Split Screen: Sporty Sport Fun

Thanks for tuning in to Split Screen! Intro host Madelyn, reporting for duty! Last week, we had an explosive edition of Split Screen, with a dramatic break-up in Boys Over Flowers and the season finale of My Hero Academia. Will things cool off this week, or is there even more fallout in store? With car-chases, flashbacks, and hormones galore, it might just be a little of both.

New to Split Screen? You’ve picked a great time to start! Check out our older blog posts here.

Boys Over Flowers Episode 7 (up to minute 35)

M: I know you feel differently, but I thought this was a top-quality half of a Boys Over Flowers episode.

E: I just felt like….ehhh…I didn’t understand why anything was happening so it distracted me from the things that were happening.

M: Fortunately, that wasn’t really an issue in the first ten minutes or so. We got the big reveal of Jun-pyo’s sister, Jun-hee, and then a delightful, if way too long car chase sequence.

E: No, I really liked the first part. I wasn’t expecting Jan-di to be so proactive about talking to Jun-pyo, it was refreshing. It was at the competition that I got lost.

M: We’ll get to the competition, because there is a lot to unpack there. But first, how exciting is it that Jun-pyo’s sister is cool?

E: It’s great that she’s cool. Even if she’s maybe a little bit too hard on her brother.

M: Why does she carry around a wooden sword? Is it just for Jun-pyo or is there a story there?

E: It was two different wooden swords! One was a katana, one was like a kendo sword.

M: She’s rich, she can have more than one.

E: I’m not saying she’s not allowed to carry around a wooden sword, she can have as many wooden swords as she wants. I’m glad she has a collection.

M: Jun-hee really changes the dynamic, even if she is borderline physically abusive, and I think it’s another good step in Jun-pyo’s rehabilitation.

E: It puts him into a childish light. If, at the beginning, his meanness was actually scary or cruel, then, in this case, it just makes him look like a child throwing a tantrum. 

M: I just enjoy the actor much more when he’s playing that side of Jun-pyo, when he’s a little childish. You know, the Jun-pyo that waits in the snow for like six hours, or takes off his shirt on the beach just to prank Jan-di. It’s a better look. He’s more likable, which is weird, because being childish isn’t usually a likable quality. But like his sister said, it makes him more human instead of just a rich robot.

E: I think the actor has more fun with those parts, for obvious reasons.

M: I always like that, as a theatre person, when I can tell the cast is having fun.

E: That’s what can make “bad” entertainment so much fun. Even when the material might be bad, if the actors are clearly having a blast, it makes it so much more entertaining for the audience. Happy actors can really elevate corny material. 

M: And you know who always seems like he’s having a good time, even though he’s really gotten the short end of the stick? What’s his name.

E: We found out his name on one of these, then we went on break and forgot it.

M: F4-really-bad-hair-minor.

E: It might have been Woo-bin?

M: Oh, I think that’s right! Even better. That’s the perfect name for him.

E: I actually took a moment to try and remember. I don’t do that during the episode since he’s so not important.

M: He had a real star turn this episode giving Jun-hee’s Olympics of Friendship a standing ovation. That was a top ten moment of the series so far.

E: I’m looking forward to the point where the show lets him have a personality. You can see glimpses of it in circumstances like that, but I’m hoping to see it more.

M: He’s definitely come into his own a bit the past few weeks. Maybe once Ji-hoo is exposed as trash to the whole world once and for all, Woo-bin can take center stage.

E: Speaking of Ji-hoo being trash, it continued to be the case. Or maybe I’m biased.

M: I can’t tell if the show wants me to hate him, or if I’m supposed to like him at this point.

E: Episode 6 seemed like it really wanted me to be against him, but this episode is much more forgiving.

M: But see, I’m not sure if episode 6 was actually supposed to cast him in such a bad light. I think we’re supposed to believe that he’s a better match for Jan-di. Or maybe not. I don’t know. I’m so confused. Are the writers master manipulators?

