It's 11:33, and after tedious hours trying to watch the final episode of Shut Up Flower Boy Band, (the video kept constantly buffering), I finally finished it, and I am happy to report that I am more than satisfied with the ending.The show is so good that subconsciously I was wondering how they were going to end such a complex and dynamic show in just one episode. Though I'm pleased to say that the episode met my expectations and still managed to surprise me. Unfortunately, nearly every one of my predictions was wrong from the last post. (Shaking my head in shame.) The boys have come a long way and now they have reached that point where they are finally starting anew and the experiences they have faced have helped them grow.
In the beginning, the boys visit the Japanese company, and Ji Hyuk's warning bells instantly ring once he's heard the word "visuals". Ji Hyuk asks himself why are they here? Only then does he realize that maybe the band isn't his real dream and he can't force his friends to help him figure it out. He realized that each member had their own interests and the band was the one thing that was holding them back. So, asks the boys seriously, what do they want to do, what do they need to do.
Once a consensus was made, each member decides to pursue their own dreams that really fit each of their characters. For example, Ha Jin continued his acting classes, and I didn't know this before until I read about it, but in his audition scene he was auditioning for Flower Boy Ramyun shop! Apparently, the director of SUFBB, is the same for FBRS.
Sweet Kyung Jong is saving his money to start his business and delve into the world of culinary arts or as he says "I want to start a KITCHEN!"
I was really surprised but really happy with Do Il, because in the end he found out he was a nerd at heart! It was satisfying to watch Do Il break out of his shell and garner more self-confidence as he discovered his passion. With that said, Do Il was able to get his girl, Woo Kyung (who didn't become Eye Candy's famous hair stylist as I predicted she would be).
As for Seung Hoon, I was so happy that the directors didn't leave anyone out. He went back to America, so maybe he isn't doomed to be miserable for the rest of his life. And it's nice to know that throughout the series he wasn't that bad of person either.
Lastly, I was also happy they made a reference to Byung Hee too! At first I thought they would make Byung Hee's appearance really noticeable, instead, it was subtle. That's when I realized for myself that Byung Hee wasn't supposed to be emphasized greatly in this series, rather he acted like a catalyst or the jump start to the series, for he served as the boys' inspiration which helped propel the story as well as enhance it. That doesn't mean I didn't wish for Byung Hee to rise magically from the dead or something, but it was good all the same.
Now, from episode 1, it was as plain as day that Shut Up's main theme centered around friendship, and pursuing your dreams. The whole entire time you're watching this series, you just assume that it's going to be the predictable band breaks up, band stays together, get famous, happily every after etc etc, but I'm overjoyed to say that I was wrong about this ending. I honestly didn't see it coming. Instead of sticking together, each member separates to pursue their individual dreams. Maybe I've seen one too many dramas, but I was so fixated on the idea that they would be together, because that's what was most important them. Friendship, but this drama explored a different side of friendship. As Albert Camus said, "Don't walk behind me; I may not lead. Don't walk in front of me; I may not follow. Just walk beside me and be my friend." This is Shut Up Flower Boy Band in a nutshell. The boys realized that they had to stop following and leading each other; rather, they should support each other as equals even if it's not the same path, because it was the fact that they had each other mattered most. Ironically it was the band that caused such conflict and tension between them as well as what brought them together yet all of them came to the conclusion, that they didn't need the band to keep them together because their friendship was strong enough to overcome anything.
Rest assured that I know it's a drama I can come back to and watch again without getting bored. The story line was very consistent which is a rare gem in the Korean Drama realm, and this show has definitely made my top ten list, that is, if I had one. It incorporated a little bit of everything: humor, romance, and drama. (Not to mention the camera work was good). Plus it had all the characteristics of the perfect drama, dynamic characters, a solid story line, and a good message. The characters were so strong and well defined, that no character was redundant, each character contributed to the show as a whole. You could love and sympathsize with every character because no character was overly exaggerated or pigeonholed into just the bad guy or good guy side. Each character was flawed which made It authentic, organic, and the kind of show any viewer could resonate with, and I felt that that's what made the biggest impact.
~5 out of 5 Bowls of Ramyun!~
-Sorry it was long, but I wanted to do the show justice and....I tend to overwrite.
-A
*All pictures and credits belong to their rightful owners*
No comments
Post a Comment