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When fiction meets reality...
As a sociologist and someone from a country that went through two dictatorships, Youth of May, a drama that addresses one of the most tragic moments in South Korean history (which took place during a dictatorial period, it is important to emphasize) caught my attention.I usually believe that art in general, including dramas, has a social function, which is to remember, even what we most want to forget, because even what causes us sadness is part of the stories we experience and it is of course, the stories that make up a country and its people.
And in Youth of May it is possible to identify this effort to revive the collective memory, mixing fictional aspects and others that go back to the often cruel reality. For, against the background of the Gwangju massacre, Youth of May portrays the multiple deaths that can be experienced in traumatic events.
"Death" does not always refer to the body, but to dreams that are not lived, hopes that are dashed and reputations destroyed. Making you question what it means to live? Is a person who has given up on their dreams alive in some way or is they dying with each passing day?
That's the question I asked myself when I was introduced to the protagonists, especially Myung Hee who, for various reasons, is forced to give up her own future until finally the opportunity to leave for another place arises. But what to do, when meeting Hwang Hee Tae, our male protagonist, she finally decides to live...
Giving up a "fair" path that allowed her to live securely in sacrifice of her own happiness, Myung Hee experiences love, fear, self-pity, while questioning herself and her own values. Feelings that are interesting, as the protagonist starts to question herself and her choices, while she sees the self-control she had slip through her hands, replaced by the possibility of living a love...
Already with Hwang Hee Tae we learn somehow about remorse, about autonomy and responsibility and, in a way, submission, while he is willing to exchange his own future for the possibility of saving someone from the past, aspiration ruined for an "exchange" , who made him meet Myung Hee on a blind date. He who was willing to give up on himself found a reason not to abandon himself...
It is from this exchange that Hwang Hee Tae and Kim Myung Hee live their love, intensified by the almost instantaneous attraction and historical moment they were experiencing, as well as by the networks of relationships that tied them to a reality that cannot be defined in any way. positive. After all, the use of repression against the innocent will never cease to be regrettable.
The relationship created between the historical event, the novel presented and the other relationships demonstrated allows us to think about abstract concepts such as justice, injustice, insurgency, freedom and the false feeling of being free, as in the case of Soo Ryeon and Soo Chan's family, our secondary characters. Being Soo Chan awakened from his illusion in the final part of the work.
It is noteworthy that this symbiotic relationship (dramatized historical event + romance + family) also allows us to think about how hard reality can be. Because, through the characters, it was possible, at least for me, to somehow establish a connection with the feelings evoked and delve a little deeper into the presented historical fact.
It's as if somehow it was possible to bring, with the plot presented, an understanding even if shallow of the difficulties of those who did not have their stories told. I wonder if I'm traveling, but I got this feeling while wandering.
And finally, with the sum of the novel, with the representations (which still do not represent the full complexity of such violence) accompanied by worthy performances, the doors are opened to seek to know a little more about the true Youth of may.
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THATS MORE LIKE IT!
A definite upgrade over the short series - I loved every minute of it!Finally, a full length series for Yin and War. The chemistry is undeniable and there is significant improvement in acting .
Although the plot and story has a very controversial beginning, (if you read the book and watched the En of Love: Love Mechanics) it felt like the new showrunners listened to what the fans hated on the first show, and improved/removed them - 1) I liked that they removed the role of the social media from the first show; 2) i loved that they improved the moping brokenhearted Vee; and 3) they showed the soft side of Mark during his time apart with Vee (he was just too angry in the short series).
Although i felt bad that they have to change some of the support cast, the new cast did a good job, and i specially loved the addition of the parents. Make no mistake, this is a YinWar show and the maximum exposure they got is just what the show needed.
Is it just me or is War giving a very similar Singto vibe? I loved it!
Overall, i give it a 9, its probably one of the best BL shows of 2022.
