#kdrama meta
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elaborate on the wasted potential? What parts would you have liked to explore?
Hi anon, I could go on and on about the wasted potential of Gyeongseong Creature but I will keep it relatively brief for both our sakes.
For the record, I did like the show, particularly the way it combined history with fiction to tell a story about dehumanized Koreans fighting back against their oppressors during the Japanese occupation of Korea. The titular creature is a physical manifestation of the atrocities committed by the Japanese soldiers against the Korean people and seeing the monster going on a violent rampage against those soldiers feels like an extreme version of the Korean people fighting for their country's freedom. But despite its best efforts, the show never really finds a way to tie the central theme of resistance and freedom to the rest of the plot. The resistance is more or less used as set dressing as neither of the two main characters, Tae-Sang and Chae-Ok, are members of the resistance movement, and the central plot of the season is a heist/horror story about uncovering the mysteries at Ongseong Hospital. The character who actually is a member of the resistance, Jun-Taek, has no real impact on the plot at all and his only noticeable contribution is the explosives used in the finale.
Think about how much more compelling a character Tae-Sang could've been if we'd gotten to see him transform from a selfish man who only cared about his own interests to a proud member of the resistance, finally finding a cause worth putting his life on the line for. By the end of episode 7, I thought the show had mostly achieved this, albeit clumsily, because we never really see why Tae-Sang had a change of heart and decided to be a hero, and if we're supposed to believe it's because of his feelings for Chae-Ok, I don't buy that for one second because the romance was half-baked at best. But then by the end of episode 10, he's once again shrugging off the title of patriot, and this is not a man who is humble, so what gives? Is he meant to be a charming rogue with a heart of gold or a selfish man who will be a hero only if it aligns with his personal interests? I still can't tell and I don't know if the writers themselves even know the answer - they kept trying to tell us he was the former but most of his actions pointed at him being the latter.
Even the horrific creature could've had a genuinely compelling arc if the show had bothered at all to humanize Seong-Sim prior to her transformation. I wanted desperately to root for mother monster to get her revenge against everyone who wronged her, but the show didn't give us any time to get to know her as a human, so it was hard for me to see her as anything but the monster she became. I wanted to believe that she still had some humanity, but the scenes of her protecting Chae-Ok ultimately fell flat because we never got to know the loving mother she had once been. Consider the flashback where Chae-Ok discovers the message her mother left for her on the wall. Now consider how much more impactful that scene would've been if we'd gotten to see it from Seong-Sim's perspective in real time in episode 1. It would've gone a long way in showing Seong-Sim's humanity and it would've made us believe in the love she had for her daughter, a love she would continue to hold onto even when she had lost everything else.
Towards the end of the show, it's revealed that multiple people close to Tae-Sang have all betrayed him at one point or another. But we barely know any of these characters or how they all became a part of each other's lives, and that emotional beat is once again lacking. This is what I mean by wasted potential. The show is full of moments like this, moments that should have been compelling and emotional, and could have been, if they've been tied together with a stronger, more cohesive script.
I don't know if you've watched Kingdom, anon, but it executes a similar concept to absolute perfection (in just 12 episodes and 1 movie) by using the supernatural element, zombies, as a vehicle to discuss its broader theme of hunger, both literal and metaphorical (which I've previously written about here and here). If you haven't watched it, I highly recommend it because it's a fantastic show on its own, and if you liked Gyeongseong Creature, I recommend Kingdom even more as an example of how this show could've been so much better than it was.
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GYEONGSEONG CREATURE PART 1 - THE CHARACTERS (PART 2 OF 2)
Part 1 is here
The Characters:
The cast is uniformly awesome. Park Seo-joon's character, Jang Tae-sang starts off as someone who is only concerned about saving his own hide but he infuses his character with so much heart that even in the initial episodes, you end up rooting for him. The show is, very much, his hero's journey, going from someone who only cared about his own survival to one who's willing to risk his own life to protect others.
Han So-hee's character, Yoon Chae-ok was an absolute badass. She was more than capable of handling the shit that came her way. I loved that she was so confident of her abilities, she was excellent at her job. So-hee imbues her character with such deep emotion that you can tell that it's always on the simmer, her desperation warring with the bone-deep dread that her mother is dead. And then the final straw is the soul crushing horror they're confronted with when they infiltrate the hospital and find out what's been going on.
I also liked how the relationship between Tae-sang and Chae-ok developed. They start off at loggerheads with Tae-sang mocking the loss of her mother and Chae-ok seeing him as a profiteer, an opportunist. In a desperate fight for their survival against both the monster and the Japanese forces, they're forced to put aside their differences and work together and this is where they truly shine.
Their conflicting approach, where one is willing to die instead of surrendering and the other is willing to surrender to fight another day is what saves them. Chae-ok's drive to fight and keep fighting even in the face or insurmountable odds is what keeps them going when lesser people would have turned back. Tae-sang's drive to survive, to live is what keeps them alive when faced with near certain death. They fight for each other, taking the lead when the other falters.
