clarissa3658
Australia
This review may contain spoilers
Yikes, how did this show go off the rails that quickly. The first half of the show it was a solid 7 but then ugh, I had to push myself to watch it. Honestly, there were so many things that I didn’t like, and so much wasted potential. First the tragic Pinocchio knock-off fire backstory, and then the plot seemed so predictable and forced. I also didn’t like the side characters. The prosecutor who enjoys spending his free time watching people from his car, the chief’s daughter who although is a strong female character - I just couldn’t help but dislike her, that’s just me personally. The big bad of the series, the typical serial killer (the man who gave Kang Sung Mo his creepy watch-from-a-distance habits) who ‘can’t feel emotions’ but spends his whole life chasing, imprisoning and obsessing over a woman? Even the backstory behind the series of murders seemed like such a let-down (like people died man, and you stabbed 3 women to death, why??) and then the next Home Care fire with the same stabbings - all as bait to lure that woman again? And then that bizarre kidnapping, why??
And then we had to suffer the typical angst between our main couple because kdrama law says so, and when Lee Ahn reads her memory for the 10th time and sees her dad, he steps back all shocked like “your dad is Yoon Tae Ha????” like how on earth could he not have known? How is this new information? Are we as an audience really supposed to believe Lee Ahn just wondered who Yoon Jae In’s father was for 2 years, and just heard he was some random criminal and never heard/saw a name, or asked, or researched? If her maths teacher could find out in a minute, so could he. And we all KNOW from several people that he was falsely accused and was framed!
Just because the news says so, Lee Ahn says Yoon Tae Ha is the person he detests the most in the world?! What about the man who fcking stabbed you who is most likely the same criminal who lit that fire all those years ago. I mean it wasn’t, but he’s all tied into it. And while I’m at it, after leaving her on the ground crying in the rain, and saying her dad is the worst, he goes off the grid for days, ignores her calls, leaves her on her own to get kidnapped (when he knew full well the CCTV cameras were malfunctioning where she lives & works, and was being watched by some suspicious man in black) and then after rescuing her by some stroke of luck, he never once apologises????
Look, I understand he had to direct his anger somewhere and everybody blamed her dad, so changing the image you have of someone you’ve hated your whole life isn’t easy, but still, leaving her like that was cold. And another thing!! The MOMENT it was proven Yoon Tae Ha was framed, someone should be making the efforts to get her dad out of prison!! Or at LEAST tell the poor man that his innocence is proven! He literally just tried to commit suicide.
Anyways then the plot continues to go sideways, along with the police’s continued incompetency. How did they manage to lose him when he was handcuffed in a police-car, I still don’t understand that. Twice! Why would, when receiving a text with the kidnapper’s face, you let a possible suspect go and drive away, and THEN look at the picture sent. Jesus christ, is lieutenant Nam (Yoon Jae In’s superior) the only one with a brain in the force?
The romance which was at least a part of the story originally is just tossed to the side for the rest of the show, which considering is the only saving grace of the show, is a pretty dumb move. But alas, I must push on to get closure for this bs. Time to watch the rest of Keeping up with the Kang’s and their psychotic family drama.
And even as they as they close up all of the loose ends on the final episode, the feeling of dissatisfaction did not cease.
Everyone’s dumb, the end.
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Well this was an interesting show to get into. Even when I was 2 and a half episodes in - I could see this show’s super high quality. I felt it was really well written and that a high budget was put into it. The highlight of the show is Jang Man Wol. Her personality is unlike most female characters and I loved her stern but playful personality. It’s the first time I’ve seen the cold woman/warm man trope and I was pleasantly surprised by it. Jang Man Wol had a past that I was interested in for once. Most flashbacks do nothing for me but in this show I was keen to learn more about her backstory. And her fashion sense!! Every outfit was breathtaking, stunning and on point. Her makeup, and hair as well. IU is a truly gorgeous woman. [She also reminded me of Kaguya from Love is War. Both shows were released in 2019 and from the personality to her looks, Jang Man Wol is almost the real life version of Kaguya.]
