liddi

After being totally drawn in by the characters and this universe last week, this week's episodes leave me conflicted. Don't get me wrong. For the most part, the narrative is strong, the pacing tight even if the flashback in Ep3 was rather confusing at first. More importantly, we begin to understand the reasons for Rang's resentment towards his brother, a backstory that while does not justify his actions, but at least allows us to empathise with him. The enormity of what he perceives as Yi Yeon's betrayal - first abandoning him and all the living creatures in the mountain for A Eum, then returning in the service of the afterlife judges for the sake of that same woman, to sentence his own brother to death - it is no wonder the depth of his love for his brother has twisted into a dogged obsession to make him and his lover suffer in kind. The banter between Yeon and Ji A continues to captivate, and she remains resourceful and spunky in the face of the dangers thrown her way - a refreshing change from many female leads - even if she does end up needing his protection in the face of more powerful enemies. Yeon's desperate struggle across the bridge in the Underworld of Knives, driven by his need to save her, leading up to the affirmation at the last scene of what we all have pretty much guessed, is also moving to watch. That being said, this week leaves me feeling a little flat despite the action being kicked into high gear. To be honest, I am not very convinced by the direction of the plot. While the premise is fantasy, we are suddenly seeing echoes of Sohn:The Guest intertwined with The Shining and The Omen, which does not seem to be a convincing combination for me so far, making me wonder if I am watching several different shows awkwardly mashed up into one. If my deductions are right, the same Imoogi that caused A Eum's death 600 years ago is plotting its rebirth. Perhaps Ji A's blood at the mouth of the well was instrumental in enabling it to rise up again and be reborn? Yet we have possessed villagers congregating by the ominous well and disappearing, a hoard of murderous child ghosts and the like, and an evil demonic infant thrown into the mix. Is the drama going for fantasy or horror? I cannot help but feel like I started off watching one show, and someone changed the film halfway. Regardless, I am still very much invested, thanks to the vividly drawn characters and its premise. I am just afraid that with the romance now kicking in, Ji A would end up being a flailing damsel in distress, losing the spark that made her such an awesome character to begin with. Loving their sparkling early dynamics so much, I really do not want that chemistry to now be relegated to run of the mill longing gazes and tear-filled eyes. Rather, I am keeping my fingers crossed that all the elements that made this show so captivating for me in the first place will not be lost. As for the plot, despite my current knee-jerk reservations, I fervently hope that going forward, it will manage to convince me that all these elements somehow fit into a cohesive narrative. Please let it be so.

Love the anime opening of this drama, perfectly complemented by its soundtrack - epic, otherworldly, beautiful...

@abs-oluteM Thank you for sharing! Am unfamiliar with Fabricated City or Switch and unsure what to expect with the premise, but fingers crossed that LJH's new drama will be good.

@ktcjdrama Yes to multiple seasons for sure, though it saddens me that we probably would not see the original Duon inhabitants again. I had entertained the thought that it might be better if Wook's mother was never found, so that he could always be with her, but the fact remains that one day, he too will die, and she might end up indefinitely in Duon like Thomas had gone through, which would be all the more cruel. Still, Jang Mi's reluctance to leave this slice of paradise is also a reflection of how I feel... so reluctant to see the Duon inhabitants separated one by one, although it was pretty much inevitable, and merely a matter of time. There is so much to love about this drama - narrative, soundtrack, performances - and the cast nailed their roles perfectly. Each of the main characters has broken my heart at least once, and their reactions, fears, hopes really echo within me too. That moment Wook's mother, thinking his absence meant he had dissipated, then realising he was alive - her fervent "Thank you" had me in tears as well. SJH and YN's arc is poignant... always one sided, him unable to see or hear her, while her frantic efforts to contact him are for naught until she learns the futility of her actions... and it is only through Wook that she could finally pass her final words to him. And JPS... where do I even start? His lonely journey devastates me the most, and HJH absolutely owns this role and every nuance of JPS' grief and hollow wait. It is not to say the narrative is perfect, because it isn't. Some of the decisions made and words said/unsaid feel forced, but ultimately, it did not take away from my love for the drama because the characters have carved an irreplaceable place in my heart. I love that open ending and its possibilities which makes the parting so much more bearable for now, having dangled hope that we might be reunited with them once more. It is great to see that the detectives, especially Detective Baek are not dumbed down for the sake of allowing the leads to shine. How awesome that he is just as shrewd and knows JPS has secrets he is hiding, yet trusting the older man and having such compassion for the bereaved father who has been searching for all too long. I love too that the drama anticipates questions that we would have as viewers, and answers most of them - including the colour of Thomas' hair! The one question that remains unanswered is why Hwang Do Chul could see the village? Does he too have someone missing whom he is unable to let go of? Yet for all intents and purposes, he is very much enjoying his life as a crook with no apparent need to seek out anyone, apart from those he could con. Questions questions. Needless to say, I miss this universe... and will be revisiting it again in the near future. Until then, the evocative, aching soundtrack particularly Monday Kiz's Are You Listening to My Voice will be on my playlist on repeat. Will they release the instrumental soundtrack too? I hope so...