I love that for people who seem so fundamentally different, they work so well together, perfectly complementing each other. I also love that when Tae-sang tries to save Chae-ok by asking her to leave, she refuses, she makes it clear that she doesn't need a knight in shining armour but a partner who treats her as their equal.
The other cast members are equally good, especially Kim Hae-sook as Nawol-deak, Tae-sang's 2nd in command. She's his pillar, the only person he can trust to take over the reins in his absence and she more than rises to the occasion. Unlike the others, she's unflappable, capable of thinking on her feet, weighing alternatives and wheeling and dealing the way Tae-sang does. She, like Tae-sang doesn't trust anyone (except Tae-sang.) She knows, only too well, how little it takes to break people, having gone through it herself.
Did anyone else wonder if it was Nawol-deak who gave up information that led to Tae-sang's mother getting arrested? Nawol implies that faced with relentless pain, people are willing to do anything to make it stop. That entire conversation and the flashback that followed, made me think if it was Nawol who finally broke and gave up information about her comrades.
Then there was Choi Young-joon playing Lieutenant General Gato, the most hateful character on the show, followed very closely by Hyun Bong-sik's Ichiro. The absolute lack of humanity they exhibit is far more monstrous than any other monster they could create. I'm pretty sure Gato is a psychopath. His quest to make a monster has nothing to do with patriotism. His military rank is a means to an end, it gives him the power and authority he needs to conduct his experiments with little to no oversight. He doesn't see other people as human beings, they are all, both the soldiers and locals alike, test subjects. The locals are used as lab-rats and monster bait while the soldiers serve to test just how much damage the monster can withstand, it's killing power and finally whether it can think and solve problems. The only thing Gato sees as worthwhile is the monster itself.
I would not be surprised if, in part 2, there was increased tension between Gato and Ichiro. Ichiro sees the monster as a mindless killing machine while to Gato, it's a like piece of art, it's an extension of his own genius and he would not take kindly to another scientist taking over. We saw it in Part 1 when Ichiro tried to train the monster, taking a page out of Ivan Pavlov's experiment, Gato's displeasure at Ichiro inserting himself into his work. This is not a man who shares or tolerates interference of any kind. I see conflict brewing between them that will perhaps be the source of their own downfall.
The other person who was absolutely spellbinding was Kim Soo-hyun as Lady Yukiko Maeda. Her portrayal is just... so intimidating. She's the perfect blend of gentility and menace. She has an ice cold demeanor that unsettles you even as her beauty disarms you and draws you in. By the time the show ends, there is no doubt who has the actual power in the Ishikawa home. This is a woman who will slit your throat and calmly drink tea and watch as you slowly drown in your own blood. it's a chilling portrayal and I can't wait to see more of her in Part 2.
I am excited for Part 2 to see how they close season 1 since season 2 is already in production. We do know that Chae-ok, her father and the rest from The House of Golden Treasure will launch a rescue mission for Tae-sang. I don't think Chae-ok will be content to leave Tae-sang behind, not to mention her mother's monster form is still inside.
Add to that, Myeong-ja is now infected and she will wreak havoc once she transforms (assuming she survives,) she is outside and she's pregnant. With Chae-ok's mother, we can see just how much the Najin caused her to mutate. I have a feeling that Myeong-ja's baby will be a hybrid, even more dangerous than the monster inside the hospital. It's also safe to assume that almost all of the antagonists will survive.
If you're hoping for a clean resolution in the season finale, you're in for disappointment. I have a feeling that the season will end with a broadening of the threat and our heroes will have to contend with not just those despicable scientists, Gato and Ichiro, they will also have the Japanese army after them after Kwon Joon-taek ratted them out.
I'll be happy as long as the season doesn't end with a cliffhanger. Season 2 is scheduled to stream in 2024, so on the plus side, at the very least, it's not a long wait. For now, I shall patiently wait for Part 2 and hope for the best...
#gyeongseong creature#gyeongseong creature part 1#character breakdown#han so hee#park seo joon#kim soo hyun#claudia kim#yukiko maeda#yoon cheo-ok#Jang Tae-sang#horror#kdrama#horror kdrama#kdrama 2023#kdrama meta
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Ngl I feel like some of the reactions regarding Gilchae in episode 17 was a bit unfair and biased, to just over simplify it to just Gilchae still being 'prideful'
I mean... the ONLY reason Gilchae returned to Joseon was because Janghyun told her to do so. Because Janghyun told her that he had grown sick and tired of HER. She LEFT because it's what Janghyun WANTS!
And the whole thing about her living a 'flashy and fashionable' life? That was because Janghyun told her that she should reclaim back her life and live her life the way she used to live. And THAT caused her grievance because she can no longer live that kind of life and show THAT to Janghyun to show that she was living 'well'. THAT should be the reason why she didn't want to show her current state to Janghyun.
Heck, the only reason why she did that trick about still being married and pregnant was because Ryang-eum TOLD her to meet with Janghyun and show him that she was 'doing well' and to make Janghyun give up on her. Gilchae did that because she thought that was what Ryang-eum wanted her to do. Because Ryang-eum told her that Janghyun always gets hurt whenever she was involved. Yet after all of that, Ryang-eum still BLAMES her for so 'easily' letting Janghyun go and for still being 'prideful'. Even when she's doing it for him because Gilchae knows that Ryang-eum didn't like her to see Janghyun!
