[Drama 2020/2021] Day and Night/Awaken, 낮과 밤

[raziela]

12 hours ago, RobinM said:

Problem is This Noir/crime/serial killer show is trying so fervently to be Twisty or cutting edge or cerebral or Gritty that the writers, directors ETC completely forgot  about tight writing, plotting  and Good characterization.  It’s all Too slick and pretentious.
 

Watch Flower of Evil to see the difference. 
 

I just had to return to respond and say I COMPLETELY AGREE! I said something similar in my post last week (sorry for quoting myself):

On 12/15/2020 at 4:53 AM, raziela said:

Right?  It's frustrating because there is a really good story centred around the White Night Village mystery and JW, JL and MJW connection hidden in there.  I won't deny there are some good scenes and moments, NGM is excellent, the majority of the cast are very talented but the overall execution is lacking. It feels like there is a lack of focus and too much extra bumpf, going around in circles, scenes and character that add very little, not enough of important characters and the drama is deliberately trying to confuse us whilst throwing various clues and red herrings at us. I get the misdirection theme but you need to have the full package of sharp writing/directing/editing/acting to make that work and, unfortunately, this drama doesn't have that.

 

Like I said above thus far the tension, sense of danger, urgency is lacking and that is not what you want for a mystery/crime/thriller genre. Sorry to compare but the most recent mystery drama I watched was Flower of Evil. I liked FoE a lot even though I didn't think it was the absolute greatest drama ever like some. However, now looking at the characterisation of all the characters, the execution and tension of the mystery, backstory and atmosphere in that story compared to here is just worlds apart. There were many scenes in FoE that had me on the edge of my seat but this drama so far fails to sustain any real tension IMO.

At least this weak sauce drama has made me appreciate even more the other dramas in this genre who manage to get it right lol  I also started The Uncanny Counter this weekend (so good!) and it further emphasised how much this drama is lacking. That, another meh episode, too much screentime on insufferable HW and her bad acting completely killed my patience off.  Hence, my rant and why I have dropped this!

 

[Soar Wi]

8 hours ago, raziela said:

Welp!  I knew i should have dropped when the drama was still lacklustre at episode 5.  I let episode 6 and it's promise of plot progression fool me..but episode 7 is just more of the same nonsense and now I look like a clown. I had such high hopes for this drama when it started. I even defended because I thought it was just finding it's pace the first week but four weeks in and it is still like this. What a letdown! 

 

It's a pity because there is certainly a very interesting story about White Vight Village and JW-Jamie-MJW story hidden somewhere in here but it is surrounded by so many unnecessary or useless scenes and underutilisation of the many talented actors. The execution is severely lacking. The story feels needlessly complex and bloated but barely moves at the same time. There has been barely 2 episodes worth of plot movement in 4 weeks, the clunky directing and writing, stupid police, zero tension, weak serial killer plot, everything about Hye Won, weird tonal shifts, lack of focus and going around in circles.  It feels as if the drama is dragging things needlessly, spinning wheels and making things vague so the drama can come back later and say: look how clever we are! but it is just tiresome and frustrating. Added with forcing a totally unappealing "loveline" subplot that makes me want to throw up in my mouth... 

Nope. I'm out! It may get better in the remaining weeks but there are too many good dramas out there to waste anymore time on this mediocrity.

 

I'm sorry to Nam Goong Min and Lee Chung Ah but even for them I don't have the patience for this. I look forward to their next projects

 

ETA: The best thing i can say is I have enjoyed talking to all the nice posters on this thread. Hope to see you in another (better!) drama thread

Thanks for contributing so actively here, will definitely miss you!

 

Currently still holding on to the drama because I just love Lee Chung Ah as Jamie Leighton and I really want to know what happened in WNV. 

 

For these reasons alone, I am willing to overlook the less than mediocre plot that goes round and round in murky waters and like what you said unappealing "love" line. But i totally agree the writer is just needlessly and endlessly making things dragged out for 16eps with Jae Woong's screentime seriously compromised for while JW and HW get too much screentime together that barely moves the plot on? But they are the leads so...can't fault them for that...

