Plot hijinks, body snatcher style

I like short form c-dramas but not all such dramas are created equal. Some writers and directors have cracked the code to produce a rollicking fun ride while others just come across as cheap and nasty. This show is somewhere in the middle. There is a workable central story, but the delivery is problematic.

We start with the FL being magically transported into a costume drama and she has to play a role until she return to the present. We are not told how or why this happens. Each time she dies, the loop resets and she start all over again. This device can work a treat and the show certainly milk it for some laughs early on. However, it doesn't last. Once the story enters the rom-com phase, we start to see cracks in the narrative, and it becomes a lot less inventive.

Part of the appeal of a short drama is that the script is tighter, and the narrative is more focused. The flip side to that is a show can also wander down the garden path for too long, thinking it has plenty of time only to have to wrap everything up in a rush and leave zombie threads behind. Unfortunately, this show is heading in that direction. It feels like the original displacement idea kick started the project, but the bulk of the show ends up being the typical palace intrigue/enemy-to-lover trope. There is barely a hint of the FL being from the 21st century. There are the odd throwaway lines but that's about it. The FL certainly doesn't use her modern knowledge to gain an advantage. The FL is also surprisingly accepting of her fate and settles right into court life without efforts. There is little outward signs of initial shock nor confusion which is baffling.

I waited for the plot to twist to give some raison d’etre for the FL’s role but I must have missed it when I blinked. Yes, she is supposed to be the daughter of an influential general but why is she marked for death, repeatedly? There are mumblings about inner court power struggles, but it feels like the usual catch-all explanation. How does that fit into the original displacement plot or is it the other way around? It is like watching one plot being subsumed by another, body snatcher style.

Motivation is key to explain actions and we are given plenty but they don't gel together, it is more like motivation du scène.
To further complicate things, the usual inner court shenanigans are on full display and often push the main plot aside. All that manoeuvring make the proceedings very busy but yielded little. The show finally cuts to the chase and the OTP falls in love as mandated by the drama gods. The process is contrived and quite predictable. This is not helped by the weak chemistry of the leads. The show tried to tick all the boxes to convince us that they are fated but the show also put in subplots that will definitely push them apart. The script is a bit bipolar in that regard. That is a pitfall of a short drama, you still have to get the job done but you have to do it more creatively or it will be just like flipping through a playbook of tropes.

The leads did a passable job on the acting front. The support cast is a mix bag as you would expect with limited time and budget. Speaking of limited budget, this is reflected in the production value as well. It ranges from decent to questionable. Which bring us to the final point. It is a dubious decision to make this a court drama. The palace intrigue angle is old school and the tropey subplots are easy pickings but of questionable merits. The palace setting also necessitate more elaborate sets and fancier costumes. Monies which could have been spend more wisely.

The ending feels rushed and doesn’t gel with me. It is no surprised that she went back to the real world but is this a zero-sum game? What does it achieves? Who is the man at the final scene? Is he the King or the actor and why would he remember her? It is the tropey HEA ending we had to have but doesn’t deserve.

In the end, the show is short and watchable. There are fun and swoon-y moments. The bigger issues of inconsistent behaviours, muddled motivations and a somewhat wasted fish out of water setup kept it from reaching any real heights. The sleight-of-hand escape in the end is a cop out in my book. I needed some strong rose tinted glasses to enjoy this show. Peace out.

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Cinderella raises again, Mod Joseon© style.

This show started well. Feels like a bit of fast paced romp and the FL is a dynamo. A couple of tropey meet-cutes later and we are well on our way to a love triangle. The fact that the competing ML's are handsome is a definite bonus.

The first few episodes certainly lives up to the premise and it was loud and whacky with a good dose of irrelevancy. There is a mysterious dark plot involving the usual palace intrigue (is there any other type?).

I realised we have a bit of a problem around the half way mark though. We seemed to have run out of story. There has been confessions, kisses, murders and rejections. The antagonists are already known, and their motivation made obvious. Umm, that is supposed to happen later, right?

