Reviews

Cheng Kai-Xin (Yao Jung Tsai) and Chen Jie (Li-Hsin Money) are two homosexuals involved in a beautiful romance despite keeping it secret. Their tender romantic relationship begins to falter when they both discover what the other is hiding: Kai wants to enter a Catholic seminary to become a pastor, following in his father's footsteps; and her boyfriend plans to go abroad to train as a soccer player.
While Kai asks Jie not to travel to another country as this would mean an immense distance between the two, Jie points out that if Kai becomes a pastor the relationship would also be compromised due to the Catholic Church's opposition to homosexual relationships.
'Icarus' (伊卡洛斯的翅膀 / 'Yi Ka Luo Si De Chi Bang' is a 2017 LGBT+ themed romantic drama, written, directed and edited by filmmaker Alan Chen, which tells us through the characters and their conflicts an authentic myth of our times: that of Icarus, one of the shortest and, at the same time, most complex classical myths.
Produced by Shao-Han Wen and with photography by Meng Chen Hung, the short film tells us that Kai lives trapped with his father, a pastor played by actor Chin-Liang Liao, not on the island of Crete, but in a Taiwanese church. But when he falls in love, Jie is the sun that illuminates his life. However, the more he wants to reach out to his boyfriend, the more he falls into the embrace of the heat.
After Kai learns of his lover's plans, his first reaction is to paint Icarus falling because his wax-glued wings cannot withstand the heat of the sun. When Jie asks him "What did you think about when you drew this?" Kai responds with two questions: "When are you going abroad?" I mean, will our feelings for each other disappear?" It is evident that Kai has come to the conclusion that the path Jie has chosen may result in the end of the existing relationship between the two. But doesn't Kai's decision have the same destructive power?
However, like the story of the myth, the short film leaves us with a variety of interpretations and meanings. These include the one about young people who do not control their impulses and crash immediately, or the one that tells us about an ingenious father and his unfortunate son, both victims of their own ambition.
With Daedalus unable to save his son, many see the story of Icarus as a warning about the dangers of ambition or lack of moderation. Some interpret the story from a more positive perspective, emphasizing the importance of living life fully, even when there are consequences.
Given the backdrop of the Taiwanese Catholic Church, some might take the film text as a metaphor for what can happen to people when they stray from the path of righteousness, assuming that the Church represents this.
Others see Icarus as a symbol of punished youthful recklessness, or the symbol of the rebellion of young people with respect to their parents, but also as a symbol of the innate curiosity of youth, the attraction of risk, the pleasure of adventure, of the interest in learning, of the fever to rise to the top.

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So much potential, but utterly wasted by trying to do too much

If there is one phrase to describe the show, it would be "wasted potential". Honestly, up until episode 12 or 13, i was planning to give the show a solid 9/10. The writing crew and director clearly knew how to tug on the audience heart strings and watching Hyunwoo and Haein come to terms with the very real possibility of Haein dying just as they finally reconcile brought tears to my eyes. Kim Soo-Hyun and Kim Ji-won have such amazing chemistry and Kim Soo-Hyun continues to prove he is one of the best actors at subtly showing how the character is feeling with microexpressions.

BUT. There is a MASSIVE but here. The show throws any potential out the window the second we hit episode 14. For reasons that I can't even begin to guess at, the writer team seems absolutely married to keeping the character of Yoon Eung-Seung involved until the very end. Up until episode 14, it felt like he was an omnipresent threat lurking in the background. He gave stakes to the relationship between Hyunwoo and Haein, because it meant Hyunwoo didn't have infinite time to win back Haein. If he waited too long or screwed up too many times, she would fall for Eung-Seung. But once it became clear the Haein will always choose Hyunwoo every time, the bit got old. MASSIVE spoilers head - having a murder framed on Hyunwoo, and then sending him to the hospital TWICE after he gets out of prison in the span of two episodes was just too much. We spend more time trying to unspin the various webs of lies that Eung-Seung has spun for Hae-in and dealing with the drama of the murder case and all the "random" accident Hyunwoo has at Eung-Seung's hands that the relationship between Hyunwoo and Haein is left to the side. It ends up being very hastily cleaned up at the end of episode 16 and you can feel how rushed it was. The writing team needed to realize that once you wipe a character's memory, it becomes incredibly important to have them build back those memories over a decent time span so the audience can experience the highs and lows of how confusing and terrifying it is to not even know who you are. But instead, because of this weird Eung-Seung second plot, Hae-in basically magically recovers most of her memory after reading her journal and a few random interactions with Hyunwoo.

And just to put the "missed or mishandled plot hooks" cherry on top of this cake, there is an entire subplot about how the traumatic event that started their spiral into divorce was due to a miscarriage, and it's never addressed. Both characters independently seem to want to address the hurtful things they did or said to cope, but not once do they have a face-to-face conversation about it. It doesn't help that by the end, Hae-in doesn't even remember what she did because of the stupid memory loss plot line.

