Soul Survivors - AoS Concludes

AoS-2 is a seamless continuation of S1. It picks up about 3 years after the dramatic events of S1's close.

They switch up the FL and she's got a very different personality than our S1 FL. She's also suffering from memory loss which explains part of the change.

As the show opens it appears that they've spent a lot of money on the special effects. It's quite beautiful. The music is top tier also. Blue Flower by LIA is Shazamable. Aching, by Kassy, is too, as is I′m Sorry. by Ailee, and Raindrops, by Gummy.

AoS doesn't take itself seriously. In S2 I would have preferred for them to go lofty, but they opted to go lower - they get more nonsensical than I would prefer. It's still a fantastic watch.

If I wasn't already familiar with Chinese fantasy, I may not have had those thoughts. Chinese fantasy, despite its often clunky special effects, is arguably the best in the world, and AoS has Chinese influence written all over it. If you like it, alchemize your watch list to include these amazing Cdramas:
Heavenly Sword and Dragon Slaying Saber 9-Kung-fu!,
Eternal Love-8.3,
Douluo Continent 9.4;
Handsome Siblings 8.7;
Ancient Love Poetry 8.6;
The Sleepless Princess 9.1;
The Romance of Tiger and Rose 9.8,
Love Between Fairy and Devil 8.9,
Love and Redemption-10

AoS-2 drops off slightly from S1, but it is a solid conclusion to the popular show. I wrote more about it in my S1 review.

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Shifters Grifters Drifters & Heart Lifters °7.9° °Excellent°

Being the King's son has only brought Jang Uk misery and danger. Why? The Alchemy of souls. The name itself is a riddle. It is a spell that switches souls and bodies... and it's forbidden: We can't letl the bodies of the rich, young, beautiful and gifted all be stolen by people who know the spell, afterall. As AoS opens, the king is dying. He knows his mage is mastering the spell, so he demands that the mage switch bodies with him, as the king is determined to produce a royal heir. Jang Uk is that heir. He's got the DNA of the mage, whose body fathered him. The man who took over that body is really the one who created him, yet, they have no DNA in common. It's almost like Jang Uk has no father, which is kind of sad. Nevertheless, according to the maxims of AoS, Jang Uk is of the royal line. Even though the King's star, which marks the birth of a future king, appeared in the sky several months after the King's passing, the court believes the king died childless. Another man becomes king, another child becomes the crown prince, and the mage is forced to raise a child that isn't his.

While this is going on, an assassin has also been born. She (Naksu) wasn't actually /born/ a ruthless kiler; she was made. After her family was killed, a master adopted her with the intent to transform her into a killing machine. Over the years, She was fed pain and pressure until her bloodlust raged. The more skilled she became, the more difficult she was to control. Once she breaks free of her captors and starts mucking around, her quest for revenge against those who wronged her, coupled with her past crimes, land her on the most wanted list. As she's hunting, she's /being/ hunted - relentlessly. In fact, in ep1, she only escapes death by switching bodies via the AoS spell. Her emergent escape is incomplete, however: Her soul now resides in the body of a blind, weak woman named Mu-Deok, and Mu-Deok is not free. Mu-Deok is a slave - a slave that has just been sold. Who bought her? A mage. This mage is a near powerless man who's had his magical energy sealed from the day of his birth. Though his family is privileged, he lives as a lower class being in a world of powerful mages. What makes it worse is that his parentage is always questioned. His father has never acknowledged him, so the general perception is that he's a b@$tard. What's his name? Jang Uk.

Thus they meet. Jang Uk quickly realizes she has abilities and knowledge that he desperately needs. In private she becomes his tutor - his master. In public, she's his servant.

What's so marvelous about AoS? Director Park Joon Hwa has brought us hit after hit, such as Because This Is My First Life-7.7, What's Wrong with Secretary Kim-6.8, and Touch Your Heart-8.2. He does not disappoint here. The filming is gorgeous. The sets, art, and costumes are impressive. A poetry book with blank pages becomes a scene of lofty elegance. Jank Uk's azure robe is resplendent. It's one visual sensation after another.

The acting is everyday Kdrama - it's excellent. Lee Jae Wook (Do Do Sol Sol La La Sol, When the Weather Is Fine-9) is the ML. Give him his Grade-A Korean Beef sticker. He's just another everyday Korean male lead. 'Everyday' means looking very (VERY!) fine, likely very tall, with a rich baritone voice, and excellent acting skills. Per Capita, Korea trounces Hwood when it comes to cranking them out. Jung So Min (The Smile Has Left Your Eyes, Love Next Door) is S1's Mu-Deok. (Lee Jae Wook's head is twice the size of hers. It's unsettling to look at). In flashbacks, her character is deadly serious. In her new form we gradually see that she's clever, moody, and always ready with a quip. She has a dry wit, a no-nonsense manner, and she's rather likable. When she's fighting back tears it's a nifty bit of acting. The pair's interaction is tangible. Mu-Deok must also have an overload of pheromones because she catches every guy's attention. I must say that Oh Na Ra (Racket Boys-8.3, My Mister-9.5) who plays maidservant Kim (a mother figure to JU) and Park So Jin (Sh**ting Stars, The King: Eternal Monarch-8) who runs the guesthouse/bar in town are both adorable. Oh my, the Crown Prince's voice is divine. It's impossible for me to dislike the prince because Shin Seung Ho (from Moment at Eighteen) is so pitch-perfect. {Before we get into it further, if you're watching this with the English language dubbing, you're missing some beautiful voices, particularly the men. You're also missing half of the performance. If that's the only way you can tolerate it, then it's better than not seeing AOS at all, but try an episode in the original language and see how it goes. Subtitle proficiency often takes mere moments.}

There's laughs. An attempted book burning ends up as a lark. Half of the jokes are connected to one mage's tea. Some would rather turn to stone than give up their libido. Jang Uk and Mu-Deok are on the run and hide out at this master's place for a spell. This powerful master's secret is his chaste tea, which negates one's sex-drive. Jang Uk decides to give the brew a try and becomes a happy little busy bee. So busy. So SO happy. Working and chumming around with his new master; they're just two bros having a great day. Mu-Deok is irritated, but she can't figure out exactly why. When that tea runs out, things do get tangled. One must have a libido to understand true desperation and sadness, it seems.

The soundtrack is magical. In S2 I shazamed Blue Flower by LIA, Aching by Kassy is too, I′m Sorry by Ailee, and Raindrops by Gummy. There's a bar / guesthouse scene with wonderfully original music that takes me right to Mos Eisley Cantina in Star Wars. There's even some cool rock riffs here and there.

There's also love and bittersweet loss.

The best thing about AoS, though, is how it does Chinese fantasy! The screenwriters are Hong Mi Ran Hong & Jung Eun who collaborated on Hotel del Luna-8.4, My Girlfriend Is a Gumiho, and more. These writers have already revealed their fascination with Chinese culture in A Korean Odyssey-7.2, which they based on the ancient Chinese work, Journey to the West. If you like AoS, just be aware that this show is pretty much a Chinese fantasy piece with Korean touches sprinkled everywhere. Despite some clunky special effects, China does amazing fantasy. AoS has more showmanship (or flare), and a kitschy sauciness that departs from the elegance that China breathes out, but the fact that the writer and director got inspiration from China is undeniable.

AoS could be improved upon. I love actress Jung So Min in Because This Is My First Life. Initially, she didn't seem like the best fit for Mu-Deok. The spark was missing, perhaps? I couldn't pin it down. It became clear that it is the writing and direction that falls short, not her performance. The story fails when it comes to fully realizing her character and motivations. Her personality is ill-defined as are her internal struggles. JU's early attraction to Mu-Deok, before he realizes what's going on, is played for cheap grins. it's slightly off and takes away from the grace of the show. The bad guys should have been scarier. The FL is flipped over to Go Youn Jung (of The School Nurse Files-7.6 & Law School-8) in S2. She has no memories and he doesn't recognize her, so they need to fall in love all over again. It should have been awesome, but their delivery is barely above average. After wondering if Jung So Min was right for the role, I ended up missing her quite a bit in S2. Finally, they are inconsistent with the rules they laid down, especially in S2.

I'm sincerely a fan of these writers. Anything with their names on it is a draw for me. My love for them is warm and cozy but not ‘Firebird hot,’ to borrow from the show. Sci-fi/fantasy is my favorite genre (they are commonly lumped together as one genre though they are actually quite different from eachother, but there's no need to get into that now). The Sci-fi fantasy genre is not one for dummies. The best authors are masters of intricate world-building with everything fitting together like a hand-crafted 1-second repeating pocket watch - Parameters are laid down and strictly adhered to - The lows are heartbreaking - The highs are euphoric. AoS isn't like that. Its weakest link is the writing. More for fun, AoS doesn't take itself seriously. Besides the levity, there's a fair amount of sheer stupidity. With a perpetually average IQ, they stay in the shallow end, while I would have preferred the series to carry more weight. It manages to stay in an acceptable range (Look at the ratings! People are crazy about it!). A lower degree-of-difficulty does lower the maximum score, though. The writing prevents my fingers from going beyond a 7.9. Just can't do it. But I still liked it very much.

If you like AoS, alchemize your watch list to include these amazing Cdramas: Heavenly Sword and Dragon Slaying Saber 9-Kung-fu!,
Eternal Love-8.3,
Douluo Continent 9.4;
Handsome Siblings 8.7;
Ancient Love Poetry 8.6;
The Sleepless Princess 9.1;
The Romance of Tiger and Rose 9.8,
Love Between Fairy and Devil 8.9,
Love and Redemption-10


QUOTES~》

If you're not going to do anything, just die.

Evil always does what it wants without ever stopping. Why does virtue always have to prove itself over and over again?

RATINGS
Directing 8
Writing 7.4
Acting 8,
Romance 6
Flutters 5
Art 9.3
Sound & music 8
Ending 8.4

LEVELS
Warmth 5
Action/ Excitement 7
Laughs 4
Tears 4
Fright 4
Tension/Anxiety 3.5
Gore 4
Thought provocation 4
Snores 0

Age 12+
Scary elements violence gore

S2 language b@$+@rd, $h!+

Re-watch? Likely

Kdrama romances with a fantasy element:

My Only Love Song 8.7 ~ excellent comedy,
Mr. Queen 8.5,
The Legend of the Blue Sea-7.2,
Live Up To Your Name-7.6,
Oh My Ghost 10,
The Bride of Habaek-7

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Guardians, Old Souls, & Outlaw Gods °6.7° °good f/u to AwtG2W°

Rated 85 on AWiki, AwtG49 is a 2018, 141-minute continuation of Along with the Gods: The Two Worlds. It picks up right where the first left off.

As the flick starts out, we learn that one of the Guardians has to go on trial for crimes that he committed while protecting our protagonist in the first film. (Who knew the Afterlife was so litigious? It's Hell, indeed). The other reapers are tasked with collecting a soul that's been protected well past his death date by an outlaw god, Sung Joo Shin (played by the adorable Ma Dong-Seok). God-Sung won't let the old man die before his orphan grandson graduates from school. Speaking of orphans, Korean features aren't kind to them and this trend continues here, sadly.

AwtG2W follows Kim Ja-Hong, a fireman who dies in the line of duty. When he reaches the Gate of the Afterlife, where he can be reincarnated after completing seven trials: betrayal, violence, filial piety, murder, indolence, deceit, and injustice.

Much of the cast here is the same as AwtG2W. Why mess with excellence? Cha Tae-Hyun (Narco-Saints, Assassination,1987: When the Day Comes) is the lead, Kim Ja-Hong. Cha Tae Hyun (Team Bulldog: Off-duty Investigation, Moving) portrays Kim Ja Hong. The dolorous Ju Ji Hoon (Kingdom-8.3, Blood Free-8.5, Team Bulldog: Off-duty Investigation) is Hae Won Maek. Kim Hyang Gi (Innocent Witness, Salon De Nabi) plays Duk Choon, and the wonderful Ma Dong Seok (The Bros-7.4, Train to Busan-7.8, The Roundup, Bad Guys) plays outlaw deity Sung Joo Shin. Lee Jung Jae, the lead of Squid Game, portrays King Yum Ra God of Death. The screenwriter/director is Kim Yong Hwa (200 Pounds Beauty-6.5, The Moon).

AwtG49 is, all-around, more of the same. Same strengths, same weaknesses. Its biggest deductions come from a failure to fully explore its potential emotional range. The fighting is excellent with a particularly grand battle scene. The cinematography is beautiful. It's a great movie-night-movie.

If you enjoy fantasy, even though China is often guilty of sub-standard special effects, they still put out the best stuff in the world. Anyone who enjoys the AwtG films should like Douluo Continent-9.4 and Handsome Siblings-8.7 even more.


QUOTE〰

Those who meet must part at some point.


Re-watch? It's not unlikely

Age 14+ Language: PG-13 language, probably less than 5 occurrences.


In order of ~lite&trite~ to ~heavy&serious~ you may also like:

Crash Landing On You 9.1;
Oh My Ghost 10;
It's Okay Not To Be Okay 9;
My Mister 9.5;

Period -
C: Overlord 8.4,
Under the Power 8.6,
The Rebel Princess 9.1,
The Sword and the Brocade 8.6 (in ancient Chinese opera style),
The Rise of Phoenixes 9
K:
My Only Love Song 8.7 excellent comedy;
Mr. Queen 8.5;
My Sassy Girl 8.5; Saimdang-8.5,
The King's Affection 8.3;
Mr. Sunshine 9

Fantasy
K: Alchemy of Souls-8.3,

C: Love Between Fairy & Devil 8.9;
Ancient Love Poetry 8.6;
Love and Redemption 10

Thrills -
C: Heavenly Sword and Dragon Slaying Saber 9-Kung-fu!;
K:
Mystic Pop-up Bar-8.2, K2 8; Uncanny counter season-1 only °S1-8.4 S2-4,
Private Lives 8.1;
Sisyphus 8;
Tunnel 8.1; Train to Busan-7.8,
Signal 8.6;
The Man From Nowhere 8.9,
Black 9;
Squid Game 8.4;
Kingdom 8.3;
Sweet Home 8.4

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Trial By Afterlife °7.2° °good°

It opens at the close, for our ML, a fireman who dies while heroically saving a girl's life. The next thing he knows, he's walking toward the Gate of the Afterlife, where he can be reincarnated after completing seven trials: betrayal, violence, filial piety, murder, indolence, deceit, and injustice.

