Disappointing story and characters

I really like CWS and though I didn’t like KDM in Itaewon Class, I was willing to give it a try. But I’m 10 episodes in and just barely hanging on.
CWS is too passive (yes I understand his character, but this is a drama and he lets KDM walk all over him) and KDM’s character is incredibly annoying.
If any of the characters would just share the tiniest bit of what they’re feeling the plot would fall apart. Or be resolved in half the episodes. I think that’s lazy writing.
It’s infuriating to see KDM be so rude to her ex when she’s the one who broke his heart. She only shows vulnerability around her grandmother and best friend. I know there’s more info that will be revealed but I can’t imagine CWS really wanting to be with someone who lied and broke his heart and never apologized.
CWS manages to stay likable through sheer sweetness. And I blame the writing for KDM’s frustrating character. I would love to see her play someone with less of a tough outer layer. Or someone with a genuine sense of humor.
I’ll stick with OBS till the end because I’m a narrative junkie. But I will definitely be skipping sections and groaning with frustration.
Updates coming after I’ve watched all 16 episodes.

Leia Mais

Gong Yoo and Park Bo Gum are amazing.
I know I lot of people had problems with this movie, but I thought it was incredibly well acted and incredibly sad.
I don't love all the violence but when you get through to the end you understand the pressure that has been building up in Seobok, and the narrowing of his options, and the violence comes out of that.
GY and PBG are two of my favorite actors and their work in this movie is beautiful. You see the subtle changes in their relationship and their growing understanding of each other, so the loss at the end is devastating.
The story is just a vessel to hold the relationship between the two of them. Their discussions about death are given higher stakes because of what they know about themselves. And their perspectives shift because of their relationship.
The only really important supporting character is the "mother" figure. Jang Young Nam doesn't have many scenes, but she conveys the character's intense pain in every moment. This actor never disappoints.
The "bad" guys' behavior isn't justified in the writing, so those characters are boring. But Seobok and Ki Heon are absolutely at the center of this story, and I had no problem focusing on them.
This isn't my usual taste (I like romcoms and sageuks), but because of GY and PBG's performances, this movie will stay with me for a long time.

Leia Mais

Wasted Chae Jong Hyeop performance

I'm on episode 6.

Caveats:
I'm fine with a sappy romance, and I know that complications are part of the deal with any rom-com. I'm also OK with fantasy thrown in. And even though CJH is doing his sweet puppy thing, I'm very OK with it!

However:
As much as I love CJH, the FL irritated me to no end. Once again, I'm left wondering why a Green Flag ML, has any interest in the FL. It's fine that she's conflicted and confused, but there has to be a sense of humor, or intelligence, or creativity, or genuine sweetness for me to believe that the ML would overlook her cold, push-me, pull-you behavior. I literally skip through her scenes, they're so tedious.

Furthermore:
I've never seen Nikaido Fumi in anything, so I don't know what she's capable of as an actor, but the character is written very badly. How can a 30 year old women (albeit a traumatized one), not be able to see that her behavior is hurtful? I get not being mature or experienced enough to be in a healthy relationship. But for someone who is so "tuned in" to other people's feelings, her treatment of the ML is rotten.

Conclusions:
I'll skip my way to the end for CJH, and the supporting actors, who I like.
I'm really frustrated with writers who think that a woman who is pretty and can cry sweetly is a fully dimensional character. As a woman, it makes me cranky.
As an enthusiastic Kdrama fan, I enjoyed hearing both Korean and Japanese in this show, and I'd like to see more crossover casting.

Leia Mais