Reviews

genuinely my favorite episode

I know there are a lot of people who hate the conflict phase of a romcom, but I am not one of them. As long as it's real conflict that makes sense for the plot and the characters, which this episode finally introduces. I love that this entire episode was devoted to Seori/Danshim's conflict that they also addressed in earlier episodes, in that she's determined not to fall in love because she's afraid that her vulnerability will turn her into a victim. We have other dramas where our protagonists often say "I don't want to fall in love because I'm afraid of getting hurt", but I love that Seori/Danshim goes deeper: not only is she afraid of pain, but she's already well-aware of how it feels to have absolutely no agency in her life and from those around her. Every time she thinks she can love, she is painfully reminded that her circumstances won't allow it. And so, when Mo Tae Hui tells her that she has nothing to give to Segye, those words prick both her heart and her dignity, which we know is very important to Seori/Danshim.This was her episode and her moment to explore. Previously, we've seen her embrace her new chance at life and all the opportunities the world can give her, but now she's realized that the drawback of having a "new chance at life" is that this new chance was given to her, and not earned. She has a loving grandma who isn't really her grandma. She has a name that's not hers, and a celebrated birthday on a day she doesn't recognize. She doesn't have anyone who she can really confide in besides Segye, and only when she's slightly tipsy enough to let her guard down. She does have feelings for Segye, but his aunt and Mo Tae Hui was a bitter reminder that even in this life, she's seen as someone as "low class".And that's why I think her realization and the final scene works so well. Only at her lowest point, can she finally grasp at something she desires. I love how she embraced those feelings not from Segye constantly chasing after her, but because of his kind words. That even if she caused him pain, she still deserves happiness. And also, her being the only one who knows the truth of his scandal empowered her to make a choice no one else could (or would!!!) make. Because the fact of the matter is that Segye really has all the resources to make a story like that go away, but no one in his family would ever make that move in order to save him. Which makes it especially poignant that Seori/Danshim is the one who tries, despite having nothing to ensure their victory together. Because in her words, she'll be happy even if they fall to ruin, as long as they're together.

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A Mother’s Love, A Son’s Pain

Everyone will hate the mother, but there are always two sides to every story.In a place where same sex relationships are still not accepted, remember China is a lot harder than Western countries and in a culture where family reputation means everything, her choices come from fear, from survival, from love twisted by pressure she has carried for too long.She lost her husband. She raised her sons alone through years of struggle. Every penny she saved was for them to build a future, even as she denied herself medicine while sickness slowly took her body. A mother who gives everything does not always know how to let go when her children grow in a direction she never imagined.But what she did wrong was wanting both her sons to be “normal” . And blaming Yi Chen for “corrupting” his younger brother. Love like that cannot be taught or stolen. Sexuality is not something that can be changed or influenced, no matter who people want to blame.I have seven older siblings who are straight, a younger brother who is also straight, and I am gay. No one influenced me. Just as I did not influence my brother. It simply is what it is.She loves her sons deeply, but love without understanding can still hurt. Forcing marriage, rejecting who they are, speaking from pain instead of acceptance, it breaks what she is trying so desperately to protect.And still, I feel sorrow for her too. A mother trying to hold onto a world that is slipping away from her, afraid of losing her family in every possible way.Yi Chen is caught in something unbearable. On one side, a dying mother begging. On the other, the person he loves most. You can find another lover in time, but you cannot replace a mother.It is not a simple choice. It is grief on both sides. Sacrifice on both sides. And no matter what he chooses, someone will be broken.

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this could’ve been something.