What we ended up with is a draggy middle. The love line got complicated but not in a good way. The antagonists play merry hell with our leads, but it is the same plot going around and around. It is watchable because the writer-nim planted swoon worthy moments here and there so that we are given little sugar hits. Even so, it doesn't totally distract us from some awkward narrative. The inconsistent tone and pacing makes the Show feel out of sort. It is now leaning much more towards a melodrama than before. Rose tinted glasses are firmly in place.

The energy level does pick up somewhat towards the end. The queen selection process is interesting if a bit stilted. Finally, the main plot reach its conclusion. There was not a lot of surprises, but the resolution is satisfying.

Soon enough, the HEA ending slots into place, and we give thanks. Speaking of the ending, the final episode is total fan service. It was high-jinks all the way. No holds barred. It was so kooky that at one point, the show include scenes shot tiktok style and employed various modern motifs. That is most unexpected and immersion breaking. Some might think that the show has "lost the plot". It is entertaining if you roll with it but it is also a little jarring and breaks stride from much that went before. The ending is certainly filled with feel good moments. It is hard not to spark joy after watching that. :)

In terms of acting, the FL carried the Show. She is the focal point and she gave us her all. The ML's are mostly in her support. They do have the occasional dramatic or heartfelt scenes which are appreciated.

Consider the show is only 12 episodes long, I was hoping for a more intricate and novel plot. There are odd flashes of originality but the bulk of it is based on yet another retelling of the Cinderella trope. It is entertaining and watchable but it fails to reached its full potential.

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A decent healing drama that feels arbitrary at times until the big reveal

The premise of this Show is centred on the FL who just started work as a funeral director. She suddenly began to see the spirit of the dead under her care and can interact with them. There are some caveats but that is not important right now. The first apparition who appears before the FL happens to be the younger brother of the ML and he asked her for help. In most cases, this is the general structure of subplots. Various ghosts will ask the FL to help them to fulfil a final task on their behalf. Sometimes, the task is quite elaborate and comes with a touching backstory while others seem to be an afterthought that the Show squeezes in just before the credit rolls. There doesn't appear to be any obvious link between the various tasks.

As the story progresses, a central plot begins to take shape which linked some of the threads together, but it was not until the last episode that the writer-nim gave us the grand reveal that ties everything together. The Show is quite melodramatic, and I would seriously doubt anyone can sit through all 16 episodes without being affected at least once. The writer-nim really toy with our emotions in the last episode but a more astute viewer might see this as a cynical exercise to heighten the melodrama. (I’m trying to keep this spoiler free so please bear with me.)

In hindsight the hiding of the connections between the various threads did the show a disservice because while the impact of the final reveal is significant, we get the “Now I get it!” moment once and it is over. Ergo, the middle section of the show can feel a little adrift. The love line of the leads is certainly front and centre during this section. You might also start to wonder why all these apparitions appear before the FL and only her.

Speaking of the love line of the OTP, it is nice and serviceable. There is a bit of skinship, and they have a decent amount of chemistry, but it is not amazing. Their relationship is pretty much on rails. After saying that, the 2OTP’s romance is even weaker. They are an odd pairing and is mostly used as light comedic relief.

I think that is the key weakness of the show. While the idea of helping ghosts to fulfil their last wishes is reasonably novel and rewarding, the execution is a bit uneven. The Show really comes together once we find out the raison d’etre but that is almost too late. The romances, healing and growth of the leads are mostly predetermined. It is nice and rewarding to watch as it unfolds, but the Show can feels like a scrapbook of highlights but also a fair bit of standard fillers.

In terms of acting, it is generally good. The leads earned their keeps. The poor FL has certainly been put through the emotional spin cycle a few times. There are lots of cameos and the veteran actors can really deliver the goods. In fact, most of the senior support cast are superior to other shows.

In the end, it was a decent, watchable show. It tried to be clever with the causality plot, but it only partially succeeded. It is most likely an one-time watch for me.

