A Diamond In The Rough
Oh but I'm so glad Love Class is back. I was one of the, apparently, few people who really loved season 1 but let me assure you even if you did not like season 1, you might just enjoy this anyway.
This show is tied to the original Love Class by the thinnest of threads, so much so that you won't have to have even read the synopsis of the original to understand this series.
This sequel is also tonally quite different from series 1. It's slightly more grounded and mature, not angstier, just a little quieter.
There is quite a nice soundtrack, but the music mostly takes a backseat and the characters are instead allowed to just exist, sometimes silently, without sound effects, without music telling the audience how to feel. It lends the show an almost whimsical indie feel, but also just a feeling of realism and gravity.
Just like the original Love Class, the highlights of this show are its characters. These six young people are portrayed with care and authenticity and their lives and experiences feel real even when they venture into the slightly contrived.
I specifically loved Lee Hyun and Kim An's roles and found their dynamic compelling and honestly just very sweet.
Kim An's "tragic backstory", for lack of a better term, didn't really work all that well for me, certainly not as well as Yu Na's story arc from season 1, but the writers still managed to tell a believable and touching story about overcoming grief and trauma and fighting tooth and nail for happiness in mundane, every-day ways.
The one draw-back of the cast is that they are all conspicuously male. Unlike Love Class 1, this season doesn't have any important female characters, much less ones central to the plot.
Disappointing as I find this fact, I did find myself quite fond of all six main characters fairly quickly which does somewhat speak to the quality of the writing.
I will admit that this show has its rough spots. The audio is at times incosistent, there even are one or two shots where a boom mic makes a surprise appearance, but personally I thought that just added to the nostalgic indie vibe of the whole thing.
What did bother me was the dreaded "sleeping kiss" cliche which suddenly reared its ugly head when I was least expecting it.
If however, you are willing to overlook these flaws, or quirks perhaps if you're feeling generous, then you will almost certainly find a hidden gem in this lovely little show.
As ever, Love Class stands out as somewhat unique amongst other shows in the genre and for that alone I'd say it's worth a watch.
Maybe you'll fall in love with it along the way, who knows.
This show is tied to the original Love Class by the thinnest of threads, so much so that you won't have to have even read the synopsis of the original to understand this series.
This sequel is also tonally quite different from series 1. It's slightly more grounded and mature, not angstier, just a little quieter.
There is quite a nice soundtrack, but the music mostly takes a backseat and the characters are instead allowed to just exist, sometimes silently, without sound effects, without music telling the audience how to feel. It lends the show an almost whimsical indie feel, but also just a feeling of realism and gravity.
Just like the original Love Class, the highlights of this show are its characters. These six young people are portrayed with care and authenticity and their lives and experiences feel real even when they venture into the slightly contrived.
I specifically loved Lee Hyun and Kim An's roles and found their dynamic compelling and honestly just very sweet.
Kim An's "tragic backstory", for lack of a better term, didn't really work all that well for me, certainly not as well as Yu Na's story arc from season 1, but the writers still managed to tell a believable and touching story about overcoming grief and trauma and fighting tooth and nail for happiness in mundane, every-day ways.
The one draw-back of the cast is that they are all conspicuously male. Unlike Love Class 1, this season doesn't have any important female characters, much less ones central to the plot.
Disappointing as I find this fact, I did find myself quite fond of all six main characters fairly quickly which does somewhat speak to the quality of the writing.
I will admit that this show has its rough spots. The audio is at times incosistent, there even are one or two shots where a boom mic makes a surprise appearance, but personally I thought that just added to the nostalgic indie vibe of the whole thing.
What did bother me was the dreaded "sleeping kiss" cliche which suddenly reared its ugly head when I was least expecting it.
If however, you are willing to overlook these flaws, or quirks perhaps if you're feeling generous, then you will almost certainly find a hidden gem in this lovely little show.
As ever, Love Class stands out as somewhat unique amongst other shows in the genre and for that alone I'd say it's worth a watch.
Maybe you'll fall in love with it along the way, who knows.
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