Magicians of Love meta
Dec. 15th, 2006 06:22 pm![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
dangermousieEeee! Late showing of Battlestar in five hours! Maybe I’ll be home by then.
But that isn’t what the post is about.
I’ve just realized that I never discussed the plot of Magicians of Love. Yeah, the pictures are sparkly (or sporkly, as the case may be), but where, will you ask, is the meta?
So here are my thoughts on Episode 1, which is, alas, as far as I got so far.
Heeeee. I am so amused by the notion of hairdressing as both an art and a sacred calling.
Our heroine and our hero first meet because he takes over from a contest she is supposed to be participating in (long story). Why does Yasu and his two friends agree to this? Because the minister of foreign affairs literally tells them “please save our country, three hair-stylists.” HEEEEEE.
How could you not love this?
It would be intolerably silly if the show didn’t know it is intolerably silly and be deliciously, delightfully tongue in cheek.
But anyway, back to the OTP meeting. You see, Xiao Bei (who is a more adorable version of Rainie Yang, which, if you know how adorable Rainie Yang is, is quite a feat) is a nothing hairdresser. She cuts hair of military guys, so buzz cuts are about all she does. Yet here she is at this contest, competing against the famous French stylist with her friend, the prison hairdresser (heeee, her friend is adorable, I hope she sticks around). It’s a complicated ploy to make Asian hairdressing lose face (yes indeedy) and to advertise the products of the competitor firm.
But of course Yasu, Richie and Fernando show up as requested by Minister and perform miracles and win.
Xiao Bei is no push-over and she is vociferous about being removed, but she also has the sweetness and playfulness of a puppy and I have a huge girl-crush on her as I watch her swoon a little not for Yasu or any of the other guys, but their hairstyling technique. She waaaaants to be that good, and she is honestly admiring.
She is almost the most adorable thing I’ve ever seen.
Unfortunately for her, Yasu doesn’t think so, and when she approaches him after the competition, brushes her off with his trademark ‘I do not want to look at ugly things.’ (Btw, huge points to MoL: Xiao Bei is very cute but she is no beauty). And when she trips over something and falls, Yasu? Calmly steps over her and proceeds to walk on (oooooh, that boy! I hope he gets a LOT of angst for this. Or at least as much angst as a show about hairdressers can have. That’s your future wife, boy, if I know anything about dorama laws). And so does Fernando as Xiao Bei is still on the ground, more from the shock of their callous behavior than any injury. She, of course, expects Richie to ignore her in the same fashion and is startled when he stretches out his hand and helps her get up. And tells her some pithy nice things about goals.
And here we have it. Superior, arrogant, cold boy. His future OTP: the chirpy indomitable sunny girl. Third leg of romantic triangle who is nice to her when her OTP isn’t yet.
In a way, this is really a reference (I have to think deliberate) to Meteor Garden. Really really popular cool guys? Much lower station awesome girl? First meeting where guy is a jerk but girl won’t take it? Other guy who is nicer to her so she is attracted to him at first?
Only Xiao Bei isn’t all fire and stubborn strength like Shan Cai. She is more of a mix of Shan Cai and Xiao You in MG. Which makes sense, as Yasu is sort of a mix of Lei and Xi Men (though his arrogance is pure Dao Ming Si, he is quite different from him in tone) and Richie is sort of like a Lei and Dao Ming Si mix. Fernando? I can’t really see any of F4 stringing multiple women with lies (as they were always honest about no emotional entanglements) so who knows.
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kitsune714 is right. F4 is hotter. Much hotter. And I am sure MG had a lot more angst and twistiness than this will (but then poor DMS had a lot more to atone for). But this is still delish.
Finally, may I reiterate how the notion of straight hair-dressers amuses me? Not to impugn hundreds or thousands of straight male hairdressers out there, but these ones? Heeeee. There is even a moment where they need to have their hair model (don’t ask) be beautifully dressed and they literally contrive her a dress from spare implements around the room a la Scarlett O’Hara’s curtain dress, only they do it in 9 minutes flat. Queer Eye for the Straight Guy has nothing on these three :P
I am especially taken by Fernando, resplendent in his knee-high boots, tartan short pants, and crushed velvet burgundy shirt with no buttons. Topped by a fur coat.
