Reviews

Slow burn but too slow that I had to skip episodes

I am pretty much new into C drama as compared to k drama. I haven't watched any work the Leads before so I am not biased anyway.

The story is good, could have been better!!
Song Yan (ml) and Xu Qin (fl) were a couple and loved each other like crazy but fl's mom is a snob and tore them apart. After years they met and the story starts...

The good parts -
Omg the rescue scenes, these are really worth watching the show. So realistic and well executed screenplay.
The emergency ward is also pretty good and also worth watching.
The charecter development of the FL is good thing to watch, she eventually moved on from her toxic family and realised that the toxicity of her mom is something she must deal with in order to keep her own peace.
The loyalty of the ML is just unrealistic yet it's something a girl can cherish for. His charecter development is also good.
The tension between the two is something to be enjoyed in this show. Whenever they are facing each other the emotions just come out and quite visible from their expressions yet they try to hide and it's really add perks in their chemistry.

However the parts I really didn't like-
Many episodes feel like repeating the previous one. I mean it was predictable that in next episode there will be a rescue scene and Qin will approach Song Yan when she is absolutely clueless what to do if Song Yan comes back, because she has no guts to leave her toxic family.. later on she matured and moved on but that could have been done without repeating episodes.

It's a good watch, I enjoyed a lot and I would say it's a must watch for once!
But ngl I won't rewatch it as it's too slow.

P. S - Yang Yang is too hot to handle ;-)

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goeun ?

I feel like people misunderstand this drama as a lousy revenge drama but omg it’s so much more, the sad backstory’s, even the topics cover so much throughout s1 and s2, the topic of cults, suicide, bullying, s3xual assault and it even covers the burning sun scandal in season 2, there was a lot of irritating characters like, Choi min who tbh was so annoying, he was such a weirdo and didn’t even apologise to goeun for making his sister commit suicide, and mr.park and mr.choi’s backstory really needs to be talked about more, it was devastating and I really wished that it was mentioned more. goeun was definitely my favourite character and she really stood out to me for several reasons, she was such a underrated character and I liked her way more than the prosicouter lady from s1, her and her sister really needed more screen time and needed more moments together, this is a must watch and it’s also quite funny, if your thinking of watching it please do, it’s amazing and by far my favourite kdrama

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Overall a waste of time ...

Started intriguing enough but went downhill fast and continued hardly over telenovella niveau. Acting was accordingly - not too good. All the same old same old cunning and one dimensional bad guys (like BIL, SIL, MIL) got on my nerves - badly. Nobody acted reasonably or comprehensible in any way but in ways bad writers want them to for (allegedly) dramatic effect. Some people might find that entertaining, I don't.

Didn't like any of the characters (well, maybe the brother Byun Ji Hyuk). Sloppy execution as in no love for details or consistency (like walking off in the obviously wrong direction). Skipped half of it.

What I learned is that rich people sleep in the clothes they wear all day. And they all drive ruthlessly like the mad people they are (that car chase in episode 4 or 5 is absolutety ridiculous). Definitely no rewatch for me.

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Overrated because of the famous leads

Story started off good.. but then it's just lost it's way in between.
The ML and FL are a couple who broke up long back and are facing each others after few years due to some unforeseen situation - that's where the story starts.
Now going back n forth , eventually we understand that the FL is a self centred bitch who pushes away Ung (ml) again and again as per her convenience, where Ung is an innocent boy who fells for the same girl again n again however he also failed to communicate properly due to his introvert sort of nature and loses the girl again n again.

I couldn't find anything to love in this series--
the story is just spilled all over.
The leads are cold (unpopular opinion, because the reviews are full of saying they are warm), when they bicker or face each other after years of break up I could find only awkwardness and no emotional or sexual tension which could improve the chemistry.
Huge communication gap between the leads, they just don't talk, they assume and react based on their assumptions.
Also unpopular opinion, the leads might be famous stars but I found their expressions are pathetic in this series, Ung loves the girl but his face is always looked so blank, and like he was forced to make poker face throughout the show which can actually push away any girl whether she is self centred or not.

I slept off between many episodes and dropped it many times however finished it recently.