AwtG2W, a 2017 239-minute release that is rated 86 on AWiki, is about these trials in conjunction with static from the living world as his family's drama continues to play out. It's a review of the hard decisions he had to make in his life, and it's quite moving, in spots. Along with his two grim reapers guides he barely escapes a couple of the trials. Quick thinking, and a look at things from another angle keep him from sinking to the bottom. (‘All you cared about was money? You are guilty!’ ‘Wait, he only cared about money because he had to provide for his mother and brother!’ ‘Not guilty, then.’)

The acting is seamless. Cha Tae-Hyun (Narco-Saints, Assassination,1987: When the Day Comes) is the lead, Kim Ja-Hong. Cha Tae Hyun (Team Bulldog: Off-duty Investigation, Moving) plays Kim Ja Hong. The somber Ju Ji Hoon (Kingdom-8.3, Blood Free-8.5, Team Bulldog: Off-duty Investigation) is Hae Won Maek. Kim Hyang Gi (Innocent Witness, Salon De Nabi) is Duk Choon. The Screenwriter & Director is Kim Yong Hwa (200 Pounds Beauty-6.5, The Moon).

The special effects are excellent (they are almost overdone) and the sets are beautiful. The Gate of the Afterlife scene is jammed with extras, creating a sprawling feel. The chase scenes are mad-good. There are no flaws. Despite its strengths, AwtG2W does not take our spirits and emotions along for the full ride. I liked this film quite a bit, but I didn't /love/ it. It's a fantasy thriller - a big budget one, and it's visually spectacular. At the same time, it is a simple tale of afterlife excitement with the message to not give up. Per Wiki, it is based on the webtoon series by Joo Ho-min & inspired by Joseon dynasty Buddhist paintings and early Buddhist texts of the Ten Kings of Hell.

Maybe it won't put your emotions through a trial, but it isn't dumbed-down in the least, either. “A sin that has been forgiven in the real world will not be judged in the afterlife,” one judge says. Would that were true. Work on forgiveness. I find that I cannot forgive without divine assistance, but the release of anger and hatred does enhance peace. It is something we can all work on to make the world less of a hell. AwtG2W has the right combination of fun, excitement, and depth to make it a good weekend watch for a family with teens&older as it reinforces the best ideals. None of us wants to be found guilty of betrayal, violence, filial impiety, murder, indolence, deceit, and injustice, afterall, do we?



〰 QUOTE 〰

Can we think about it while we run?

〰 IMHO 〰

RATINGS
Directing 7
Writing 6.5
Acting 7.7
Art 8.4
Sound & music 6
Ending 8 and it continues….

LEVELS
Warmth 5
Action/ Excitement 7.8
Laughs 2
Tears 6
Fright 4
Tension/Anxiety 3
Gore 2
Thought provocation 4
Snores 0

Re-watch? Down the road… maybe


Age 14+ Language: scattered R-rated - $h!+ × 3, B@$+@rd, F? × 2, Pr!(k, Pu$$y

In order of ~lite&trite~ to ~heavy&serious~ you may also like:

Modern Day:
Mad For Each Other 7.8 ~silly fun;
My Secret Romance 7 (if you ff thru overdone flashbacks);
A Witch's Love 7.8;
Love to Hate You 8.9;
Her Private Life 8;
Touch your heart 8.2;
Romance is a bonus book 7.9;
Boys Over Flowers 8 ~ melodrama to the max;
Crash Landing On You 9.1;
Oh My Ghost 10;
It's Okay Not To Be Okay 9;
Love Struck in the City 7.3;
Hospital Playlist 9;
My Mister 9.5;
More Than Friends 8;
I'll See You When the Weather is Fine 9;
Something in the Rain 9

Historical/Period:
My Only Love Song 8.7 ~ excellent comedy;
Live Up To Your Name 7.6;
Mr. Queen 8.5;
My Sassy Girl / Yeopgijeogin Geunyeo 8.5;
Saimdang 8.5;
The King's Affection 8.3;
Mr. Sunshine 9

Try a Chinese historical fantasy romcom: The Romance of Tiger and Rose 9.8

Action/Sci-fi/fantasy:
K2 8;
Private Lives 8.1;
Sisyphus 8;
Tunnel 8.1;
Signal 8.6;
Black 9;
Squid Game 8.4;
Kingdom 8.3;
Sweet Home 8.4

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Let's Get to Crackin °good°

Sheng turns to say something and LZ isn't there. “Why are you walking behind me?” ”I guess I'm used to it,” our FL replies.

In UL, both of our leads need to come out of their shells. Zhu Yan Man Zi (Love Endures, Women Must Be Stronger, The Hypnotist) is our FL, Luo Zhi. She's clever, cerebral, composed, and classy. She's downright chaste, but even moreso, she is candid and considerate. She has enjoyed Sheng Huai Nan (Zhao Shun Ran from Memory Lost & Alliance) crushing on him from afar since HS. Sheng never noticed her - She was always behind him somewhere. He did notice the chicken, however. When she put on the chicken outfit, she wasn't such a chicken anymore, and she approached him. The presence of a large chicken ended up being a great distraction that gave Sheng a leg up in an uncomfortable situation. When he removed the chicken head to thank his savior, viola! There's a /girl/ here.

The handsome Sheng, who has had to deflect unwanted advances his whole life, doesn't realize that he DID notice LZ in HS. They were anonymously exchanging notes about schoolwork for a period of time. LZ knew who her pen pal was, but she prefers clandestine operations, so she never revealed her identity. The first year of college was uneventful, but now the 2nd year has started. She un-chickened the chick inside her that one day, and since Sheng lifted that chicken head, she's been walking around exposed. Guys are noticing her now, like Sheng's BFF. Hiding is LZ's safety mechanism. LZ prefers the periphery - a 5 meter minimum distance from Sheng; anything else is super-duper uncomfortable. So, when he asks her to accompany him to the amusement park on a group outing, she declines. “He is a victorious general in the examination field. But on the field of love, he is utterly defeated.”

There's nothing more tantalizing than a club that won't have you as a member. As a professional woman-deflector, being turned down is something new for Sheng. Who is this chick? He can't help but be interested…

UL is a 2019 release that is rated 7.8 on MDL. It is 1 season consisting of 24 30-40 minute episodes. It is NOT to be confused with the 2021 release that is of the same name, rated 7.5 on MDL with 38 episodes. {Why do they do that? China put out two versions of Love 020 in the same year. Hollywood has the same problem with overlapping similar projects.} Sheng’s BFF, Zhang Ming Rui, is played by Zhang Yi Chi (Rattan). The more he talked, the more I loved his voice. Credit when Gu: Actor, Li Jin Zhe (Zhong Guo Di, The Youth Memories), plays CEO Gu. He exudes sex appeal and it exceeds his mere looks. Part of it is his dreamy voice. This is director Ding Pei's first effort. She has nothing rated under 7.5 on MDL and, given the acuity of UL, I will actively seek out this director's works.

UL2019 is slow and steady. It moves at LZ's pace. Simple, cheerful piano and strings accompany the scenes, making it feel like romance-improv night at the coffee house. There's °slow° that's infuriating and °slow° that's relaxing - and a wide band of it is up to individual taste. UL works because the characters are well formed while the tempo, softly spoken words, and the soundtrack are like a caress. °Slow° works; Slow-and-stupid doesn't, and UL is never stupid. That is the value in this show - The actors are fine. The story is uneventful. The pace is plodding… the value here is in the writing: It is the witty dialogue, the intellectual quotes, & the insightful commentary on humanity.

They end up involved in the drama club and put on a production of Shakespeare's 12th night. {Apparently, China is in love with Shakespeare ↪ and Shakespeare's works seem akin to China's historical pieces in many ways.} The translation-of-the-translation is beautiful:

¤Women are not big-hearted. A woman's love is like a person's taste. It can be tasted on the tip of the tongue but not in the organs. My love is like a hungry sea, which can digest everything. Don't compare them to each other¤

◇I know how women love men. One of my sisters fell in love with a man◇

¤And what was her past?¤

◇It's blank. She never told anyone about her love, and she let depression bottle up inside of her until it destroyed her, ruining her beauty. She pined away. Illness and sorrow tormented her while she waited patiently, smiling despite her sadness. Doesn't that sound like true love?◇

Thus is their version of 12th night and, quite obviously, some of the inspiration for the show. Actress, Zhu, is marvelous in the scene. She's acting as a person who pretends to be acting but what she's saying is true, so she's not really acting. Anyway, the acting is great.

Rain Shen (Alliance) plays LZ's roomie, Jiang Bai Li. Each of these girls is getting major interference from the exes of their love interests. The always composed LZ doesn't handle attention, nor interference, well. (“You are too cautious!,” LZ's mom laments). Hanging around Sheng, the campus lightning rod, is crossing a wide and dangerous road for a timid chicken like LZ. She had reinforced her protective bubble-of-isolation over & over again. It's talon-proof. This is just another form of pride, and it will alienate a person. People can be horrible, but isolation becomes a sickness in the bones. Too much alone time will make a person very, very off-kilter ~>> weird. It's difficult to find decent people. When we do, we shouldn't shut them out over fear. That is what LZ begins to do with Sheng, once he notices her. As Sheng makes overtures, LZ becomes terrified and shrinks away.

Nevertheless, things get cluckin, and they're going well. Her shell starts to CRACK. At the first sign of static, LZ runs away like a roadrunner. The agenda-driven mean girls are hen-pecking, and try to make it look like LZ manipulated a situation. Sheng's forced to “major” in interpersonal analytics that semester in order to sort out fact from fiction. Part of the sorting process is managing fear. The mean girls played on his fears. Author Terry Goodkind writes that people will believe a thing because they want it to be true or because they're afraid it's true. Fear is useful if it guides us, but not if it rules us or turns us into fodder for manipulation.

The Legend of the White Snake is brought up as an analogy. Per Wiki, it is “a Chinese legend centered around a romance between a man named Xu Xian and a female snake spirit named Bai Suzhen. It is counted as one of China's Four Great Folktales.” In the show TLOWS-4.5, unrequited love turns a young girl into a villainous monster; she is a constant pest and causes lots of trouble. Sheng’s friends keep bringing it up.

Before the end, Sheng's world will crack. Towards the close of the show, they get into a drama that seems plucked out of nowhere. There are a couple of tiny hints at a family issue from the past, but the build-up is insufficient. That last story arc didn't play as well as the rest of the show. It is worth noting that the secondary romances aren't bad, but they aren't nearly as good as the primary one.


▫ ▪✴Now for some Scooby Snacks✴▪ ▫

✴They each buy a seed with a word burned into it. When the seed grows, the word appears on the plant, itself. How awesome is that?

✴They are in law school and they do a mock trial of the OJ Simpson case.

✴Always dignified, even though she is a bit chicken, LZ won't be pushed around. “You have to try this drink or your life won't be complete,” Sheng urges. ”I prefer a flawed life,” she shoots back.

✴I love how the walls in the girls' dorm are a tribute to Hayao Miyazaki and Studio Ghibli. LZ frequently mentions the anime Only Yesterday which is a 1991 Ghibli movie. Sheng also likes the film.

✴“Misunderstandings happen when two people are not direct with each other. It results in frustration… Face him bravely,” A wise friend cautions.

✴They are studying for the upcoming Marxism exam. “What's Marxism?” One of the guys wants to know.

✴On break they don their HS uniforms and sneak into class together. Cute.

✴“When an attractive man tells a lie, he could be quite good at it.” LZ is warned by a woman who got burned.

✴Have you heard a quote from Mencken? “A man makes love by braggadocio and a woman makes love by listening. Once a woman passes a certain point in intelligence, she finds it impossible to get a husband. She simply cannot go on listening to men without snickering.”

Thank goodness our capable LZ didn't pass that point. She's been a chicken that moved like a turtle all of her life. But in the second year of college, she joined the human race.


(more) 〰QUOTES〰

People expect too much of women.

Heaven favors the courageous.


〰IMHO〰

RATINGS
Directing 7
Writing 7.5
Acting 7.7
Romance 7
Flutters 5
Art 5
Sound & music 7.5
Ending 7.5

LEVELS
Warmth 4.5
Action/ Excitement 1
Laughs 2.5
Tears 2.5
Fright 0
Tension/Anxiety 2
Gore 0
Thought provocation 5
Snores 2


Poli-wagging 1/10. They discuss Marxism. One of her professors says he was labeled as an intellectual and was about to be locked up! Yes, this is what is is to live in China, but it shocking they allowed that in a show.

Age 12+

Rated TV-PG-13: Parents Cautioned


Re-watch? This was great to watch once

In order of ~lite & trite~ to ~heavy & serious~ you may also like:

♥️ -
C:
A Little Thing Called First Love 8.5;
Find Yourself 8.9;
The Romance of Tiger and Rose 9.8;
The Sleepless Princess 9.1;
Wait, My Youth-8.4


K :
A Witch's Love 7.8;
Love To Hate You 8.9;
Touch Your Heart 8.2;
Crash Landing On You 9.1;
Oh My Ghost 10; Be Melodramatic-8.7

It's Okay Not to Be Okay 9;
Hospital Playlist 9;
My Mister 9.5;


Romance junkies only -
My Secret Romance-7 (if you ff thru overdone flashbacks),
Boys Over Flowers-8 ~ melodrama to the max,
The Bride of Habaek-7,
Heirs-7.3,
That Winter, The Wind Blows-7,
Something in them Rain-9,
C: Well-Intended Love-7.5 Rom-porn - extra points for the dopamine,
When I Fly Towards You-7.8,
Wait, My Youth-8.4,
A Little Thing Called First Love-8.5, Hidden Love-7.8

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Marriage in Hog Heaven ¤ The Wild Boar Bites The Prickly Pear °7° °good & silly°

Here's to Hammin it up.

We've all heard first comes love, then comes marriage, then comes the baby in the baby carriage... in LY (aka Drunken To Love You), First Comes Love, next the breakup, followed by marriage, /then/ comes love... the Baby Carriage can't be far behind. They trampled the standard template like wild boars.

Song Jie Xiu and Lin Xiao Ru are in love. Not with eachother, with their sig-others. They each think that first comes love then comes marriage. In their case, the breakup comes in between. After their relationships are skewered on the same day, they end up at the same bar, and they're STOINKED!.HAMmered!! They decide to marry eachother. They are very rowdy drunks, so everyone knows they got married. (The flashbacks are hilarious. There's enough to fill a week but supposedly it all took place in the span of several hours). They even swung by to pick up his boss as a witness and then moved her out of her apartment. Though schmasted, they even remember to break her lease. They go hog-wild and make a big drunken mess.

