Seldom can dramas make me feel this frustrated, excited, bubbly all in one episode. That’s what an incredible drama should do with you - completely play with your feelings, make you question certain things. The genre is definitely melodramatic so prepare to feel heart-broken and to weep a whole lot. However, this is also a realistic drama showing the unfortunate lives of two humans and their natural approach to romantic love. Seeing the two characters develop feelings for each other and being connected in the past made my heart oh so weak. I’m a sucker for the main characters to have a bomb chemistry. And oh boy, the lead actors killed it! First, Won Jin Ah is currently one of the most memorable young and starting actresses out there for me. She was so professional with how she transferred her character’s feelings. I have to say, this was my first time seeing Lee Jun Ho’s performance as well and not only is he an amazing actor, but a singer as well. Speaking about music, the OST was so sincere, the songs made such an impact on all of the scenes, and me included. To add, I appreciate that the viewers got to see the different lives and struggles of the supporting characters. Each of them have their own unique story which makes this drama worth rewatching all over again!
(Also, I felt the need to address something as well. Never drop a drama if you’re not sure on how the ending is going to turn out like. The natural progression of the drama, the characters, their developing stories are what make this series worth watching.)
Overall, this drama makes you appreciate life even more and live your life to the fullest every day somehow. I bow down to the creators of this drama for giving me a thrilling rollercoaster ride full of incredible emotions!
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Overall, this drama gives you that realisation about life, if what you are doing is making you happy and creating a better you. I cant really write a long review but I would definitely recommend this drama to everyone. It is a MUST WATCH. I really don't think this one is the type to drop or not be interested in.I wouldn't be surprise if Just Between Lovers win awards this year, I am totally rooting for them.
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Then, somewhere in between Just Between Lovers took a turn down the typical K-Drama alley. It became overly melodramatic and sappy. In order to create a tragic hero, they piled every problem possible in the world on his beautiful shoulders and there was only so much I could buy before I started giving it the side-eye. Physical health problems gave precedence to mental. I won’t say that it romanticized mental illness but it did gloss over it all. PTSD does not randomly vanish like this.
However, despite all this, one thing that was very clear to me at the end of it all was how much I enjoyed this show throughout. I was even more relieved than disappointed because of all the tropes it chose to follow because they provided the much needed escapism we look for in dramas. Even though, it dealt with heavy issues it didn’t drown in it. There was always a comedic gesture, a heartwarming moment and a swoon-worthy interaction between the leads to balance things out.
I think this drama had one of the best K-Drama romances ever. This was exactly the kind of relationship I fall for. It was a beautiful slow burn, where two people grow individually and together. They go through obstacles, they have their highs and lows and they become stronger through them- both in harmony and independently. And, it was all absolutely beautiful to watch. I’ve never been this starved for skinship between the leads and when it finally happened, it was so sweet and intimate that it was worth the wait.
Both the main leads were very dear to me. Gang Doo was simply an angel. I don’t think people like him exist in this world anymore but it would be a huge relief if they did. Moon Soo, even though some of her actions at the end were questionable was undeniably a sweetheart. There were some side characters I was lowkey annoyed with (Think: Second Male Lead, Second Female lead (though she had her moments) and the female lead’s parents) because of how much they victimized themselves even when other people had it far worse. But at the same time, I also adored a lot of other characters. Like basically everyone related to Gang Doo; his grandmother, his Doona, his brother figure and his team leader. You know what they say, good people are surrounded by good people.
As far as the acting goes, I won’t say it was exceptionally outstanding or that I was floored by it. Their inexperience and freshness shined through however, this worked out in their favor. Because the way the two portrayed their characters was so sincere and natural that it didn’t fail to capture the audience and touch hearts.
One of the best things about the show is the OST. I really recommend watching this show in a print that has the songs subbed while they play in the background. The lyrics are so meaningful to the plot and the play timing is perfect. So when you know what the songs are saying at a particular moment, it gives all the more depth and insight to the story. And it’s simply gorgeous.
