For the second time this year, the Phillipines has decided to show the world how BL should be done.
Like in the Movies is a beautiful, intelligent, layered discussion of coming out and having the courage to seize control of your life.
Like Gameboys before it, it has the perfect mix of brains and heart.
A sparse production with few characters and even fewer sets, Like in the Movies is obviously another victim of filming restrictions due to Covid19. And yet the show’s filming limitations don’t detract from it. Nothing feels missing.
There’s a lot to like about Like in the Movies right from the first scene, especially around its gleeful embrace of romcom tropes such as fake relationship, forced cohabitation and Odd Couple conflict. But underneath the surface, the show is finely tuned and intricately written but has enough kilig to satisfy the most shallow romcom fan.
If the Phillipines keeps producing BL like this i may not watch Thai BL ever again.
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Some think the female lead Sumaru is a bit over the top and thus annoying. I think she’s funny and just real. It’s her innocence and naivety. She’s refreshing if you’re a bit reserved or surrounded by people who are too self-conscious or scared to show tneir real selves. She loves and she wasn’t afraid to show it. Wouldn’t it be good to be like her, without fear and reservation. But alas, most of us are jaded and scared due to our life experiences. She meets things and situations head on, even if she knew it might hurt her. Yes, she’s a bit all over the place, but that’s what made her funny and endearing. She’s just what Mr Hirotmitsu/sensei ( the male lead) needed.
Sensei is a mathematician. He loves Math. Math is rigid, structured, consistent, driven by logic. Some find it difficult, boring or mundane. Yet Math brings order to chaos. And here is how the Sumaru and Mr. Hiromitsu compliment each other.
She brought unpredictability into his structured world and made him laugh. Her honesty and courage inspired him to face the things he was running from. And for all her naivety, she was mature enough to encourage him to face his fears and go back to France to finish his studies.
Whilst he taught her to focus on things she wants to do. When she thought she has no chance to gain his love, she still didn’t give up. She did cry a bit. He taught her the realities of adulthood. That we may not always get what we want no matter how much effort we put into it. And that if we love someone, we shouldn’t be selfish. That we should let the other one grow and not be held back by our love.
I probably made it sound like it’s a deep movie with profound or life-changing lessons. No, it’s not. It was meant to entertain.
I felt the last part was a bit lacking, not because there was no proper kiss. I wasn’t expecting one anyway. I like this taboo student-teacher genre but I still think it wasn’t right for him to kiss a previous student in the school.
I gave it 9, because it made me giggle and laugh, a lot. And I liked the heroine. She’s fresh, funny and brave. Her and sensei gave me the warm fuzzy feelings. Definitely will watch it again.
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This review may contain spoilers
Us walking along in those indifferent (?) shoes of Han Gong-ju is the great power of this KMovie
Among independent South Korean film productions, “Han Gong-ju” is considered one of the most successful to date. In fact, the number of viewers exploded within the first week - through word of mouth alone. In addition to this vote with feet, there were consistently positive (national and international) film reviews and awards."Han Gong-ju" offers relentlessly haunting independent KMovie quality, frugal, not easy to digest, yet calmly, subtly and sensitively told, too. Behind the seemingly indifferent attitude of the protagonist, highly concentrated emotional force blazes subliminally, which is released less in the protagonist herself than within the audience. By the way, the story is based on a true story. (More background below - but that's quite a spoiler... so if you want to watch the film, you might want to read it afterwards!)
The KMovie tells the story of the fictional Hang Gong-ju in a rather reserved manner. We initially follow the girl without knowing what it is about or what she actually has experienced. Over time we learn to understand, or better: vaguely guess what she was and is going through. Over 112 minutes we see and experience the world vaguely through her eyes. This is a great power of this KMovie. The girl´s everyday world is fundamentally threatening, unwelcoming and cold, almost merciless. Han Gong-ju herself is tough and clear, demure and mostly indifferent. (Hang Gong-ju may by now have learned to face her world with indifference, but we as audience? We may feel differently here and there…) Nevertheless, she also has learned to create islands in her life that offer at least some minimalist beauty, joy and perspective.
What happened and is happening to Hang-Gong-ju admits of no excuse. But unfortunately it happens everywhere. Not just in South Korea. Unfortunately, again and again, more and more often. *
The role of adults is also inexcusable. It is we so-called 'adults' who lay, or should lay, the foundation for a sense of justice in the upbringing of our children. However, in this story (and its true background) it failed spectacularly. On several fronts. The results can be considered rather grim.
As solid and reliable role models that 'we' adults are/should be: how do we actually relate to right and wrong? Parents who would rather protect their beloved children from the consequence of their (any) actions, than confront them with it – yes, that's understandable. But will the 'children' learn from their mistakes in the future (without any true feeling of guilt about having done something wrong)? So that they might not replay their misbehaviour in the future? Rather not. However, if everyone prefers to proclaim an exception rule for themselves (and their loved ones), that cannot work out well. So it always ends in fighting and stabbing... by any means.