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Watchable rom-com that is short and sweet

There is not a great deal to be said about this drama. I enjoyed it and you know what they say about hindsight . . .

Pros are a short run, decent cast, decent pace. Nothing offensive about the plot. Some swoon worthy moments and some sexy time scenes that are more than the token hands entwining. No stupid last minute break-up or evil ex's.

Cons are questionable OTP chemistry, plot holes, too much push-pull with the 2OTP. The 2FL/ML seems to exist purely to provide a source of angst and their motivation is inconsistent.

HEA ending was never in doubt. It was just the right length for the simple plot. Given its short run time, I can overlook some of its issues. A decent watch between major releases.

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A solid romance dragged down by lackluster fillers

I felt awkward when trying to write this review because I was seesawing between positive and negative feelings while watching the show. It felt as if I'm reviewing the Show and "the rest".

Fundamentally, this is a good romance drama. The ML is a handsome, workaholic CEO of a high-end fashion empire and the FL is a younger, bubbly student designer with great potentials. So far so good and their developing romance was nice and sweet. The ML is totally loyal and supportive but a bit domineering. The FL is a bit clueless at first but warmed up nicely. They have good chemistry and there is a decent amount of skinship that feels natural. Their romantic scenes in Paris are beautifully shot and their later scenes in China are certainly swoon worthy. I also appreciate the show paying homage to Chinese culture, textiles and fashion. For once, the overarching business theme is integral to the show. This includes realistic couture creation processes and not just the usual lip service. This would be a tight and enjoyable drama if it was 20 episodes long, alas it is more than double that length.

To reach that lofty length, the writer grafted on many iffy subplots and added a host of one dimensional support characters. We have a SML as well as SFL, a parade of tropey antagonists, meddling and manipulative parents and a dying ex-GF. So much angst, too much time.

All these stereotypical characters inhabit a seemingly parallel world where the OTP visits in between their romantic outings. Due to some dodgy writing, the flow of the story is not always smooth nor logical. Sometimes you can sense that the show wanted X to happen, so they worked backwards and jam in an Event Y as the raison d'être but quite often this feels clunky and heavy handed. Even when the story did make sense, it is filled with standard tropes.

Likewise, some characters' behaviour and rationale gave me pause. For instance, the ML’s mum admitted that she made a grave mistake when she forced the ML to marry his ex-GF 3 years ago for business reasons. She is doing exactly the same thing again but with the SFL. This also begs the question what are SFL's thoughts after witnessing what happened 3 years ago. The mum also refused to accept the FL, but she was willing to accept the FL’s younger brother as her only niece’s boyfriend after one short meeting. BTW, the 2OTP is quite contrived and not very convincing.

Surprisingly, the sick ex-GF is actually the best character of the lot. She is a sweet, well-adjusted lady. Her subplot was bittersweet and touching but grafted on. Small blessings.

Probably the worse aspect of the writing is the convoluted and muffled narrative. Subplots are plentiful but feel dull and predictable. Antagonists never raise above being petty minded. Even when they did huge economic damage to the ML’s company they are not punished in any tangible way. It was laughable how they were eventually caught. There are other examples of this type of dubious morality and fast logic. Ask no questions...

With that in mind, I would say that the core romance drama is good and solid but the overuse of lacklustre fillers drag it down and made it less enjoyable to watch. Peace out.

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A sweet, uplifting rom-com that overreach a little

