Reviews

When It’s So Much Better Than You Expected

“My Sassy Psychic” - a truly great lakorn with a concept that’s nothing new, but written and executed in a fresh way.

To begin, this lakorn is like a mix of “My Secret Bride”, “Love Forever After”, “I See Dead People”, “Let’s Fight Ghost” & “Superburoot Jorm Jon: Maturot Lohgan”. It has a bit of mystical/supernatural elements because of the amulet thingy, and horror because of the ghosts.

As always, when I do drama reviews I’ll include the Pros & Cons/Likes & Dislikes in my own views.

WARNING AHEAD: It’s gonna be long.

LIKES:
1. PLOT: Oh the storylines is VERY good overall. There’s never a boring moment even when it’s not the main characters’ scenes.

And you know when you’ve already watched too much lakorn that you’ve become an expert in “clicking the skip button”? Yeah, I’m one of those people. There are quite a number of lakorns that make me click the skip button and skipping through unnecessary plot, sometimes I end up skipping a big part of the story, but it’s unnecessary, so why waste time, right?

But that’s not the case with this one. Without expecting anything high, only started with my love towards the ML actor, Punjan, and my liking for romcom genre, I ended up enjoying this drama very much, from episode 1 to episode 13.

The plot development is surprisingly fast. In episode 2, we already see the main couple agreeing to work together. It’s so nice to see that.

The writing is also smooth and almost flawless, unlike typical Thai lakorns. It made me look forward to watching more dramas from the same scriptwriter.

2. CHARACTER DEVELOPMENT: This is one of the most important aspects for me when I watch a drama. And luckily it passed the standard. You may not like the ML at first (not me tho, because it’s Punjan LOL) as he started off as a hotheaded guy, easy to get angry and pick a fight, but here’s what I LOVE the most about it.

It’s shown every time after discussing/resolving a misunderstanding that leads him to being a hothead, he’s kinda quick to be cool and calm down. Now this is considered a very great trait that a Thai lakorn could have.

Same with other characters, even the side characters (like Phai). I really like that even side characters have their own roles here. Not a waste of acting talent.

3. ROMANCE: Of course, the one that I’d been looking forward since the beginning because it’s “romcom”, after all. NGL, I LOVE LOVE LOVE the romance between our main couple. No unnecessary hate towards each other, started as a cute crush then it develops quite fast, I’d say. That’s one more surprise for me. And the romance is not that heavy romance, it’s rather cute, sweet & satisfying.

4. ACTING: I’ve always known Punjan’s great potential and he did not disappoint in this lakorn. That’s one of the reasons I decided to watch this drama.

On the other hand, I never knew Preem tho. At first, she kinda reminds me of the famous Filipino actor, Daniel Padilla. IDK why, maybe the nose and the lips? ? But her acting is also great. It didn’t feel awkward or anything.

As for other characters, I think all of them did a great job. My most favourite is the cute Palm Supachai (Sak, the ML’s bestie). He’s always entertaining in every lakorn he’s in, even in a heavy lakorn like “Game of Outlaws”. He brightens our mood with his funny & cute character.

5. CHEMISTRY: Oh God, who would’ve thought that Punjan & Preem would look so good together? Their chemistry is unexpectedly off the chart, y’all. I have nothing bad to say. I just hope we’ll see them as the main couple in another drama in the future.

There’s nothing bad to say about the chemistry between every cast member. I love them all!

6. EMOTIONAL DAMAGE: Although this lakorn is lighthearted, it still has its own emotional phase. The family & friendship aspects caught my heart. Tho I laughed a lot because of the comedy, I also cried a lot towards the end.

7. COMEDY: At times, when watching this drama, I thought it wasn’t like Thai lakorn, but aside from the amulet thingy, the comedy is what reminds me that it is indeed a Thai lakorn, as we know Thailand is the best when it comes to comedy.

I love the comedic duo, Phai & Mee, the FL’s dad, the ML’s bestie Sak, the saloon owner Thor. They made this drama funnier and brighter.

1. OST: The theme songs are nice for your ears. My most favourite is “I’ll Be There”. I find myself unconsciously hum the song and it keeps playing in my mind and I like it. Gonna be in my favourite lakorn OST list!

