SBS Drama Alice Shuffles Off This Mortal Coil as Episode 16 Ends with Zero Narrative Logic or Emotional Resonance
Yeah, I freaking hate SBS drama Alice and definitely regret spending 16 episodes with it. The upside is learning to love male lead Joo Won, re-energizing my love for Kwak Si Yang, and meeting fresh face Lee Da In as a rising actress I was to see more of. Kim Hee Sun was passable but ended up saddled with annoying characters in both the Mom and the Professor Tae Yi. Future old Jin Gyeom being the Teacher neither shocked nor upset because the drama had gone off the rails by the reveal, but even in the end his end game wasn’t clear – if he can’t prevent his own birth then his last attempt was to kill 2010 Tae Yi/Sun Young out of punishment for her being a selfish woman? Because at 2010 Jin Gyeon was a healthy strapping 18 year old and the same time travel portal was in existence. And then 2020 Jin Gyeom killed his old self and then Alice collapsed on itself and time travel was no more and everyone reset to 2020. So nonsensical even within the logic built in this drama. Worst part was no Min Hyuk, the best character in the show, and a wasted Do Yeon for the entire run. Fare thee well Alice, may you never pop up in my memory forevermore.
Yeah the big reveal was so bad and felt like a cheap rip off of the fantastic German Netflix series called Dark. Nothing made sense and the reunion at the end made even less sense… bad attempt at sci-fi that’s for sure. Kwak Si Yang was the best, as awesome as usual!
Dark is a masterpiece. It’s the best I’ve watched with drama/movie dealing with time travel.
Great premise, but too much for the writers to handle. Kwak Si Yang was very impressible here, he really suits action/dramatic roles a ton. The way the writers completely negated him at the end was a slap in the face. May he get a leading role pls!!
I actually like this genre, but I have trust issues with the way k-drama deals with these type stories. They end up with messy, haphazard story-telling and I end up irked. So I just bide my time and wait for others to watch and see how it goes. Thanks to all for taking the hit this time.
I was waiting to binge watch this but don’t think I will after reading how crappy it became. Also the fact that the last scene hinted at the 2 leads about to start a romantic relationship, I’m sorry but that’s just creepy even if she isn’t his mother and doesn’t share his DNA its still weird. It’s a bummer because Kim Hee Sun is probably my favorite Korean actress and I also really like Joo Won =/
I suspected this but I am just really bummed because this had no acting hole in its cast. I will look forward to seeing Lee Da In and Kwak Si Young in their lead roles, they both deserve it. Joo Won buddy, not bad, could’ve been worse, you did really try but the script failed the entire cast.
I’ve been watching this thread about Alice and possibility of incest for a while now and I had to say this:
You pussies don’t know the meaning of the word ‘fiction’ and ‘science-fiction.’ It’s FAKE. Also, if they’re not related in any way whatsoever, whats the problem? So who cares if she looks like someone? There are real doppelgangers in the world and people even do surgery to look like others. Even if they related, it’s fake and meant to stir up/add drama.
I’m sure some of you have watched k-dramas and movies where you want the villian(s) to die a horrible death. ‘Yeah, I can’t wait till he/she dies’ because of all the evil they’ve done to the protagonist.
So it’s ok to kill someone but not have a romantic relationship just because they look like someone? Really?
This is type of attitude the prevents writers/directors from trying something new/out of the ordinary.
Y’all need to have an open mind and also distinguish reality from movies/dramas. Movies/dramas are not real unless they are some kind of documentary depicting a real event/person/situation/etc.
I hesitate to comment because anything seem like waste of energy for this drama. But the reason why everyone is complaining is:
If the writer wants to promote this like Japanese drama with incest theme fine, doing the odd movies about mother complex like Kim Kiduk fine, yes do it if he wants.
But this drama almost the whole damn episodes pictures how great motherly love from 2050 Kim hee-soon to her child, 1992 Joowon. Or how Kwak Si-yang’s character dies protecting his family. At the end the main purpose is just to prove Joowon and Kim Heesun is not related by blood or dna or whatsoever after reset so they can be romantic pairing just like Pam said: It is like a slap on the face! Gawd damned writer I hate you with passion.
This excuse on reality verses movies/drama is getting old. Society as a whole is dumb. Look at this year of 2020 can you really say we know whats real or fake. Perception on how we think are made through what you watch and hear fiction or nonfiction.
Incest to me will always be disgusting because it may lead to children abuse. Incest between two consenting adults is none of my buisness. However the incest in this story played apart to this drama sucking.
Your opinion and eveyone is valued; every story written has been criticized and guess what that doesnt deter true writer it helps them see what they can do better or still stay in the same place. At end day writers will alway formulate a fanbase who enjoy anything they write.
The writer attempted to a Nine ending but failed big time. Great actors elevated this show, but I think the wagons starting falling off by Ep 14-16. Bummer.
I rarely complain about a show that I’ve loved since the beginning but this ending is SO BAD! Show has intriguing start, fabulous actors, great theme (live in present, not in regrets) and yet ends with such a whimper. I feel that the writer can’t make up his/her mind whether to make the main leads mother/son or romantic couple, hence the flipping to & fro! Was holding to hope all the way till ep 15 but the finale definitely leaves a bad taste. If I ever have the impulse to rewatch for Joo Won, will stop at ep 6 or 8.
I may not be smart but not dumb. This series went wayward from episode 6. Too many inconsistencies. Some events were unclear and were not expained why they happened. This series did not add luster to Joo Won’s career.
The concept of people from the future messing up the present by coming back and the love of TY for her son got me engaged until EP6. I would have found the series interesting and continued to watch if they were solving different cases (and cases can be thrilling, or at times sad or even romantic) until EP16, with the side story of who/why TY got killed in 2010 and JG instrumental in altering/correcting that, and getting TY reunited with MY and JG as a family unit, and ultimately stopping Alice. I think the writer tried to make it more complicated and ultimately lost the story (and viewers).
The fact that so many people complained about Alice but still watched it anyway, because they wanted to see how it ended, means that the three writers didn’t completely fail in their objective. Most of us kept watching and that’s what they all want you to do: keep watching so the advertising money keeps pouring in. 😉 I enjoyed its quirkiness and unpredictability. I was watching three other Kdramas at the same time and I knew how they would end by episode two. With Alice I had no clue. After you’ve watched 550 Kdramas like I have you start looking for those shows that keep you guessing and tuning in.
The biggest plot hole is if everything resets, Yoon Tae Yi’s Father was never killed for the Book of Prophecy. So how did she become and Orphan and get adopted by the Restaurant Family? Since her who objective to build a time machine, errr, multi dimensional travel, was to meet her first adopted mother, which was other dimension her.
This is definitely better than those chessy predictable and recycling chiche Romeo and Julie love dramas. At least something different and interesting. Love Kim Hee Sun and Joo Woo performance.
I stopped watching when it started going off the rails around episodes 5-6, and kept an eye on the reviews to see if it was worth picking back up. Glad I didn’t waste my time. I really want Joo Won to get a project I can enjoy.
I gave up at Ep 13. Incest theme was freaking me out! Besides, nothing made sense anymore, not that it did when the woman from the future kills her younger self, presumably to protect her daughter?
I found it heartbreaking for Prof Yoon Tae Yi when she realised two men love her image not herself. I do not understand why Jin Gueom lied saying her he does not have a photo of his mom, when it was in his wallet ?? It would have cleared their position from the start..