Pairing a visually impaired girl with a delinquent is certainly pushing the envelope of odd couples. It is probably a good thing that the FL can’t see the ML clearly as his dress sense is diabolical! LOL
Seriously, this show is so sweet. There is almost no angst. Yes, there are some catty characters and the odd troublemakers, but they are all set straight by the FL’s friends soon enough. The FL and her cohorts have to overcome some challenges which they did with grit and determination plus a little help from their circle of friends.
The show doesn’t disguise the fact that it is trying to educate the public about different types of blindness and how the general public can support the visually impaired. It makes special effort to demonstrate how people with poor eyesight try to integrate into the “normal” work environment and society as a whole. Kudos to the show for doing that but it can be a little heavy handed at times.
Needless to say, the protagonists are well adjusted and able to live well but I was surprised when the FL decided to become a chef and of course my first question is whether that is safe or feasible. Then I did some research and found out that the winner of Master Chef USA S3 was a female chef/restaurateur who is legally blind and suffered from similar conditions to the FL! I do wonder if the producer of the show drew inspiration from that.
In terms of acting, they did just fine. Most are young and their inexperience do show at times, but the show was not particularly demanding. The FL tries hard to be convincing as a visually impaired person.
The OTP is cute together and has an easy going chemistry. Their romance is sweet and wholesome with a little bit of skinship.
My only gripe is the tropey and unnecessary 11th hour breakup. The reasoning behind it was weak and it was rushed through in about a minute. The show then spend the last episode undoing the damage and reset their relationship. Other than giving us an excuse to do a time skip, it archived very little.

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A good rom-com that is so grounded that you can build a house on it

Japanese drama love to explore weird and quirky scenarios and characters. This show is almost the opposite to that which is quite refreshing. Other than one brain explosion from the FL which set up the whole “quirky” main plot, the rest of the show is surprisingly grounded. Of course, there are some over-the-top characters like the FL’s parents, but they are largely inconsequential to the bigger picture.

If you are thinking that this show must be boring, then you are mistaken. It is actually very enjoyable and endearing to watch. This is largely because of the chemistry of the leads. They are both introverts but they are also soulmates just needed a chance to meet. With that type of personality, you don’t expect fireworks, but it is the methodical exploration of their feelings and the steady growth in their relationship that we are invested in.

The show is not without angst but the bulk of it is self-inflicted. The ML is so awkward around the FL that you don’t know whether to laugh or cry most of the time. It is just as well that the FL wears the pants in this relationship, and it is she who teased and nudged the ML out of his shell. There are other challenges which our OTP has to work together to overcome, and we bear witness to their growing attachment as a result. The 2OTP is also well written. It was not the usual fast track to romance like most 2OTP setup. It was full of uncertainties and trials. There are some really heartfelt moments with their interaction as well.

Acting is good from the pair of leads. There is an honesty in their portrayals. They don’t scream for attention, quite the opposite but watching their interaction is calming and gratifying. You just want to fan their little spark of romance; you want them to succeed. As I mentioned before, some of the support cast can be a bit loud but they provide most of the comic relief, so it is to be expected.

Actually, I stand corrected, the show can be quirky too. Every episode there is a segment where the FL would face her demons in a cartoon-y imaginary world. These segments are certainly cute and quirky. All the main characters do a happy dance during the end credits which is an unexpected highlight for me. The theme song is such an earworm.

At 11 episodes, the show is easy to binge and rewatch. There is an 2 hours special which was released several years later.
P.S. For bonus points, tell me the relationship of the leads in real life.

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A tropey show that was stretched to the limit

This Show started fine. The meet-cute was functional and the first few episodes motoring along setting up the relationship between all the characters. However, this is when cracks start to appear. First of all, this Show is tropey. It has all the cliché situations lined up one after another. Many shows are tropey, but this Show was rolling in them and make it too predictable. Secondly, the pacing is slow and got slower as the Show progressed. It is a classic case of stretching a thin plot to fill up as many episodes as possible. Honestly, you can half the episode count, and it will be a much better show.

The Show is, unsurprisingly, split into two main themes, the various romances and business shenanigans centred around the "hostile" takeover of the hotel managed/owned by the ML and his sister. On the business side, everything was focused on the hotel. It would have been decent if there was some clever business manoeuvring but it mostly came down to dirty tricks and back stabbing. It was good that the leads were shown to be able to stay one step ahead of the schemes but it went on for the entire length of the show and the plot was definitely wearing thin. On top of that, the obsessive behaviour by the antagonist was never fully explained. Was it revenge or spite?

