3
8
Danielle A
Somewhere Only We Know
This review may contain spoilers
I Watched This So You Don’t Have To
I went into this drama with very low expectations based on the rating and the comments I had seen. I really didn't think it was all that bad until about episode 7 when an already messy story took things a step further.
Let me list the issues:
1. The acting isn’t great, not terrible but def not great by any means. We all know with a good enough plot and production a little bad acting can be overlooked but this drama is lacking in both of those elements. The emotions here felt fake and unbelievable. Candy, Ice, and Boat were probably the most believable in their characters.
2. The plot isn’t actually all the bad when you know the entirety of what happened but the way it’s delivered is haphazardly done. It jumps around from key events and different timelines. You get used to it after a while but it made for some frustrating viewing. The biggest problem is that the story has a lot of potential but the execution is poor. Something I found irritating is the underutilization of the Tee/Nine/Dao university buddy part of the story. This is part of the story that had big potential to impact the relationship between the leads in a truly meaningful way but they barely scratched the surface of what could have been a beautiful little element to the main's relationship. Instead, all that potential was wasted.
3. The leads aren’t very likable. Nine is overly aggressive with Dao and although Nine's girlfriend is problematic, he does very little to actually try to end things with her despite knowing he doesn’t love her anymore. Yes, this is because he thinks she’s suicidal (which we find out a little too late) but rather than explaining the situation he hurts his girlfriend and Dao by not being transparent with either of them. Also, we know he had a FWB but did Nine have a habit of sleeping with his FWB's friends? That part was so weird and no real explanation was given.
4. Continuing from point #3, Dao isn’t likable either. While Tee is certainly far from perfect, Dao completely uses Tee to get back at Nine for hurting him. Dao is never really back with Tee officially but instead leads him on to believe that they might get back together. Then once Dao and Nine get together he doesn’t even try to hide that he’s all happy in love with Nine. TBH Dao is quite childish and whiny.
4. Nine’s ex/girlfriend is the most inconsistent of the characters. While we can blame her career for her wanting to spend time with Nine but not being able to, there is no explanation for her complete turn around from her crazy outbursts (literally threw herself in front of Candy’s car) to letting go of Nine kind of easily and then encourages him to follow his heart. Literally, she strips naked crying to Nine in a last-ditch effort for him to be with her but then minutes later encourages him to follow his heart and be with Dao. She just lets him go? After all that?? That easy?
5. While Tee’s character seems fine when you take a deeper look at his actions you realize he’s not all that great. First, we know that he was talking to someone else while Dao and he were first starting to date which is why Dao leaves and goes on his mini vaca where he meets Nine. However, later it appears like Tee is being very sweet and kind to Dao while trying to get him back but we find out that Tee has been monitoring Dao via Boat. He had Boat look into who Dao was with at the resort, and also had Boat report to him about Dao in the office. Furthermore, he kept pressuring Dao to be with him even when Dao clearly wasn’t enthusiastic about being with him. Even when Dao finally ended things with Tee, Tee forced a kiss on Dao that was incredibly awkward and gross. (I still don’t know why they slept in the same bed after that).
6. Even after the MC is together and "happy" it feels like there is zero trust there. We know that they are doing well because of the time jump ahead but I can't see Dao ever truly trusting Nine.
What’s good about the drama:
1. Nine’s abs
2. Candy
3. The OST
Would Not Recommend
Would Not Re-watch
If you’re looking for an infidelity-themed drama with real tension, I recommend Before We Get Married. It’s not a BL but it’s what I think this drama tried to pull off but failed at.
Afterthought: What was Nine doing at the zoo dressed in all black like that? They never explained that. It was so shady.
Let me list the issues:
1. The acting isn’t great, not terrible but def not great by any means. We all know with a good enough plot and production a little bad acting can be overlooked but this drama is lacking in both of those elements. The emotions here felt fake and unbelievable. Candy, Ice, and Boat were probably the most believable in their characters.
2. The plot isn’t actually all the bad when you know the entirety of what happened but the way it’s delivered is haphazardly done. It jumps around from key events and different timelines. You get used to it after a while but it made for some frustrating viewing. The biggest problem is that the story has a lot of potential but the execution is poor. Something I found irritating is the underutilization of the Tee/Nine/Dao university buddy part of the story. This is part of the story that had big potential to impact the relationship between the leads in a truly meaningful way but they barely scratched the surface of what could have been a beautiful little element to the main's relationship. Instead, all that potential was wasted.
3. The leads aren’t very likable. Nine is overly aggressive with Dao and although Nine's girlfriend is problematic, he does very little to actually try to end things with her despite knowing he doesn’t love her anymore. Yes, this is because he thinks she’s suicidal (which we find out a little too late) but rather than explaining the situation he hurts his girlfriend and Dao by not being transparent with either of them. Also, we know he had a FWB but did Nine have a habit of sleeping with his FWB's friends? That part was so weird and no real explanation was given.
4. Continuing from point #3, Dao isn’t likable either. While Tee is certainly far from perfect, Dao completely uses Tee to get back at Nine for hurting him. Dao is never really back with Tee officially but instead leads him on to believe that they might get back together. Then once Dao and Nine get together he doesn’t even try to hide that he’s all happy in love with Nine. TBH Dao is quite childish and whiny.
4. Nine’s ex/girlfriend is the most inconsistent of the characters. While we can blame her career for her wanting to spend time with Nine but not being able to, there is no explanation for her complete turn around from her crazy outbursts (literally threw herself in front of Candy’s car) to letting go of Nine kind of easily and then encourages him to follow his heart. Literally, she strips naked crying to Nine in a last-ditch effort for him to be with her but then minutes later encourages him to follow his heart and be with Dao. She just lets him go? After all that?? That easy?
5. While Tee’s character seems fine when you take a deeper look at his actions you realize he’s not all that great. First, we know that he was talking to someone else while Dao and he were first starting to date which is why Dao leaves and goes on his mini vaca where he meets Nine. However, later it appears like Tee is being very sweet and kind to Dao while trying to get him back but we find out that Tee has been monitoring Dao via Boat. He had Boat look into who Dao was with at the resort, and also had Boat report to him about Dao in the office. Furthermore, he kept pressuring Dao to be with him even when Dao clearly wasn’t enthusiastic about being with him. Even when Dao finally ended things with Tee, Tee forced a kiss on Dao that was incredibly awkward and gross. (I still don’t know why they slept in the same bed after that).
6. Even after the MC is together and "happy" it feels like there is zero trust there. We know that they are doing well because of the time jump ahead but I can't see Dao ever truly trusting Nine.
What’s good about the drama:
1. Nine’s abs
2. Candy
3. The OST
Would Not Recommend
Would Not Re-watch
If you’re looking for an infidelity-themed drama with real tension, I recommend Before We Get Married. It’s not a BL but it’s what I think this drama tried to pull off but failed at.
Afterthought: What was Nine doing at the zoo dressed in all black like that? They never explained that. It was so shady.
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