L-FILMS, TV-SERIES reviews
MINE6/28/2021 MINE (2021-) MINE is the latest South Korean drama series about three strong women in search of their love, revenge, and justice for mistreatment from men, their husbands respectively. The main theme of the show was what women can do for themselves to get power over their life back - women should be the creators of their own paths, not men. It was also about women solidarity and groundbreaking regarding LGBT representation by having one of the main lesbian characters although we still haven't gotten the lesbian kiss which is for me as a lesbian very important (they should do it in the near future though!) but at least we got a decent lesbian love story between two lesbians although their screentime was disproportionally short compared to all other storylines. Also, a lesbian character as shown in the most positive way, respectable, responsible, loving, loyal, and faithful. Whereas in Hello Dracula (SK, 2020) we got to know a lesbian who had a lot of screentime but her main story was based on a relationship between her and her a homophobic mother who gradually became more and more accepting, loving and supporting whereas lesbian love story was non-existent, respectively just ended thus focus was on the main character getting over her ex-girlfriend. The lesbian character was also portrayed as a responsible, loving, empathic, and helping others. It seems that SK is trying to convey the current message that being a lesbian is okay and that it is not a mental, emotional, social or moral deficit. MINE is still far from presenting an existent lesbian love story but establishing a positive path for the future stories nonetheless. Throughout 16 episodes of the first season we followed the stories of the family revolving around the family that owns Hyowon Group, a powerful real estate development firm led by Chairman Han (Jung Dong-hwan). But the story really concentrates on two of Han’s daughters-in-law, their involvement in the family business, and the women who want to take the extravagant lives they lead. In Cadenza, the sprawling main house of Hyowon Mansion, Jung Seo Hyun (Kim Seo-hyeong), the first daughter-in-law of Han, lives with her less-than-ambitious husband, oldest son Han Jin Ho (Park Hyuk-kwon). In the annex, Rubato, lives second daughter-in-law Seo Hi Soo (Lee Bo-young), a former actress, with her husband Han Ji Yong (Lee Hyun-Wook) and her young stepson Ha Joon (Jung Hyun-jun). Two women apply for jobs at the mansion, responding to an ad for a tutor for Ha-joon: Kim Yoo-yeon (Jung Yi-seo), an orphan with good intentions, and Kang Ja-kyung (Ja-Yeon Ok). Ja-kyung eventually gets the job, especially when Jin-ho eyeballs the young woman during her interview with Seo-hyeon. Yoo-yeon ends up with a job as a maid in the main house. As everyone gets prepared for a formal family dinner, we see Ja-kyung lingering over the sight of Hi Soo looking at dresses for the dinner. Yang Soon-hye (Park Won-Suk), the super-spoiled matriarch of the Han family, is wrapping up vocal lessons when she’s not berating all the housekeepers. During the dinner, where Chairman Han was going to give a precious blue diamond necklace to one of his daughters-in-law, he receives news that his bid for a massive construction project was made illegally. He has a heart attack, and while he’s in a coma in the hospital, there’s a power struggle to see who takes over. Jin-ho doesn’t want the job; he thinks Ji-yong can do it, but their sister Jin Hee (Kim Hye-hwa) thinks the job is rightfully hers. Seo-hyeon has to deal with the fact that the house manager, Butler Joo Min Su (Park Seong-yeon) has been secretly recording Soon-hye screaming at her staff and another butler Kim Seong Tae (Lee Joong-ok) tried to poision Ji-yong, Han's non-biological son. In the meantime. Yoo-yeon goes to make up the room of Seo-hyeon’s stepson Han Soo Hyuk (Cha Hak-Yeon), who is back from college to visit his grandfather in the hospital. When they meet, she not only falls for him but admits she dozed off on his bed. He offers to switch rooms for the night and many nights in the future which ends up them being in love. While of course, I am most interested in lesbian love story I certainly can't get past the fact how three women Seo-hyeon, Hi Soo and Ja-kyung worked together to eliminate the corrupted power-lust Ji-yong whose idea was that Ha-joon has two moms. Indeed, Ha-joon in the end gets with two moms (which is another alusion on the lesbian parenting) while Ji-yong is murdered hated by all family members. It doesn't matter if he is a Han's biological son or not as he blames his coldness and immorality for not being loved and respected by his father and his step-mom Yang Soon-hye because as we see there is no love in this family despite being enormously rich. For instance, Jung Seo-hyeon