The irony: For cinema and television this is actually quite wonderful, because thus there are always new, stirring stories to tell. In the case of "Han Gong-ju", fortunately the entertainment gain does not come from dramatically exaggerated voyeurism, but rather from the fact that we walk a part of the truly sobering track in those indifferent (?) shoes of Han Gong-ju. By doing so, clues putting the (difficult to digest) puzzle together accumulate...
Lee Su-jin's KMovie is consistently serious, unpretentious and at the same time convincingly authentic in the presentation of the protagonist. Chun Woo-hee in her difficult role as Han Gong-ju is also outstanding and masterly in this context!
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SIDE NOTE: --- Events at Miryang Middle School in 2004 ---
Over a period of just under a year, at least 44 (but possibly more than 120) high school students repeatedly raped three 13 to 17 year old girls and filmed them in order to blackmail the victims. The gang rapes obviously happened as a purely entertaining pastime for the boys.
The first 14-year-old victim was blackmailed with the film recording to bring her younger sister and her older cousin to the subsequent 'meetings', who then also became victims of renewed gang rape. In addition, the victims were forced to pay so that the footage would not be published. There may have been even more victims.
As unforgivable as these actions are, dealing with them was even more unforgivable. After the girls' aunt reported the case, of 44 clearly identified repeat offenders, only three were initially actually arrested. Due to massive public pressure, 9 more were taken into custody and a further 29 were officially arrested but not taken into custody.
There were no serious consequences for the perpetrators. On the contrary, the victims became victims again! On the one hand, they suffered psychological damage during the interrogation due to insensitive, confrontational confrontations and verbally abusive male officers (even though the victims had expressly asked for female officers). On the other hand, parents tried to force the actual role of perpetrator on the victims due to provocative behavior.
Finally, the defenders pointed out that some of the boys are already about to enlist in respectable universities and would soon contribute to the shining future of the city. In general, the parents of the perpetrators managed to build up pressure in various directions and also helped with money to box their boys out of the annoying situation. Among the victims' parents, on the other hand, one father unforgivably exploited his daughter's predicament for his own benefit. Ultimately, only 5 boys were tried in juvenile court. Without serious consequences. They are now probably fathers themselves and are firmly established in their careers.
In the meantime, this and that may have changed legally (and also when it comes to investigating), in South Korea and Germany and in other countries, too. But still, in current cases of juvenile sexual offenses, to date a strong tendency among parents here and there is increasing to wanting to box out their loved ones by all means possible, regardless of the losses. Far too rarely is attention paid to reflecting to their sons (and/or daughters) when they in fact tremendously misbehaved, that, yes, they are still loved and ok, BUT THEIR ACTING IS NOT OK at all. As a matter of course they will have to face the consequences – as serious misconduct that the social community we live in does not tolerate.
… However, our problem is: 'we' obviously DO tolerate it... Over and over again.
Sadly, in this respect, the KMovie “Han Gong-ju” is as topical as it was in 2013.
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I watched it when it was ongoing so that made me realize that I was eagerly waiting for another episode every week. I really love the chemistry of lead actors to the point that I really want them in another drama. That would be treat to watch. The surprising elements were supporting cast that stole the show especially Court Lady Choi whenever she was there in the screen that made me chuckle. And definitely, the OST were quite different from other Korean dramas.
Overall it is a must watch drama at least once and further, it makes us crave more
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There were a lot of clever, artsy, indy details built into this movie that I got a real kick out of:
1) They played up the fact that this is a movie with a movie in a very obvious and clever way.
2) So Ji Sub's name is Kang Pae (gangster) and Kang Ji Hwan's name is Su Ta (star).
3) The scripts for the "movie" in the shooting scenes were the actual script for the movie.
4) And the ending...
I loved the intensity of both Ji Sub and Ji Hwan, their acting and characters. I loved that Ji Sub always wore black and Ji Hwan wore white. I loved the spoiled angry child in Su Ta and the way he got in over his head so deeply. Kang Ji Hwan always impresses me..Always.
I loved So Ji Sub's anger...his pure rage. His character's desperation and desperate grab for something more in his life, something he wanted, to make a change. The frustration of his inability to understand what to do with it once he'd grabbed on. And how his past, his personality and his lot in life were like a greased palm that made it impossible for him to keep hold. And then the terrible acceptance...He doesn't have to say much. That is the beauty of his acting. (sorry fangirl)
Watch it for the punch...beginning, middle and end.
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Pure, Crazy Fun
Despite how some of the stills look, this is 100% a comedy from start to end & it’s a good one! I had no idea what to expect going in - all I knew was that the premise was beyond dumb and I had a sudden need to watch something crazy.Well this show is dumb! And it’s definitely crazy! But in the best way!