And THIS is coming from Gilchae who used to LOVE listening to Ryang-eum singing!
It's like people forget that as much as Gilchae do carry herself with confidence, she do still have her own insecurities and fears. I mean, her dad had almost killed her just because he thought that doing that would prove her 'innocence'. Her own sister, ex-husband and other people around her kept asking her if she really had been taken advantage of by the foreign intruders as if that was the only worth that she have and probably wouldn't believe her anyway if she said she fought hard to protect her chastity. Even if nothing really happened to her (as in her being violated sexually and penetratively) people will still see her as 'dirty' just because she had been kidnapped and taken out of Joseon or as much as had her hands or bare skin touched by the foreign intruder. No one would bother to listen to her reasoning as to why she hurt herself and create a scar on her head just to avoid serving someone in bed, much less believe that she fought for her life to protect herself. People would just assume she had been violated already.
Like seriously, how dare Ryang-eum assumed it was so 'easy' for her to let Janghyun go?
She had been abandoned by her ex-husband JUST for that reason alone! Won't Gilchae worry that Janghyun would do the same? The same Janghyun who even caught the interest of a Qing princess? Of course she'd feel that she no longer had any right to pursue Janghyun anymore. Of course she won't think she could still be with Janghyun again as much as she was able to divorce her husband after knowing who was it that she truly love. And Janghyun did say that he'd grown tired and sick of her!
If there was any other pride left in her, it's that she didn't want Janghyun to come for her out of pity. To which Janghyun's confession of love just dispel that last bit of doubt in her.
Like I get it people had feelings for Ryang-eum after the reveal about his past. But that doesn't mean that twit don't still do some selfish things. It doesn't justify the lies that he made as well thinking that Gilchae was the only one that causes bad things to happen to Janghyun.
If not because Janghyun had to care about all of the other captives (because Ryang-eum kept whining abt it; and Ryang-eum don't do anything much afterwards ANYWAY to help those captives go home or even take care of them, he just left that to Janghyun to deal with), Gak-hwa wouldn't have HAD that other leverage to hold on to Janghyun!
Who was it actually being a 'curse' to Janghyun?
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Ok, not only did Moon Dong Eun avenge the villains of this story. She found love afterwards and was able to pursue architecture like she always wanted to. She now dresses freely with her tattoo, proudly showing her scars. She's no longer confined to her trauma. Dong Eun got her revenge AND her happy ending!
Even though she was so convinced that she's a terrible person for wanting revenge, she actually managed to touch the lives of the people around her through simple acts of kindness (empathizing with them for being victims) and those same people came back to support her as well.
It's usually "revenge is bad" this "you got revenge but at what cost" that, but no, she got her revenge AND her and other people's happy ending. Even though it's a dark story about how victims suffer, there's always the underlying message of hope, where they also understand and help eachother. Even if they had to bend the rules to get it, The. Victims. Won. Oh. My. Goodness.
In the end, it wasn't exactly just "revenge," it was also about bringing justice to the victims.
#the glory#the glory season 2#kdrama#moon dong eun#song hye kyo#me speaks#also I love how it also shows that its never too late to pursue what you love just like what Dong Eun did#sometimes things happen but when its time to heal and live your life then its never too late#also I love her tattoo and her newfound confidence shown with the way she dresses#shes just free and not ashamed anymore#tr#meta#ish#my post
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Love for Love's Sake | Things you didn't notice (probably)
Finally, I am watching a good K-BL and can enjoy multi-layered meanings within language, culture and translated subs altogether (unlike with Thai series where I need to learn a new language again xD)
So I'll be pointing out some fun things that I noticed for fellow foreign viewers =) Beware of a long post!
Disclaimer: I'm not fluent in Korean, but I've been learning and using it for years + lived and studied in Korea for a while so I'm offering my perspective and knowledge but it might not be the Ultimate Truth
Episode 1
«I prefer lonely supporting characters instead of happy protagonists. Cha Yeowoon is still unhappy.
...
- Where are you going?
- To see my main (최애). I mean, Cha Yeowoon.»
The word Tae Myungha used to described Cha Yeowoon, as I heard, was actually 최애 (choe-ae). It's a slang that can be translated as "my favourite" and typically is used for K-pop group members, meaning "my bias" (think One True Pairing but One True Person instead). Then, as his fellow classmate gets confused, hearing such word referring to a popular student in their school, Tae Myungha changes to "I mean, Cha Yeowoon", and it works because the word and the name sound similar.
Myungha uses this word because in the intro he stated that Yeowoon is his favourite character in the book out of all. So basically, his first reaction was "- Where are you going? - I'm gonna run to find my blorbo<3", which is so admirable. I'd also get obsessed with making happy my fav side character that was treated unfairly by creators :D
«Kids like chocolate, right? ... (Yeowoon grabs an icecream, Myungha grabs the same, adding with surprise:) Didn't see that coming. Bi-Bi-Big (비비빅)? You eat like an old man.»