[Dev11O]

After going through many forums, seems like many want to drop this drama after watching ep 7.

It's like,what I thought was going to happen, the writer will probably drag the plot now,using unnecessary things like this stupid Love line.

People are getting irritated now,

I also thought about it, but I am holding on because of nam goong min and Lee Chung ah.

I like them. I would also like to know the mystery of WNV.

I hope it stops doing unnecessary plot lines like this forced love line.

And seriously pick up the pace now.

 

[GingerK]

I'm done. Who told them that HY or whatever the over the top mini detectives name is, was lead material?  Also her having the hots for him is tiresome.

[akiera]

lol I just hope we are not gonna get confessions and makeout scenes, that will be too cringe for me. Could be my prejudice, but from the moment I saw them together on screen I got a senior and junior vibe also considering the age gap b/w them.

 

I know many people watch this because they are fans of the main lead or other characters. But while I acknowledge that Nam Goong min and LCH are good actors. I am not really a fan of them. I came here because of the thriller genre and plot. 

I am still gonna watch today's ep because I am curious about the killer and the central mysteries. But I really agree with the person who commented that this drama is pretentious. That's a shame though, because they had such a good concept. 

 

[rocher22]

 

Jung Woo...

TvN

[akiera]

Hey, I was trying to read comments under naver tv using google translate. I saw many people criticizing Lee chung ah!! I have only seen her in another drama long back, Flower boy ramen shop (?) I don't remember thinking she was bad at acting. what do you guys think?

[RobinM]

Don’t pay attention to all that. Lee Chung Ah is wonderful in her role and in a sane drama would have been FL and Love interest.  It’s almost all Fixated Idol fans who won’t hear a bad word about their goddess. 

[Xiexie]

Ironically, while the show doesn’t mean hook JW up with Jamie, to a large part of viewers their mutual attraction is undeniable. Whereas, the intended JW- HW love line is like “ urgh where does it come from ?” I personally cannot feel or see it at all from ep 1 - 6. Am I supposed to believe in it now just because I’m told so ?

Even in the image above in Rocher22 post (sorry I don’t know how to quote the image again here), with the 3 of them in the closet, I can’t help seeing the magnetic dynamics between JW and Jamie. HW in the middle does look like an afterthought addition, she doesn’t belong there at all.

[raziela]

1 hour ago, akiera said:

Hey, I was trying to read comments under naver tv using google translate. I saw many people criticizing Lee chung ah!! I have only seen her in another drama long back, Flower boy ramen shop (?) I don't remember thinking she was bad at acting. what do you guys think?

 

LOL! I keep coming back but had to jump in to defend my girl, Lee Chung Ah

 

Most viewers prefer Jamie and LCA. From what I have seen the nasty comments are mostly from SH troll fans. You know how toxic idol fans can be. SH fans have been posting nasty comments about LCA and even down voting positive LCA comments because many were saying Lee Chung Ah should be the female lead/love interest and Jamie's character and acting had a better response compared to their idol. Ironic they are bullying an innocent actress when their idol is in a bullying scandal

 

 

[x_x___chi]

14 minutes ago, raziela said:

 

 

LOL! I keep coming back but had to jump in to defend my girl, Lee Chung Ah

 

Most viewers prefer Jamie and LCA. From what I have seen the nasty comments are mostly from SH troll fans. You know how toxic idol fans can be. SH fans have been posting nasty comments about LCA and even down voting positive LCA comments because many were saying Lee Chung Ah should be the female lead/love interest and Jamie's character and acting had a better response compared to their idol. Ironic they are bullying an innocent actress when their idol is in a bullying scandal

 

 

This is why I stopped following kpop and just occasionally checks on artists, mostly solos. The level of toxicity of some fans is out of this world. No wonder we recently hear too many idols committing suicide. 
 

