Love Shuffle Series Thoughts

[iaria]

At the beginning of the week I was trying to decide what drama to start and had settled on Myung Wol, despite the fact that it wasn't finished airing yet (something I don't do), because I kept reading so much gushing over it. Of course just as I was deciding that the whole situation with lead actress Han Ye Seul blew up and the drama's fate became uncertain.

So instead I decided to watch Love Shuffle. I really enjoyed it. I wasn’t sold with the first episode but the more I watched the more I liked it. By the final episode I loved all the characters and the relationships and it'd had me in tears several times. I would definitely recommend it.

• I loved the friendships in this series. The pajama parties, and the way they became so tight knit and were there for each other.

• “Don’t smile like that. My heart twinges.” I ♥ Kairi/Ojiro. By the end of the series they were my favourite pairing and I ended up loving them so much more than I ever expected. They were so messed up and damaged and yet so perfect. They need each other. All their scenes were amazing. If I started listing all the moments I loved between them I'd basically be listing every scene so I'll just single out their final two: I loved Ojiro telling Kairi that he believed her, that she wasn't alone anymore and that he would "always protect her" and then him giving her a piggyback home. Then in their final scene with Kairi waiting for him with her passport, and her saying she'll protecting him from bullets with her presence and the kiss and asjhkdh! They are so awesome.

- I love the difference in Kairi who started the drama so emotionless and broken and the amount of emotion she showed in these scenes - crying throughout the first and her beautiful smiles in the second - was so wonderful to see.

• I also liked Kei/Airu a lot. Their friendship was wonderful and I love that they inadvertently ended up becoming best friends even as they were falling in love. They worked so well together.

- I love that Kei named his puppy - who (according to him) whips him back into shape when he's tired or upset - Ai-Ai. Aww.

• The first pairing I was interested in was actually Ojiro/Airu. I loved their scenes in the beginning and I thought they had a lot of chemistry especially during the scene where they cooked together. I think they both ended up with the person who was perfect for them and I'm very happy with how things turned out so this is my 'AU pairing' where I casually wonder 'what if' about them.

• I really liked how Kei and Mei ended up breaking up. I thought that was done perfectly.

• While I was hoping for Yukki/Mei how they actually ended up getting together was a bit – strange. I don’t understand the need for him to blackmail her father or for them to actually get married. At the very least I would have liked Kei and Yukki to have brought Mei into the scheme beforehand. Them just springing it on her really annoyed me. They had a bad habit of that throughout the series (such as Yukkie asking Kei to 'give him Mei'. Uh, not his to give Yukkie! She's a person not a possession.)

• Kikurin – on one hand I am very glad that he didn’t end up evil. For a couple episodes there they were going in a very creepy direction and I really didn't appreciate the show seemingly making the only gay/bi character evil/crazy. On the other hand his explanation for his actions didn’t completely explain everything. Specifically the confrontation between him, Airu and Kei where he ended up saying some very hurtful things to them. There was no reason for that. I suppose – he was hurt and upset by Airu’s accusation and was lashing out? But then what was with the smile after a broken Ojiro went into his apartment?

• The scene where Oijiro tells Kikurin (as his lover) that there’s nothing to forgive because ‘he’ loves him truly and Kikurin breaks down made me cry. I loved Airu and Kei immediately going over to comfort Kikurin and just the way the three of them were there for him. Ojiro’s “For me, even if you’re gay or bi, I don’t think it’s creepy. I would never think that.” made me love him even more. That whole scene was perfect.

• I liked the final Kikurin/Reiko scene a lot. I liked that even though it didn’t feel romantic to me they were still there for each other, and were going to be a family with the baby, and neither of them would be alone again. Maybe on day it will turn romantic but I think even if it didn't they would still be happy.

• Yukki/Kei the Tara-chans were great. Their friendship was unexpected but lovely. I loved in the finale when Kei told Yukki that he was his best friend.

• I really wish that we could have gotten more of the friendships between the women - something on par with Yukki/Kei - and while what we did get between Airu/Mei was lovely I was left wanting more from them.

• A couple favourite scenes/moments that stick out:

- Yukki and Kairi crying and crunching ice together in the finale. ♥

- Ojiro/Ai-ai’s first ‘date’ where he takes photos of her.

- Kei winning the panda for Kairi.

- Kei videotaping Yukki and Mei’s wedding reception.

- The small moment between Mei and Airu at the beach as they waited for the guys to return.

- Mei running around the track, stopping to admire the sunset while Yukki sits in the stands and admires her.

- Everyone hanging out at the pool together. I wish we could have gotten more scenes with all of them just hanging out together.

Yay Panda!

Also I am completely obsessed with this song. I have listened to it so many times this week. It kind of reminds me of ABBA.