Dream High - the dream was nice when it lasted

[dangermousie]

In case you haven't noticed, I've been less and less invested in Dream High and after today, I am forced to conclude I am done with it.

It's not a bitter break-up, more of a "it's not you, it's me/we have grown apart/I will always remember you fondly" school.

There are two main reasons. The first is simply unfortunate timing - in the middle of DH I discovered Jade Palace and Three Kingdoms and rediscovered my love of period cdramas and thus went of the deep end on them. And due to my innate preferences, it was hard for me to feel particularly invested in a bunch of modern teenagers, when contrasted with the adrenaline and sacrifice and stakes of period epics. I am honestly surprised DH lasted as long as it did with me - I always prefer epic, period and angsty over modern, light, and teenager-centric. I was never too invested in it emotionally because it is not the kind of drama I go emotionally insane over. So sooner or later, something was going to come up to supercede it.

The second reason does have to do with DH's direction. Starting with ep 11, the drama started focusing a lot more on Sam Dong and I have never found SD particularly interesting or compelling. The more they dwelled on his amazingness (which is made even more confusing by the fact that KSH cannot sing or dance as well as his idol costars and the drama's insistence that he can was really beginning to bug me). In fact, the near-universal fangirling for him mystifies me (it looks like he will end up with Hyemi and I really think it's due to fan love - the earlier parts of the story were clearly setting up Jin Gook and Hyemi as the OTP). In fact, the more people fangirl him, the more he irritates me. So the Sam Dong show was losing me as well.

On the plus side, this gives me time to check out Mike He and Janine Chang's Happiness is like a Sunny Day so it's all good.

Goodbye, drama! It's been fun!

Comments

[(Anonymous)]

Me it is the acting especially the lead actress (at least she tries I can give her that but sorry I wonder how people manage to watch this stiffness-at-its-best acting) and her friend (the irritating pouty girl)I also stoped watching when the suddendly-bad-second-female-lead-comes-to-make-the-main-female-lead-look-good-perfect-thewinner started. I mean this is soooooooooooo random

[dangermousie.livejournal.com]

I don't think she's a great actress but I am usually not too picky :)

[your-insomnia.livejournal.com]

On the plus side, this gives me time to check out Mike He and Janine Chang's Happiness is like a Sunny Day so it's all good.

What a coincidence I was just about to start watching it too today.

I hope you like it! I enjoy reading about your obsessions xD

[dangermousie.livejournal.com]

It's really adorable so far.

[jpookemon.livejournal.com]

Aww... but you were so close to the final episode. They finally introduced who HyeMi's father is. Not related to this post, it looks like What's Up has been dropped by SBS.

[dangermousie.livejournal.com]

I saw the What's Up thing. Booo.

[fishncake.livejournal.com]

Must... persevere... to... the... last... episode... even... if... the... ship... sinks....

[dangermousie.livejournal.com]

LOL, good luck!

[mojadora.livejournal.com]

aw that's too bad. i think dream high is getting better every episode. and i fuckin love samdong. i just watched ep 14 and it made me cry omg so touching.

[dangermousie.livejournal.com]

Hope you love it until the end! :) I know I am in the minority :)

[(Anonymous)]

I am right there with you. Yes Sam Dong is played by a great actor and he is very convincing in his role, but I find his character completely non compelling too. He's never captured my attention and I don't get the love. Sweet, simple and devoted doesn't cut it for me. If they had made it a clear pairing from the beginning I wouldn't have minded, but Jin Gook totally had me from the moment he put that helmet on HM's head. Plus the whole daddy issue really pulled my heart strings. What can I say, I'm a sucker for wounded hero's. I'm gonna finish this just cause I've only got a few eps left, even if it kills me.

[sanaenam.livejournal.com]

Episode 15 has some really fantastic, classic Jingook moments.

Jingook is turning out to be KHJ's character in BOF. The soul mate who gets you, who says exactly the things you need to hear to do the right things. The one who gets and respects you to the core of your being. Who will never think once to impose his will and in fact refuses to impose a foreign will upon another.

The guy who is just so frigging awesome.

This episode does a very interesting job of setting up Jingook and Samdong as foils. The way they love is absolutely antithetical, and personally I utterly love the way Jingook loves. Other people may love Samdon's way of loving, I find it a major turnoff.