Knowing how bizarre the premise of a self-aware handsome zombie is, the drama doesn’t once take itself seriously and delivers comedy gold from the ridiculous situations the leads find themselves in: including the slapstick, the little skits they have and the wacky side characters.
Most important, like any good comedy it has heart. You’ll find yourself caring a lot about these characters, our zombie main lead and his tenacious & clever partner especially (hello awesome female character!) and when the time comes for serious moments, the drama delivers - best of all it doesn’t stay serious for too long & quickly returns to being lighthearted which is why I’m here!
The second main villain of the show is literally the worst actor I have ever had the misfortune to witness - how did this man get a role it’s not like he has an idol career to boost him - but aside from that (and plot threads which I wish were better tightened up or character beats more developed) this is basically a fun time to be had. Genuine laugh out loud moments scattered throughout. What more could you ask from a comedy!
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After some consideration, I finally decided to watch this drama. I was quite happy when they said a drama would be made. I'm a huge fan of the webtoon and this is one of the hardest reviews I've ever done. God, I don't even know where to start. Haha~
STORY~
Even though I knew what would happen in the drama before I watched it, I still wanted to see how things would turn out. Now I understood what some of you guys meant when you thought about whether you had want to continue or not. The drama started out strong but it watered down somehow towards the end. I was not surprised by how it ended. I thought it would bother me, but it didn't. The most interesting thing–to me about this drama, is not the plot or the the romance between the character, but the characters themselves and I think that overrided the story of the entire drama.. well, that how I saw it.
ACTING~
This drama is relatable to some people IRL, myself included seeing that I'm a college student. You're surrounded by a bunch of people you don't know and you don't know whom you can trust and you don't know who will betray your trust. It was like that with the characters, but it was on a whole other level–psychologically. I can't say I hate the drama, because I do like it and I was captured by how they characters were portrayed (even though the vibe is different in the webtoon). Each of them had flaws. They're not perfect and it's what makes them human. The acting was amazing. I've never seen Kim Go Eun before and my first impression of her is spectacular. I love the way she portrayed Seol. Very down to earth but also not perfect with flaws of her own.
The most interesting characters to me were Jung and Seol, mostly Jung and it's not because they were the main characters. Park Hae Jin played his role as Jung really well. I wonder if it was difficult for him to play a role so complex. I think he did good. How Jung responds to his surroundings is quite intriguing. He's very deceptive and calculating, yet I can't seem to blame his actions or think of him as weird. Things he experienced as a child led him to have no empathy. He's also observant and manipulative of others and even though he knew what people's real intentions were when they approached him, he just went with it and used it to his advantage. He was taught to control his anger and hold it in. That can take a toll on one especially as a child. I think being around In Ha (played by Lee Sung Kyung–she was amazing, btw) and In Ho made things worse. He came to trust In Ho but his trust was broken and that made him snap. I can't really blame In Ho still, cos it's who In Ho and his personality is quite rough around the edges which leads him to say things sometimes that might offend others and he could care less. Same could be said about In Ha. All the little things from their past left them with many scars. To be honest, I think Seol is a perfect match for Jung and it's not because I think they're cute as a couple but I think it's Seol who pulls him back when he's standing on the edge and reminds him that if he wants to, he can be different and kind. And he can be. Just look at the way he smiles/laughs when he's around Seol... when he hugs her, when he holds her hands, when she gave him presents–whenever they're together. He seems more sweet and child-like. He even voiced his dislikes and got angry. It's as if as a child he couldn't experience certain things and when he's with Seol, his childish side comes out and it's cute AF! I think Seol and Jung are alike in some aspects and that's one of the reasons why somehow they're drawn to each other. Whenever Jung moves, so does she.
I do loved me some Bora x Eun Taek! (played by Min Ji and Joo Hyuk) OMG! They were cute too.
All the actors did extremely well.
MUSIC~
I liked the OST. Very mellow and soothing to listen to. Some of the songs were just perfect for some of the scenes. ^^
OVERALL~
Overall, it wasn't that bad but this drama is definitely not for everyone. Still, I enjoyed the ride and I'd watch it again but disregard the ending. Lol~ I feel like because the webtoon is still ongoing, they felt like they couldn't exactly end the drama a certain way, so they left it sort of 'realistically' open, but I would have loved to seen something with the main characters. I dunno. This drama feels very rare to me and I wish it ended some other way. I guess it all depends on the person who watches it. You may or may not like it. ~
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This drama is the BEST drama i have ever seen, and I'm seriously not exaggerating, the plot, the music and the cast...every thing was just perfect!the first episodes may not be the best thing i have ever seen, i really wanted to drop it but because my friend who recommended this drama to me kept nagging on me...i did, and now i know that i shouldn't judge dramas from the first episodes.