I won't recommend it to anyone. Such an overrated drama!!!!
I couldn't give less than 1 in re-watch value but for me it's rewatch value is in negative, I shouldn't have been watched at the first place!!!!!

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Disappointed by main storyline, stayed for characters, cast and some great shonen action moments

The season 2 of this drama was a bit disappointing to me compared to season 1. The scenario was quite a miss for me as its defaults outweigh its qualities. I foremost found the pacing of the show really not good: it took so much time to get to the point, when it was very clear from start what was going to happen. The fact that the series is centred around one particular storyline (with the fireman) did a disservice to the drama. It was not surprising and rather expected, so it felt a bit of a shame to spend so much time on it rather than to develop more secondary storylines.

There was still some nice elements to the story. I really enjoyed to meet again those characters which I found super likeable as a group. I even appreciated the new addition to the team, as it added some novelty to their dynamics and despite the fact that he might be at some point kind of annoying. Another aspect of the story I appreciated is to have an overpowered hero: after being beaten pretty thoroughly in season, I found really satisfying to see him doing so good and some of his fights gave me all the feel of a shonen manga. I also enjoyed the cartoonish atmosphere with the super villains, they really bring intensity and craziness to the show and made it overall more fun.

The casting was still doing a good job as in season 1. I think they were a bit let down by the script but they did what they could with the material given. I particularly enjoyed the performance of Kang Ki Young and Kim Hi Eo Ra, I'm pretty sure that without them the show would have been less colourful and tamer...I am also strongly hoping to see Cho Byeong Kyu as a main lead again, he did so well!

The production was good. There were some pretty great action sequences with a lot of fun and variety in the scenes. They manage to not make the fights too redundant while still keeping some common framework to be consistent with the mythology of the show (with the developments of some powers as well as the territory concept and so on). The soundtrack was quite good and catchy, it hyped the action scenes well.

I would recommend this to people that enjoyed the 1st season and want to see more of the "counters". I think if you like the characters and the mythology of the story, you might enjoy it. However, the story is clearly weaker than in season 1, if you do not find interesting the main storyline followed through this second season (like it was my case), you might be disappointed.

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A good romantic series, making a sharp criticism of the Korean education system

A very good series but the title and the poster are misleading viewers: they announce a romance, funny and cute. The drama isn't about that at all. There is a romance, even several, but the series is above all a violent denunciation of the Korean education system and its excesses: family pressure/obsession over grades and school results, over-involvement of mothers, multiple support classes (especially in final years), severe competition between students & between parents, corruption, suicide, influence games, even doping, etc.
It also deals with eating disorders (anorexia in a man), with a student recluse after too much pressure,... which are rarely discussed topics :).

The tone is more gray than rosy, despite some humorous passages to lighten the atmosphere.

PROS:
+ well-written, intelligent story and production without downtime. The clues are given at the right time, just enough to maintain the suspense.
+ The drama is carried by two great veteran leads, endearing, moving, strong and fragile... They establish a mature relationship, made of trust and understanding. Perfect!
+ a brother on the spectrum (a really great performance from Oh Eui Shik )
+ Good OSTs, conveying the emotions/vibes of each scene well.

CONS:
- the lead actress looks a little too old (50) for the role (30-35 years old max), particularly with her hairstyle in the last episode.
- inappropriate title and poster.

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Très bonne série mais le titre et l'affiche sont trompeurs : ils annoncent une romance, drôle, mignonne. Le drama ne traite pas du tout de cela. Il y a bien une romance, même plusieurs, mais la série est surtout, une violente dénonciation du système éducatif coréen et de ses dérives : pression-obsession familiale sur les notes et résultats scolaires, sur-implication des mères, multiples cours de soutien -surtout en terminale, sévère compétition entre élèves & entre parents, corruption, suicide, jeux d'influence, dopage, etc..
Elle traite aussi des troubles alimentaires (anorexie chez un homme, ce qui est un sujet rarement évoqué :).
Le ton est plus gris que rose, malgré quelques passages d'humour pour alléger l'atmosphère.