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An utterly hilarious romcom that actually respects the intelligence of its audience
This show has all the perfect ingredients for a successful romcom:1. Acting
Leads’ chemistry on crack? Check. It’s Zhao Lusi after all, who excels in this genre. Ryan ding is also surprisingly great at being devious AND also adorable. Although sometimes QQ veers ever so slightly into annoying troublemaker territory, ZLS redeems her with lots of charm and cuteness. HS doesn't lose his brains while in love and stays true to his black-bellied roots, balancing it nicely with besottedness.
Lovable side characters? Check. The main villain isn’t even that detestable and the servants are the best I’ve seen at being loyal stans of their masters. The servants' constant bickering can even count as comic bromance.
2. Storyline
Of course, the most unique setup I’ve seen that even parodies all the usual drama tropes eg “hero saving the beauty”, "death by poisoning", etc and placing a comic spin on them. This is the first female centric drama with tongue in cheek social commentary and actually deals with the gender divide really well while still maintaining that light-hearted feel.
Fast-paced and non-draggy without unnecessary conflicts or rambling? Check. Every plot line is resolved within 2 episodes and twists and turns make for an enjoyable ride. Misunderstandings are quickly resolved and serve to push the story forward, even any short period of angst is satirized into a funny and absurd lovers' spat!
3. Production
Good music is actually not really necessary, but the sets and costumes are appealing enough to make you continue watching although it’s not the usual visual spectacle of dramatic masterpieces like other genres. This is a romcom after all! We just need the production to look sufficiently pretty and the leads will shine.
This show had me laughing through every episode from start all the way to the very end!! This rollercoaster does not lose steam and delivers all the way to a happy ending that is logically satisfactory as the only acceptable ending. It even manages to include insightful analysis of male-female relationships within the drama industry and in our modern world, which is enough meta for me to appreciate the intelligence of the scriptwriters. Even my brain cells are tickled. Watch it with your eyes and mouths wide open in joy and laughter!
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This review may contain spoilers
I am no cinema critic and I have no education in visual media or anything like that so I'm just gonna write this review as a 21-year-old gay man who was born in a heavily Catholic country and who's spent a good chunk of time in Japan, too.First, let me just get by the regular review-y things. The acting was great, not perfect, but still great. I especially loved how Kaneko Daichi played with his expressions, expressing a lot of emotion just by moving his eyes or changing his expression just enough to convey any changes in Jun's emotions. You probably won't get a 5-star-worth acting in this drama if that's what you're looking for, but it's decent enough to convey what the drama is going for so you won't be disappointed.
The music was fine, as they used a lot of Queen's songs in the making, and I especially liked the moments just before the more dramatic or sad scenes when the music swelled up, mixed with some white-noise-like sound effects, which I felt was the perfect expression of what a gay high-schooler might feel in moments of dread and sadness.
I will surely rewatch this drama someday, that's for sure, even if just to remind myself of what a lot of gay people have to go through, and that not everyone is so lucky as I am.
And now the story. Oh God, the story.
I watched all 8 episodes and I can say that it's a great description of what it is like to be gay in an unaccepting, especially high-school community. The dread of being found out, the uneasiness before coming out, the unquenched desire to end your own life – all of it resonated with me on a very personal level, so much that I had to take breaks while watching this drama so as to let myself calm down a little.
I assume that if you're reading this review, you're not afraid of spoilers so let me say it clearly: no, Jun didn't end up with a girl, and his self-introduction during his first day at University at the end of Episode 8 starting with "Nice to meet you, I'm Andou Jun from Tokyo and I am..." and cutting just at the end of the episode is a clear indication that what he intended to say was "I am gay," which means he most probably came to accept his own sexuality and Miura is now just a friend to him, a dear friend, but just a friend.
