Another overrated drama
I have no idea how there's a lot of reviews on here that give this one any rating above 3 is beyond me. This is a terrible drama by all metrics. Characters are written badly, the story went nowhere and the acting is not great.I tried to like it but I found myself losing interest the longer I watched. The FL was almost sociopathic with how she treated the ML. She wasn't written in a realistic way. She's very impulsive without reason, she acts like the world is against her when she's the one being immature.
Save your time and skip this one if you're looking for something that makes sense and has substance.
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Decent
This drama was a little slow for me. By episode 3 I found myself feeling bored with the dragging storyline. The ML, while he is a good actor, his character was unappealing and I didn’t fall for him, and I’m not sure why they chose to use full on autistic traits to make someone appear “weird” or as they say in the drama, “crazy.” They could have made his character quirky without being autistic.The FL was the biggest issue for me. There are a couple of actresses in kdramaland that seem to have a literal inability to close their mouths, and constantly hang their mouths open like an emotionless dead fish in every scene, and Jung So Min is one of the biggest offenders. Maybe others are okay with watching this facial expression in every scene, but I find it irritating to no end and bad acting.
Don’t get me wrong, it’s not a bad show, it actually is worth a watch but I wouldn’t hurry to watch it. The cinematography is ahead of its time for 2017, and the overall quality of the drama is excellent. I just had several faults with it that keep it from being a favorite.
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This review may contain spoilers
An 8 that should've been a 10
I started this drama because I'd seen Lee Min Gi in Dal Ja's Spring but my expectations were pretty low since the plot synopsis didn't seem interesting. But I unexpectedly fell in love with the show (at least up to episode 12). It's a sensitive and emotionally powerful look at how young women's dreams are undermined and stomped on.For example, the FL is forced to leave the apartment she shares with her brother when his girlfriend gets pregnant (if she stays, she'll be forced to become a nanny and housekeeper for the household) and then later is nearly sexually assaulted by a work friend and has to quit her job after her bosses try to force her to continue working with him. In one scene she's wandering the streets alone at night in her pajamas and crying because she literally has no place to go. It's no wonder she enters a loveless contract marriage just so she has a safe and quiet place to sleep every night.
Even after the ML & FL get married their families try to force both of them into traditional gender roles. She's asked to attend her in-laws' memorial rites ceremony and has to do all of the cooking and clean up solo. Even when her husband tries to help her with the work, he's told by his mother that he'll shame his wife.
One of the most poignant scenes in the drama is at the wedding when the ML reads a letter written to him by his mother-in-law begging him to allow her daughter go back to her career as a writer if she wants to. The mother was trying to prevent her daughter from experiencing the same pain she'd gone through as a wife. I literally ugly cried watching it and I still tear up thinking about it.
But the drama isn't all dark and heavy. In fact it's often laugh out loud funny. There's hilarious scenes like when the leads announce their engagement to their family and friends and when the ML helps his in-laws make kimchi. And the FL's two best chingus add a lot of funny moments to the story.
The romance is an extremely sweet slow burn (up to episode 12, sigh) where you see two introverted and skittish people gradually fall in love. There's so many lovely moments like the wedding scene where the FL is sobbing uncontrollably just as their ceremony is about to start. Even though they are nowhere near being in love yet, the ML kneels down and tells the FL she doesn't have to stop crying, they can walk down the aisle together and that he'll stay by her side. I cried so hard in that scene.
So why isn't this a 10? The last four episodes.
The ML's first love shows up and this causes much cliched angst and sorrow for the FL (though she turns out to be a decent person) . The FL then inexplicably believes she has to choose between a highly compensated job at her husband's ex's firm or staying in a relationship with the ML so she turns down the job (wtf!). Then for no freakin' reason at all the FL decides she has to divorce the ML even though she's in love with him and she's aware that he's about to ask her to make their marriage real. (wtfffff!) Then she freakin disappears for months, leaving the ML an emotional basket case who ends up selling his home to escape bad memories. When the FL comes back, she simply crawls into bed with him and kisses and tada he instantly forgives her. (wtfffffffffffffff!) It literally feels like an entirely new writer came on board for the last four episodes. This ending isn't Do Do So So La La Sol levels of bad but still bad enough to leave me not feeling much when the leads finally get together for real.