PROS:
+ histoire bien écrite, intelligente et réalisation sans temps mort. Les indices sont donnés au bon moment, juste ce qu'il faut pour maintenir le suspense.
+ Le drama est porté par deux super leads, attachants, émouvants, forts et fragiles... Ils établissent une relation mature, faite de confiance et de compréhension. Parfaits !
+ un frère handicapé (super bien joué par Oh Eui Shik)
+ un reclus (trop de pression)
+ Bons OST, bien adaptés.

CONS:
- l'actrice lead fait un peu trop âgée (50) pour le rôle (30-35 ans maxi), particulièrement avec sa coiffure dans le dernier épisode.
- titre et affiche inadéquats.

=> Bonne série romantique, qui fait une critique acerbe d'un système.

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FL is cruel to ML through most of the series

7.5/10 is my rating. This is a 2021 South Korean romantic drama series with 16, 65 minute episodes. It is based on web novel “Senior, Don’t Put on that Lipstick”.

First I provide a unique synopsis then review

Synopsis

Yoon Song ah (Won Jin-ah) feels she has reached the top of her game as a marketer for a major South Korean cosmetics Brand, Her and her boyfriend, Lee Jae-shin (Lee Hyun-wook) are approaching their two year dating anniversary and she is sure he will be popping the question. Her success has led to her recruiting and training Cha Hyung-seung (Rowoon). She feels completely blind sided and betrayed when Hyung-seung reveals that her boyfriend is not only cheating but about to get married. As is often the case her initial anger is not as much at her cheating boyfriend but at the messenger. It is fairly clear that Jae-shin thought she never needed to know about the wife and he could just have her as side chick. Upon revealing her boyfriend’s deception, Hyun-seung decides to confess to her, perhaps to make her feel better but it has the opposite effect., She suspects his motives and initially tries to drive him away. Will Soon ah see Hyung-seung’s real feelings. Can she get revenge? Will true love develop from a rebound relationship?

Review

This starts really slow and I found the first episodes to be only minorly interesting. It picks up when she is dealing with her boyfriend of two years and his cheating. Then it is all about lead guy winning her over. If you like romances that are heavy on the drama with few comedic, suspenseful or mysterious moments then this might be one you would enjoy. There are some characters with deep flaws that have only minimal character growth.

Spoiler*

There was a huge disconnect between the way that the characters were acted and portrayed in the first part of the drama, and the way that they were acted and portrayed in the next part of the drama. It was not simply character growth as it happened too suddenly and radically, For instance Song ah was completely against going to Europe. They made a point of Song ah saying how much she enjoyed her company, and that it was like a part of her. It seemed to be true and also seemed like she was portraying to him that he was mire important than Europe. Her ex gets taken off the project and her mentor takes over and suddenly she could not do without Europe. And suddenly she could care less how Hyeung-seung felt about it. That was an odd reversal. In the first episodes, the ex pledged he would never give up trying to win her back then went never mind. It was even more odd that he gives up on lead girl, throws it all in with sugar mama rich girl, then decides to strike out on his own and suffer. That was such a complete reversal that the loss if his dad, who he professed to not care about, could not account for it. Also, the lead female character’s mom was very child like and selfish but she has a sudden denouement and becomes a social butterfly doing a complete flip flop from being desperately clingy to hard to reach. Peopke can change but not fundamentally and not typically in such a short period.

In regards to the situation with the sister and her husband, the chef guy, his befriending the sister, and the entire circumstances of the relationship between the three was just a confusing addition to the story . He didn’t really go after the husband in a way that made it make sense that he would cause such a rift in the relationship. The husband was a little cold and distant but it wasn’t like he sees the chef and is like oh right I was in love with him. The storyline with the chef only revealed this weird subject from his college days that he was very conflicted about. It did not show him feeling attracted to the chef or other men so him hurting his wife and little girl whom he obviously loved to continue his journey of self discovery was pointless. It was like they wanted to explore the topic of suppressing sexuality due to social pressure but they weren’t brave enough to go any further. They did not give him a gay romantic interest so it just created this weird ambiguous situation. The little girl was nine so all they would have had to do was wait until she reached adult hood and he could have continued his self searching without breaking everyone’s heart. A perfect ending to that story would have been him with a partner, her with someone that romantically loved her and the little girl happy in this blended family.