And may I just say, I have seen endless dramas where we get a glimpse into the main character's past + first love (when the main character has lived for decades) and this is the first time I've actually really shipped the couple!! This couple has so much chemistry - just like the present couple. I am impressed. Not many dramas have succeeded in this, nice job writers. Their story was tragic like Romeo and Juliet. It made me wish they could be together in another life. I really wished when they met again in the present that they could have had a tad more closure. Even if they could have just hugged, or something. It broke my heart that he stayed with her since the beginning as firefly, as her guardian and she had been waiting for him the whole time and never knew. I just think they deserved so much more. But you know what they say; first love doesn’t always work out.
But of course our main couple had just as much chemistry, and they got a happy ending. Let’s talk about Koo Chan Sung - aka the most perfect human male on the planet. At the start he may seem quite vanilla, and you wouldn’t be entirely wrong. But he honestly just has a heart of gold. He does the right thing every time, is good at everything, is intelligent, and will help anybody wholeheartedly. He sticks by Jang Man Wol through thick and thin and helped her start to make better choices. I loved how at the end, the reason why she likes the plump food-eating star is because of him. In a way, they kind of did meet in their past lives. I found it so funny that he told her past-self “I must return to where I came from, to return to the woman I love very much” and she was jealous, and then when reunites with her present-version he says “I just denied a drink from a very beautiful woman” like XD. He loves messing with her and I live for it. I really did feel like their love was just so genuine and real. Their dynamic just worked and a great example of opposites attract.
Another thing I loved about this show was the colouring and all the magical elements. I really liked how the fantasy setting was done. In fact, this show reminded me of Goblin in many ways. From the reincarnation, deities/gods, immortal-having-lived-centuries main character and ghost-seeing love interest. Both protagonists are immortal beings who are paying their sins for the deaths they caused in the past. The overall vibe of the show is very similar.
And finally: the soundtrack was so beautiful too. Had so many emotional songs and they fit with the show SO well.
Overall, this show was a solid 8. A good watch.
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Honestly if I had to recommend a kdrama for someone who had never watched one before, this would be it. A high budget, well-casted, well-written, exciting show that keeps you on the edge of your seat eager for more. It’s too good, too good!!
The romance was top tier. I'm aware it's been a topic of controversialness, but for me - Jung Tae Eul x Lee Gon are one of my new favourite couples. Especially the scene at the end of Ep 11. Had me on the edge of my seat!! That scene >>> any boring love scene ever made
Their dynamic was just so fun. A post to summarize (courtesy of @lavenderbyun):
Tae Eul: take your clothes off
Lee Gon: *undoes 1 button*
Tae Eul: I DIDN’T SAY STRIP YOU IGNORANT SLUT
Lmaoooo, they give me life ♡
And Lee Gon! My man. We love (1) romantic, skilled, handsome science nerd. Someone who travels across time and space for his love, asdfghjkl; A king worth stanning.
One of the highlights in the beginning? When we're in the Kingdom of Corea and people were just shocked cause no one is allowed to touch the king but he lets Tae Eul touch him HAHAHAHA
Considering his well-known 'I don’t like being touched by people', he is certainly shouting out loud here to everybody around him 'I'm crazy about this woman and I just want to touch her all the time!!!!'
I loved all the characters in this drama. Especially Jo Young & Eun Sup, their scenes were always a highlight. Woo Do Hwan has the range, give him all the awards
And his bromance with Lee Gon!! Love them sm
I will admit my brain started to hurt with all that time travel, multiple universes and that place where time doesn't flow. It is a lot to get your head around but just don't think about it too hard is my advice lol
Otherwise, this drama deserves all the praise. I could rave about it forever, please give it a shot!
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It's nothing you haven't seen, with all the classic tropes you've seen in every historical drama ever. The only thing that's new is D.O (Do Kyung Soo). Although his character was fairly one dimensional, he does have his moments. Some of my favourite lines:
*fireworks go off in the sky during the festival*
"There goes the taxpayer's money"
"I'm already aware you fell for my thighs, tell me something else"
"You mean to say I'm completely BROKE?"
