(may contain spoilers)
Mask Girl
Douban rating: 7.4
Director: Kim Young-hoon
Starring: Lee Han-byeol, Nana, Go Hyun-jung, Ahn Jae-hong
Douban Comments: “I originally thought it was going to be a shallow, feel-good show where the main character gets plastic surgery and then dominates everyone around her. And yes, it is about someone getting plastic surgery and becoming powerful. But starting from the second episode, it exceeded my expectations. The supporting characters push the main character out of the spotlight, and the story unfolds like a domino effect. It shows a well-structured, yet naturally flowing life story. It feels very much like a movie, similar to “Secret Sunshine”, “Lady Vengeance” or “Thelma & Louise”. If you like any of those, you’ll probably enjoy this too.”
“This show is so good, and yet it only has a 7.7 rating? It goes against the usual tropes and political correctness. The characters that seem hateful on the surface turn out to be pitiful, while those who seem pitiful also have their hateful sides. The female characters are all powerful, and the main character is an absolute badass in prison. I love this kind of fierce determination where revenge is a must, and they never let go of a grudge.
Beneath all the intense drama, the show addresses many social issues: anxiety over appearance, discrimination based on looks, emotional longing, school bullying, problems with family education, and hatred. The scene where the main character takes a bullet for her daughter made me cry, transforming all her toughness and fierceness into the most natural expression of emotion. Personally, I’d give it an 8.5!”
“Episode 4 deserves five stars. Revenge is always a central theme, and it’s impressive how Korean dramas have moved from focusing mainly on love to exploring a variety of topics. If the story ends with revenge on the boy’s mother, it would feel too shallow. The root of the tragedy lies in the hierarchical and patriarchal society. The logic that beautiful people receive special treatment and harassment, while less attractive people are bullied, is the same. It shows how a patriarchal society judges people based on their looks.”
The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power
Douban rating: 6.7/7.2
Director: Wayne Che Yip, J.A. Bayona, Charlotte Brändström, Sanaa Hamri, Louise Hooper
Starring: Morfydd Clark, Charlie Vickers, Robert Aramayo
Douban Comments: “Overall, this show presents a worldview that covers almost all the races of Middle-earth. In terms of storytelling, it introduces five main forces. The first is the story of the Elves and the Rings, which is the main plot. The second is the story of Nori and the mysterious wizard, creatively continuing the tradition of interactions between Hobbits and wizards from the original works. The other three groups are the Dwarves of Khazad-dûm, the Humans of Númenor, and the Orcs of Mordor. The story is vast, complex, and very complete, and the show does a good job of staying true to the world of Middle-earth. This is definitely something to be praised. Additionally, the special effects, sets, and costumes are all very well done. Whether it’s the Elves’ castles, the Dwarves’ underground palaces, or the actors’ makeup, everything fits my idea of Western fantasy. The villain is also portrayed successfully. The depiction of Sauron’s cunning personality is vivid and convincing. Unlike typical flat villains, Sauron’s clever schemes are the focus, not just his power, which makes him memorable. The show’s downside is that it lacks the epic feel of the movies. The plot feels a bit like a straightforward sequence of events, lacking ups and downs in pace and emotional engagement for the audience.”
“I don’t understand why the ratings are a bit low across the Internet. Isn’t it clearly a prequel to The Lord of the Rings? It has the budget, amazing scenes, special effects, a strong female lead, costumes, and makeup. Everything that should be there is there. I felt so excited watching the alliance between humans and elves fighting against darkness in Middle-earth, and I was deeply moved by the friendship between elves and dwarves. So, are the people giving low ratings expecting this to be a sci-fi show? Doesn’t such an epic scale deserve five stars?”
“From the very beginning of the project, the show’s potential was limited. Beyond the ‘beautiful’ costumes and set design, what’s really missing is the charm of the characters. In this regard, it’s clear that actors today are not as good as those from previous generations, and this seems to be a global trend. As for the epic feel – forget about it, that’s too much to hope for.”
Baby Reindeer
Douban rating: 8.6
Director: Weronika Tofilska, Josephine Bornebusch
Starring: Richard Gadd, Jessica Gunning, Nava Mau
Douban Comments: “The character Donny shows the contradictions in human nature really well. His inner conflict comes not only from his own desires and personality but also because Martha is truly a unique person. She makes people feel both scared and sorry for her, and she often says things that hit right at the truth. Most importantly, she makes Donny feel like he exists. This is a story about one unfortunate person meeting another unfortunate person.”
“What a profound journey of self-exploration. It’s hard to imagine how much pain and inner conflict the writer must have gone through to create such a script. The female director’s portrayal is also incredibly delicate. The best part of the entire show is the main character’s descent into corruption through seduction, followed by his intense self-exploration. The endless torment, confusion, and his deeply complex feelings toward the stalker are portrayed so well. The line, ‘there’s one thing I love more than I love her, which is hating myself’, resonates deeply with the emotional weight of the scene where the male lead, sitting in a bar with tears streaming down his face, finally realizes: ‘I’ve found the one person in the world who can make me stop hating myself, and that person is my stalker’.
The raw confession of ‘You failed to break me, but I end up breaking myself’ encapsulates the theme so powerfully. This show feels like Netflix’s greatest gift of 2024.”
“The story has a fresh and unique theme. It puts a man in the position of being watched, stalked, harassed, and even seduced, which is different from the usual narratives. It also includes topics like transgender and diverse gender issues. While it’s not a big production, it’s very well-made and enjoyable to watch. The female lead character is especially well-developed and stands out in the story.”
