The Kiss and Everything Else

Rated = 6 ~ 25/50 ~ 5
RPG Scene // A flurry of fairies surrounding me on mountain pass and dazzling me with their twinkling lights, that I drop my battle axe down the ravine. Damn.

If there is one thing I can praise this show on is the kiss scene. They took the time to build up the feels and then let it explode into a really passionate kiss. I appreciate that and I actually rewatched it a few times. So points.

This is unfortunately one of those shows for me where it starts off fine, then gets super tense for that kiss scene, and then just kind of trails off eventually to basically being back to where they started from.
I found, for the most part, one half of the pair annoying. I don't like the 'jock, always in your face' type characters because he's basically just annoying his crush until he relents. I dont find that endearing.
The friends were the usual, barely thinking characters we usually get unless there's drama to be created.
I can understand the parents at war with each other but the Uni as well, I felt like were always pitting the two faculties together which, honestly for me, felt a little dumb. Why would a social setting do that and then complain when fights break out? Wha?
By ep 9 I was skipping because I just wanted it to end.
The ending, I can deal with. I guess it's somewhat realistic but at the same time, also feels a bit stupid. Perhaps it was more just simply how it was written that feels a bit of silly.

Ultimately, the Kiss was great, 10/10, I gave a whole extra point for it but I'm unlikely to rewatch the show.

Read More

I'm actually about to cry.

Rated= 1~ 20/50 ~ 4
RPG Scene // Ogre about to R.I.P me in Haunted House. It ate my short sword.

We all have emotional boundaries when we're watching shows and this one crossed mine.

I was LOVING this. It was sitting at a solid 8.5 rating. I was sitting thinking I had found another favourite for my list. A FL I could support. Humour that landed on me. A plot I was invested in. Gone in a 30 second scene.

My no.1 rule for writers is when you use violence against animals and children, you do it tastefully.

This 12 rated show can't show us a proper kiss but is perfectly happy to show us a baby getting his eyes gouged out. A BABY, screaming and crying, while a man puts his fingers through his eyes. Telling us is one thing. Actually showing us it, is another.
But heaven forbid you show us an actual proper kiss between two lovers.

No. Just No.

You suck and don't deserve anymore attention.

Read More

I am too old for a show like this

"If you dont heal what hurt you, you'll bleed on those who didn't cut you"

The above quote was all I could think of watching this show. I just wanted to take Jihun by the hand and tell him to leave these assholes to their misery because that's what happens in life. Learn to love from a far. You can be compassionate without sacrificing yourself and I couldnt help but feel that, that was the direction this was headed in. Love conquers all.
Unfortunately it doesn't. There is a 50/50 chance of a relationship like this turning emotionally abusive.

The character I understood the most was the therapist who, was seemingly bad at her job but no. She was tired of the same story, over and over and over. You can't save people from themselves. In fact, many people dont want to be saved because their misery is all they know, so they just live there, ghosting, lashing out, avoidance, self destructive behaviours, all while hurting the people who love them.

After a certain age, you start choosing yourself over loving people like this.

The other factor in my lack of compassion, is what a lot of other reviews have stated. The editing. The first 2 episodes were beautiful, and then it started getting choppy. We jumped straight from ghosting to holding hands on a date. They just looked into each other's eyes and all was forgiven. Instincts or infatuation here? And if this editing style is to continue it's just going to create a further divide between my own emotional reasoning and my empathy for the characters because I feel like i'm hopping from one scenario to the next rather than walking with them through their pain.

Perhaps a few years ago, I would have enjoyed this. I understand it. I get it. I've lived and watch others live it. Every single person on this planet is carrying something, but relationship is never a crutch for your healing. You do not heal each other. When it becomes about mental health and trauma, it is truly solidary journey because only you are experiencing what you are experiencing and I don't find it romantic that someone is waiting for me to see through my issues.

Overall, I can see the appeal of a story like this, and I can understand why it's so loved but at the end of the day, between the disorientating editing and being through too much in my own life to feel tolerant, this just feels draining to watch.

Read More

If someone bullies you, it's because they like you

Rated= 5~ 24/50 ~ 4.8
RPG Scene // Zombies shambling and falling off Mountain Pass. Dont even need my sword. They walked off themselves.

I tried to like this, I really did but I just couldn't do it. I initially loved it with Wuxin and Xiao but then he left and it started to get really boring with lots of very irritating characters, very fast. And at least by ep 16, they're trying to force a romance with Xiao and the female character trope I absolutely loathe. Pouty princess with a big weapon. She beats you up because she loves you. Just no. That's not a couple destined to be. I don't do tsunderes and I can't imagine a man like Xiao liking it either. I just wanted Wuxin to come back so I googled and was disappointed so I've decided to drop.

Visually, there's a lot of special effects here. Gives me a final fantasy kind of vibe with a headache inducing amount of characters and back stories.

Xiao's face though. I will be watching out for that actor later because damn. I don't mind looking at him a little longer lol currently watching In Blossom with Wuxin's actor and he's pretty fine too with hair LOL honestly, if they do a spin off with just Xiao and Wuxin, I'd be all in but this is just too much for me to sit through 40 hours of my life.

Read More

Painful Writing

Rated = 1~ 10.5/50 ~ 2.1
RPG Scene // Ogre stomping through Murky Swamp. Rusty Dagger as useful as a spoon.

I realise this is from an old novel so I can't really say this had potential knowing that but, yeah, I feel this had potential. My western thought processing clashed terribly with this. I knew I was going to drop this on the second episode.
The pacing is painful. There are a lot of more exciting/creative ways to have summarized the beginnings of the plot. Nope. We're made to walk the story, inch by inch. I sat with my head in my hands realising why it's 40 episodes.

Side note - The father/twin, what did they do to this man's face. He felt like a robot and honestly made to look like one. Was he meant to be structured and porcelain white ? and instead ended up looking a face of flour with 2016 insta eyebrows. But perhaps that's my agitation talking. The actor is good looking. The father clearly was meant to be a heart throb. I did not see it.

Case in point - I absolutely hate love triangles and the big bad is jealous sisters, so either way, this Cassanova was effed from the start because even if he fell for a sister, the other sister would still be scorned. No wonder the poor guy ran away. These women are just delusional psychos and I hate seeing women pitted against each other for silly reasons. If there is a legitimate reason for this hate, I don't have the patience to find out.
I have no pity for pathetic villains. Meanwhile, the other villains were just straight up goofy and stupid.
I hated everyone on this show.
The women are just a misogynistic tragedy to watch and the male characters are just stupid and unreasonable.
I made it to episode 12 simply because of the lead. I was really enjoying his impish wits and heart of gold moments. I love intelligent characters who can think themselves out of a problem, until I caught the scent of putting him in a love triangle with his robot of a brother, who is trying to kill simply because he was told to. What?
I wanted to punch the FL (at least she is by episode 12) She came in with a lot of badass potential and as soon as she's dressed in pink, she's turned into a simpering, floundering brat who was thoroughly enjoying playing the lead's feelings because, hehe, he's jealous. No. Just no.
That's when I knew I wasn't going to make it through this series. I skipped right to the last episode for the conclusion and very thankful that I didn't waste my time.

Read More