septimarhay
"Life is just one shot I won't hesitate; I have to live my own life"
Seeing the range of ratings and comments on characters doesn't surprise me. This was an interesting show. I often think about personal ratings objectively and subjectively. I might think a show is really top notch but makes little emotional impact and vice versa. If I think about rating Itaewon Class (IC) in terms of 'film craft' or 'intellectual analysis'- in other words, the more objective criteria - the rating would be much lower. For the 9.5 I'm rating it at, it's based on emotional satisfaction, re-watch potential, and how much it impacts my life.
The story is the weakest part of the show, yet good enough. Many plot lines felt outrageous, unbelievable, even unnecessary. The vengeance plot was overkill. However, there are cues for letting go of realism and flowing with the outrageous. That the intensity of Janga vs. Danbam battles is set in a 'my sauce is better than your sauce' setting, helps us realize the set/story is intrinsically silly. In most shows, the feeling I get is that the characters are advancing the story. With IC, it feels the reverse. It's about the story advancing character. Their distinctiveness and authenticity, itself, is the most enjoyable aspect of the show. Who cares who wins the restaurant business battle? We know from the start how that is going to end. Character presentation, alone, intrigues me and elicits reflection on self and society.
Music. Very effective. Two anthems, "Start Over" by Gaho and "Brand New Way" by Damon, were stand outs, emotionally priming us for the mood of the show. "Start Over" is rhythmically driving, sweet, uplifting; it's a great tune to symbolize 'driving towards a goal'. If I recall correctly, this tune plays as Park Sae Roy is running, thinking about his goals. "Brand New Way" is energetic, over the top, fight-like; symbolizing Jo Yi Seo's brashness and growing confidence of the DanBam Team to battle Janga. If I recall correctly, it often played after something exciting or positive happened for the DanBam team.
Ok, Jo Yi Seo next. I understand the comments about not liking Jo Yi Seo as well as her non-convincing 'chemistry' with Park Sae Roy. But this is perhaps where older life perspective generates a different perception (or simply just my personal taste). I'm older and have grown tired of well-defined human behavior and socially constructed norms. That Jo Yi Seo is off the charts on social norms, and IC as a show is not normed 'averagely', I found that off-beat vibe to be quite refreshing. Novelty alone isn't enjoyable, but when done well (enough), it has the potential to wash the boredom away in a redundant world of similar plot/character types. Jo Yi Seo was unapologetically herself both with other characters and how she presented to us, the viewership. She was not ladylike or friendlike or daughterlike in the normal ways.
Regarding Jo Yi Seo and Park Sae Roy's chemistry, it's under the surface and brewing, slowly. In romance, Park Sae Roy is shy, implicit, and proper. With his rigid principles, a wildcard like Yi Seo is hard to digest quickly. She's brash, explicit, improper. Oh Soo Ah is that classic, proper beauty we're trained to love at first sight. Sae Roy's inner dialogue, inner feeling, may not be well known to him. He's obsessed with moving forward, higher, achieving his goals. Jo Yi Seo is the one that propels him forward, what he's driving at the most, releasing his emotions towards a larger catharsis once he's achieved revenge/success. Her acceptance of him as he is, and what he wants to become, is absolute, even ruthless; she'll hurt others to help him. Oh Soo Ah does have chemistry, but it's mostly attraction at the surface (eye) level and a past connection that she's held onto, which is understandable when considering her relationship to Sae Roy's father and being an orphan. Sae Roy and Yi Seo are climbers; they need to take risks to grow. Soo Ah isn't in climb a mountain mode; she's looking to maintain security.
Jo Yi Seo's impact on the DanBam team is very strong as well. The poem she sends to Ma Hyun Yi during the contest is impactful; I'll post it at the end of this review. As with Sae Roy, Dan Bam members have a slow time digesting this odd, acquired taste that is the brilliant Jo Yi Seo.
It is food for thought for those of us in our own romantic adventures. Eye-level attractiveness is a good start, but where does that really take us in the long run? Personality, values, helping one another achieve life goals and dreams, has an even larger upside than 'physical attraction' in the long run. Admittedly, the younger version of myself was more concerned with attraction. It almost feels irrelevant now at an older age. Therefore, comments about Yi Seo not 'looking' like the right partner for Sae Roy strikes me as a youthful comment. As the characters mature, it's not surprising to me that Yi Seo and Sae Roy grow together the best, and that he did indeed prefer Oh Soo Ah in his earlier years.
Jang Dae Hee was outstanding. The scene in Episode 6 (~1:02:00- 1:03:30) where he learns about a surprise stockholder, laughs outrageously, throws down his clipboard, then says "I thought I was hungry" and then "It's time to eat" is top notch. Watch that carefully and tell me that's not incredible acting.
Contrary to much of the reviews here, I didn't connect all that much with Sae Roy. He didn't disappoint me at all. I just didn't get much emotional impact from his character. It's probably the fact that Yi Seo, the diamond next to him, simply shone too bright.
Fun fact, although I had much Korean food before watching IC, I hadn't had the traditional 'stews'. When I had the chance to order between Kimchi Stew and Soft Tofu Stew for the first time, it was so hard to pick. My taste preference was for Kimchi Stew, but the show's effect was pulling me hard towards the Soft Tofu Stew. I ended up picking Kimchi Stew at the last second, but it's cute that a TV show nearly decided my maiden Korean stew order.
Here's the poem that Yi Seo recites to Hyun Yi:
“I’m a rock.
Go ahead and sear me.
I won’t budge an inch because I’m a rock.
Go ahead and beat me up
I’m a solid rock.