LY is a 2011 release that is rated 7.5 on MDL. It is 1 season consisting of 30 45-minute episodes. It's flawed, childish and silly. It's also very cute. As a lover of romance, I enjoyed it. It is doubtful that anyone who isn't a fan of the genre would like it.

Why don't they divorce? Xiu's gf, Ivy, is an up and coming actress. She can't be involved in any relationships or her career will be dead in the water. When a paparazzi catches Ivy & Xiu together, Ivy talks Xiu into staying in the marriage for a few months so that the scandal goes away. They offer Ru money to keep up the farce. The contracts are signed, and now Xiu & Ru are living together. They actually get along really well, when they aren't smoked up over how much they dislike eachother.

Rainie Yang (Devil Beside You Series, Life Plan A and B), portrays Lin Xiao "Ru". She's so adorable and bright. She's got a feisty side which leads Xiu to nickname her the Wild Boar. Raised in an orphanage, she took the pain of ner childhood and channeled it into doing better, being better, and helping others avoid pain. She is the best thing about the show and what keeps it afloat - or should I say happily rolling in the mud. Joseph Chang (The Victims' Game, Crystal Boys) is Song Jie "Xiu". He is grumpy: He even frowns in his sleep. He's a designer and is as fastidious and picky as they come. Daddy left early. His mom wasn't around much. His movie-star gf wasn't around much either. He's been alone most of his life.

Tiffany Hsu (Autumn's Concerto-7.2, Shards of Her) is Tang Ai Wei, Xiu's gf at the show's opening. She gets annoying. In fairness, they've dated since HS, so it's understandable that she would feel a sense of ownership and want to hang on to Xiu. But she wants everything, and she wants it her way. She doesn't think about anyone else. Alien Huang (Rock Records in Love, Go! Crazy Gangster) plays Geng Shuo Huai, Ru's new boss. Chung Hsin Ling (Tavern by the Lethe, Rainless Love in a Godless Land, Oh No! Here Comes Trouble) is Ru's BFF Cai Meng Jun. She's supposed to be the plus-sized comic relief, but her part is cartoonish and squeaky. She's portrayed as an eating machine. It's not that amusing. The director is Chen Ming Zhang of Across the Ocean to See You & Remembering Lichuan.

The writing has its moments. It's quite good at times. They have a discussion about marriage and what it means. Xiu says that if one of them is walking faster than the other, that person needs to adjust their pace. I love that - adjusting their pace to the other's. She responds that she's tired of walking alone so she's willing to do that. Xiu's mother hasn't been around and she certainly screwed up quite a bit. Asian programming tends to be very generous to parents and elders. When we get to meet his mom, we find out that not everything is as awful as Xiu's recollections of the past. Some of his worst memories were not her fault. I actually know some people like this. Their father did do some horrible things (nothing criminal, he's just a vile jerk). From the outside looking in, it's easy to see that, while the negatives to outweigh the positives, there were some positives. Furthermore, their father gave more than what he himself received. He never knew who his father was, grew up in foster care and was subject to constant abuse (that IS criminal). The grown kids don't feel a thing for his pain because they despise him so much. I can't make any judgments as to their feelings. They are exceptional people who completely broke the cycle and raised wonderful children. It's just sad. All around, it is so sad that we do these things to eachother. Hurt is shared like germs and it's completely unnecessary. Xiu is able to get his relationship with his mother on better footing with Ru's help.

HAMlet, it ain't. They ham it up in the opening episodes, which showcase some overacting. Feeble writing leads to ham-handed scenes containing arguments and other mini dramas that are near nonsensical. They slow-walk the physical contact- even I was getting frustrated on behalf of the ML - a totally new sensation. A wedding is busted up in ep23 in a near insulting manner. There were better ways to forward the plot. At least the episode recovers before it ends. Ep29 is ridiculous, but it ends well - We can forgive them. The moms pull a stunt in ep30 that crosses the line. Entirely. It almost makes Hollywood look tame. LY probably would have been better at just 25 episodes, but it holds up acceptably.

Whether or not flaws can be overlooked is something mysterious and personal - even the most analytical among us are powerfully influenced by emotion. I watched LY alongside the over-long monstrosity, Love Now, which starts fine but quickly declInes (yet goes on forever). I liked LY despite its shortfalls, while I loathed LN.

Why?

Both have likable actors and characters, but LY is better in that category. LN is 80% inane dialogue; the writing in LY is bad in places but has its bright spots and is far better, overall. The soundtrack of LY is better. I shazamed one song by Yen-ji but didn't get an English title. I think what captivated me the most is Rainie Yang's slop-happy Lin Xiao “Ru”. She brings home the bacon. She's the reason LY is worth a romatiphile's time.

QUOTES~

You don't love someone for who they are but for who you are when you are with them.

Family doesn't just mean relatives. It's everybody who watches over you and cares for you.

〰IMHO

RATINGS
Directing 7
Writing 6
Acting 7
Romance 6
Flutters 5
Art 5.5
Sound & music 6.5
Ending 7

LEVELS
Warmth 5
Action/ Excitement 2.5
Laughs 3.5
Tears 2.5
Fright 2
Tension/Anxiety 2.5
Gore 1
Thought provocation 4
Snores 1

?7 ?6 ?7 ?6 ?5 ?5.5 ?/?6.5 ?7 ▪ ?5 ⚡2.5 ?3.5 ?2.5 ?2 ?2.5 ?1 ?4 ?1

Age 14+
Language: $h!+, d@mn,
References to sex and rape

Rated TV-PG-13: Parents Cautioned

Re-?? I probably won't

Taiwanese shows

Age of Rebellion-9.5
Autumn's Concerto-7.2 - it starts strong but declInes in the 2nd half
The Fierce Wife-8 starts iffy, ends strong
Love, Now-3.6 - it's terrible
Two Fathers-7.5


In order of ~lite & trite~ to ~heavy & serious~ you may also like:

♥️ -
C:
A Little Thing Called First Love 8.5;
Find Yourself 8.9;
The Romance of Tiger and Rose 9.8;
The Sleepless Princess 9.1;
Wait, My Youth-8.4

Romance junkies only: Accidentally in Love-6.5 ‘18 B-level scripting, acting, and directing, but still fun/strangely relaxing to watch,
Well-Intended Love-7.5 Rom-porn - extra points for the dopamine but many object to an outrageous stunt the ML pulls,
When I Fly Towards You-7.8,
You are my destiny-6.8 cute and sweet and 1/2 padding,
Meteor Garden-7.4 - 70% flowing 30% dragging and BOF is better,
Hidden Love-7.8

K:
A Witch's Love 7.8;
Love To Hate You 8.9;
Touch Your Heart 8.2;
Crash Landing On You 9.1;
Oh My Ghost 10;
It's Okay Not to Be Okay 9;
Hospital Playlist 9;
My Mister 9.5;

Fantasy
C: Love Between Fairy & Devil 8.9;
Douluo Continent 9.4;
Handsome Siblings 8.7;
Ancient Love Poetry 8.6;
Love and Redemption 10


Japaneselite romcoms: Maid Sama-10, Mischievous Kiss Love in Tokyo-7.8, Love, Chunibyo And Other Delusions-8.4, Toradora-8.5

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Flush the Fish Farm ¤ What Happens in Borcay is Meant to Stay °3.6° °interminable mess°

The quickie review: Leaving Borcay was a mistake. That's when LN starts it's loooooong flush. Don't take this trip; not before you watch everything that's better (and that'll keep you busy for years). Just be aware that more than half of LN is an extended skidmark.

LN is a bit ironic in that time is a central theme, but it has some of the worst time management I've ever seen. The leads are likable and the romance gets off to a hot start. I was thinking it had lots of promise. As …time… goes by, though, none of its promises are kept.

LN is a 2012 release that is rated 7.6 on MDL. It is 1 season consisting of 72 45-minute episodes… SEVENTY-TWO!!?! That's so Taiwanese. They put out slice-of-life romances with a high episode count and relatively low drama. The viewer lives with these characters for awhile, with the effect being either tranquil and decompressing or extremely frustrating. This is only my 6th TwDrama. One reviewer that I respect claims that she's completely fed up with their repetitiveness and her eyes have ‘left the island for good’ ~ She’s done with TwDramas. I'm still brand new to them, and out of the 6 I've seen, I love 3, like 2 (though one of those is carried by the beginning of the show and declInes in the 2nd half), and hate just this one. And, boy, do I hate this show. 1/10th in I couldn't fathom what would fill 72 whole episodes; 1/2 way through I tried to figure out what's filled 36 episodes - just everyday life with a heap of sugar on top. Sadly, nothing fills the last half of the show but pain and aggravation.

With 27 eps to go, I was tempted to abandon the show (something I rarely do) as it was leaving Netflix in 13 days ↪ That is more than 2/day, with no break, and it was starting to feel like a job. In the balance, I liked the characters (though nearly all of them are a bit annoying), but not much was going on. One character is pregnant and a big controversy is whether they should allow her to work. This debate goes on for 2 or 3 episodes, not 2 or 3 minutes. It's too far removed from anything I find familiar. It's astounding that Yi Ru's family supports her ex, Qi Ming, who is a serial womanizer. Sure, he's charming ~ Great guy to hang with ~ Worst guy to marry. The people Yi Ru works with are too goofy. Lan Shi De's mother is sweet, but something about her fawning relationship with grandma (her mother i/l) was too much for me. I wanted to shake her free. Perhaps I'm projecting. Sure, this show is 12 years old, but even still, some of the wardrobe is hideous in any decade. Taiwan seems to have a thing with men wearing low-cut tops. It just doesn't look right.

By ep50, I realized I never should have started this. Anything positive in the first half is obliterated by the doldrums of the second half. I played every single episode in its entirety. It was easy to force myself to do that. What I couldn't force my eyes to do was actually watch it, and I couldn't force my ears to hear it anymore. It became background noise as I did other things and peeked in every now and then just to keep up with the plot. This has nothing to do with the length of the show. I've seen Two Fathers, another Taiwanese series that has over 70 episodes, and I loved it. Here, the dialogue and plot are spread too thinly. There's too much filler and some cheaply manufactured drama. It would be much improved in the 20-30 episode range.

That isn't the fault of the actors, though. The romance starts strong. Yi Ru reluctantly falls for Shi De. Sure, he's good looking, but it goes deeper than that. There's something lovable (and sexy) about a man who truly loves a woman and doesn't expect anything in return. I've read that the 2 leads are a couple. That makes sense because the scenes they spark up feel genuine. Annie Chen (Inborn Pair, My Goddess, Tears on Fire) is FL Yang Yi Ru. She's pretty - pretty aggressive and driven. She's a workaholic. She has a horrible temper but a beautiful heart. The actress is not bad but her voice is too nasally, which gets tedious.

Yi Ru's family tricks her into going on vacation in Borcay by making her believe she has cancer. George Hu (Wacko at Law, Shards of Her, Prince of Lan Ling) plays ML Lan Shi De. Weaknesses in the premise aside, Briefly, I found the romance less than convincing, because he's prettier than the female lead. He's prettier than most women. I settled into the flow after a quick adjustment period.

His family owns a company that makes sinks, tubs and toilets. He's known as a stern and cheerless boss. He's been cheerless ever since his father died and the head-of-family responsibilities were foisted on him at a young age. He's on a business trip in Borcay - until he sees Yi Ru and his mission changes. His top business then becomes bagging her. You see, they were in college together. She doesn't remember, but he sure does. He's been looking for her for 6 years. When he's kind to Yi Ru, she has an emotional outburst and admits she's dying. She will never marry or have kids. Shi De talks her into marrying him. Why not!?. Yi Ru's in the mood to do something crazy.

Bobby Dou (The Little Fairy, Proud of You) plays Sun Qi Ming, Yi Ru's ex. He still hangs around, has a key to her house, and calls her father “dad.” He functions as a mischievous gremlin and causes much of the trouble. According to Yi Ru, the upper half of his body is delightful - that's not the problem: The lower half is the problem. He's an irredeemable philanderer. All those years he was running with other women, Lan Shi De was devoted to Yi Ru.

Vivi Lee (In Time with You, Luo Que) plays Lan Shi Yun, the elder Sister of the ML. She's a relationship expert, author, and (to her embarrassment, given her profession), terminally single. The actress is attractive and does a nice job. I'm not sure if it Is her or the directing, but they kept her part in the 68°-72° range. Slightly cool -to- slightly warm. No fire or ice. I grew weary of her slightly concerned stares. Harry Chang (Autumn's Concerto-7.2, Marry Me, or Not?) Portrays Zheng Yu Xiang who is a younger fan pursuing a relationship with Lan Shi Yun. Esther Yang plays Yi Ru's bratty but cute little sister, Yang Yi Qing.

Shen Hai Yung (The Perfect Match, Better Man) is the most childish character of the bunch as grandma, the matriarch of the Lan family. Grandma's infantine fits are used to forward the plot into fill time. Yen Chia Le (True Meaning of Love, W Series: Love Yourself) is grandma's spinster daughter, Lan Yi Ping. Her part is a little overdone. She ends up shamelessly chasing a man and wearing the worst clothes of the show while doing it. Yet, I still found her adorable. That's some serious presence. She plays a sharp-tongued director in the show, Love You, which is imperfect yet still far better than LN. Mandy Wei (Memory Love, Piggy's Counterattack) really shines as He Cai Rong, though her bangs direly need a trim. She's the best character in the show. She is intuitive and, out of all the characters, she says the most intelligent things. The screenwriters are Lin Pei Yu (We Best Love series) and Shao Hui Ting (A Thousand Goodnights).

LN does have a couple themes even though it doesn't take any deep dives. The title is Love NOW and time is a running theme. Shi De has been wanting Yi Ru for over 6 years. There's ⏲⏱hourglasses and watches⏲⏱ featured frequently on screen. "Women are used to sacrificing while men are used to enjoying women's sacrifices," we hear. 'Fish farms' vs committed love is showcased: Qi Ming calls his floozies his "fish farm" and Yi Ru's little sister thinks that's pretty cool. She starts one of her own. When Yi Ru falls for Shi De, Qi Ming has a major identity crisis. He tries to get her back, but no-nonsense Yi Ru moved on long ago. His character goes through the most growth and change by the time the credits roll. There's quality touches and real smiles in the first part of LN. Someone is always sneezing because they are being talked about, and it makes for nice segues. I think when the series first aired it was popular which led to an unplanned expansion of episodes that the creators couldn't sustain, quality-wise. LN is a broken ⏲ that's only right twice a day. Don't trust it; in the flusher it goes!