I will give you a moment to contemplate that.
I don’t think I’ll let anyone who is dressed like this cut my hair, because he clearly must be blind.
I am quite amused by his character. In RL, the boy would be a louse, but in a funny, tongue-in-cheek show? He makes me giggle. Apparently the guy is married to one supermodel, is cheating on her with another as his long-term girlfriend, and cheating on them both with some one night stands. Can you say a walking STD? Basically, he is a Taiwanese, modern version of Warren Beatty’s character in Shampoo.
But that isn’t what the post is about.
I’ve just realized that I never discussed the plot of Magicians of Love. Yeah, the pictures are sparkly (or sporkly, as the case may be), but where, will you ask, is the meta?
So here are my thoughts on Episode 1, which is, alas, as far as I got so far.
Heeeee. I am so amused by the notion of hairdressing as both an art and a sacred calling.
Our heroine and our hero first meet because he takes over from a contest she is supposed to be participating in (long story). Why does Yasu and his two friends agree to this? Because the minister of foreign affairs literally tells them “please save our country, three hair-stylists.” HEEEEEE.
How could you not love this?
It would be intolerably silly if the show didn’t know it is intolerably silly and be deliciously, delightfully tongue in cheek.
But anyway, back to the OTP meeting. You see, Xiao Bei (who is a more adorable version of Rainie Yang, which, if you know how adorable Rainie Yang is, is quite a feat) is a nothing hairdresser. She cuts hair of military guys, so buzz cuts are about all she does. Yet here she is at this contest, competing against the famous French stylist with her friend, the prison hairdresser (heeee, her friend is adorable, I hope she sticks around). It’s a complicated ploy to make Asian hairdressing lose face (yes indeedy) and to advertise the products of the competitor firm.
But of course Yasu, Richie and Fernando show up as requested by Minister and perform miracles and win.
Xiao Bei is no push-over and she is vociferous about being removed, but she also has the sweetness and playfulness of a puppy and I have a huge girl-crush on her as I watch her swoon a little not for Yasu or any of the other guys, but their hairstyling technique. She waaaaants to be that good, and she is honestly admiring.
She is almost the most adorable thing I’ve ever seen.
Unfortunately for her, Yasu doesn’t think so, and when she approaches him after the competition, brushes her off with his trademark ‘I do not want to look at ugly things.’ (Btw, huge points to MoL: Xiao Bei is very cute but she is no beauty). And when she trips over something and falls, Yasu? Calmly steps over her and proceeds to walk on (oooooh, that boy! I hope he gets a LOT of angst for this. Or at least as much angst as a show about hairdressers can have. That’s your future wife, boy, if I know anything about dorama laws). And so does Fernando as Xiao Bei is still on the ground, more from the shock of their callous behavior than any injury. She, of course, expects Richie to ignore her in the same fashion and is startled when he stretches out his hand and helps her get up. And tells her some pithy nice things about goals.
And here we have it. Superior, arrogant, cold boy. His future OTP: the chirpy indomitable sunny girl. Third leg of romantic triangle who is nice to her when her OTP isn’t yet.
In a way, this is really a reference (I have to think deliberate) to Meteor Garden. Really really popular cool guys? Much lower station awesome girl? First meeting where guy is a jerk but girl won’t take it? Other guy who is nicer to her so she is attracted to him at first?
Only Xiao Bei isn’t all fire and stubborn strength like Shan Cai. She is more of a mix of Shan Cai and Xiao You in MG. Which makes sense, as Yasu is sort of a mix of Lei and Xi Men (though his arrogance is pure Dao Ming Si, he is quite different from him in tone) and Richie is sort of like a Lei and Dao Ming Si mix. Fernando? I can’t really see any of F4 stringing multiple women with lies (as they were always honest about no emotional entanglements) so who knows.
kitsune714 is right. F4 is hotter. Much hotter. And I am sure MG had a lot more angst and twistiness than this will (but then poor DMS had a lot more to atone for). But this is still delish. Finally, may I reiterate how the notion of straight hair-dressers amuses me? Not to impugn hundreds or thousands of straight male hairdressers out there, but these ones? Heeeee. There is even a moment where they need to have their hair model (don’t ask) be beautifully dressed and they literally contrive her a dress from spare implements around the room a la Scarlett O’Hara’s curtain dress, only they do it in 9 minutes flat. Queer Eye for the Straight Guy has nothing on these three :P
I am especially taken by Fernando, resplendent in his knee-high boots, tartan short pants, and crushed velvet burgundy shirt with no buttons. Topped by a fur coat.
