This review may contain spoilers
Definitely a rage bait show unless you binge it like those chinese short dramas
REVIEW UP UNTIL EP11:it was interesting until the script was just frustrating to watch… its just annoying when the fl is supposed to be this strong bodyguard but when it comes to defending herself she’s so weak and the choices she (and everyone in this show lol) makes is just plain stupid.
its basically rage bait atp.
i enjoyed the show until she left the village- like genuinely, i was entertained. but if i haven’t watched this much of it i would’ve just dropped it. i would recommend this only if you’re bored and looking for something to binge.
after she went back to the main house it just went downhill. like the script is just so BAD. like when they tried firing people and just idk trying to keep people out of the house- why aren’t the locks changed. why aren’t doors just locked in general. this example of the bad script is just one of so many. OH AND SOMEONE TELL ME WHY the fl always puts herself in such bad situations. it’s happened so many times and SHE FAILS LIKE EVERY TIME?! HELLO?!
i’m just so frustrated atp every single thing is making me crash out. can’t even bother writing a proper review lol
EDIT (AFTER WATCHING FINAL EP):
idk if its cuz the show is over.... but its not that bad... HEAR ME OUT
so it was all part of the plan. that's okay. i see now why the script for the end of ep11 is written how its written. if only i binged this whole show, then i'd prob rate this show higher (maybe like an 8/10).
i enjoyed this ending. it definitely felt a tiny bit rushed but i don't mind it that much. it was funny and lighthearted (after the court scene) and i enjoyed seeing baek hyeji and lee don's storylines. not sure what the point of the time skip was tbh like it felt like it had no purpose other than for the fl and ml get together. and idk the show isn't centered on romance and the only times it was shown was when the mc was in muchang with the ml and ig a tiny bit when he went to go see her in seoul. but like idk it just felt a bit rushed and i feel like the kiss scene was just rushed. instead of the time skip, i would've preferred if the mc just moved straight to muchang lol but whatever. i have beef with some parts of the script so one more wouldn't hurt.
as for the actors, tbh i started watching this cuz of jinyoung (fine shyt) and jeon yeobeen cuz i recently watched our movie and it literally changed the trajectory of my life. jinyoung's acting was okay... i saw no faults and it wasn't spectacular yk it was just alright. and jeon yeobeen was good too. idk what else to say about her acting tho cuz her character is supposed to be this tsundere who is indifferent to everything until she moves to muchang. and she portrayed it well. there were times where i was like iffy about the acting but i'll just blame it on the script cuz it was questionable at times lol. i def stayed for joo hyun young (baek hyeji) she's so fun! i liked her since wooyoungwoo but her character in this show was interesting too it was fun watching her act in this.
anyway, its a fun watch just don't think too much into things and try not to stop during cliffhangers lol
overall: 7/10
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Said by yet another awesome Asadora Obaachan, this summarizes perfectly what this drama is really about. This is my second Asadora, so I'm definitely new to this platform of drama. Still it was yet another enjoyable ride. You might think the overall rating doesn't average out, and that's because my enjoyment has also been taken into consideration despite a bit of criticism here and there.
Gochisousan is about the hardships faced by our spoiled and outspoken heroine, as she gets married and gets accustomed to her in-laws and the city where she's about to start her new life. The hardships doesn't only come from the cultural differences, but also the different baggages the people who surround Meiko carry, including her husband. In that sense, we get to explore many deep human agony and darkness. The main constant theme is how having a meal together makes any agony seem small compared to the joy of eating. In that sense, food is definitely overstated in the drama, but there definitely is truth to this message.
The story follows Meiko through the different stages in her life, as she lives through challenges during a stable era to as she goes through the chaotic era, as she insists on savouring every moment in life, and sharing her bliss. The childhood portion was too adorable, to the point I kept thinking of it throughout the drama. By the time we meet older Meiko, the thought "So soon! I haven't had enough of little Meiko" it felt depressing really. However a couple of minutes of seeing more of teenage Meiko (Anne), and I'm sold that this is the same person as the child I watched earlier. Her Story with Yutaro (Higashide Masahiro - Anne's future husband) was a sweet, albeit typical romcom style one. The setting though, and the pace makes it a pleasant story to watch. Then she moves to Osaka with her husband, and that's when the real challenges begin, with an extremely difficult sister-in-law and unstable family life, Meiko cannot accept defeat. I have to say there are times that the in-laws get on my nerves, but Meiko's hard work eventually pays off.