On the romance side, the chemistry of the OTP is not particularly strong. There is a bit of skinship, but the kisses shot from afar looked staged and the closeup ones are awkward. There were the usual push-pull and then it just coasted along until we were served the longest non-breakup breakup that went on for too many episodes. It was draggy to say the least. The FL certainly did most of the heavy lifting in this relationship. Honestly, the 2OTP’s love line was actually cuter and more engaging. Sad to say that there was barely any skinship with the second CP.

Acting wise, it is a mixed bag. The ML’s sister was given a lot of screen time and she has mental health issues, but her storyline seemed muddled and darts all over the place. Sometimes she is normal while other times she was out of control. I understand that it is symptomatic of certain type of mental illness, but the problem is that the actress portraying that role is not up to the task. Her delivery is either flat or over the top, there is little nuisance to her acting and made her character unrelatable. Yes, she needs help (which was not given) but the script needs help too. On the other hand, the ML was just flat for the bulk of the Show. At first, he was the aloof GM of a luxury hotel so you can say that he is in character, but as time goes by, you can sense that he is really not giving 100%. Maybe because the role is not challenging or maybe he was typecasted, he was just going through the motion. It was workmanlike but hardly inspired. Thankfully, both the FL and the 2ML did a much better job and are more engaging.

The Show is watchable if you don't mind the draggy pace and simplistic story. There are nice moments, but it was just too long and the thin plot cannot sustain it and only served to exposed all the shortcomings of a mediocre show. I didn't drop the Show but I watch a good portion of it at 1.5x speed which is about the right pace for me. Not a rewatch.

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A likeable youth sports romance that is big on R but small on S

As OTP goes, they have hit the jackpot with this pairing. Both are good actors and their chemistry was great. The height difference is bonus for some viewers but at least it is not so exaggerated that the FL gets a crooked neck just trying to look the ML in the eyes. 

I'm particularly happy for the ML as he has been the "best man" in several dramas and now it is his turn to shine and show us what he can do in the lead role.

While on the whole, the show was good and enjoyable, it is not all sunshine and unicorns either. First of all, the show was slow in pacing. There was little doubt that the OTP were the chosen ones but there was a lot of push-pull and denial, mostly from the FL, and this went on for two third of the show. Several times during that long lead up to the confession, there were opportunities to just say the magic words and seal the deal but each time they (or individually) would push back and shout "we are only friends!" Even though they were practically confessing a minute ago. It slowed down the whole proceeding and extending the show by several episodes (probably by design). With no serious love triangles in sight and growing impatient from all involved, it was frustrating to watch and doesn't give us much rewards for hanging on.

The unicorns finally came out to play after the confession and you can almost feel the collective sigh of relief and everything just looks so much brighter and happier. Even subplots that threaten the leads sporting careers felt less threatening as we can see how supportive and loving the leads are to each other and you can really get behind them. I suppose one of the reason for the "go slow" in the early parts is that they were supposed to be elite athletes in figure skating and speed skating respectively. So some time and efforts were devoted to setting up that storyline and all the trials and tribulations that entails. The only problem is that both leads can skate but they are not even within shouting distance of an elite athlete. So lots of trickery were used to try to convince us otherwise. Cropping the shots strategically, a bit of CGI on doubles' faces, wide shots and moving rigs/platforms for action close-ups were used. Some were passable while others almost laughable. That plus the drawn out romance really made the first half a slow dance on ice.

With the focus largely on their developing romance, the sports aspect is given a more superficial treatment. Yes, lots of training scenes but they felt like b-rolls. There are lots of repetition but not a lot of details and tactics. Just do it, do more and try harder. It is even worse for the figure skating. A lot of the time the coach is just there to video the skating on his phone. Where is the choreography? Where is the review/critique/technical discussions? Just shouting "good/push harder" on the side line is not coaching. So if you are into figure skating or speed skating then this show will make you groan but otherwise, the sports are just backdrops and take up screen time between the romantic bits. It is ok but please don't look too closely.