[dangermousie.livejournal.com]

Yes, exactly.

[missjb.livejournal.com]

WHat's wrong with someone fangirling someone? hehehe Each person have different tastes to like someone. It's u sound like to fangirling someone like Sam DOng/ Soo Hyun is a sin, which is not. Each person have different point of view, different feeling, different tastes. And We have the right to choose our IDOL, what we like. Don't bother, I won't force u to like Soo Hyun/Sam Dong, too. kekekee :P

I feel hurt and it's not a mature attitude to read some people not respect our fangirls attitude. Is It Wrong? It's not like Soo Hyun (and his char, sam dong) is a bad person and deserve the hate.
sorry if u feel offended. Not all of your readers would agree with u, right?

But I agree with u, I don't like Soo Hyun's voice as well. But I think His voice is decent enough as an actor, especially when he sing a ballad song.


cheers :)

[missjb.livejournal.com]

If u feel offend, u can delete my post, and i respect your decison, cheers...

[dangermousie.livejournal.com]

Nothing is wrong wth fangirling - I fangirl all the time - this lj is fangirl central. Plus, DH is not exactly Pulitzer-prize winning material. It's designed for fangirls. But if the drama is centered around someone who I don't fangirl and/or find particularly interesting, it's not a drama for me.

I have no objection to everyone else fangirling Sam Dong or KSH, but I don't. So DH doesn't work for me in large part because I part ways with drama and fandom because of it.

My sole irritation comes from the fact that some people fangirl him so much they think he's so amazing and deserves everything that it begins to part with any rational human thought - Hyemi is not a bitch for not jumping into his arms asap and yet I've seen that attitude over and over.

[sanaenam.livejournal.com]

My sole irritation comes from the fact that some people fangirl him so much they think he's so amazing and deserves everything that it begins to part with any rational human thought - Hyemi is not a bitch for not jumping into his arms asap and yet I've seen that attitude over and over.

I think we have to keep in mind that teenagers comprise this drama's target audience. Every so often, I realize I am probably arguing with someone who's probably much, much, much younger than I, someone who is at a very different life stage, with life experiences from which s/he can draw being very different from mine.

When I was fourteen, I thought Romeo & Juliet was the most romantic thing in the world. Now, I think they're infatuated idiots or put more nicely, "impetuous youth," as the song from the Zeffirelli version goes.

[dangermousie.livejournal.com]

exactly. I am probably old enough to be a Mom of some of the fans of this, at least if I got knocked up at 16 or so. And my view of what is a good relationship is somewhat different.

[missjb.livejournal.com]

oh thank you with your comment.. I just feel offended.... And as if u have attacked people like me.... Sorry If I interprate your comment the wrong way... ;)

[timescout.livejournal.com]

Heh, I was sort of expecting this. :) I'm still going to finish it as it's only 2 more episodes but with yesterday's epi my interest rather plummeted too. Yeah, I don't get the excessive fawning over KSH/Sam Dong either and it IS irritating. Especially as it now seems like SD is going to be the endgame.

You know me... I don't ship (save for few exceptions) so I don't really care who HM's OTP really is. What I do care is how they get there. So far it's been JG/HM all the way. Sure, it's no grand passion but they clearly like each other and feel comfortable with one another. Whether it's just friendship with some mutual attraction included hasn't really been defined. Part of the problem is probably that Taec and Suzy are not good enough actors to convey the necessary feelings needed (though, everyone and his dog can see that Jason/Pil Suk is ment to be and that is def not due to acting only but how their story is written/presented too). But.... there has been no indicaton so far that HM sees SD anything more than just a good friend so NOW she suddenly has this epiphany that SD is The One? Yeah, right... it very much smacks as pandering to the rabid Sam Dong fans to me.

Dream High has been surprisingly good at character (and plot) development up till now so I must say the direction it seems to be going is disappointing.

What I'd really want to happen is HM to tell the guys "Look, I love you both equally but I'm not IN love with either so let's just be good friends who support and cheer on one another. I'm going to follow my dream, where ever it takes me." :) Guess that'd be too novel an idea....

(sorry about the edits, can't spell it seems....)

[sanaenam.livejournal.com]

Second your last point - I want them to focus on developing their persons.

[dangermousie.livejournal.com]

I love your proposed ending.