〰 IMHO 〰

RATINGS
Directing 3.5
Writing 3
Acting 5
Romance 5
Flutters 5
Art 3
Sound & music 4
Ending 5

LEVELS
Warmth 5
Action 2
Laughs 2.5
Tears 2.5
Fright 1
Tension / Anxiety 2.5
Gore 1
Thought provocation 2
Snores 7
?3.5 ?3 ?5 ?5 ?5 ?3 ?/?4 ?5 ▪ ?5 ⚡2 ?2.5 ?2.5 ?1 ?2.5 ?1 ?2 ?7

Age 13+ Adult/sexual situations
Language: @$$h0le and other rare PG-13 verbiage.

Re-watch? Ain't gonna happen -shoulda skipped the first time

In order of ~lite & trite~ to ~heavy & serious~ you may also like:

Taiwan
Two Fathers-7.5 (73 episodes of slice-of-life and i loved every one)
Autumn's Concerto-7.2 (declInes in the 2nd half)
The Fierce Wife-8 (starts iffy, ends magnificently)
Age of Rebellion-9.5

Romance -
C: Well-Intended Love 7.5 Rom-porn - extra points for the dopamine;
Accidentally in Love 6.5 B-level scripting, acting, and directing, but still fun/strangely relaxing to watch
You are my destiny 6.8 ‘20 cute and sweet and 1/2 padding
A Little Thing Called First Love 8.5;
Find Yourself 8.9;
The Romance of Tiger and Rose 9.8;
The Sleepless Princess 9.1
K :
A Witch's Love 7.8;
Love To Hate You 8.9;
Touch Your Heart 8.2;
Crash Landing On You 9.1;
Oh My Ghost 10;
It's Okay Not to Be Okay 9;
Hospital Playlist 9;
My Mister 9.5;

Period -
C: Overlord 8.4,
Under the Power 8.6,
The Rebel Princess 9.1,
The Sword and the Brocade 8.6 (in ancient Chinese opera style),
The Rise of Phoenixes 9
K:
My Only Love Song 8.7 excellent comedy;
Mr. Queen 8.5;
My Sassy Girl 8.5;
The King's Affection 8.3;
Mr. Sunshine 9

Fantasy
C Love Between Fairy & Devil 8.9;
Once upon a time in Linglian Mountain 7.5;
Douluo Continent 9.4;
Handsome Siblings 8.7;
Eternal Love 8.3,
Ancient Love Poetry 8.6;
Love and Redemption 10

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In Pursuit of the Cursed Soul °6.1° °great elements, avg writing°

The short review: BIS has an all-world soundtrack, great acting, excellent artistry, and solid directing. It's the writing that fails to transform this monster into something worth protecting. The plot is a haphazard mess and the dialogue is nothing special. If you are a fantasy junkie, you'll probably tolerate it well, but for all others it's a mangled mess. If romance is your thing, you will be sorely disappointed.

We've got a three episode set up, folks. So let's gouge into it. BIS opens 600 years ago. We get a brief look at the life of a Bulgasal and move on for a peek at the regular folk, who are terrified of such creatures. When Hwal is born, his mother insists that he's cursed and hangs herself. The shaman affirms that the Bulgasal has a grudge against this cursed child from a prior life. Since Bulgasals are immortal, it will pursue this baby forever. What in the crazy world is a Bulgasal? An immortal. A monster. A flesh eater.

Next we see that it's people that are the true monsters. Young Hwal is shunned by everyone and cruelly despised. Under the shaman's bidding, the village surrounds the boy and tries to kill him, but the military is passing by. The general intervenes and adopts the boy, raising him to be a warrior. A monster killer. When he's grown, he's the best of the best. Now people say that he is blessed by the Bulgasal.

The very last monster Hwal must eliminate is that Bulgasal. What happens instead, though, is that during their confrontation, the Bulgasal steals Hwal's soul and turns HIM into the Bulgasal. This begins Hwal's centuries long quest for revenge. Not merely revenge but a reversal. A quest to make things right - he wants his soul back! During the Japanese invasion of 1593 Hwal learns that the ‘Bug’ who stole his soul also stole his ill fate. All the monsters that Hwal killed are reborn and seeking revenge. They're all going after /her/ because she possesses his soul. This former Bug has been living life after reincarnated life of fear and misery while being relentlessly chased by gruesome monsters. A human soul has brought her no pleasure whatsoever.

Before ep2 is halfway over, we make it to 2006 where she has morphed into a set of twins and the show's logic morphs into them sharing a single soul with no plausible explanation. One twin is darker skinned, darker tempered, and remembers everything, while the other one, the sweet one who is the shade of a kleenex, is oblivious. She thinks her sister’s weird. Failure to heed her sister's warnings turns into another tragedy. And that'll bring us to present day. The chess pieces have been realigned with many of the same cast from the past reincarnated & together again at last.

What's abundantly clear by the end of ep4 is that our female lead thinks she knows something, but she knows virtually nothing. That goes double for her sister. Our male lead knows a whole lot more, but there are clearly players and motivations afoot of which he knows nothing. Thus, the viewer's gaze remains shrouded, and they never do give us a clear picture. I always felt like the show was a moving streetcar that I ran to catch but never successfully boarded. Just like Hwal and Bulgasals are outsiders, the audience is also left on the outside. If a person wants to own a horse, s/he will feed it, maintain it, care for it, and nurture it. BIS tries to skip all of that, go to the butcher shop, buy random parts, and sew them together. That ain't gonna work.

BIS is a 2021 release that is rated 92 on AWiki. It is 1 season consisting of 16 60ish-minute episodes. Ep1 is depressing. That heavy feeling never lifts. Lee Jin Wook (Sweet Home-8.4) plays Dan Hwal/the Bulgasal. This dude was born to act in period pieces and wear ancient armor with his hair in a bun. It's not that he doesn't look good with short hair and a modern day look, but he looks right at home as an old time warrior. He believes he's the only Bulgasal left. He also believes immortality is a curse. Jung Jin Young is the general who adopts him when the village tries to kill him. Boy, is this actor different as the father in My Unfamiliar Family-7.9. The lovely Kwon Na Ra (My Mister-9.5, Itaewon Class) is Min Sang Un, the original Bulgasal that steals Hwal's soul. Lee Joon (My Father Is Strange) is Ok Eul Tae, the bad guy. He does a nice job. (It's possible that I think that because his voice is so mellifluous). Gong Seung Yeon (Flower Crew: Joseon Marriage Agency-7.4, My Only Love Song-8.7, Introverted Boss-6.5) portrays Min Shi Ho, who was Hwal's wife in the past and is Min Sang Un's little sister in the present. Lee A Ra (Kairos) is yet another fabulous Korean child actor. She plays the 2006 version of Min Shi Ho. The screenwriters are Seo Jae Won & Kwon So Ra who co-wrote The Guest, and the director is Jang Young (Woo Queen of Tears).

Let's munch on the good morsels and leave the substandard scraps for later. It is not the worst watch. Many things are done well and the characters are likable. There's gorgeous cinematography. The soundtrack is easily K-top-10 for me. Some of my shazams: Kim Kyung Hee's ‘Floating’, ‘Leave,’ by 4MEN, and ‘Beyond The Time,’ by Janet Suhh. Not only is this soundtrack a monster, but the sound in general is excellent. They come up with all kinds of unique delicacies for the ear, such as creepy scritching sounds.

The good is not enough to save us from the horror of Bulgasal, however. Their past, covered in the first couple episodes, is cruelly heartrending. It's really too much to process. It's more like an alternate timeline where everything is wrong and out of balance. They don't plant seeds or hint at another layer of backstory, early on. Therefore, in the final third of the show, when they spring a couple surprises, it is impossible to tell if developments were always intended or if they are making it up as they go. They do drop weak hints at something more, but it's feeble. That always feels sloppy. Killing off the kid is horrible. And they do it …twice… or do they? Ep13 gets alittle irritating and smells suspiciously like filler with the protags vacillating and having unexplained, out-of-character outbursts.

It starts to feel a bit incestuous. In the present, he encounters his father, his wife, his son, and his mortal enemies from that past. However, in the present, he seems to be attracted to his mortal enemy, his wife and his son seem like they could have a thing starting up, one of his former adversaries is now like a daughter to him, and his father is an outsider for much of the show. Perhaps everything was aligned wrong then and it'll be aligned correctly now? The questions and annoyances built up without enough positives to balance them out. The big reveals at the end were a bunch of hooey. Too little. Too late.

While they tack on a hopeful ending, BIS is dark, bleak and sad. There is very little romance and an overabundance of heart-stomping. They are loose with the rules that they laid down and the backstory, when finally revealed, is not convincing. Knowing what I now know, would I still watch it for the first time? My health has been such that I can't do very much but watch TV. Even given my ample time to spare, this is a tough question. I'll say “yes” with 50.00001% certainty. If your time is limited, there's so many better things to see. Don't be buggin over this one unless you have an unquenchable thirst for fantasy. .


〰? IMHO

RATINGS
Directing 7
Writing 5
Acting 7.5
Romance 3
Flutters 5
Art 6.5
Sound & music 8.8
Ending 7.9

LEVELS
Warmth 3
Action/ Excitement 5
Laughs 2
Tears 5.3
Fright 5.3
Tension/Anxiety 3.5
Gore 5.5
Thought provocation 2
Snores 0

?7 ?5 ?7.5 ?3 ?5 ?6.5 ?/?8.8 ?7.9 ▪ ?3 ⚡5 ?2 ?5.3 ?4.3 ?3.5 ?5.5 ?2 ?0

Age 15+ for violence and gore. This would be too scary for younger children. It opens to a knife fight and then a body floating in the water. Monsters eating bodies. Hwal sets his own compound fx.

Re-??
This one's in the okay-to-pass-the-time category, but I refuse to pass this way again….


In order of ~lite&trite~ to ~heavy&serious~ here's a list of better time spent ventures:

Modern Day -
Love to Hate You 8.9,
Crash Landing On You 9.1,
Oh My Ghost 10,
Descendants Of The Sun-8.3,
The Golden Spoon-8.1,
It's Okay Not To Be Okay 9,
My Mister 9.5,

Historical/Period -
My Only Love Song 8.7 ~ excellent comedy,
Mr. Queen 8.5,
My Sassy Girl 8.5,
Saimdang 8.5,
The King's Affection 8.3,
Mr. Sunshine 9

Action/Crime/Sci-fi -
Glitch-8, The school nurse files-7.6,
Mystic Pop-up Bar-8.2,
Uncanny counter season-1 only °S1-8.4 S2-4, K2 8,
Private Lives 8.1,
Inspector Koo-8.4,
When the Camellia Blooms-8,
Vagabond-8,
Sisyphus 8,
Tunnel 8.5,
Signal 8.6,
Blood Free-8.5,
D.P. -8.4,
The Cursed 8.3,
Flower of Evil 8.9,
The Wailing-8.8,
The Man from Nowhere 8.9,
Parasite-9,
Black 9,
Squid Game 8.4,
Kingdom 8.3,
Sweet Home 8.4

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Going Postal °a generous 7° °good but lacking°

There was the c☄met. That was 40 years ago. 1% survived. Most continents are underwater. Kcountry looks like the set from Mad Max Fury Road-9. Breathing is only possible with the assistance of the Aircore, which is basically a massive air purifier. People reside in the core districts - at least the lucky ones do. Others must try to survive in the wilderness of the outer districts and breath through masks. One way to improve one's station is to become a postal worker; in this world they're called deliverymen. It's dangerous. "Neither rain, nor snow, nor sleet, nor hail shall keep the postmen from their appointed rounds," is the famous pledge. But there's much worse out there now. Apart from the harsh terrain, there's the thieves, hunters and raiders.

BK is a 2023 release that is rated 88 on AWiki. It is 1 season consisting of only 6 45-minute episodes. This dystopian future is one in which a few have all the privileges at the expense of the many (sounds familiar). Those on the fringe are used up, and once the oligarchy has used them up, they want to throw them out. "5-8" is the premier deliveryman - He's a legend. Through the course of the show he uncovers the plot to eliminate the outer circles of civilization. He forms allies, willing and reluctant, to fight the diabolical power structure.

Kim Woo Bin, the person who makes The Heirs-7.3 worth watching, plays 5-8. He's a superb male lead and he only adds to BK's value. He shines in Our Blues-8.5. Kang Yoo Seok (Growing Season) is solid as Yoon Sa Wol, his charge. Esom, one of the brightest stars in Because This Is My First Life-7.7, plays Jung Seol Ah, a military officer that does things by the book. No partiality. Song Seung Heon (Saimdang-8.5, Player, Black-9, Wonderful Nightmare) plays villain Ryu Seok. What are they doing to my guy? This actor is a fabulous romantic lead. I hate seeing him as someone odious; and odious he is. His rigid facial expressions and body language make him unrecognizable compared to how he appears in Black or Saimdang, the only exposures I've had to him. His range is a credit to his acting prowess. I still don't have to like it. The screenwriter / director is Cho Ui Seok of Cold Eyes.

BK is executed well which is why I'm not sure why I didn't like it more. The action is respectable - quite good, actually, and at times fabulous. The artistry is big-budget, a very cool windstorm being one example. There's shades of Planet of the Apes in a shot of a toppled Namsan Tower smack in the center of the dust bowl. The story is solid and the acting is strong. In this case, the individual elements weirdly add up to something less, though I can't pinpoint why. Things that come to mind are, first of all, it is all retread - there is nothing original at all in BK. That's a criticism that means little, though, if the execution is solid. Thus, I must surmise that there's something lacking in the execution. It's put together alittle too loosely; the cadence and direction are uneven. I almost wonder if a re-edit could fix it. The tempo is mostly slow and brooding, but that only works when the writing is dynamic. Here, the writing does not have a high enough IQ - There's nothing to brood on. The same criticism can be applied to the fact that BK did not engage me emotionally. For a feature to be truly good it must tickle the heart or the head (or both), and BK does neither. Despite some stellar action scenes, it lacks sufficient adrenaline to be qualified as an action piece, and it lacks the proper tension to be a thriller. What we're left with is some dusty vanilla ice cream.