There are two things that makes Gochisousan a great watch. First is all the colourful characters, from her family, to the people at the market, her in-laws, and eventually her children. The life-long friendships and the quirkiness of the characters really had an everlasting impression in me. Early on I loved every scene of Meiko's father. He was stubborn, but always put his loved ones first, which makes her a great father. The most noteworthy is, of course, Noriko, Yutaro's younger sister. Honestly the drama was as much about her relationship with Meiko. As she retains her thoughtful spirit and delicate character, her growth was evolutionary. Other characters to look out for are Genchan, Sakurako, Muroi, and the greatest Takemoto Yuzo. Later on we have Meiko's children, as each get into the spotlight and forever make a place in our hearts for them. Fuku was inspirational, Katsuo was joy, and Taisuke was everything good on this planet.
Second is the depiction of the the gradual hardship during the war, from the different ingredients that kept on disappearing to the scattering of families, and even the corruption of powerful people making life even harder. And also the realization of what the country has become after the war. As light as a morning drama can be, the portrayal was still unnerving, and at times, shocking. I was also impressed how food was successfully used to convey the characters' feelings and the message of the drama overall. It remained a constant theme that symbolizes the legacy she inherited from her family, and how she changed it, the relationship between her and Yutaro, and eventually all the people that become an important part of her life. The bad thing here is that you will constantly feel hungry while watching this drama.
There were many Laugh Out Loud moments in this drama. Even problems that get to our nerves at one point, become a great topic to laugh about later on. Don't we all have moments like those? It made me change my mind about what an **ideal relationship** is and accept that it doesn't have to be ideal in order to be PERFECT.
As I said earlier, I do have some criticism of this drama. Yes food is overstated. If you're not a foody you might have a problem with that. However if you look passed it you'll come to appreciate the messages there. Another is really how the post-war was shown through rose tinted glass, and of course the Americans dialog were too cheesy. Nonetheless there was a beautiful and truthful message successfully relayed here. Finally, and that was the same issue I had with my previous Asadora, which is not bothering to age the actors to suit the characters. I've come to a realization it's all about keeping them pretty enough for a morning drama. This shallow reason really ruins the art of story telling.
Honestly acting wise, I was mostly impressed with Anne, Takahata Mitsuki, Muro Tsuyoshi, Wada Masato, Yamanaka Takashi, Kimura Midoriko knew how to make herself hated, and Suda Masaki. The rest varied but well fitting for the role. Higashide Masahiro has yet to convince me that he deserves all the leading roles he's been getting. I mean I totally loved him here, but mostly because it suited his characters. And looking so great at it too. I get the appeal, I just don't see him that great as an actor.
Honestly this was a fun ride. There were times that were difficult to watch but was well packaged to make it overall inspirational and joyful to watch. The episodes went by so fast it even felt short. I left it wanting more, which, in my opinion, is a sign of success.
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This review may contain spoilers
This larkon can be divided into three arcs. ARC 1: Episode 1 to 4
The first lifetime where a freshly England returned Thai prince Khun Chai Yai gets told that he is engaged to a Thai princess, Wilailayka, but ends up falling in love at first sight with a Lao princess, Jao Nang Noy, who is staying under his father's guardianship while she completes her education.
Obviously from the synopsis you all already know that Chai Yai and Jao Nang get married and Jao Nang dies on the same night of her wedding from being poisoned in their marriage house. Khun Chai Yai dies soon after as well from a broken heart, staying faithful to his dead wife until his last breath.
What I loved about this arc was the unwavering love and commitment Chai Yai had to Jao Nang. From the moment he fell in love with her, it was just her (granted he didn't even care for his fiancee even before he saw Jao Nang). He made it extremely clear to both of his parents that he was going to marry Jao Nang and no one else, and no amount of pressure from his mother made him give in even for a minute in his intentions. I liked that. A lot.