TL;DR - fantastic first 2/3rds of a series, only for it to come crashing into a brick wall right at the finish line. It truly feels like had they just rewritten the final 3 episodes to avoid Eung-Seung, the show would have been an easy 9 or 10 out of 10.

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“Gray Shelter” is one of the few darker Korean BL out there. It’s short and dark, and you really need to take the time to understand and feel what’s going on. The premise isn’t difficult. Two step brothers bonded through surviving difficult family lives. Yoon Dae tried to cut off his relationship with his father, and moved away from home. But that doesn’t seem to bring him much happiness or hope. Soo Hyuk, though not living with his parents, is still burdened by duties that he doesn’t seem to be able to shake off.

The two reunited by chance and rekindled a complicated brotherhood bond. It’s a push-and-pull, give-and-take relationship. It’s a never-ending cycle that was finally broken. The ending can be open to interpretation. I want to believe that they both need to work on themselves, before breaking off whatever is preventing them to lead a much happier life together.

I was quite impressed with Lee Jae Bin’s acting as Yoon Dae after seeing him in “Choco Milk Shake”. He’s still new to the industry and already has the opportunity to act in two vastly different roles. This is Jang Woo Young’s first drama, and he did fine. His character, Soo Hyuk, is so solemn that he can’t really deviate too much away and show us if he has any acting range.

This is a small budget production, and it shows. The sets are simple, the transition and editing appear jerky at times. The storytelling and the execution of the plot could be better.

“Gray Shelter” is a quick watch if you are in the mood for something darker and more mature. It’ a breath of fresh air from all the rom-coms out there.


Completed: 4/28/2024 - Review #435

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Funny and Cute RomCom, However...

I enjoyed this series, although I think it could have been done in less than 84 episodes. I enjoyed the acting, especially the Granddad. a few things I didn't like: I didn't appreciate them using Pancreatic Cancer as a way to force things to happen by pretending on of the characters had cancer when they were really lying to get what they wanted. As someone that has lost 2 family members to Pancreatic Cancer I thought it was very callous and showed a lack of compassion for cancer patients and their families. The show also seems to support privileged people. The family members the show revolves around seems to think it is okay to do things that may hurt others feelings or cause problems and then not have to take responsibility for their actions. I realize this happens in most cultures in the world, but to blatantly write it into a show and show the "privilege" in action over and over again, to me took away from the movie. Overall, like I said, I enjoyed the show!

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I loved it

I'll be in the minority if I have to be. I loved it even with any flaws it had. The chemistry of the main couple is more than enough to make up for the side character/plot shenanigans to me. My husband and I both looked forward to new episodes every week and I just generally enjoyed it much more than I have any drama in the past year or more.
There were some over the top lines to the story, sure, but entertainment value for me was very high. At no time was I bored. I laughed, cried, got angry - just had my emotions all over the place. The music was lovely as well. So take my 2¢ for whatever it's worth. I liked it a lot and I would watch it again.
Kim Jo Won was already one of my favorite Korean actresses, and I'm even more of a fan now. Kim Soo Hyun had the most expression in any show I've seen him in thus far - he really shined in this role.
I wouldn't say there is anything realistic in this storyline but it was entertaining to me and for those reasons I've listed, I'm rating it well above what most people are feeling.

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Green Flag King and Sad Baby Uea

King is so gentle to Uea. He understands his trauma and makes sure that whenever Uea is around him, he feels safe and comfortable. King is a green flag; he was a player in his past life and slept with many different people, but as soon as he realizes he likes Uea, he changes himself to be the person that Uea can like because he knows that Uea hates players. King also remembers little details about Uea - like when they are eating after giving the blood test, and he tells the waitress to make the food less spicy because Uea doesn't like spicy foods - King is always there when Uea is in trouble even if he's not with him, he always finds him and gives him comfort. He accepts his trauma and doesn't make him feel ashamed or inadequate - Like when King was behind him drying Uea's hair, and Uea had a flashback to his stepdad and freaked out. King looks so sad and concerned about him -

I liked that they showed us the trauma that Uea went through (even though I skip every rewatch with this family because I hate them) because it paints the picture of why Uea is timid and scared to love someone and receive love. After all, his family never showed him love; they also made the trauma realistic because Uea went through Sexual assault as a child, and sometimes that carries into adulthood, and unfortunately, it happened to him at work. Uea (as a character) needed someone like King to show him love, kindness, and compassion.

I think this has the best spice. You can see that they both really care about each other. You also see Uea slowly giving in to King, letting him into his world, and letting himself fall in love with King.

I wish we could've gotten a wedding special or had one in Middleman's Love because I would've loved to see them get married with all their coworkers/friends, with Jade and Gun being King and Uea's best men. Unfortunately, that probably won't happen since James is doing his own thing now, but we can never say never.