This drama brought up a lot of problems I encountered myself when growing up. Is it really impossible for me to date a girl? Will I never be able to have my own children? What will my parents say? Will they be mad at the fact that I will never be able to give them grandsons? Of course, not all gay people encounter these problems but a large chunk of them do, especially in a country like Japan which values (traditional) family a lot and has no partnership nor a same-sex marriage system, where adopting a child might prove to be a pretty tough task for same-sex couples. All of these problems were perfectly conveyed in Jun's story and I was really happy to watch all of it.
However, what I'm even more happy about is that Jun had friends, true friends like Miura and Ryouhei who accepted him as a gay man and supported him no matter what. I am very lucky to have had such friends and I wish Jun had realized that much earlier, too.
That's why I'm giving this drama 10/10. It's not exactly my kind of drama and if I followed the suggested score I would have to give it just 8.5/10. But the story felt so real to me as a gay man that I had no choice to give it an overall score of 10/10. I just feel that it's a drama that would be important for every person in the world to watch to understand gay people a little better.
If you bore with me till the end – thank you for listening to this young, gay man's rambling, and I hope you will watch this drama for yourself to find out what it really has to offer.
PS I am sorry for any mistakes I might have made – English is not my native language.
Have a very gay day,
R.
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If it doesn´t concern you, you will watch a great drama.
The first episode is a bit slow, but after that its really great. The story gets better and better and the relationships getting complicated, but overall all the charas are so original (especially Joe Chengs chara, really cute).
The acting and music is good.
From time to time i watch my favorite scenes from this drama, so the rewatch value is really high.
One of the best taiwanese drama that i ever saw. I really recommend it.
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If you want lots of drama, love triangles or misunderstandings that drag too long... look elsewhere.
If I had to use three words to describe this drama they would be soft, fluffy and heartwarming. It falls into a very well known category, which is Coming Of Age School Drama, but unlike so many others before it, it does not care to create unnecessary plots where our leads suffer too much in their relationship (by breaking up out of nowhere, for example) or act stupidly for the sake of creating conflict; one of its greatest strengths is that characters trust each other and as a result, they won't blindly believe what outside forces try to convince them of when it comes to one another, which is something that happens way too often in dramas like this one.Are there misunderstandings? Of course, but misunderstandings *are* a part of life and having them in small quantities in dramas and done realistically adds to them, and When I Fly Towards you manages to sprinkle them in a way that feels organic enough that you believe it could easily happen in real life.
This drama is something to watch when you need something cute and uplifting with the certainty that good things will keep happening as you watch and problems will be solved. It's comforting and wholesome, and manages to be those things without its characters leaning too much into being cheesy, corny or cringeworthy. An amazing feat, without a doubt.
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Primarily a dialogue drama that is relatively slow-paced. I wouldn't recommend it for viewers who are impatient and want a lighthearted watch. The show focuses on business, politics, and societal issues in South Korea. Having lived in Korea, Life is so real that it hurts sometimes. If you liked Stranger, chances are you will love Life.
Following her first megahit drama, Stranger, writer Lee Soo Yeon brings us a refreshing drama that touches on societal problems while bringing to question how one's life should be lived and valued. This drama is entirely business, political and psychological, with surprisingly minimal medical scenes despite taking place within a university hospital. Unlike Stranger, there is moderate romance involved but it is definitely woven into the story without ruining the dark bureaucratic atmosphere. Moreover, rather than focusing on mysterious deaths (which is the opening scene), Life depicts the struggles of just your average-day life from numerous different perspectives.
I tend to stay away from medical dramas where nothing much really happens besides some overreaction with a patient dying and the heroes coming to say the day. Medical dramas are boring to me. But Life is completely different and kept me captivated the entire ride without a single moment of boredom. You know when you have snacks to eat when you watch a show, and by the time the drama ends you ate it all without realizing? Well when I watched Life, all my snacks were left untouched because I had to give the drama my undivided attention.
What makes one Life one of the best dramas I have ever seen is how they portray a certain situation or community problem from angles. Most dramas have a clear villain, a clear hero protagonist who will save the day, and the thin line between good and evil is easily distinguishable. Life shines all characters in a favorable and negative light at the exact same time. In the beginning, from one perspective, it's easy to characterize a person as "bad" for reasons such as "greedy" or "heartless." But then when you look at it from their perspective, there is no true right decision or wrong decision. Life really makes you confused and hating a character yet understanding and loving the same character at the same time. And I'm not talking about the bullshit kdrama "oh this handsome serial killer was neglected as a child so it's totally understandable for him to torture and murder people" type of understanding.
The beginning of Life starts out slow, especially in the first episode. But the beginning episodes lay out the political and business foundation that the rest of the story will revolve around. It's important to really comprehend what the problem at hand is in the beginning or else the characters and the ending will be pretty damn confusing. The story is brilliantly written and all the mysteries are woven together with little to no plot-holes left behind. The characters are well-drawn out, and the complexity of each person's position brings to light the different pains people have in their daily lives. Even if you're not a doctor, I think the daily struggles that these doctors have generalize to everyone who feels like life can be hard and distressing at times. The ending of the drama... Oh my god the ending. It's one of the best endings I have ever seen.
If you want to get pretentiously deep, Life does debate a lot of moral themes. Some themes I observed were:
What makes one person's life more meaningful or successful than another persons?
What makes one person a "good" person, and another a "bad person." What's the criteria of judgement?
Should all people be treated equal? Or should discretion based on circumstances rule (individual bias good or bad)?
Legality or Morality? Should we follow all procedures by the law or use our own moral judgement?
What's more important, the discovery of the truth or resolution of conflict?
Acting was phenomenal 10/10. I must say, the cast was one of the most stacked casts I have ever seen.
Yes, Lee Dong Wook was a bit underwhelming, but that's okay. I think he played his character well (his character wasn't a charismatic character, not much he can do).
Cho Seung Woo is a phenomenal actor and I felt like was clearly the main character of Life over Lee Dong Wook. I personally don't think Korean actors are the best at acting, but Cho Seung Woo is just brilliant. His acting in Life may very well have exceeded his acting in Stranger which is saying something!
It's time for Yoo Jae Myung to get a main character role. He has proven his brilliant acting again and again.
Lee Kyu Hyung takes on such interesting roles in all his dramas (Haerong in Prison Playbook) and Life was no different. You'll love him in this drama. He actually plays two characters, you'll see what I mean.
The rest of the cast, Moon So Ri, Cheon Ho Jin, Moon Sung Geun... just stacked I tell you. The acting matched the loftly quality of the drama.
Honestly the worst thing about this drama was the music, and the music was pretty good too. Just nothing that stood out that much to me other than that obnoxious loud "epic" boom soundtrack when the end of the episode draws near. I suppose Han Dong Geun's OST 1 "Home" was really good but it never really played during the show. Now that I think of it, because this drama was mostly a dialogue show, there wasn't as much music that played between scenes compared to other kdramas.
This is one of the rare dramas where I give the re-watch value a 10/10 because the mysterious death isn't the important point in this drama. It's about problems in society (particularly in the bureaucratic Korean society) and how different people, given their different positions, have different perspectives on how to solve the problem. In the process, how people view themselves as right and good, while viewing others with different opinions as wrong and bad. I think a lot can be learned about psychologically or at least thought about by watching Life. I think this drama would be just as interesting the second time around. It was a complex drama for sure, so watching it again would also clarify a lot of things for me.
Masterpiece! Thank you to everyone who produced this enlightening drama!
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There are so many things that I loved here, but what made the drama that enjoying were definitely our main leads Sung Deok Mi and Ryan Gold. Not only their characters were perfect for each other, but Park Min Young and Kim Jae Wook's chemistry was the best. It was so natural that somewhere towards the end, it felt as if they weren't even acting anymore. I love how mature their relationship was which can't be seen very often in other rom-coms... unfortunately. The thing I loved the most about their relationship was how honest they were with each other - they cleared all misunderstanding just by talking, no pointless drama here. I loved the fact that Deok Mi was so considerate of Ryan and that was since the very beginning. And of course, Ryan was the same. Everything about their relationship was perfect and kudos to the writer for writing such a beautiful love story!