Do I still recommend you watch this? Yes because the early episodes are hilarious, heartwarming and heart breaking and the depictions of women in their early 30s struggling just to survive are dead accurate .
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It's one of the best dramas of 2017 unarguably. It might not seem like that at all from the first glance. If you look at the plot, you have most definitely seen this story somewhere else and you can predict how the story is going to turn out eventually. However, classic stories like these make watchers somewhat nostalgic. Actually, it's not the story that draws in people to continue watching, but the magnificent and heartfelt dialogues between the characters. I was really inspired by some of the best quotes that were spoken during the dialogues and monologues. Also, I really enjoyed the 3 different love storylines in the series. They all focus on 3 completely different couples, their problems, their wishes and chemistry. Speaking of love sparks between characters, I though that the main couple was so adorable! Although the cast wasn't that star-studded, now I'm a an of some new actors. And as always, a good OST is a must for me to rate a drama highly. Personally, it's one of the best soundtracks in a drama that I've ever heard! Especially the tracks "Everyday" by Hae Bin and "Marriage" by MoonMoon just colored the drama with emotions!
This drama will definitely be added to my favorites list. I'd rewatch it again and again, so please, start watching it too!
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This review may contain spoilers
Could have been a masterpiece with just a few writing tweaks; but as it is...
I really, really wish I could have given this a 10 (as some parts/elements certainly deserved it); however, there were unfortunately several character-/plot-writing problems that kept it well below that rating. (WARNING: FULL SPOILERS AHEAD)* Problem #1: One of the side couples had a really annoying conflict reason (the show is really asking me to believe that in *SEVEN whole years (!),* neither party ever even thought to bring up to each other what they'd like to see in a long-term relationship in regards to kids/marriage/etc.? And Ho Rang's friends know all about her hopes/plans about these subjects in perfect detail, yet she never once talks about them properly at all with her actual partner over the course of those 7 years? Seriously?? 🤨 And then to top it all off, despite the guy trying his darndest to be extremely good to her and give her whatever he believes she wants even if he has to sacrifice to do it, yet she somehow wants the poor man to be a mind-reader as well and treats him really badly when he obviously can't read her freaking mind when she is the one making the choice to literally not communicate at all??? 🤦♀️).
* Problem #2: The fake-out with the supposed 'stalker' subplot was a bit overdone. They should have either stuck with it to the end as him really being one, or made his character just a stereotypical rival instead. Trying to have it both ways and then finally revealing his 'innocence' after (rather cartoonishly) building it up so hard didn't really work that well, IMO. Worst of all, the writing seemed to just brush off his actual behavior as fine and gave him no consequences (because even though he was innocent of the criminal stalking, he *did* still just do whatever he wanted and continued to go after Ji Ho even after she tried to set boundaries *and* informed him that she was getting uncomfortable-- multiple times!-- which is definitely NOT okay, yet that ended up not being addressed at all. 😕 {Which is even weirder because one of the main threads of the show is about calling out sexist/harassment crap, so for his pushiness and unwillingness to accept a no as a no to just be brushed off isn't even internally consistent with the show's own narrative in the first place...})
* And Problem #3: Main female character Ji Ho's actions/reasoning in the last 2 episodes. I do get that she wanted to see who she was on her own first (because she never had), and to break the old contract so that the two of them could start fresh on completely equal footing and build up the relationship on love instead of business/etc.; and that's all perfectly valid, of course. However, the way she went about it (with no communication of most of that info to the other party, especially when she actually knew his feelings beforehand and still did it that way on purpose, totally disregarding any thought of what he might feel/go through) was rather cruel for Se Hee, IMO. 😕 The way she handled that was honestly pretty bad and very, very selfish, and she didn't even really feel any remorse about what it did to Se Hee (in fact, she was... happy about it?? 🤨 Yikes! 😬). This makes her surprisingly unlikable for a while right at the very end of the show (when up until then she was very likable), for literally no logical reason whatsoever.
