Hi everyone!

I hope you enjoyed my episode 1-2 notes on Lovely Runner! Today I thought I’d share my episode 1-2 notes on Blood Free, because I’m pleasantly surprised by how well I’m enjoying it, and I was wondering if you’d like to join me? 🤗

These are my episode 1-2 notes, exactly as they appear on Patreon, ie, without screenshots (I’m saving those for the actual review).

I hope you all enjoy, and I hope you’ll consider joining us over on Patreon, for the rest of the discussions! ❤️

Episode notes:

E1-2. If you’re feeling surprised to read this (as much as I’m feeling surprised to be writing this), I just wanted to say that this is all because I became intrigued when MC announced that she was actively looking for new episodes of this show.

Previously, I’d been ready to put this one to the side, because like Elaine had said before Show’s premiere, we were all hoping that Show would be a tightly written sci-fi mystery, but were also all afraid that this would become a hot mess.

This one seemed to have a tricky premise, enough that I wouldn’t be surprised at all, if Show went very, very wrong and became a hot mess, for being unable to manage said tricky premise.

And yet, here I am, two episodes in, sufficiently intrigued and interested, that I’m actually choosing to cover it here on Patreon.

I guess that says a lot about how Show is not looking anything like a hot mess, at this point. 😁 And, fingers crossed that Show’s handling continues to stay deft, because we’ve got 8 more episodes to go, before we get to the finish line.

First of all, I feel it is my duty to mention to the squeamish (like me!), that the opening scenes can be quite confronting, because there are slaughterhouse scenes.

The upside is, it’s clear enough that this is all CGI, that it’s possible to mentally categorize it as “not real,” and thereby push through.

If you’re game to do that, let me also just say that after the CGI romping cows turn into slaughterhouse carcasses, don’t let your guard down just yet, coz Han Hyo Joo’s character Ja Yu is going to talk about animals being skinned for their fur, and that’s going to be pretty (CGI) graphic too.

If you want to skip over all that (which is perfectly fine to do, honestly, you just need to know that she’s talking about this), then jump right to the 3:46 mark, which is when the camera pans to Ja Yu’s silhouette onstage, after she’s talked about all these things.

You’re safe from this point onwards (well, at least for these two episodes? 😅).

I honestly hadn’t been sure what to expect from this show, but I find myself very intrigued by what Show’s served up so far.

It hadn’t occurred to me – but it makes complete sense – that with Blood Free being a company that produces fake meat, many primary industries would be directly affected, and therefore, Ja Yu, as the CEO and driving force of Blood Free, would be targeted by lots of people

There are people whose livelihoods are impacted by the subsequent reduced demand for actual meat, and there are also people and organizations whose profits are hugely affected by the reduction in market share.

It makes perfect sense that Ja Yu’s become a walking target, and therefore needs the protection of someone like Woo Chae Woon.

Speaking of Ja Yu, I would like to say that so far, I am very much on board with Han Hyo Joo’s interpretation of the character.

I’ve heard some folks say that her delivery here is very flat and dull, and I can see why some people might feel that way.

In her defense, I would say that this makes narrative sense for Ja Yu’s character.

She’s under a tremendous amount of pressure, not just from the business standpoint, but also, from being targeted by what feels like most of the inhabited world, for daring to upset the balance of the societal ecosystem that we as a civilization have constructed for ourselves.

Given the sheer amount of criticism and death threats that are thrown in her direction on the daily, I can see why Ja Yu would steel herself, and perhaps also shut down certain parts of her heart and brain, in order to cope.

She can’t afford to crumble under pressure, particularly when so much is riding on her, and neither can she afford to appear weak, and that’s why she’s chosen this unflappable, impassive facade, to show the world at large.

But, despite this poker-faced mask that she puts on, I do think that there are traces of emotion that are visible to the careful viewer.