DH was never my kind of drama and I am mildly puzzled I lasted as long with it as it did but I suppose I was always going to ditch it, even if there was no SD fixation in it.

[orangebreeze.livejournal.com]

That's funny. I was having those exact feelings towards Jin Gook. Although he's more interesting than Sam Dong I can't bring myself to like him that much. I want to. But I just get irritated. Maybe it's the actors fault. I don't know :(

I have to disagree though on Hye Mi supposedly having been set up with Jin Gook at first. I think the drama was never very clear about its pairings and both do make sense somehow. Jin Gook was definitely necessary in Hye Mi's life and he had a big part in turing her into a better and more open person. Hmm, thinking about it, both pairings don't seem that much needed to me (if that makes sense). Like it would be nice, but they can survive without each other. Maybe that wouldn't be too bad :D

[sanaenam.livejournal.com]

I have to disagree though on Hye Mi supposedly having been set up with Jin Gook at first. I think the drama was never very clear about its pairings and both do make sense somehow.

Oh, I beg to differ. The show was VERY clear on the initial pairing being JG & HM. It went so far as to make Samdong into a outright cockblocker. While my preference is for the show not to have any pairing for HM and instead focus on their pursuit of their dreams, I agree with Dangermousie that public opinion (and quite possibly the skill level of the actors involved) likely swayed the intended pairing.

[orangebreeze.livejournal.com]

Hmm, maybe it was just me then :/ But I was quite confused who Hye Mi's OTP was supposed to be. And in all honesty, I still don't see either of the boys with her. Maybe I just can't feel the connection :)

[sanaenam.livejournal.com]

Ah! You and I are talking about two very different things.

HM's OTP in all caps - the show is indeed leaving everyone still in suspense and in constant debate.

HM's seeming OTP in the beginning - Jingook
HM's seeming OTP now as she's evolved - Samdong

BUT - in the end, the show may decide not to offer an OTP for Hyemi. I think that's a distinct possibility that the show is dangling, at least not in the way it has decided to pair up Jason & Pilsook in no uncertain terms.

There is an innocence to Jason & Pilsook's affections. An open-endedness, an in-the-moment bliss.

The intensity and the nature of Samdong's feelings... Woah. If anyone had felt that way toward me when I was 17 years old, I know I would have run away for reals. Even when I was on the receiving end of affection that was 1/10 of Samdong's for Hyemi, I fled.

Too young, boy. Live your life first, then maybe, just maybe if you're a lucky 20-something, you'll meet the love of your life early. 17 is way too young to believe you cannot live without someone. And even at my age, that sentiment is a major turnoff. The only time I would find that sentiment acceptable is after decades of having lived and loved and struggled and built a richly rewarding life together.

[dangermousie.livejournal.com]

Yes to everything. Ultimately, I cannot take any shipping in this seriously because they are all 17, and not in some sort of life-threatening situation.

[orangebreeze.livejournal.com]

I guess we were indeed talking about different things. Or maybe not, because the seeming OTP is what confused me in the end :D

Actually, I wouldn't mind if there wasn't any love-related ending. At least to me it was never the most important thing about this drama. Maybe because after putting so much focus on Hye Mi's relationship with Jin Gook they just dropped that storyline. It was more like it was a needed event in Hye Mi's life, to evolve her character or something like that :D

You're right about Sam Dong's feelings. Jason & Pilsook feel a lot more like 17 year olds. The sweet feeling of first love. Whereas Sam Dong is too fixated on Hye Mi and I really don't like that. His crush in the beginning was cute, but it kind of turned into obsession >.>

[dangermousie.livejournal.com]

Oh, Taec is not much of an actor, but I think I like his character better.

It was never clear who her final OTP was to be but in the beginning they were setting up an otp with JG. I have no objection to the switch but it feels sudden and without lead-in.

[sanaenam.livejournal.com]

Yeah, same here.

I know I've totally fallen for the Jingook character. And I have to laugh because I certainly didn't know any 17 year olds who were as wise as he is. In fact, I don't know of many men twice or three times his age with half his wisdom.

Jingook is pure of heart according to his daddy but I say he is an old soul.