E: I feel lke the writers know what they’re doing on a scene by scene basis. They have good ideas for certain scenes, but they have no idea how to get from one to the other. So they just throw whatever sticks there. Have Jan-di ride a horse! Stretch out this car chase for three times what it should be! 

M: As I said while we were watching, the editor has finally figured out how to use his copy of iMovie to create some spectacular effects.

E: I really appreciated it for like the first 30 seconds of that car chase. And then it kept going for another 45 seconds.

M: I like to root for the underdog, so I want to believe that Ji-hoo is the intended front-runner at this point. But I’m just…the writers have outsmarted me.

E: Jun-pyo’s horse does work as as a metaphor for his relationship with Jan-di, you pointed this out. He pushes and pushes the tempestuous horse by being stubborn and cruel. But, by the end, she’s never the same again. It’s kinda like a warning.

M: That’s what their relationship was like this first go-round. I mean, he didn’t race her into the ground so much, but that seems like the general trajectory.

E: But that’s what I mean. I think the writers are steering him to recognize that, while Jan-di wasn’t doing great in the relationship, neither was he. He needs to fix how pushy he is. 

M: Well, you know the best way to heal your relationships? Bizarro sports competitions!

E: I still don’t really understand the point of this whole competition arc, beyond having a few action set pieces.

M: Even on rewatch, it’s unclear what the prize is. I think we agree they aren’t fighting over Jan-di specifically.

E: Yeah, I think its either the expulsion stuff or general forgiveness.

M: Which Ji-hoo does not deserve, especially after that terrible movie theater apology.

E: He says sorry, then he says he knows sorry is never enough, and then he does nothing to augment that apology to make it good enough!

M: He’s like “sorry, dude! I know that’s a lame apology, but let me add, you’ve got to break up with Jan-di.” That’s not an apology, that’s a passive aggressive threat.

E: He doesn’t even know what Jan-di wants! They haven’t had a discussion, he can’t speak for her!

M: What an entitled brat.

E: And then they tried to make us feel bad for him, by showing the car crash where his parents died- we’ll get more as this car racing match continues next time probably- but that doesn’t connect to what he’s doing right now. Jun-pyo’s traumatic flashbacks were relevant, these ones are just there.

M: Well, the flashback was to remind everyone that Ji-hoo’s parents died in a car crash, and thus explain why he can’t race cars. But let’s backtrack a little. We got our second unnecessary horse plot in like three episodes.

E: Yeah, that poor horse. 

M: At least Jun-pyo didn’t plunge off a cliff.

E: I thought Jun-pyo was gonna get bucked off and get stranded in the wilderness, and Ji-hoo was going to have to come back and rescue him.

M: That would have been worse, because I don’t want Ji-hoo to be a hero. Even his horse, his conveniently white horse, is probably a jerk.

E: We shouldn’t slander Rui’s name.

M: Sorry Rui. One more thing about the impending drag race. Actually two.

E: *laughter* Sorry, I was just thinking that Ru Paul’s Drag Race would be a much more interesting competition than car drag racing.

M:There’s no way we get through Boys Over Flowers without F4 dressing as women at some point.

E: I want the Mulan moment, you know, where the three guys dress up and break into the palace?

M: That’s exactly what I was thinking of, actually. But what I wanted to say, was, obviously, it’s a really bad look for Jun-pyo to be gloating over how his friend’s car trauma, but I think it’s much worse of Jun-hee to have put auto racing into the ball machine to begin with.

E: Well, she likely also put swimming in there. So at least she’s fair.

M: I forgot about Jun-pyo’s deadly fear of swimming. That’s really cruel. It’s clear they’re from the same family.

E: Yeah, she may still be cool, but she’s still from the Gu family.

M: What’s your Romance Tracker prediction this week?

E: I don’t know? In terms of immediate romance, something’s gotta happen to make Jan-di not like Ji-hoo as much. The kissing didn’t do it, somehow. That would have pissed me off a lot.

M: That’s really tough, because obviously the series needs to end with a united F4 and everyone paired up. Unless the Parisian model comes back and both Ji-hoo and Jan-di agree to return to their correct partners, it’s hard to see how the writers could pair them together and then break them up amicably.