Hey, I love ice cream. I love it enough to lick through the dust and enjoy the good stuff (AKA Kim Woo Bin;). My favorite genre is sci-fi / fantasy with romance being hitched right behind it (action and comedy follow closely). Apart from comedy, sci-fi / fantasy is the most demanding to write. Coming up with new worlds has endless challenges - just check with GRRM (George RR Martin) on that. So from my perspective, BK is worth watching, at least once, for what it does offer. I /know/ I overrated it at “7”. I was tempted to go lower but it didn't sit right. I'm convinced a larger than average portion of the viewing population will not enjoy BK. I trust that will help you decide whether to hop in the truck and take the ride or sit this one out.


〰 IMHO

RATINGS
Directing 7
Writing 7.6
Acting 7.7
Art 8
Sound & music 7.3
Ending 7.8

LEVELS
Warmth 3.5
Action 8
Laughs 1
Tears 5
Fright 4
Tension / Anxiety 4.5
Gore 5
Thought provocation 5.5
Snores 0
?7 ?7.6 ?7.7 ?8 ?/?7.3 ?7.8 ▪ ?3.5 ⚡8 ?1 ?5 ?4 ?4.5 ?5 ?5.5 ?0


Age 14+ for violence
Language: $h!+

Rated TV-MA: Mature Audience Only.

Re-??
This one's in the good-to-pass-the-time category, but I may never pass this way again….


In order of ~lite&trite~ to ~heavy&serious~ you may also like:

Crash Landing On You 9.1,
Oh My Ghost 10,
The school nurse files-7.6 & Glitch-8 - both are 80's indie style quirky Sci-fi,
It's Okay Not To Be Okay 9,
When the Camellia Blooms-8,
K2 8,
Private Lives 8.1, Vagabond-8,
Uncanny counter - S1 only °S1-8.4 S2-4°,
Sisyphus 8,
Tunnel 8.5,
Signal 8.6,
Blood Free-8.5,
D.P. -8.4,
Uncle Samsik-8.4

The Cursed 8.3,
Flower of Evil 8.9,
The Man from Nowhere 8.9,
Black 9,
Squid Game 8.4,
Kingdom 8.3,
Sweet Home 8.4
The Wailing-8.8

Chinese
Douluo Continent 9.4;
Handsome Siblings 8.7;
Ancient Love Poetry 8.6;
Love and Redemption 10
Heavenly Sword and Dragon Slaying Saber 9-Kung-fu!;

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The Reverb of Ugliness: Must the Top Be So Lonely? °6.8° °good°

String theory is the most recent attempt to reconcile traditional physics with quantum physics. It postulates that, on a subatomic level, the universe consists of vibrating 1D strings. Perhaps that's a reason why music, which is glorious vibrations, fundamentally moves us. It connects what's seen and unseen. It blends the dimensions. I believe music and art are divine gifts.

MSoT is a 2023 release that is rated 86 on AWiki. It is 1 season consisting of 12 60-minute episodes. It's a drama, a high-end soap opera, really, about a small orchestra. They've been coasting, not thriving. It's time for a shake up; a reset. Seeum brings many changes with her as she takes the podium, and the musicians don't appreciate any of it. She makes enemies, and soon her enemies are acting out. Managing Hanphil is a handful.

The use of sound in M is so good, it's almost astounding. The show creators have a deep appreciation for music, and they sell it. The soundtrack isn't an afterthought: It's woven into the fabric of the series, elevating it to float with the clouds at times. Classical music fills M, and it fills it on tempo, beautifully enhancing scenes. Low hanging fruit: At the height of the drama they start practicing Beethoven‘s 5th. It's coming to end, by MADDY, and Story, by Kim On Gi, are VG. M, with its attention to detail, is small and tidy, yet it's expansive. I liked M; I didn't love it. As the episodes went on, it diminished, somewhat - they peaked too early. I wouldn't care to see it again as it left me a tad underwhelmed. But I have respect for M and the many moments of blended harmony it generates.

It opens dark and slick. Classical music fuels the energy. These people are at odds. “I hope I never see you again.” “I'll still come to your funeral.” That's the final exchange of another conductor and the woman, Cha Seeum, who briskly returns to her homeland. Less than 5% of conductors are women, but she is among the best of the best. She's also scary as he!!. Her reputation is not one of warmth.

In Korea, she takes the helm of Hanphil Orchestra. The first thing she does is force the top violinist to step down. That he used to be her music teacher and is close to her father didn't help him at all. Call ‘em like you “See-um” is her rule. Emotions are not a factor.

Lee Young Ae is the FL. She is a superb actress that can carry a whole production on her shoulders. In Inspector Koo-8.4, she plays a kook-savant, an investigative genius that is correspondingly poor at self-care. In Saimdang-8.5 she really shines as a modern-day art historian as well as a Joseon era artist. Saimdang was a real person. The show gives us a peak back juxtaposed against a look at the contemporary art scene in Kcountry. They limited the dramatic license with the historical portion, therefore the ending isn't an ending: The show drifts away, which some viewers surely won't like, but it is excellent, nonetheless. In M, Ms Lee's acting is her everyday superb. She IS a conductor. I love how they make sure her hair gets messed up ~just so~ to showcase her energy and state of mind.

Seeum is a loner. So much so, that she's difficult to identify with. This is probably true for alot of exceptionally talented people. They just don't have many peers. She's obsessed with her work to the detriment of all other relationships. She is also one to avoid unpleasantness. Her mother is afflicted with Remingtons disease, a slowly encroaching degenerative condition that is not unlike Alheimers. It rots away the body and mind gradually, over years, and Seeum has a 50% chance of inheriting it. That has her so freaked out that she won't visit her mother.

Kim Young Ah (Hyena, Be Melodramatic-8.7) is her BFF, Lee Hye Jung. Ms Kim is a Competent actress, but she doesn't have much to do here. They don't build up the relationship so she's on the periphery and seems irrelevant. Having said that, let's get the rest of the bad news out of the way. At one point Seeum's talking about resigning from her post and even suicide, when she hasn't even been tested for the horrible disease she might have. She resists being tested over the years, but once she starts exhibiting symptoms, being tested is the only thing that makes sense. We have to suffer through her epic avoidance disorder. As ep10 began, irritation started to well up in me. I would have liked the show a tiny bit more if Ajin would just take her hand off of her stomach. She started to rattle my nerves. The lighting and/or makeup were off in some scenes. I was surprised to realize how distracting it is to see noses, covered with large skin pores, that are 2 shades lighter than the face they are attached to. The villain, and other surprises, don't generate any thrills as the build-up is missing something. That last concert is arguably silly, but even so, it was exciting.

Lee Moo Saeng (Blood Free-8.5) is Yoo Jeong Jae. He had a past relationship with Seeum that she seems to want to forget. He's the opposite: He wants to relive their time together. So he buys the orchestra. Kim Young Jae (Mouse, Mother, Under the Queen's Umbrella) plays Seeum's husband, Kim Pil, or “Phil,” as in philharmonic. Lee Shi Won (Misaeng: Incomplete Life-9.1, When the Camellia Blooms-8) portrays Lee Ajin, the horn player at Hanphil who is a thorn in Seeum's side. She becomes more and more loathsome as the show progresses. It was frustrating to not be able to slap her. Choi Yoon-So (Love to Hate You-8.9, Woman of Dignity) is Go Yu-Ra, a reporter and Yoo Jeong Jae's ex. Hwang Bo Reum Byeol (The World of My 17, School 2021) plays Lee Roo Na, the new first violinist and Seeum devotee. Ye Soo Jung portrays Seeum's mother, Bae Jung Hwa, who is disabled and mostly non verbal due to a degenerative disease. She's a superb actress. Her resume is jammed with hits: Land of Happiness, Stranger, Prison Playbook, Mother, The Worst of Evil… I've seen her in Link: Eat, Love, Kill-6.7, an average show in which she's one of the best things, Black Dog-8.2, Strongest Delivery Man-6.6, the Along With the Gods films (7.2/6.7), Train to Busan-7.8, and as the moral center of Mine-8. She's always an asset. The director is Kim Jung Kwon (Love to Hate You-8.9) and the screenwriter is Choi Yi Yoon of Love Tractor.

“No matter how hard it gets, keep going!” Seeum almost sounds unhinged. That's because her life has become unhinged. Bickering~Plots~Jealousy~Resentment~Gossip~Rumors~Hatred~Partiality~Phoniness. It's lonely at the top. The stage is like a battlefield, Seeum asserts. Talent alone isn't enough. It takes perseverance, hard work and knowing when to give & take, and when to make demands.

Obsession is a string that ties some characters together. Seeum is obsessive about conducting, Jae is obsessive about Seeum, and the perpetrator obsesses over Seeum. I can't say that obsession is always a bad thing. It propels people to do magnificent things - People like Seeum. But obsessing over a person is never a good thing. One-way crushes and obsessions are not only a complete waste of time and emotion, but they are often based on illusion. Most one-way crushes are about a projection of what we think of the person, not the real person. They are a poor substitute for self-improvement. Put Your time and energy into being the best version of you. Love and friendship will follow.

‘Are you capable of doing anything on your own, without me?’ Seeum queries her spouse. At first, Phil seems like the salt of the earth - A decent guy, certainly… Right? Wrong! He's just quiet. As we get to know him better, we'll see that he's actually obsessed with himself. He hasn't composed anything in 3 years. People that are self-absorbed often can't create art that will speak to others as they lack a view of the bigger picture. Kim Pil married a person more skilled and accomplished than him. If he truly loved her, he would be thrilled at her successes. Instead, this egotist only felt smaller next to his wife. Self-focused people don't like feeling smaller. They're the biggest thing in their own little worlds and they don't like their delusions being interrupted. He struggles to find relevance in all the wrong ways. The measures he takes to hold on to his cushy life only reveal how unworthy he is of her devotion. To be fair, it doesn't seem that Seeum is the easiest person to be in a relationship with (though Jae doesn't feel that way). It's a 2-way failure, but Phil has more of the fault than does Seeum. His attitude probably led to her withdrawal. For years he fed the self-monster. People prefer lies to truth, particularly the lies we tell ourselves about ourselves. He believed the lies he told himself about himself, so he failed to learn and grow. When things got rough, he had no core. He had no clue about the right thing to do (not that he would have done it anyway). He implodes. Then he rebuilds himself into a soulless, ego-feeding villain.

There's a romance afoot, albeit a minimalist one. Jae is devoted. Most men would have given up or frozen to death. He's easy to read, but she's an ice sculpture. The closer the viewer watches her performance, the more we get from it. He carries it the whole show, while her expressions morph subtly as the show matures. In ep7, suddenly, these 2 characters start to (unconsciously) match their clothes. There's no true romance until she cracks a smile towards the end of ep11. What they manage to convey in the last scene, by way of minimal dialogue and micro expression, is really impressive. It ends on a high note.


〰? IMHO

RATINGS
Directing 7
Writing 7
Acting 8.3
Romance 5.5
Flutters 4.5
Art 7
Sound & music 8.3
Ending 8

LEVELS
Warmth 3
Action 4
Laughs 1
Tears 4
Fright 4
Tension / Anxiety 4
Gore 3
Thought provocation 5
Snores 2
?7 ?7 ?8.3 ?5.5 ?4.5 ?7 ?/?8.3 ?8 ▪ ?3⚡4 ?1 ?4 ?4 ?4 ?3 ?5 ?2


Age 13+ Violence and scary elements, affairs and pregnancy
Language: relatively rare PG-13 verbiage like @$$h0le, $h!+


Re-?? I'm borderline on this. The music is wonderful as is Lee Young Ae's performance. I think it reduces to a question of time. Due to physical issues, I watch lots of tv now, so M was worth a look. In my old life, my viewing times were limited, and there's a long list of better dramas that would queue up in front of this one which would place it on the back-burner indefinitely.

⛔️SPOILER BELOW⛔️
They never reveal the test results. Seeum opens the envelope, reads them and walks away with Jae. She's moving on with life. She's going to live - and not alone. It doesn't seem like she has the disease.

In order of ~lite&trite~ to ~heavy&serious~ you may also like:

Modern Day -
A Witch's Love 7.8,
Love to Hate You 8.9,
Touch your heart 8.2,
It's Okay Not To Be Okay 9,
Love Struck in the City 7.3,
Why Her?-8,
My Liberation Diary-8.9,
Misaeng-9.1,
Call It Love-8.4,
Mine-8,
Anna-8.1,
My Mister 9.5
The King's Affection 8.3,

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Lay It On The ♻ Line Time After Time °VG°

Is Tomorrow Another Day After all?

This drama is tense and could trigger anxiety in some - Fair warning. While it could (SHOULD) have been better, I would still say hop on the train and give TWY a ride. True, the ending wasn't that difficult to figure out. Despite that, the director still manages to set the tone with tension being a focal point. The pressure continues to gear up until the very end.

Ma-rin prefers to be behind the camera now, and in TWY her pain is framed explicitly; Shin Min Ah is superb. All the actors did a solid job, and the side vignettes are all enjoyable. Lee Jeong-Eun has such luminosity: She shines once again as Mar-in's mother. She is one of my favs. (Check her out in Oh My Ghost-10; odd title, amazing show - Some of her scenes are astonishing. Her portfolio has impressive depth of field and is jammed with highly rated shows and movies). The villain's storyline works well enough, with the actor delivering a tangible portrayal of his descent from a respected businessman-to-murderer with unfiltered evil saturation. Yes, he was originally a little crooked, but that wasn't in anybody's viewfinder.

I've noticed that Kdramas often show individuals who experience a marked character arc. Often these persons have a skewed aspect-ratio, and are initially cringeworthy in bursts of nervous awkwardness. Since these dramas are mostly 16+ hours, the characters may not start to improve for many episodes. The directors have a long time to build up or distort who the individual is. They can then put the focus on slowly developing protags from black-and-white to full RBG color.

Ma-rin is like this. Her over-exposed childhood kept her adult self shuttered in a darkroom. She had become so insecure that it was actually challenging to watch her in the first few episodes. In time, she has a wonderful transformation from dull to glossy. It is satisfying to see how she develops into the model of a confident and strong woman by the end. One might say she bloomed into a picture-perfect flower.

So-Joon also enlarges as a person. While he's clearly good-hearted, he is also a portrait of immaturity and laziness in the beginning episodes. He later becomes patient, caring, harder working, more responsible, and more loving. Since his time-traveling exploits make operating his business so easy, it's doubtful that his lazy streak will be completely edited out.

The two leads initially display a lack of chemistry. It actually seems that So-Joon is just using Ma-rin. His motives are blurry. He is an enigma, always with a matte look on his face. The director deliberately injected acidity and unease into their relationship so that we can watch it develop. The viewer is concerned for Ma-rin. Eventually, we can be happy for her. By the middle of the show their marriage is the image of warmth and love.