I will give you a moment to contemplate that.
I don’t think I’ll let anyone who is dressed like this cut my hair, because he clearly must be blind.
I am quite amused by his character. In RL, the boy would be a louse, but in a funny, tongue-in-cheek show? He makes me giggle. Apparently the guy is married to one supermodel, is cheating on her with another as his long-term girlfriend, and cheating on them both with some one night stands. Can you say a walking STD? Basically, he is a Taiwanese, modern version of Warren Beatty’s character in Shampoo.
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no subject
Date: 2006-12-15 11:48 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2006-12-15 11:54 pm (UTC)Hey, tomorrow is the last ep of THnK, right?
no subject
Date: 2006-12-16 12:43 am (UTC)YES.
I am in anticipatory squee mode and am attempting to distract myself with other things. I had a horrible vision of me, tomorrow afternoon, sitting in front of my computer, hitting 'refresh' over and over again as I stared at the D-addicts page, so I've decided to take some pre-emptive measures (i.e., study group at the school library, from 9 to 4 tomorrow, far far away from my computer) to make sure I don't burn out my retinas by staring at my monitor, you know, before I actually get to see the finale.
no subject
Date: 2006-12-16 12:54 am (UTC)a. binge because it's that good
b. make sure which way the ending goes because I am that invested.
So I am awaiting reports from the froooont.
no subject
Date: 2006-12-16 03:46 am (UTC)a. binge because it's that good
b. make sure which way the ending goes because I am that invested.
Binging is awesome. I am actually envisioning a gigantic rewatch of all ten hours sometime in the near future. I'm so invested in them, but at this point, I really think that even if I'm unsatisfied with the ending, the previous nine hours will be enough for me to still rate the whole series very highly. Of course, I think my appreciation for this drama would shoot through the roof if, say, Kitagawa ended the whole thing by having Hiroto and Nao run out of her wedding to Other Guy and elope to Hawaii, but...we'll see.
no subject
Date: 2006-12-16 12:02 am (UTC)It sounds too hilarious not to miss. The basic premise, the extremely sporkable clothes and, what was it: "bombs, guns & evil mothers" sounds too
sillygood to miss :D.no subject
Date: 2006-12-16 12:04 am (UTC)But yes, it's priceless. It's on youtube under its Chinese name: Ai Qing Mo Fa Shi. The final two eps aren't up though, I think. And you can get it on ebay for cheap. Oddly, it has excellent (or at least very good) english subs in the official version.
But yeah, it's hilarious.
I cannot wait to get to evil mothers and bombs part. After all, Richie is apparently a Mafia offspring. *dies*
no subject
Date: 2006-12-16 12:33 am (UTC)DIES just thinking about it XD.
Thanks for the Youtube tip *heads off to the land of tiny images with off-sync sound*. *g* Though I think I'll get the official version as well. This sounds too amusing not to buy (for cheap).
no subject
Date: 2006-12-16 12:55 am (UTC)no subject
Date: 2006-12-17 03:30 am (UTC)no subject
Date: 2006-12-17 03:32 am (UTC)no subject
Date: 2006-12-16 12:32 am (UTC)no subject
Date: 2006-12-16 12:37 am (UTC)no subject
Date: 2006-12-16 12:27 am (UTC)Yeah I think we can definitely say he's a walking STD :D
And OMG. I think this is another tw-drama that I must watch, in addition to ISWAK and Mars!
no subject
Date: 2006-12-16 12:56 am (UTC)Btw, question. I know I should remember, but I forget. You've seen Meteor Garden, right?
no subject
Date: 2006-12-17 11:19 am (UTC)no subject
Date: 2006-12-16 04:35 am (UTC)no subject
Date: 2006-12-17 03:31 am (UTC)