I was happy to see that fangirling was shown as a completely normal thing here. Deok Mi and Seon Joo are both in their 30s, but they are fangirls. Why not? There is nothing strange about it and I'm glad that the writer chose to show a different side of fangirling. As I fangirl myself, I'm very thankful for this. Seon Joo and Deok Mi were friendship goals honestly. Seon Joo is my favourite character here and I loved their relationship with her husband. And their child was sooo cute!
I think Eun Gi and Cindy were pretty pointless here, especially Cindy. At first, she seemed to be the antagonist, but then she became just a random character who had some funny scenes here and there. As for Eun Gi, he was sometimes annoying and his presence didn't really affect the story. I guess the writer just needed a second lead, because what is a rom-com without a second lead? And Ryan's friend was also annoying. I don't even remember her name, I couldn't get the point of her existence in the drama.
I didn't like the last two episodes. They were very boring, although there were some sweet moments with the main leads. I couldn't believe and I still can't that we had to see the same trope again..., why? Everything was good enough, so why would you ruin it? Eh, anyway, I was satisfied with the ending nevertheless.
So overall, despite being slightly disappointed by the last two episodes, I do recommed Her Private Life to all of you. It is not your usual rom-com and I believe you'll enjoy it. Oh, and while you are watching or after you finish it, don't forget to check out the bts videos that tvN uploaded, they will make you love the drama even more!
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I actually don't know how to summarize this one, I just believe everyone that can watch it should watch it. I haven't read the webtoon so I don't know how fans of the original material will react but, judging it on its own two feet, it far surpasses any expectations I had.
STORY
Honestly, this story almost felt like two, in the best way possible. Going into it I had this expectation of what would occur and what kind of avenues the story would take based on the teaser, but it proved me wrong. Weak Hero isn't just brilliant action, it's a deep dive into how interpersonal violence and bullying can affect and harm people long after the physical threat has disappeared. It's a case where I found every episode better than the last. The script and directing use foreshadowing masterfully, there are parallels that provoke so much thought and every moment feels deliberate. There are parallels everywhere, and the use of foreshadowing is deliberate and beautiful. Thought-provoking isn't even enough to cover it. Of course, there are issues with the script, some things are glossed over to fit the runtime, and the theme came off as confusing to some (not me) but overall I enjoyed the story it told immensely. The character motivations and progression all felt natural and understandable. It's a complete and interesting story that doesn't require additional knowledge from the webtoon to fill in the blanks and its end, though open for a second season, is satisfying and will leave you wishing you had more time with this world.
ACTING
I don't usually go to action flicks for character studies and heartbreaking emotions but the cast delivered on both and on stellar fight sequences that hurt just to watch.
So little disclaimer I am a Jihoon fan, but I will try not to be biased. Park Jihoon acting as Yeon Sieun was amazing. In the story put to screen it would've been very easy for Sieun to be one note, but Jihoons acting and eyes brought him to life.
Hong Kyung gave me the most compelling performance of the entire year. You have to watch it to know.
Choi Hyunwook brought a lovely levity to the story and his well-known ability to charm his way through the screen is at full display.
The entire supporting cast really showed out for this drama, the viciousness and vulnerability of boyhood were on full display. Special shoutout to Kim Sugyeom whose venom playing Youngbin almost burned through the screen.
MUSIC
The OSTs and music choices throughout the show helped evoke teenage listlessness and despair beautifully.
REWATCH VALUE
I considered placing this at a lower mark because some of the scenes are very hard to watch. Watching this drama inflicts a lot of emotional turmoil, but I honestly think it could only get better on rewatch. The point of the twists and turns is not to shock you, they're natural and understandable consequences of the violent world that bred them. Every choice makes sense, and the hunt for parallels in the script and directing upon rewatching would make it all the more worthwhile.
