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Sep. 13th, 2008 06:30 pm![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
uiscerosI'm STILL at work. Because apparently my computer doesn't want to play Bull Fighting, I decided to rewatch some of Love Contract. Rewatching it makes me realise just how goddamn much I love it
If it weren't for the last episode, it would be the perfect series. It's nuanced, the characters have great depth, and overall it's just so gooood.
Ariel is an amazing actress. I first saw her in ISWAK, and her character in Love Contract is so amazingly different from the ISWAK one... she's just really good! Especially her crying scenes, they're perfect and heartbreaking.
And honestly, while I haven't seen EVERYTHING he's done, I think this is Mike's best role. It's not the typical DBY-esuqe role he gets typed into. Ah Ken is sweet and sorrowful, and introverted, and absolutely devoted to Xiao Feng. And Mike is terrific in the role.
I honestly like the shows where the characters aren't rich far more than I like the ones where they are (which is what a lot of newer shows do). Like, Fated to Love You, Wish to See You again, Prince turns to Frog, Meteor Garden, and Why Why Love all had the rich boy/poor girl thing (even Devil Beside You, Mars, and It Started With a Kiss have it to an extent). Love Contract is, like, the only twdrama where that sterotype is broken. Xiao Feng and Ah Ken are both normal people, living normal lives. And they fall in love. It's intensely heartwarming, and so very non-twdrama-esque. The only other drama I can think of where there was a similar situation is Summer Snow, which is also super sweet and wonderful, and also heartbreaking.
Honey and Clover is kinda like that too. Noone is super rich, and it's just a sweet, sad story about falling in love.
Twdramas are usually an ultimate sugary fantasy, where the hot rich smart talented boy falls in love with the poor "plain" average dumb girl. They have more depth, of course, but that's the general premise. Which is why Love Contract is so freaking unique.
I blame the ending on the fact that the writers/producers were like "Wtf! We're in Taiwan! We need a weird sappy ending or else!!" TWdramas always (... in my experience, at least) have a happy ending, even if it's tainted with a little sorrow, there's always a silver lining. So the original ending of Love Contract totally wouldn't fit that. Maybe the producers paniced, and made a sugary ending because they knew people would be upset.
Honestly, I think a lot of westerners aren't extremely bothered by sad endings. They're not HUGE (like how they are in kdramas), but they do show up in movies and tv. I think we're so annoyed with the ending of LC, because it wasn't gutsy enough to do what it should have, which is end at the point when Ah Ken sacrifices himself and Xiao Feng for love.
I haven't seen any kdramas besides Goong (which doesn't have a tragic ending), but from what I hear, kdramas are filled with tragedy. Love Contract is like a kdrama in that way at least. Though, I think, overall, it's far more like a jdrama.
The jdramas I've seen usually have a sad, bittersweet ending. Lovers can't be together, etc. Love Contract takes the ending a tiny bit further, into the domain of kdrama tragedy... but only at the end. The rest of the plot is more jdrama-esque (except with less comedy), with the slowly falling in love, and stuff. But with more drinking. FAR more drinking. Honestly, Love Contract has the most drinking I've ever seen in a show, taiwanese or otherwise (I'm not counting shows about alcoholics).
So yeah, the best comparison I have is Summer Snow... except Natsuo and Yuki were sweeter, gentler people. Xiao Feng and Ah Ken aren't particularly sweet or gentle (except, you know, with each other).
I have a grasp on the general plots of jdramas, twdramas, and kdramas. I wonder what hkdramas and sgdramas are like... I've heard cdramas are often political, but I'll soon find out! I'm going to be watching Love at First Fight at some point. Yay! My first cdrama!
Now that I'm done analysing dramas (I can't help it, I analyse everything. Incidentally, why I'm so damn good at sorting out meaning from poetry, and film... and stuff. That, and I think in metaphors)...
By the time I get out of here, I'll have spent nearly 11 hours at this place. Gah! And dear God is it cold here....
OMG do I love Chinese rap and metal! I especially like when they combine.
And geez, can the S.H.E. girls sing! Hebe and Selina have really nice voices, but Ella's voice is the best. It's really lovely! I wish I could sing (well). BTW, Ella is the Mizuki character in the taiwanese Hana Kimi.