In many dramas wither its comedy, drama, thriller or any other Genres
u can know the plot of the story without watching u can know what is going to happen next, because simply it wasn't hard to figure out the next move, but i really couldn't read any thing in this one! i don't know if it was because i was really into the drama or because i was just stupid :)
anyway i really recommend this drama for all the revenge lovers! u will totally enjoy it! have fun!!!!! :)
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This review may contain spoilers
Three Is Not Always Better Than Two
When it was announced Penthouse would have 2 more seasons, I was extremely excited since I loved the drama. Even though I stopped watching lots of western tv shows due to the drag with multiple seasons, I was happy for Penthouse to get more seasons... but now I don't think that was the best idea.I don't want to spoil this season, but it's so hard to state how I truly feel without doing so, so major spoilers will be towards the end with possible small spoilers throughout my review.
Story:
With season 2 ending, I was extremely excited with season 3... but then that excitement turned into frustration. Slowly I realized that season 3 was erasing things that season 2 brought. For example, they all get arrested in the final episode of season 2, but then in the first episode of season 3, they are all roaming free. Why would you make them all arrested only for them to freely get out? I don't need this drama to make full-on sense- I mean, the way they got out just doesn't anyway, but I'm fine with that- but I don't understand what was the point of getting them arrested at the end of season 2 if it means nothing? I can't believe I didn't even worry when that happened. Of course, there are other problems, some I skipped over so, I don't even want to mention them, but the last thing I will mention is that it feels like more things happened in this season than the last 2. I think season 2 should've had 3 more episodes and wrap up the whole drama then since Season 3 added some things that I feel could've been left out. But regardless, I still enjoyed how hectic it was since that's Penthouse's signature style; over the top dramatic!
Characters:
One thing that I will always agree with between all 3 seasons is the acting was off the charts. Every actor did a fantastic job with the material given to them. Now, for the characters in general... Joo Dan Tae was the same crazy man who wanted revenge, and Cheon Seo Jin... I'll mention that in my spoil segment. I enjoyed the other characters and their "character development," except Joo Seok Kyung. I thought that she was finally getting that well-needed character development at the end of season 2, but the beginning of season 3 just erased that and made her a straight-up villain. I'm glad she was able to come to her senses at the end, even if it took shocking news for that to happen. I liked Ro Na this season and thought she was one of the best characters in this whole drama, including Shim Su Ryeon and Joo Seok Hoon. As I said in my previous reviews, no other actors can portray these characters, and I stand by that after this season.
Others:
I still think SBS should've had Penthouse air on Friday and Saturdays instead of just Fridays. I understand, in a way, why they would make it air once a week. The suspense kills, and it looks like SBS thought that season 3 will be their biggest and most successful, but they were wrong. The few OST's we got were good, but just like the last 2 seasons, I wish we got more.
Now, for my spoil segment:
I don't mind when the main character dies, but only if it makes sense with the plot. Oh Yoon Hee dying just makes 0 sense, and for it being Cheon Seo Jin? In season 1, sure, Cheon Seo Jin would push her off the edge without hesitation, but she went through season 2. This is another evidence of "season 2 erasure" that I mentioned earlier. Oh, Yoon Hee saved Eun Byul's life, and to thank her, Cheon Seo Jin kills her. When Logan Lee became the 3rd character to be brought back from the dead, I got even more upset with her death because I knew that there was no way they would do 2 fake deaths in one season, and her body being shown was proof of that.
And finally, the ending... 48 episodes... for that? Shim Su Ryeon did not deserve to die! I'm glad everything finally got resolved, character development was given to characters that deserved it (ex. Ma Ri), but killing the whole trio was too much for me and, in my opinion, not a good ending. You don't always need the main heroine to survive, but in Penthouse's case, it would have been a sense of victory. Even though she got victory regardless, her living was the biggest one of all because she would outlive those who had killed her child and ruined her life. It's rare for a drama to have such a perfect ending these days, but Penthouse was so close to achieving that.
Final thoughts:
If I were to watch this drama again, which I might since I did enjoy it, I think maybe I'll just stop a few minutes before season 2 ends. If you stop the last episode of season 2 after they all get arrested, season 3 isn't (exactly) necessary to watch. I still think this is one of the best makjangs out there and am glad I watched this drama since day 1. Even though I became frustrated with some things, I will miss this drama greatly, since It's been with me for almost a whole year.
Penthouse is not perfect, as it has its flaws, especially in season 3, but in my eyes, it is still a masterpiece, and forever will be.