This easily falls into the top 5 dramas of the year for me. I would recommend any day! Also if you want to discuss it shoot me a friend request and a message I have so much to say.
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I originally decided to start this drama because I was captivated by the promotional poster - I knew nothing in particular of Jo Seung Woo or Bae Doo Na, but the poster drew me in immediately: dark, exciting, and striking - a great representation of this drama. I was sold after the first episode.
While I truly love K-Dramas, I think we can all agree that a lot of them are dumbed down to a point where you don't have to truly pay attention or think about what is happening in them - everything is explained plainly, no questions asked. Even crime and mystery dramas often times overdo it with the explanations so the viewer won't have to ask themselves 'huh? what happened? why'. You won't find this here. This is a drama that will require your attention all throughout, as missing a dialogue or a glance will confuse you later, without much explanation. This is a drama that asks for your full attention, and a drama that keeps its momentum until its last minute. There is no fizzling out, no unnecessary showdowns and car chases and fist fights, no rushed endings - no, everything progresses at a smooth pace that by the end you don't even notice that it's over because you're so used to its steady progression and flow. It feels strange and sad that in the coming weeks, I won't see Pros. Hwang Si Mok and Det. Han Yeo Jin running around and taking down corruption.
While Jo Seung Woo and Bae Doo Na are not what you might call top Hallyu stars (I'd argue about BDN but anyway), as say Park Bo Gum or Jun Ji Hyun, both are top-notch well-known experienced actors that infuse their characters with life all throughout. Not only them - the whole cast is stellar and even if I try to think of one loose performance, I can't. I could hardly believe that Jo Seung Woo is the same guy who played the main in God's Gift and that Yoo Jae Myung (Pros. Lee Chang Jun) is the same person who played Do Bong Soon's father.
And, of course, I cannot fail to mention the writer, Lee Soo Yeon, who has developed two of the most unique female protagonists in K-dramas for me. One determined to stand by justice no matter what and one determined to clear her father's name no matter the price - both executed perfectly until the end with no unnecessary fluff and delving into annoying, and quite frankly degrading, romances. Not only those two but all the pivotal characters went through such believable character development, that you will find yourself attached even to the most despicable of them - not because they're handsome and an oppa but because they're human, not innocent not evil but somewhere in between, just like all of us.
I really can't think of a reason why you wouldn't want to see this drama - it's what all crime and legal dramas should aim to be, and I'm looking forward to the day I watch something that will outdo it. While some people may think it seems boring, I urge you to challenge yourself and watch the first two episodes; your brain will thank you. To me, this was a heart-racing drama that made me laugh, cry, feel disgust, and so many more emotions.
I am so excited to see what this rookie writer will bring us in the future because if it's anything like Forest of Secrets, then we'll know we have another great drama upon us.
2021 edit: Yeah, I still have not found another drama to replace Stranger as my favorite - go watch season 2 if you have not!
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Seldom can dramas make me feel this frustrated, excited, bubbly all in one episode. That’s what an incredible drama should do with you - completely play with your feelings, make you question certain things. The genre is definitely melodramatic so prepare to feel heart-broken and to weep a whole lot. However, this is also a realistic drama showing the unfortunate lives of two humans and their natural approach to romantic love. Seeing the two characters develop feelings for each other and being connected in the past made my heart oh so weak. I’m a sucker for the main characters to have a bomb chemistry. And oh boy, the lead actors killed it! First, Won Jin Ah is currently one of the most memorable young and starting actresses out there for me. She was so professional with how she transferred her character’s feelings. I have to say, this was my first time seeing Lee Jun Ho’s performance as well and not only is he an amazing actor, but a singer as well. Speaking about music, the OST was so sincere, the songs made such an impact on all of the scenes, and me included. To add, I appreciate that the viewers got to see the different lives and struggles of the supporting characters. Each of them have their own unique story which makes this drama worth rewatching all over again!
