Color Rush (2020)

Beautifully Produced, Medium-Heavy Psychological Exploration.

Recommendation value 8-9 if you're in the mood for something uniquely interesting, thought provoking, and beautifully done. *It feels more like a psychological thriller than a romance BL!* It's not perfect, but it's different, hooked me quickly, I enjoyed the whole thing, and I will definitely rewatch. General spoilers only at bottom of review.

Story/Script 8, Acting 9 (Yoo Jun was a 10 & story is from his POV, Hur Hyun Jun was a 7), Cinematography/Lighting 8.5, Editing 10, Music 9.5, Audio 10, Chemistry 5 (leads fairly comfortable with each other but attraction feels more like best friends than love interests), for intimacy there was a lot of close physical proximity, some skinship, and flat kisses, Angst level (mostly resolved) 9, Rewatchability 7.

It's a fast watch with eight 15 to 16 minute episodes. Given the time constraints, I think the story did a decent job building the connection between the leads. It definitely could have benefited from more time, to give more weight to their deepening bond, but there was enough there to elicit an emotional response from me as the series went on. Yoo Jun as Yeon Woo is the main reason for this- he got me invested in his character very quickly with his captivating performance!

I was especially impressed with the visual and audio editing. It was seemless, perfectly enhanced scenes/emotions, and created a cohesive feel. Certain parts of the audio track (music, silence, or ambient sounds) would subtly crescendo and decrescendo within scenes to emphasize certain lines of dialogue, create/build tension, or underscore emotions. Sometimes the part of the audio that swelled was brief and sometimes sustained, and it all seemed purposeful. I thought it was really masterfully done.

GENERAL SPOILERS

Trigger warning for suicidal thoughts and attempt.
It is a hopeful ending for the leads.

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It's a cute, light watch - highly recommend

This show has an incredible concept, and it uses it well. It's cute and fun and is a treat to watch.

If you want to watch this for the BL, I'm sorry but there isn't much. The relationship between the characters is mostly friendship and the plot mostly focuses on the colour blindness. However, the friendship is sweet.

Pros:
The character motives are clear and everything happens for a reason.
It's a short, simple plot that is heartwarming and sweet.
The friendship is sweet

Cons:
The pacing was very off. I think this is because of the episode length, but either something was too rushed or happened too soon.
Some elements feel unrealistic - you'll understand when you watch it.

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Too Short ...

So this drama had the potential to be a good one, as far as I am concerned, if they strengthen the episodes and given more run time it would have a good drama.

This is a light hearted BL standpoint with a good plot, this drama does justice. It was cute as well as a little emotional. For a 8x15 episodes, it was enjoyable and a great one time watch. It showed how you want something and are scared that it might become an obsession. But the heart wants what it wants. I wished they worked more on how they differentiated between love (and need) and obsession.

The story had potential to be a good, there was a supernatural element and a mystery element with gay romance, side bromance and a traditional family but it was like we got a little bit of everything but were left craving for more.

The story honestly left me with so many questions and the acting was not the best. some of the seemingly important plot points never get resolved or get wrapped up very quickly. There was also the issue of strange scene transitions which made some viewers confused about the timeline of the story. Then there was also a plotline that consisted of a few sentences spread around episodes which a lot of casual viewers easily missed. This all would've likely been handled much better if the drama was given more episode length/more episodes.

Overall: Its a great quick watch if you stuck/waiting or just bored and need something to pass the time!

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Worst BL I have ever seen. Do Not Watch.

I'm going to keep this short because it doesn't even deserve a long review.

The story in itself, despite being unrealistic, could've been made good. However, they tried to fit way too much story into just two hours and most of it never got explained.

It had a lot of problematic elements that promotes toxic behaviour and relationships.

The leads had absolutely no chemistry and their kiss wasn't even a kiss, they barely touched each other's lips and you could see the fear in their eyes from leaning in to each other oml.

The acting was acceptable from the Mono guy, but the Probe guy was pretty bad at acting not gonna lie. Must be the reason they hid his face for half the series lol.

The only good thing in the whole series was the ost which I actually really liked. What a waste.

Please don't watch this drama if you don't want to waste your time on bull.

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It had the potential to be much better!

First I would like to say that despite the title I did like the drama and as it also makes it clear it could be better, and in this review I will try to explain why I think so!