ARC 2: Episode 4 to the first half of episode 19
Ultimately this is where we see our FL after her rebirth, 20 something years later. Because of the war, her mother dies and she and her father (who is a chief police officer or something) move to the more prominent parts of Thailand where she earns herself a job as an English teacher in a school. This is where she meets the spirit of Khun Chai Yai who has been waiting all this while to see the rebirth of his love.
A lot of things happen in this arc:
1/ Our female lead , now called Rachawadee, remembers her past life
2/ Meets and falls in love with the spirit of Chai Yai
3/ Gets another engaged man fall completely in love with her
4/ Ends up being ordered by Wilailayka (who is quite old now) to live in her palace and serve her
Again, I'm sure you must all understand through practicality that a human and a ghost love story... just does not blend well. Therefore major changes had to occur for both of our main leads.
Personally, I thought this arc was stretched way too far then it needed to. A lot of the major plot points could have been dealt with a lot faster, there was no need for almost 16 episodes to take care of all the things that were taken care of. 10 episodes would have done perfectly without beginning to feel like a drag.
ARC 3: Episode 19.5 to 21
In this arc, Khun Chai gets reborn as our second male lead's son & Rachawadee gets reborn as her best friend's youngest daughter.
I have to say though, 2.5 episodes to wrap up a happy ending? I am disappointed. There was just not enough time to develop the story as much as it could have developed. They could have made a very beautiful arc if they had just managed to shift at least 5 episodes from arc 2 into this arc.
Still, we did get our happy ending . The over-all story left me with a warm feeling in my chest when I was done. Ofcourse, there was disappointment but there often is disappointment when it comes to me. I'm always unhappy about something in a drama. Regardless, the fact that this drama made me feel warm inside trumps all.
Overall, a drama that should not be slept on. Give it a go if you're intrigued !
P.S. Be prepared for the second male lead's wedding night scene. Trust me.
P.P.S. 21 episodes and we finally have a kiss between the main leads. Thank the directors!
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Finally! A Filipino Series I Can Recommend
I was never really interested in wattpad adaptations cause most of them have similar stories and very cliche. But when I saw the trailer of this series, honestly I got interested especially when I saw the acting of Heaven. She was crying at that scene and accusing Kalix of cheating. Never a fan of her and never saw any work of her but I was impressed with her on that scene that made me decide to give this series a try.The story is not really an original one. The main girl character Luna has a huge crush on Kalix and so she decided to pursue him. She will do things like add him on socials, chat him or go to places where he's also there. It was enjoyable watching her especially whenever her crush is around. I felt that I could relate to her feelings, giddy and excited just to be near to my crush.
However there were some loop holes in the story that I couldn't understand. First was Kalix was still studying Legal Management when he got together with Luna and will still proceed to Law School to become a lawyer. At that time, Luna's cousin got abused by his boyfriend and her family sued him. Luna and Kalix broke up also at that time and Kalix failed that semester so it is expected that he will be delayed. Years later, when they saw each other again, Luna have known that Kalix didn't present Miguel(her cousins ex-bf) on court but instead Kalix asked another friend to do cause he doesn't want Luna to get upset with him. This is where the part I got confused. I know for sure that Law School will take time, maybe 5 years plus the board exam so how come he was already a lawyer that could present Miguel? I don't think his case would went on for 5 years and there are a lot of lawyers if you think about it. Second, the treatment of Kalix's mother on Luna just got a 360 degrees turn on the last part without any explanation at all. Like how come she was bitchy on Luna when she met her a few years ago and when she met her again when she was Kalix's architect. But on the last part, she was already welcoming at friendly like none of those bitchy things happened. She didn't even say sorry. I think that's why those two weren't explained properly was because of maybe the number of episodes. They were trying to squeeze so many happenings on the book into a 10 episode series.
For the characters, I haven't read the book yet but I couldn't think of another actors that could portray Luna and Kalix so well like Heaven and Marco did. Even though there were some scenes where Marco's acting was stiff and lacking in emotion, I just think that its part of the personality of the character. Cold and seemingly detached. Heaven however got the assignment right. She's funny and beautiful. When she cries, its really all out, no reservations. And the chemistry! Ughhh! Their stares alone with each other was enough to make you giddy while watching.