He's a manchild, but I love him. Even D.O himself said how hopeless his amnesiac character is at the beginning
Interviewer: What kind of housework does Won Deuk do in the drama?
D.O: He can't do such things
Interviewer: Not at all?
D.O: No, not at all. Won Deuk is useless.
Lmao XD
I don't feel like going into details of the plot, characters or romance because it could all be described as average and generic tbh. Not necessarily a bad thing! Predictable doesn't always mean bad. After all, this drama does have a lot of enjoyable moments. However you shouldn't go into it with expectations it will knock your socks off either.
You should also be prepared for long episodes and for the final episodes to drag on forever (why didn't they just get rid of the villain 6 episodes ago!! what is the point in keeping him alive, 'he must live and suffer through his days' forget that bs just kill him)
Overall though, this drama wasn't too bad (if you're not sick of the amnesia trope yet lol)
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I must say, this drama had it all. I think there are several factors that made it as good as it was. For me, my main points are:
- the element of North and South Korea. It almost feels like a parallel world (maybe just because I’m watching ‘The King: Eternal Monarch’ right now) but they are both so different, and the North gave it that element of danger but also innocence (since they don’t have access to much and it’s very backward)
- the brotherhood with the 4 soldiers, each with their own personality (hello 'found family' trope because se-ri's biological brothers are human garbage)
- the age of the leads: in their mid-late 30s rather than in most dramas it’s 20s, gives it a more mature feel
- stunning cinematography and soundtrack
- star-crossed lovers trope
- the plot is v good
+ one of my favourite intros ever.
But I must say, one thing I found so funny in this were these Trucks of Doom™. Like why did the villains have to go through All. That. Trouble. every time they needed someone killed. There are so many other methods to make it look like an ‘accident’ why do they do they same M.O. every time???
And even 'I' think that this show has too many coincidences, even for kdrama standards. The amount of times they had a ‘chance encounter’ in the past is crazy lol
Even so, this drama is such high quality. So glad I finally got around to watching it.
P.S: Ri Jeong Hyeok has set the standard impossibly high, sucks for all the guys who aren’t him because he has just raised all our expectations by 847%
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This review may contain spoilers
This show was such a treat ♥︎ the vibe is so refreshing and good for the soul. I already miss it.First of all, love seeing my angel Shin Min-ah back on screen. And even happier seeing Kim Seon-ho be cast as a male lead! He’s been second male lead after second male lead - it was his time!! And their chemistry, omg they are the gold standard.
Their love story is the heart of the show but you also get to watch the lives and stories of the other main residents in town. I’m not usually one for lots of side stories but as the show goes on you do get more attached to the townspeople and seeing their stories progress truly brings a smile to your face. I was especially a sucker for Mi Seon and police officer Eun Chul, they were adorable.
Although do be prepared for some heavy topics, and it can come as a bit of a shock when it’s right after episodes of fluff and happiness. Hometown Cha Cha Cha is a love story but it is also a story of healing. The burden and trauma that Hong Doo Shik carried..no wonder it was so difficult for him to open up after a life of those around him leaving him. I’m so glad that Hye Jin was there to be his rock so he could finally learn to forgive himself.
On the whole, a really beautiful show and I’ll miss the seaside town of Gongjin and its characters so much. I really want to go to the beach now ^-^
I’d highly recommend this show for viewers looking for something light and easygoing but who are also prepared for the angst and trauma that comes before healing. I promise the payoff is worth it!
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I started it because I wanted to see everything my boy Lee Seung Gi's is in, and the plot description didn't seem too bad. But honestly this drama can be described in one word: cliché. Boy oh boy is it frustrating when it’s exactly what you’d expect and you could practically write the show yourself.
This drama is your basic crime-mystery plot, with the heroes vs the Corrupt Company/Authority.