Btw, I watched ep 8 raw. So Moon Jae Woong is both abused and feared by his keeper who happens to drug him from time to time. It seemed to me that he has an alter ego? I’m almost sure he was the person standing behind the glass wall but I can’t understand what their conversation is. Based on key korean words, they were talking about Jamie. At some point I almost thought Moon Jae Woong swapped souls with his bad hyung as his bad hyung completely changed his abusive demeanor to that of Moon Jae Woong’s submissive attitude the moment he saw the mysterious figure.  
 

As for the Village kids, if we’ll follow the typical korean drama route, Jamie and Jung Woo should have been soulmates. They were obviously there for each other as kids. I’m still bitter about that. 
 

I am still gathering all my energy and motivation to continue for Lee Chung Ah despite my hate for Hye Won’s character. Episode 9 seems to be more promising. Jamie and Jae Woong will be together again and this time, not in the convenience store eating ramen. LOL.
 

 

[Xiexie]

LCA is perfect as Jamie in all her cool-headedness, professionalism, fighting, cuteness and vulnerability (I feel for her in that prison scene when she asked JW if she was the one who made it happened; she was on the verge of tears and disbelief, but all that emotion was restrained, very much in line with Jamie’s character traits). I started this drama because I like NGM, but now, the one reason I continue watching after such disappointment last night is because I love Jamie, and that’s partly thanks to LCA’s acting.

[Dev11O]

So I also watched the raw version, it seemed like this episode was like a filler. I mean there was improvement from ep 7 .

We got to see the children in WNV, and it seems like the writer wants us to think Jaime and JW had a brother and sister bond between them.

The female scientist who was doing experiments is like a psychopath.

Jaime revealed to son Minho that she is also from the village. And son Minho was forced into revealing that there were 3 children.

Jaime now believes the 3rd one is the killer.

JW went to hye won's father and that creep was saying that if you kill me now then hye won would hate you forever.

Then ofcourse our JW's reply was that, it was because he didn't want her to get hurt he kept her beside him all the time. 

Jae woong does have 2 personalities, and his bad hyung is just afraid of the other personality.

I just don't want them to drag this drama like this, can't they pick up pace.

I am very close to dropping this, but since i always like to finish what I started, I guess I will drag myself to watch this.

In this episode what I liked was that JW always cared for Jaime.

He really did have a close bond with her. I think he was able to draw her portrait easily was because her face seems to be embedded in his memory forever.

I mean like I get it, in that hell , she was like his family. 

I want her to remember all that very fast. I seriously don't want the writer to make her remember everything at ep 15 and then kill JW in ep 16 .

They deserve a proper reunion.

I doubt whether jae woong will make it to the end of this drama. For providing mere emotional motivation for Jaime and JW , I don't want the writer to take such a drastic step and kill jae woong.  

In the next preview translation by TVN - JW wants to find the location of the current lab and find the mastermind behind the foundation; 

The so called his excellency.

I also think the female scientist is still alive. I guess I will have to wait until next episode.

 

[Dev11O]

I watched the episode with subtitles.

It's in a way confirmed that jae woong is the killer.

The 3 children really have some kind telepathic connection between each other.

Why JW couldn't find jae woong could be because he has DID. That is he's got 2 personalities, so two different minds. Jae woong's mind couldn't connect with JW and vice versa is due to this.

Jaime in the next episode seems to find that all 3 survivors have special abilities. Seems like her surpressed abilities are coming out.

Her revealing her identity to son Minho,seems like a stupid move. This will definitely put her in danger.

It's so sweet little JW swore to protect Jaime.

The events of WNV, according to this episode,is telling that jae woong caused it. I don't know who did it at this point. All 3 of them, seems to have their hand in causing those event.

 

[x_x___chi]

Watched it with subs. Based on the pacing of the scenes, seems like it was Jae Woong who are sending the videos to the journalist. Not sure if he did it willingly or with direction from his hyung. It’s also implied that Jae Woong has an evil personality that can be summoned by the drug his hyung forces him to drink. I so pity him at this point and wishes Jamie can save him at the end. The guys needs to know happiness before he dies at least. The evil personality also wants Jamie dead because Jae Woong is fond of her. 
 