So ultimately, Just Between Lovers is a show about healing, friendship, love, serenity and brilliant dialogues. Even though it develops slowly and maximizes emotion, it’s never boring. There are some tears here and there but with that comes so much more hope and so much more warmth.
Definitely recommend.
Enjoy!
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- the male lead is NOT portrayed as a wealthy powerful man with whole of the universe revolving around him
- he is NOT someone who is chased by dozens of girls for his popularity
- the female lead is not negative minded and is really a positive minded person
- no character is obsessive or obusive
- NO CHARACTER is hatable.. i mean, eventhough u are annoyed the second male lead and the director for some eps, once u get to know them more, u will not hate them..
- no crazy annoying love triangle
-the second lead girl is NOT evil at all.. rather she is likable as episodes progress..
- Everyone has their own problems. They deal it in their own way..
- daebak chemistry between main couple
- not only the chemistry, gang doo's relation with his granny, noona, little sister, sangman etc were amazingly portrayed..
- the love story between the webtoon writer&artist, director&noona, they were well written..
- the ending concentrated on all characters life that was amazing..
- TOTALLY THIS DRAMA WAS PORTRAYED IN A REALISTIC MANNER.. it takes through many emotions..
This drama has many amazing quotes too.. Most lovable drama and i am sure u will fall in love with junhoo at end..
Finally the drama is daebak and it breaks off all cliches of kdramas..
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I honestly am just writing this review to talk about Junho. He made me cry, laugh and love him. The scenes in which he just breaks down, because of the trauma, they were heart wrenching in a very good way. He is an amazing actor, and even those words are not enough to express how amazing he was to me. He broke my heart, mended it, stepped on it and healed it again. He is honestly the best actor I have seen in any film, from South Korea or anywhere else.
I would recommend this drama to anyone, the story was entertaining and beautifully heartbreaking. The way the characters develop is just a down to earth and an original portrayal in my opinion. To me, the characters were in sync with reality, which made me love them even more.
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STORY
The story of this drama feels very realistic and unique. The cinematography was beautiful and I enjoyed the aesthetically pleasing scenes more than it's even possible. You could see that every character was actually very deeply developed and the creators really made an excellent work concentrating on small details. It was amazing how you could feel all the emotions coming from the characters and you could easily empathise with them. There weren't really any "good or bad" characters. They were only people struggling with life and their fears and it made an incredible impression on me. The connection was also definitely very strong between the main leads and not to mention the chemistry between them! Oh boy, my heart is thanks to this drama really heart-broken and overwhelmed at the same time.
ACTING/CAST
I have legitimately no words. The acting was incredible. I’m so proud of the whole cast for doing such a great job. The main leads really killed it. Lee Kang Doo portrayed by Lee Jun Ho is a character who I would protect at all costs. He suffered so much and I still can't believe that Lee Jun Ho was able to portray him so realistically. He didn't have to say anything and you could already feel the character's emotions through his eyes. The same goes for Won Jin Ah. She also did an incredible job and the fact that she's a starting actress, wow. Lastly, I have to mention the chemistry again. Their relationship was obviously very important in the storyline and I loved the story behind their connection. I couldn't be more satisfied with their passionate performances.
MUSIC
I always forget to notice music in dramas but this was so painful to watch that I heard the music in my ears louder than ever. The songs definitely made a big impact on the scenes and also on my weak heart.
OVERALL
Honestly, I don’t have all the proper words to fully describe my thoughts about this drama. It was so tragically sad and realistic and I’m so amazed by this. I’m amazed about the plot, about the cast, about everything. How I said before, the acting was in my point of view incredible and the characters made the plot even more unique. Even though I emotionally suffered so much, I'd love to rewatch this when I get the chance to.
