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Would have been better as a thriller
The male lead is the major problem with this drama. He is creepy, scary, threatening, weird and mysterious throughout the drama, and skews the entire tone of this thing more toward thriller than a romantic drama. I was watching this wondering to myself what they actually intended viewers to take away from the show. Were we supposed to hate and be creeped out by the male lead? What was the point of any of this, actually?The cast is, for the most part, good. The storyline is... interesting? But there is something so off and strange about the entire drama. There's this sinister undertone that makes everything a little unsettling. Overall, not something I really want to rewatch.
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This review may contain spoilers
Let me start by saying that I really didn't expect to enjoy this drama as much as I did. And it's strange that I didn't grow bored with it, because nothing substantial really happens, it's all about character development, growing as a person, accepting who you are and accepting others. The fact that the main characters weren't saints, ready to forgive and forget everything was one of the main points which made me like it so much. I get the thrope of the goodie two shoes, who can't even have one evil thought and how it might be attractive, but I'm one of those people who believe that bad people should get what they deserve and that the hero should do just that, punish them for their wrong doings. I'm not talking about the criminal evil here, I'm talking about random people who do bad things, things that might not be legally wrong, but are wrong nonetheless. I've grown pretty tired of those characters that do bad and then seek redemption? They say they're sorry and it's all just peachy after that? They don't get what's coming for them and it makes me incredibly angry. Some girl comes up with disgusting ways to mess with the main female character's life because she likes the main male lead and in the end, she says she's sorry and nothing happens to her? Not on my watch! It was so refreshing to not only see Yoo Jung get revenge on people who have wronged him, it was also delightful to see Hong Seol accept him, understand him and stop being such a pushover. Now, I think it was established that Yoo Jung wasn't the typical hero and he did have his demons, none of which made me dislike him because our ways of thinking are somehow similar, but I do believe that the way he decided to get to know himself better was wise.Baek In Ho? He had moments where I'd roll my eyes because he was so thick-headed, but all in all, he was a likeable character. I understand why he felt so mad about the lead and their past together and I do condone how Yoo Jung chose to deal with the situation, but In Ho should have taken a moment to understand the other as well.Baek In Ha? Hated her from the first minute I saw her. She has no redeeming quality and seeing as what she did in the last episodes is absolutely disgusting, the way that, until the last moment, she would say that it wasn't her fault and her punishment was too lenient. As I stated before, bad people should get what they deserve.All in all, I loved the acting, I loved the leads, I loved the story and not even the open ending wasn't a turnoff. Was this review helpful to you?
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I liked the storyline as it was very refreshing to see a drama set in a university rather than high school.
But just my opinion though...
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Started Strong...
I still don't quite actually know how I feel about this one. CITT started out pretty strong and the final few episodes were pretty great, but it was hard for me to invest so much do to me not wanting the ML to end up with the FL. I would have preferred the second male lead to have ended being with the FL. Also, from about the third to tenth episodes, for me personally, jheez they were so slow and boring. There were positives however, mainly from the acting and the OST that came with CITT.Honestly, I think everyone should try this drama out, however, I do think it's either going to be a hit or miss.
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Part of the reason I love this drama so much is the fact that it revolves around college students at a University and currently going through college myself, I found this quite intriguing. What I also love about this drama is the array of characters it revolves around. Hong Seol does not have the spunky & fearless personality that I (and I think many others), tend to look for in a female lead. She has, in my opinion, a refreshingly new personality that sets her apart from all of the other main female leads I've seen before. My main concern whenever watching a new kdrama is that the main female lead will either be super over the top obnoxious or a spineless doormat. I would describe Hong Seol as an introvert who although dislikes being the center of attention, is still able to confront the people in her life who need to be confronted while also being the most supportive, thoughtful, and kind friend to those she cares about. She's not bold and fearless, but she is smart and assertive. I loved watch her relationships unfold with both Yoo Jung and Baek In Ho as she was able to enrich each of their lives with her caring nature. I love how Kim Go Eun played her.
Yoo Jung (actor Park Hae Jin) was a hard character for me to like, at least the first time I watched this (this is the 2nd time watching it through). The reason being, I don't feel his character is explained as well as he should be. But then again, I feel like the mystery that surrounds his character is supposed to be a part of the allure. I only wish towards the end of the drama they would give a bit more explanation as to why his actions were sometimes so harsh. There was a specific flashback scene with Baek In Ho that was a huge turning point in their relationship where I thought Yoo Jung significantly crossed the line of humanity and they never addressed it concretely enough for me to understand why it was something to be understood. Yoo Jung is an interesting character though and I did find him difficult to try and figure out but for the most part I think I did. He was constantly judged and treated as if he was someone to be pitied for being what others labeled as "abnormal." He was taken advantage of throughout his growing years all for the sake of his father's reputation; I can understand how that would mess with your psyche. Especially if it meant finding out that those closest to you looked at you strangely. I just wish the writers would have put a bit more emphasis on the ways he was hurt/how he was hurting in certain parts later on in the drama since he appeared unnecessarily cold (specifically towards one individual).