@ktcjdrama Well said. This is such a departure from the usual OCN dramas, perfectly balanced with rawness and sunshine, every episode unfailingly bringing me to tears yet not in perpetual despair through its well-timed, perfectly executed light-hearted moments. I wanted so much to love this drama when I first heard of it - was drawn to it initially because of HJH and the unusual premise, and I am so glad that this drama never faltered but delivered consistently all the way to the end in all aspects. Performances are strong across the board, though I would not be lying if I said JPS is the character I look forward to, whose emotional journey resonates with me the most. As such, his closure was devastating to watch, realising that what I hoped against hope, did not materialise after all. Still, kudos to writer-nim for staying true to the rules that were set for this universe, resisting the temptation to provide an unrealistic 11th hour reprieve. Well done. With all that said, can we have a 2nd season please?

@bluepebbles @abs-oluteM Thank you for sharing! Really pray that this time the rumours regarding Signal S2 will pan out. It already makes me inordinately happy to know that Mount Jiri started filming on 18th. Hope we will hear similar news for Signal sometime in the not too distant future.

Having waited 2 years for 平凡的荣耀 Ordinary Glory, I was absolutely thrilled when it finally aired. Its original kdrama Misaeng was one I shied away from for a long time despite glowing recommendations because its office life premise hits too close to home, and I was certain I did not want to watch something that is already so much a part of my own life. How mistaken I was, for it took me on a turbulent, unforgettable journey that I did not want to end as I hurt, cried, hoped, rooted for and cheered along with the staff of One International, particularly Sales Team 3 and the interns. So to say that I started watching the C-remake with exceedingly high expectations and no little trepidation is not an overstatement. There are noticeable differences right off the bat. Unlike the original which begins and ends its narration with the intern, the opening focuses on Asst. GM Wu and his fall from grace, being demoted from Team 2 to the manager of the new Team 4, which handles unwanted projects. Am not sure why this is the case, when the rest of the narrative focuses predominantly on Sun Yiqiu. That aside, the premise is a familiar one thus far despite deviations in the details, with a poor, unqualified high school graduate being placed as an intern at King Capital investment corporation through some yet unexplained favour that his mother called in. Any reservations I have are quickly swept aside, when I feel the same ache for SYQ that I did for his counterpart as he struggles to get through obstacle upon obstacle, being put down, despised, mocked and outright kicked out of his own team on the very first day. His bewilderment and inferiority complex, the devastation when his every painstaking effort is put down and negated breaks my heart all over again, just as the glimmer of his smile sees an answering one in mine when he recalls the words "Our Yiqiu", "Our Team 4 members"... finally feeling a sliver of hope that perhaps, he belongs. Just as SYQ is slowly finding a sense of belonging, the short-fused Asst. GM Wu appears to be gradually albeit reluctantly thawing from his belief that it is best not to give pointless hope, hence his brutality towards the young man who tries so hard to fit in and contribute despite his many shortcomings. I love the camaraderie of Team 4 - Asst. GM Wu's gruffness which belie a righteous, compassionate heart; Mgr Lin who is protective and kind towards the hapless young man; and SYQ's eagerness to obtain their approval and find his footing. The way they rally around each other in more ways than one when it is to their own personal disadvantage highlights the unbreakable brotherhood of the two older men, and this very culture too becomes the impetus for them to slowly accept a clear underdog who by all intents and purposes, would merely be an impediment rather than a help. As for SYQ, Bai Jingting's portrayal gives me a perpetual sense of vulnerability and helplessness thus far, which is a far cry from Im Siwan's Jang Geu Rae of the original, who displays unexpected flashes of steeliness and level-headedness when push comes to shove, a clear throwback from his baduk playing days. At this point in time, I cannot see SYQ having the core strength or temerity to do so, though I am hoping that tonight's episode leading up to the internship presentation will prove me wrong. As for the rest of the interns, they are currently mere fodder to all that is happening around SYQ and Team 4, though it is early days yet, and they too should get their characters fleshed out soon enough. Suffice to say that Ordinary Glory has managed to hold its own admirably against the original, drawing me in, making me care for the outcasts of Team 4 within 6 short episodes. Fingers crossed it will continue to maintain if not exceed this standard narrative and performance wise.