Now it’s time for-

DISLIKES:

1. ROMANCE: I know I said I love the romance but it’s kinda short for me. I wish they could give us at least one more episode that focuses on the romance. :(

2. SLS: It might be bad if you have 2nd lead syndrome (SLS) for Doctor Pran. I’m lucky enough that I was always rooting for the ML since episode 1. But what’s there not to like about Doctor Pran? He’s hot, cool & calm, kind, smart, rich, well y’know, he’s the typical dream guy most ladies would swoon over.

1. SHORT: I’m not sure if this is even a bad thing about this drama but 13 EPISODES IS NOT ENOUGH FOR ME. *cries* But only 13 eps might be a good thing as no unnecessary draggy plot like typical lakorns.

CONCLUSION: Honestly speaking, My Sassy Psychic is a gem. It’s one of the hidden gems that we rarely find when it comes to Thai lakorn. It deserves more recognition & hype! :’)

OMG sorry guys it’s sooo long. I always do this, losing track of what I was really trying to tell, then it gets so long before I even realise. But I hope my reviews could convince you to start watching My Sassy Psychic (now what else are you waiting for? GO WATCH IT NOW!)

Thanks for reading & BYEEEPPPP!!!

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I have absolutely no idea what possessed me to start this drama since it wasn't even on my PTW list and my "On hold" and "Currently watching" ones keep growing each day. I'm also not a fan of Gouriki Ayame and I had never even heard of Kurosawa Ryohei. Maybe this is a mystery Shioriko and Daisuke can add to their lists.

The first episode did very well its job. It reeled me in with Daisuke's family mystery and it made me interested in its main characters. I really liked that both main characters had their own mysteries to solve. Then, the opening of the show rolled in and I was a total goner. I loved the concept of everyone being a book you need to read to know its story. At least, that's what I gathered from it.

I, also, really enjoyed the way the actors portrayed their characters. The chemistry between Gouriki Ayama and Kurosawa Ryohei was really good. And I thought Shioriki and Daisuke were awkwardly cute when they were together.

Although the drama is slow paced and has a really mellow atmosphere I think it fits. It helps keep up the mystery and suspense as Shioriko and Daisuke try to solve the mysteries they encounter in each episode. And even though each episode had a different story, it still had a main underlying one running in the background. For me, this made it feel a little less episodic.

The OST was also good. I loved the instrumentals, they seemed to fit the moment just right. And while I did hum and failed to sing along to the ending credits song "Never ending story... la la la.." I doubt, I will be listening to it anytime soon. Unless I rewatch the drama. I think that's the only way I'll listen to it.

There were some things that bothered me though. Why did she have to dress like a bag lady grandma just because she likes books? I tried not to let it bother me too much since I was really interested in the story. The other was the romance. Yes, there was some, but you had to use a microscope without blinking to get a glimpse of it.

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Is it better than the original?

As someone who watched and loved the original Money Heist (La Casa De Papel), this review will be based on both similarities and differences between the two.

The beginning of the series, Tokyo's backstory, is captivating and original yet takes elements from the Spanish (og) version. It was nice to see the screenwriters take on a more Korean style while sticking to the original story. It was fast-paced and not much of the story before the heist was shown which was slightly different from the original series but it's understandable considering the writers tried to squeeze as much of the original story for the first heist in 12 episodes (as the original version had 23 episodes meant for the first heist).

I do wish the remake showed a more original and unique approach as the show was mostly very similar to identical to the original.

The acting was, in my honest opinion, average. There were moments and actors that I adored like Park Hae Soo as Berlin or Lee Joo Bin as Yun Mi Seon (OG Monica/Stockholm) and her chemistry with Kim Hi Joon aka Denver. However, the acting didn't exceed my expectations. I still enjoyed the first half of the show that aired so far.

The cinematography and directing style was something that I truly enjoyed. The shots weren't necessarily long (most of the time) and the brightness and coloring of the show were pretty to watch.

In the end, I will say that the original version is better than this remake but it still is enjoyable to watch.