Go ahead and leave me in darkness.
I’m a rock that will shine all alone.
I don’t break, ash, nor decay as I go against nature’s way.
I survive.
I’m a diamond.”
Itaewon Class, Episode 12
Poem by Gwang Jin creator of the original web comic series Itaewon Class.
The story is the weakest part of the show, yet good enough. Many plot lines felt outrageous, unbelievable, even unnecessary. The vengeance plot was overkill. However, there are cues for letting go of realism and flowing with the outrageous. That the intensity of Janga vs. Danbam battles is set in a 'my sauce is better than your sauce' setting, helps us realize the set/story is intrinsically silly. In most shows, the feeling I get is that the characters are advancing the story. With IC, it feels the reverse. It's about the story advancing character. Their distinctiveness and authenticity, itself, is the most enjoyable aspect of the show. Who cares who wins the restaurant business battle? We know from the start how that is going to end. Character presentation, alone, intrigues me and elicits reflection on self and society.
Music. Very effective. Two anthems, "Start Over" by Gaho and "Brand New Way" by Damon, were stand outs, emotionally priming us for the mood of the show. "Start Over" is rhythmically driving, sweet, uplifting; it's a great tune to symbolize 'driving towards a goal'. If I recall correctly, this tune plays as Park Sae Roy is running, thinking about his goals. "Brand New Way" is energetic, over the top, fight-like; symbolizing Jo Yi Seo's brashness and growing confidence of the DanBam Team to battle Janga. If I recall correctly, it often played after something exciting or positive happened for the DanBam team.
Ok, Jo Yi Seo next. I understand the comments about not liking Jo Yi Seo as well as her non-convincing 'chemistry' with Park Sae Roy. But this is perhaps where older life perspective generates a different perception (or simply just my personal taste). I'm older and have grown tired of well-defined human behavior and socially constructed norms. That Jo Yi Seo is off the charts on social norms, and IC as a show is not normed 'averagely', I found that off-beat vibe to be quite refreshing. Novelty alone isn't enjoyable, but when done well (enough), it has the potential to wash the boredom away in a redundant world of similar plot/character types. Jo Yi Seo was unapologetically herself both with other characters and how she presented to us, the viewership. She was not ladylike or friendlike or daughterlike in the normal ways.
Regarding Jo Yi Seo and Park Sae Roy's chemistry, it's under the surface and brewing, slowly. In romance, Park Sae Roy is shy, implicit, and proper. With his rigid principles, a wildcard like Yi Seo is hard to digest quickly. She's brash, explicit, improper. Oh Soo Ah is that classic, proper beauty we're trained to love at first sight. Sae Roy's inner dialogue, inner feeling, may not be well known to him. He's obsessed with moving forward, higher, achieving his goals. Jo Yi Seo is the one that propels him forward, what he's driving at the most, releasing his emotions towards a larger catharsis once he's achieved revenge/success. Her acceptance of him as he is, and what he wants to become, is absolute, even ruthless; she'll hurt others to help him. Oh Soo Ah does have chemistry, but it's mostly attraction at the surface (eye) level and a past connection that she's held onto, which is understandable when considering her relationship to Sae Roy's father and being an orphan. Sae Roy and Yi Seo are climbers; they need to take risks to grow. Soo Ah isn't in climb a mountain mode; she's looking to maintain security.
Jo Yi Seo's impact on the DanBam team is very strong as well. The poem she sends to Ma Hyun Yi during the contest is impactful; I'll post it at the end of this review. As with Sae Roy, Dan Bam members have a slow time digesting this odd, acquired taste that is the brilliant Jo Yi Seo.
It is food for thought for those of us in our own romantic adventures. Eye-level attractiveness is a good start, but where does that really take us in the long run? Personality, values, helping one another achieve life goals and dreams, has an even larger upside than 'physical attraction' in the long run. Admittedly, the younger version of myself was more concerned with attraction. It almost feels irrelevant now at an older age. Therefore, comments about Yi Seo not 'looking' like the right partner for Sae Roy strikes me as a youthful comment. As the characters mature, it's not surprising to me that Yi Seo and Sae Roy grow together the best, and that he did indeed prefer Oh Soo Ah in his earlier years.
Jang Dae Hee was outstanding. The scene in Episode 6 (~1:02:00- 1:03:30) where he learns about a surprise stockholder, laughs outrageously, throws down his clipboard, then says "I thought I was hungry" and then "It's time to eat" is top notch. Watch that carefully and tell me that's not incredible acting.
Contrary to much of the reviews here, I didn't connect all that much with Sae Roy. He didn't disappoint me at all. I just didn't get much emotional impact from his character. It's probably the fact that Yi Seo, the diamond next to him, simply shone too bright.
Fun fact, although I had much Korean food before watching IC, I hadn't had the traditional 'stews'. When I had the chance to order between Kimchi Stew and Soft Tofu Stew for the first time, it was so hard to pick. My taste preference was for Kimchi Stew, but the show's effect was pulling me hard towards the Soft Tofu Stew. I ended up picking Kimchi Stew at the last second, but it's cute that a TV show nearly decided my maiden Korean stew order.
Here's the poem that Yi Seo recites to Hyun Yi:
“I’m a rock.
Go ahead and sear me.
I won’t budge an inch because I’m a rock.
Go ahead and beat me up
I’m a solid rock.
Go ahead and leave me in darkness.
I’m a rock that will shine all alone.
I don’t break, ash, nor decay as I go against nature’s way.
I survive.
I’m a diamond.”
Itaewon Class, Episode 12
Poem by Gwang Jin creator of the original web comic series Itaewon Class.
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