There is a 2OTP and they are cute and sweet but they definitely played second fiddle to the leads.

In general, the writing is very text book youth drama. There are no shocking twists, there are ups and downs with their careers, friendships and love lives but every setbacks leads to breakthroughs. Old wounds will resurface but everything will be resolved in the end. Every dark cloud have a silver lining just about summed it up.

OST is nice and cheerful. You won't be humming anything afterwards but that's not the point. Rewatch is similar, it is a nice and easy watch but there are few highlights that will make you want to watch again and again.

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Watchable rom-com that can test the patience of the Buddha sometimes

I enjoyed this show but it can be exasperating as well.
I liked how dorky, serious and sweet the ML can be but he can be overbearing. Don't even get me started on the grandma, she is the classic smiling assassin who ruled her clan with silk lined iron fists.
My one big gripe with the ML is that I wish he would grow some backbone. He was totally under the grandma's thumb. The whole breakup to spare the FL more pain is the worst trope in my book. I would have much prefer the ML to stood up to the grandma and give her both barrels for ruining his brother's and now his life. Is he that wedded to the temple? He could get another job and just live happily with the FL in the suburbs.
While his brother was a sly character, at least he knew who was to blame for his sufferings and he also gave the grandma a serve which she deserved. I mean after all the pain she inflicted on the FL she was finally swayed by one goodbye letter from the FL to the ML? I just feel that she need to get some kind of comeuppance.
There is definitely a second lead syndrome happening which is rare with newer dramas which tends to demonise the SML. It was good that the love triangle(s) weren't serious but that poor man (the boss) deserved better and largely came down to a string of miscommunications or failure to communicate and there are lots of communication problems in this show, too many in my opinion.
I also wish there is more substance to the 2OTP (Mr Arthur). It could have been a lot sweeter but it was a caricature for the bulk of the show. The CP actually has a lot of potential and chemistry. There is a 3OTP (age gap love) which was even more perfunctory.
On the whole, it was a watchable but tropey rom-com with so much overacting (the FL's parents need to take some chill pills LOL). I'm not as engaged with the story as I'd have liked. I'm alternately swooning and facepalming. It can feel contrived and forced at times. The writer-nim employed a number of tropes and clichés which were initially effective but they kept repeating them and they ended up being laboured and tiresome.
There are not a lot of skinship (until the end) and this show must hold the record for the number of times a kiss can be interrupted. Even the Show made fun of it in the end but it was a forced smile with clenched teeth.
It was the idea of a monk (being allowed to) fall in love and getting married that hooked me and kept me watching but there are times when it did get frustrating.

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Hooked me, bored me, lost me