E: I was very disappointed that we went from the “rival confrontation” shot last episode to Jandi and Ji-hoo being chummy again.

M: My prediction is still Jun-pyo, although on a side note, I could support a love triangle between Yi-jung, Jun-hee, and Ga-Eul.

E: I’d watch that show, honestly. With Butler Lee!

M: He has a name now! Do you have a non-romantic prediction regarding Butler Lee?

E: He will continue to be secretly super sassy, like when he brought the food into Jun-pyo’s room and immediately brought it back out again. What a gem.

M: My prediction is that the boys will all get super swanky swimsuits for the third round of competition, except for Woo-Bin, who will look like a nerd.

E: One day, Woo-bin. One day you will shine.

M: Oh, and they’ll race to the tune of Bang Bang Boom!

E: I’m just gonna insert the music here.

My Hero Academia S2E1: That’s the Idea, Ochaco!

M: You weren’t kidding when you said this was going to be all flashback.

E: Yeah. I wouldn’t have made you watch it, but there’s a lot of table setting. It introduces the sports festival, gives you a look at what the teachers are doing in the aftermath of the attack, reminds you who Ochaco is. The third season premiere, whenever we get to that, I can explain the relevant info in a few sentences. But this one has enough content to be worthwhile.

M: I understand why they did it. I just didn’t make for very satisfying viewing since I finished season one last week.

E: Believe me, I know. I watch the two seasons back to back as well. I started watching the show when season 2 was about halfway through airing. 

M: Still, I’m glad I watched it, because it made a great counterpoint to this week’s Boys Over Flowers.

E: SPORTS!!!!

M: Can we talk about how Sports Festival is the NCAA but like twenty million times more exploitative? You need to pay your student athletes, UA.

E: It’s pretty much exactly like that, yeah. You put them in front of the “pros”  to help their “career” etc. For no compensation.

M: Where does all the ad revenue and ticket revenue go, huh? I smell corruption.

E: Yeah, I don’t know where it goes. Clearly not to security measures.

M: Ochako’s family could probably use a cut.

E: I found it very refreshing that her desire for money was cast in a good light. Usually that’s a trait given to the “bad” or “selfish” characters who aren’t doing it for the “right reasons.” But, I mean, she gets to help people and she gets to help out her family financially, there’s nothing wrong with that.

M: Hey, certified #thiccie Iida thinks its noble. That’s enough for me.

E: The whole episode, the only comments Madelyn made were to bodyshame Iida.

M: It’s not body-shaming! There’s nothing wrong with being a little husky!

E: But literally every time you saw him you said, “looking a little chunky.”

M: I swear, his character design has put on some weight.

E: You made chunky comments about him in the first season too! I’m sure we can go back and find them.

M: Did I really? I just think it’s great that he’s a hero, but he’s also just a normal, slightly big-boned guy. I approve! We can’t all look like Axel!

E: Stop!

M: Or Momo!

E: Actually, doesn’t it make it hard to do exercise when you’ve got a large chest?

M: You just need a supportive sports bra, which Momo does not have.

E: Maybe she just creates one as she needs it.

M: We’ll see. Maybe she’s got Ochaco doing a little anti-gravity.

E: I don’t think that’s how her quirk works.

M: Speaking of isolated things, it’s weird that Aizawa is allowed to talk normally even though his entire face is bandaged.

E: I love mummy Aizawa so much, it’s my favorite Aizawa aesthetic, right above sleeping bag Aizawa

M: I’m not saying it’s not a good look, I’m just saying that he’s definitely ripping some stitches.

E: He’s fine. Clearly, he’s fully recovered. No problems at all.

M: I’m glad his eye floors are okay.

E: In exchange for his eye floors being okay, now his students constantly neg him.

M: Deku has opened up Pandora’s Box. Aizawa’s like “we’re gonna do SportsFest,” and they’re all like, “are ya sure? Seems like a bad idea, teach.”

E: To be fair, it is a bad idea. That “sign of strength” thing never works in my experience with fiction.