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1Emotions and their parallel to art: shaping love and searching for a ‘forever’ through sculpture
"How does one become such a great artist?" — "How do you define great?" — "To stand the test of time." — "I wonder if forever exists."Artistic, pensive, beautifully crafted, and unique in its cinematographic ways—‘Wakatte Ite mo: The Shapes of Love’ explores the vulnerability of struggling, waiting, hoping, and loving. It perfectly portrays the essence of human nature and captures love in its many different shapes under a refreshingly realistic light. It represents these themes through art in a mature and abstract manner, much like the concept of humanity and love itself.
In a world where "there is nothing more uncertain than a person's heart," the story follows the lives of artists who create art driven by their inspiration and their desire to create their own sense of forever. They are ready to put aside their usual composure and values in order to seek the heart of their loved one. For example, Kosaka Ren, the male lead, wants forever. He may seem to act in the opposite manner, constantly changing girlfriends, however this is his way of experiencing his 'forever' by always surrounding himself with the beauty of new beginnings. But when he meets Hamasaki Miu, he's ready to put that habit of his aside and sacrifice the paths he's always safely borrowed in his life to stay by her side. Another lead, Osakabe, thinks it's bad to act on lust, yet his world melts the second he sees his crush’s smile. Lastly, there is Ikushima Ruki, who wants to be with his crush but lets her be with another if it means gaining her trust and friendship first.
Ultimately, the series perfectly encapsulated the original webteeon’s overall message, reinforcing it with scenes and lines that portray its message more explicitly instead of requiring heavy analyses like it was for the webtoon’s Korean adaptation; ‘Nevertheless,’. The shortened run time allowed the leads’ journey to be explored more thoroughly without weighing down the whole series with its heaviness. Additionally, the poetic and inspirational narration made it easier to grasp its concept and allowed for a more direct interpretation of the webtoon’s work—keeping its core themes but casting aside tropes that don’t add to its main focal point.
Through Hamasaki Miu’s eyes, the female lead, Ren is the butterfly—beautiful, attractive, light, and seemingly free—giving her the illusion that he has it easy. The series adds a new meaning to the significance of butterflies: they are thought to be a symbol of freedom, but actually, they just fly the same paths over and over. Maybe the best thing they can do is just enjoy the ride. This goes for both of them because they are both like butterflies, or at least, they both try to carry the essence of butterflies by capturing their fleeting beauty through art. When Ren finds Miu, he wishes to metaphorically capture her, who is like a butterfly to him, but one who hasn't opened its wings yet.
Ren wants to approach her, mostly out of self-interest, intrigued by how she expresses her inner-feelings through art without fear, but also because of a certain fate-like pull that builds up following their many coincidental meetings. However, he is a playboy by nature—flirty and manipulative. He seems more curious about how far he himself is willing to go or devote to her rather than the other way around, not caring about her reactions and staying consistent in the attention that he devotes to her.
His push and pull plays with her emotions; his stance in his affection towards her grounded in unsteady terrain, teetering her back and forth into the territory of hopefulness and then desperation. This constant shift in Miu’s emotions highlights the overall theme of the series, which is that she can't help but hope even if she knows things will come to an end or leave a scar. Nevertheless, Ren constantly ignites these feelings of hope within her, making her want to reach out and seal the faith of their relationship—an impulsive act that mirrors his own tendency to act on impulse.
Kosaka Ren is a rather peculiar character. Since he is not good at sharing his feelings, he uses art to communicate them. Even we, as viewers, don't know him quite well and have been misguided by him many times with deceptions based on what we do see from him. For example, we don't know if whenever he picks up a call, it's his girlfriend. He never clarifies misunderstandings and viewers are prompted to believe he's a player and always the one at fault. However, in the last episode, “I couldn't succeed in becoming the most important person in her life” is a line said in his narration while the screen presents a note his mother left saying she'd be absent for lunch. This shows how he doesn't have commitment issues as is suggested throughout the whole series, but rather that he blames himself for the constant departures of the people around him in his life. Instead of being a playboy, he's the one constantly getting played and letting others tug on him like a puppet.
He's not the butterfly who comes and goes, but the others around him are, flocking to his beauty like butterflies do to flowers—which explains his longing despair for a 'forever'. “Gradually, I got used to giving people what they expected of me.” Ren only mirrors what those around him feel and how they act. He does this because he wants to avoid experiencing pain or loss, and whenever he declines their proposals, or finds himself wanting more, he always ends up getting hurt. And so, he chooses to follow the same paths over and over again like a butterfly with everyone around him, trying to please each one of them while looking for a piece of his own self through their eyes—which he eventually finds in Miu and soon enough, catches himself searching for her instead of his own self. This growth of his is beautifully captured through a certain scene, where he looks at a girl whom he doesn't actually like but plays along as her boyfriend to avoid pain—his usual toxic habit—yet only sees Miu's eyes instead of hers.