The palace intrigue trope is the backbone of most sageuk and it is the focus of this show as well. Amnesia is another popular trope that is fairly timeless as far as plot device goes. Combine the two and we should have an engaging plot full of potentials, right? Well, sort of, but only if the writer-nim was up to the challenge. 
100 Days actually started well enough. The flashback was quite impactful but in their rush to set up the OTP's backstory and their fated love story, it gave away too much of the main characters' stories and motivations. With no change to the rationale over the intervening years, that removed a lot of the "intrigue" from the palace intrigues. This is not necessarily a lost cause because the plot switched up with the ML (a Crown Prince, no less) suffering an injury which brought on amnesia and he was a fish-out-of-water in a backwater village. This conveniently set up the fake marriage trope with the FL. Hey, when you already ticked two major trope boxes you might as well go for the trifecta!
The Show has a dash of romance, a hit of angst, a measure of intrigue and a sprinkle of comedy but nothing really dominated. It really felt like the Show is fishing for a genre but it swung from a sageuk to a rom-com then stretches of full-on melodrama and bits in between. None of the traits stuck though. This drama doesn't hit you with the feels but more like flick you with a wet hanky.
The writer-nim did try to make us ship the CP by using all the clichés in the playbook. In that sense, I have to give full credit to the FL (loved her in Suspicious Partners) as she did most of the heavy lifting here. The ML was handsome but he spent way too much time being stoic/poker faced/detached or feeling unease. That is a source of frustration at times as all you see is his stony countenance even though the script is clearing saying "you are in love" (is that the idol curse?). By the time he started to show some real emotions later in the show, the script dumped us straight into a long stretch of melodrama and he underwent a full face Botox treatment. This could have been a decent rom-com but the chemistry of the OTP was slow to develop and always felt a bit scripted which is a shame.
The Show wasn't bad and it was watchable but the writing has some issues. Old cliché power struggle plots were the only game in town and they were hardly original. Most characters were standard archetypes with little growth so an archvillain was just that. A petty local bully stayed petty. The found village/family setup was nice and sweet. The close knit set of villagers provided the thankless backbone of the show and some colour. Even the so-called machinations and scheming were fairly transparent and is oft given away by long expositions (even though the viewers are well aware of the plot by then). The odd revelations were more like confirmations and not surprise twists.
There was no doubt a HEA ending was mandated but the last couple of episodes were really awkwardly written (even by the Show's standard). After the longest set up regarding the ultimate showdown between the ML and the antagonist and how they were manoeuvring to outsmart each other. When it happened, it was a disappointing fizzer. It was poorly set up and poorly executed. Why did the ML charged into war still wearing his fancy court robes? There wasn't even any attempt to put on the simplest leather armour let alone anything befitting a royal personage. Speaking of THE war, it was more like a skirmish. It felt like an afterthought with minimal attention to details (did they run out of money?). To be honest, they could have skipped that completely and still achieve the same outcome. There was little narrative logic as the script rushed all the sub plot to conclusion and gifted everyone a happy ending. It was not so much "no questions asked" but more like "ask no questions and hear no lies".
I really felt sorry for the FL, she hasn't been in many dramas since Suspicious Partners and this is not a career highlight. She did her best but the drama let her down.
OST was serviceable but repetitive. Rewatch value is low. Not that many swoon worthy moments to relive.

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Fast paced tropey drama with a strong FL

To be honest, this show would fit the description of a filler drama perfectly. It is watchable and entertaining while it lasted. This is helped by being 24 episodes long and about 30mins in duration so it is easy to binge. There is certainly a lot happening within that short runtime so there is little drag and the pace is quick.
The characters are roughly divided into 2 camps. Those in the OTP's camp aka the Good Guys and the rest. ;) This is not an exaggeration. There are so many antagonists either out to get the FL, the ML or both, they basically filled the rest of the cast.
Most of the plot centred around the antagonists taking turns attacking the protagonists non-stop until they are locked away. However, their evil schemes were fairly predictable and lacked inventiveness. Yes, it kept the plot moving along but with the OTP is always one step ahead of the evil-doers, it brings on a sense of fatigue but the fast pace stop you from picking at the plot holes too much. Of course, it is gratifying to see the CP overcoming obstacles but it a diminishing return.
Speaking of cliché plots, one actually became the Show's Archie's heel. The Show introduced a 6 years old boy very early on. Nothing unusual about that as some Shows like to use a cute kid to add a bit of sparkle and cheer when the story gets too heavy. Unfortunately, they had the child doing things that defied logic and made his character less likeable. Added to that, his voice dubbing was not very natural and can be cringy at times. The kid was used as a pawn in too many subplots (showing up in weird places and being kidnapped twice?!). Overall, it is not a strong script with its share of large plot holes and convoluted plots (the one involving the arch nemesis was a doozy).
With no recognised actors in the cast, it is unsurprising that acting was patchy at times. The FL did a creditable job and she started the show strongly and kept that up most of the way. This is one lady who knew what she wanted and how to get it. She made the show more watchable. The ML, on the other hand, was handsome but has limited range so for the bulk of the show he was basically stoic, stoically angry, stoically annoyed or jealously stoic(?). The chemistry of the leads were not strong. There were a lot of skinship but it was not always convincing.
The second OTP was more dynamic and cuter. In part because the 2ML had a much freer hand with his role and he was allowed to be lively and witty. He certainly has a greater range than the ML. The 2FL is not on par with the FL but she did good in her support role and suited her character. It was a shame that they weren't given more screen time and the way their romance was scripted just felt a bit haphazard. The rest of the support cast were largely one dimensional.
The production value was fine. I have read reviews that said the production was cheap. I won't go as far as that. Yes, they reused several sets but there were also some nice settings and it wasn't like the set was falling apart so it was acceptable. OST was serviceable but forgettable. Rewatch value is minimal for me.