I love the other actors too especially Luna's friends. They were very supportive and ready to be her wingmen anytime. Watching them made me nostalgic and made me think how it was with my friends during college.
The soundtrack, I am in love! Kean Cipriano did a good job. I felt like I was watching a Kdrama, the songs were perfect and were played at the right scenes.
Overall, I really really liked this series. I love how its not like your typical Filipino drama that's super long since it has 10 episodes only. I love Heaven and Marco's chemistry(I'm a fan of them already because of this). The actors were perfect for their roles. The drama was funny and enjoyable but could also make you cry.
Finally, a Filipino drama I could recommend. 😊
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Every episode a contestant is interviewed and "incidentially" forced to reveal secrets which should never have seen the light of the day, the disclosures serve a different purpose that remain concealed for the first few episodes but slowly materialise.
The supposedly clever viewer is given baits as to the shape of the final puzzle and might be, just as me, sitting impatiently and waiting for the next clue. Thanksfully, the twists start to twist just in time to divert from the naturally repetitive nature of a quiz show and keep the spirits up.
The cast is well selected and the supposedly clever viewer can follow the little background stories of the crew. Some being more detailed and eleborated, some remaining on a superficially superficial level. The chemistry is superb and the ongoings appear real. The one bringing life to the story is Sakurai Sho, who impresses with a wax face, that seems capable of forming every expression as well as emotion. His ultra smirks might redden the cheeks of one or another old maiden.
The music is there. It usually suits the atmosphere but is neither disturbing nor outstanding, it simply suits its purpose.
Due to the twist plots (and Sakurai Sho's smirks) The Quiz Show 2 has a potential rewatch value. My humble myself thinks it could turn out to be interesting to observe the strings coming together from beginning to end while knowing the general outcome.
A clever, diverting suspense drama with an awesome cast, an intriguing story and Sakurai Sho. Highly recommended. :)
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The movie is appropriately titled because living the life of a gangster is indeed dirty business, and the film neither sugarcoats nor glamorizes this lifestyle (as other, especially Western, gangster flicks are wont to do). Once you become entrapped there are few, if any, routes of escape.
It's a cautionary tale about an underbelly of society that's dog eat dog, where karma is a real bitch. Trust and betrayal thread a very thin line and losing your humanity becomes the only modus operandi to ensuring your survival.
From where I sat the film was brilliantly executed both in terms of story and plot. The pacing was taut, there was never a dull moment that I can remember. You're kept fully engrossed by a stellar cast who made their characters seem real and very convincing.
Jo In Sung, in the role of charismatic, but conflicted Byung-doo, puts on a memorable performance. Byung-doo is a young man whose life has become twisted by fate. A filial son, and still possessing a shred of conscience despite the violence that surrounds him, I was able to sympathize with the character even while I was appalled by the brutality and ruthlessness fueling his actions.
Considering previous events, the big boss singing a cappella in one of the final scenes really struck chord in me. That's pretty much all I remember about the music, but it was effective enough in that moment to warrant a 7.
Overall I thoroughly enjoyed this movie. I wouldn't have minded if certain things went down differently, but I appreciate the film for its realistic portrayal of what I imagine that world and the people who live in it to be. I doubt fans of the mob genre will be disappointed.
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A beautiful epilogue to the story with a strong and important activist point of view !
More than a SP, it can simply be seen as an episode 11 which serves as a beautiful epilogue to the story with a strong and important activist point of view ! As I have already written in my review of the drama, far from being preachy, it opens the door in a mindful way to reflection on the place of gay relationship in Japanese society.All the qualities of the series can be found in the epilogue : the outstanding chemistry between the actors, the sentimental and sorrowful music, the un-skippable opening song of the introduction generic... I like how water was once again an essential element of the storytelling.
I would recommend this to people that have seen the main series. Do yourself a favor and don't miss the epilogue of this amazing and poetic drama.
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Great story, and I need more!