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A drama that talks about hope

I've always been a fan of long family tv series, so when I saw once again, I definitely knew I was watching it. I had so much hope for this drama mainly because of the cast and so also the storyline. This drama kept me wanting more, seriously, on a norms I'm the kind of person that chills and wait for them to release all episodes before binge watching, but I kept on going from March down to September. 100 episodes of family bonding, heartbreak, fun , learning from past mistakes and trying to be a better person. This drama taught me that definitely life is not just a walk in the park on a warm afternoon, but also a rollercoaster of disappointments and dissatisfaction. I loved this drama so much because I literally felt like a part of the cast and also enjoyed how the casts did so much to portray their characters to the very best. The storyline wasn't a smooth sailing but at the same time that was the unique thing that intrigued me. I hope this review will be helpful and I advise you all to forget about the number of episodes and don't miss out of a good show?.

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THIS AIN'T NO JOSEON ERA KIND OF SHOW

(Update Added)
So far, so good. It's refreshing to see a different kind of female lead!

This series plays a joke on the usual K-dramas that somewhat seem "behind-the-times". This ain't no "is-this-a-shouting-competition-are-we-still-in-the-Joseon-era" kind of show. Honey Lee plays her characters, Mi Na/Yeon Ju, brilliantly with quiet strength, confusion, and no-nonsense kick ass. Yeon Ju is mistaken as Mi Na, landing squarely in the enemy territory of her in-laws. She unexpectedly finds herself in verbally abusive situations, and yet dodges or handles it expertly with a "no-holds-barred" kind of attitude and won't tolerate any form of physical abuse. (I mean isn't it time to start writing those kinds of abuse unacceptable in any form anyways?) Her sassy temper and sharp mind pull out the stops against the schemes of her terrible in-laws and even her own remaining family.

As Yeon Ju takes the place of Mi Na, she is comedic, innocent yet downright scary. Although she suffers from amnesia, her heart, intelligence, and toughness all shine through as the core of who she really is. Her chameleon character changes effortlessly like the different languages she unwittingly and surprisingly speaks. As the story unfolds, it's interesting and entertaining to watch Yeon Ju "swimming with the sharks" so to speak as she works to save Mi Na's place as a rightful heiress while navigating the schemes of the terrible in-laws.

I'm enjoying this show immensely and I commend the cast, the writers, and those behind-the-scenes for a job well done so far. As of writing, I've finished EP 7 and will update my review when the show concludes. Make sure to watch the endings with the epilogue after each episode!

"One The Woman" is definitely "One To Watch"!!

(Update)
Because of my original heading and reference in the show about this not being a "Joseon era kind of show", I had to laugh when the "Joseon Era" scene was added later in the show! Hilarious!! I literally laughed out loud!

So to update my review, I lowered it from a 9.5 to an 8.0 rating. For me, I think that as soon as the FL found out she wasn't Kang Mi Na, the story changed and we didn't see as many "stand your ground" moments from the FL anymore. In my opinion, that's what made the FL so interesting and endearing. I had really enjoyed her as Mi Na when she went up against anyone who stood in her way but the story shifted more to her being Prosecutor Yeon Ju; I felt that the writers could've given the character Yeon Ju a bit more "valiant" moments just like they had done for Mi Na's character previously. I think that's where the show lost its lustre for me personally. The second half dragged a bit. I also didn't feel as much chemistry between the two leads so the romance storyline wasn't enough to keep me interested or invested in them as a couple. I did, however, love the chemistry of Yoo Jun, (played by Lee Won Keun), and Yeon Ju, (Lee Ha Nee). (On a side note: Put these two together in another k-drama romantic comedy where a younger man unintentionally falls in love with an older woman and I'm all for it! I could totally see these two in a rom-com where Ha Nee plays a sassy older lady who acts younger and carefree and Won Keun is the calm and more mature one who's so serious all the time and neither of them wants to admit they're falling for each other. I ship them in that kind of story... Yup, I said it... so someone better get on that stat!)

Okay back to the review... the Han family. They didn't contribute much to the storyline in the second half of the show and felt they were just added on as fillers. It would've been better to see Alex/ Seung Wook unseat Chairman Han personally. The Chairman, Seong Hye, and Chief Prosecutor Seung Deok's endings could've been more punishing. However, I do commend all the actors and I love watching Kim Won Hae, Kim Chang Wan, and Ye Soo Jung in any roles they play!