M: It made me identify with Mineta, which was alarming and disturbing on many levels. However, if you think about it as a sporting event, and not, you know, like the super police force training that it really is, it makes more sense. Everyone loves when a sports team goes out and wins after some kind of tragic event in their city.

E: That’s fair, that’s a good way to look at it. On the other hand, it is an internal competition, so it’s not like UA can’t win. It’ll just be one particular student from UA.

M: Yeah, that’s where the comparison really falls apart.

E: Well. What else stuck out to you from this episode?

M: One other thing: the teacher’s meeting. They’re discussing Shigaraki, and the police dude, All-Might’s buddy says, very specifically, “I searched all twenty and thirty-somethings in the database and I couldn’t find him.” Great, fine, he’s unregistered. But then, All-Might comes in with some heroic insight, you know, “guess what? he’s acting like a teenager.” The obvious conclusion is to search the freaking database for teenagers. But no! They just all start dumping on him with that sick Man-Child burn. Come on, guys!

E: The police are probably looking for him in that category based on descriptions from All-Might and the students. And, if you look at his design, he does look older than Deku or even Bakugo or some of the others.

M: Okay, that’s all well and good, except that some of Deku’s classmates have birds for heads. You’re really going to tell me you could ID the age of Bird Head Man? Or Pink Bubble Lady? Or friggin Mineta?

E: True. Who knows how old Mineta is? Wow, that thought just made him like 10 times creepier no matter which way it goes.

M: They are not doing their due diligence.

E: Lawsuit Watch now?

M: I think that both of the schools are pretty clean again this week!

E: Yeah, both schools are definitely pretty clean right now. We’ll see how that develops as the sports festival kicks into full gear. On both shows.

M: Jun-pyo and Jun-hee are probably due for about a dozen traffic tickets. But that’s not really a lawsuit.

E: I guess somebody could sue Jun-pyo for laming that horse

M: It’s his horse.

E: But the same guy called Ji-hoo and Jun-pyo like “young master” or whatever, so maybe it’s just the rich people horse farm.

M: Okay, I’ll give it to Boys Over Flowers on a technicality. What’s the name of the next episode?

E: It’s called “Roaring Sports Festival”

M: Okay, prediction one: They fight a robotic lion.

E:

M: Prediction two: Todoroki goes out of his way to become AIzawa’s best bud, so he can have a teacher friend like Deku.

E:

M: I’m having a little trouble coming up with good ones. Let’s see…Prediction three: Iita has dessert after lunch.

E: I’m so disappointed in you. I won’t give you an emoji for that.

M: I have dessert after lunch all the time! There’s nothing wrong with that!

E: I’m shaking my head no. I’m shaking my head.

M: Okay fine, I’ll rescind that one. No delicious dessert for you, Iita.

E: He’s allowed to have dessert, you’re just not allowed to make that prediction after a whole episode of calling him chunky.

M: I like chunky things! It’s a compliment!

E: Tut tut.

M: Prediction three, take two: Mineta is weirdly popular in the Sports Festival

E: (͠≖ ͜ʖ͠≖)

M: Oh noooooo

E: I found a better one than last time.

M: Moving rapidly along, one last prediction: Deku’s mom comes to the sports festival, and she’s all decked out in Deku fan attire.

E:

M: So many wholesome parents. Best part of the show.

E: I find the wholesome parents delightful. Obviously not every one in the show has them, but there are high numbers. It’s nice.

M: Can’t wait to meet Mineta’s parents.

E: Mr. Mineta: ʕ ͡° ʖ̯ ͡°ʔ Mrs. Mineta: ( ° ͜ʖ °)

M: What a cute couple.

–

Hey, Emma here! As always, thanks for following along with us on Split Screen. You can find the My Hero Academia dub over on Hulu and Boys Over Flowers over on Netflix if you want to catch up on these shows with us. Honestly, you could probably just start from where we are now, there will be plenty of flashbacks to bring you up to speed.

Next time! The Sports Festival kicks into gear- we meet some new characters and dive in to one of the more fun arcs of the show. In Boys Over Flowers, we got drag racing and then probably swimming. Trauma! Yay!

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