Through this endless cycle, where he has the habit of constantly putting himself last, he says he ended up losing his identity. He essentially became a canvas of however one sees him, having different versions of himself through different pairs of eyes, like a piece of art. Like someone interpreting a sculpture, Miu, as well as everyone else, can interpret him, what he says, his actions, and what is and isn’t known about him in their own way. Through Ren, who is like a sculpture, Miu hopes to find her forever. And through her, he sees yet again another chance to find his true meaning and define who he really is despite his traumas and past experiences in life. This is essentially why he leads on and makes so many people try to fall in love with him—because he wants to find the one, his true self, and his forever.
It is said by Miu’s toxic ex boyfriend that the female lead's wings are tied down, leaving only her thoughts to wander. However, there’s another interpretation suggested in the series: that her wings are rather too heavy to go forward—not tied down by external forces and submitted to others, as her ex had suggested through his sculptures of her falling to the ground and begging him to stay—but perhaps heavy because of the weight of their worth and hope, waiting for their reason to take flight in a world that keeps letting her down. The female lead, whose name means "beautiful wings," beautifully encapsulates this struggle of waiting for hope; hope that ultimately introduces itself in her life through the male lead.
From the very beginning of the series, during their first encounter, Ren recognizes this wait for hope of hers through her pleas for her boyfriend to stay. Instead of perceiving her pleas as a desperate and hopeless attempt of begging for something long gone, he sees that all she wants is to hold a promise of a future with someone, and that she has hope for something more than what she already has. This is ultimately what draws him to her.
There are a lot of similarities that the female and male lead share—their fear of abandonment, their wish to freeze a loved one’s heart in time and gain a forever happy side by side with them, and their struggles in finding what they want in life. Though Ren doesn’t express his struggles and desires aloud like Miu does, he addresses them through his fiery art, which tells another story from the nonchalant version of himself that is presented through his character and the aloof image that he lets on—reserved, quiet, and who lets other people make things up and narrate his life.
Despite their seemingly stark contrast, both faces of himself that he puts out into the world stem from the same thoughts and emotions he has. His art paints a strong image of resilience, longing desire, and determination in pursuing what he wants—emotions that give him the impression of being lost and left with nothing but wavering emotions. In real life, these feelings of his manifest through his calm composure that radiates a sense of aloofness and indifference.
This overwhelming desire to find the key to freedom and his true self drives him to act like the playboy type, not knowing who to love or dedicate himself to. His art, on the other hand, portrays his sense of lostness as something fiery and bright and that drives him to maddening lengths, putting him in a fight against society’s typical representation of love and relationships, and forcing him to confront his true feelings.
Ren, in a way, relates to Miu and sees himself in the scene before his eyes, where he sees her for the first time. Through his eyes, witnessing her meltdown opens a window of opportunity. Ren likes to capture that happiness in the brief flutter of color in his world, like a butterfly, so he’s drawn to her strong personality and wants to capture the beauty that lies in the most beautiful and intense human emotion, which is love. From that moment on, he tries to draw that emotion out of her by making her fall for him. He does the same for other girls when he flirts, all to satisfy his somewhat selfish desires to only have a portrait of pairs of loving gazes around him so that he’s surrounded by beauty. At the same time, through this tactic of his, he gets attention from the opposite gender, mirroring his mom’s absence in his life.
Even if Ren’s actions can be perceived as stemming out of selfishness, his supposed attraction to her is also beneficial to Miu because he wants to awaken this strong, powerful, and beautiful feeling of love within her. He wants to make her wings flutter and for her beauty to be set free by expressing her emotions instead of restraining them and staying tied to the past that she’s stuck in. This is vividly illustrated when he guides her to smash the sculpture where she’s begging for her ex to stay. But her perspective of it contradicts his own: he sees her beauty through that sculpture; nothing bad and submissive about it, but instead, brave for not being scared to reach out and try to grasp what she truly wanted—something he doesn’t know how to dedicate himself to doing.
Similarly, just like how Miu struggled to be freed from her painful last moments with her toxic ex that had been frozen in time both metaphorically and literally, Ren also wishes to be freed from his own struggles. For him, the butterfly doesn't represent something light and nonchalant and non-troubled as Miu had suggested, but is rather representative of a small precious thing that tries to navigate through the harsh and turbulent-winded world with its colorful yet light-weighed wings. His desire for freedom and his little efforts to cast a ray of colour in the world manifests itself through his obsession with butterflies. These insects are a recurring motif throughout the series, not only symbolizing change and growth but of which are also a statement of the short-lived but beautiful flutters that can be seen when one pushes through hardships and keeps on flying.
Furthermore, butterflies aren’t the only metaphorical symbol that has been included to better convey the story’s message to viewers. One of Ren’s characterics is the way rainstorms always follow him. These scenes in the rain with Miu hold a greater meaning than just being a rainy day. Despite his messiness, he serves as something stable in Miu’s life, like an anchor among the countless possibilities she has to navigate and the decisions she has to make as she enters adulthood. Since she feels like she doesn't really know herself and has trouble finding the answer to anything when it comes to being subjective, this inevitable journey she’ll have to face stresses her out. Ren’s strong attraction for her never ceases in its intensity, and in this, she finds a harbor in her life.