Everything is connected, and with every developing plot line it’s like "oh OF COURSE this person is related to this" and "of coURSE this tragic past incident is connected to the other person's past trauma"
Even the romance is cliché in every possible way. He’s the cold but mysterious male lead and she’s the cute, clumsy dorky one in the squad. They knew each other in their childhood, I could go on. And I really disliked his treatment of her. He belittles her, calls her ‘birdbrain’ and ‘freeloader’ when she’s been nothing but nice to him. Even by the end of the drama I still couldn't support the couple because they had barely any screen-time so I couldn't get attached to them.
I’m just in a constant tug of war between 'not enough romance' or 'pls! no more forced/unnecessary romance thx'. Like why couldn't the writers make it more natural? The romance scenes feel separate from the rest of the show, almost like switching genres. It adds nothing to the plot so I guess they just added it every now and again to say 'Oh but there's romance too!' It's so bizarre, a ‘romantic’ scene happens, aaaand then it’s back to the plot the next scene. Back to normal. Idk, it’s just a weird way they’ve done things???
To explain what I mean (minor spoiler:) The couple had like 6 mini scenes during the whole drama (and half of them are just them looking at each other while they're sleeping), and didn’t even have a REAL mutual kiss until the last 5 minutes of the last episode, what kind of bs? It's like, include it in the story or DON'T!
Not only is it predictable, the entire plot just goes around in circles. The reason behind the tragic crime at the beginning of the drama keeps freaking CHANGING. UGH the entire plot is stretched out sooooooo unnecessarily long. Even I was like “wait there's MORE??? WHEN WILL THIS TRAIL OF CORRUPTION AND LIES END?!!?!” I'm as emotionally exhausted as the characters. I pity the male lead so much. He's at the centre of everything and just when he overcomes yet another heartbreaking truth, there's another truth bomb around the corner. You’re All Surrounded? More like 1001 ways to hurt Eun Dae Gu. So much pain for one man, yikes.
Although I did love when the show called themselves out:
“Why do these kinds of things only happen to Team 3? This stuff only happens in dramas.”
He’s right and he should say it.
Or his other famous line "This team is bad luck! Hostages! Attacks! And your mother was assaulted! And now yet another attack!” lmao he is my spirit animal
Yeah so, save your time. If you're after an actual DECENT Heroes vs the Corrupt Leaders drama, watch 'Healer' or 'Pinocchio'. They're made in the same year and everything.
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I don't normally get into robot/AI type dramas but this one was so good. I've seen a few drama love triangles where they use the same actor for 2 different characters (that in itself is so funny to me), but this time it's between the female lead, the male lead and the male lead's AI hologram that he created. Weird if you think about it lol
But it WORKS okay, trust me
There were a few times when I couldn't believe So-Yeon really couldn't tell the difference between a living breathing human being and a hologram but ¯\_(ツ)_/¯
it's kdrama logic what can I say
But speaking of, Yoon Hyun Min is a such a good actor. He is able to portray these 2 characters so well (human vs AI). Even without him speaking, you can tell the difference - A+ acting.
After deciding to watch it, I couldn't stop binging. I was worried about the pacing considering it's only 12 episodes and I was hoping, praying for a non-rushed ending. Thankfully it didn't come across that way (at least not to me) and everything was wrapped up nicely
[You have no idea how hard I was praying "don't be like Memories of the Alhambra - don't be an open ending, don't be an open ending, don't be an open ending"]
Holo in itself is such a cool concept, and oh how I love him. At first I thought it would be so cool to have your own Holo. But after seeing it in action released to the public....with random people everywhere speaking out loud to their own holos, omg it would be so infuriating, I would be so annoyed all the time…@god pls don't let this happen in the future. Like a Black Mirror episode *shudders*
Think about it, Pokemon Go (which is just a phone app!!) had people getting mugged, stabbed, falling off cliffs, you name it (crazy but true), can you imagine the damage of an AI hologram!
Honestly this drama really makes you think about the way technology could be heading and the importance of human connection (I say ironically in quarantine)
I would be lying if I didn't wish there was more romance, but it is what it is. Overall, I loved this drama and would highly recommend for a weekend watch
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But let's talk about Dan Oh, aka: the love of my life. She is my spirit animal tbh, she is always just DONE with the author and his bs. Dan Oh really is one of my favourite female leads, she’s got such spunk and I can really relate with her.