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The story revolves around a Mall's tragic collapse 10 years ago, and the plans to rebuild a new mall in the same spot. In the beginning I thought I would get bored by that plot pretty quickly, but the real story is all the characters directly or indirectly affected by this tragedy. Yes, it's also a great love story, but there are so many other interesting characters besides the main couple with their own struggles, romances, and personal battles. The characters are also extremely diverse as far as their circumstances (age, status, abilities...), but they all deal with their own frustrations, and self realizations. The cast is basically perfect.
Lee Jun Ho and Won Jin Ah were amazing together. I was impressed by how realistic their pain, angst, and chemistry felt. They never felt melodramatic or over the top, no matter how heavy the story got. Moon Soo has a cool no matter what personality, while Kang Doo has a dangerous charm, and both are frustrating at times, and heartbreaking at other times, but also incredibly cute together. I will say that Jun Ho was exceptionally good, and I was extremely impressed by his range. Whether he was tough, sensitive, smirking, crying, sickly, seductive, or just charismatic... he nailed every single emotion. I guess this proves once again that you can't underestimate someone by their past boyband status. I look forward to seeing many more awesome roles in his future!
This is the kind of drama where it's hard to pick out a few members of the cast because the whole cast is stellar. This review would be pages long if I tried to mention all the reasons why, just know that they are all realistic, sympathetic, imperfect, and that I genuinely cared about all of them. I will mention one MVP of the cast, which is saying a lot considering how good everyone was, and that's Kim Kang Hyun as Sang Man. There were many times that I thought his humor, wisdom, and emotional observations stole the show. It may be a stereotype to have the slowest person be in many ways the smartest, but he executed it so well. I loved Sang Man way too much not to mention him specifically.
I know I keep giving a lot of credit to the cast, but the writer and director deserve much of the credit too. The whole story feels extremely intimate. We get a sense of the Mall collapse's impact without it becoming too melodramatic. The images were also more haunting than gruesome, which gave them a stronger impact. The writer also avoids having everything work out perfectly, or making everything doom and gloom, which is part of why it all felt so realistic. Even during moments where the story felt a little slower, everything still felt connected, and necessary. There was one point where a character kept repeating the same frustrating action, and just as it was about to drive me crazy, they explained why they kept doing it and it all made sense. There's also enough balance in the story where it's never too sad, or too happy, for too long. If you like character driven stories, you will definitely not be disappointed.
The question of whether I would watch this again is tricky. While it's certainly good enough to watch again, you have to definitely be in the mood for this kind of story. Some of the suspense in wanting to know what decisions characters would make would be gone, which may make some episodes feel slower. Still, the cast is so phenomenal that I would enjoy watching these characters again even knowing the outcome.
I also really enjoyed the soundtrack. It was mellow, and moving, without being too distracting. I though that was perfect for a drama like this.
Overall, this is a must see drama, but be prepared for some tears... or many tears if you are a crybaby like me. With a story surrounding so many different characters, know that the ending is extremely satisfying (which I was worried about), as far as not leaving any characters hanging or forgotten about. I expected to be depressed when it was over, but instead I felt inspired to appreciate each day, even when life isn't exactly what I want it to be. From the beginning until the end I was totally invested in "Just Between Lovers", and I'm so glad I took a chance on it when I had no idea what to expect.
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Story:
A boy and girl meet during an accident where a building colapses and the two are buried underneath the concrete. Both are rescued in the end, but this incident leaves them, and also many others, with different levels of struggles and pain.
A very sad story with a lot of struggles that turns into a beautiful life lesson. Seriously, I haven't come across a drama where such a sad begining turns into a wonderful peace of art, like it did here.
Acting/Cast:
All the cast members do a splendid job here, they depict their characters perfectly so you love and hate them in all the right places. Actually, there is no character that I hate in the end, although I hated him or her inbetween. Everything is resolved in the end. And then there are the main characters Moon Soo and Gang Doo, who are the above mentioned boy and girl. Moon Soo is played by Won Jin Ah and although she seems a little reserved in the beginning, she really did a great job overall.