(Also, I felt the need to address something as well. Never drop a drama if you’re not sure on how the ending is going to turn out like. The natural progression of the drama, the characters, their developing stories are what make this series worth watching.)
Overall, this drama makes you appreciate life even more and live your life to the fullest every day somehow. I bow down to the creators of this drama for giving me a thrilling rollercoaster ride full of incredible emotions!
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30-sai made Dotei Da to Mahotsukai ni Nareru rashii
126 people found this review helpful
by RandomUsagi 
2
2 Cherry Magic Memories
To say that this is a good BL is an understatement. I've been watching jdramas in 2020 and nothing captured my attention and love like this one. A late-night BL drama nobody should've noticed became an international hit.Cherry Magic (CM) summed up:
-All characters are loveable
-Has comedy but can also get emotional
-No toxicity
-Great acting from main leads
-Great opening and ending song
-High rewatch value
STORY -9.5
''Don't you know? If you're a virgin when you turn 30, you'll become a magic user.'' -Urabe
If the synopsis is kinda offputting to you then that's normal but I guarantee you that it works. The subjects are handled with sensibility and while there is a lot of comedy it works out well. The show knows how to handle emotional scenes as well as comedy.
I think with the first episode you'll see that this drama handles its story very well. What started as a weird internet legend/joke about virginity somehow ended up becoming this cute show. This is a unique lovestory and a joy to see. It brought a lot of warmth to the winter of 2020. Teaching us all to reach out to others and to love ourselves.
ACTING/CAST -10
''Do you know what that means?'' -Kurosawa
First of all the main leads. Machida Keita, actor of Kurosawa, has had around 10 years of experience in acting and has been in many Japanese shows. He was a known name in Japan before CM happened. You can see he totally immerses himself in a character and has fun with it. A lot of later scenes in the drama have been influenced by him ad-libbing/freely acting. When his character is sad, genuinely happy or faking his emotions for the sake of others then you can see it in all his body movements. He's an intriguing character to watch on screen and definitely makes rewatching the show worth it.
Akaso Eiji is relatively new to acting in comparison to Machida Keita and was far less known in Japan. He has been in a few shows before CM, noteably as a Kamen Rider in Kamen Rider Build. Even the mangaka from CM wasn't sure he could pull off the shy, introverted character of Adachi. However, Akaso Eiji really plays Adachi perfectly. Completely adapting to the introverted and anxious character and creating some of the most fun panicked scenes. In comparison to Kurosawa, Adachi acts much more like a manga/anime-character by constantly panicking but it makes him very cute. I'm sure anyone can fall in love with such an adorable and shy main character.
Side-couple:
The character called Tsuge is extremely entertaining, even more panicked than his friend Adachi at times. His adventures have been a joy to see, the self-proclaimed romance master never disappoints. His love-interest Minato has little screentime but is very cute as well. Them both being catlovers was also great to see as the cat Udon-chan really was a joy to see on screen.
Extra characters:
Then there's Rokkaku. This guy really makes a name for himself but all characters in this show have a good heart. His overly energetic presence was always immediately visible on screen and he has been a fun addition to the show. Fujisaki is the beloved female character and likely the best female character in all of BL. An example of how to give female characters a positive presence in a BL show. Her knowing smile and caring character really makes scenes a lot better. There's not a lot to say about Urabe but he has some character growth as well, showing that all characters have some good in them.
MUSIC -10
''I scream the voice of my heart'' - Omoinotake
I never skipped the opening or the ending of this show. Both are very nice to listen to. The opening of the show (Ubugoe/Birth) being Adachis view of the situation and the ending of the show (Good Love your Love) being Kurosawas view.
The background music really knows how to make emotional scenes hit hard. Even listening to the emotional piano music brings me back to the scenes all over again. The fun background music does its job in making the scenes seem wholesome or just an enjoyable experience.
