Also good, but cruel, so how should I evaluate it?
What I wrote for the previous episode, the 18th, applies so closely to this one that I even mixed up the episode numbers. Ep. 19 repeats all that I had just praised, but it takes a step further by going heavily on the consequences and the dramatic outcomes that had been missing for quite some time in the series. Thus, even if the quality is similar, the impact is much greater and even overrides the previous episode, yet the cause (the unbalanced distribution of these events) is not a positive one. Maybe the tragedy hadn't been put on screen as strongly since episode 1, yet I'm reluctant to applaud it because the drastic accumulation of misfortune is almost excessive. I keep on wondering why some characters in positions in power keep on inflicting the cruelties they want as they like, and why nobody in an official position stands up to them. I hope this will addressed soon, and that the condensed drama here at least brings a new direction for the development and fresher outcomes.
I never particularly liked Geun-soo, though I had no especial reason for it other than that he was a bit passive about everything. Now I do have more of reason, as as soon as he joins Jangga he turns out to be a sort of cocky, manipulative guy.It'd seem that characters like that take turns in Itaewon Class: when the previous is gone, one among those who remain change to be like that. For the rest, good use of soundtrack and visual (snowy) effects in this episode. Yo Ji-seo acted quite honestly, for a change.And there's finally some development for Toni in this one episode, but not too compelling. I wish there'd be more on Hyun-yi.
When some episodes ago I wrote that if there was a better one it'd be amazing...
There was an even better episode, after all.Everyone's development so far culminates here. Most characters are explored so carefully and in depth, that I love some of them more and more... even knowing what awaits them. He the drama is really intense but, unlike some episodes ago, it's done superbly.Yu Jin said of Ae Shin that she's a cruel woman, and asked where he lied between her passion and her cruelty... The same could be said of the drama.Although not all throughout the series were highs, this was impeccable.
The ending was so bad that it startled me at night when I thought of the series.
For some episodes before the final one Goddess of Fire had been putting out unnecessary events that didn't make sense, but once I saw the "finale" it was easier to tell that they were all preparations to accommodate (really awkwardly) the ending that the writers had, somewhat stubbornly, pre-designed in mind.How this ending actually takes place, though, is unbelievably rushed, deficient and downright dissatisfying. Somehow, the last episode manages to make up a bad ending for everyone, and by that I don't mean that the ending is bad for each character (although for most of them it is). I mean that all are very poorly executed, which can be remarkable considering the drama had +32 hours to spend. I guess that, despite being way more reasonable than the actual result, there's no "many episodes=lots of room to develop a proper conclusion" logic at work here. I don't regret watching Jung Yi (it had boring parts more or less in equal measure to the enjoyable ones, and most importantly all related to pottery was offered with high-quality, hard-to-find detail), but ugh, those were some hard-to-swallow last ten minutes. The annoying aftertaste definitely didn't go away immediately.
If by the end this episode is no longer the best one it'll mean the story has taken another leap
After some of the worst episodes in Mr. Sunshine (not actually "bad" but certainly slow and even boring enough to make me assume I won't award 10/10 to the series as a whole), the drama managed to build up the one that to me definitely stands out as the best so far. Several intense and beautifully made scenes, relentless pace and most importantly an abundance of those moments between characters—eloquent, witty, funny, insightful or inspiring—that really highlight a story's quality. With the top-level development, interaction and moderate tension shown in this episode, the long running-time passes by quickly.As episode 18 brought out the best in the drama, if all of it were steady on this I'm sure I'd end up quite attached to the characters—I already feel so towards a couple of them. (Alas, never the main leads... Starting to wonder whether that's some sort of Dramaland curse.)