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Refreshing

very cute cozy kdrama with also a lot of angst and melodrama. I loved how they discussed mental health and so many other important themes such as burnout, friendship, single parents, grief, absent parents and so on. Great chemistry, great delivery by all actors and great plot. I don't really have nothing to say to this drama and maybe that's why I stop at a 8.0 grade. It was great, meaningful, cute but nothing incredibly memorable. I had lost interest at one particular episode (I think after episode 9) but thankfully after a two weeks break decided to try it again and I was very pleased with the ending.

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I didn't like this as much as I liked the first season. Most of the girls storylines weren't good. Literally, Song Ji Won's storyline was the best thing about this season. I like the new actress that played Eun Jae more than the old one but the way she was written this season was horrible. Obsessing over a guy that doesn't want you is not a storyline I had for her. The new girl wasn't bad but I felt like she didn't really have a strong connection with the other girls in the house. I didn't care for the Kpop storyline and I wished Ye Eun's storyline didn't abruptly end.

Even though this season wasn't the best, I was still sad to have finished the show.

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A place to go back home to

"Dondo Hare" is the seventh asadora that I've completed. I first chose it at random since it was one of several asadoras I currently have downloaded on my computer. I was also curious about watching a "modern" asadora (i.e. one taking place around the year it aired). I then noticed that the lead actress appears in "Natsuzora," which is the 100th asadora and references older asadoras. That's when I really committed to watching it (I'll be watching "Dandan," "Chiritotechin," and "Manpuku" next for the same reasons). "Dondo Hare" was a surprisingly easy watch, excepting a couple of the storylines. I was really able to just breeze through it.

The drama follows Natsumi (played by Higa Manami) as she trains to become a proprietress for a traditional Japanese inn, called Kagamiya, which her fiancé Masaki (Uchida Asahi) decides to take over. Masaki's aunt Tamaki (Miyamoto Nobuko) is the current proprietress and wants her son Shinichi (Azuma Mikihisa) to take over. However, the head proprietress Katsuno (Kusabue Mitsuko) wants Masaki instead. This family conflict pushes the plot forward for the majority of the drama.

The first two weeks of "Dondo Hare" set up the drama well. I really liked the weeks that follow since it had a slice of life vibe as every week had different guest for Natsumi to help. The tone shifts, however, when Natsumi's meddling causes her to quit her training. Of course, she goes back but the tone returns to what it was. From then, there seems to be a series of neverending problems for Natsumi or the inn. At one point, the poor girl has two "rivals" to contend with. The drama's best feature is its sense of family and I wish it had focused on that instead of just throwing one problem after another at them.

Natsumi is a good heroine and her characterization helps the drama when the writing gets weaker. Her naivete may be a tad annoying at sometimes, but (like the drama says) her ability to "believe" in people is also her strong point. She seems like the typical hard-working, bright smile heroine at first. Natsumi, however, is not just that and shows a wide-range of genuine emotion. Her and Masaki's relationship could've been stronger. Since they were engaged before the story starts, it feels that the writers phoned them in just a bit. Instead Natsumi's relationships with Katsuno and Tamaki are much more interesting and nuanced. I also just want to add that I liked all of the supporting characters. Everyone at the inn felt like a family.

Now in conclusion, I recommend "Dondo Hare." It's not the best asadora, of course. But it's a fun, easy watch. I got tired of the constant troubles, but Natsumi makes these times easier to get through. The final week of episodes could've had more happiness, instead of hastily trying to wrap up the final conflict. The very final episode, however, was worth it. I definitely cried T_T At the end, I felt just as attached to Kagamiya as all of the characters. It felt like (as the drama says) a place to go home to.

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Pure angst

Gray shelter comes out with a very angsty tone, showing the struggle of two men who are longing for someone that feels like your home. The story itself can feel a little messy and at times confusing, but the overall message in my opinion is still successfully displayed. The acting is incredible here from both leads and the supporting cast, the emotions and thoughts behind the characters actions to me felt clear. The cinema style is also very fitting to the mood and story which helps to elevate it. The OST "Sleepless" by ode has personally been on repeat for me since the show aired, as well as other songs from "Ode". I'd highly recommend the full version of the song as it has this fitting mood of loneliness in it's tone and feels emotionally packed until the very end, which matches Gray Shelter's atmosphere perfectly. Overall I'd recommend this show to those who like angst and those who don't should stay far away.

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Different in the best way

Love for love's sake story takes on an "isekai" like plot, with good acting , story and production quality. The overall fantasy of the show is very welcome into the K-BL genre as I personally feel like there's a lack of fantasy/sci-fi etc currently. The story itself has some convoluted moments towards the middle/end however the conclusion of the show works really well in my opinion and hits an emotional punch. Of course this show isn't without flaws, but even without the comparison to what is already available in the BL market, I'd say this is at least an A+ caliber show. I'd recommend this as a must watch for the unique premise, overall production, and lead chemistry.

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