Overall the show had a great start and mild pace in the middle but didn't finish as strong in the end as I had hoped.

On another personal side note, a lot of the time, we often see a strong FL but as soon as a man comes along, her character becomes unrecognizable. (*cringe) I'm still glad however that we got to see a different kind of female lead in this show and look forward to seeing more of these stronger women types in future k-dramas!

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It needs a 2nd season...

This show is cute, but it literally feels like the actual story just started when it ends. I'm hoping that there is another season or something or else it will feel very unfinished.

I was unfamiliar with the actors/actresses, but they all did a good job. The ML and FL were fun to watch together, but that didn't really happen until about the last 2 episodes and felt like their story was only beginning.

If there isn't a continuation of the story in some way, then I can't really recommend the show because of unfinished feeling it leaves, but if there ends up being a part two then I think it's worth checking out.

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This drama had a good story plot but in my opinion was handled poorly. The writers seemed to do well in the beginning but it got pretty sloppy afterwards. I get it, there are so many episodes so they need to fill those episodes with other topics but come on, the important parts of this drama that was shown in the beginning was pretty much ignored until the very end. It was very heavily focus on the female lead and her exam/school issues along with not being able to get over her one sided crush for the majority of the drama. That makes it boring because there wasn't anything significant about those scenes. Even with 30 episodes, the story progression was so slow and the ending was rushed. Chemistry was pretty weak for the main leads. The support characters were also in a relationship as well and it's pretty cute to see but I just didn't see much of a development with their characters to say their relationship was at a level that was shown in this drama. Don't even get me started on the villains of this drama. They basically were non existent for this whole drama and then decided to do something "bad" at the very last few episodes. What a joke! And for some reason, it seems like villains always get away with their evil deeds in Chinese dramas (well at least the ones I've seen). WTH? No justice! Poor writing and poor development in the relationship making department for the main leads but it is funny with a few likable characters.

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What a let down!

You’re obviously here because of that terrible cliffhanger a while ago. (To me, it felt that the first season ended quite abruptly, I honestly thought the producers gave up and that should have been my clue for season 2.)
Anyway, you will watch it no matter what I tell you.

But fair warning:
Little or no character development, with a few exceptions. The majority of these young people have no assertion, as if they have given up on life and depend on the love alarm - unless that’s the morale of the story.
Spineless and eternally pain enduring characters which is a non sensical approach, given that all of them fight for their education/work/peace of mind and do quite well no matter the background they grew up in…. It makes everyone quite unrelatable in that sense.

Then, the choices some characters make are more realistic in the end (but NOT at all coherent with their character).
Personally, I did not want to emerge in reality by watching this drama, rather than escape it. So make of that what you will.
4/10

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Touch your heart is a fan service drama. The couple from Goblin, who didn't get their nice happy ever after, get a second chance in this one. And it pays off. We knew that they had chemistry, and they do not disappoint, with a drama filled with cute, romantic moments. There was a point when the drama almost got a bit dark, but the main story remained cheerful and sweet. So, for a lighthearted, fluff drama, this one was perfect. I admit, there were some tiring moments, but there were few, and, surprisingly, the drama keeps the interest high till the very end. The performances were good as well. So, 8 out of 10.

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Good balance between Sex-Ed and entertainment.

A nice little sex-ed starter pack for teens, parents and anyone who works with teens... With a nice balance between educational drama and entertainment value without one taking over the other.

This drama is tastefully made and talks about important issues that are in the minds of teens all over the world in one way or another. All from double standards, toxic masculinity, gender norms, teen pregnancy, STDs, sexuality, relationships, consent, fear of showing vulnerability as a man... It does not cover all the issues facing teens but does have a pretty good palette as well as shows great character development.

What I loved about this drama was the friendship as well as the very straight forward show of how the environment we are subjected to unconsciously will affect the people within it with prejudges and what not but also how easy lie this can be changed it he person is somewhat reasonable and able to take in information to change ones mind... Showing that people can change if they want to.. and that arguments like: "well I was raised like this and I turned out fine" does not cut it...

