viking
Had high, promising expectations but a low and flat return.
Link: Eat, Love, Kill plays on the typical elements of thriller seen in most crime-focused dramas while attempting to maintain a balance between a slow, kindling romance and a hint of fantasy thrown into the mix. At first look, you might be drawn in by the expectations the show appears to set for itself through the witty synopsis that broadens the setting for the plot. However, this show fails to succeed in passing the bare minimum. Despite the thriller, supernatural and romantic setting, it falls frustratingly flat across 16 stagnated episodes.
Story:
The story focuses on the small neighbourhood of Jiwa-dong, thus attempting to mimic the "small town" setting of the likes of Beyond Evil and Save Me, trying to make the audience heightened by the suspense of it all. It fails in this aspect, tremendously so. Many individuals in the neighbourhood are portrayed as suspicious, with half-explained actions and quickly cut scenes to add an illusion of "everyone is a suspect" but the reality is that since this is repeatedly done across 15 episodes ish, it becomes stagnant and no longer usable.
Our protagonists are essentially puppets being made to walk in the same circle for 16 episodes. Despite the emotional attachment of the plot (being about the ML's missing sister), it was far too simple to sustain 16 episodes, thus explaining why it was only by episode 15 that true tears and mess began to come out. It also explains why the show forced in scenes of minor characters to allude to a "bigger plot" when in reality, it created multiple character backstories at surface-level with no depth.
As this is a missing persons case, the lack of establishment over progress in the disappearance of the ML's sister becomes increasingly frustrating as each episode passes. It becomes layered, except rather than slowly adding more truths, the show only creates more mysteries. Attempts at melodrama, or at least sustaining the depth of the plot are irritating. There's far too many tears being carelessly thrown about in efforts to create meaningful scenes.
The show started off brilliantly strong but by Episode 4, the misunderstandings, the staleness and the lack of thrill, make what was honestly a good premise to be boring. Stunning how they managed that, honestly. There was a lot of promise given the fantasy element of feeling other people's emotions. (Which, by the way, feels like a flimsy attempt to stand out from other crime thrillers because it only adds to the chaos rather than solving it.)
As the plot goes around in circles, the show prolongs each arc through the main characters' irrational decisions. There is also the uncomfortable element of almost borderline incest because the ML is partly convinced the FL is his missing sister. I would also like to add that there are far too many plotholes in this show that go unsolved. Sure, you can often gloss over them (like that time they tried adding thrill in Strong Woman Do Bong Soon with that serial killer stuff) but this is the MAIN PLOT. In fact, it is the only coherent thing in this show trying to keep it's label of "cool crime thriller that makes you so scared and excited".
It is only by Episode 15 that there is any real development. Episodes 1 to 6 set up the characters, minor or major, and the background fairly well. Everything after that falls frustratingly flat. You start wishing for the scenes to go by faster because the silent pining, deliberate miscommunications from the brash decisions of the characters, and the dialogue-heavy scenes all become confusing to sit through. Especially as the bodies start piling up but there is a serious lack of action.
Acting:
It may be the script that was handed to them but the main characters' initial spark (thrusted on by a few lines of comedy and the usual random first meeting) quickly bleeds out because of how undeveloped they are. The ML's entire personality seems to be construed around his missing sister, who by the way, went missing when she was 10. Of course, they were twins, but it feels like the writers didn't want to absolve the ML of his misery until the FL could do it for him. The FL existed for him in the same way the ML did for her.
I actually really like the police officers at the station. I liked their characters butting heads and the dialogue at times had the right kind of comedy yet depth of romance to it. I actually liked these minor characters better than the stagnancy of the two main leads.
The ML's lines were often straight-faced and then toned with crying and a hint of sad music as he relays his tragic backstory yet again. This is a broad contrast with the slow, stupid but sweet FL, who is a clueless bunny that thinks the world works against her and is archetypally defined at surface-level. It becomes very clear that this dynamic exists just to juxtapose the two main characters and make them more refined only because of their romance.
It's a shame because both of these actors (ML and FL) are quite good. They were just handed difficult character to work with.
Music:
The opening song is probably my favourite. Here's the link if you would like to listen to it. https://open.spotify.com/track/6EQpKimgfteh1hQwMfzJKC?si=451789d4a752429c
I also liked this song! https://open.spotify.com/track/4u0K5KImU0CBtOCo5tIkQD?si=b60c4f590b914480
(It's a shame it's always the shows that fall flat that have the best OSTs.) Oh, and this song! https://open.spotify.com/track/33v2iMITLxjrkyZuJYYtJ1?si=88285e08a5ba4632
Rewatch Value:
0. Once you find out what happens in the end, sitting through 16 episodes has essentially become worthless. You've wasted your time. Especially when they don't give any valid explanation for the crux of the plot being dealt with in the end. They tried tying a cloth with a rope and forgot about the loose ends. You're left with a lot of holes and questions that will not be answered even if you try to watch the show again because they don't bother addressing it.
The first 4 episodes are very well done, cinematographically and storywise, given how it sets up the background of the setting and our protagonists, so you could try rewatching up to then.
Overall:
I'm disappointed to see this even in 2022. I think this show is a good example of how trying to play with different genres will get you a mixed reaction from your audiences, especially if the plot is unevenly weighted. It is also a lesson for writers to learn from in that the crime trope is being poorly overused nowadays. Take a page out of Save Me and Beyond Evil, or at least, if you want to do the romance right, look at the established relationship in The Killer's Shopping List.
