In this blog, a kiss analysis is different from a kiss rating. An analysis is technical while a kiss rating grades the subjective aspect or the aesthetic value of the kiss. My kiss ratings will be based on the following categories: nakedness (just kidding!), skills, transitions, performance, composition, and interpretation. Each category is graded on a scale of 0 to 10.

If you’re a skater, you’ll notice that I’m using the same criteria used for judging figure skating in the last Winter Olympics. I chose the same categories to give this post a semblance of impartiality because I’m notoriously biased. lol.

Disclaimer: All decisions are final. Regular exposure to my posts may cause flatulence or hair loss; reading discretion is advised. Some very fine Cabernet Sauvignon have been consumed to create this post. Please hug a real person today. Good night. 

1. Skill. 8/10

Skills refers to the expertise of the kisser and the kissee. I was looking for effortless kissing. If the kiss looked overly rehearsed or awkward, I subtracted points.

I didn’t deduct from points from WonDeuk, but I subtracted a point from HongShim for not closing her eyes.

She shouldn’t have been staring into space like that especially when he had already closed his own eyes. First, it looked weird that she was watching HIM kiss HER. And second, she couldn’t focus on the tactile sensation of kissing him while her eyes were open. She was supposed to be “lost” in the moment, but the sure method to achieve being “lost” is to to close the eyes and be in the dark.

Also, I subtracted another point because of her pupils. They didn’t dilate. Lol. That’s a telltale sign of attraction – the pupils widen.

Skill-wise, I think the actor is a more practiced kisser than the actress.

2. Transition. 8/10

Transition is about connecting the moves. The kisser and the kissee can’t just stand there immobile while the camera is rolling. In a close-up, I’m not looking for big movements of the body, but tiny, almost imperceptible, movements which would hint at the emotions and thoughts of the character.

Ten seconds elapsed between the time WonDeuk touched her neck and their lips met. In those ten seconds, there was continuous movement from WonDeuk. He was steadily moving his face closer to hers and he was holding his breath. To me, the reason he wasn’t rushing it or making bold moves was because he was gauging her reactions to see if she’d pull back or freak out.

However, I deducted a point because HongShim’s face did NOT register a reaction while WonDeuk was closing in on her. She could have shown nervousness or at least ANTICIPATION, either by tensing up her cheek muscles, blushing, swallowing or biting her lips.

I also deducted another point because of the WonDeuk’s hands. I don’t know if the actor KyungSoo is right-handed or left-handed but he moved his right hand more than his left hand while kissing the girl. His right thumb, for instance, grazed her cheek and the rest of his hand, his right hand, slid to clasp her nape. On the other hand, his left hand was stationary, touch the left side of the neck.

I don’t know if you’ve been kissed but if I was being kissed and one side of face/cheek/neck was getting massaged, while the other is not, I’d feel like a lopsided dough.

3. Performance. 9/10

Here I was looking at the overall staging of the kiss, i.e., if their bodies looked aligned and no arms and elbows were sticking out.

Because the actor KyungSoo is not particularly tall, their bodies lined up nicely. If you noticed, he didn’t need to raise his shoulders nor hunch them, and HongShim didn’t have to stand on tippy-toes to reach his lips. When there’s an unusual height difference between the guy and the girl, the guy hunches over the girl, and it creates a jarring and uncomfortable visual.

I subtracted a point because of the distance between their bodies. I think they could have moved an inch or two closer to each other.

4. Composition. 9/10

Composition is how the kiss is arranged. The fact is the nose can be a mood-killer. If WonDeuk and HongShim bumped noses as their lips were about to meet, the comical image would have disrupted the tension. WonDeuk must tilt his head to avoid bumping her nose but he had to time it correctly. Do it too early and he’d look as if he was lunging for that kiss. Do it too late and they’d have a nose collision.

There’s an arrangement or sequence to the kiss. It has to be subtle. First, the eyes have to meet, then noses have to snort…errr…sort their places in mid-air so the lips can fall into the motion naturally.

And that’s why I deducted a point. For the nose. WonDeuk successfully evaded that nose bump but he didn’t angle his head enough so his nose STILL ended up pushed against her cheek. (Or maybe I should blame HongShim’s chubby cheeks. Lol. See? I’ve been complaining about the roundness of her face.)

Apart from this, the kiss was alright. I liked that the director opted for multiple short kisses instead of one long one. Their short kisses were more in keeping with their tentative and budding relationship. To me, short kisses meant that they were still learning the kissing preferences of the other person and he was still adapting to how she kissed him back.

Also, the problem with long smooches, at least for newbies like WonDeuk and HongShim, would be how to control their breathing. Especially when the noses are smothered in each other’s cheeks, they could easily get asphyxiated… or something. Hahaha.

5. Interpretation. 10/10

With kdramas, a kiss is never just about a lip-lock. It’s not about lust. It’s not about sex. It’s not the physical action. As kdrama aficionados, we all know that a kiss is about the relationship between the two characters. Every kiss is like a milestone marking a change in how themselves themselves as a couple.

So when I say interpretation, I was looking at whether the kiss between WonDeuk and HongShim conveyed the point across that WonDeuk had returned to become her husband. I was checking to see whether the kiss enhanced the story or it was just added on as a fanservice.

And I think the kiss advanced the premise of the script.

Had WonDeuk rushed to her, had he smiled at her or had he spoken a word to her, I think he would have ruined the moment. For me, his silence as he approached her emphasized the gravity of their next stage of their marriage. It wasn’t going to be all foolishness and pranks from now on.

More importantly, the intensity of their kiss reflected the right balance between intimacy and hesitation. Of course, WonDeuk wanted her; he had made his intentions clear before he left for Hanyang, didn’t he? But given the uncertainty of his situation, it would be too soon and too hurried to give her a long unrestrained kiss.

Lastly, what I liked about this kiss was the reciprocity. I’ve seen kdramas were the lip-action was all coming from the guy. Here, once HongShim closed her eyes (ha!), she started kissing him back, and following him in the pace that he had set. Having multiple short kisses ensured that both of them were actively participating in the kiss. Like a give and take relationship.

When all the scores are added up, the sum is 44/50. Not bad for their first kiss…well, at least, from my perspective.

Okay, enough with this silliness on kisses. Will try to finish watching Ep 10 tonight soon.