By diving into the complexities of human emotions, relationships, and the unpredictability of attraction, the series conveys the message that some things just can't be helped. The leads’ imperfect relationship is threaded with flaws and raw with hidden insecurities. The magic in their chemistry lies in the delicate yet profound interactions they share, and the space between them constantly grows wider and smaller, full of hidden meaning and unspoken words. ‘Wakatte Ite mo: The Shapes of Love’ portrays romance as something realistically hurtful and messy, and exemplifies how love is not something that is bound to be constrained to limits. It is everything but simple or straight out of a fairytale. Instead, it is a love story using its own words—not sticking to convenience for the sake of its principal aspect of romance despite the numerous physically intimate scenes.
The show’s beauty lies in its unique perspective and outlook on life that it sheds through this window of two young adults trying their best to navigate their lives. Even though we may lie to ourselves or convince ourselves otherwise, nevertheless is a word that defines us all. Our overbearing desire to act freely against others’ rules and against our own will is the human nature of our essence here on earth. "If you just label yourself as something, it'll just restrict you." is a line pulled from the series that encapsulates its essence, defining how there is beauty to be found in the unknown. As the title suggests, the shape of love looks different for everyone, just like one emotion can be represented through many different sculptures and hold different interpretations through each individual's eyes.
The series is tied up beautifully, its last scene especially goosebump-inducing—Ren knows that forever doesn't exist, and Miu knows that she shouldn't hold out for hope, but nevertheless, they come together and discover that the shape of forever is simply holding on to hope.
12/23/2024
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This review may contain spoilers
Parallel universe and angsty love story that will make you cry a river
Time and space are illusions. Everything exists at the same time. But this story is about time travel. It's about the heroine who got to go back to her past. At first, she didn't know about the reason for multiple time travel. As soon as she realised, it's a tradegy. However, no matter what Lin beixing did, nothing's changed. The ending is different but the outcomes are same.I love the way this story developed the logical but beautiful plot though it's a sci-fi. It might be typical school love story which genius quiet boy and sloppy cute girl chasing each other, but I love the friendships that Lin beixing had whenever she travel to her past. Every story is different when every character is same. I'm cheering for Lin beixing and Zhang wansen's true love.
If you love angsty love with a very light romance and cute friendship, this is for you. But if time travel is not your alley, you can pass by this drama. This is romance drama but i promise that you will drain your eyes.
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TFM aired along with AOS, and I have to say it was a great choice as the two dramas compliment each other wonderfully. If AOS is intense and nerve wracking, TFM feels like a calming and soothing balm, and by itself is a leisure watch you can enjoy in a binge or one at a time.
The plot is pretty much focused and centered at one important thing: the forbidden marriage. It expands from there, and the characters built themselves around it. Their backstories are simple and the drama arcs are not so complicated.
And what's funny to me is that the next episode teaser is pretty much a whole episode summarized with bullet points! This is the perfect drama for anxious people (me) ♡
Sometimes I feel like the main casts kind of holding back (?) like the acting could be toned up a bit, but overall it's still good and enjoyable. The tension is burning, the romance and easy companionship between the leads are very sweet. The drama is good enough to keep you on your seat, but will not make you agitated and stressed out for days.
Also Kim Minju!! is so pretty!!
Overall, I would recommend this if you are looking for a simple historical romance with a slash of drama
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Chaotic and Fun Rom Com
I was really excited to watch this movie and was lucky that it was showing near me with eng subs and it did not disappoint. The first half of the movie you see the couple bickering and describing how much they hate each other. It was so chaotic and funny, especially the way kang ha neul and jung so min deliver their lines. Jung so min's character could be a lot harsher and at times, I was like why is she so mean, but I could also understand her character. The second half was just as enjoyable as you watch them try not to fall back in love with each other.I think the way the story unfolded was really well done. You could see how this once happily married couple got to the point of hating each other by allowing all the bad memories overtake their good ones.
If you enjoy rom coms, you will love this one. The acting as you all already know delivered because it's kang ha neul and jung so min. Even the supporting actors were great. I thought the one who played jung so min's sister did a great job, I had only seen her in Duty After School as I think she's still a relatively new actress but she was funny. I laughed out loud so many times as did the audience in the theater. It was a rom com in it's true form.
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Steady story with a simple plot; not bad.
