“Color Rush Season Two” Series Review (Ep.1 to 8)

Storywiz returns with the second season of their Korean BL Color Rush, and if the finale is any indication, they don’t plan to stop there.

Starring Yoo Jun and Vixx’s Hyuk, the second season begins with lead character Choi Yeon Woo’s narration of his Probe’s disappearance. Somewhere between the end of the first season and the beginning of the second, Yoo Han vanished, kidnapped in front of Yeon Woo. Thus begins a personal investigation that opens up a world of deceit. Joining Yeon Woo on this journey is Kim Se Hyun, a classmate with unrequited feelings for Yeon Woo on a mission to avenge the death of his Mono sister.

For those who haven’t read the book or seen the first season of this series, Monos suffer a condition that only allows them to see the world in black and white, a type of colorblindness countered by the existence of a Mono’s Probe. Probes are a type of soulmate for Monos. Meeting them allows Monos to experience the world in color, which creates an obsession with their Probes.

In the first season, Yeon Woo not only comes face-to-face with his Probe, he also falls in love with him. The loss of Yoo Han is palpable in season two, and it creates a tension that carries well throughout the drama.

Each season has distinct pros and cons, but where the second season shines is in the fast-paced storytelling and the chemistry between the two leads. While the fight scenes were poorly executed at times and the internal monologues were more extended than they needed to be, the drama itself is full of emotion, heartache, and the desperate need to see the world in color. I admired the way the writers brought Se Hyun into the story, the way they connected his life with Yeon Woo’s. Telling a successful short story well is about focusing on a single aspect and fleshing out those areas while limiting how deeply a character’s background is delved into. Even without the detailed story behind Se Hyun and his sister’s life, we know they suffered similarly to Yeon Woo. With quick flashbacks and punchy, emotional moments, viewers are quickly drawn into Se Hyun’s pain, and this pain heightens the intensity of his feelings for Yeon Woo.

In all honesty, Se Hyun is a hopeless character who never feels hopeless. There’s a lot of internal strength in him. Despite losing his sister due to her desire to see color, as well as his unrequited feelings for another mono while being a mono himself, he never loses his way. Se Hyun is the type of person we all want in our lives, someone who gets pushed down but always finds the willpower and strength to get back up again, who always finds a reason to keep moving forward. I related to this part of him, so much so that I found myself cheering on his every move.

Color Rush 2 is a fast-paced ride that never slows down, fed by the need to tell the meat of a nicely set up story in the first season. However, my only real complaint about the second season is the overly done internal monologues, including the accompanying music. It brought me out of the story rather than keeping me in it. It felt like the writers were trying to tell us the story rather than show it to us, and that’s a rookie writing mistake. The first book I published was riddled with extended, overly informative excerpts. Looking back, I cringe. All stories should be written without taking the viewer for granted. Some things are apparent without being told. Se Hyun’s feelings for Yeon Woo were evident through his dialogue, actions, and stolen glances. The same goes for the story itself. There were times when what was happening was obvious without narration. Therefore, while both characters’ narration and internal points of view were needed, there didn’t need to be quite so much of it. Places where the dialogue and the actions didn’t fully explain it are the only places that needed narration.

All in all, Color Rush 2 exceeded my expectations. Full of mystery and the desire to both avenge the people they’d lost and find the ones they loved, Yeon Woo and Se Hyun are brought together in an unexpected but chemistry-filled way. Although our two leads don’t end up together at the conclusion, the story is left open for more.

An end credit scene brings back Yoo Han, Yeon Woo’s probe. He awakens inside a hospital wrapped in bandages, implying that a third season may reunite Yoo Han and Yeon Woo. Will we get a love triangle in Season 3? If so, I admit I will be rooting for Se Hyun. Maybe it’s the desperation of knowing two monos being together seems impossible when a probe awaits them somewhere, but I find myself needing love to win out over fate. I like the idea that love can be as colorful as a fated color rush, that two people who see the world only in black and white can bring color into each other’s lives just by loving each other.

Se Hyun, stay strong.

While fight scenes and certain high-tech scenes suffered because of evident budget caps, Color Rush 2 touched me more than the first season. Both Hyuk and Yoo Jun are strong actors who had a firm grasp on their characters, and it showed. If the entire original cast returns for a third season, it will be interesting to see how the re-entrance of Yoo Han will affect everyone involved. Better yet, what happens if Se Hyun’s probe also suddenly appears? Can his feelings for Yeon Woo withstand such a fateful meeting?

I need to see this play out, so I genuinely hope Storywiz follows through with a third installment.

If you want to watch an exciting story about people who see the world in color and those who don’t, fate, unrequited love, and emotions that arise from all of that, check out both seasons of this drama on Viki and Bilibili.

Rating- 4 out of 5