Granted, not every relationship depiction needs to be positive. But it’s frustrating when a story masquerades a relationship as positive while piling on red flags.
Imitation 2 takes some unexpected turns and veers into disturbing, regardless of how the story tries to spin it. Given Ryoc’s behavior in the first volume, he must redeem himself to Maha and readers. Unfortunately, the series so far resembles the prevalent tales of awful men who put women through hell for the sake of “love.” Thanks to that, Imitation 2 is memorable for the wrong reasons because a peek into the entertainment industry in South Korea is not enough to normalize Ryoc’s actions. While Maha starts fascinating in the series, she transforms into a shell of a person, seeking validation from her crush.
Created by KyungRan Park, translated by C&C Revolution Inc., and lettered by Chana Conley, it picks up immediately after Ryoc kisses Maha. The Yen Press comic covers five chapters and includes a side story. It continues to give an exciting look into the industry’s politics and the hierarchy regarding senior and junior performers. However, the detours into nonconsenting interactions increase the dislike for Ryoc. On top of that, Maha’s character is flatter, almost one-dimensional. Imitation 2 is more frustrating than entertaining.
Imitation 2 Shows an Industry That Needs to Change
Sadly, the same can be said for the global entertainment industry. The abuses artists suffer from companies who prize money over their artists’ health are astounding enough. But some countries like South Korea have other strict rules besides working with little rest, such as a no-dating policy. While frustrating, Imitation 2 shows an authentic look at the industry in South Korea, and that part of the series delivers.
Timing of Maha’s Change Implies Trauma in Imitation 2
Whether the series intentionally plans to explore toxic relationships and abuse, that’s the implication it creates. In the first volume, Maha exhibits a range of emotions, including comedy, joy, and competitiveness. However, after receiving a verbal lashing from Ryoc and the instance where he chokes her for a scene in a show, her demeanor changes. She’s hesitant and quiet. If that’s the case, Imitation needs to commit to that. But it’s likely this is unintentional.
Ryoc Is a Problem
Imitation 2 continues pushing a relationship between Maha and Ryoc. Granted, not every relationship depiction needs to be positive. But it’s frustrating when a story masquerades a relationship as positive while piling on red flags. If Ryoc’s treatment of Maha before liking her was not bad enough, he touches and kisses her while she’s asleep in his car. This continues for some time, and Ryoc rationalizes she must not mind.
Whether Maha minds is not the issue. Sure, the series makes it clear that she was aware at some point. However, Ryoc did not realize she knew. He intentionally took advantage at a time when she could not give consent. In what world is this romantic? If that’s not enough, the competitive nature of the industry they are both in creates increased tension. At least it would if Maha cared. Ryoc flat out tells her to resign herself to number two as an artist because his group will always be number one.
Imitation 2 goes further downhill. The first volume, even when angering, held the reader’s attention. It felt like the series knew where it was heading and how to get there. However, the second volume has all the anger and little else to hold attention. Maha looks more and more like the traditional damsel waiting for a man to rescue her, and all the industry peeks do not offset the fact that these characters need a lot of work. Though initially promising, Imitation 2 deteriorates into some of the worst cliched moments that passed for love. It needs to develop the characters into fully-fleshed people rather than cutouts of the standard romantic story characters.