I also liked the parents in this drama, they are definitely not perfect but they are also sexual human beings with desires... And yes they do make mistakes and learn from them. But they also show how important the presence of adults that actually listen and take responsibility for the children education is for their opportunities in life. I would much rather be an adult makes sure my kid has protection just in case, then one who shames them in to not daring to own protection in the first place.

But the best part of this is probably how the teens in this drama complete each-other, they are all so different, complex and show different ways to be a human being, all with their own strengths and flaws helping each other out...

The Bingeabilaty for this one is about 8,5 stars.

So defiantly worth watching for all who are, will be soon or come in contact with teens...

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Wasted the screen time for the nonsense hunt for Enchante. Nevertheless, Akk saves the show.

From the trailer to the ending, the drama didn't leave an impact on me. The only reason I started to watch this show is all thanks to Force and his undying handsomeness. Fortunately, him being Akk, is one of the few enjoyable characters from the drama, along with Im, Egg, and Saifa. If not for the sake of these people, maybe I already dropped this a long time ago.

I don’t have high expectations from the storyline yet I don’t want to feel disappointed at the same time. The biggest downfall of Enchante is the whole finding Enchante moments that is pure nonsense and drags the show to the bottom. It’s pretty tiring to the eyes and a wasted majority of the time of the never ending search for someone who turned out to be the searcher itself. Plots keep getting weird. After all those roller coaster quirky rides, Theo is the real deal. At some point I just joined the unremarkable flow of the story and told myself that sometimes rich kids tend to do silly as well as questionable things. It brokes my theory that the real Enchante was neither from the five of them but the art member, Tan. I saw a sight of him at the back when the four claimed that they are Enchante during the library scene.

Despite the sorrowful twists and turns of events, the main couple secured the chemistry needed for a love story. Their first kiss was so pleasingly romantic. Them sitting in front of a movie being played in a projector, plus the calming vibes of raindrops from the window, the red rose glaring at their backs, and the talked about challenging a kiss was absolutely a soothing and refreshing scenery for a glimpse of romantic development between the two. Yet, I wished that they did a french kiss since they already mentioned it but I’m fine as long as they kissed. I adore their lovey dovey moments together regarding the cliche scenarios. The flirting and little physical contact is sending me butterflies. Holding hands inside the ice box was something new for me. The pecking kisses simulated as a casual joke is cute as well but the rooftop kiss was so passionate. The time that they are finally able to release their long-hidden feelings by means of eating each others’ lips to a whole new level.

I feel bad that they made Theo a nuisance later on. He became too childish and unreasonable but I tried to understand where his emotions were coming from. He is far greater than the three Te-Te guys who awfully use him for their own selfish purposes. Saifah is an exception from them since he played as the actor casted by Theo. Wayo on the other hand is the worst. He deserved that punch from Akk.

The finale isn’t even close to being considered a good episode. I don’t like it at all. The sudden break up issue of his parents was an unforeseen scenario and I wished that the production should think outside the box for more possible kinds of conflicts since that was so bland. Throughout the episodes, I kept hoping to recover the previous flop episodes and EP07 made it. But then again, back to being flopped on EP09 till the show ended up with a boring finale episode. In spite of that, the little crossover with Krating and Punn from Baker Boys is a blessing. Love to see both of them once again!

The OST was good, especially that Tay Tawan is the one who sang it. Sometimes, the way they inserted a BGMs was inappropriate or not fitted to the element of the show. Overall, the show was a below average drama that only survived because of Akk. If not for him, I could have given it a lower rating. On the good side, there’s a little bit of entertainment factor that Enchante provided to me and it wasn’t that bad at all. I remembered someone commented that this show is “not that good but is still decent” and I kinda agree with him/her.

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A cyclone disaster area

I’ve just struggled through a public education broadcast on behalf of the Korean Meteorological Administration with a driving snowstorm plot and a dreary fog romance. And to be frank I deserve an endurance medal. Right from the opening credits the beige-through-brown colour palette screamed mediocrity and to give it credit, it advertised itself correctly, even down to the sickly sweet soundtrack. Don’t be deceived by its listing on Netflix as a “Charming, Romantic, Comedy”, it’s not.