They built the little girl up to be wise beyond her years. It seemed like the purpose was going to be she would respond to her parent’s break up in a very mature way. Like yeah I knew daddy was unhappy and was interested in men I was waiting for him to realize. Or I am glad you are separating now you can find someone and be happy. But she broke down and was surprised like any kid would be. It made the whole build up of how mature she was pointless.

Maybe the cutest side romance was lead guy’s sister and the grandson of the company. He saw her and it was instant infatuation. Him moving heaven and earth to get the lipstick she liked remade was such a compelling romantic gesture. I felt like it got Netflixed a bit when she proposed to him instead if the other way around and when she was the one paying so little attention to the details of the wedding. Has to have those feminist undertones if it is on Netflix. i thought there was missed opportunity for him to favor the lead guy in the company. Like when the other manager was sabitaging the launch of the new product lead guy developed, they could have discovered it was that corrupt manager behind it, and it could have been a big reveal to him that lead guy was now an extended part of the chaebol family. It would have been fun to see him grovel. But they just dropped that story line.

I liked the way the romance between the rich sugar fiancé and lead girl’s ex played out. Tgey became friendly again but did not get together romantically. They both had serious mental issues. Her emotionally black mailing him with suicide if he was not with her was such a toxic thing I could never see them having a healthy relationship. Him just using her for what she could give him financially was also a non starter. So I liked that he finally refused to let her emotionally manipulate him. I also liked, when he was back, she had moved on.

Many reviewers say, and I completely agree, that lead girl was just mean to him. I get the “shoot the messenger” aspect if him being the one to reveal the affair so she directed her initial anger at him. I have seen that happen often in real life. But she took it beyond that and seemed to enjoy him fawning over her and returning his devotion with near disdain, But the whole Europe thing to me was unforgivable. Thatvwas after she confessed and they were in that over the moon phase of a new relationship. He asked her not to go and she ignored his heartfelt request and said she was going anyway. Then when he chose to accept it and try to make the distance relationship work she did nothing to bridge the gap instead she continually chose work over him. Then she breaks it off with him in the cruelest way possible when he came to Europe to see her. She knew his past relationship and how that ex had treated him but showed a total disregard for his feelings in much the same way. I think she broke up with him then not because she was hurting him as much as she felt guilty and wanted to pursue her selfish goals without remorse. Then she cuts her Europe assignment short professing it was because she realized her error and missed him but that did not seem genuine either. It showed her mentor essentially using her like a lackey and little joy in her work there. So it seemed the oversees job was not as wonderful as she thought so that is why she came back. After that I really did not like her and was not happy when they reunited. He at least made it a little hard for her. And what happened to his ex that proposed to keep trying to get him back? I would have liked for leadvgirl to experience some heart break seeing him with someone else and I thought perhaps that would be the case, he would get back with the ex. But she just dropped out of the storyline.

Siwon is such an unusually handsome man that it was hard to buy that he would’ve put up with her cold indifference, and even cruelty at times when you would expect, he would’ve had a lot of women very interested in him. In real life I have seen it but it’s rare. And usually it is either the woman has such an attractive personality or has an allure in the bedroom. Since he was several attractiveness levels above her you would’ve thought, at minimum, when she broke it off with him so coldly that would’ve been the end of it.


#SheWouldNeverKnow
#SeniorDon’tPutOnThat
#WonJinAh
#Rowoon
#LeeHyunWook

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A thriller with a gripping story and grey characters

The show which looks it is gonna be some romantic cliche stuff turns into dark gritty thriller. The actors both main and side have nailed their roles.
The best part of the story is that no one is good but all have their evils and demons that slowly unravel with each episode.

FL is a girl and all she ever wanted was to perform and be loved by others but just because of her face was instead mocked and ignored by the society. Just when things couldn't get worse she meets people only used and hurt her, the only girl who ever befriended her and cherished her died in her arms.