To be very honest, I assumed Imitation would be a musical Kdrama just because I saw that the major cast are all singers, but to my utter disappointment it turned out to be a drama on the life of kpop idols which casts real kpop idols. But anyways, judging as a drama, IMITATION is not a bad drama and I actually liked it even though it had nothing much to offer. I mean the plot, story and screenplay are in fact not something very new to the industry of Kdramas.STORY & PLOT:
As the synopsis says, Imitation is all about the life of Kpop idols, on individual levels as well as a group, the kpop industry, it's management and also the kpop fandom culture. The major plot involves 2 kpop groups: "SHAX", a 6yo boy group of 5 members who are well established and considered the best kpop band AND "Tea Party" a rookie girl group of 3 members who go through back to back mishaps to debut and struggle in the huge ocean-like industry of kpop. They have some past, separately and together and they help each other grow while facing odds from the management, industry happenings, media and their fans. While the 2 lead characters fall in love and go forward in their relationship secretly, they also find unsaid truth about their pasts and with the help of their fellow teammates, try to resolve it through music.
CAST & ACTING:
Well, I am not sure about others but I honestly did not expect much in regards of acting since the people casted for the major characters are either rookie actors or are with less experience in the industry. So judging from that pov, they've actually done an moderately average job playing their respective roles. SF9 Chani despite playing small roles in many dramas has actually improved a lot and I loved him the most in the drama. After him was Park Ji Yeon noona (T-ara) who is somewhat experienced
also did good in her supporting role. I have seen Jung Ji So in some other dramas and I actually like her acting. Lee Jun Young (U-kiss) and Jung Yun Ho (Ateez) as main characters were good if not more.
I think Danny Ahn (Ji Hak) is the most experienced actor in this drama but he had very less scope to perform. I was a simp for this drama because. Additional character actors like Choi Jong Ho (Ateez), Im Na Yong (IOI), Hwi Young (SF9), Kim Min Seo, Ahn Jung Hun, Park Seong Hwa (Ateez), Lee Soo Woong (Boys Republic), Choi San (Ateez), Park Yu Ri, had very less role to play and they were not actually bad but I won't judge their acting, haha.
I night actually look funny while mentioning all these names but I am a kpop hardcore multifan as well and this drama is like an eye candy for me, particularly because of my love for ATEEZ (cries under the blanket).
DIRECTION:
Not sure whether I can tell much about it but I think it was moderately average because there was no scope in the story to begin with. It's not bad but as a Kdrama fan I can't say it's something very good as well. It could have been unique if it were a musical Kdrama and they had that chance because of this huge kpop idol starcast but I think they somehow failed to utilize the resources well. But for the screenplay editing, I'd say it's okay-okay and not flawed. One episode in between (don't remember which one now) felt a bit off, like slow development but manageable.
OST and Edits:
Ummm, yeah! OSTs are good; some are catchy, some are heart touching and some are melodious but again, not something I can call very great. I am happy with the SHAX tracks though and I have grown fond of "If We Were". The bg score and OST edits in the drama are good and have been done properly. Screenplay edits and organization are okay too.
CONCLUSION:
I actually don't know what else to say because it didn't have much content either. It is a 12 episode drama with almost nothing new or unique to offer but It was at least a good watch. I won't come to rewatch it ever but it's definitely worth a one time watch. I started because of the kpop idol full starcast and thinking it would be a fun musical which it actually wasn't hence the disappointment but go ahead and watch it if you're into Ateez or a hardcore multi. At least this ended well and didn't feel rushed.
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Acting/Cast: Loooove the cast. Godfrey Gao is hot but his acting is not as matured as the rest of the cast. The chemistries between Godfrey and Joe and between Joe and Zhang Han were VERY good. I honestly believe that this drama is as successful as it is now mostly due to the chemistry between the leads. Will you be in team Godfrey or team Zhang Han? Which man will you cheer on?
Music: Good enough but not something I will get excited over.
Rewatch value: Minus the boring and draggy bits in between where the office and business politics kind of took over, there are parts of the drama that I would gladly rewatch anytime simply for watching the chemistry between the leads. This drama makes me a Zhang Han fan. I never thought much of him from "Let's go watch meteor shower" which was the chinese version of Hana Yori Dango. It was a complete flop. But in The Queen of SOP, he shone! Now, I want to watch more dramas with him in it! And Godfrey Gao... even though there is much he needs to learn about acting, the man is a walking hunk of yumminess. I seriously do not know how Joe Chen could ever choose between the two of them!
Overall: Good entertainment and eye-candy value but most importantly for a romance drama, the chemistry between the leads are oh-so-yummy!
Conclusion: Yes, I am raving like a young fool over some good looking blokes....but anyone who knows me know that I do not give looks that much credit in a drama anyways. My brownie points go to the chemistry between the leads. Being yummy is a bonus! Which team am I in? I'm in team Zhang Han. I always like to champion the guy who is your best friend and who had always supported you all the way. I reckon the best relationships stem from such invaluable friendship.
My advice: Watch it, but feel free to fast forward the middle parts with all the office and business politics. Enjoy!
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