What surprised Myungha there? That Yeowoon chose this icecream->
It's a traditional icecream that is made out of red beans. This taste is usually associated with older people (because typically kids like sweet things and older people like less sweet/bland tastes), also red beans or read bean paste is used in many traditional desserts in Korea. Yeah, who would've thought that a high schooler would choose this icecream out of all options?
Later, Myungha gets the message "You can compare Bi-Bi-Big to big Ba-Bum-Bar (another icecream with "old man taste" from chestnuts), why the hell would you eat it?" and gets confused as the message seems missent. I am confused as well, because Myungha wasn't the one choosing this icecream and Yeowoon wasn't typing in his phone. Considering that the phone number is unknown, I can guess that it might be a commentary from the book's author who's watching Myungha playing his story game? Let's figure it out in the next episodes!
«- You eat like an old man.
- Do you play sports?
- No.
- Weird. You're a whiner like I've always heard.
- Kids these days have no manners.»
My quick translation->
«- You eat like an old man.
- Sunbae, do you play sports?
- No.
- Strange. You sound like one of those older jerks (꼰대).
- Kids these days have no manners.»
More on the differences between Tae Myungha and Cha Yeowoon:
Myungha tried to poke Yeowoon about his "old man tastes", and Yeowoon called him out for his conservative/stereotypical thinking.
Yeowoon keeps calling Myungha sunbae (because he knows MH's a senior in their school so he must be polite), and Myungha REALLY TALKS LIKE AN OLD MAN to him ("Kids these days" in the subs does translate this style of speech correctly! I'm glad). We all know he's much older before he was thrown into high school times (~25-30yo?), but his words and intonations really make you feel like he's 50-60yo or something xD
Yeowoon doesn't like this at all, though, so he calls Myungha a sort of derogatory term 꼰대 (kkondae), which is used to described old conservative people who are set in their ways and keep nagging and scolding young people for not behaving properly. And, as a runner, he implies that there are senior sportsmen that are hazing or nagging younger sportsmen like this as well, that's who Myungha reminds him of. No wonder the affection stats fell down in the minus zone so hard!
There you go, guys, these are my comments on the first episode of Love for Love's sake! It is filmed so well, I like the idea, and I really enjoyed it (if this one gets really popular just like Semantic Error, we might get more BLs about gamers or gamedevs and I WILL LOVE IT I am so here for it, hehe)
Stay tuned for more as I watch next episodes :]
#love for love's sake#kdrama#love for love's sake meta#korean bl#bl series#lfls#lfls meta#love for love's sake reaction#dropthemeta#love for love's sake comments
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I have. Something to talk about and its very very VERY important.
We know that last scene of TDJ where its just PEAK yearning but can we PLEASE appreciate the micro-expressions that passed over both Yohan & Gaon's faces when they faced each other DIRECTLY after a MONTH (if im not wrong) of that whole blowing up fiasco + Yohan's arrest before that??????? Because my GOD.
So we see Gaon call Yohan by his Full Government Name™ (which wasn't very wise for a declared dead enemy of the state who is ALSO wanted but we'll let it pass for romanticisms' sake) and look at his face. His face is one of a scared man. He's not hesitant but he is afraid of how Yohan views him after what transpired between them.
In turn, Yohan looks back and well.
He is also somewhat apprehensive. They're both testing each other & the waters they're in. Although Yohan doesn't have a revenge vendetta shackling him down anymore, Gaon, on the other hand, has tremendous stuff to unpack. They're carefully, if not gently, evaluating the distance between them.
And then, Yohan gives a clear sign that he holds nothing against Gaon. An open arm, an open invitation. To join him? Maybe. To decide what to do with them? Perhaps. It's vague but it's also clear that Yohan is done manipulating Gaon & that he has left the ball in Gaon's court.
Then come the positive changes. With Yohan's green signal, Gaon is somewhat relieved but also incredibly guilt-ridden. I think these frames speak for themselves.
The wet smile & the eye crinkles. He is so relieved to be in Yohan's good graces but also just looking at Yohan be his ever glowing self after serving his life's purpose.
Yohan. My dearest Yohan. Look at him. He's equally heart-broken to be seeing Gaon like this, to be leaving him behind but that little nod he does???? Like he's made a decision that he needs to stick with for the betterment of Gaon???? That's what truly gets me. It's so clear the distance between them is hurting him but he also knows that it's necessary to give Gaon space & time, to unravel & to explore things on his own. Perhaps another assumption on his part because who truly knows what Gaon wants except Gaon himself?
Then it's a brief look exchanged. As he turns, giving Gaon one last reassuring smile as he turns and leaves behind one of the most important people to him.
And gaon watches. Look at his micro-expressions here. Look at his breathing. His sagging shoulders. His eyes. His wet smile. His balled hands. His tiny nods.
He also thinks this is necessary but you can so clearly see its taking every bit of nerve & fiber in him to stay rooted to his place & not chase after Yohan. He's DELIBERATELY not taking a single step towards Yohan. He thinks he doesn't deserve to chase after him, that hes content to see Yohan: alive, well and so utterly free. That's all that matters.