I’ve always looked at nagase & hoshida as the designated idiots of the group who are interchangeable but when you look at their friend+group they are kind’ve the best two handled. yui & kitayama are the cooler level+headed members of the team but their over+laps make them are a larger conflict of interest than nagase & hoshida. misaki was speaking about the ways each student she’s helped has grown & when she started takking about learning to cherish your parents i thought of kitayama & then the camera panned to yui ｡･:*:･ﾟ★,｡･:*:･ﾟ☆　　 ｡･:*:･ﾟ★,｡･:*:･ﾟ☆ but i want to talk about fujigaya inm particular. he’s the main character of the group. but we don’t really learn anything specific to him nor does he really represent anything as the representative of 2–z. they all have particularly fascinating circumstances of being kids from privilege or earning privilege in the case of hoshida getting a schoalr+ship. however many different factors all brought them to being out+cast into a class made especially to humiliate them. i do think what’s important is that fujigAYa got to change & focusing on that but it makes him feel bland with the rest of the students. what in particular is special about him from any othe rdelinquent character we have seen again & again & again ？｡･:*:･ﾟ★,｡･:*:･ﾟ☆　　 ｡･:*:･ﾟ★,｡･:*:･ﾟ☆ i did just now find out that the『 gokusen 』production team brought this show together so it’s not an issue of stealing it’s an issue of being lazy & reguritating the same tropes the same episodes the same character & stories over & over again. each season of gokusen was worse than the last & now this is tied into that too ｡･:*:･ﾟ★,｡･:*:･ﾟ☆　　 ｡･:*:･ﾟ★,｡･:*:･ﾟ☆ misaki doesn’t really get to stand on her own as a unique character. she has a SLIGHTLY different personality but she’s srill as oblivious as yamaguchi is for no good reason. she’s a hostess not a new+born. in fact she’s a hostess she should have a lot stronger grasp on things. I’m also like extremely surprised we got to the end of the show with no pedophilic under+tones that’s an actual feat ｡･:*:･ﾟ★,｡･:*:･ﾟ☆　　 ｡･:*:･ﾟ★,｡･:*:･ﾟ☆ but all in all i am okay with this show. bevcause there’s enough for me to enjoy to want to buy a box+set. most of the selling point of these dramas is to appeal to the idol stans & i even habve multiple kamen riders & sentais & even SENSHI in the cast to stare at. i do think this was a let+down of a really fun prompt because thewy weren’t really engaged with seeing a kyabajo teacher prove herself & her misunderstood students they wanted gokusen the fourth series. i also don’t even feel like commenting on the vice principal becaus e she was also azn unfortunate dissappoint who had to start as a caricature rather than a nuanced person ｡･:*:･ﾟ★,｡･:*:･ﾟ☆　　 ｡･:*:･ﾟ★,｡･:*:･ﾟ☆ but with all that out of the way i generally actually really liked this conclusion. the kids are sweet & they’re still kids who will kick their feet but they’re good of heart & would want to do better. i think the ending was a little rushed & i assumed this would have an additional fifteen minutes but unfortunately not. that time could’ve really helped. i did have a fun time though. this was a nice three days. it wasn’t actually i lived through hell since starting but like i made it through hehe. ｡･:*:･ﾟ★,｡･:*:･ﾟ☆　　 ｡･:*:･ﾟ★,｡･:*:･ﾟ☆ one more final thing. as i was typing up a head+line. this could’ve been something. there were a lot of moments that felt really interesting & i am sad they didn’t feel like exploring those angles. i really wish they had the ambition to do something exciting. your audience is idol fans anyways we’re going to watch no matter what you might as well take advantage of that freedom.

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So many emotions about this episode

This episode was so tense and emotional. 😨😬😭I really hate Byeong-in at this point. If he was ever going to change, this had to be the final moment... one step further and he's not redeemable. He is driven by anger and hate for being rejected by So-Yong—she's the only reason he's that way. Gaaaaah! The anger and frustration I feel about him! 😤😩I loved how perceptive and clever the Queen was for connecting the dots, proving her suspicion and laying out a plan to find and save the King! 👏😏Court Lady Choi and Hong Yeon must survive this ambush! 🙏😬Love Kim Hwan for being the way he is—sincere, even if not the sharpest, and not discriminating against anyone because of their family! We need more people like that! 🤗👍I hope the Kim family will fall... and fall hard! 😠 (Ok, not Kim Hwan, So-Yong's father and maybe a few others).

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