@mademoisellesia Thank you very much for sharing the BTS. Ah, I teared up along with BDN when HYJ saw YSW too, and her reaction is such a testament and reflection of our own when we see the faces of those we have loved and rooted for in Season 1. Love the explanation about the polo bun and strawberry milk adlib! Hilarious! Please don't let this be the last time we see SDJ! @SnowBlob Hi there! The writing style is definitely a departure from S1, and took me a while to get used to it too. It does ask thought-provoking questions. I love how HSM realised that he too had inadvertently thread the thin line of using what connections he had to get the outcome he wanted. Choi Bit's question is an interesting one - ultimately it boils down to what is deemed acceptable collateral, and I really hope that we will see HYJ be faced with the same decision and see what she chooses. My faith in the moral fibre of our team is pretty much unshaken thus far, unless the scriptwriter decides to pull the rug from under our feet. We shall see. HYJ aside, Choi Bit is very much a mystery to me still. She is ruthless and unscrupulous, but is that all she is? Or will she surprise us like Lee Changjoon did? I must say I was surprised by LYJ's arc so far. At the conclusion of S1, I was certain she would turn around and demand her pound of flesh from HSM etc for her husband's fate. Perhaps she did understand what her husband hoped to achieve after all. As of now, all I see is the power struggle within Hanjo Group. Will be interesting to see how it ultimately ties back to the other threads in the narrative.

I must admit it took me a long time to get into Secret Forest 2, unlike its predecessor which grabbed me from the get go. The first few eps felt like I was watching paint dry which didn't help, very likely because I was not in the right frame of mind physically or mentally to watch it then. Glad I persevered because as of Ep6, it has rekindled my interest and now I'm chaffing at the bit waiting for the next episode to air. I cannot describe the wave of nostalgia and poignancy that overcame me when Lee Changjoon's voiceover drew us back into the universe at the very first scene, a gift for us who miss his character desperately and had pretty much resigned ourselves to never seeing him again. It is poetic that his monologue would set the tone for this season, the need to right what is wrong, to change what is broken. "Doggedly chasing after the truth and marching towards what's right is a never-ending process. To stop, even for a moment, is to fail. Marching towards change is like having two needles as your feet with an invisible thread trailing after you, never stopping for a breath as you march on. In the belief that a handful of hope is better than immeasurable despair, we move forward with unwavering determination once again.'' -- Lee Changjoon Yoon Sewon's appearance in Ep5 too brought so much mixed emotions, the stilted conversation between him and Han Yeojin making me ache so much for all that had happened, that now stood between what was once such amazing camaraderie. The secret sender of his care package remains a mystery for now, and though I hope that it would be Hwang Shimok, the scrupulously honest man has denied it so I don't know. Hopefully we will see more of him. With the apparent cameos of characters that either died or are incarcerated in S1, I wonder if there is hope we too will see Young Eunsoo featured as well. Fingers crossed. While remaining oily and ingratiating as ever, I really appreciate how we get to see another side of Seo Dongjae, finally understanding his desperate need to climb up in ranks. His description of barely getting to see his children in their growing up years because of his work hits a raw nerve, having heard similar regrets from parents who have to work in a different place or country, and time spent with their loved ones can be measured in just weeks or a mere 1-2 months. His relentless digging into Song Gihyeon's apparent suicide may have marked him, and I hope, hope that this is not the last that we shall see of the weaselly prosecutor who has ingratiated himself into my affections despite his ways. Won't speak much about the plot per se, except to say that it is disheartening yet unfortunately quite accurate that the powers that be, the movers and shakers of this purported new reform remain unscrupulous if not corrupt, caring only about their own powers and influence, with our currently split up team appearing to be the very few who still adhere to their own principles and conscience. While markedly slower in pace, S2 has carved its own narrative that is intriguing and thought-provoking, which now leaves me waiting anxiously for more. My hope is that it will continue to be strong, and bring us to a conclusion that is just as searing and unforgettable as its predecessor.