I would genuinely like to appreciate both jinyoung and jisung for their acting bcs they NAILED the raw emotions needed for this absolutely stunning yet gut wrenching scene. It's so difficult to convey such complex emotions through such little means yet they did it to PERFECTION. They both gave their characters LIFE. And for that i will always be grateful bcs i dont think anyone else could've done Kang Yohan and Kim Gaon the way they did.
#The devil judge#the devil judge meta#kang yohan#tdj#kim gaon#ji sung#kdrama#gahan#lawful husbands#the devil judge#park jinyoung
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No but guys im having fun imagining dooshik as clumsy man who never been in a relationship before fall for mihyun for the first time he saw her. For her beauty, her ideals, her humanism that he could relate to. He doesnt know how to do with this bizarre feeling, but given the nature of his job, he probably just keep his feeling hidden, unspoken, unknown, hoping he'd forget it someday. Thinking he would never have the chance nor their path would crossed in a normal, original way.
But rather forgetting, someday, he saw mihyun at the office and automatically knows that was the girl he intentionally failed the mission for when he usually done it almost perfectly. He know it at first glance because despite his resolution, her image never leave his mind at all.
At first, he's just glad he got to see her around, and when he see her more frequently and realize she's trying to get his attention he got butterfly inside him, like his logic tell him it's most probably the director's doing and she's just doing her mission, but he can't also erase the excitement of her probably taking interest on him personally (like, the idea of her trying to get his attention with new ways everytime he present is deep down make him insane!) like at first he didn't have courage even to imagine to get close to her, but now that he sees a slight chance to slide into her life he just can't shake the idea off.
imagine everytime he goes to headquarters he keep battling himself, between his heart and his logic. just try to ignore her or willingly fall for her plans. and his heart win. like imagine he rationalize it that he isn't lose to dir. min nor intentionally make himself a weakness, but instead he's going to win her heart, her attention, her time, her affection, which will become his safe haven, an oasis, that he decide it's worth than anything else. so he muster up his courage, try to shoot his chance and finally walk towards her. (all while preparing bunch of coins that he collect everytime he comes around to the office but never really got to use them because his numerous hesitations).
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thinking about the emotional show-down between Su-min and Ji-won in ep 13 of Marry My Husband and again considering what my problem was with the narrative turn in ep 12.
Su-min's grudge is incredibly petty and yet world-swallowing to her. What she covets (to go back in time when she felt secure & loved & safe at home with her parents; to have a father who put her first; to take everything Ji-won has and stuff it inside the gaping hole in herself until she stops feeling empty) is so impossible to obtain.
The secret resentment in the heart of a friend. The abandonment by a parent. Verbally abusive in-laws. Husbands neglecting their cancer-stricken wives. Shitty self-absorbed bosses.
Min Hwan's snivelling cowardice and how he uses misogyny to paper over his insecurities. His bursts of frustrated violence.
Yeah it's a melodrama with exaggerated personas. But the focus has been all every-day threats and villians that regular people might face. It's all happening in our world.
Yu-ra comes in with her rich people bullshit.
And now we're outside the world most of us occupy. It's not callously waiting for sick wife to die from her cancer, it's not pushing someone through a table in the heat of the moment in an argument. Suddenly trillions of dollars are at stake and huge amounts of real estate is switching hands and people are being paid off as hitmen. Companies pull out from their project. Merger/stock contracts and chaebol powerplays.
I'm not saying I don't watch rich people bullshit modern dramas. I do! But the very particular psychosis that Su-min is expressing here just feels 100x more engaging and authentic than whatever girlboss gatekeep crap Yu-ra is trying to make happen.
Her influence is pulling things out of the realm of every-day horrors, including my pet villains. (ノ-_-)ノ ミ ┴┴
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Do you guys ever like sit in the kitchen minding your business and then
"Beyond Evil is a story about love. Family love, sibling love, platonic love and even romantic love (yes, yes, even this one). The abundance of love and lack of love. How it saves and fails to save. It heals and it hurts. How love can rot and spoil everything around you. And how it can bloom in the darkest of places".
or is it just me?
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my god the wasted potential of tomorrow is just staggering
for a show that centered around suicide, i initially thought it was admirable the way they handled the subject matter by treating these stories with compassion and understanding (especially considering korea’s high suicide rate) but by the halfway mark, it just felt gross and voyeuristic to keep watching so much suffering and it frankly feels a bit irresponsible that all the cases were magically solved by a heartfelt conversation as opposed to any onscreen professional help
i also found joong-gil’s disdain for people who committed suicide to be extremely shitty and unnecessary, like i get it was part of his backstory but considering the show’s message was about hope and lifting these people out of despair, hearing this character say that people who commit suicide deserve to go to hell because they’ve committed the ultimate sin just feels needlessly cruel and directly at odds with the show’s core message
and on that note, the whole “suicide severs your red thread of fate” thing did not sit well with me either and i was digging into the general mythology around the red string of fate and couldn’t find anything about this so i think the show may have made that up, which also seems unnecessary - like, so much of the show was about showing compassion and kindness to people in their darkest moments but then the same show has this rule that harshly punishes people who commit suicide?? i felt like this show ended up undermining its own message, like yes, people who are suicidal should be treated with understanding and empathy but at the same time if you do commit suicide, fuck you go to hell and never see your loved ones again even in your next life
and then we get to the pacing and i have to scream because they had 16 episodes to weave in the reapers’ backstories but instead we got a handful of breadcrumbs about ryeon and had to wait until the last 3 episodes to get the full ryeon/joong-gil backstory, meanwhile they spent a whole ass episode on a suicidal DOG and don’t get me wrong that episode did make me cry but it also felt incredibly contrived and unnecessary and they gave ryung-gu 2 episodes to get closure with his mom yet ryeon and joong-gil only had the final episode to work through their centuries of baggage and they only had one convo about it???!?
