A promising start with a lackluster end
First and Khaotung's main lead breakthrough had an intriguing arc to school settings and criticism towards control, as the story pulls you through a relatable part in youth. The dark landscape painted a picture on the pressure teens face before their next chapter in life, but there's twists and turns that make you the detective as the story progresses.
What did I like?
The dynamics for four of the characters really showcases the different perceptions in self-discovery. I think before the final two episodes, it was well developed and complex enough to differentiate between the clashing personalities. The chemistry is tender. I loved the different ways each couple expressed their young love. It feels nostalgic! The discussions of mental health is also one of the rare series where they don't sugarcoat it, but they also don't stereotype and stigmatize mental illness. The acting for the most part (especially with the main leads) is fantastic. Poignant expression coupled with the actors really getting into their characters shows how dedicated they were in bringing the characters to life. The angled cinematography to collaborate with the theme of the show was clever! I see you, camerapeople. Finally, the representation, for once, didn't feel like "insert character for comedic relief". The more feminine characters actually had purpose to the plot, and for good reason.
What did I not like?
The plot had a great stride, but it exhausted its efforts towards the end. The sound quality was not the greatest. It felt like they filtered a microphone underwater for most of the scenes. While it was okay enough to get by, the static sounds were still distracting. And, as I said before, my personal distaste for the final two episodes left me docking off my enjoyment for the series, as well. It felt like they had to rush to conclude the series (or season, if there is going to be a second season). It made me ponder my thoughts on a certain character due to how quick they brushed away a particularly important scene. There was also a part at the end that made me feel like it was a strange fanservice filler. If they had that idea somewhere in the middle it would've made a little more sense, but again, I didn't see how incorporating filler when the conclusion is on the horizon would make the ending feel more complete.
So this series could be a hit or miss for a lot of people. If you're really interested in political symbolism, low-key jabs to government control, or hell, even just the main leads, give it a watch. Support the show. I notice they had a limit with what they were working with, but it felt like a promising story where the crew really cared about representation.
What did I like?
The dynamics for four of the characters really showcases the different perceptions in self-discovery. I think before the final two episodes, it was well developed and complex enough to differentiate between the clashing personalities. The chemistry is tender. I loved the different ways each couple expressed their young love. It feels nostalgic! The discussions of mental health is also one of the rare series where they don't sugarcoat it, but they also don't stereotype and stigmatize mental illness. The acting for the most part (especially with the main leads) is fantastic. Poignant expression coupled with the actors really getting into their characters shows how dedicated they were in bringing the characters to life. The angled cinematography to collaborate with the theme of the show was clever! I see you, camerapeople. Finally, the representation, for once, didn't feel like "insert character for comedic relief". The more feminine characters actually had purpose to the plot, and for good reason.
What did I not like?
The plot had a great stride, but it exhausted its efforts towards the end. The sound quality was not the greatest. It felt like they filtered a microphone underwater for most of the scenes. While it was okay enough to get by, the static sounds were still distracting. And, as I said before, my personal distaste for the final two episodes left me docking off my enjoyment for the series, as well. It felt like they had to rush to conclude the series (or season, if there is going to be a second season). It made me ponder my thoughts on a certain character due to how quick they brushed away a particularly important scene. There was also a part at the end that made me feel like it was a strange fanservice filler. If they had that idea somewhere in the middle it would've made a little more sense, but again, I didn't see how incorporating filler when the conclusion is on the horizon would make the ending feel more complete.
So this series could be a hit or miss for a lot of people. If you're really interested in political symbolism, low-key jabs to government control, or hell, even just the main leads, give it a watch. Support the show. I notice they had a limit with what they were working with, but it felt like a promising story where the crew really cared about representation.
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