K-dramas

When the Stars Gossip Episode 2 Goes Off the Rails in Bizarre Plot Points as Characters Remain Difficult to Connect With

Man, I don’t even know how to accurate capture the totally WTF-ery that was episode 2 of When the Stars Gossip. I was one of those open to this drama’s tonal weirdness and scientifically preposterous set up in episode 1 and was game to give it time to get settled on its feet. But episode 2 just punted it into dumbass land and I don’t even know who greenlit this drama much less burned money on a giant budget with big name stars and lots of custom built sets and special effects because it’s baaaaaaad. Episode 2 singlehanded had not one, not two, but three awful plot sequences each successively more painful to watch. First there was a ten minute fruit fly mating sequence complete with Gong Hyo Jin gushing about nature’s miracle in space. Then Lee Min Ho smuggling ice cream onto the space station in an ice bag to hide frozen embryos underneath a cup only to have Gong Hyo Jin turn bizarrely suspicious and even pull a gun on him, like whut? And finally there was a whole next sequence with rat heart compressions and then open heart surgery performed by an OB/GYN. Not to mention Oh Jung Se‘s second male lead acting and behaving like a serial killer in space over like getting back together with the second female lead by doing her dad’s “conceive a baby using dead son’s weak sperm” bidding more competently then Lee Min Ho. I feel like I need an hour of my life back after watching this abomination. With that said, the directing is still my jam so I may check out episode 3 cuz now I’m feeling like a glutton for punishment.

ockoala

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  • It's not for everyone, specifically those who don't have STEM background. LOL. The plot developed with very wacky narratives so far but I didn't find those tidbits related to science unreasonable or out of blue. Astronauts in space conduct a variety of science experiments focused on the effects of microgravity on the human body, biology, materials science, and astronomy, including research on tissue regeneration, growing plants in space, studying fluid dynamics, observing Earth from orbit, and testing new technologies for future space exploration etc. Making up a storyline of an astronaut who's also a biologist (HGJ) being thrilled at fruit flies mating in space isn't something weird at all unless your imagination well wild from that LOL. It's just not easy for viewers to relate. What do you expect? The drama isn't Star Wars. They are not making LMH Darth Vader 2.0 anyhow. LOL.

      • LOL. I remember LMH fans saying something similar when TKEM was tanking. That you need to be a maths wiz to understand time travel.
        A bad drama is simply a bad drama.

        On another note, he really needs to take care of his looks and weight. He was so hot in City Hunter!

  • Judging from her previous credits (Pasta, Romance Town, Jealousy Incarnate, Wok of Love), does this sound like a Seo Sook-hyang work? I haven't gotten around to watching WTSG yet but I am enjoying the first few episodes of her other ongoing drama, Iron Family.

    • Because it is 😂😂 She has a thing for quirky characters involved in a specific professional field.

      Iron Family is doing better than expected. Despite it being her first foray into weekend dramas, I think her weiting style is more suited for the latter genre, especially because her plots tend to be character-driven.

  • I loved episode 1 but episode 2 had me questioning my choice as I gave my 1 hour on this. It is not about having science background or not, it is just illogical.

    We have a commander who think fruit flies lives and mating ritual are more important than the life of client/doctor whom she tried her best to save in ep 1. She pointed gun at him?!

    Or that unnecessary and overly dramatic rescue on a mouse. Not saying 🐁 life is not important. In fact, it is opposite.

    Mice are the reason why we have so much advancement in medicine and research. But somehow, this execution and unnecessary emotions portrayed by actors made it less impactful. Be real. Not all mice have this chance (at all). That is why their sacrifice should be painful reminder of every milestone in research. If scientists behave like them, oh.. my...

    I will still watch ep 3. Hopefully no more nonsense plot devices.

    It is my first time watching LMH after almost 2 decades. He is fine, it is not his problem. In fact, the actors are doing very well, in fact done so well to act out those nonsense scenes. It is the unnecessary sub - plot that is ruining everything.

  • To be honest I was being skeptical because of the writer. I am one of those that dont really find the Incarnate Of Jealousy well written despite of how good the massage of the series, I watched it still and enjoyed but not a drama that I really love to rewatch (which is rare for me as a fan of ghj). Funny thing is that unlike you koala, I did enjoy When the Camelia Blossoms a lot, in fact, it's one of my favorite drama ever because of how very well written it is, for me it's really one of best written kdrama ever. Now back to this drama with Lee Min Ho, learn from how wrong I was in the past judging Kang Ha Neul (turned out he was one of ghj's best co-star), so despite almost never watch Lee Min Ho drama (only BBF, half of Faith and Pachinko), I tried not to judge him. Now that I finally watched the drama, and read your reviews both ep 1 and 2, I realized I have ignored the plot, only focus on enjoying the humor of the drama. If this happened years ago, I would be really critical just like you koala, but maybe because I have not watch any drama for years, and have been waiting for ghj's comeback for so so long, I just dont really care about the plot now... like I would just enjoy watching her because damn lee min ho, totally unexpected of him being so freaking friendly with ghj in real life, like being good friends for real lol, I really surprised to see him get to be so so friendly and casual with her as if she is his persons, so yeah, not gonna think much about the plot... whether it's making sense or not, I just never really expected something great from the writer... different story if the writer is Noh Hee Kyung or Lim Sang Choon, then yeah I would likely be very critical of the plot. but it's Seo Sook Hyang, not really my type of writer... Pasta won me basically just because of Ghj and the late Lee Sun Kyun, writing side is also not great at all. I, would never not watching ghj drama, because her presence just fits my taste better than any other korean actress... or maybe because I am simply being bias fans here :D

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