Ultimately, this story, and the love this couple shares, is quite charming. Like a photo in solution, TWY progresses from indifference and hesitation, to warmth, then love, and finally to sharply detailed commitment and intimate love. (Though they are adorably still too shy to strip in front of eachother.)

I adore stories about time travel. They are so much fun, but logically it's easy to encounter under-exposed plot points. The show is not without those. Why So-Joon would go near the subway on the day that he knows he'll disappear is grainy logic. I also don't know why he would take Ma-rin to the fireworks. It's not clear why his focus wasn't to get them out of town, or to not leave the house for a few days. It's a little frustrating, actually. It's understandable for the plot development of a time travel tale. A plethora of miscommunications and a catalog of flawed judgments are practically necessary, and fate always shadows Kdramas. If Mar-in's father, Doo-Shik, had jyst been more candid with So-Joon... if they had each opened their apertures a little wider, it would have been a panacea. I suppose, then, the show would have been wrapped up by episode 8.

The optics regarding time travel get distorted. In some scenes the future is pictured just as So-Joon observed from the past. Seemingly the message exhibited is that the future is set and laminated. In other scenes, though, they manage to change the future, suggesting that the future is a moveable pose. It's also unclear why So-Joon, after recovering from his coma, couldn't get back to the past when riding the subway, or why he was able to run on the tracks and get to the past. It makes no sense, at all, that the two men can time skip, while Ma-rIn cannot.

The very end displays a small snapshot of their lives 3 years hence. It falls flat with a dull thud. I didn't like the tone of their bickering, and how Ma-rin was nagging So-Joon. A little of it would have been okay if they had pushed by it right away. However, it's portrayed as entrenched behavior.

Earlier, when they had been fighting and later separated, Ma-rin concluded that she shouldn't have been so pushy towards So-Joon. She determined that she should reset her meter and back down from her insistence that he not ride the subway. To see her revert back at the close of the show is disappointing. And where's the kids? We were promised 3 kids!!!!! Instead of petty bickering they should have committed the 3 kids to film.

Now we'll point the zoom lens at one of the worst screw-ups. The director left the So-Joon who managed to get to the past hanging there. That tasty mystery should have been a resolved. So-Joon-in-the-past flashed by the screen twice - like a cartoon character - and then faded away. How could they not know that we would want to know how he got to the past! Something should have changed because of his presence there. Since he knows he somehow shot back to the past, it would make sense for him to work harder to get back there as it would have been easier to remedy their situation from the past.

Another thing they left out of focus was an explanation as to why So-Joon was in a coma. Per the doctor, there was no reason for him to be in one. The doctor shouldn't have said it if they didn't intend to explain it. (Shoot, did I miss it?)

As another reviewer so deftly put it: 'It took 16 hours to learn to not run into a busy road.' Mar-Rin shouldn't have been anywhere near that intersection at that time. Since they were there, So-Joon should have been holding on to her. If they had filmed the scene at normal speed, if she stopped and turned briefly when the certificate flew out of her hand, it would have played better. The way they chose to film it makes Ma-rin look very foolish.

The flaws might be more than minimal, but the good comfortably outweighs the bad. If romance is your thing, especially if romance and time travel are among your interests, than TWY should go on your watchlist. My "7" rating translates to "very good." It may not be picture-perfect, nevertheless, there is beauty to behold as time goes by.

IMHO...

?Directing 6
?Acting 8
?IQ 6
⚡Action/Excitement 6
?Romance 7
?Flutters 5
?Warmth 7

Suggested Age 12& up.

Recommendations:

Oh My Venus-7.4 (same FL),
Love to Hate You-8.9,
Oh My Ghost 10 & Our Blues-8.7 (same director & supporting actress),
Familiar Wife-8.5 (time travel),
My Only Love Song -8.7 ~ excellent comedy & time travel,
Mr. Queen 8.5
Live Up To Your Name-7.6 (time travel),
Saimdang 8.5 (time slips),

The Romance of Tiger and Rose 9.8,
Sisyphus 8 + Tunnel 8.5 + Signal 8.6 (time travel),
Black 9 (time slips),

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Legendary Bore °4.5° °too cold-blooded°

I was watching the show, Unrequited Love-7. The leading couple is teased by being compared to The Legend of White Snake. That made it an easy choice as to what to watch next. Let me make it easy for you: Don't bother. It isn't worth your time given the many better shows out there.

I love Chinese fantasy. It may be the best in the world. So, I went into TLOWS expecting to love it, which carried me through half the show. I ignored irritation after boring irritation until I finally realized that TLOWS is really, really bad. (Still finished it - waste of time). TLOWS is a 2019 release that is rated a too generous 7.6 on MDL. It is 1 season consisting of 36 45-minute episodes. It’s plot slithers and meanders around without going in a clear linear direction. It's frequently pleasant and the characters are likable, but it's boring at the same time. It stays in the dust and never lifts to greater heights. I never once actually liked TLOWS, despite all the wanting to. I suppose we could say that it goes into snake-like Brumation. The primary couple is simply goodness in silk robes, but they're dull.

The logic is insulting at times. Xu's older sister is often a veritable moron in the way she looks at things. She doesn't seem to understand that Bai and Xu are married ~ Ruyi is not part of their relationship. Xu’s amnesia doesn't change that. Another example is when Bai believes her own presence is the problem. Qing points out that Ruyi is a schemer. Bai shouldn't let Xu stay around her. Bai lamely replies that Ruyi truly loves Xu and would never hurt him. On the contrary! Ruyi's actions not only caused the current mess, but she has done /nothing but/ endanger and HURT others! There's betrayals with too little justification - it all happens too easily and is often the opposite of what was previously established. At one point Xu is focused on Bai and what he thinks is a wrong strategy to deal with a demon oppressing the family. He calls in the monk to help… with BAI, but NOT the demon doing the oppressing? Ridiculous. It doesn't recover from that, slipping from average to below average. There's plenty more examples; they pile up. I started to actively hate it north of ep30, and by ep34 my fangs came out.

Lots of viewers enjoyed it, however. Maybe they hadn't seen Handsome Siblings-8.7 or Ancient Love Poetry-8.6 yet. Now /those/ are good fantasy shows. This show has groundwork for something spectacular but it never leaves the pit. The following is from the notes that I took when it still ‘had’ me.

Per Wiki, “The Legend of the White Snake is a Chinese legend centered around a romance between a man named Xu Xian and a female snake spirit named Bai Suzhen. It is counted as one of China's Four Great Folktales…”

Tim Pei (Miss Truth) is Fa Hai, a fighting monk. His Shifu has foreseen a bad omen: There's a dangerous thousand-year-old evil spirit in Lin'an. He gives Hai two magic weapons: A bowl to catch the demon and an elaborate pixie cane to identify sinister forces. Hai is strictly forbidden to act on anything without a sign from the cane. He wants to eliminate Qing, but the cane loves her. This monk is adorable. Don't get your hopes up. The monk has the potential to be the best romantic lead of the show, but monks are celibate.

Ju Jing Yi (In a Class of Her Own) plays snake spirit “Bai” Su Zhen. She's just cultivated into her human form after a millennia of effort. She is kind. She wouldn't dream of hurting people; she wants to be a Buddhist. Request denied: She must live as a human first. Humans have emotions, and Bai must learn how to overcome emotions. Off to earth she goes, where she gets to experience the most wonderful thing on earth. Love? NO! FOOD!

Early on she meets physician Xu. She knew the doctor's previous incarnation but finds the current version lacking. He notices her, she's beautiful afterall, but she's not impressed. She leaves, unimpressed. Yu Meng Long (Eternal Love-8.3) plays Dr. “Xu” Xuan (he's often called Hanwen). Bai encounters a darling young boy whose mother is very ill and offers to help. Guess who's already treating the woman? She clashes with the good doctor once again at the patient's house. Each thinks the other is a scammer. As attraction builds, though, he ain't gotta chance. One day when she doesn't want him to leave, she conjures a rainstorm. Still, a more willing victim may not be found. In the end, the romance is cold blooded and nearly emotionless, sadly.

In the meantime, Ruyi is also out to entrap Dr. Xu - into marriage. Yu Lang (The Sword and the Brocade-8.6) plays shyster Jin ‘Ruyi’. Selfish Ruyi is the source of most of the conflict in the show. Li Lin (In a Class of Her Own) plays Xu's brother i/l and the police constable. He's one of my favorite characters. Prince Mu looks alittle like Chachi (Scott Baio) from Happy Days.

We haven't even gotten to our 4th lead yet. Xiao Yan (Love Is Sweet) is Xiao ‘Qing’, a naughty snake deity. Qing's exactly what the good monk is looking for ~ to kill. She, by far, is the best thing about the show. The actress is adorable. Asian culture interchangeably translates the words deity and demon, but it's not exactly the Western/Christian concept of demons. In Chinese fantasy, demons can be good, and many are. In TLOWS and many other stories, cultivating power and growing strong is excessively difficult and painstaking. For demons, the same result can be achieved by devouring humans, and who doesn't love a shortcut? Many succumb to the temptation. Demons get a bad name from that. Early on, Qing has clashes with Bai, but that only sparks Qing's interest. Abandoned by her mother long ago, she's lonely. She was cultivating into a man, and so far, she's managed to become 80% woman. When the quest starts (she opts to follow Bai) her cultivation stops, so they are two Sassy-lassies traveling together. Wait. Cultivating into a man is more difficult, and takes more time, than cultivating into a woman? The opposite should be what's true. Given their reproductive organs, women's bodies seem more complicated than men's anatomy. Even the creation story shows man as a warm-up and woman as the final prototype. Jusss sayin…

Most of our protags also clash with a fox demon, Lady Nexin, early in the show. She soon has our 4 protags plotting against eachother. The centipede demon - the really bad monster - is also on the prowl. While the leads are, intermittently, looking squint and wide-eyed at eachother, things are increasingly dangerous. Children have already started disappearing from Lin'an. Soon demons and other bad guys are impersonating our protags casting greater confusion.

“Predjudices are not formed in a day.” “We differentiate between demons and humans with our hearts.” The primary theme is racism. Though genetically human, Ruyi is the actual demon in TLoWS. The monk is the one who struggles with the issue and must ultimately fight the monster within himself before it takes control and changes /him/ into a demon. When Qing helps Monk Hai fight the centipede, Hai is forced to re-examine his presuppositions. “Common people seek benefit, but wise people seek the core…” once Bai passes on her essence to Xu to heal him, she's no longer fully a demon, and he's no longer completely human. As a literal thinker, this is a conundrum for Hai, and he spends a good deal of the show working it out. That's one of the funniest (and most tragic) things about racism. The very word is a lie. What is race? There is only the human race, with its many ethnicities. Ethnic groups are just large, very old families. We all hail from the area that is now the Middle East and Ethiopia. Scientists and theologians agree - we came from one woman. Race and racism are just pride-based lies that we have all decided to believe. It is hard enough to find a decent human being. Limiting yourself to one shade of skin makes the challenge all the more difficult. We also see a person who is indwelt by a demon accuse another person of being a demon. The message is unmistakable: We are all blind to our own stuff, and we are often what we hate the most.

They do have fun clashing up Qing and the monk. Once he realizes he can't kill her, he thinks it's a good idea that she sit and copy scriptures. She's totally flummoxed that anyone would think copying scriptures is a good way to spend one's time. “All the joy in the world comes from one's desire to help others. All the misery in the world comes from one's selfishness. Sadness and happiness are nothing but thoughts,” he reminds her. She reminds him that he has no idea what fun is! What would have been fun is if those two paired up. Monks are celibate, though. Sigh.

There's beautiful shots and lovely action, despite somewhat clunky and antiquated special effects. At the lantern festival they look into eachother’s eyes and everything stops. Next, the background blurs by, while they stay frozen. They have fun showing the deities’ true forms as translucent overlays, particularly in fight scenes. The opening looks like a Maxfield Parrish / Thomas Kinkade collaboration. Costume and design are usually beautiful in a Chinese fantasy piece, and such is the case here. I love the girls’ hairdos, and the wedding headdress is especially nice. Shazamed: A song, by Ju JingYi.

I'll finish with a transcription tip and other fun facts: GRUE. The Chinese, historically, don't differentiate between green and blue. So you might see Qing's snake form referred to as green. The thought of not differentiating between basic green and blue takes me straight to Miranda Priestly (Meryl Streep) in The Devil Wears Prada - “But what you don't know. is that that {Qing} is not just blue. {She's} not turquoise, {She's} not lapis. {She's} actually cerulean.” ;)) Bai returns to Mt. Emei to bolster her power. Mt. Emei is a real place. Located close to the country's center, it's the highest of the Four Sacred Buddhist Mountains of China. Finally, you might notice swastikas floating around the screen. The Nazis co-opted this symbol from ancient times. Per goog “In Chinese, the swastika is called “wan” which is a homonym for the Chinese words "ten thousand" and "infinity". The character is also a symbol of immortality and longevity, and is used to represent the universe, God's manifestation, and creativity.” It's also fascinating to see the traditional Greek scrolling on blankets and architecture. These are small evidences that we came from a common origin. We're one race.


QUOTE?

A moment of beauty may lead to a lifetime of love.

〰? IMHO

RATINGS
Directing 5
Writing 4
Acting 7
Romance 4
Flutters 2
Art 7
Sound & music 7.4
Ending 6

LEVELS
Warmth 4
Action/ Excitement 4
Laughs 1
Tears 4.5
Fright 4
Tension/Anxiety 6.5
Gore 2
Thought provocation 3.5
Snores 6.5

?5 ?4 ?7 ?4 ?2 ?7 ?/?7.4 ?6 ▪ ?4 ⚡4 ?1 ?4.5 ?4 ?6.5 ?2 ?3.5 ?6.5

Age 12+
Language G0d@mn

Rated TV-PG-13: Parents Cautioned

Re-?? Not a chance, and with the benefit of foreknowledge, I wouldn't watch it for the first time.


In order of ~lite & trite~ to ~heavy & serious~ you may also like:

Romance -
Find Yourself-8.9;
A Little Thing Called First Love-8.5;
The Romance of Tiger and Rose-9.8;
The Sleepless Princess-9.1


Historical/Period -
Overlord-8.4,
Legend of the two sisters in chaos-7.7
Under the Power-8.6,
The Rebel Princess-9.1,
The rise of phoenixes-9,
K??:
My Only Love Song-8.7 excellent comedy;
Mr. Queen-8.5;
My Sassy Girl / Yeopgijeogin Geunyeo-8.5;
The Kings's Affection-8.3;
Mr. Sunshine-9


Fantasy -
Love Between Fairy & Devil-8.9;
Once upon a time in Linglian Mountain-7.5;
Douluo Continent-9.4;
Love and Redemption-10

Action -
Heavenly Sword-9 (Kung-fu!)