The show also shedded light on the beauty standards that are set by the world not just in korea but everywhere. If you are a girl having a perfect physique with doll like looking features, you are cherished and loved but if you are just some average looking with a lot of talent you are still ignored until you end up going under the knife and turning into one. The same happened with her. Till the moment she died, all she ever saw was misery and pain be it because of her own actions or others.
Atleast she was finally able to see her daughter even if it was for once.

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Beauty is in the eye of the beholder!

It has been a long time since I binged a good thai BL. And I loved this one. The main couple was on fire, their chemistry was so good. So much so, I might even go back and finish To Sir, With Love which I dropped....

But I have an issue with costume designer. More about that later!

The story is rather superficial: a cynical lawyer wants to get revenge for being fired from a case so he takes the former opponents as clients and in the course of investigation they fall for each other. Not a new or revolutionary plot: a classical enemies to lovers story. And I love those so this turned out to be such a binge fest!

The actors were great: Film is an amazing actor. He showed us all the ambiguity of Charn's character and motivations. I might check out his other series! Jam is Tin, the usual macho man, straightforward and honest to a fault.

Did anyone watch this for the plot? I do not think so! We all watched for the romance and the plot was secondary: it was important as a driving force behind the characters, bringing them together. But those characters were what mattered and they were a varied and intriguing lot. There was the second couple: the big baddie's son, yearning for his crazy abusive father's love and his bodyguard. Ambiguous at the start of the series, they proved to be a couple of unlucky boys trying to survive the bully of the father/boss/criminal mastermind(korean makjang evil chaebol like)! And an assorted lot of his henchmen with baseball bats beating everyone up. On the good side, there was the grandmother: kind, smart, strong and open minded; and of course the club owner and her girlfriend, the singer: wise and loving and helpful! And last but not least, Charn's the mad as a hatter ex boyfriend and local thug rich boy, Naween. A delight to watch., for real!

So that was a really fun watch until the last half an hour when they delved into the weak gay rights in Thailand, and hopes for the better world, and diversity, and inclusion and all that jazz. Now days, they seem to end every bl like that including a wedding! Fine! Just fluff mixed with gay rights movement! Well, why not?

I know that I am going to be slapped on the fingers by the community, but am I allowed to have a slight disagreement with you about the fashion?

The non business clothes they put on Film: frilly blouses and wide floppy trousers and a tuxedo looking more like a wedding dress than a suit - why? Why did not they put the same kind of clothing on Jam? So people here say that Film's character wears that because he is in accord with his sexuality and being gay he shows his softer side like that. Could not the same thing be said about Jam's character? Tin is open about his sexuality and does not hide it. But unlike Charm he does not feel the need to advertise it???? I had the same problem with Bed Friend where James wore the same kind of clothing. And his macho boyfriend was always dresses in black. Yes, the BLs have evolved from classical seme/uke stereotypes but still it is very much obvious by the way the characters speak, move and dress who is who in these relationships. Both James and Film are beautiful in their respective series. Beautiful not handsome.

But, that's only my opinion...

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A good love story with less cliche shit

One of the most mature relationships I have seen in C dramas so far. Instead of dragging issues, misunderstandings and blaming each other for it they just sit down, talk about it and fix it . That is what a good healthy relationship is supposed to be and both the characters played their part quite nice.

FL wasn't some damsel in distress waiting for some prince charming but rather a strong independent woman who could deal with her problems be it professional or personal. ML turned from a guy who isn't fond of committing to a good doting boyfriend who only sees FL in this world. From being strangers to friends to teasing to a healthy relationship and finally the proposal it was really beautiful.

FL's sister Xinzi too went from being in a toxic relationship to a painful breakup to finding love again was actually a good relatable story that many girls go through. Instead of just continuing a relationship with a possessive and insecure boyfriend which could have gotten way worse with time, she ended it no matter how much it hurt as she knew it was for the better and thank god they didn't show the ex bf as some violent and parasitic guy who ends up kidnapping her (which usually happens in mostly C dramas) but rather a guy who knows he has problems and needs to deal with it.

Overall from start to end a nice show with less cliche shit

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Cute and funny at first, but female lead's brain seems to be getting smaller and smaller.