And Haru, Haru my baby. Cinnamon roll, too pure. Give Haru the world
Then UGH fcking Baek Gyung, god. What a jerkwad. So violent, son just calm down.
In the words of Haru “I know you’re a douchebag - in both worlds” Haru you’re doing amazing sweetie.
I loved that most episodes were such high quality, especially at the beginning. I loved the plot, the characters, everything.
I also love that Dan Oh and Haru are confirmed soulmates. Every universe, no matter the character, place, time, memories or not, they always find each other and love again. It’s beautiful, just my kind of otp.
And I LOVED Yeo Ju-da’s character once she got her agency. Her written character is all:
#nice girl #wouldn’t hurt a fly #beautiful but doesn’t know it #so innocent
But once she gets her ego she is like "bACK OFF BITCH" and doesn’t take any crap from the bullies. Girl SNAPPED and I’m liVING. When she’s like "why did I never get you guys back before? oh yeah I’m the protagonist and they must remain 100% morally perfect." She doesn’t want Oh Nam-ju to do everything for her, she wants to do things for herself. A feminist icon
And Lee Do-Hwa! My boy! The 2nd lead but 1st in my heart.
I realise now that all I've done is talk about the characters but they ARE what make the show. I couldn't imagine reading the comic the writer wrote on its own, ew no.
My favourite parts of the show are when the characters are doing a stage scene and they are just like "seriously??" or "oh my god that was so cheesy!"
And my favourite line ever, from our bae Lee Do-Hwa: "Why is my scene with you always the same? Crying or playing the violin! I feel like I'm not the second male lead but a soundtrack player"
In summary: watch this gem of a drama!
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This review may contain spoilers
This was a show that was fairly good, but could have been so much better if the writers simply hadn’t bitten off more than they could chew (or more accurately: they didn’t need to add so many unnecessary ingredients [subplots] otherwise it would have been fine)Things they could have done better:
- Inn-woo’s ‘redemption’ or even just his whole character could be deleted tbh (he is so freaking annoying ??? literally, what is his beef?????)
- secondary couple was paced too slowly, and needed more development!!
- no gangster subplot pls, why did we spend our last 2 episodes on this??
- so many subplots were never touched on (Yeo-reum’s father, Ms. Han’s [their boss] history with Su-yeon, just general backstory)
- we never saw the full lead-up to the scene where Su-yeon stopped that car from hitting her, like where did that car even come from???? why was he there??? so many questions
- what was Yeo-reum’s big secret that her high school bully was blackmailing her with???
- so much potential was sacrificed for ‘dramatic’ action scenes in my opinion, such a shame
What the show actually needed was more episodes. It would have worked better if it had 18 episodes rather than 16. I hate when dramas attempt to wrap up as many loose ends as they can at the last minute, so dissatisfying.
And man, the second lead syndrome is strong in this one. Go Eun-Seob my boyyyyy
He’s so attractive and kind, like how has she never considered??? Give him to me if you won’t have him lol
I'm glad he’s the main lead in ‘Extraordinary You’ (2019), he deserves all the love
Meanwhile, the ending was sweet but was also such a cop out. As much as I'm a hopeless romantic and love happy endings, this one just seemed a little off to me?? Aside from the obvious (we didn't even see his face!! come on) I wish we got to see him in a wheelchair even temporarily for a long period of time as he learns to love himself and accept his disability with Yeo-reum’s help. I felt this was yet another thing that could have been handled better.
But at least the main relationship itself was nice. There were no stupid forced breakups or big misunderstandings, which is already a big plus for me. All their internal drama stemmed from his disability but they worked to get through it together. And even the angst as he continued to pull away from her, at least we (as an audience) can understand his intentions.
Another thing I liked was the setting. As a lover of travel and airports, I was SO down to see a drama set in an airport. And I believe they covered the ‘airport’ aspect pretty good, with some interesting day to day incidents.
So to summarise:
- loved the characters (except In-woo)
- loved the setting
- main couple was cute
But it was just a waste of potential, with questions left unanswered and plot-lines that never needed to be added. Otherwise my rating would be much higher.
