mashii271
Some may think Their Distance is a bit boring, even members of NU'EST outright said that the only time they got to watch it was when it got premiered and they hadn't touched on it ever since. I agree it does require your patience, but I finished in one attempt and didn't see it as a waste of time at all.
The pace of the movie is relatively slow, and there are not many lines as well. Most of the time the characters just basically stare at each other. A lot of the scenes were repetitive, as I personally would prefer a new perspective or another way to execute them to not make them feel bland whatsoever. The plot is told from the third-person pov, so they don't explore much on characters' deeper thoughts and emotions, though I would like to see more. The film focuses on an art-y vibe so the colors feel nice and warm but there is also a lack of angles, many scenes were shot quite far away from our sight while I wanted to get a closer look.
The story centers around a handful of young adults, both Koreans and Japanese dealing with their own hardships and love. It's pleasing to see how the relationships among them unfold to notice that they all are connected to one another. All the problems the characters were getting through are all resolved at the end, almost nothing was left unanswered. It's also nice to see how love can change someone.
The cast is mediocre, but the setting isn't that enormous anyway so they match well. Of course the Japanese cast was better at doing their job (since they have been actors for a while), but the NU'EST guys didn't do bad either. It was quite convincing considering that was the first time they participated in a film. I personally adores Ren's acting so I am pleased to see how far he has gone (he's doing more musicals recently and his skills are definitely improving). It was also kinda funny how Baekho and Aron were given like 5 lines each and then they just vanished from the whole movie.
The music though, it was minimal at best, almost non-existent at worst. The lack of bgm sort of resulted in the quiet atmosphere. I would like to sprinkle a track here and there to boost emotions.
In conclusion, there is not much to expect here but the movie can be considered slightly above average when it comes to quality. If you like to see NU'EST guys acting and have a good time then this could be quite enjoyable.
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This review may contain spoilers
Heartwarming, stress relief.
The show is a definite yes from me.Because it's under the slice-of-life category, the story doesn't have any shocking twist, it was relatable and real instead. It revolves around a group of adult friends, 3 men in a comedy group set to disband, a hard core fan of them and her sister (one of the guys' girlfriend appeared more frequently later in the show as well). The ending is built up to be bittersweet from the very beginning. Each of the character has their own backstory, struggles and distinct personality, which makes them unique - no one is a waste of time.
The acting is excellent. Everyone did their job well, turning the characters into actual people, those we can look into and reflect ourselves in their existence. I personally relate to Rihoko, so I guess you can, too, find someone with whom you can resonate your feelings. The atmosphere of the series became incredibly lively thanks to the cast.
The show is also packed with life lessons, about relationships, maturing, that sometimes you have to let go what you love because life is harsh and you have more important things to take care of, but that doesn't mean you can't live with your passions.
Long story short, it was a light-hearted, lesson-packed watch.
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Okay
This is my first time giving a review, so it could be quite messy and unnecessarily lengthy. I'm halfway in, but I believe my thoughts are likely to stay the same until the show ends. I'll elaborate my rating for each category as below:Story: 7.5/10
You probably read the synopsis in advance. Now back to my review.
The plot has a fine setup and the mystery factor tie into. Definitely not a simple one, but you can go along with it. You don't have to squeeze until the very last drop of your brain to connect the dots. The clues are quite in your face so you can guess some secrets right beforehand, even if it's a few seconds to an actual reveal on screen. But still, there are rooms to speculate and sometimes things turned out completely different from what some had theorized. Overall, it is unexpected and complex, but it's not crazy whatsoever.
About the romance factor, the relationships among the characters play out well, you can see the dynamics work. The love lines are still in the developing process as of ep. 10, but the love triangles do be a bit exhausting at times (yes, there are more than one.)
The script itself sometimes makes the execution fall flat for many details in the show. I can't specifically say which, but there are occasions when I felt some ideas can be explored further or given with a better explanation. Some scenes such as Park Jin and Miss Kim's bickering were extended longer than I preferred.
Acting: 9/10
To be frank, the acting is quite solid and convincing. Many of the cast are experienced and it's believable for them to pull off a good act. Even the so-called "idol actors" such as Minhyun and Arin both have the potentials and are capable to go further if they continue to improve themselves. The chemistry between the two leads, Jaewook and Somin is very over the place, which makes the dynamics of their relationship more real, hence why I ship their characters hard. Everyone has the visual and is talented as well. Perfect cast.
Music: 7.5/10
There is nothing much to say here, the tracks are played here and there, they definitely push the emotions, but they are not outstanding and leave no impressions to me. I personally would not look them up and listen to them.
Rewatch value: 5/10
Maybe I just rate this in a 50/50 way because I'm neutral about this. I'm not someone who rewatch shows, so I think I can't speak for the rest.
So that wraps up my overall thoughts about the series. You should give it a watch if you are interested in the fantasy genre and want to have a show as an escapism. It's a weekly show as well, so you can take breaks between the episodes to let it sink in. Hope you'll have a good watch!
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