Tbh i loved it when i started watching the first few eps, but after that the fl keeps getting dumber and dumber. sure, a cute naive dumb headstrong female lead and a smart ml is a good pair, but this fl isn't just dumb she's lobster brained. + her extra confidence just makes it even worse. I know she was spoiled so she turned out that way, I understand but srsly she makes makes my blood boil. "Don't go what if you alert the enemy?" her: "So, to everyone i'm just a burden?? HMPH!!" and she proceeds to walk out looking proud like she's some sort of master with the sword she can't even use and her lobster brain. If i were to answer, YES YOU ARE A STUPID BURDEN. YES. And, might I add? why is she carry a sword around when she can't even fight? for decoration?

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I was not expecting to struggle that badly getting through the first episode of this show...

I was not expecting to struggle that badly getting through the first episode of this show.. And I've sat through my fair share of bad series. I know that this seems to be the unpopular opinion so far though so if you've enjoyed it, I am so entirely happy for you! But for me, was not vibing with any of it. None of the characters seemed to have any ounce of charm, they were actually pretty annoying and the episode was so long; it just kept going in circles for forever. By the end of ep1, I was left irritated and so done with it all. Safe to say that I will not be sitting thru another episode. DROPPED.
The acting wasn't horrible but it also wasn't good. The premise is basic enough and had potential to at the very least, be decent but the way that they'd approached it, along with the editing, didn't do it any favors at all. It actually really harmed it. As for the subs, they were confusing but there's been dramas with much worse translations so I personally didn't really see that as a problem, though I guess it didn't help.
I'd give this a zero (or 0.5) in Rewatch Value but mdl doesn't let you enter anything less than 1 star. And of course here's the disclaimer that this was just the first episode, and that anything can happen in the following episodes; I truly do hope it gets better but I for one will not be sticking around to see if that's the case. One episode was *more* than enough for me lol

My Rating: 2.63/10 stars
Edit: and oh yeah for anyone curious, I even watched it on x3 speed

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Love!!

I don't know why this show wasn't on my radar sooner!! I thoroughly enjoyed the hell out of it! The chemistry between the leads was so organic and unstrained. To be honest, the chemistry was more palpable than their acting abilities. What a fantastic casting and direction. I loved how their relationship was best experienced through just how they looked at each other and the subtle touches. The moments that Jin would sleep in Bbomb's arms were so lovely and sweet and powerful.
And adding to all that, is the great friend chemistry between the friend groups. I loved watching the friend scenes. Simple, nothing too over the top, just damn good cast chemistry to go with the direction. Rewatch value is definitely a 10 though I don't rewatch hardly anything. And also, I'm the type who really enjoys NC scenes and this didn't have nary a one and it didn't matter at all. They seriously didn't need anything more to make the audience feel the loveliness of this couple. Who, btw, from episode 2 gave off long term relationship energy easily! So hard to do that and these actors nailed it. I soooo wish that there was a season 2!

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Hit and miss in many aspects

I watched the first season last Year and loved it so I was very exited for the second one but it isn't that great as the first.

Overall the actors did a really good job and portrait every emotion well. The story had many interesting elements and introduced us to new things in the world of the counters.

In this season we have clear antagonists since the beginning and the focus lies on that. They are interesting but sadly we don't dig that deep into their motivations and backstories.

They New counter has his lovely moments but is overall just there for laughs on his own costs. He is way to clumsy and goes always over the top.

This is more a personal matter but I was expecting that after season one we now would finally see Hana and Mun to start a relationship because of their insane chemistry. But instead the writers introduced an old flame from here and went on with it. Even when you could think he was of the table, they show us the possibility of them ending together rather than what most of the fans wanted. And still Mun and Hana have moments with each other so I was holding on to that hope till the end just to get disappointed.

On the other hand I really liked Mrs. Chu's backstory and the execution of it in the present.

The Counters really become a close family in this season and I loved watching that.

I don't know if there is going to be a 3rd season since there weren't any hints to it, but i am not sure if I would watch it, when the writing gets worse and Mun and Hana are still no option for the writers and they put her with the piano guy.

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