I know I said I would be busy the next two weeks but after finishing The Good Bad Mother and seeing all the effusive praise for it, I had a myriad of thoughts travelling through my head and I couldn’t help myself.
Really excellent rant/review :) Over and above specifics of narrative, etc that you mention, there are so many factors playing out with kdrama atm. which I think are impacting the quality of viewing experience. With regards to Bad/Good mother despite current pedagogy/psychological insight, I think that culturally there is a huge netizen following would forgive the anachronistic 'spare the rod, spoil the child' especially where there would seem to be a redemption arc or insight re abusive behaviour, the abuse is overlooked. Her brave, stalwart character in the face of such a tragic life is what predominates. In this show the conflating of severe abuse and kindness, is confusing and disturbing, although I'm sure it goes on IRL all the time. I agree the mother/son relationship is "odd", I think a healthier reaction on his part would be to keep his distance from such a toxic woman. But what predominates is probably the narrative that "sells" the best.
Moreover, I feel that with the massive worldwide popularity of kdrama and culture, as lucrative as it is, this would of course potentially impact the type of production, narrative, making it a more homogenous, predictable, blander viewing experience. I think Tale of the Nine Tailed 1938 is an example of this. It comes across with a Marvel vibe, but was adored and revered on MDL. Really for the same reasons western shows are liked.
I probs started watching asian drama around 4 years ago and like most people found it a welcome, fascinating relief from purely western cinema etc. However naturally you come to see that what seemed so innovative and different, becomes formulaic with ridiculous, repetitive tropes/plots etc. And so fewer and fewer shows really stand out eg My Liberation Notes. I find these days I'm FF ing/dropping a lot and watching more J and C dramas. I guess the honeymoon phase is over lol!!!
For me the show went beyond "spare the rod spoil the child". It crossed a line that it couldn't (to my mind) come back from. It's one thing to discipline one's child but it's another to put him in actual physical jeopardy while he's suffering from a) retrograde amnesia and b) temporary paralysis. Beyond that too is the messaging regarding people with disability. That's rather garbled too. Are people living with disability as a whole "not trying hard enough"? Perhaps it's not the intent of the writer to make that case but with how that entire scene is framed, the interpretation is a valid one.
What set me off on this rant are the effusive comments that this show is some kind of "masterpiece". This word has now been used to the point of banality. It's meaningless. I don't have a problem with a grounded rational stoicism if that's what they're going for here but from my perspective the mother is driven far more by emotions than a "stiff upper lip" state of mind. It's one bad choice after another. I think it would have been far better storytelling if Kang-ho had remained in that wheelchair, the deconstructed devouring mother living to a ripe old age and both living with the consequences of their badly thought out choices.
Really excellent rant/review :) Over and above specifics of narrative, etc that you mention, there are so many factors playing out with kdrama atm. which I think are impacting the quality of viewing experience. With regards to Bad/Good mother despite current pedagogy/psychological insight, I think that culturally there is a huge netizen following would forgive the anachronistic 'spare the rod, spoil the child' especially where there would seem to be a redemption arc or insight re abusive behaviour, the abuse is overlooked. Her brave, stalwart character in the face of such a tragic life is what predominates. In this show the conflating of severe abuse and kindness, is confusing and disturbing, although I'm sure it goes on IRL all the time. I agree the mother/son relationship is "odd", I think a healthier reaction on his part would be to keep his distance from such a toxic woman. But what predominates is probably the narrative that "sells" the best.
Moreover, I feel that with the massive worldwide popularity of kdrama and culture, as lucrative as it is, this would of course potentially impact the type of production, narrative, making it a more homogenous, predictable, blander viewing experience. I think Tale of the Nine Tailed 1938 is an example of this. It comes across with a Marvel vibe, but was adored and revered on MDL. Really for the same reasons western shows are liked.
I probs started watching asian drama around 4 years ago and like most people found it a welcome, fascinating relief from purely western cinema etc. However naturally you come to see that what seemed so innovative and different, becomes formulaic with ridiculous, repetitive tropes/plots etc. And so fewer and fewer shows really stand out eg My Liberation Notes. I find these days I'm FF ing/dropping a lot and watching more J and C dramas. I guess the honeymoon phase is over lol!!!
I guess so. :D
For me the show went beyond "spare the rod spoil the child". It crossed a line that it couldn't (to my mind) come back from. It's one thing to discipline one's child but it's another to put him in actual physical jeopardy while he's suffering from a) retrograde amnesia and b) temporary paralysis. Beyond that too is the messaging regarding people with disability. That's rather garbled too. Are people living with disability as a whole "not trying hard enough"? Perhaps it's not the intent of the writer to make that case but with how that entire scene is framed, the interpretation is a valid one.
What set me off on this rant are the effusive comments that this show is some kind of "masterpiece". This word has now been used to the point of banality. It's meaningless. I don't have a problem with a grounded rational stoicism if that's what they're going for here but from my perspective the mother is driven far more by emotions than a "stiff upper lip" state of mind. It's one bad choice after another. I think it would have been far better storytelling if Kang-ho had remained in that wheelchair, the deconstructed devouring mother living to a ripe old age and both living with the consequences of their badly thought out choices.
Agree. Probs could discuss this issue for hours. What writers will do for a buck/ratings and what audiences will lap up...
Your proposed ending would suit a dystopian Swedish drama....not sure how it would go down with the escapist kdrama audience lol.
Thanks for a great review, and thoughtful,critical response,
I do love Wallander. :D