Skip Beat!

[remula]

So this past week, instead of actually studying for Chinese, I watched Skip Beat! (the Taiwanese drama). Gotta say that it was a little disappointing, lol. I mean, I've never read the manga it's based on, so I dunno how true to the manga it is (though I know that the manga is still ongoing), but based on the synopsis I read of the show, it didn't really fulfill my expectations.

Gong Xi sacrificed her life to support her boyfriend, Bu Puo Shang, so he could become a successful singer. One day, Shang suddenly breaks up with Gong Xi, leaving her with nothing, and Gong Xi vows revenge. She decides to delve into the entertainment world and become even more successful than Shang to get back at him. Gong Xi therein meets Dun He Lian, another actor in her agency, who helps motivate her to become a top entertainer. -- D-Addicts

I mean, that totally sounds intriguing, right? But the show kinda falls short.

THE GOOD:

• Gong Xi finding herself and learning to live life for herself instead of her previous devotion to Shang.


• The friendship between Gong Xi and Qin. It was really sweet how their relationship developed and I thought it was a really important step in Gong Xi's growth as person.


• The acting -- I mean, they basically made 90% of the show Acting 101, but I guess it does emphasize how good most of their acting was. I really liked Ivy Chen and how good she was at switching between being possessed by revenge and Gong Xi's bubbly self. Siwon also had a lot of really good expressions (though his dubbing was so-so). Bianca Bai is always awesome and I thought the guy who played Lian's manager was totally cute.


• Marie -- she was kinda adorbs, lol.


• Donghae eating the strawberry pudding in the beginning, LOLOLOL! Whatever, it was totally adorable! Also, all the cute flashback moments when Shang was sweet to Gong Xi. Donghae, why are you so cute?!


• The soundtrack! All the songs (opening, ending, and insert songs) were so catchy!

THE BAD:

• Gong Xi's spirits! I dunno, I just thought it was totally random and it kinda threw me out of enjoying the show.


• How 90% of the show is Acting 101. Because there were lots of other things that should have been focused on, but instead we get endless internal monologues about how deep the acting is and explanations in detail of the emotions that are being or need to be expressed. x_x


• How little of Shang we get to see! From the beginning of the show (and from the synopsis), you get the feeling that he's important, but he actually doesn't get that much screentime in the show. Also, I felt that his storyline had a lot of potential, but it just went unexplored. =/


• Qin totally disappearing from the show once Gong Xi starts doing the Dark Moon stuff! WTF was that! >O


• The randomness that is Lian being Corn and the whole weird Corn/Gong Xi storyline in the past.


• The whole focus on Dark Moon in the second half of the show. I couldn't even keep up with the ridiculous storyline, let along keep the names straight of the characters they were playing. Also, how everything they filmed was in the first episode of the show! I can't even understand how all that would work in the first episode. Also, from what I saw of the show, there would be no way in hell I would even watch it, LOL.
  
• Lian's dad suddenly being an actor and Lian actually taking on the role that his dad had in Dark Moon. I mean, really? And of course this revelation comes in the last episode and is totally left on the wayside (besides the random conversation Gong Xi has with Lian about Corn). Seriously, what was the point of this revelation?


• Basically the whole last episode, really! Because nothing was really resolved! Gong Xi and Lian's relationship doesn't really go anywhere, Shang's personality and his weird relationship with Gong Xi was left hanging, and Gong Xi herself doesn't have anything going on for her at the very end besides the Ai Wo Babu.

So there's more bad in my lists than good (though there are lots of other things I left out that I have feelings about), but yeah, lol. I mean, the show was okay, but it did drag at times. I already had feelings of discontent halfway through because, most of the time, the main issue is almost fully resolved (or, at least, a big revelation is had regarding the main issue) by the halfway point, but it definitely wasn't here, so I was totally discouraged as I watched. And then the last episode comes and that, to me, was pretty much the halfway resolution mark. (You know, basically when Shang realizes he still has feelings for Gong Xi! Wasn't that was suppose to happen, like, seven episodes ago?!) So really, where is the other 15 or so episodes that explores Shang and the dynamic between him, Gong Xi, and Lian and gives us a resolution for all of them?!


Yeah, anyways, I need to study for Chinese f'real now since I have finals coming up this week. =/