The main problem was that everything was sacrificed to a dominant plot structure that drove the action and permitted no deviation. I felt as though I was on a tourist bus with a punishing schedule—and on your left… now on your right… no time to stop, move on, move on… I was stepped through the paces at a rate that ensured I skimmed the surface and had no time to stop and investigate the depth. Then, at the end, the plot just sort of drizzled and fizzled out leaving a last episode full of slushy melting snow.

The sacrificial lamb for this plot-centric drama was any sort of credibility. The inflexible structure required all couples to be in step with each new twist which meant they were pushed through emotional hoops with no believable motivation and the whole thing reached a ludicrous, eye-rolling climax in episode 13 and went downhill from there. Neither of the main couples had any sense of relationship, all behaved self-centredly and took staggering, unrealistic, unilateral decisions without any prior discussion. The characters changed direction at the drop of a hat and I lurched along with them in increasing disbelief and incredulity. The result was not mature adults dealing with complex relationship issues but volatile, petulant teenagers throwing temper tantrums and fits of the sulks. But this is not a story pitched at a young audience. It is talking to an older audience that will either be married or thinking about it. In which case, some sort of approximation to reality and maturity are sort of essential.

There was a great deal of out-of-character dialogue and far too many unbelievable situations and artificially manufactured crises. If they were all to try and illustrate a theme, I’m afraid I missed the point, because the messages were confusing and random. Although there were interesting ideas surrounding relationships and marriage to be explored there was no discernible coherence.

The storyboard and editing was confused with multiple unnecessary time jumps, presumably to try and create some tension. The whole of episode 11, for instance, was a cyclone disaster area that ended in the same place as it began after whirling through a series of haphazard time shifts and an inexplicable tour of the local zoo. I was left with a sense that I had walked in a circle and gained nothing.

Unfortunately, one of the problems of office centred dramas is the difficulty in providing visual stimulation. Flat and stilted scenes with static positioning of actors delivering their lines, didn’t help with the dense dialogue. There was little to stimulate the senses or provide kinetic energy. Even the camera angles and lighting were unimaginative. It’s a director’s responsibility to think of innovative ways to keep viewing interest and the direction by Cha Young Hoon was at fault. He is a very experienced director, but he made a dog’s breakfast of this series.

The actors tried hard with the lacklustre script they were given. The most convincing of the scenarios, both in terms of the writing and the acting, was the one between Lee Sung Wook and Jang So Yeon as the older married couple. They both put in a credible and mature performance.

The weakest performances were the main couple. Song Kang was not particularly convincing in the role and looked uncomfortable. Park Min Young started strongly but didn’t go anywhere and the fixed expression on her face became wearisome. And their chemistry was less than convincing.

There was some nice (damned by faint praise) cinematography, but given the opportunity to film the weather they could have done much more with it.

As for it being a comedy, I don’t remember laughing but I do remember curling up in sympathetic embarrassment for the actors having to act the script.

On the vaguely positive side… I learned a lot about weather forecasting.

Overall this was an incoherent mess. A superficial look at marriage and relationships that merely spouted clichés whilst scratching at the surface. It was a very disappointing performance from the writer Eun Kyung, who made a much better job of “Dr Romantic”. If you want a more cohesive exploration of issues surrounding marriage, with a shower of humour and some sunny romance, then try “Because this is my first life”.

What my rating means: 4+ I forced myself to go through to the end of it, but only because I was committed to writing the review. It annoyed the hell out of me. Actively avoid.

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Redemption after PA

This was a very high budget drama with great fight scenes and CGI. It had an equal mix of humour and seriousness between the main leads; ZLY and LGX played their roles perfectly, and the banter between their characters was fantastic. FL's usual serious demeanor worked very well with ML's much more lax and teasing personality.

However, the humour completely missed the mark for me for the other characters. This affected the plot for me quite a bit as when the conflict actually came, everything seemed low stakes and not as serious since we've seen all these characters cracking jokes like two episodes before. The main antagonist was also a pretty bad actor so it was another thing I could not take seriously. To be honest, other than the main FL and ML, I didn't care about 98% of the side characters as most were just for comedy purposes or their characters weren't fleshed out enough for the audience to care about them.

If you're looking for a high-paced drama - this is most definitely not it. It's a slow burn with a slow moving plot but it's a beautiful production so you don't really notice it as much. It's also got a wonderful, no doubt about it, happy ending which is A+.

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