And now, let me come to the star of this show. Lee Junho (of 2PM) as Gang Doo. GIVE THIS MAN AN AWARD! His acting is so perfect, so real that you can't help but fall in love with Gang Doo. Every little emotion Gang Doo feels is visible thanks to Junho - wow, wow, wow! I didn't know him before, as I didn't watch Chief Kim, but now I've become a sucker for Junho (and 2PM xD) thanks to his acting here.
Music:
This drama has another great feature that lies in the music. Or rather, the lack of music. There are moments in this drama were there is no sound at all and you have no choice but to immerse into the emotions the characters feel. And that are the moments where it gets reaaaaally intense. Great! Also, if there is music, it always fits and is never too much. Another good point: Junho himself sang one of the songs of the OST and it's just beautiful!
Rewatch Value:
Yes, will definitely rewatch this at some point in time. Even if it's only to see Gang Doo's emotions!
Overall:
This drama deserves an award. Or better, a lot of them. It is really amazing and took my kdrama experience to a whole new level. An emotional rollercoaster that is worth all the ups and downs! It's simply a masterpiece. I bow my head to the writers, directors, actors, and all the other people who worked on this. Thank you!
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That's the best way I can describe it. After I'd finished watching this drama, I remember feeling satisfied but somewhat confused. No matter how much I wanted to write a review, I refrained because I was uncertain what the point of the story was besides getting the main leads together.
If you've read the synopsis, you know the protagonists survived the collapse of a shopping mall. So at first, I thought the story was about the leads working to make sure a tragedy like that didn't repeat. Except the story moved into a different territory, exploring why the mall collapsed in the first place. So then I assumed the plot was about finding out who was really responsible for the tragedy... only to realize that was barely touched upon. So next I wondered if it was about building the memorial for the victims' families and, in so doing, allowing our leads time to accept what happened and heal... But by the end of the story, none of those things mattered. In fact, some of those plot points were left completely unattended or brushed over.
So what was this story about?
It took me a bit of reflection to find the common thread that wove everything together. This is a story of hurt and comfort, simple as that. All the characters, each in their own way, were hurting. And, as the story progressed, they each found some measure of comfort and peace. But despite the heartwarming story, some plot-points did drag the narrative and bogged it down, extending the plot unnecessarily. That is not to say the story isn't good, but that is exactly the problem. If it had had a clearer plot, it would've elevated this story to greatness.
MAIN CHARACTERS: Sensitive & emotional
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The strongest point of this drama is probably the main characters, their acting and their chemistry. It's also worth noting that the characters stay very consistent, growing with each episode in a believable way.
Lee Kang Doo (male lead played by Lee Jun Ho): His character kept me engaged. He's not an unusual character, but I've more often than not seen his type in a supporting role rather than a lead. Kang Doo is a character who's hurting but he doesn't know how to ask for help. In fact, at his core, he doesn't think he deserves to be helped. He clings to life by sheer force of will, hiding his insecurities behind a wall of impatience and anger. But his bark is louder than his bite and, though he's rough, his true gentle heart shines through his every action.
Ha Moon Soo (female lead, played by Won Jin Ah): Her character is a perfect balance for Kang Doo. If he's like fire, she's like a gentle river. She flows calmly, abundantly and consistently. She's almost always in control of her life and emotions, which allows her to help those around her. She's a good person through and through, and a nurturing one at that. I really enjoyed her character, especially when her control broke to let out her real feelings and, with it, give us a glimpse of the pain she's been hiding. She was the most balanced and emotionally intelligent character out of the entire cast.
ANTAGONIST: None
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Although there are characters that act antagonistic, their role wasn't really that impactful. So I'd call them blunders more than antagonists.
SUPPORT CHARACTERS: Sympathetic
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Seo Joo Won (second male lead played by Lee Ki Woo): He was a complex character, presented as someone who wanted to move forward, but who couldn't let go of the past because he was still very much hurting. He was also a likable character from beginning to end.