and i know kdramas love connecting all their characters with a tidy bow but was it seriously necessary for jun-woong’s previous life to be tied to the old woman who had been a comfort woman during the war and also why would he reincarnate while she was still alive and could recognize him like that just made no sense to me and gave me terrible flashbacks to born again (which was another tragic waste of lee soo hyuk, sir, please get a better agent)
i have a specific issue with that episode in particular because while it was incredibly moving and important to give those women a voice, i felt like the show kind of cheapened that impact by tying in jun-woong’s backstory and then showing the same thing happening to ryeon centuries earlier. for one thing, i don’t think we needed that parallel to remember that women have been suffering for centuries (we been knew sis!) and for another, the story had enough weight and gravitas to stand on its own without tying it into the main characters. and we saw in episode 6 with the old soldier how effective the show was at honoring that man’s sacrifice and life and i just really wish they’d done the same with jeong-mun and yun-i’s case as well and focused on them instead of using that story as a vehicle for the main characters.
also i HATED ryung-gu’s nose-picking tick and i absolutely HATE that they wrote it into his backstory like bruhhhhh why the fuck was that necessary to make his gross habit an actual plot point
AND ANOTHER THING!! they really had lee soo hyuk and kim hee sun as reincarnated tragic lovers and barely gave them any scenes together and had lee soo hyuk as a grim reaper and hardly gave him any screentime at all like what the fuuuuuuck what a goddamn waste
to be fair, i did really like the main team and i thought the first half was effective and poignant but it fully fell apart for me in the second half and i hate how rushed the ending was
kdrama writers i am BEGGING you to learn how to properly pace a show please for the love of god it is 2022 we cannot be doing these sloppy and rushed 2000s-era endings anymore
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The Nature of Do-young and Dong-soo's Relationship
To start, I want to bring up how Do-young himself categorises their relationship, comparing it to Moon Sang-guk and Kim Jae-yeol.
This in itself is interesting because it shows just how aware and conscious he is of how closely they mirror their enemies. But what's even more interesting is the framing of this moment and this scene in general. Do-young and Dong-soo are sitting down, side by side, equal in height and distance. But does this mean that their relationship is now balanced? No and this is enforced by Do-young's answer to Dong-soo's question.
"They're like us. An attorney and a client."
By bringing up their roles in their relationship, Do-young emphasises the power dynamic in their partnership. Dong-soo is his attorney, hired by him to serve the his [the client's] needs. The same way that it may seem like Moon Sang-guk and Kim Jae-yeol have equal levels of power, it's clear who wields the sword and who buckles beneath it's weight.
This is made even more clear throughout the episode as we see Dong-soo coming up with clever plans to further the success of Do-young's business. However, unlike in previous episodes, Dong-soo receives verbal praise and recognition from Do-young, an act that pleases Dong-soo and continues to embolden him throughout the episode, leading him to make more daring moves on behalf of their joint goal.
One of these daring acts is when Dong-soo decides to visit Kim Jae-yeol in hospital in order to increase his distrust in Moon Sang-guk. However, this visit leads to Dong-soo almost losing his own life as he gets attacked by Jae-yeol's bodyguard. But while Dong-soo tries to fight him off, who comes to his rescue, who saves him from near death?
Do-young.
This singular moment bares so much significance in their relationship because this act is not only intimate, it's personal. Not only is this filmed in such a way to reflect this but Dong-soo's expression communicates just how pivotal this was!
In the past, Do-young has sent Oh-jae, his right-hand man, to save Dong-soo from a rival gang's attempts to hurt him. But for the man himself to come down from his throne and personally prevent such an attack speaks volumes. But what's interesting about this scene is their power dynamic remains unchanged. Do-young doesn't even help Dong-soo up, he looks down on him, fixing him into submission by a mere glance, a powerful gaze.
This formidable control that Do-young has over Dong-soo is shown throughout the episode. From Do-young's mere presence being a motivation for Dong-soo to brutally beat up the Family Gang's leader, and his need for Do-young's validation inspiring him to take even more dangerous risks.
But the moment that enforces this the most for me is how Dong-soo reacts when Do-young answers his phone call. Now after learning that Kim Jae-yeol's arrest was suspended, Do-young ignores Dong-soo's call earlier in the episode, punishing him for failing to achieve their plans. But later on, when Dong-soo calls him again, Do-young picks up and this is how Dong-soo reacts.