The relationship presented about monos and probes is quite interesting and that is what kept me curious to continue the story. The romance itself is certainly one of the positive points of the story, Go Yoo Han is super direct and from the beginning showed that he would like and stay with Choi Yeon Woo despite the history of the relationship between probe and his monos, and so we see he who theoretically would be the weak end of the rope, the most affected if the relationship between them went wrong, guiding the relationship and breaking the barriers created by Yeon Woo.
What most left me with that taste that could be better is the fact that some points of the universe have not been worked well, of course they talked about monos and probes but how does the rest of society see this possible relationship? are everyone really obsessed? didn't Yeon Woo's parents live well until he died, being in a mono and probe relationship? Why didn't you talk more about the disappearance of Yeon Woo's mother?
And that taste could be resolved if there were more episodes or longer episodes. And it is exactly this duration of the episodes that due to clear cuts and some discontinued scenes that took me away from the immersion provided during the drama.
Overall it is an ok drama, the production is very good if we talk about budget for web dramas, the performances are also acceptable, nothing very exceptional but they are also not horrible. And OST is simply everything in my life!!!

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overall, just disappointing

1. i feel like the *concept* was interesting but the plot itself was kind of boring.
2. it felt rushed in a way the other korean bls didn't even though they were a similar length.
3. i don't have major complaints about the acting like other people seem to, nothing special but not notably bad.
4. i think what bothered me was the actual production though. the filming and coloring were super weird. some scenes (like the beach scene) the colors were way off, like they tried to color correct (maybe the sky was gray when they filmed and wanted to make it blue) but went too far, and it was kind of distracting. some scenes were poorly lit, overexposed or underexposed, oversaturated or undersaturated (and not just when it makes sense like when he's experiencing a color rush). it just looked like it was filmed by an amateur. i know that doesn't matter to a lot of people, but it really effected my experience watching the show, it was hard to take seriously because it looked low quality
5. i read the first 5 chapters of the book before i watched it and felt like the characters were bland compared to how they were introduced, especially yeonwoo.

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Underdeveloped as all hell

Alright, rushed is the prefect description for this show. They solve nothing, they developed nothing, they addressed nothing, they added a lot of scenes just for the sake of aesthetic or an awkward substitution for actual romance.
And this was so clearly made by straight people for straight people.
It's a fanfic trope brought to the screen, and that drew a lot of people in but they really wasted so much potential.
This felt like the first project for everyone involved, the acting was awkward, the story severely underdeveloped, nothing really happens, it kept crisscrossing between cute and dark at random times to the point where you couldn't really enjoy either?
Even the fucking set design was weird as fuck.
The main character did his best and he carried the show on his shoulders, honestly, but the love interest was so predatory and so underdeveloped for the sake of what i imagine was a misguided attempt to make him mysterious like with the face mask thing. At least the face mask thing had a justification and a practical use later on.
It was messy and awkward and disjointed. Such a wasted concept.

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Worth the Watch

My only true complaint about this is the length. The story is so interesting, a new twist on a popular take in the fan fiction world of the ‘soul mate’ trope, it opened up so many possibilities for the story....but it was just way to short. The acting was so well done, and the chemistry between the leads undeniable, it kept you watching until the end. It leaves you with questions though, as well as wanting more.

Without spoiling anything there are several major plot points that are just sort of left hanging, it would have great if it had explored more of the underlying storylines. I’m really hoping this was maybe just to test the waters and they will do a full season but that’s probably dreaming big. It seems like a missed opportunity for a more complex storyline.

The leads are so sweet and the relationship doesn’t feel forced, the progress natural. There is an interesting backstory behind both that is never full realized, more then likely due to time constraints, but again so much potential there.

Overall I throughly recommend watching, it won’t take long to binge through it. It’s new, interesting, and hopefully a taste of the evolving BL dramas we are starting to see.

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Color Is Addictive

I went to college for graphic design and one of my favorite classes was color theory. There’s something fascinating about the fact that humans can see such a range of colors when so many other creatures can’t, like dogs for instance. I love how they made color, or rather the ability to see color, something that could be an addictive thing for someone who was deprived of it for so long. Korean dramas always do unique storytelling the best; I think of any dramas from all over the world.

