They're both so incredibly talented that I almost feel grateful I got to witness something like this with my own eyes, for free.
As for the story itself, I think it sometimes had a tendency to fade into the background. And honestly, I didn't mind that. But whenever they were on the run, it was almost as if the plot suddenly remembered it had a job to do and started throwing problems at them again.
Maybe this drama does have a bit of a drama queen tendency every now and then. Seriously, all those shootings, all that chaos, and then when everything finally gets resolved... we don't even learn anything new. (what happened next ?)
But honestly, the setting was idyllic, the face cards never declined, and the cinematography was absolutely breathtaking. The shots were gorgeous.
And the dialogues... Majestic.
The words were chosen so beautifully that every now and then I had to pause just to stare at my screen and wonder whether my own existence had any meaning.
And honestly, now that I've finished this drama, I realize just how much the title resonates with Palm and Nuengdiao.
Because Never Let Me Go isn't really an order driven by the fear of losing someone.
I think the real question is:
When will I be enough to realize that I don't want to let you go?
That hit me hard.
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