Not only was Dong-soo holding his breath as the phone was ringing, but when he hears that he's been connected, Dong-soo inhales deeply, almost out of relief, as if this mere action was a gift from God, a sign that he was back in his good graces.
This hold that Do-young has on him is even further enforced when Beom-jae warns him that the gangster is using him for his own goals, to which Dong-soo replies:
"So what? To catch Moon Sang-guk, I need Seo Do-young too."
Dong-soo acknowledges that he's being used and accepts it, the same way that he accepts Do-young's gifts, which he was given even more of in this episode! And it's this power dynamic based on validation and submission that is at the core of their relationship.
Dong-soo allows himself to be moulded into whatever Do-young desires/needs and in return Do-young gives Dong-soo special treatment, allowing him to make decisions on behalf his business and share his power. And it's these components of their partnership that keep them balanced and their relationship intact. Both of them know their roles and the mutual benefits they receive from their alliance. It's this awareness that will keep them together and help them to become stronger than their enemies. (at least I hope🥺️😭)
#hope you enjoyed this meta#i just love exploring their relationship!#it's so interesting!#evilive#evillive#biography of a villain#shin ha kyun#kim young kwang#seo do young#han dong so#kdrama#ena#genie tv
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The only thing I gonna fuss abt Queen of Tears last 2 eps is... was how dumb the cops and prosecutors here... or maybe Eunsung bought them off or they only cared about winning a case or capturing their 'supposed' criminals and not caring whether or not someone was innocent or was framed of smtg.
Like Hyunwoo made a good point about how he argued why the 'murder weapon' was so conveniently placed why the murder seemed so sloppy like if Hyunwoo really killed the guy why left so much traces behind etc
Also it does seem that the prosecution WAS aware that there's a possibility of Hyunwoo's inocence yet they still clutching at straws...i gonna assume thet got bought off 😃
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The Glory: my thoughts so far
Broke: I love you.
Woke: I will k1ll for you.
So I'm watching this show called "The Glory" it's about a girl named Moon Dong Eun who's plotting to get revenge on her high school classmates and teacher who bullied her, and by bullying I mean (extremely violent mental and physical abuse, which left her body disfigured, and her life ruined)
And I gotta say, THE REVENGE PLOT IN THIS SHOW IS REALLY SATISFYING SO FAR
There's already so much media that vilifies bully victims, so SEEING A BULLY VICTIM AS THE MAIN CHARACTER THAT WE ARE ROOTING FOR IS SO REFRESHING.
I haven't watched that many kdramas but this is also the reason why I appreciated Gangnam Beauty, bc just like The Glory, both the female leads are
not vilified by the narrative for their unconventional choices, (Kang Mi-rae for her plastic surgery and now Moon Dong Eun for her revenge). In The Glory, the the trauma Dong Eun had to endure while being abused by her classmates and teacher was portrayed in a very sympathetic light, and the story instead pins the blame on the people and the circumstances that led her to make those choices. Not to mention her bullies live good lives but continue to be terrible people with NO REMORSE for their actions even in adulthood, so while Dong Eun's revenge is still morally questionable, it is also VERY understandable.
Another thing I LOVE is how realistic Dong Eun's revenge plot is executed. The show and the Dong Eun herself is aware of the disadvantages she has (with the laws and all) and so she carefully executes her revenge in the way that she doesn't have to get her hands dirty. WHICH MAKES THE REVENGE TO THESE TERRIBLE PEOPLE ALL THE MORE SATISFYING! Remember that teacher who abused her? Yeah, She orchestrated his son to kill him, by simply confessing what the teacher did to her (bc she knows how much their family values reputation) HONESTLY QUEEN, LOVE THAT FOR HER! (also the irony that she also became a teacher like him except better, and is actually kind to her students)
And this show isn't exactly the usual "ReVENGe is BAd!! DOn't throw away your life for reVEnge!!" In fact, most of Dong Eun's allies actually support her because they understand just how evil her former highschool bullies are that they needed to be punished.
Which leads to the scene with Dong Eun and her love interest Ju Yeo-jeong. When she first confessed how she was planning revenge against her bullies, Yeo-jeong thought it was just some light bullying, until she undressed and showed the disfigured scars littered across her body. Yeo-jeong being a doctor, saw her scars and understood how much she suffered that he wept. He went from telling her not to pursue revenge to declared that he is willing to be her accomplish hence this scene.
MURDEROUS VENGEFUL COUPLE, Love that for them. They probably won't come out of this unscathed, but I really want them to WIN and get a happy ending, idk if that's too much to ask for. 😩😩😩😩
#The glory#kdrama#THIS IS WHY I HAVE UNREALISTIC EXPECATIONS WITH MEN JKJK#spoilers#me speaks#meta#analysis#i guess#lee do hyun#song hye kyo#netflix#also sorry for the massive word dump but I haven't seen much discussion for this show yet#so someones gotta do it LOL
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Love for Love's sake | Things you didn't notice #2
I had these guys for two (2) episodes and I'm already insane about them, no joke.