Jung Yoo Jin (second female lead played by Kang Han Na): She's Seo Joo Won's former fiance who's still in love with him. Despite Joo Won not reciprocating her feelings, she was a strong, dignified, intelligent and sympathetic character. Unlike the standard second lead female, she never once tried to force her love upon Joo Won, nor did she blame Ha Moon for being the recipient of Joo Won's affections. Another thing of note is that she becomes friends with Lee Kang Doo.
PORTRAYAL OF ROMANCE: Sweet & tender
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The relationship between Kang Doo and Ha Moon is tender and nurturing. As I stated, this is a story about hurt and comfort, so we got plenty of that. There was a lot of chemistry between the characters, which allowed the progression of their relationship from strangers to co-workers to friends to lovers to feel organic and natural.
The pace was well maintained. It was a slow burn, but when it burned, it did so brightly. Sadly, it did sizzle in the middle (lost some momentum) under an overdose of unneeded drama. It's worth noting that I'm not a fan of getting a couple together, then tearing them apart unless there's a believable reason for it. In this case, I do question at least one of the reasons towards the end because it felt very out of character. That aside, the overall romance is heartwarmingly sweet.
Here are some of the highlights:
1) I enjoyed the transition from friends to lovers and appreciated that Ha Moon Soo was an active participant in that. In fact, I'd say she was perhaps bolder than Kang Doo, which is always refreshing.
2) I love the balance of the relationship. They were almost always on the same page and it never felt like one of them had the upper hand.
3) Their relationship was very healthy and based on mutual trust. Which means that both characters were there for each other at their lowest point and, in so doing, demonstrated that they were comfortable being vulnerable in each others' arms.
OVERALL: Low rewatch value, but definitely recommended
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This is a tender story about bringing two characters together to help heal their emotional wounds. Even if the plot had its flaws, the characters and their excellent portrayal made up for it. If you're looking for a sweet romance, then you should give this a shot. If on top of that, you're into stories of hurt & comfort, then this story will definitely satisfy you.
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Both characters in the story were such pro, that I never felt that I was watching a drama. Even the side cast was amazing. It was more like a depiction of real life story of 2 people who conquered their sufferings through love. Best features about this drama being:
-No cliche
-Realistic plot
-Amazing cast and their acting
-Chemistry b/w the leads
-Every emotion will make your heart skip a beat
Worst features being:
-Zero
-Nil
-basically nothing
-still nothing
-Im running out of synonyms of nothing so someone need to help here.
Things I learned from this drama:
Laughing is happiness,
Shouting is madness.
Sharing is kindness,
Loving is affectionateness,
Crying is sadness.
A human being has bundles of emotions, how can u expect someone to suppress them and remain expressionless?Always smiling doesn't heal things, but expressing them do ????????
I believe my review would encourage viewers to watch it, I'm sure people won't regret their decision. If you like it plz let me know how u felt????????????, in case u don't, I'll take the blame so u can curse me too????????????.
CAUTION: as explained earlier too that I seriously don't write fake reviews. I really had hard time in start, because of those sugar-coated sweet reviews from users on other sites, while in actual the drama was complete sh*t. The writers ain't giving me money to write good reviews or else my reviews list and my bank account both would had been full????????????????. M just helping sensible users and MDL people????????
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This review may contain spoilers
I thought this was going to one of those well-written, heartwarming dramas, until I reached the last quarter of the series. When the "Push-and-Pull-romance game" began, then a scenario of dreadful terminal disease came up and lastly everything was wrapped up in a "miraculous" conclusion.. I felt like I have wasted 16 hours, and I felt like I want them back.. Not to mention the female lead seemed too nervous and stiff when it comes to romantic scenes and kiss scenes.. Oh well, I'm sure she'll improve after a few more dramas.Was this review helpful to you?
