Coming from different templates
May. 20th, 2008 12:11 pm![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
dangermousieIt's funny, because in a lot of ways, Powerful Opponents is very much like an American show and not a Korean drama:
(a) in its lack of clearness about who the protagonist can/should/might end up with. This is the first time I've seen that in a Korean drama, it being so open ended and even-handed, really. It's pretty common in American shows to have various viable potential OTPs, which even shift during the show's run, but is basically unheard of in a drama. Only in kdrama land would 'hero/heroine will end up with X because X is listed first in the credits' be a valid argument.
(b) In the crux of the interactions being fueled by various mysteries and work-place interactions: the balancing of family v. work duties, the mystery of what happened in the past to make the President's Son a headcase etc etc. (I can definitely think of Japanese dramas which deal with the workplace, but no Korean ones. Usually, when there is a workplace, it's an excuse for romantic hijinks).
(c) And that brings me to romance. Any romance in this drama is, in many ways, an American-TV-show type stuff. By that I mean the relationship between the two bodyguards: cautious partners with different personalities, progressing from dislike to tolerance to affection, with a lot of UST but nothing overt ever spoken, but a lot of chemistry and teasing of the audience. (The same hint and tease pattern is followed for Lady Bodyguard and President's Son, if you ship that way). If you are expecting a kdrama three-course meal of romance, with sobbing in the rain, desperate clutching and what not, you will be disappointed.
I think here is where my expectations and opinions end up diferrentiating from (e.g.) soompiers. People on soompi are saying that they are frustrated because with only four eps left, the triangle is still open, and that there isn't enough time to show the OTPness blah blah blah. But to me, as an American TV watcher, this seems completely absurd! I mean, yes, I don't think they would have time to switch gears to do fainting in the snow for the love of your OTP, but much as I love that sort of swoony-absorbed romance kdramas usually do, this drama isn't that sort of drama at all. It's not any different from an American show, ship-wise, and four episodes is plenty to tie up any romantic ends. I guess I am neither expecting nor wanting any sort of episodes and episodes and episodes of romantic angst. With an American show, you are lucky if you get half an ep of your OTP, and you certainly don't expect OTT extravagance. If all we get, romance-wise, is at the very end, Hot Bodyguard telling Lady Bodyguard he likes her, or a kiss, or something (or alternatively, the cleaned-up President's Son making a move on Lady Bodyguard and her finally reciprocating), to me that would not only be a result of a proper amount of buildup or development for a ship, that would totally be in line with what I am used to, as an American TV watcher. I mean, in an American show, they could go with the Bodyguards UST or the President's Son potential romantic interference for years, without taking it any further!
Am I making sense here? It's basically about expectations. And I have different ones than people on e.g. soompi I think, because I am coming from a different template. PO has just the right amount of relationship and build-up stuff for me. If American TV is a snack, that way, PO is a nice sandwich, and a kdrama is a state dinner. I guess if you are expecting a state dinner, you might be disappointed in a sandwich. But if you are only used to snacks, and aren't there for the food anyway, you'll be quite happy. Basically, PO has just the amount of development and shippiness I am used to, and crave.
I am a shipper for bodyguards, of course, but it's one of the many things I enjoy about the drama: the mystery of the past, the dynamics of the bodyguard office, Young Jin's cooky family, Gwan Pil and his relationship with his daughter, Young Jin's perseverance in her career, Su Ho learning to function again etc etc etc. I love a good, straightforward romance drama (Save the Last Dance!!!) and I do love the hints of romance in PO but PO isn't a romance drama, to me.
Anyway, also caps from ep 8.
I squeed like mad during this scene:
(a) in its lack of clearness about who the protagonist can/should/might end up with. This is the first time I've seen that in a Korean drama, it being so open ended and even-handed, really. It's pretty common in American shows to have various viable potential OTPs, which even shift during the show's run, but is basically unheard of in a drama. Only in kdrama land would 'hero/heroine will end up with X because X is listed first in the credits' be a valid argument.
(b) In the crux of the interactions being fueled by various mysteries and work-place interactions: the balancing of family v. work duties, the mystery of what happened in the past to make the President's Son a headcase etc etc. (I can definitely think of Japanese dramas which deal with the workplace, but no Korean ones. Usually, when there is a workplace, it's an excuse for romantic hijinks).
(c) And that brings me to romance. Any romance in this drama is, in many ways, an American-TV-show type stuff. By that I mean the relationship between the two bodyguards: cautious partners with different personalities, progressing from dislike to tolerance to affection, with a lot of UST but nothing overt ever spoken, but a lot of chemistry and teasing of the audience. (The same hint and tease pattern is followed for Lady Bodyguard and President's Son, if you ship that way). If you are expecting a kdrama three-course meal of romance, with sobbing in the rain, desperate clutching and what not, you will be disappointed.
I think here is where my expectations and opinions end up diferrentiating from (e.g.) soompiers. People on soompi are saying that they are frustrated because with only four eps left, the triangle is still open, and that there isn't enough time to show the OTPness blah blah blah. But to me, as an American TV watcher, this seems completely absurd! I mean, yes, I don't think they would have time to switch gears to do fainting in the snow for the love of your OTP, but much as I love that sort of swoony-absorbed romance kdramas usually do, this drama isn't that sort of drama at all. It's not any different from an American show, ship-wise, and four episodes is plenty to tie up any romantic ends. I guess I am neither expecting nor wanting any sort of episodes and episodes and episodes of romantic angst. With an American show, you are lucky if you get half an ep of your OTP, and you certainly don't expect OTT extravagance. If all we get, romance-wise, is at the very end, Hot Bodyguard telling Lady Bodyguard he likes her, or a kiss, or something (or alternatively, the cleaned-up President's Son making a move on Lady Bodyguard and her finally reciprocating), to me that would not only be a result of a proper amount of buildup or development for a ship, that would totally be in line with what I am used to, as an American TV watcher. I mean, in an American show, they could go with the Bodyguards UST or the President's Son potential romantic interference for years, without taking it any further!
Am I making sense here? It's basically about expectations. And I have different ones than people on e.g. soompi I think, because I am coming from a different template. PO has just the right amount of relationship and build-up stuff for me. If American TV is a snack, that way, PO is a nice sandwich, and a kdrama is a state dinner. I guess if you are expecting a state dinner, you might be disappointed in a sandwich. But if you are only used to snacks, and aren't there for the food anyway, you'll be quite happy. Basically, PO has just the amount of development and shippiness I am used to, and crave.
I am a shipper for bodyguards, of course, but it's one of the many things I enjoy about the drama: the mystery of the past, the dynamics of the bodyguard office, Young Jin's cooky family, Gwan Pil and his relationship with his daughter, Young Jin's perseverance in her career, Su Ho learning to function again etc etc etc. I love a good, straightforward romance drama (Save the Last Dance!!!) and I do love the hints of romance in PO but PO isn't a romance drama, to me.
Anyway, also caps from ep 8.
I squeed like mad during this scene:
