Also Known As: Beulluming
Synopsis: Cha Si-won, a handsome student who always aims to look good on the outside has met Hyeong Da-woon who he thought was a rival. What he doesn't know was, Da-woon doesn't think of him that way.
Genre / Themes: Romance, Drama, School
Country: South Korea
Released Date: March 31, 2022
Note: This review contains some spoilers.
Review Start!
STORY
The main focus of this series was more about slice of life rather than boys' love. Here we have two main characters, one with a broken family, and the other whose parents he doesn't see much.
Cha Si-won felt insecure with Hyeong Da-woon because for him, he got everything. What he didn't know was, that Da-woon suffers a feeling of emptiness most of the time. That's why Da-woon felt warm and loved when he spent time with Cha's family.
On the aspect of romance... what they showcased here was like a fantasy. I said that because, while it may happen in real life, I don't see it happening in South Korea (based on the current situation of LGBT people there).
Another aspect here was filmmaking... I like the fact that since it's part of the story, they made sure the quality of the show won't disappoint. I mean, it'll be laughable if they're showing us how to produce an amazing film, and yet they delivered something average.
Last, but not least, the finale... I think they could have done something more about it. Seeing them just talking about their future while being sweet, walking on the beach... it turned out to be quite a cliche.
CAST
Kang Eun Bin as Cha Si-won
He thinks maintaining a good physical appearance is very important. He had that mindset because he didn't have many friends in the past. Being with Da-woon at first heightened his insecurity, but after being together, he made him feel loved and accepted.
Jo Hyuk Joon as Hyeong Da-woon
He smiles every time he sees Si-won because he thinks he's so cute (I mean, that's a fact, lol). A bit of criticism on his acting... There were scenes where it looked fine, and some just didn't quite work.
Moon Hye In as Cha Si-yeong
Here's a character where her goal in the series was a bit confusing. At first, it looked like she was shipping Yun Jeong to her brother Si-won. But, in the end, she just became good friends with her. The thing was, she never knew her brother was in a relationship with Da-woon, and I think that's a missed opportunity. We could have felt something realistic if Si-won's sister was aware of her brother's sexuality.
Kim So Bin as Yun Jeong
A girl who seemed to have developed a crush on Si-won, but after sensing what's between him and Da-woon, slowly stepped back and just let them be happy together. Her defining moment was when she had a confrontation with Si-won's bully and Do Ba Woo helped her to make something they can use against him, in case he continues harassing Si-won.
WRITING
I'm going straight to the finale because that's where I found some problems...
I have an issue when Si-won was forgiving Da-woon. In that scene, they were in the middle of the street... In short, they were in public. They were in front of Si-won's house to be precise. My concern was, what if his sister or mother saw them? Sure, they were not cuddling, nor kissing. But, I think anyone can tell they were acting like a couple.
I'm saying this because, even though their schoolmates already have an idea of their relationship, their family members, however, do not. So, it's like the writer/s didn't consider what if that kind of scenario happened.
After Si-won forgave Da-woon, they were also walking while holding hands, still in the street close to his house. And that's something so hard to imagine happening in the streets of South Korea.
And with that, I think the show has cemented that our couple's sweet romance was only dreamlike.
On a positive note, there were a lot, and I MEAN TONS of well-written dialogues. You can just scroll below to see all the quotes I've saved. Whether it's for a comedy, romance, or drama scene, the writers did a fantastic job.
And on their first kissing scene... I lost it when Si-won returned Da-woon's kiss. After kissing him back, Da-woon stopped Si-won and then told him to relax. That scene was beyond amazing, it was a hundred percent replay-worthy.
TECHNICALITIES
Now, this was where the series really excelled.
Let's start with the episode title... I love how they only show it when there's a great shot, below is an example:
The scene where Si-won and Da-woon first met had amazing cinematography. There was a great use of blocking, especially by the extras. And there were also amazing rack focus shots. For those who don't know, rack focus is a form of camera movement, where someone will look blurry, while the other subject will look sharp. You can watch the whole scene in episode one from 7:20 - 8:04.
I'm in love with the ideas for the shots as well... they're not just beautiful, but the frames were also filled with emotions. Just take this after-shower scene as an example, you can tell how Da-woon was so happy (while trying not to show it) to be so close to Si-won, and Si-won had this 'What's with this awkward feeling I'm having right now' kind of reaction:
The insert songs were... OMG, there were so many mesmerizing tracks in this show. I love the one in episode 4 when Si-won suddenly ran after seeing his dad, and also in episode 9 when they were having a pillow fight in bed. And in the finale, after they have finally reunited.
WATCH OR SKIP?
VERDICT: I'm gonna make this an easy choice for you as possible... If you're fine with a BL show not diving deep into the reality of LGBT people, then go ahead and give this one a shot. If it's just romance between two guys you're after (and a lot of kissing scenes), then I can say the creators did a great job delivering that.
Speaking of kissing scenes...
Notable Quotes
Si-won: People judge others based on their looks.
Si-won: No matter how hard I try, there are things that I can't achieve. There are things I just can't...
Da-woon: Are you crying? You're so drunk.
Si-won: You're not laughing today.
Da-woon: Do I laugh that often?
Si-won: It's not 'often.' You laugh every time I see you. As if you're laughing at me.
Da-woon: The reason why I kept laughing was... It's because I find you cute.
Si-won: What? Don't ever laugh then.
Da-woon: Why not?
Si-won: Why would you find me cute? Leave me alone. What a weirdo.
Si-won: Is there anything you want for your gift?
Da-woon: I'll say it then. Give me your word.
Si-won: Okay. What is it?
Da-woon: Let me hang out in your place often.
Si-won: My place?
Da-woon: Can I not?
Si-won: Sure. Whatever.
Si-won: I was worried that you wouldn't like me anymore. And I don't like French Nouvelle Vague at all. That stuff is harsh and it doesn't give me any joy. I admire that stuff, but I find "Mean Girls" a lot more fun.
Da-woon: Great movie directors work on their scenarios in hotels.
Si-won: What?
Da-woon: Why are you so surprised?
Si-won: I'm not surprised.
Da-woon: You're dirty-minded.
Si-won: I thought no such thing.
Si-won: Something that doesn't bother me could be someone else's huge burden. About pain... It's an absolute thing for a person. It's not something you can compare. If I feel pain, then it is pain. Nobody can judge you.
Si-won: In my life, funnily, I've been so insecure. Every insecurity in my mind has come true. If you're being this way, what can I do with you in the future?
Da-woon: I guess I wanted to do something for you because of my feelings towards you.
Si-won: Why didn't you just call me when you came here?
Da-woon: I practiced on my speech.
Da-woon: There's one thing I realized while shooting. I think I like shooting people I like.
Si-won: What do you mean?
Da-woon: I'm saying, I prefer people over stories.
Favorite Shots
0 Comments