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Mouse & Lighthouse /or/ Never underestimate the power of a good hairdo °8.5° °Outstanding°

“As long as there's a lighthouse you'll never get lost.” Mom is an optimist. Even still, business has been bad and it's on a skid. Hopefully this new location near the lighthouse will turn things around for them. Speaking of lighthouses, not all are mere buildings: Some people guide us just as well.

ALTCFL is a 2019 release that is rated 8.2 on MDL. It is 1 season consisting of 36 40-minute episodes. It is well directed, written, and acted, and is, hands-down, the best Chinese modern-day feature I've seen, thus far. Simple and gentle piano playing supplements the scenes to soothing effect. The soft techno-pop theme song is good, but none of the soundtrack is Shazamable. Spotify does have the playlist. A project headed up by women, screenwriter Zhao Qian Qian is a force for good with A Love So Beautiful-7 (Korea already adapted it into a Kdrama), Put Your Head on My Shoulder-7.3, and The Love Equations to her credit. The director is Qi Xiao Hui of Consummation. Every element of the show is solid.

That doesn't mean it's blemish free. It has typical Chinese quirks, like when all the characters complain about the heat, yet they don't take off their jackets, smh. Kai’s father falls in the water. In Chinese entertainment, going into the water is treated as a threat of imminent death. Just swim with it as a representation of something traditional rather than an attempt at realism. Small inconsistencies like these can add up, but ALTCFL doesn't have many. What's probably the most subtly offensive is how, when Miao is in her ugly stage, her skin is darker. Asia is under a shared delusion that pale skin is most attractive. Sure, beauty is in the eye of the beholder, but just like a sunset is undeniably beautiful, so is a nicely copper-toned skin. For Asia, this isn't really a looks-based preference at all, though. It's an antiquated fashion based on a prideful perspective from the days when fair skin was associated with wealth. Field workers were the ones with the tanned skin. The important people were the pasty ones. Hey, Asia!! - Pasty isn't prettier than a lovely tan.

Lai Kuan Lin (Don't Disturb My Study) plays ML & human lighthouse, Liang You “Nian”. I've gotta admit he's delish - He's sorta perfect. Even his coach seems to have a crush on him. He's kind to kids. He was kind to Miao's sister when he happened upon her. When he says Miao’s name, he makes it sound scrumptious. Think his voice is a rich and woodsy bourbon? He was a pop star before he acted in anything. Call him Mr. Asia: He's Taiwanese, a K-pop star, and is now a Chinese actor. He's also a superb romantic ML. What they did nicely in My ID is Gangnam Beauty-7.5 they do even better here. He sincerely seems to find her cute when she's in her “ugly” stage. The viewer believes he's being drawn into her with his eyes doing the majority of the work. At times he seems more likeable than ice cream… or did I mean lickable? ;)

Zhao Jin Mai (Princess Royal, Amidst a Snowstorm of Love) plays the homely Xia Miao Miao. Her name sounds like “meow-meow”, but she's not a cat, she's a mouse. She's got awful teeth and even worse hair (it looks like a black scotchpad scrubber). She ain't Ugly Betty. UB is a cutie. One can tell Miao’s impy face is cute, but only barely. Miao struggles with math, but she is good at making doll clothes for her sister's enjoyment. (When mom finds out why her curtains keep getting shorter - they've been using the fabric - it's not Miao's happiest moment. Mom is scary.)

Alone at a new school, Miao is transfixed by Nian's beautiful presence. With her new house being on his route to school, they /always/ seem to run into eachother. He is /always/ kind. Miao is seatmates with the surly Lin “Kai” Tuo (Wang Run Ze from Amidst a Snowstorm of Love & Imagine Me Without You, who looks more Caucasus than Asian to me). Kai is particularly antagonistic towards his cousin, Nian. Gruff and often rude, he's got a “thing” for family members: It's love or hate. But even he isn't awful to our sweet mouse who gets into everything, everywhere. The prim He “Xin” (Chai Wei from Justice in the Dark) initially is awful to our mouse, but after a couple random acts of kindness and a couple other brave overtures. they become friends. Xin appears snobishly self-important at first, but she has a warm heart and she's true. Wang Yi Miao is the special topping on this confection as Miao's lifelong friend, Lin 'A Xia’. I'm jealous. I want an 'A Xia’ too. She doesn't get to shine until the summer before college. Mom has a sharp tongue. Dad is warm and quietly content to let mom take the lead but will step up when bravery is required. Miao's alot like dad. Little sister is a touch entitled and bratty but still endearing (she's alot like mom).

Soon, Miao starts to want more from life. She wants to do more, to be more. Like a mouse grabbing crumbs here and there and dedicatedly working the wheel, it all starts to add up to something more, something good. Our little mouse is too cute to be denied. In bangs she reminds me of actress Maisie Williams who plays Arya Stark. Like Arya's journey, this'll take awhile, though. Miao's teeth are even worse than her hair, and the viewer has to put up with them until the end of episode 4, when she finally gets braces. The braces don't come off until ep7. She still has dreadful hair, but she is a cutie-pie without a doubt. Ep7 also sees Nian going to college while the other 4, a year behind, go into grade 12.

ALTCFL is a superb romance. They slow-walk it, yet every moment is delightful. I had just finished watching Zhao Qian Qian's Put Your Head on My Shoulder which starts strong but falls off a tad in the second half. There, they drag out the romance in a frustrating way and don't seem to have enough content for all the episodes. In ALTCFL the director stretches it out perfectly. Nothing feels like filler. Nian excels at everything he does, afterall. So, when it comes to love, we shouldn't expect anything less.

Physical appearance is a theme. Many truths are parallel, being true all-around despite seeming opposite. “There are no ugly women in the world, just lazy ones,” Xin avows. ‘No matter how pretty a woman is, someone out there is tired of putting up with her $h!+,’ on the other hand, is a common saying. People love to complain about the privilege of beauty, but it seems that 90% of us are part of the problem. Going after a person merely for looks is as common as it is foolish, and it's the basis for that harsh cliche about pretty women. Drying up the deep-end, too many people treat beautiful people like collectible figures - shallowness begets shallowness. Be that as it may, we will never stop people from judging external appearance, and looks will never, not be a part of romantic attraction. Protesting it is like protesting the color of the sky. Wrongs, human foibles, and downright stupidity should be called out, but complaining and name-calling are rarely (if ever) the right tactic. Complaining is actually a communicable disease that attacks emotional health but will never change core designs - or innate flaws, if you will. It just drives them underground. You will never complain your way to the top. True, beautiful people have a great advantage in life, but most of us are average. The good news is that confidence is the sexiest thing, and true lasting beauty comes from within.

Too little focus on external appearance, on the flipside, is almost as imbalanced as too much. The physical, emotional, intellectual and spiritual are the 4 legs of the table that is humanity. To be a fully developed human, a person should work on each of those aspects and derive pleasure from each as well. Humans, by nature, take everything too far - people aren't good at balance or moderation. I've noticed that many of my fellow nerds refuse to compromise, believing they shouldn't have to change a thing to fit in. That's choosing to believe a lie. We all need improvement, and most people should pay more attention to their physical appearance (even moreso, their health). Don't spend one moment feeling sorry for yourself, Miao teaches us. Just keep going forward. Keep picking up crumbs. Keep improving. Steadily pick up good habits. Life can get hectic and our busy schedules can be murder, but if all your energy is going into your job or being a mom then you aren't a wife or a completed woman. Try new looks: Try a new hairdo (it grows out, don't be scared) - accessorize - put on makeup, pick up healthy habits. If all your energy is going into work, or something worse (like sports or video games) then you aren't a husband or dad. One could even argue that there's a self-indulgent arrogance to neglecting one's appearance, especially if one is married. That person is saying that their mate is not worth the effort.

Don't want to put in the effort? That's a personal choice. Just accept the truth about the likely outcomes of your decisions. Don't carp because things align with the standard profile. “Just because I'm fat doesn't mean that I'm not aware of how society operates,” snaps the zaftig Xia. “I just have a big appetite.” Xia inhabits reality. She understands it. She understands that she must accept it as so. She's made her choice about who she is, what she's about and what she does, and she doesn't complain. She embraces life. She enjoys herself, and she elevates the lives of those around her. She will always be loved just the way she is. She's the healthiest person in the show and the one we all want to hang with. If one looks at a photo of the writer, Zhao Qian Qian, it's easy to imagine that she wrote herself into Xia. I'm a fan of Ms Zhao, so I'd like to think she did. My biggest criticism of the show is that in the second half, Xia devolves into a caricature of herself. She becomes a background eating machine as her character stutters and goes into neutral without continuing her arc. After building her character up, they left her half done.

Finally, don't be part of the problem. Awareness is the key. Attractive people are given more deference and generosity. That ain't fair. Try to ignore looks and treat everyone the same. Don't be the 10,000th person to make a height joke or ask about a scar, birthmark, or some other anomaly over which a person has no control. Can you imagine having to hear the same jokes and comments from everyone new that you meet? What a nightmare. Scripture talks about how when we help a stranger we might be helping angels, unawares. If angels do exist among us they probably do take on the appearance of street people more than movie stars. So be an angel and treat everyone with respect. You never know…

“You never know what the future holds.” The math teacher encourages Miao after she failed the exam. (Only one other student failed, and he's been absent since a serious accident). Her teacher wants her to keep plugging away. Don't give up. That's the theme: Stay on that wheel. Adjust. Try things. Maintain hope. Always be decent. Do your best. No quitting. Soon, YOU will be the lighthouse.


QUOTES?

This is learning. You learn because you don't know it.

Attitude is Altitude

〰? IMHO

RATINGS
Directing 8.3
Writing 8.5
Acting 8.2
Romance 8
Flutters 7
Art 7.5
Sound & music 7
Ending8.5

LEVELS
Warmth 7
Action 2
Laughs 3
Tears 2
Fright 2.5
Tension / Anxiety 3.5
Gore 0
Thought provocation 3.8
Snores 0

?8.3 ?8.5 ?8.2 ?8 ?7 ?7.5 ?/?7 ?8.5 ▪ ?7 ⚡2 ?3 ?2 ?2.5 ?3.5 ?0 ?3.8 ?0

Age 11+ This show can be appreciated by a wide age range of viewers.
There's nothing objectionable. There's little physical contact. The relationship progresses slowly. No kisses until the mid to late eps

Rated- Per IMDB it's TV-G: General Audience and per MDL it's TV-PG-13: Parents Cautioned

Re-?? Definitely

In order of ~lite & trite~ to ~heavy & serious~ you may also like:

♥️ -
C: Well-Intended Love 7.5 Rom-porn - extra points for the dopamine;
I Hear You ‘19 7.3, so cute but with many flaws
You are my destiny 6.8 ‘20 cute and sweet and 1/2 padding
Find Yourself 8.9;
The Sleepless Princess 9.1
K:
A Witch's Love 7.8;
Love To Hate You 8.9;
Touch Your Heart 8.2;
Crash Landing On You 9.1;
Oh My Ghost 10;
It's Okay Not to Be Okay 9;
Hospital Playlist 9;
My Mister 9.5;

Period -
C: Overlord 8.4,
Under the Power 8.6,
The Rebel Princess 9.1,
The Sword and the Brocade 8.6 (in ancient Chinese opera style),
The Rise of Phoenixes 9
K:
My Only Love Song 8.7 excellent comedy;
Mr. Queen 8.5;
My Sassy Girl 8.5;
The King's Affection 8.3;
Mr. Sunshine 9

Fantasy
C: Love Between Fairy & Devil 8.9;
Once upon a time in Linglian Mountain 7.5;
Douluo Continent 9.4;
Eternal Love 8.3,
Ancient Love Poetry 8.6;
Love and Redemption 10

Japanese lite romcoms: Maid Sama-10, Mischievous Kiss Love in Tokyo-7.8, Love, Chunibyo And Other Delusions-8.4, Toradora-8.5

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Time To Defend The ⏰ Or Regret Tomorrow °8.5° °Outstanding°

[Any spoliers are are the very end and clearly marked]

Sisyphus is the show that escorted me through the looking glass into the wonderland of Korean programming, and Asian dramas, in general. It explores the claim: "Just because you could do something doesn't mean you should." It's got action, fantastic romance, time travel, & a brainiac that can Macgyver anything. Though not issue free, Sisyphus is an insightful commentary on humanity: We make the wrong choices & then we live with regret the rest of our lives once we are finally honest with ourselves.

Themes explored are selfishness (if we only care about ourselves & what we want, it's radiation poisoning that will destroy society). Also featured are corruption, hate, revenge, & pride - forms of selfishness, all. Messianic imagery is a major player, as are regrets - they follow selfishness. Kindness to those less fortunate is critical, or we will create the monsters that rip into us. Hatred against immigrants & xenophobia is depicted. Sisyphus also examines the False Dilemma argument: Just because someone (especially a bad guy) says you have two choices, doesn't mean it's true.

The title is based on the Greek God Sisyphus. Per Wiki: he "was punished for cheating death twice by being forced to roll an immense boulder up a hill only for it to roll down every time it neared the top, repeating this action for eternity. Through the classical influence on modern culture, tasks that are both laborious and futile are therefore described as Sisyphean."

The question of whether the future is static is very much alive in the show, Asia Mart's Mr. Park says: "Do you believe you can change things?" He laughs. "You know you can't change anything, right? You can try all you want, but nothing will change." At the same time, Sigma & his minions make references to alternate timelines, hinting at the many times the end-of-the-world drama has played out.

The main protags are the time machine inventing genius, Han Tae-sul (HTsul), & Gang Seo-hae (SHae), who travels back in time to save HTsul & thus, the world. The world needs saving because the time machine will usher in nuclear destruction of the Korean Peninsula.

By the time SHae travels back to present day Korea, the country has been taken over by thieves from the future. They were in prison when war broke out, which served as a bomb shelter and ensured their survival. Volunteering as the 1st test-group that travels to the past, they accumulate massive wealth due to their prescience of lottery, sports & stock outcomes. Soon, they take over all the power positions in the country & set up the Control Bureau, an immigration enforcement agency that prevents others in the future from gaining the advantages they themselves enjoy. CB officers have very few restrictions & are allowed to kill on sight. All of this was crafted by the mysterious Sigma, traveler & villain #1, who is rumored to be the person that starts the war. Everyone in Sigma's circle is controlled by a desire to protect loved ones, or a desire for power and selfish gain.