Lisa-> I totally wrote a response to your email yesterday, but lucky me, accidentally deleted it. And now I like, don't have the energy to rewrite it! I'll respond... eventually!
If it weren't for the last episode, it would be the perfect series. It's nuanced, the characters have great depth, and overall it's just so gooood.
Ariel is an amazing actress. I first saw her in ISWAK, and her character in Love Contract is so amazingly different from the ISWAK one... she's just really good! Especially her crying scenes, they're perfect and heartbreaking.
And honestly, while I haven't seen EVERYTHING he's done, I think this is Mike's best role. It's not the typical DBY-esuqe role he gets typed into. Ah Ken is sweet and sorrowful, and introverted, and absolutely devoted to Xiao Feng. And Mike is terrific in the role.
I honestly like the shows where the characters aren't rich far more than I like the ones where they are (which is what a lot of newer shows do). Like, Fated to Love You, Wish to See You again, Prince turns to Frog, Meteor Garden, and Why Why Love all had the rich boy/poor girl thing (even Devil Beside You, Mars, and It Started With a Kiss have it to an extent). Love Contract is, like, the only twdrama where that sterotype is broken. Xiao Feng and Ah Ken are both normal people, living normal lives. And they fall in love. It's intensely heartwarming, and so very non-twdrama-esque. The only other drama I can think of where there was a similar situation is Summer Snow, which is also super sweet and wonderful, and also heartbreaking.
Honey and Clover is kinda like that too. Noone is super rich, and it's just a sweet, sad story about falling in love.
Twdramas are usually an ultimate sugary fantasy, where the hot rich smart talented boy falls in love with the poor "plain" average dumb girl. They have more depth, of course, but that's the general premise. Which is why Love Contract is so freaking unique.
I blame the ending on the fact that the writers/producers were like "Wtf! We're in Taiwan! We need a weird sappy ending or else!!" TWdramas always (... in my experience, at least) have a happy ending, even if it's tainted with a little sorrow, there's always a silver lining. So the original ending of Love Contract totally wouldn't fit that. Maybe the producers paniced, and made a sugary ending because they knew people would be upset.
Honestly, I think a lot of westerners aren't extremely bothered by sad endings. They're not HUGE (like how they are in kdramas), but they do show up in movies and tv. I think we're so annoyed with the ending of LC, because it wasn't gutsy enough to do what it should have, which is end at the point when Ah Ken sacrifices himself and Xiao Feng for love.
I haven't seen any kdramas besides Goong (which doesn't have a tragic ending), but from what I hear, kdramas are filled with tragedy. Love Contract is like a kdrama in that way at least. Though, I think, overall, it's far more like a jdrama.
The jdramas I've seen usually have a sad, bittersweet ending. Lovers can't be together, etc. Love Contract takes the ending a tiny bit further, into the domain of kdrama tragedy... but only at the end. The rest of the plot is more jdrama-esque (except with less comedy), with the slowly falling in love, and stuff. But with more drinking. FAR more drinking. Honestly, Love Contract has the most drinking I've ever seen in a show, taiwanese or otherwise (I'm not counting shows about alcoholics).
So yeah, the best comparison I have is Summer Snow... except Natsuo and Yuki were sweeter, gentler people. Xiao Feng and Ah Ken aren't particularly sweet or gentle (except, you know, with each other).
I have a grasp on the general plots of jdramas, twdramas, and kdramas. I wonder what hkdramas and sgdramas are like... I've heard cdramas are often political, but I'll soon find out! I'm going to be watching Love at First Fight at some point. Yay! My first cdrama!
Now that I'm done analysing dramas (I can't help it, I analyse everything. Incidentally, why I'm so damn good at sorting out meaning from poetry, and film... and stuff. That, and I think in metaphors)...
By the time I get out of here, I'll have spent nearly 11 hours at this place. Gah! And dear God is it cold here....
OMG do I love Chinese rap and metal! I especially like when they combine.
And geez, can the S.H.E. girls sing! Hebe and Selina have really nice voices, but Ella's voice is the best. It's really lovely! I wish I could sing (well). BTW, Ella is the Mizuki character in the taiwanese Hana Kimi.
Lisa-> I totally wrote a response to your email yesterday, but lucky me, accidentally deleted it. And now I like, don't have the energy to rewrite it! I'll respond... eventually!
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