blackphillip
Brazil
This review may contain spoilers
To My Star (Taekwondo Version)
Hwang Da Seul is undoubtedly one of the best directors of BL series. And here is yet another proof of her competence and talent in creating such captivating stories with impeccable production, acting and cinematography.
However, I feel that this is a series that ends up repeating many of the arcs and narratives used in To My Star (also directed by her). It is the story of a witty, lively man who refuses to succumb to his problems and ends up moving in with a serious, bad-tempered and cold man. Little by little, he manages to break down the walls of this cold man and they fall in love. Until this man disappears without much explanation and years later they meet again because the cheerful man never forgot or stopped loving the cold man who begins to treat him in an indifferent and cruel way.
And that is where the problem lies. I feel like the first 3 episodes are perfect and contain such a unique and well-constructed narrative about two abandoned, lonely, and pain-filled boys who build a friendship and love that can withstand the pain and give hope about a better future.
That's the best part of the series. But they decide to do a 12-year time jump and the reason why it happens is the worst possible. I would understand if Ju Yeong had killed DoHoe's father and spent that time in prison. Or if they had met in college and the story focused on DoHoe trying to get into college and having to maintain a lie so that Ju Yeong wouldn't feel guilty.
But the story of their adult life is so weak and even boring. The dialogues are excellent, the acting is very good, but all this drama and DoHoe's distant and cruel behavior simply hurts the narrative much more.
I understand that the series tries to create this more complex, adult and conflict-filled plot, but the reality is that none of these conflicts really work. The whole issue of DoHoe forging his diploma or the problem with his mother who mistreated her son has little impact on the story.
The ending fixes a lot of things and manages to bring a resolution that warms the heart. But the series is too confined in the same space, repeating the same fights and this ends up greatly impacting what could be one of the best BL series of 2024.
It's an excellent series and gives a show in the technical aspects, but I really wish they had kept and explored the story of these characters' adolescence. The formula for a perfect story was all there.
However, I feel that this is a series that ends up repeating many of the arcs and narratives used in To My Star (also directed by her). It is the story of a witty, lively man who refuses to succumb to his problems and ends up moving in with a serious, bad-tempered and cold man. Little by little, he manages to break down the walls of this cold man and they fall in love. Until this man disappears without much explanation and years later they meet again because the cheerful man never forgot or stopped loving the cold man who begins to treat him in an indifferent and cruel way.
And that is where the problem lies. I feel like the first 3 episodes are perfect and contain such a unique and well-constructed narrative about two abandoned, lonely, and pain-filled boys who build a friendship and love that can withstand the pain and give hope about a better future.
That's the best part of the series. But they decide to do a 12-year time jump and the reason why it happens is the worst possible. I would understand if Ju Yeong had killed DoHoe's father and spent that time in prison. Or if they had met in college and the story focused on DoHoe trying to get into college and having to maintain a lie so that Ju Yeong wouldn't feel guilty.
But the story of their adult life is so weak and even boring. The dialogues are excellent, the acting is very good, but all this drama and DoHoe's distant and cruel behavior simply hurts the narrative much more.
I understand that the series tries to create this more complex, adult and conflict-filled plot, but the reality is that none of these conflicts really work. The whole issue of DoHoe forging his diploma or the problem with his mother who mistreated her son has little impact on the story.
The ending fixes a lot of things and manages to bring a resolution that warms the heart. But the series is too confined in the same space, repeating the same fights and this ends up greatly impacting what could be one of the best BL series of 2024.
It's an excellent series and gives a show in the technical aspects, but I really wish they had kept and explored the story of these characters' adolescence. The formula for a perfect story was all there.
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