Don't give up! S takes off to a confusing start. Ep1 is a tough one to get through, but watching HTsul save a plane that's going down is the biggest reward for watching it. Kdramas often begin by methodically setting the dials & levers that will operate the rest of the show. I first saw Sisyphus before I was doing reviews, so I decided to watch it again before writing about it. The beginning is entirely different in the 2nd go-round.

Both leads are on the Crazy Train, but they each have their talents. When we meet SHae & follow her trail, we see that she's a cool customer. From age 7 she rode out the apocalypse with her policeman father. He trained her in all kinds of combat as hunting for scarce food & water is very dangerous in the anarchy of the future. When we meet HTsul we see that he's pretty cool, too. Pretty bada$$ cool. HTsul does something amazingly clever in most eps. HTsul is also a pathetic pill-popper, ridden with guilt over the way he treated his brother, HTsan, the last time they met, just prior to HTsan's passing. HTsul's ex is his psychiatrist. She dumped him, but only after he cheated on her. What could go wrong here?

Trains & train stations are featured frequently, & appear to represent fate. Right from jump when SHae arrives in the past she sees a bright light & hears a bell. There's a train coming down the tracks right at her: Foreshadowing. Later, HTsul & SHae see each other at the train station while a fast train screeches between them. It's a metaphor for the onslaught of events headed their way that could separate them. HTsul hears the train on the way to the Control Bureau, which helps him locate it later. A train station is where the seat of power is in the future. There's also constant foreshadowing broadcasting HTsul's end of show options, like a train coming at the audience. They are always brought to the forefront.

Almost everybody we meet in Sisyphus is selfish, even SHae's father. Exceptions are SHae & HTsan. They will bring about change to those around them. Early on SHae tells HTsul: "You're really selfish. You'll do what you want & not care how many people died because of it. You selfish jerk." HTsan said it first to SHae: "You just care about saving the world, not my brother. I'm just the opposite."

Initially, HTsul displays corrupted values, thinking he can solve any conflict by throwing money at it. He founded his company, Quantum & Time with grad-school friend, Eddy Kim. Eddy does all the work. HTsul does whatever he feels like, and completely takes his friend for granted. Throughout the course of the show, jealousy & resentment, cause conflict in Eddy, due to HTsul's neglect.

Sigma & HTsul are contrasted. The series delves into the concept of families, struggles, abuse, & ostracism. HTsul lost his parents to an accident, but he had his brother, HTsan, to care & provide for him. Growing up, Sigma suffers severe abuse at home, underscoring that no parent is better than an abusive one. Sigma clearly isn't stupid, but almost nobody in the world is on HTsul's level: His perception that HTsul had it easy in life introduces jealousy.

Sigma's descent leads to madness. He falls in love with fire & death. He's smart, but a sociopath, arsonist, narcissist, & likely a fetal alcohol syndrome sufferer. Killing 50 million people with a nuclear bomb is just a game for him. He brags incessantly about what he truly cares about: Outsmarting HTsul. He loves to taunt him, beckoning: "C'mon out and play," to him.

The backdrop for all of this is the thrills, action, & the wonderful romance between SHae & HTsul. There's a GREAT scene showing how she looks out for him. He's desperately trying to call by rigging a trashpicked office phone into the phone lines. He's shocked when she says she's a little busy. She next yells: "Duck!" He does so quickly while she eliminates the threat right behind him. In shock, he steps away & sees more than 15 bodies on the ground between him & the overpass, where she's standing with her rifle. He hadn't noticed any of it, to the viewer's amusement.

"The girl or the world." He is constantly threatened that he'll have to choose the girl or the world. HTsul will figure out for himself what options he has. He knows he must outsmart Sigma or lose everything.

Some people don't have the capacity to enjoy fantasy. It can be too intellectual for some, or not logical or real enough for others. Sisyphus is fantasy based on an intelligent script, & it's directed smashingly well. The condescending "1" ratings have no basis whatsoever. If one hates some of the logical quagmires or the pacing, a rating of 5-7 is fair, but Sisyphus, in any timeline, doesn't deserve a rating under "5." So leave Sisyphus alone!

We get a clear sense that it's not over yet. Hopefully they won't take their ~time~ putting out season 2.

~Quote~

Gibson: The future is already here. It just hasn't been evenly distributed yet.

IMHO〰?

Directing 9
Acting 8
Romance 7
Flutters 6
Art 8
Sound & music 7
Action 8
Thought provocation 7
Ending 9
?9 ?8 ?9⚡8 ?8 ?7 ?8 ?7 ?9

Age 14+.

⛔️SPOILERS FOLLOW❗️

I prefer to not give away many spoilers, but some things are worthy of noting as follows:

Resentment festers in Eddy until all he can think about is destroying HTsul. Sigma, who went to grade school with HTsul, has a similar arc. They each have an obsessive hatred for him.

At the same time, HTsul has been in deep emotional pain over mistreating his brother, HTsan, who raised him after their parents died. Under SHae's influence, HTsul evolves into a better human. There's a Scrooge-like sequence where they look at themselves earlier in life. HTsul watches himself w/ commentary: "What a crazy Jerk. It's not Sigma's fault. This jerk caused the war," speaking of himself. He's growing. The thinking pattern that leads to his messianic sacrifice has sprouted. What's funny is how people will, w/o self-reflection, watch & think: Good for #him. I've learned the hard way that none of us can see our own stuff unless we have a major wake-up call.

HTsul had defended Sigma from bullies at school a couple times. As a result, Sigma is happier for a brief period. He claims that all the pictures he draws come true. (Hmmm...). He colored a picture of HTsul floating over the earth (is it HTsul or the world?). After HTsul rejects a friendship, Sigma hates him, like he hates everyone else - Perhaps more. HTsul's journey leads him in the opposite direction of Sigma. Insufferably arrogant HTsul is bolts loose at the show's start. Love for SHae makes him sane(ish) & enables him to make a selfless decision.

S's biggest flaw is a failure to sufficiently explain how saving HTSul will save the world. There's frequent foreshadowing of his final solution, like a train coming at the audience. Mr. Park asks SHae why she doesn't just kill HTsul? That would fix everything... "You're making it too difficult on yourself," he points out. Jae-sun, SHae's first present day contact, declares to Bing-bing that if HTSul doesn't exist, the war won't happen b/c the uploader hasn't been invented yet... They reference it over & over again. HTsul says: "I'm going to find Sigma. I don't care if I die.”

The Messiah, HTsul, cryptically asks SHae to come find him in the future, and then sacrifices his life to prevent the doom that's steaming towards them. This time, Sigma never saw what was rambling his way. Everyone from the future disappears, including SHae. Why is HTsul around at the end of the show? They had time-slipped, so right before the end, there were 2 of them. 1 HTsul dies, 1 survives; future SHae disappears, current day SHae lives. She's 7 yrs old.

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POW Match‼ Sang-gu vs Tree is Lights-Out-Knockout‼ °8.4° °Outstanding°

The title didn't recruit me, I'll admit. It looked like an afterlife show that takes place in Heaven. The ratings were too good to be ignored, however. So I wagered my time on this contest, & so should you.

In typical Kdrama fashion, they introduce people that, early on, are impossible to imagine caring for each other in a neutral corner. Geu-ru is a 20 y/o w/ Aspergers Syndrome. It's on the ADHD spectrum w/ bonus challenges. Aspergers victims are akin to fragile angels. They tend to be highly intelligent & focused on a narrow range of topics that captivate their interest. They have no social skills, no comprehension of non-verbal communication, body language, or other such subtleties. Innately pure, they would never understand stealing, cruelty, or even white lies. They don't have the resources to roll with the punches. Without proper oversight & gentle handling at home, they won't make it. Geu-ru's intellect is the glove on the hand that prepares him for a counter punch. His name means “tree”, and like a tree, he's hard to move.

Geu-ru & his father are "Trauma Cleaners." Cleaning up messy deaths, crime scenes, & the aftereffects of deaths occurring at businesses or other properties is what Trauma Cleaners do. But Geu-ru & Dad don't just clean. They respect the deceased. They also console the "survived-bys". Geu-ru and his father would doggedly follow the departed's wishes regarding disbursement of their worldly goods. Absent explicit instructions, detective Geu-ru pieces it together w/ the evidence at hand.

Many of the early episodes are about the work-ethic and care Ge-ru has adopted from his father. Geu-ru is inspired & compelled to scry the deceased's wishes & carry them out to the shock of the bereaved. These scenes are emotional. Don't get Caught Cold: Hankies out!

Geu-ru is suddenly left alone. His father had pre-bequeathed a domicile & occupation to his brother/Geu-ru's uncle, Sang-gu. - as long as Unc cares for Geu-ru in dad's absence, that is. Sang-gu is a pugilist and a boxer who competes in underground fights. He's suffered a series of low blows in life. Just released from prison post an attempted murder sentence due to a tragedy in the ring, his life is on the ropes. Geu-ru, unaware of the arrangements made by his father, had never met his uncle. Unannounced, Sang-gu arrives at the house one day. He takes a dive onto the couch, & demands a beverage. He's angry, impatient, flippant, & aggressive - the scary variety.

Sang-gu must carry on the business w/ Geu-ru or lose the income & the sofa (Geu-ru won't allow him in daddy's BR). Their first job together is cleanup of a corpse that had been there a while. The scene is... unpleasant. Sang-gu has the heaving & hurling reaction one might anticipate. It progresses from there. It's hilarious to drive w/ them for the 1st time. We'll just say that Sang-gu is not methodical like his brother. He's a brawler, in & out of the ring. Upon landing, Geu-ru cites every law Sang-gu had just violated, along w/ the fines & imprisonment levies. Sang-gu starts to see that he's moved, not to a house, but down the rabbit hole. Sang-gu additionally learns that he can't win a battle of the wills with Geu-ru. As he's rarely wrong, Geu-ru is, in essence, landing a Bolo Punch to Sang-gu's hard shell. It's starting to crumble.

The distance characters must cover, to reach the main event and eventually unite, always makes the journey better. The bigger the better. In MTH, a vast quest handed down to viewers. The main 3 characters did an excellent job. Tang Joon-sang, as Geu-ru, is authentic. In the same year, he starred in Racket Boys-8, an adorable show, playing a hot-headed & uber aggressive/competitive athlete. Then there's Crash Landing On You-9.1. He's in that,and he's convincing in the roles, to his credit - a trifecta! (Don't miss CLOY, btw.)

Lee Jehoon is fantastic as Sang-gu. I'cve seen him effectively play a romantic lead, but he really dazzles in this sort of role. Did they speed up the camera for Sang-gu's punches, or is he actually that fast? He's ripped, too... Convincing body suit? I think not. He beats up people (all are in acute need of it) by slapping them. As a boxer, he could be arrested for attempted murder again if he punches anyone. Given their power, fists of some boxers may be considered lethal weapons. Sang-gu forgets all of that when he schools that abuser, though. Dude hit a nerve, after all.

There's no glass in Na-mu's jaw. Geu-ru's friend from across the street is played by Hong Seung-hee. Na-mu's a brawler herself; an indefatigable one. Ms Hong is an upstart with only 3 bouts on her card, but all of them are winners. In fact, having just finished Run On-7, in which she's part of the 2nd couple's story, her talent is evident. She steals the show, along with her other half, in convincingly playing the "poor" little rich girl. She looks leaner, taller, & as hot as burning thermite. (Apparently, nothing burns hotter than thermite). Anyway, between the 2 roles she's barely recognizable.

Having already been plagued by a twisted desire for Na-mu to hook up with Sang-gu in a S2, I now see that Ms Hong's potential to rock Sang-gu's world is just "Mama-said-knock-you-out." Can you imagine how stunned he'd be, once he realizes that Na-mu would outmatch any ring girl? It writes itself. Oh please, please, bring it on! We should keep her in the family, shouldn't we? Given her competitive hostility toward him, it would be hilarious,. While the cop who's been scouting her is a better man than Sang-gu - at the moment - she was quite tenderized by S1's final ep. Sang-gu should be a contender. The ending is oblique. Hopefully they are leaving an opening for a S2. More rounds with them is a good thing.

Let's now take an intermission to evaluate proper treatment of those with special needs. In several scenes Geu-ru is misunderstood & mistreated. Sufferers of Aspergers are human beings, and being so, they long for positive interactions & relationships. The tragedy is that they are denied the skills to satiate this longing. For example, they are unable to make small talk, but they love to talk about their favorite topics, as with Geu-ru & fish.

Ignorance begets fear. Modern day living does as well. Our innate reaction when confronted with somebody different, is to recoil. Understandable; it's a dangerous world. Here's a challenge to help make the world a better place: Stop for a moment & assess. Whether you sense danger or not, utilize politeness. An "Excuse me" will do. If you recognize that this fellow human merely wants to talk about h/h favorite subject, be an angel & exchange a few smiley sentences. Watch their beleaguered guardians un-tense as warmth replaces protective anxiety. Always be safe, but also be decent.

While Geu-ru has no obvious affliction at first glance, many precious humans do. We have friends w/ a severely disabled child, and it's obvious to spectators. I had the honor of escorting this little soul down the boardwalk one night. His parents never warned me about the looks. People blanched unpleasantly at the sight of him. At least we were afforded the benefit of a wide berth, lest they get too close. Being taught when growing up that every person is of the same value, I was naively shocked - More than that, I was ready to slug someone, People will subconsciously act casually cruel. We all love us some Rainman... in a fictional tale. In real life? Give it some thought. Shining the spotlight on our repulsive behavior should be the cure. Seriously, who is truly repulsive in the prior scenario? Not me & my boy. Kindness is free. It costs you nothing, yet it provides life's highest rate of return.

As this bout ends, we go to the Cards for a decision: Right before Sang-gu threw in the towel, Geu-ru calculated his final move for the win. Sang-gu hits the canvas in round 10. Geu-ru is the new champ.

You'll also feel like a champion after spending time with this group; this family.

QUOTE~

You see things as you are.

IMHO…

?8.5 ?6 ?8.5 ⚡5 ? 6 ? 9

Directing 8.5
Thought provocation 6
Acting 8.5
Action/Excitement 5
Warmth 6

Age 13+

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