Like, in the occasional wrinkle in her brow, the tiredness in her gaze – and the very fact that she bothers to tune out the world, with her sunglasses and earbuds, because if she feels nothing, why would there be a need to tune it all out, yes?

I find myself on Ja Yu’s side, if only because she feels like the one being unfairly targeted by a world of individuals and industries who all think that she owes them a living.

In this sense, she does strike me as an underdog sort of character, kind of, even though she’s the CEO of Blood Free, and is able to command the transfer of billions of won, at the drop of a hat.

I’m sure my pre-existing affection for Han Hyo Joo is playing into my sympathy for Ja Yu as well. Can you blame me, though, coz Han Hyo Joo is just awesome 🤩?

As for Joo Ji Hoon, I am liking him very well as bodyguard incumbent, Woo Chae Woon.

For the record, I do have a big soft spot for Joo Ji Hoon too, since he was the male lead in my gateway drama, Goong. 🥰

And, I am beginning to see why everyone seems to be getting all hyped for him in this role.

I mean, Chae Woon’s such a cool badass.

What I mean is, he’s badass in the sense that his fight skillz are top-tier and not to be trifled with, AND he’s very smart and very strategic in his thinking. The way he combines those two things is already a thing of beauty to behold.

On top of that, he’s as cool as a cucumber, doing it all; he’s so centered and focused that it seems like nothing actually fazes him.

This is most apparent, so far, in the entire screening process that he goes through, for the position of Ja Yu’s bodyguard.

The VR stuff is one thing, but it’s a whole other ballgame, when the whole thing springs a “live” surprise in his own home, where the role-players come off as real terrorists who are out for information about Ja Yu, and want to use Chae Woon’s family – including his cat! – as hostages.

Chae Woon’s just so badass, the way he fights through each situation, using as much brawn as he does his brain, and the move that took my breath away, was when Seated Terrorist calmly offers him money, while using the picture of Chae Woon’s family on his laptop, collateral.

The way Chae Woon closes that laptop and pulls that knife and points it at Seated Terrorist’s neck, is pretty darn impressive.

Not only does it demonstrate his ability to turn a bad situation around, it also demonstrates that he’s not easily intimidated or tempted – all important qualities in a bodyguard, especially the calibre that Ja Yu requires.

Of course, it’s interesting that Chae Woon’s reason for wanting to be Ja Yu’s bodyguard, is because he wants to determine whether she was behind the terrorist attack that had injured him, killed others, and cost the previous Prime Minister his legs.

I was suitably taken aback (though I really shouldn’t have been), to realize that Chae Woon had been recording his entire day at Blood Free, via a hidden camera in his shirt button.

Because, of course our Badass Bodyguard has all kinds of tricks up his sleeve – and in his button (sorry, couldn’t resist 🤭)!

But it all becomes even more interesting, with the turn of events, where the CitizenX ransomware incident, looks to be an inside job.

This single fact suddenly makes Ja Yu suspicious of her entire inner circle at Blood Free, and since this fact had been brought to Ja Yu’s attention by Chae Woon, suddenly, it looks like Chae Woon is the only person she can trust, right now.

Ooh, what a deliciously complicated web this is turning out to be!

I’m really curious to see how things pan out, now that Ja Yu is unable to trust anyone but Chae Woon.

I’m actively looking forward to episode 3! (And now I understand why MC was actively looking for new episodes of this show, at this point of her watch. 😁)

*This show is being covered on the Early Access (US$5) Tier on Patreon*

To view episode 1-2 notes in Patreon, along with everyone’s comments, you can go here!

You can find my Patreon page here, and for all future episode notes for this show you can click here. Currently, notes are available for episodes 1 through 4.

Episodes 5-6 notes will be out on Tuesday, 30 April 2024! I hope you’ll consider joining us!

It’ll be a way to have fun, and support me at the same time? 🥲❤️

PS: For more information on what the Patreon experience is like, you might like to check out my Patreon update post for April, which you can find here!