Of course, everyone's opinions are different! I didn't go into this show with lots of expectations anyway, it was only because of how brilliant the first few episodes were that I thought it would be maintained. Hope this review helps! :)
Story:
The story focuses on the small neighbourhood of Jiwa-dong, thus attempting to mimic the "small town" setting of the likes of Beyond Evil and Save Me, trying to make the audience heightened by the suspense of it all. It fails in this aspect, tremendously so. Many individuals in the neighbourhood are portrayed as suspicious, with half-explained actions and quickly cut scenes to add an illusion of "everyone is a suspect" but the reality is that since this is repeatedly done across 15 episodes ish, it becomes stagnant and no longer usable.
Our protagonists are essentially puppets being made to walk in the same circle for 16 episodes. Despite the emotional attachment of the plot (being about the ML's missing sister), it was far too simple to sustain 16 episodes, thus explaining why it was only by episode 15 that true tears and mess began to come out. It also explains why the show forced in scenes of minor characters to allude to a "bigger plot" when in reality, it created multiple character backstories at surface-level with no depth.
As this is a missing persons case, the lack of establishment over progress in the disappearance of the ML's sister becomes increasingly frustrating as each episode passes. It becomes layered, except rather than slowly adding more truths, the show only creates more mysteries. Attempts at melodrama, or at least sustaining the depth of the plot are irritating. There's far too many tears being carelessly thrown about in efforts to create meaningful scenes.
The show started off brilliantly strong but by Episode 4, the misunderstandings, the staleness and the lack of thrill, make what was honestly a good premise to be boring. Stunning how they managed that, honestly. There was a lot of promise given the fantasy element of feeling other people's emotions. (Which, by the way, feels like a flimsy attempt to stand out from other crime thrillers because it only adds to the chaos rather than solving it.)
As the plot goes around in circles, the show prolongs each arc through the main characters' irrational decisions. There is also the uncomfortable element of almost borderline incest because the ML is partly convinced the FL is his missing sister. I would also like to add that there are far too many plotholes in this show that go unsolved. Sure, you can often gloss over them (like that time they tried adding thrill in Strong Woman Do Bong Soon with that serial killer stuff) but this is the MAIN PLOT. In fact, it is the only coherent thing in this show trying to keep it's label of "cool crime thriller that makes you so scared and excited".
It is only by Episode 15 that there is any real development. Episodes 1 to 6 set up the characters, minor or major, and the background fairly well. Everything after that falls frustratingly flat. You start wishing for the scenes to go by faster because the silent pining, deliberate miscommunications from the brash decisions of the characters, and the dialogue-heavy scenes all become confusing to sit through. Especially as the bodies start piling up but there is a serious lack of action.
Acting:
It may be the script that was handed to them but the main characters' initial spark (thrusted on by a few lines of comedy and the usual random first meeting) quickly bleeds out because of how undeveloped they are. The ML's entire personality seems to be construed around his missing sister, who by the way, went missing when she was 10. Of course, they were twins, but it feels like the writers didn't want to absolve the ML of his misery until the FL could do it for him. The FL existed for him in the same way the ML did for her.
I actually really like the police officers at the station. I liked their characters butting heads and the dialogue at times had the right kind of comedy yet depth of romance to it. I actually liked these minor characters better than the stagnancy of the two main leads.
The ML's lines were often straight-faced and then toned with crying and a hint of sad music as he relays his tragic backstory yet again. This is a broad contrast with the slow, stupid but sweet FL, who is a clueless bunny that thinks the world works against her and is archetypally defined at surface-level. It becomes very clear that this dynamic exists just to juxtapose the two main characters and make them more refined only because of their romance.
It's a shame because both of these actors (ML and FL) are quite good. They were just handed difficult character to work with.
Music:
The opening song is probably my favourite. Here's the link if you would like to listen to it. https://open.spotify.com/track/6EQpKimgfteh1hQwMfzJKC?si=451789d4a752429c
I also liked this song! https://open.spotify.com/track/4u0K5KImU0CBtOCo5tIkQD?si=b60c4f590b914480
(It's a shame it's always the shows that fall flat that have the best OSTs.) Oh, and this song! https://open.spotify.com/track/33v2iMITLxjrkyZuJYYtJ1?si=88285e08a5ba4632
Rewatch Value:
0. Once you find out what happens in the end, sitting through 16 episodes has essentially become worthless. You've wasted your time. Especially when they don't give any valid explanation for the crux of the plot being dealt with in the end. They tried tying a cloth with a rope and forgot about the loose ends. You're left with a lot of holes and questions that will not be answered even if you try to watch the show again because they don't bother addressing it.
The first 4 episodes are very well done, cinematographically and storywise, given how it sets up the background of the setting and our protagonists, so you could try rewatching up to then.
Overall:
I'm disappointed to see this even in 2022. I think this show is a good example of how trying to play with different genres will get you a mixed reaction from your audiences, especially if the plot is unevenly weighted. It is also a lesson for writers to learn from in that the crime trope is being poorly overused nowadays. Take a page out of Save Me and Beyond Evil, or at least, if you want to do the romance right, look at the established relationship in The Killer's Shopping List.
Of course, everyone's opinions are different! I didn't go into this show with lots of expectations anyway, it was only because of how brilliant the first few episodes were that I thought it would be maintained. Hope this review helps! :)
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