Ekun-Shall we get to it? Age of Feeling…
Lore- Yes. Sooooooooo! I mean Soo! From HC (Heartless City) Soo! Commence fist pumping! Okay, I jumped ahead. Should we start where we left off – Jung Tae and his bridge jumping antics?
Ekun- You know how much I loved Soo and you start with him and expect me to go back to Jung Tae?! Ugh, I guess we have to. I might be a bit of a mess, but Jung Tae really got on my nerves these past episodes.
Lore- Haha- sorry. Why did he get on your nerves?
Ekun- He just is too much, I am all for justice and doing what is right—but there is a time and a place. He is very… what is the word I am thinking of? It’s sophisticated word for “hot head”…
Lore- Hmmm- Idiot? Lack of common sense? Anger issues coupled with no regard for the outcome? I think I just turned this into a multiple choice question.
Ekun- Capricious or Reckless? LOL!
Lore- Or that :- ) Yeah, the kid is definitely not one to think things through before he decides to jump on a train or punch someone or smuggle things or….well, I think everyone gets the picture. It is annoying to a degree, what I think will be really annoying is if the character is the same way 8 years later. Which, based on the first episode I think he will be.
Ekun- Girl, I just found myself by the end of the 4th episode thinking, “Will I like anyone in this story?” I was mad at the girls from the first 2 episodes and then that sister killed herself! I was really throwing popcorn!!!
Lore- But there is Soo – Soo (yes, don’t care what his character’s name is, he is forever Soo)! Oh, and ninja guy (again, don’t care about his character’s name). Sorry, I am a ninja guy fan girl. All the way. Okay, maybe not the strongest argument that the show is good when the two people I like I don’t even care how they fit into the story. Sigh.
Ekun- I think I will like Soo, Ninja boo I am not certain about. Was he loving her Momma?! Is he trying to love Gaya?
Lore- I don’t know. It seems like he was in love with Gaya’s Mom but I am not sure if that was a one sided crush or what (seems he was a bit younger than her). As far as Gaya, I think there is definitely going to be some love there, even if it is one sided on his part. Heck, I just enjoy looking at the guy. He was wearing a pinstripe ninja robe for the love of everything! Why am I so bewitched…Must stop thinking about ninja. Must stop thinking about ninja. Must stop looking at ninja pictures.
Ekun- He is a piece of eye candy and carries a sword. It was inevitable that you would swoon Unnie, you are a victim of circumstance. Then there is scary ninja Aka with the glass eye…
Lore- Aka makes me want to hide! He is scary looking!
Ekun- I called him a ninja but he is more of an assassin, ne? He doesn’t feel pain. Knives and swords get stuck in him and he just looks at it with his one good eye.
Lore- Yeah, definitely assassin. Creepy freaking assassin. So should we run down ep 3 a little? Jung Tae went from bridge jumping to learning about train jumping, while Gaya and he kissed. Oh, and then Gaya’s dad was killed by Aka – but Gaya thinks it was Jung Tae’s Dad that killed her father.
Ekun- I am already over their love story. Ekun don’t do well with the whole star crossed lovers BS. Apparently her daddy betrayed Jung Tae’s daddy— these two could never really be together even if it wasn’t for her thinking Jung Tae’s dad killed hers.
Lore- Yes, there are some big hurdles to them being together. I am okay with the star crossed lovers bit—if—and only if they had a better buildup and setup. Seriously, they barely knew each other but somehow their love turned hate will pretty much dictate their lives (and I mean this mostly in regards to Jung Tae. Dude- how much could you possibly like Gaya in such a short time?!)
Ekun- Right!? Am I the only one who feels like he is trying to find the killer so they can be together?! I mean, Jung Tae got daddy issues, but I am certain he is not trying to clear daddy’s name because he cares about daddy’s name. Gaya and I never got along, from the first moment I saw her in episode 1 I knew that I would not care for her as a character– and this cluster *censored* misunderstanding has made it clear that I will continue not to like her.
Lore- Yeah – not a good start for our main characters. I suppose I can remain hopeful that their relationship logic will turn around, but I do not have very high hopes. So – Episode 3 ended with Gaya pretty much saying she would get revenge on Jung Tae and his Dad no matter what. In episode 4 she jets off to Japan with Ninja to start her new life. While Jung Tae, um, has another really bad day.
Ekun– Bad day is an understatement but if you do risky thing like jump train and travel to a foreign country it is bound to turn out sketchy…
Lore– So what did you think about Chung Ah (Jung Tae’s sickly little sister) committing suicide in episode 4?