Those are some rather large writing problems, unfortunately (that last one being particularly egregious).
On the positive side:
* The acting itself (regardless of the script quality they have to work with) is excellent.
* While there is a little bit of physical slapstick comedy a few times, I was pleasantly surprised that the show incorporated themes of the societal 'expectations'/pressure, sexual harassment/violence, and overt sexism in general the characters have to deal with on a daily basis into its very fabric and actually treated those topics seriously/with due respect (most of the time), rather than for 'comedic' value or somesuch.
* I also like how consistent the character writing for main male lead Se Hee was (for example, the mini-'reveal' that he actually wasn't dense at all about Ji Ho liking him, rather in fact he pretty much knew all along, and was just purposefully deflecting it for a while instead, was brilliant because that makes *so* much more sense for a character as intensely observant as he was always shown to be than the stereotypical 'dense' alternative would have been 👍). (Too bad they didn't have had the same quality and consistency of character writing for Ji Ho... 🤦♀️)
Overall, I'm glad I watched it; however, the writing was definitely frustrating and inconsistent at a few points, and had they only fixed those issues this could have been a certified masterpiece-- which of course just makes those missed opportunities even more frustrating. 🤷♀️
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Since I was a huge fan of Kim Min Seok, I always monitor all of his activities. I was anticipating this drama from the start because of him. I didn't care about the other actors at first because all I want to see is Min Seok.
But after watching the first two episodes, I was hooked with the drama not because of my main reason above instead I was charmed by the main character, Lee Min Ki and So Min. They gave me already the butterflies just witnessing the first two episodes. I loved how weird and mysterious Minki's role which I think perfectly fit him. And how can I resist the sweet stares of his brown eyes? I cannot. Somin's naive character made their love line much more exciting. Tabooong! What I respect most is that this drama doesn't only focus on the main leads. You can enjoy watching the two lovey dovey couples who portrayed the bittersweet reality of falling in love.
The story flows smooth with no irrelevant matters involved. It's refreshing and light so you will probably enjoy it 'til the last second. It has its own charm that will catch your attention or I must say you, as a whole. The OST of this drama will make you cry, laugh and fall in love.
Overall, this is a masterpiece.
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Story 10/10
The story mainly follows three couples and their hardships in the relationship. They are each facing different challenges and representing different types of relationships (marriage by contract, long-term relationship without marriage, and one-night-stand vs commitment). I won't go deep into the story because I don't want to spoil it for anyone, but basically they all struggle in understanding the meaning of love, marriage and opening up themselves to their partners. The story seems cliche and simple at first glance, but the way this drama presented the story is novel, fresh, creative, and so well-plotted out that it would feel like you are seeing this type of story for the first time. This drama is like a demonstration of how rom-coms can also be deep, through-provoking, and reflective like beautiful literature.
Character Depth 9/10
First of all, the characters were so realistically written; they had struggles that many people could relate to, and even though sometimes they made mistakes and did annoying things, I couldn't hate any of them because they were just like real people and had real emotions and reasons of why they came to be. Even though we might have different personalities as the characters, we would still understand their struggles and the fact that sometimes life does not go in the way we want it to. We can understand why Ji Ho, despite being an innocent and kind person, comes out stronger and more independent than her personality suggests. We understand why Se Hee always appears reserved and calculative, because he made grave mistakes in the past and he wants his life to be organized and in control, and most importantly he doesn't want to hurt anyone. Although he seems like a robot, he's actually a very kind and considerate person who always notices the feelings of the people around him. Just like how he striked a conversation with Ji Ho even though they were complete strangers, because he knew she needed someone by her side at that moment. He's not the type of person who would spare time and money unless he thinks it's worth it, and when he does, it's because he truly cares about that person. As for Won Seok and Ho Rang's relationship, I actually related to them the most. Even if you love a person very much, it doesn't mean the relationship will go smoothly, there may be timing gaps, differences in life goals, values, and communication barriers that end up inflicting great pain on you and your partner. And sometimes the pain of holding someone's hand is so overwhelming, that you can't help but want to let go, even if you can't live without that person. But it's always after separation, that you realize what is truly important to you.
