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Lost in Dramaland
This review may contain spoilers
Completed - 2/27/2022 - 8.25 rating
First of all, I’d like to thank MDLer @ether aka catoven for subbing episodes 8-10. They are so hard to find! Links to the subs in my comment below.
When I watched “ Koi Desu: Yankee-kun to Hakujou Garu”, it was hard not to compare it to the C-drama “Crush”. They both have a main lead who is visually impaired. We see their daily challenges and how their loved ones try to understand and support them. However, “Crush” is a more mature drama and has a more serious tone. “ Koi Desu: Yankee-kun to Hakujou Garu” is a lighter, fluffier romance drama. For both dramas, I enjoy the first half more than the second half.
What I Enjoy:
Education - I am not visually impaired so I am not sure if the depiction of their challenges in dramas are realistic or not, but I have to say I do learn a lot from them. From “Crush”, I realized what the Braille blocks on the ground are for. They are similarly explained in this drama. Furthermore, we have a Japanese visually-impaired comedian’s commentary in this drama. I learn more about the tools and technology that they use, and the different variations of blindness. I never knew there are audio devices for watching movies, or such magnifying screens for reading. For some viewers, they might feel these commentaries as the drama trying too hard to educate, or they disrupt the flow of the drama. However, personally, I really enjoy them.
Strong FL - I also enjoy a Japanese FL who is not the innocent, naïve and overly shy type. In this drama, Yukiko strives for independence and speaks up when needed. She doesn’t shy away from confrontation or any honest and open communication with her family or with Morio. Even though she is visually impaired, she is not afraid of new challenges. It was so inspiring to see how hard she prepared and worked in order to make fries.
Sweet ML - It took me about half an episode to fall in love with Morio. I am not a big fan of love-at-first sight. It is hard for me to understand his initial feelings and they also seem over-the-top and unrealistic. However, he is so adorable that I can’t help but root for him. Sugino Yosuke plays his role as Kurokawa Morio so well. You can see how awkward and shy he is around Yukiko, yet he’s the Black Panther that everyone fears. He tries so hard to learn about the challenges that Yukiko faces each day, and is so supportive and kind. And he’s not just kind to Yukiko but all of his friends as well. He’s not the big scary Black Panther that he seems to be. When his friend confesses to him, his response is so kind and so perfect.
What I Don’t Enjoy: *SPOILERS*
The Trope - Yukiko and Morio have such honest and open communication throughout the drama, that I find it uncharacteristic that we see the trope noble idiocy at the end of Ep. 9. Yes, they already had one conversation about Morio taking the job, but they could have another. Yukiko should be able to express her thoughts to Morio and tell him that she really wants him to take the job for himself. There’s no reason for the breakup and for her to lie to him. I do not mind the one-year time skip when they go their separate ways to find their own dreams. But there has to be a better way to have the same ending without having this noble idiocy trope at the end of such a good drama. This is the main reason why I can’t give this drama a solid 8.5 or 9.0 rating but a 8.25.
Shishio + Izumi - At first, I thought the drama was going to change Shishio into falling in love with Izumi and have them live happily ever after. I would be so mad if it happened. I am happy that the drama didn’t do that. However, why can’t they just remain as close friends? Why does the drama want them to be in a relationship when Shishio probably will never fall in love with Izumi? Or is the drama hinting that maybe in the future he will change and there’s a chance?
Other Observations:
1. No annoying characters in this drama. Yay!
2. BGM helps set the mood and we don’t have any overplayed songs.
3. I wish FL has nicer clothes to wear. Just because she can’t see well, she deserves nice clothes as well.
4. In “Crush” I found the ML doesn’t look straight at someone when he talks. But in this drama, the visually impaired seem to look straight at someone’s face more often. Maybe I am imagining it?
5. The poster have the leads on the bus, but I don’t think I saw that scene in the drama. Mm….
First of all, I’d like to thank MDLer @ether aka catoven for subbing episodes 8-10. They are so hard to find! Links to the subs in my comment below.
When I watched “ Koi Desu: Yankee-kun to Hakujou Garu”, it was hard not to compare it to the C-drama “Crush”. They both have a main lead who is visually impaired. We see their daily challenges and how their loved ones try to understand and support them. However, “Crush” is a more mature drama and has a more serious tone. “ Koi Desu: Yankee-kun to Hakujou Garu” is a lighter, fluffier romance drama. For both dramas, I enjoy the first half more than the second half.
What I Enjoy:
Education - I am not visually impaired so I am not sure if the depiction of their challenges in dramas are realistic or not, but I have to say I do learn a lot from them. From “Crush”, I realized what the Braille blocks on the ground are for. They are similarly explained in this drama. Furthermore, we have a Japanese visually-impaired comedian’s commentary in this drama. I learn more about the tools and technology that they use, and the different variations of blindness. I never knew there are audio devices for watching movies, or such magnifying screens for reading. For some viewers, they might feel these commentaries as the drama trying too hard to educate, or they disrupt the flow of the drama. However, personally, I really enjoy them.
Strong FL - I also enjoy a Japanese FL who is not the innocent, naïve and overly shy type. In this drama, Yukiko strives for independence and speaks up when needed. She doesn’t shy away from confrontation or any honest and open communication with her family or with Morio. Even though she is visually impaired, she is not afraid of new challenges. It was so inspiring to see how hard she prepared and worked in order to make fries.
Sweet ML - It took me about half an episode to fall in love with Morio. I am not a big fan of love-at-first sight. It is hard for me to understand his initial feelings and they also seem over-the-top and unrealistic. However, he is so adorable that I can’t help but root for him. Sugino Yosuke plays his role as Kurokawa Morio so well. You can see how awkward and shy he is around Yukiko, yet he’s the Black Panther that everyone fears. He tries so hard to learn about the challenges that Yukiko faces each day, and is so supportive and kind. And he’s not just kind to Yukiko but all of his friends as well. He’s not the big scary Black Panther that he seems to be. When his friend confesses to him, his response is so kind and so perfect.
What I Don’t Enjoy: *SPOILERS*
The Trope - Yukiko and Morio have such honest and open communication throughout the drama, that I find it uncharacteristic that we see the trope noble idiocy at the end of Ep. 9. Yes, they already had one conversation about Morio taking the job, but they could have another. Yukiko should be able to express her thoughts to Morio and tell him that she really wants him to take the job for himself. There’s no reason for the breakup and for her to lie to him. I do not mind the one-year time skip when they go their separate ways to find their own dreams. But there has to be a better way to have the same ending without having this noble idiocy trope at the end of such a good drama. This is the main reason why I can’t give this drama a solid 8.5 or 9.0 rating but a 8.25.
Shishio + Izumi - At first, I thought the drama was going to change Shishio into falling in love with Izumi and have them live happily ever after. I would be so mad if it happened. I am happy that the drama didn’t do that. However, why can’t they just remain as close friends? Why does the drama want them to be in a relationship when Shishio probably will never fall in love with Izumi? Or is the drama hinting that maybe in the future he will change and there’s a chance?
Other Observations:
1. No annoying characters in this drama. Yay!
2. BGM helps set the mood and we don’t have any overplayed songs.
3. I wish FL has nicer clothes to wear. Just because she can’t see well, she deserves nice clothes as well.
4. In “Crush” I found the ML doesn’t look straight at someone when he talks. But in this drama, the visually impaired seem to look straight at someone’s face more often. Maybe I am imagining it?
5. The poster have the leads on the bus, but I don’t think I saw that scene in the drama. Mm….
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