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mozaikmage(deep breath) anyway. let's try this again.
I've been watching the K-drama Light on Me on the recommendation of tumblr user absolutebl (who has really interesting meta sometimes even though I don't agree with all of her takes on everything, this masterpost on Thai BL and this exploration of where is the GL live action film and television media are particularly good) and it was great! It made me think about my musings on love triangles again, because Light on Me really, really pulls their love triangle off well.
The story is simple: loner with no friends or interests decides he should perhaps get some friends and interests, and ends up joining the student council because one (1) guy in said student council is nice to him one time. On the same day, another student council member declares his eternal hatred for the aforementioned loner over an awkward encounter. What Happens Next Will Surprise You!
So Light on Me works because up until the last episode I genuinely wasn't sure who Woo Taekyung was going to choose, compulsive people pleaser and student council president Shin Da-On, or known hater Noh Shin-woo. Both are presented as equals, both get development with Taekyung and independent character arcs, and all three of them grow significantly as people through their interactions together. The drama is so compelling because you want to watch them all grow and change together. Da-on learns to set boundaries, while Shin-woo learns to ask directly for things he wants. Taekyung is also an incredible protagonist, serious and straightforward while also not being afraid to tease or push back. He knows what he wants and states it clearly and often, and I love that! The communication in this show is off the charts!
It's also beautifully shot: clean, crisp, pretty, with tasteful sound direction. The supporting cast is fun and I like them. Big recommend from me if you want to see a love war triangle setup done well.
On the subject of love triangles not being done quite so well, the webtoon Nice to Meet You by Wishroomness started its second season with the announcement that supportive side character Wyn is actually in love with protagonist Mew, who has a thing going with established love interest Daze. This was... not foreshadowed in the first season at all. It feels like the author's going for a Type 4 kind of dynamic here, since Mew and Daze are obviously into each other, but maybe they're setting up an interesting subversion? I dunno, I was thrown by this development and also disappointed at the lack of Mew point of view so far in this season.
Another webtoon explicitly doing a Type 4 is Morangji's Odd Girl Out , my beloved. Chanyang pines for Nari as she and Seolha flirt with each other, and while I am sad for Chanyang, Nari and Seolha are super cute together and if Nari's happy I am happy. This works because it shows that feelings are complicated, high school sucks, and people aren't always gonna feel the same way about you as you feel about them. I don't think Chanyang and Seolha outright competing for Nari would work for Odd Girl Out because they're not on equal ground in terms of their relationship to Nari the way Shin-woo and Da-on are, as the most recent update really hammers home: Nari is attracted to and interested in Seolha and aware of it, while she thinks of Chanyang as just another friend. And that sucks, but, what can ya do?
Triangles! They sure are triangular!
Watch Light on Me on Viki or uh, you know. You know where.
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Date: 2021-08-29 07:18 pm (UTC)I will definitely have to check out Light On Me. Thanks for the links too, I have some reading to do. :D
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Date: 2021-08-30 09:47 pm (UTC)I hope you enjoy the recs :D