REWATCH -10
''My heart can't take it anymore'' -Adachi
I can't even count how many times I've rewatched this show during its airing time. That's not a joke, I've been part of CM watchparties and rewatched the show myself a lot of times. I think even now that the show has ended its definitely worth rewatching to watch the great acting of the main leads or just to enjoy the experience all over again. Because this show is just that, an enjoyable experience. You can also find many hidden details if you pay attention when watching the show.
In conclusion, give the show a chance and even if the first episodes don't work for you I can assure you that you will fall in love with Adachi and Kurosawa eventually. Something widely refered to as the Cherry Magic effect.
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What a sweet poster! ... Fooled me. Well, I didn't even watch the trailer. I couldn't anticipate the plot, the atmosphere; nothing. Koreans have this unhealthy habit of using same-gender romance as fanservice, and personally, I'm so sick of it. They bring the sweet part of it and forget how unrealistic that is, especially in Korea, but it's trendy. So, coming from such a harsh society, it's rare to see a realistic and brave movie regarding this matter. Lately, not only in cinematography, but also music, I've noticed more support and attention in this country. Night Flight is nothing about fetishizing homosexuality and avoiding the truth. This movie manages to show a honest reality, with striking scenes and a solid plot.
It explores the relationship between three childhood friends — Yong Joo, Gi Wook and Gi Taek. Yong Joo and Gi Wook own the plot, while Gi Taek holds a meaningful role through the story. The two of them have a complicated relationship, a kind of bitter, one-sided friendship which lacks closeness and words. This already confusing relationship they have takes a new turn when Yong Joo realizes the feelings he has for Gi Wook have been romantic for a very long time. So he walks further. And everything crashes, in a very beautiful, aching way. Don't expect sweetness, there's no such thing. At least, not how it usually looks like. Let go of your affectionate dramaland and learn to see differently. The emotions can be seen only through gestures, the way the look at each other, the way they don't when they can't see each other (but they wonder about the other) and the words they always seem to share without speaking. Both cruel and kind words. Thus, the moments they speak, the dialogue is actually complex, behind its simple words. So, it's intense and much honest. I found they personalities very pure, pained and so lonely, bearing their own heavy stories, but they choose to cope with their feelings in completely opposite ways — Yong Joo is the bright, brave and sincere one, while Gi Wook is quieter, violent and doesn't know how to express himself. I thought for a moment, given their situations, it's more expected for their personalities to have been reversed, but this way it's actually more interesting, I really like that.
The acting, with more interest in the body language rather than words, was intense and surprisingly good. I could feel their pain growing under my skin, and all it took was looking into their eyes and their messy gestures. Some scenes are still haunting me.
Given how quiet and raw the movie feels, when the music starts, it speaks emotions. Not too much, really, just the right amount of sounds to make it more touching, at the right time. Visually, there are many important details; sometimes it's bright, but mostly dark. Some shoots are serene, colorful and truly artistic, matching the emotions (love), while some are simply raw, monotone and cruel, matching the reality (pain). A very creative contrast.
Do I plan on rewatching it? Of course, probably many times. I'm typing and I can feel the urge to go back and watch some parts, but I'll stay away for a while and let it sink in. Not long, though. I can't wait to see if it's going to hurt more or less (most likely, more). Profound movies always touch deeper the second time.
Yes, it's a sad, realistic movie, with sad teenagers in love. Too young to be so damaged, yet very common. And no, the actors don't look like models, their skin isn't godlike. They look human and, also, they fight for being humans, in a world full of emotionless and harmful silhouettes. This movie shouldn't be overlooked or judged before watching. Let go of any previous disappointing experience with gay-themed movies and dwell in Night Flight. It's the kind of movie that should be watched late at night, when the mind is a little tired to analyze, and the feelings are more perceptive. Because it stains, yet it doesn't feel only painful — it's also very sweet. Beautifully tragic.
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