Ekun- I hate to keep sounding like a negative nettie, but I was mad at the little sister too. I understand that she is sick and she feels burdened to be a burden to her Oppa, but I needed her to get off the pity party bandwagon. Then she made matters worse by killing herself. I know she was young, but just like Jung Tae was all she had; she was all that he had! I have a personal issue with people killing themselves—I know that the majority of people are mentally sick, but in few occasions I think people who do that are selfish. Chung Ah was being selfish.
Lore- I think her age did really have a lot to do with her choice. She did not have the ability to understand that she was not helping by committing suicide (by getting Jung Tae away from gangs) but hurting him. Regardless of motivation it sucked. A lot. And on top of that we had Jung Tae being stabbed as soon as he arrived in China. What was that show?! Wow. Even if the story of Age of Feeling…. is lacking at times, the action and pace is always there. I am a big fan of that at least. Also the visuals, I think this show looks great.
Ekun- I do agree the show is visually stunning, I think that Chung Ah was too young as well. When Jung Tae got stabbed I said, “Show!! I ain’t got time for this!” I was glad that Hyungnim was able to do some negotiating the Chinese gang. Poor little Ok Ryeon and what’s his BFF’s name?
Lore- I think his BFFs name is JJang Dol or something like that. I constantly wonder how the heck they let him join the gang too (I guess it was a two for one deal) the guy is just so goofy and ineffective as a gangster. Any other points to discuss before we do parting thoughts?
Ekun- Soo! Soo is a part of a Japanese gang now? He looks like he was in training to become an assassin/ninja too. Who in the heck are these people?! Was Gaya’s momma the daughter or a prisoner? I need some answers! Now that we are back to the adults they better reveal more of what the happy heck is going on. Jung Tae’s daddy, Gaya’s family background, etc. Those are the things I care about. Too bad I do not care about Jung Tae or Gaya. Where is Jae Wook?
Lore- Soo—how did I almost miss Soo?! I have the same questions – who are these people?! The most I could figure out given the tiny bit of information we have been given so far is that Gaya’s Mom was definitely some kind of Japanese nobility that married a Korean. That Korean, based on what I got, was in either a gang or the army with Jung Tae’s Dad. He betrayed his brothers, and they ended up dead.
Ekun- That is what I gathered as well, great minds, great minds.
Lore- I am really curious who Soo is. It seems, based on what he said to Gaya (that they were in the same situation) that he must be half Korean and half Japanese as well and pretty much as f***ed as she is by being with the Japanese (which appear to have killed her Mom and Dad and are planning on using Gaya for some unknown purpose – i.e. probably hunting down more Korean fighters).
Ekun- Hhmmm, I didn’t think of that. Perhaps he is half/ half. I thought he meant in the sense of they are both going to be trained to do the same thing but they have no way of getting out but through death.
Lore- 1910 would have been when Gaya’s Dad betrayed Jung Tae’s Dad. This is the year that the Japanese formally annexed Korea. I am guessing this is one big story of the Japanese taking over Korea and the Korean’s fighting back. After all when we catch up to 1936 the second Sino Japanese War will be a year away. Who smells freedom fighters?! My best guess is Gaya and Soo will be used to do away with anyone getting in the way of Japan’s domination of China and Korea. End history nerd rambling here 🙂
Ekun- No no, it is cool. I love history as well. It all makes sense. I thought that too with Gaya’s dad betraying his brothers *sigh*. The story is about this specific time period so it makes sense. I think that the gang Jung Tae is with has all potential to be freedom fighters– they are smugglers but they are not like that one greasy guy. The one that ninja has taken on to be his “gae”.
Lore- Yep- I could completely see the Dolbi gang becoming freedom fighters as well. They have a network from Korea to China and they seem to have some kind of a heart. And the ninja’s dog, um, yeah. Waiting to see how long he stays alive. Or how long before I throw something at the screen because he pisses me off. Either one.
Ekun- I don’t waste my popcorn on him but I hate him. He will probably be alive until the last few episodes. People like him stay alive for the long haul.
Lore-True, true. Parting thoughts?
Ekun– Age of Feeling aka Inspiring Generation? Why oh why do I not like the majority of characters in this show including the leading male and female? You are going to have to do a heck of a lot to make me care as far as they are concerned. Even if I never like them, please give me something besides, Soo, Ninja, and Cinematography to enjoy. I really do think certain aspects of this story is intriguing, but I am not completely sold on what you are trying to sell. And the lack of Kim Jae Wook makes things worst. At least I get to see adorable Ahjussi’s!
Lore- Parting thoughts – I need this show to do more than give me a good pace, action, and visuals. I want a well written story that highlights the historical context that the show is set in. I want to like and cheer for the main characters, and I want to feel that their actions are meaningful. So far I am not there. But hey- at least I have a hot ninja to look at?! *Goes back to oggling Ninja pics*
Lore In Stone Cities 