That said, the second episode was a bit less rich in terms of hidden cultural or language meanings, but I found some untranslated stuff and wordplay! So let's dig in 👀🧭
// Language+Cultural comments for LfLs Episode 1 is here //
Episode 2
Messages that Myungha texted to Yeowoon after their first meeting:
[Yeowoon-ah, sleep well^^] (affectionately, btw YW called MH kkondae again for using old ^^ emoji lmao don't call us out I love using it too)
(my screenshot doesn't have the best quality so I can't read this one:()
[You're already sleeping?]
[Are you really sleeping?]
[You have to answer!!!]
[I guess, you really are sleeping, have a good night^^]
[I'm gonna text you tomorrow again!!!]
[Good morning!! Lol lol]
[Did you sleep well, Yeowoon-ah?^^]
Lmao, he is so annoying (affectionately).
Since the debuff was all three guys eating extremely spicy food, Myungha offers both Kyunghoon and Yeowoon water. Later, the two of them are outside and you can see Myungha caring about Yeowoon once again, asking him whether he was alive and bringing him "delicious milk".
It's nothing special, but if your country's cuisine doesn't really have spicy food (like mine), finding out that the best defence against spicy food is milk and not water usually is a surprise.
«What's this? You're here to bully Senior Glasses (안경형)?»
And this is where I laughed :D The writers of this show are funny because they keep playing with character's names. In my previous post I talked about how Cha Yeowoon's name got used along with the term "my favourite".
And here, Sangwon shows that he has a nickname for Ahn KyungHoon (안경훈) as Ahnkyung Hyung (안경형), which translates to "Hyung with glasses" aka "Senior Glasses". (Hyung means "older brother/older male friend" in Korean)
So writers literally hid "Glasses" in the surname+name of the character wearing, well, glasses. I don't think it's a cheap move because he is literally a character from the book and other characters-bullies get to use the wordplay. At first I didn't even realize it because I read Ahn as a surname and Kyunghoon as a name, but if you read it all together, there are glasses (ahnkyung) inside 😅
That's it for Episode 2 comments from me! I'm glad you guys are having fun with my notes~
#love for love's sake#kbl#korean bl#kdrama#lfls#love for love's sake meta#love for love's sake comments#korean language#language shenanigans#bl series#dropthemeta
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One thing we know about TDJ is that it's INCREDIBLE when it comes to foreshadowing and parallels and while i was rewatching this scene i noticed this:
Interestingly, the professor literally quotes Yohan's mindset when it comes to the corrupt justice system here. Yohan LITERALLY says later on "There's no justice in real. It is all just a wicked unfair game."
Which tells me that he DOES agree with Yohan, he just doesn't agree with his ways. But then he goes on about how Yohan has illogical rulings & stances and has passed weird impractical laws. Which has no substance, only Bias and i really like that Gaon is witty enough to recognize that little undercurrent of dislike & tinted passive aggressiveness the professor has for Yohan.
Onto Gaon's intuition and his ability to understand the subtext here. I like that he recognizes that MJH not only despises Yohan, he also harbors injustifiable abbhorence for his ways which further leads to him suggesting that Gaon infiltrate Yohan's space, that too, not just by playing spy but by being Yohan's JUDAS.
Judas who was one of the most important people to Jesus, a companion, a devotee, a lover, a lifeline. and because he was so much, his betrayal wounded all the deeper, fatal even.
Gaon is aware that his professor is not only asking him to dig dirt on Yohan but to actually INDULGE & blend into Yohan's life to find his ultimate weakness (that is so fucking gay OMFG im trying to stay sane, wise and political here but jfc, pun intended). For him to actually UNDERSTAND and USE the word of Judas for his role is so. Yeah. Okay. Let me take a moment here.
Additionally, i would also like to point out THIS foreshadowing.
Even as Gaon & the Professor essentially stand on the same side rn, they are still standing at odds with each other IN Yohan's court, faces away, eyes set at different points, different goals.
While the professor is looking at the Balance (symbol of justice), Gaon is gazing into the darkness, a void unbeknownst to him, a field he is not certain of, unbiased yet unafraid.
Which basically translates to how they will oppose each other & that force which will compel them to disagree with each other is going to be none other than Kang Yohan.
I just really. Love this bit. And i was so gagged when i watched it so i had to come and talk about it hehe.
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One of the biggest and most interesting parts about JaeWon is that EunJi obviously knows he's attracted to JiHyun and everyone has already begun to assume their relationship and that their biggest problem with JaeWon's sexuality is that it reveals to them that he's wearing a mask around them. That so many of them, who assumed that he was straight and that they knew everything about him, are realizing that the JaeWon they know is a mask and how most of them cannot accept that and will fight at every turn to force the mask to stay on even as it cracks, even as it destroys him, because it makes them more comfortable.
JiHyun's friends take him coming out as him trusting them and as part of him while JaeWon's friends see any change to himself as a threat to their image of him.
#the eighth sense#the eighth sense the series#the 8th sense#jaewon x jihyun#ji hyun x jae won#bl drama#bl series#korean bl drama#korean drama#kdrama#korean series#koreanbl#korean bl#the eighth sense meta#the 8th sense meta#korean drama meta#like this hit me like a asteriod ahahaha
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