On the whole, a 7.5.
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Louis and Bok-sil are the cutest lil pups and deserve the world. And he was so devoted to her!! Nothing ever swayed him and he loved Bok-sil so much. She was always his first priority and it was so cute how he followed her around like a puppy. His whole character was like a child and I loved it, he was a cinnamon roll.
I also liked how even though there were 'antagonists', they were never truly THAT bad. The CEO was always so obviously suspicious and was even a bit funny too.
On the whole, this show was great. The plot was always good, with Louis x Bok-sil's cuteness in the centre. It was a great rom-com and that's why it is getting a great rating. Only a teeny bit of angst (which wasn't even that bad) and the rest was so enjoyable to watch.
Would highly recommend
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This review may contain spoilers
This drama gave me major W vibes. Which isn’t surprising since it’s from the same creator. The concept is so fresh and original. The plot in itself is reason enough to watch the show. Also laughing over the fact that after ‘Pinocchio’ both Lee Jong Suk and Park Shin Hye moved on to medical dramas and then ‘alternate reality’ shows.
Another thing I find funny is how this drama is more of an action thriller and yet we get better kiss scenes than actual romance dramas lmaooo
But man, what a man Jin-woo is. He risked it all for a man he hadn’t even MET. He lost SO much in the process. I couldn’t believe he was still in one piece after going through all the pain and trauma he suffered. The ghost NPC of his ex-best friend coming to kill him every day?! With other enemy NPCS appearing out of the blue around him constantly, in every shape and form?! What a life to live, jesus.
I both liked and disliked the ‘Momento’ story-telling method. How we’d see one scene and then go back in time to see what happened leading up to it. It did make things interesting, although it was annoying to watch entire scenes we’d already seen all over again. Still, it was different and I liked the originality.
If I did have another complaint, it would be Hee-ju’s role. I wish she had more involvement. She was such an amazing female lead (and honestly deserves better, whoops) and did everything in her power for the man she loved. She was so intelligent and kind, and this is why I wish she had played a bigger role. Apart from being Jin-woo’s shoulder to cry on, I wish she could have joined the game properly and made a difference plot-wise. I wish Jin-woo could have fought with Hee-ju by his side. Or for her to also have some ‘hacking’ skills and help from the sidelines. Just something that helped him apart from emotionally. That’s just my two cents, I feel like it was a wasted opportunity.
I was going to write I was somewhat okay with the ending, but after seeing other people’s reactions and realising what we could have had, it does make me disappointed. Jin woo really did deserve a happy ending (shown on screen) after all the suffering and pain he went through. And jin woo and se ju should have met. Jin woo spent the whole show trying to save him, they deserved to meet.
Other than that, I did enjoy the suspense and originality of the drama. You honestly never know what’s coming next, it’s always up in the air. But the writing is good and it does make for a good watch
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I will admit it was a chore to watch some episodes, but it was still good enough to push on. We still had so many mysteries to unravel!
Overall, there were so many things I loved about the show.
- there was no second female lead (apart from the Shaman). aka no other girl interested in the Magistrate, no girl stirring up trouble
- so many fun fantasy themes I love! ghosts, grim reapers, gods, fairies, etc.
- the romance was slow in the middle of the show but once both admitted to their feelings, they were such a strong couple. I loved it
- always love a male lead protecting his love interest, I live for that
After finishing this show, I have so much love for it. So so glad I watched it. I wouldn’t say it was a ‘binge-worthy’ show, but I did truly enjoy it
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This review may contain spoilers
I have so much to say about this drama. I gave it a 10/10 for a reason. It made me feel every emotion in the book, I was in for an emotional rollercoaster. I cried (oh how I cried), I laughed, and felt so many feelings. I had never felt pain like watching Ki Ha-Myung (and since I'm used to Choi Dal Po, I’ll be using it as his name) & Ki Jae-Myung’s tragic backstory. Honestly this show was something else. So different from all the other dramas out there. And why? Because of its originality, maturity and plot.