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Is a makeover growth or conformity?

It is a sweet, easy to watch drama. I so wanted to love this show and in most part I do. When they are good, they are very good but the last 1/3 was a bit of a mixed bag. I think the general plot/pacing was fine. It was a bit on the long side with some sub plots that went nowhere in the second half. I don't mind the FL changing for the better for love as it was gradual and very positive character development. The best part is that the ML did not ask for or manipulated the FL into changing. The beauty angle is not 100% PC but then again who can claim that they didn't change a bit or even have a makeover in the name of love. I would have given it a 10 if the last 1/3 was done better. The FL growth was so nice to watch over many episodes and then just when they both confessed their loves, she went 10 steps backwards and became a total insecure, awkward GF. I think the show would have done much better if they amped up her self esteem and just show all the jealous girls what a perfect match they made and be proud of it. While the first 2/3 was well paced, feels organic and very "slice of life", the last 1/3 was trope heavy (including breakup, misunderstandings, forced separation, etc) and just feel too scripted. Thank goodness they didn't labour the angst and sadness. One final point, this is totally rated G. There is not even a real kiss for the entire length of the drama. There was one scene where they hinted that they kissed but the action was totally obscured. There were so many failed/foiled attempt it is no longer funny by the end. If you are looking for skinship then move on. Hand holding and a peck on the cheek is about as heavy as it got. Was that a clause in the contract or self censorship?

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A twist to the standard school yard romance drama

I loved this drama. I was only expecting a light weight school drama but how wrong was I. It was so well written and the theme is so strong but without going all dark and horrid. It is all about love at every level. Love between the OTP, family members, friends and colleagues. It is all there and it is their devotion that overcame obstacles and adversities. The chemistry of our OTP is off the chart and how they talked and cleared up their misunderstanding and then became so strong and steadfast is a breath of fresh air compared to the usual k-drama trope. Thank you writer-nim.

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Interesting urban fantasy story

I have to admit that I have a fairly low expectation for this drama. The story line sounds interesting but I have serious doubt that they can pull it off. I was partial correct but I'm also happy that I enjoyed this show more than I expected. First of all, the whole boy raised by wolves thing is a joke. You really have to suspend all your disbelieve and just run with it. Take it as a fairy tale and you will do ok. In that sense, the ML carried the first 1/3 of the show. His looks, innocence and chemistry with the FL made the watch more than watchable and quite cute and entertaining. The middle 1/3 is where the show lost its way. The plot holes are big and the villain is over used and he is not evil enough to carry the show. He is more meddling than pure evil (leave it to k-dramas for that!) but the effort of his dirty work was over amplified. The plot just meander around for several long episodes just so that we can feel the angst (not) and wait for the story to get back on track. Thank the drama gods for the last third of the show as it saved the drama. Bits of it were cheesy but at least they gave the drama time to explore and bring all the threads to a satisfactory conclusion rather than the rushed happy ending for everyone in the last 15 mins of a 30+ hours show. A nice surprise is the villain did get a chance for true redemption rather than just being written out or worse, let off the hook. There are a fair bit of skinship and it was largely done well and with feelings. You have to give it to Amber An for not shying away from intimate scenes. She is a good actor but I feels that she is getting type casted into this type of rom-com roles over the years.

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