[orangebreeze.livejournal.com]

I do like his character as well, there's just something about Taec that irks me and leads me to not enjoy the character as much as I could. I don't know. I really liked him in Cinderella Unni (well, the part that I saw ^^). But here... I can't put my finger on what it is :(

The most confusing thing is that they were showing very elaborately why Hye Mi would fall for Jin Gook. And then suddenly he's almost gone and she's in love with Sam Dong? It's weird. ^^

[sanaenam.livejournal.com]

I think the two dudes function as index for Hyemi's emotional evolution.

Jingook is all about giving space, allowing the other person to be and do voluntarily. Samdong - I have to take a deep breath before I start describing Samdong because he does so many things that make me be ready to file a restraining order - is all about making emotional demands, imposing on emotional, psychological, and physical boundaries. I laughed ironically in episode 15 when Samdong, after signing with the White Agency, says proudly to Jingook that he's no longer a pity case but a true contender for Hyemi's affections, only for him to emotionally manipulate her upon learning she may have to leave for the US. He says to her something along the lines of "What am I supposed to do now?" (Answer? Simple: LIVE YOUR life and pursue your dreams, you obsessive, self-pitying emo who has boundary issues! You're not a puppy, she not your owner. Nor is she your mom who brought you into the world, and even moms can't and shouldn't handhold their ever-growing children!)

Except, Hyemi is no longer the proud, prickly girl who needs someone who can give her space but a emotionally softer girl who wants someone who'll ask her not to go (the English is not strong enough here because the Korean 붙잡다 means something akin to "grab hold of/hold onto/cling onto so as not to lose"). She even asks Jingook if he won't ask her to stay, and he responds that she's not the type of girl who'll listen to what others have to say, except he doesn't realize she has changed as a result of her interactions with Samdong.

Hence, the two boys as emotional index.

[missjb.livejournal.com]

There is nothing wrong with Puppy behaviour.... It's not a sin.. U can still pursue your dreams and your love at the same time... And The Writers want to show us, when we put more effort about one thing we want to achieve, one day we can have it.

It's not about who is better with Hye Mi... In a kdrama, it's all about a strong relationship between OTP, always by his side and always help each other.... until u realise u need each other and belong to each other. It's defined Hye Mi - Sam DOng strong relationship.

And I think the story seems connect quite well.. (maybe some part seems abit forced and clumsy but for me nothing absurb... ) we just didn't want to see it because we have diferent point of view with the writers... That's all..

[dangermousie.livejournal.com]

Yes, the writing seems disconnected. I am not a shipper for DH, they are all too young, so I don't care who she picks, but if she was going to pick SD, I wish they made more of a lead-in.

[vierran45.livejournal.com]

Not related, but did you see that WithS2 already released subs for Jade Palace Lock Heart eps for #1-9 for VIA members? I might have to check it out now. My first ever (fusion) wuxia :D.

[dangermousie.livejournal.com]

Yes, and got my greedy hands on them too :)

[gauri92.livejournal.com]

wow....ok, i personally loved the drama and i have to say , i loved sam dong too...
sure, he was a pretty unrealistic character to begin with, but i think the changes he went through were pretty decently shown...

ill admit it, i think half the reason...hell, the only reason i really shipped sam dong and hye mi was because KSH is a much better actor than either Taec and Suzy and was more convincing in his role, however unrealistic his character might have been...
also...many of the things done by the characters are quite understandable (to me atleast) because they are very young....Sam Dong going to Hye Mi and telling her to stay and all...selfish on his part, but showed that he's a kid...i don't think their post 8-years characters are going to be anything close to being so selfish and unsure....

Also...somehow, i don't know...i would rather want to be with a person who at the end of the day makes me happy and makes me want to improve...not someone who i just mourn and cry over...and someone who i just knew for a brief moment really....
Taec and Suzy's characters never really got to know each other...whereas KSH and Suzy's characters, it was implied, got very close during their training period....and got to know each other much better...

wow...this was long...and i don't mean to offend anyone....u can delete it in case u do find it offensive :)

[prettierdanpink.livejournal.com]

I didn't know why my previous comment did not appear, but I just want to ask if you have watched any drama / movie from the Philippines? :) I'm sorry if this is totally unrelated T_T

[dangermousie.livejournal.com]

Nope, haven't. Any recs?

[prettierdanpink.livejournal.com]

I wouldn't really recommend dramas here because they're too long. As for movies, you might want to check out One More Chance, In the Name of Love and No Other Woman :)

[dangermousie.livejournal.com]

Thank you