Kate

During one of classes when I was studying psychology we were shown 3 videos of f/m dancing together, m/m and f/f. And we were asked which one made us feel uncomfortable or weird and which one was the most pleasant to watch (want to make clear it was not about it being homophobic, but rather showcasing the impact of exposure to different experiences and how it can impact the emotional reaction).

I'm pretty sure I was the only one who picked m/m as the most pleasant to watch and I really had to go into detail why I picked it before everyone accepted I did not pick it "just to be different". In that case (these 3 specific videos), the m/m dance felt the most partnership like, but compared to f/f has more dynamic in it.

I wish the world was more open to different experiences. The more you see, the more you experience, the more you can actually enjoy life and find happiness in variety of things.

I think I liked Chu Wei's story the most even tho it was also the most frustrating one 🥲

I found myself bored by some of the plots, in particular the younger sister < honestly think her story was the weakest. Maybe not even the story itself, but the presentation was not as gripping. I feel like they were jumping from one issue to another and none felt truly developed.

and does a really good job in balancing how life is both, comedy and drama. < oh this! 100%. The drama did so well to balance different aspects of life!

When two men dance together as equals, swapping lead and follow and treating each other as true partners instead of rivals, that is not just romantic. It is disruptive. Choosing connection in a space designed around comparison and ranking reads as its own quiet act of defiance. < oof that a beautiful way to put it 🔥

When I saw that many people started dancing with them I right away started to scan the whole room to see if the ladies dance together 🤣

but I had expected a lot more romance and passion and I felt like this was more a technical dance movie and less about using the dance as a way to show these characters interact and fall for each other. < i think that's the biggest issue with how the promoted the movie and the trailer. They truly showed all the highlights of the romance in it, so the rest of the movie seemed... like a filler at times. One should NEVER show all the highlights in the trailer 🥲

- the voice saying 10Dance at the beginning and end < this was such a tiny part of the movie, like 4 seconds long in total? But it annoyed me so bad I named it as one of the biggest flaws 🤣

For the f/f dancing - one of the things I really like is how at the end when male leads were dancing together and other contestant joined, the ladies also danced together. Such a minor detail mostly in the background but I loved it.

Machida showcasing how hard it is for the women during these ballroom dances was probably my favorite scene, and from what I read in many reviews - a lot of people agree it was one of the highlights of the whole movie 🔥

The movie did not match the expectations set by the trailer < I still loved it, but I do agree that the trailer basically shows ALL the highlights. There is nothing not shown there 🥲 The trailer should NEVER show all the best and most memorable moments of the movie.

There are a lot of looks to the other person, facial expressions, but very little in the way of actual communication < I see a lot of people mention it in the review, and I guess I just have to accept it;s a matter of preference, because for me that was one of the things I loved the most about the movie 🤣

the dance shown is basically its own language that that gives important clues on where the relationship is < this 💯 For me the lack of dialogue was the aspect I liked, and how we got most of the info of their progressing relationship through the movement and gestures 🔥

I will share this review from the perspective of a former professional dancer and dance instructor, with no spoilers included. < oh god, this is exactly what I needed since I know nothing about the dancing and my conclusion was just "it looked beautiful" 🤣 The movie for sure showed the drive and determination one must have to excel in their profession. It's good to know that stayed true to the real experiences of professionals in the field.

It's always interesting to read other people's opinion, because for me the lack of dialogue and the focus on the movement and gestures was actually the good aspect of the movie. I do agree the plot is... barely there 🤣 I do believe tho the romance was told with the dance, change of the approach to close proximity while the danced etc.

One scene in particular stood out to me where Machida's character places Takeuchi's in a stance showing the perspective of a women's position in ballroom dance. < this was for sure 100% my favorite scene in the movie! The writing, acting and directing for it was honestly perfect. I also feel like this was exactly the moment we started to see that tiny bit of actual darkness in Sugiki Shinya and how not only he is aware of what his partner goes through, he also knows how to control it and use it.

unnatural acting of the background characters. < there must have been better way to push forward the narration than this 🥲

The music: almost comically unimaginative. < this. It was almost bad enough to ruin the movie for me 🤣 When they played River Flows in You I almost mentally gave up.

I definitely love how many things were shown with directing, acting and movement rather than narration and dialogue.

The tension in the struggles between ego, power, and control is so palpable it could drive one mad sitting through it. < this. That's probably the biggest strength of the movie: they knew not only how to build but also hold the tension.

The plot was as thin as a sheet of music. < true, but still there is more plot than I thought I would get 🤣 I think I mostly wished for more Sugiki Shinya's POV especially closer to the end 🙂

In terms of "vibes" when I watched the trailer for it I right away thought about Take the Lead 🤣

They are both aware they are using each other, but also greatly admire each other, and may even be developing feelings of love for each other. < this. But I also really like how they both were sure they are the ones using the other "more", when by the end none of it mattered as the feelings grew.

I gave a full point for forehead realness 😂 < I love when a detail in the drama that most do not care about can make someone day and improve the watching experience so much 🤣

the main target was IIJo but of course he wasn't the one who reported him nor thought of reporting him for the drugs and the assault. < this I can kind of excuse? Because even if he was arrested, he would be let go on bond waiting for the trial, and he could still ruin him with the photos he had. But JH took away the usb stick with him, so most the evidence was gone from Jeong In's hands and it allowed him to report him.

That said, my issue is - how dumb Il Jo think JH is to not trust the dude can handle a dumbass like Jeong In? 🤣🤣🤣