who is lesbian obviously doesn't love Han Jin-ho despite being married to him for twelve years. She married him because coming from a rich family being married to a man from another rich family is duty1, Han Ji-yong obviously didn't truly love his wife Seo Hee-soo if he lied to her that the mother of his son was dead while at the same he chose her as Ha-joon's tutor. Han Ji-yong obviously didn't love his former girlfriend Kang Ja-kyung claiming she was dead and twice even tried to kill her. He also didn't love He Soo because he tried to kill her too thinking she poisoned him, Jin-hee's husband frequently tried to divorce her and he has also had a secret love affair. Last but not least, Yang Soon-hye was never truly loved by her husband Han who secretly daily visited his bunker decorated with the photos of his true love. The moments we see love are when Jeong Seo-hyeon as a stepmother to Han Soo-hyeok accepts he's in love with the maid Yoo-yeon and accepts that he doesn't want to become the chairman of the Hyowon Group despite his grandfather will – but this connection happens as Jung is herself torn inside for her true love Suzy Choi and when she is finally ready to fight the prejudices and live her life – only when Jung realized that prejudices and barriers are imagined she could break them and nearby the end of the series she came out to her husband who accepted her and Hi Soo also found out that she was a lesbian and embraced her the way she is. Most of all we see love is overflown by Seo Hi Soo and Kang Ja-kyung for Ha-joon and Suzy who has been loving paitently Jung all the time. The ones who are truly loved from the beginning to the end are Ha-joon and Jung Seo-hyeon. As a European and an atheist I am surprised how South Korea is westernized and Christianized. I learned that SK Christians hold quite a strong influence and they strongly opposed to lesbian characters played by Kim Seo-hyung however, in the last episode mother Emma who was a confidante to all Han family members throughout the series apologized to Jung Seo-hyeon by saying she shouldn't hide her sexual orientation and being in the closet for her whole life because of the perception being homosexual is a sin. Mother Emma also left nunery vocation and became an ordinary citizen. This is really a big step in the right direction for the acceptance of the SK LGBTIQ community. The acting was of a notch better quality than most of the licensed K-dramas, there was undeniable great chemistry with all actresses and actors, costumography was excellent and the story itself was excellent as well – it certainly delivered the message it promised at the beginning. How influential MINE was in the southeast region was shown by the Survey for the week (13-20th June 2021) which put MINE in the top 5 on Netflix in Hong Kong, Japan, Malaysia, Singapore, Thailand. Top 10 in the Philippines and Top 1 in Vietnam. And why? Because this show has proven that there are positive changes in the world even in conservative South Korea: He joon gets a happy ending with two loving moms and Jung Seo-hyeon2 is finally going to meet Suzy (even older straight and married South Koreans empathized with Jung). It is a win for strong women and lesbians. It would be great if there is going to be a second season where we get to know the Jung Seo-hyeon love story with Suzy, Seo Hi Soo and Kang Ja-kyung being remarried and how He Joon grows up and starts working for Hyowon Group. 1 Sure such attitude hasn't been something new or odd, it has been known for thousands of years throughout the world, in the past and the present. Even mildly good materially standing familes behave like that. For instance, father of my ex-girlfriend (they belong to the middle class, perhaps higher middle class while my parents are low middle class and I am poor) kept telling my ex-gf not to marry me and get financially or materially involved with such a poor person as I was. However, the most notorius response to an arranged marriages among upper class was an invention of the courtly/troubador love. Because there was no love to be found among aristocrats in that time they invented so called adulters love as a true love. 2 When one of the main actresses Kim Seo-hyeong playing a character Jung Seo Hyun was asked if she was aware that girls and women fancy her she replied 'yes'. I think that as a 47 year old celebrity who in +20 years in the industry has never been married and never even was involved in any dating news with a man was the best for this job. In one of the articles she is also mentioned among the group of acomplished SKorean actresses that claim they don't need to be married to be fulfilled. She also liked the Netflix twit about the episode 9 from June 5th which shows the long awaited but unplanned meeting of Jung Seo Hyug with her love life painter Suzy Choi.
