Like Flowers in Sand: Episode 1 (First Impressions)
by missvictrix
Superbly shot and extra subtly unfolded than we’re typically used to in dramaland, the premiere episode of Like Flowers in Sand is each melancholic and surprisingly settling. Maybe it’s the robust sense of place and historical past, however the drama units a robust tone with its setting alone, and introduces us to items of the story that may knit collectively later.
Editor’s word: Continued drama protection is pending.
EPISODE 1
Our drama opens with a sand drawing styled title sequence that’s simply beautiful, and never solely factors to the sand of the ssireum ring, however a metaphor we’re certain to dig into later. However for now we head straight into our wrestling match, with our hero KIM BAEK-DU (Jang Dong-yoon) strolling solo into the sector.
In voiceover, courtesy of the struggle announcer’s introduction of him, we hear every thing we have to know: he was as soon as thought of a ssireum prodigy, however he stopped impressing after highschool. Now, at 32, he has but to win a single title. Nicely, we’re solely two minutes in, and already Jang Dong-yoon has received me over with this efficiency, with all of the fidgets and feelings made seen as he walks. We all know so little about Baek-du at this level, however simply watching him enter to the announcer’s introduction tells us extra about him than phrases ever may. We’ll return to this culminating struggle in a while within the episode, however first we step again a bit to get to know the story and our hero a bit extra.
Though Baek-du doesn’t act like he’s bothered, the burden of being thought of a failure — and contemplating himself a failure — clearly follows him round. He has a very contentious relationship with “pal” KWAK JIN-SU (Lee Jae-joon), and the scene the place we first see them work together is telling. At a reunion dinner, Baek-du is shoveling meals into his mouth nonstop, ignoring Jin-su’s not-so-subtle taunts in regards to the upcoming match. When Baek-du begins to choke, he slugs what he thinks is water — however shock, it’s soju — so he finally ends up completely drunk towards his personal intentions.
It’s not precisely optimum pre-fight habits, however in a means it opens up Baek-du’s airways and he winds up drunk-calling his coach and telling him he needs to retire. “What’s the purpose of continuous one thing I’m horrible at?” he asks at one level, nearly rhetorically. Later, the 2 could have a dialog about this, in order that after we circle again to the match that we opened with, it’s with new context that this match will both begin or finish Baek-du’s profession.
As destiny would have it, Baek-du’s paired with a youthful and stronger opponent who he’s already acquired some historical past with. Although he places in his all for this nail-biter of a match, Baek-du winds up dropping after the third spherical. His coach brushes the sand off of his again, happy with him for ending the struggle giving his all. Apparently, throughout the ring, the profitable wrestler is getting very totally different therapy from his coach.
As we’ve come to count on from this drama already, much more is proven than advised, in order we comply with Baek-du out of the sector and to the showers, he unwinds his satba (wrestling belt) and heaves a sigh into the mirror. We all know all the frustration and heaviness he’s feeling — ennui even — and that emotion pervades by means of the episode. In a very robust instance of this, the night time earlier than the match, Baek-du was consuming a meal whereas his mother (a formidable chameleon efficiency by Jang Younger-nam) yells at her drama on TV and doesn’t pay him a lot consideration. It’s when Baek-du manages to say, “I’m nervous,” that we understand the burden of all of the unsaid issues on this story.
Whereas Baek-du’s wrestling profession is the principle plot line, there’s loads occurring with the secondary characters and storylines, most of whom are simply barely launched thus far. As an example, Jin-su hangs out at a random espresso store that’s run by JOO MI-RAN (Kim Bora), who sports activities some superb strawberry-blonde hair, an air of insouciance, and will swear that the English phrase “espresso” solely had one “e” when she realized it. That’s why her espresso store is named Ran’s Coffe.
However maybe probably the most mysterious determine that hangs over the story is that of somebody referred to as “Doo-shik.” Interwoven by means of the primary episode, we see Baek-du keep in mind this younger pal in an attractive seaside sequence. We don’t know a lot in regards to the relationship but, however we all know it was a significant one to Baek-du. And later, we study the identical of Jin-su, so maybe their falling out was over Doo-shik — who, we later study, was a woman.
Talking of mysterious women, there’s one (Lee Joo-myung) seen wandering by means of the city, and she or he’s grabbing the eye of the neighborhood ajusshis and ajummas alike. She has a robust presence, and walks round in a white costume with a crimson parasol, even at night time. Even Baek-du runs into her one night in an alleyway on his means dwelling, clocks her, however doesn’t assume a lot of it till later…
In our closing scene, after his disappointing ultimate match and on the cusp of retirement, Baek-du is poking across the neighborhood the place it appears like somebody is transferring in close by. He hears a rustling behind him and the subsequent factor we all know he’s been thrown to the bottom. When he opens his eyes and the mysterious younger girl is hanging over him and providing a hand up, it’s the proper callback to the memorable scene of Doo-shik doing the identical to him on the seaside. In that second, Baek-du is satisfied, and he asks her straight away if she’s Doo-shik.
It’s an attractive first episode that’s gradual however fascinating, and stuffed with unstated issues. As I discussed earlier, the setting works magic right here, and feels so authentically inhabited. The satoori is great. There’s the pervasive feeling of being caught in time, but it surely additionally seems like there’s one thing brewing.
Along with the devolution of Baek-du’s wrestling profession, and the arrival of (possibly) Doo-shik, there’s additionally a drowning investigation occurring within the background. Detectives from Seoul are on the town, pretending it’s not an enormous case, however pinging the radar of our native cops. Certainly, this drowning will weave into the material of this story in some way, for the reason that dying and the arrival of our unnamed feminine are so eerily in sync.
Although it’s onerous to foretell the trajectory of the story simply but, Like Flowers in Sand was 10/10 in tone for me. It was mysterious, however not overly so. Atmospheric, however not draggy or miserable, and stuffed with reasonable, lived-in element. And although delicate, it launched loads of storytelling layers that I’m wanting ahead to unpacking as we go.
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