The lines of this drama were well-written, every deep conversation touched my heart like poetry, and there were even some literary references that matched well with the story. It also made the characters more three-dimensional, especially Ji Ho since she's the narrator of the story. I relate with her a lot because I have a similar personality and I also like contemplating about things while daydreaming. Therefore I find her very suitable for the narrating role. The only downside is that since Ji Ho is like the sole narrator and you can only hear her heart most of the time, you might not know what the other characters are thinking.
Message 10/10
The drama also did an excellent job in prompting viewers the meaning of marriage. Why and when do people get married? The Ji Ho and Se Hee couple will make you ask--does love need to exist for marriage? Is marriage simply a commitment between two couples, or does it imply many duties and responsibilities that need to be upheld? And the Won Seok and Ho Rang couple will make you ask--is love solely enough for marriage? Or it is also about the right timing and conditions? Finally the Mr. Ma and Soo Ji couple will question whether it is because you need to depend on someone so you start a relationship, or because you love someone that you want to share your life with them even if you didn't have the need to. These are questions that the drama often touches on, and I believe there is no definite answer to these questions, because in the end everyone's situation is different. But my takeaway is that since marriage is commonly regarded as a "grave for love", meaning that love is sometimes destroyed in marriage, an important thing that people who are getting married for love should keep in mind of is to not let anything get in the way of their love relationship--not family rituals, not other people's expectations, not society's standards, and certainly not the system of marriage. In the end, we get married to be happy, and we shouldn't lose what we originally hoped for in the process.
Music 8/10
The OST does not have a "wow" effect but every song grows on me, and suits the scenes of the drama very much. They helped amplify the sentimental emotions in the drama and made the storytelling more effective. There was no song that I didn't like in the album.
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The main couple are so awkward, but that makes their interactions even even more adorable
The other other couples are cure af too sometimes weird, but still funny lol
The best thing was that there wasn’t a third person or wavering feelings which is daebak
Don’t know if this is a good or bad thing, but I guess good because in a way this shows, show that someone may seem nice but nah they ain’t. Like don’t judge someone to quickly cause y’all there are lots of plot twist for the characters in here.
Overall a 10/10 definitely
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Cast: Wasn't too fond of the male lead but he considering his character, it suited him. Female lead did well. However, honestly speaking I think it supporting cast was what made the drama all the more better and interesting. Love the side characters, their stories and struggles.
Music: Music was good but not memorable. Usually if a song is good and catchy, it sticks with you.
Rewatch Value: I think I'd only rewatch some of the kissing scenes.
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This drama are stories of people (and animal) who had taste of life. Those who have fallen in and out of love, people who are in a turmoil relationship, people who are scared of trying and cats who deliberately left alone when their master is away from home. At some point in time in our 20's, we will experienced these kind of pain, happiness, sadness, hope, agony, bereavement, and love. Then, we will be like these characters: getting frustrated, doing unnecessary mistakes, hurting ourselves and one another, hoping for the best to come, and lastly learning to fall in love amidst all those events happened. That's the beauty of life, you have time to redeem yourself and be well in return.
"Everything will be okay in the end, if it's not okay, it is not the end." - John Lennon
Best beginning and best ending in all dramas so far.
Sweet dates are fluffy. Kisses are great. Confessions are the best.
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Side comments: It was really fun watching this drama with the comment section on because when major scenes would play out you could see the audience watching would be split about what they wanted for the main characters. I think thats the marking of a complex show; having people see different paths for the main couple. I think maturity is important when watching this show because some of the characters actions near the end may be hard to understand unless you can really understand how they're doing things out of love
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