1 Comment
Ici tout commence6/16/2021 Ici tout commence (Here Everything Begins) (Telfrance & Mi2, FRA, 2020-) I have watched plenty of soap operas in the past two decades (from Home and Away to Neighbors, from Verboten Liebe and Hand aufs Herz to Guiding Light, All My Children and Bold and Beautiful). I recently came across the new French soap opera Ici tout commence which presents an unexpected love story between older women, Claire Guinot (Catherine Marchal 54) and Olivia Listrac (Virginie Caliari 44), both cuisine chefs and both past 40 years old. It is even more surprising since it is a love story between two (seemingly) straight women who discover an attraction for each other through their common interests and love for teaching, cooking, and food. Namely, Claire is a former director of the prestigious Auguste Armand gastronomy institute in the Camargue where she still teaches and Olivia has her own restaurant with a star in Avignone too. As it happened Olivia came to teach a course at the Institue every year for fifteen years in a row and Claire thought Olivia has been such a great teacher so far that she convinced the principal to hire her permanently. Through the mutual decision to make a vegan menu for the double-A course, Claire and Olivia share their passion for food and discover their attraction for each other. Of course, a bonus that added to all that was, Claire's offering her home to Olivia until she finds something permanent and suitable for herself. Claire's son Louis had some doubts regarding Olivia's moving in with them at first but when Claire and Olivia had one night a diner with Louis and his girlfriend, Elodie it became pretty obvious that Claire and Olivia get along really well as they might be attracted to each other as his girlfriend noticed as well. Louis discards Olodie's observation by saying that her mom isn't lesbian because she never dated a woman. To this Elodie's replied that only because his mother dated men doesn't mean she can't be attracted to a woman. Indeed, Claire at one point suddenly gets an urge to kiss Olivia which totally confuses her and makes her think it is better to distance herself from Olivia. Olivia is confused at Claire's behavior too and asks her if she did anything wrong and insists that Claire talk about 'her problem with her. Claire reassures her that she doesn't want her to move out and makes an excuse by saying she is tired. Claire confides about her feelings towards Olivia to her colleague who gives an explanation We get also a hint what stereotypes makes someone a lesbian when Olivia talks about people previously assuming she was lesbian because she is a successful, independent, single, and chef leading a team without men. However, all that doesn't mean anything because Claire and Olivia kiss (I wanted kiss to be more passionate though) and confess their attraction towards each other! Claire tells Olivia that for her all started the previous week but suspects that she has been attracted towards her for a long time since she has always thought of Olivia how amazing she been and for Olivia – she just needed a day to clear things for herself by admitting that she felt attraction towards Claire as well. It is refreshing and also daring that screenwriters presented a strong, independent, and successful older woman who was never in love with another woman before and thus may be making a point that female's sexuality is fluid? However, saying that female sexuality is fluid doesn't explain anything because the question remains why a woman over 50 years old previously dating only men suddenly feels same-sex attraction. It might be better going in the direction that a dangerous incident (Claire almost choked to death and Olivia saved her) from which Olivia came as her rescuer evoked sudden emotions and attraction previously unknown to Claire. Professionals who save people's lives report people falling in love with them all the time (from doctors, firefighters to policeman) but on the other hand, an explanation that she has probably been attracted to Olivia for a long time until that incident but it hasn't fully realized that is also plausible. So what makes an attraction towards someone? Common interests, admiration for each other, and proximity adds to happiness. As Claire says: 'I haven't been so happy with anyone for years as I have been with you as for the past week'. As the story unfolds each week I will give important updates to their beautiful love. We still have to see their many passionate kisses and sex scene of course! 17.6. 2021 I am a tiny bit disappointed: Claire was the one who declared the attraction towards Olivia and now it seems that Olivia is much more passionate about Claire. I expected more passion and physical intimacy from Claire but overall they are really cute discovering each other in intimate way. 20.6.2021 The story between Claire and Olivia has been unfolding in the right way. They told about their relationship to Louis albeit not because they were ready to declare it to the whole world yet but because Louis and especially his girlfriend Elodie already concluded they are a couple by themselves. Claire did right by being honest with Louis right away although Louis's reaction shows that people are far from being accepting of a lesbian (homosexual) relationship since Louis is mad at Claire by bringing people's prejudice and judgemental attitude towards him. 24.-25.6.2021 After Claire and Olivia finally talked to Louis about their relationship he didn't take it well and said he would move out if Claire didn't break up with Olivia. Claire told him that her intimate life concerns her and only her. 27.6.2021 Louis decided to live with Elodie as a protest of Claire dating Olivia while Claire chose Olivia and asked her to move in with her. Olivia accepted the invitation. 5.7.2021 Olivia moved in with Claire while Louis moved in with Eloidie. Olivia and Claire are happily in love. 10.7.2021 Louis tries to break up Claire's relationship with Olivia again but fails. This shows Claire is determined that relationship with Olivia works out and is certain of her love. We still haven't gotten a proper sex scene between Claire and Olivia though. 22.7.2021 No new updates because there are no-one. It seems that love story between Claire and Olivia is somehow finished. 1.10.2021 I didn't write for a while because until two weeks ago there was no news, however, finally, there have been some scenes between them on the show. It seems Claire and Olivia are doing fine but Louis has been still homophobic. He wanted to hurt his mother by giving an interview in which all his cooking credits were ascribed to his father which couldn't be true because in reality his father didn't like and care about him and was solely raised by his mother. He said those things because he is still jealous of Claire's relation with Olivia and because his mother firmly told him she won't break up with Olivia. Claire got a fantastic offer to create a menu for some Japanese restaurant and decided to go albeit reluctantly because of what happened between Olivia and Louis in the past but Olivia is really happy for Claire and encourages her to go. I really wish the director/screenwriters would show more romantic and sexual moments between the two. After all, they are in love and admire each other very much! AuthorPhilosopher, publicist, editor, screenwriter with passion for LL-films and TV-shows. Archives
November 2021
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