TYPE OF REVIEW 
: GOOD OL’ REVIEW
No spoilers.
If there was a webseries that best exemplifies the drawbacks of the platform and format, it is Behind Cut (비하인드 컷). This BL series, like many a webseries, has a solid premise. But the limitations of the platform and format keep it from being a more well-put together series. Its story, execution and the performances of its promising cast are held back. And ultimately, while a quick watch, leaves you unsatisfied in the end.
Behind Cut tells the story of struggling fashion designer Ki Jin (2Z’s Bum Jun). Feeling lost in his craft, he soon meets the optimistic and hard-working delivery rider Yeong Woo (Eom Se Ung). Unbeknownst to Ki Jin, his roommate, friend and top model Yi Bin (Choo Suk Young) helps him get a spot in the fashion show of a popular brand. And Ki Jin recruits Yeong Woo to be his model. The relationship of this threesome gets complicated when feelings begin to develop and sad memories come sneaking up from the past.
Just based on the premise alone, you’d expect the series to perhaps touch upon different challenges young people may face. Things like career or following your dream or finding your path or simply falling in love.
But Behind Cut, in its eight, roughly 12-14 minute episodes, unfortunately just rushes through its story without ever fully exploring any of the more intriguing possibilities. Let alone fully developing its characters.
Behind Cut merely feels like a quick summary or compilation of scenes from a longer and fuller series. What should be big plot developments and character reveals are glossed over with little time to actually settle or breathe. Thus resulting in what is essentially a quick succession of highlights that together, without much depth, feel haphazard and incomplete.
It is difficult to become invested in the story and these characters when you barely know anything about them. And any interesting story potential is wasted by the lack of true development, necessary depth and (most importantly) time to really give the story and characters the attention they deserve.
Sometimes, webseries feel like a full, feature-length movie awkwardly chopped up into little chunks or segments. Behind Cut, however, feels like it’s been cut from a long series. And for it to actually work as a feature-length narrative, a lot of work with its writing has to be done. Instead of merely inserting seamless transitions between episodes.
Its terrible pacing then affects how the legitimately charming and charismatic cast of newcomers deliver their performances. It would be difficult for anyone to try and elevate the material. And Bum Jun, Eom Se Ung and Choo Suk Young, while showing great potential here, just don’t get the material that allows them to truly show what they are capable of.
Behind Cut feels more like an incomplete story. Its pacing moving so fast, you are unable to forge a connection with the story nor its characters. The limited time in this format sacrifices the depth needed to help make this series be fuller and more complete. Quite an unfortunate disappointment. But again, a good example of the limitations of this format and platform.