This show had an interesting plot through and through. It kept me hooked all the way. And I loved how everything was important and had a meaning behind it? And the way they handled it made it feel much more mature. Especially the romance. The plot was not completely based around it like other dramas. It was definitely important, and effected the storyline massively, but the plot was always about the news, about their lives as reporters. It was the story of a family getting the justice that it deserved and stopping the connections of the chairman/politicians/media from spreading false news ever again. It is Choi Dal Po’s story. It is how he became the thing he swore to destroy, in order to spread the truth rather than fabrications. And he did it so well. All while he was faced with so many tough decisions to make, all which added to his character development.
I’ll also say that I was impressed with Ms. Song’s character development too. She is originally shown as nothing but a ice-hearted witch, who fabricates news for the sake of a more ‘impactful’ story. But then we learn the story behind all that and why things happened as they did. Why Ms. Song turned Dal Po’s family’s life into a living hell and framed his father. By the end of the show, you are so proud of her actions and her character development.
To see justice happen (from Dal Po and his team’s unrelenting hard work) could be described by nothing other than satisfying and fulfilling. We went on this journey and got a fulfilling ending that Dal Po and everyone else had truly earned. I’ll also mention how all the characters were so intriguing and interesting. They all had a purpose.
And of course you know I’m going to talk about the central romance. Dal Po x In Ha had a bond like no other. You could tell how close they were and they had an enormous amount of chemistry. A romance that bloomed from day one when they were children. Dal Po had fallen the moment In Ha complimented his father and how he was a good man, when he kissed her cheek. No one can tell me otherwise. The first person to compliment his father after the tragedy. And she unconsciously had feelings for him all through their childhood and teenage years, but understandably she wouldn’t realise these feelings yet since Dal Po was cold towards her (because of her mother Ms. Song). Regardless, she still defends him when false rumours are spread about him throughout school. To the point she goes to the effort to find proof he didn’t cheat. Meanwhile, his reason for being on the quiz show even though he hates the media and TV, was to prove his intelligence and save In-Ha (from being ‘slapped 10 times’ lol). Also side note: this show gave me a lot of laughs too.
"I'm the 34th place in my school"
Wow so smart
"There are only 34 students in my school"
XD XD
And his reason for even getting 100 on the quiz in the first place was because of her. And I think their first kiss was so beautiful, and so original because of her Pinocchio syndrome, it truly took my breath away. But even though this couple is very important to the story, as I said before, the story’s plot is not based around it. It is based around the news and reporting the truth and all of the characters emotional journeys. Dal Po and In Ha’s love story is just a part of that. And they are given just the right amount of screen time.
My last side note is that the soundtrack was so amazing and made me feel so many things. It fit so well, and made me cry so much.
On the whole, this show took me on such a journey and I loved every second. I wish I could rewatch it for the first time all over again.
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- The focus is on the couple the whole time, they are the focus
- Our female lead is a gorgeous ray of sunshine
- The male lead who slowly falls for her
- My favourite trope: fake dating™
- The couple is actually cute and dating (somewhat) throughout the whole series, instead of having to wait until the end. They canonically call each other boyfriend and girlfriend
It is so interesting to see the roles switched ahh. Lee Seung Gi who plays Dae Woong is the same actor who plays Song O-Gong in A Korean Odyssey so it’s really trippy, he seems to like dramas that involve the supernatural lol
So now he’s gone from being a monkey sage himself and being different, to now being a regular guy and his girlfriend is the different one. They also started with the supernatural character saying they could eat their love interest. And they were committed to a ‘contract’ of sorts (the geumganggo deal so that Song O’Gong must protect her, and the bead that needs to stay with Dae Woong for 100 days until Mi-Ho becomes human) and are fated by death.
I also loved all the funny moments in between, it was great. All the ‘fantasy’ scenes were classics, especially that fake wedding one and the life plan (step 1 - mate, step 2 - marry, step 3 - have a kid every year, CLEAR) lmaooo
And how whenever guys would try to hit on Mi-Ho, he would just show off his ring so obvious, it was so funny and I loved it.
Just all the points for cuteness tbh
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