Baek. In. Ho. Easily my favorite character in this drama, the all-star champ of Cheese in the Trap in my opinion. (Hats off to you Seo Kang Joon). Heart completely torn out for his character. I don't think there was ever a moment in this entire drama where I was ever not rooting for him. He defended those closest to him. He chose to better himself and the people around him. He accepted the hard life he was given and ran with it. He lost so much, his dreams, his friends and family, his home and way of living and yet was able to come back as a stronger, kinder person. His relationship with Hong Seol is one of my favorite relationships in a kdrama. Their friendship is one where they are able to see when the other is hurting and know whether to distract the other, or to get the other to a place where they are able to share their burden. Baek In Ho is able to cheer Hong Seol up and pester her just enough so that she can forget her troubles and see the light in all of it. He encourages her and respects her opinions. The writers literally made me sympathize with Baek In Ho so much and I think this is what makes me love and hate this drama. Baek In Ho is a character that to me is written perfectly, while Yoo Jung almost seems to have been left incomplete and I just am unable to see how I'm supposed to root for Yoo Jung when Baek In Ho genuinely seems like a better person than Yoo Jung. I one could argue that Yoo Jung needs Hong Seol more because he is someone who is a little harder to love and forgive and it would be harder for Yoo Jung to find someone else who could see the good in him. Regardless, I wish the writers would have given a little more closure for all the characters in the last episode but specifically Baek In Ho because I feel like the amount of hardships he had to go through should've justified a better ending for his character's story.
Cheese in the Trap was written with some excellent characters and has stellar actors to back it up. The dynamics between the characters is believable and the story-line is fresh. The story revolves around university life, describing the hardships and stress that's piled onto college students. The ability for a college student to relate to this drama for is pretty high, at least it was for me.
Kdrama OSTs rarely disappoint me and in this one they do not. I listen to the instrumentals purely to be transported back into the vibe that is Cheese in the Trap.
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Great KDrama!
I read the ending was very controversial. I also saw some people decided not to watch it because they heard about the ending. I can only say.... You must watch this and ignore what people say online. I really enjoyed watching this. I am sure I will watch it again one day. I am fine with how it ended. Even if there is no season 2. Still I hope they come back and make a second season some day. All the actors did a great job. I was never bored while watching any of the episodes. I see the webtoon has ended. So I might read that when I have time.Was this review helpful to you?
I was really upset with the couple choice in the end but it made it kind of more realistic.
The male lead even from the start was quite intimidating and not someone who I'd like to approach, but I like how it was kind of realistic, the male lead clearly had some issues but the female lead couldn't stay away from him even so.
It was clear that their was no emotional connection between the two F and M leads which really bothered me.
The second leads were truly the stars of the entire show!!
The brother and sister bonding was beyond amazing, in most dramas you see a loving and no love and hate relationship between siblings but in this it showed a sad emotion past and how the brother had to let his sister stay with him although he really didn't want her to stay but its clear that family was meaningful even in hard times.
I truly loved this and would definitely recommend it to all my friends.
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Everything I Expected and Less
I want to first start off by saying that I only watched this show because my complained about the ending being very unsatisfactory. When she said this I didn't think it'd be that bad because it was based off a webtoon and the bar is already low.But when I watched it, the first thing I didn't like was jeongs relationship with seol or the twins. He was very awkward. His character is basically the average rich male bully character that who would have been a side character in any other drama but this one. This guy allows there to be alot of misunderstanding in the drama and is "always right" so most of the drama is the characters suffering from what he's done.
I also didn't like the way seol is treated, up until a few episodes in she is mistreated by everyone a senior thinks she reported a scam, inha hates her for being with jeong and someone changes her schedule.
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But to me, this drama had a lot more layers than that. This drama had me on the edge of my seat many times, I felt for the characters and related to it.
If you are giving this drama a shot and you will watch it, do so with an open mind. Appreciate the story, the acting and the development of characters.
To me the story was about love and about accepting someone. Letting someone in your heart, despite their flaws. Realising your own flaws and willing to work on them. To me this drama touched a lot of real life problems.
It made me laugh, cry, cringe and love! I would recommend this drama to anyone, as long as they are open to the story beneath the surface! <3
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Story:
The story is honestly what made me finish this drama in two days. At face value, it seems like the typical shoujo anime, but there are a lot of complexities to it. I think what really fascinates me is how much is hidden about the characters, and as the story unfolds, we learn more about their traits. Moreover, there's a sense of development and growth that takes place. At the same time, there are several minor storylines that take place that are honestly just as interesting as the main plot, so it's just very entertaining to watch it all play out. I wish I could say more, but honestly I really don't want to spoil it lol.
Cast:
Love them. Even the ones I hate, I love. The cast is the highlight of this drama, for me. Each and every one of them plays their role perfectly. But at the same time, they aren't one-dimensional. The protagonist isn't always the goody-goody who you can't help but adore, sometimes you want to punch her in the face (or at least I did hehe). The antagonists (and oh my there are many) are people you eventually begin to understand (probably not like, but at least understand their point of view). My point is, there are so many emotions these characters make you feel, I felt so drained after finishing the drama. Like I'd lived multiple lives in a day. PLUS, major bonus points for Seo Kang Joon. I mean, he's gorgeous, and his character was impossible not to fall in love with.
Music:
I mean, do people really remember drama OSTs? The only track I can remember is that short, cute one they play at the start of every episode. That's not even a song though haha. Idk, don't remember any particular song standing out throughout.
Overall:
I rated the re-watch value low because I think it's the kind of drama that's more enjoyable when you don't know what's going to happen next. I would def recommend watching it asap. It'll make you cry a lot. Or at least, I did. I suppose it depends on how you feel about the characters. But most importantly, it's definitely not boring. INCREDIBLY FRUSTRATING, oh yes, very often. But boring? Nope, have fun.
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