Honestly, I am a fan of Zhu Yilong and I came to support him. That said, I am so very glad that I did and have zero regrets!! I've actually started to rewatch it with a few friends who I got interested in it, and they are loving it too! I'm still enjoying it the 2nd time around while I get them caught up to me.The first few episodes kinda set up the story and it gives you a few puzzles to start piecing together. After that, it’s just full speed ahead from one puzzle to the next! I often find myself thinking, why did that happen or why is X person doing that?! It really keeps me interested in what is going on and waiting for the next clue to pop up.
The acting is amazing, and you can tell the main characters had fun together shooting this, and they have great chemistry! They, also, keep things very interesting with their character's different personalities and long time friendship. The characters have made me feel every emotion you can think of and I never get bored watching an episode.
I am fully invested in this show to find out what, exactly, is going on and episodes can’t come out fast enough! The special effects are wonderful, the story is complex enough to keep you interested, but sprinkles in humor, sadness, horror-esque moments, and some tense scenes. Some of the settings are just amazing to look at, and overall it’s a beautiful show.
Some of the places where they left off, and the credits come, in have me clamoring to click the next episode to see the continuation, and it’s awesome watching the main characters start to put together all the pieces of the puzzle. I 100% recommend this if you enjoy a kinda historical, tomb exploring, horror, adventure! :D
Edit: I have completed watching this whole season and I'm not really disappointed in any of it. I'm just really sad that we don't have a date for season two yet. Overall, I really enjoyed every episode. I was always excited to get to the next one and I just have a great time watching it. I hope we get back to what's going on with the other group in the next season, and I hope the next season is very soon.
TLDR; I really enjoyed this whole season and can't wait for the next one. I feel it's worth a watch! :D
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I had it for a long time in my Plan To Watch list but I didn't want to watch it until I could find a good quality site, and oh boy! the waiting was worth it! Thai films never fail in making me laugh and smile.
I'm so in love with this movie, I loved the story and the way the writers told it. The scenery, cinematography, directing and clothes are beautiful and well done.
The actors made a really good job portraying their characters, I totally could feel sparks between them (which is funny because they know each other and fall in love with each other without actually seeing their faces). The kids did an amazing job too. I fell in love with them, they were funny and sweet.
I also loved the main two characters, I want Mr Song to be my boy!! hehe. He was my favorite character, he was funny, clumsy and kind hearted.
Miss Ann was a great character too, she was always so true to herself and loved her kids with all her heart.
The OST is perfect. It was so beautiful, and catches the feeling of the movie very well.
I would totally rewatch this movie anytime!
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If you want a lot of drama ,gags,games or competitions...like many of korean’s variety shows, this isn’t it.
I dunno how much of it is scripted (even though they say it is not. )It feels very real . They mainly focuses on the interactions between the 3 cast themselves or between them and the guest and they also showcase a lot of Jeju’s scenery. It is often just simple daily life activies like cleaning the house, grocery shopping,cooking ,eating,walking the dogs....and guest-house type of activies like greeting ,talking with guest,helping them with stuffs. It may be seem slow for some of you and there isn’t much ‘’exciting’’ activities.But personally,i find it very relaxing to watch.
This show has a special place in my heart along with Ji-eun, hyori and sangsoon. I feel so close to them now,its kinda weird. Lol
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It’s the baddies that perhaps make this show
Si Jin for most of its run was a consistent story that had much to offer viewers. The OTP were very good together. In fact, so much so, the ML never doubting the FL was refreshing.The Royal Princess is hard to beat as the pick of the characters. Her performance was fabulous. It’s always pleasing to see such actors give it their all from beginning to end - a ver professional performance. Her daughter, was a mini me and one that even frustrated her mother.
The emperor’s character was criticised by many as he wasn’t the same as in the novel. However, I thought his character was flawed, as it should be, with a solid performance. Forgiving his sister continuously, the Royal Princess was a tiny bit frustrating but it seemed to keep the story moving.
The friendship between the ML, FL’s brother and the upright magistrate was delightful. The latter two also had very nice relationships with their partners.
As for the OST, I enjoyed the song that played over the closing credits of each episode. It very much is a subtle composition that has an ear wig melody going on.
The costuming was also very good.
However, the final four episodes were, although good, too condensed and over very quickly and perhaps diminished one of the key elements regarding the Saintess.
