I watched Hatsukoi because of its interesting setup. Well, I was actually interested because Keisuke Koide is a fave of mine and he's actually a lead in this movie(a love interest too). But the 300 million robbery really seemed like it would be thrilling. A good heist movie is always fun.

(SOME SPOILERS MAYBE PROBABLY)


I actually liked the movie a lot(beyond seeing Koide get quite a lot of screentime lol). But I can't really call it a good movie.

See, Hatsukoi felt like someone having an identity crisis. The plot made it seem like it would be a thrilling heist movie. But then the title screams romance. It also seemed like it would sorta be about confused youth. The movie is as indecisive as I am lols.

I think I liked it for the cast but the story fell flat. The robbery was based on real events so I can't really complain about it(but i still will haha). It felt too easy and the stakes weren't so high. And the romance.. err, didn't feel very romanc-y. I kinda liked it for that but I kind of feel like it might have not been more than platonic. I did want them to be together but their 'love' felt forced especially the letter at the end. The relationships of the club members weren't really developed. I hoped for more especially with the siblings but there wasn't much.

Overall, I felt like the movie wanted and tried to be many different things(but sorta failed). I failed to connect with it and I didn't really care for the characters. It was enjoyable and I don't regret watching but not something I would watch again or recommend highly.

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So i rewatched this movie and decided to make a review.

I actually liked this movie the first time i watched it despite the problematic things with it. Im not sure why though. Maybe its the ambience or the music or my fondness for the cast despite the problematic characters.

*SPOILERS*

Is this even romance? How is there dating in the title? Bwodxjql

Park Hae-il's char was forcing himself on Kang Hye-jung's char. So Im totally not sure how the couple got together. I have no idea how it became mutual attraction. If my memory serves well, he sexually harassed her multiple times aside from well sexually assaulting her. Yea a horrible character.

Im all for damaged characters. Like shes an insomniac but somehow she can sleep well around him. Im weak for a dynamic like that. But then they made problematic into romantic. And i cant get behind that. She told him no countless of times. And what did he do? He just pushed his way through! With force! But then somehow they fell for each other.

And then the ending. I think im most annoyed by the ending. Why was she apologizing to him? Ok i get it. She pushed him off the cliff, so to speak. But its not like her allegations were false. She simply outed him for his horrible deeds and im glad she did. The guy did lose his job but thats the consequence for his actions. But he kept acting like the victim. And then after making up, they act like nothing happened. No sort of repentance, not even an apology from his part. Hes just like 'the only wrong thing i did was to like you'. No. This is all sorts of problematic.

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Angst done well

Excellent on all fronts. Didn't expect to like this drama as much as I did but I did. This one's a bit of a slow burn -- lots of stretches of silence and meandering shots -- but it hits hard emotionally. Best of all, the angst completely makes sense.

Especially enjoyed the writing. Every character is a little bit annoying (some more than others) but also a little bit of a joy to have around on-screen. Everyone just feels very human. Really appreciate how the writer wrote every character's misery with care.

Also, really really love the fact Woojoo and Joon were completely platonic.

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Almost great

I really enjoyed this series for the most part. It's a bit cheesy, a bit absurd, and a little more than a bit frustrating but it had a lot of heart.

I think many people would find Yae's character to be vexing, and for good reason. She is, after all, the classic doormat heroine. But, surprisingly, I wasn't annoyed by her (likely because I haven't had to sit through much noble idiocy recently). I'd also credit it to Nagahama Neru. I think she plays the character charmingly well, making the emotional beats work (for me, at least). I just couldn't help but root for her (and want more development for her). Kikuchi Fuma is wonderful as well, nailing Takkun's duality. He plays nonchalant and lovestruck giddy so so well. I'm not familiar with the source material but his comedic timing made me feel like he was a manga character that had come to life.

The side characters are great as well, especially Takumi's circle. I really enjoyed the depth of Shindo and Remi's love for Takumi. Remi's plotline and her conversation with Yae was a highlight for me. Not many dramas, especially romcoms, explore platonic love like that.

It was great. The leads have great chemistry. The writing is heartfelt (I'm a sucker for metaphors in conversations, although they're a bit too on the nose at times here). I was so ready to put it in my favorites folder — and then the last three episodes happened. Takumi's HS gf trying to find him AFTER finding out that he's gotten 'married' is just so absurd. Ruined the rewatchability for me. And that ending — just not giving. Zero catharsis.

Still, it's a pretty good romcom. I'd just stop watching at like episode 8 or something...

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Not an alien show; it's a love story (minus the (explicit) romance)

Docked a point because they showed graphic violence with no hesitation but showed 0 cute explicit sapphic interactions. Like hello??? The material was there?? (I'm convinced the Extracurricular duo is always out to frustrate me on this end).

Kidding aside, I love this show a lot. I wish it had gotten hype after its release but I guess I can sort of see why. The first few episodes are rather slow and the turns the show takes make it seem all over the place. I mean, a missing boyfriend? Aliens? And then a cult? But really it all ties up together.

At its core, Glitch is not about the occult (which probably disappointed viewers who started it for that) and it's not even really about the cult. It's an ode to adulthood and the struggle of trying to fit in a world that thinks you're absurd and weird (and childish) if you're not like everyone else. It’s a story of acceptance and the love story in it is about finding a person who takes your nonsense seriously.

The fundamental question in the show seems to be “What is love?” and “How far should one go for love?” (and I don't necessarily mean romantically despite my qualms about the lack of romance between the two leads). Enter Jihyo and Bora, two women who live unconventional lives. Jihyo has ‘everything’. She has a stable job, a supportive family, and a boyfriend she will likely marry soon. But she is unsatisfied with her life, and so are the people who surround her. Her dad worries that she won’t be able to live a ‘normal’ life. He doesn’t trust her and he thinks she’s neither ‘grown-up’ nor ‘normal’ enough to stand on her own in society. Jihyo's stable life also slowly falls apart. Then she meets Bora again, an old friend from middle school who she had burnt bridges with. Bora is far from her personality-wise but she also lives a somewhat unconventional life. She is presumably also around 30, with no stable job, no supportive parents, and seemingly no romantic partner whom she’ll be marrying anytime soon. The difference is that Bora is satisfied with her life despite being somewhat of an unsuccessful 'outcast'.

The show throws these two together in a twisty-turny adventure. They do it together because they have no choice but to — no one else would really believe them. And this, the show argues, is love — someone taking you seriously. Bora is the first one to share Jihyo's interest in UFOs. When they meet again, years later, with bad blood between them, she ends up being the first one to stand by her again. Of the many people in Jihyo's life, it's Bora who puts faith in her and her words, time and again. And of all the people in Jihyo's life, Bora is the only one she can wholeheartedly trust. Even with her being adverse to believing in the improbable, she puts faith in Bora regardless of factual evidence. She ignores rumors about the young 'delinquent' Bora and again ends up being the only person she trusts with her 'nonsense'.

This idea of love being tied to faith is where the cult, and especially the cult leader comes in. If love means believing someone’s words regardless of the actual truth, how far can someone go until it’s dangerous? The drama shows the pitfalls of taking love ‘too far’ while also showing how it can be the very thing that saves us.

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