This drama wasn’t really about the “boys love” to me, or romance. It really was a story of how we can depend on something and make it our whole life, and actually become obsessed or addicted with the need to have it in our lives. Is it healthy to pursue at all costs? Or worse to deprive yourself? This drama was really a metaphor for that more than it was about anything else. In the end were they addicted to love, or were they addicted to the new experience both of them were feeling after being deprived for so long, or were they addicted to the feeling of being needed by someone?

My biggest complaint is that the story didn’t really have a chance to get fleshed out the way it could have if it had a standard 16 to 24 episodes that you see in a typical Korean drama. Web dramas have some of the most unique storytelling, but the side effect to that is they are short. It’s almost like watching a movie. I wish they would’ve had more episodes to explain more of this world of monos and probes. Like other reviewers I have unanswered questions.

Overall I’m satisfied with how it ended. I doubt there will be a season two, as typically Korean dramas don’t do that. But even if it did somehow get to season two, I don’t know that it would be able to complete the story in the way any of us would really want. And it might actually end up being more disappointing. I’d rather wonder how long this couple will stay together, and if their love can withstand obsession. I’d like to think they will be each others anchor, meeting somewhere in the middle of the color spectrum.

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Obsession, Desperation, and Inspiration.

Wow. I just finished the last episode of the season. All I can say is I hope there’s a second season! This series has a very unique storyline, that I absolutely loved. Yeon Woo and Yoo Han’s characters have beautiful chemistry onscreen. This plot is so complex and different from all the other BL’s I’ve watched. I get the OST stuck in my head all the time! It’s so perfect for the series. This series deals with obsession, fear of losing control, and a co-dependent relationship that goes both ways. Yeon Woo needs Yoo Han, and Yoo Han needs Yeon Woo to “function like normal people”. When they’re apart, each of their worlds lack color, or clarity. (REALLY trying to not give any spoilers! Finding out what each of their characters lack is part of the enjoyment!) They NEED each other, but being together poses complicated and dangerous consequences. I absolutely recommend this series! Go! Watch it now!

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Unfinished Plots

One thing I hate about any show/series I'm watching is if there are plot holes or unfinished endings to ongoing scenarios, and oh boy did this show have them aplenty. While I'm in love with the concept of Color Rush and the world-building that went into it, it still felt undone and rushed by the end.

Let's Dive In.

The way this show starts off with world-building is EXCELLENT. I loved everything about the introduction of Monos and their Probes. They set up this amazing story on how Monos finding their probes makes them go crazy, and other interesting plots that caught my attention almost immediately. We figure out that Choi Yeon Woo's mother was a Mono who had to find her probe, but she mysteriously vanishes and it's his aunt's lifetime goal to find her. For some reason, this plot lasts all about three episodes (three SHORT episodes mind you) until the disappearance of his mother is pushed to the side and never talked about again. What the fuck? The best parts about the series was her disappearance and I wish we could've seen so much more.

I LOVED Go Yoo Han. I loved their introduction to one another, and I even more appreciated how he wanted to get closer to Choi. While I found him wearing that mask to be a ridiculous aspect of the story, I will say that it's pretty humorous in the fact that we all now have to wear masks. Go Yoo teaching him the colors and goes to a color exhibit that was beautiful. My heart was fluttering so much when Choi was seeing in color and we can see how happy Go Yoo was for him. That excitement alone left me wanting them to get together so badly.

I didn't care for Go Yoo's friends. While they served somewhat a purpose for the storyline for Go Yoo and Choi, they also felt like a nuisance with these weird abilities. Jung Joo had more so a disfunction per se, in which he couldn't see people's faces. It felt so odd to the plot, even with it already be pretty much unrealistic, just how can you not see people's faces? it would've been more believable if he couldn't physically touch people, or maybe even better if he could automatically tell who can see color and who can't. The same goes for Kim Min Jae who was barely in the series in the first place. He had the ability to (I'm guessing here) see dead people? Or communicate with the dead? I don't know, but it wasn't needed if it wasn't going to be addressed or explained. Same goes for Choi's mom who we never find or heard about again.

Overall, I'm being tougher on this series because I can feel the potential that it has. It has the potential to be one of the best Korean BLs or even one of the best BLs period. However, there are some areas that it falls too short in, or too weak on. If we are to get a season two, I want to see more of the mom's plot, and more seriousness going into the Monos and Probes situation. Still, I would recommend this series because what we do see is beautiful and sentimental.

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