Si Jin is worth your time 😊
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Thai vs Chinese
I saw the Thai version Hua Jai Sila first and I felt that had a better storyline and was tied together so much better than this version.The only reason I watched this version was cause of the actors. I liked them in other shows and wanted to see how they would take this show. Overall they did a good job.
This version just felt like it was very low budget with little effort. It definitely could have been way better. It felt extremely rushed, but it did get the whole story within 24 episodes. Definitely recommend Hua Jai Sila over this.
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This review may contain spoilers
Can Ideal and Reality align?
I watch this drama because of curiosity. It received quite a well received review. And I always like SunLi and Mark Chao.To be honest, I have dropped episode 1 twice, but after I finished the 2nd episode, I binge it during the weekend 12 episodes straight.
The drama follow story of SuXiao, a young cost engineer, that was put as a scapegoat by her line manager. At the same time, she caught her boyfriend cheat on her. So she lost her job, she lost her boyfriend. Coming from ordinary family, alone in a big city, but yet she want to keep her ideal and morality. She later entangled with many office politics. Many people telling her to be 'flexible', to compromise with her ideal, learn to play along and understand human's heart. Desire to exchange her belief to makes thing better is strong, but can her perseverance be stronger?
I somehow relate with her character. Coming out from university, people will start corporate ladder. You met many people along the way, some can be friend, some passerby in your life. Eventually, how good, how bad, these become a learning experience. Life itself is a war and workplace is another kind of war. How much you want to win the war, exchanging your soul for that one purpose. How people flocking at the side of power. Nobody is forever friend and nobody is forever enemy.
At the end of the day, the show is a very good show compared to most workplace drama. It doesn't mean that all workplace will be like that, but if you are attentive, you should be able to see one or two things happened in your workplace.
I will close it with few idioms, the higher you climb, the harder the fall. The higher you get up the mountain, the stronger the wind blows. And it is lonely at the top.
-- added after watching the full series --
There are bits that I enjoyed about the drama. The office politic feels real. The intense, the suspense, the acting. Yea, the acting is the best part. There are moments that you will just hold your breath. There are moments where there is not even a BGM. Pure acting. And you can feel it, the emotion, it feels real.
However, towards the end, it do feel rushed. They are adding major conflict while trying to close the lose ends. It is all in the last 3 4 episodes of the drama. Some of the incident can't be justified with the timeline. It is showing conflict but do not really show the resolution. Some things are implied but not properly elaborated, this cause difference in perception of some resolution. Some big words mentioned (like merger, IPO, liquidation, etc), but not balanced with the normal professional process. I understand that they can't suddenly introduce external auditor, external lawyers, internal legal team, bankers, administrator, liquidator, validator, consultant etc during the last 3 4 episodes, while they are squeezing 10 episodes in (I heard it supposed to be 50 episodes). Let alone, divorce process, selling house/cancellation of purchase, or even asset division.. I am not even sure if these whole things happened in days or months.
Overall, it is still enjoyable. It tried it best to portray real work environment. Common corporate conflict. Those that expecting love line, it may feel bit rush and have an open ending /interpretation. It is still a solid 9 for me.
Thank you.
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Complex & Beautiful Story
This is one of the best dramas I've seen in a long while. It's incredibly emotionally and visually compelling, with complex characters that develop themselves and their relationships to one another so captivatingly over the 6 epidodes. I held my breath all the way through the final episode, it's the kind of show that just draws you slowly and will make you feel emotionally connected to it.This show will make you feel so strongly about the characters and it's so well acted and produced that I was really captivated by the story the whole time. Particularly strong is the acting from the character Kiyoi, which is revealed so well in the later episodes as we understand more and more about him.
Also this show is just such a realistic portrayal of complex relationships, emotions, and the obsessive tendencies we have as humans when we like people. Specifically it portrays very emotionally the complications and contradictions young people may feel when coming to terms with their own sexualities, and navigating the social pressures in their surrounding environments at the same time. All of this emotional complexitiy comes together so beautifully with the settings, lighting, music, and camera work in the show (which is just visually stunning). I just felt so strongly connected to the story.
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