As for the White Night foundation, one of the bosses is connected to the Blue House so government might be involved in this experiment. The kids were not born from humans but were “created” for their special abilities and the biggest problem of the foundation is how to keep these kids alive since all of them develop brain damage and dies at some point. 
 

MY favorite scene: Jae Woong catching the punch of his hyung when he told him Jamie will die or had died because of him. Our Jae Woong cares for her so much since she’s the first friend he’s ever had.  

[Dev11O]

58 minutes ago, x_x___chi said:

Watched it with subs. Based on the pacing of the scenes, seems like it was Jae Woong who are sending the videos to the journalist. Not sure if he did it willingly or with direction from his hyung. It’s also implied that Jae Woong has an evil personality that can be summoned by the drug his hyung forces him to drink. I so pity him at this point and wishes Jamie can save him at the end. 

Jae woong is probably not aware of his other personality. It could be his other personality who is sending this, maybe for attention from public.

Even his Hyung is afraid of that personality.

Seems like only Jaime got to live a proper life, even though she had nightmares and all it didn't affect her upbringing much. She even had a loving family, to raise her.

So according to new episode, is the writer telling us jae woong caused the tragedy that day. The opening scene of the drama, the child saying I made this happen is jae woong,and the person who was hugging the him and crying is his bad hyung.

Jaime and JW were holding hands and watching this.

I believe Jaime was with JW until JW probably left her at the military base. 

So JW wants to stop his formula being a success.The formula helps a person become immortal. He wants to bring the foundation down with him. So sad, he seems to know when he will die.

He probably knows everything.It's also a fact that if he wants he can save himself. He just needs to go to the foundation. They will cure him.

The other survivor, the thug, I seriously doubt which side he is on.

Maybe he is waiting for a chance to trun against the foundation.

 

 

[akiera]

I don't remember if I said this already. I feel like I have said this before but can't find the comment lol. 

 

so anyway do you guys thinks Camera man is a Jamie Jungwoo shipper while the writer is a hyewon-jungwoo shipper which is why we get suggestive camera angles and scenes while the writing is completely against them. 

I hope Jamie will get to make an impact. Hero who is sacrificing himself to save others is taken, villain is taken. LOL I hope she can also create some emotion mess and die at the end maybe die after Jungwoo. 

[anony12345]

The more I watch the more I wish they had cast someone other than Seolhyun.

 

She cannot act, especially with this kind of character. Was really hoping there wouldn't be a mutual attraction between NGM's characters and hers as there's just nothing there to go on and they look mismatched.  Just makes it seem forced which takes me out of the show. It's not very engrossing when it doesn't seem natural at all.

[RobinM]

Don’t stone me but let me play Devils advocate a moment. Jaime is great but she is not a normal person and has plenty of mental baggage of her own from being a Created lab rat as well. Perhaps the idea here is to give JW a regular messy flawed human being  like Gong Hye won to interact with and Conflict him, bring out his humanity and a little protectiveness even. If he is To be cured she will be a brand new start while the Doctor is all about his past. 
 

Just a thought. I want Jaime and JW to heal together and start fresh together but that’s not in the cards evidently.

[Dev11O]

The main problem is that the writer had a good story idea but his writing is not right. He focused only on developing JW character. The rest of characters even the police ones are not Fully developed. Even Jaime sometimes behave very differently from her character . Hye won's character is not Fully developed, the character is written as childish, jealous and sometimes a total idiot.

The reason we hate seolhyun's acting could be because of hye won's character, which is not Fully developed. The actress does have some acting problems but maybe half of the fault belongs to the script.

PS- I am not a seolhyun fan.

I am an official JW - Jaime shipper.

The script could have been a little better in terms of writing. The writing is like how a rookie writer would write.

Sometimes I also get the vibe that NGM is doing a one man show to save the drama.