This review may contain spoilers
Perhaps this drama can learn a thing or two from marathon runners
Perhaps a lot of kdramas can learn a thing or two from marathon runners about endurance and finishing strong. Getting past the threshold of pain in the last few miles, or in this case, the last few episodes would've made all the difference. The drama started out strong, a story about 3 couples in different kinds of situations and discusses a lot of adult topics of marriage and career. That was enjoyable and binge worthy. Although it is very predictable, it is not cliché. My favorite character of the three main female leads will have to be my girl Soo-Ji. Even if the main focus is on Ji-Hoo, she's got nothing on the real badass of this drama.*SPOILERS AHEAD*
This drama could have been a 9 for me but ultimately ended up being an 8. In the last 2 episodes, it seems the writer hit a wall and wrote something that was rather lazy. The main problem seems to be Ji=Ho and the writer trying to write out how to separate the couple for them to realize how important they were to each other. To do so, the writer just made Ji-Ho lose character development and behaved in a way that even Ji=Ho couldn't properly explain. Without honest and authentic conversation with Se-Hee, she simply said she wants a divorce and that she's going to sign to write a new drama with his ex and will have sufficient income to live on her own. But did she really sign with his ex? No, she lied about it. She didn't sign and instead went off to live in a hostel for a couple of months without contacting him. And in order to get Ji-Ho to sign with her company, Se-Hee's ex even helped Ji-Hoo with her legal case with the previous director. And what did she get in return? Ji-Ho not signing the contract. Basically, this made Ji-Ho dishonest and irresponsible. And to top it off, the actress who plays Ji-Ho's slow way of speaking became too sloth-like. If they were going for impact, they got quite the opposite. I wanted to fall asleep whenever she was talking or wanted to speed it up to 1.5x. And her lack of proper communication and honesty made Se-Hee sell his house and ended up suffering for months and moving up to the rooftop room Ho-Rang used to live in. The poor dude suffered for what? So Ji-Ho can just make some cake with a racoon looking cat on it to surprise him randomly at his house months after their divorce? Ta-da! Today is our day one! Yeah, it could've been day one of your restraining order. Ji-Ho's passive aggressive tendencies also didn't get any better. It got annoying. They could've done much better in the last two episodes.
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Let me first start by saying that I decided to give this drama a shot because of the review and the -so overrated- rating.
I am writing this review because I can relate in so many ways to the lead female character JI HO, I am at the age of getting married but I am also afraid of being tied down to a man for the rest of my life, I just don't know how I should feel about it (marriage) now, while watching this drama I felt like a woman can't be complete if she doesn't marry, I am starting to believe that life is not worth living if you don't have anyone to share it with.
What I want to say is that the show completely brainwashed me (if this is the correct way to say it) and I am seriously considering to get married now, maybe life won't be as boring as I think it would be? Who knows? I really envied the main male character, even with his mentality he was able to find someone who could accept him for what he is, however, i don't think that life is this generous to anybody especially when it comes to marriage.
Now talking about my thoughts on the show;
I solely believe that 16 episodes were way too many! especially to such a predictable story ( I mean come one! we've already seen it coming we just chose to stick it for one reason or another. (for me it was because I kind of envied how courageous she was for getting married, I am not going to lie) The pacing was slow and I had to forward many scenes, especially when it came to MA & Woo soo! I just found their chemistry too bland and forced!
The characters development was kinda superficial and once again expected, nothing deep ... and sometimes dialogues are repeated ... I don't know what was all the hype about! An okay show I guess, I probably won't rewatch it again ... the cinematography and the ost, on the other hand, are great! I just wanna say, that TVN successfully took 16 hours of my life away from me lol (well, less, since I had to skip many unnecessary scenes)
Come on Kdrama! I want something as fresh as "MAN FROM THE STARS" I want something that takes me to the moon and back!
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BTIMFL is like a unwitting friendship. You meet people you might not care too much about and/or are not particularly interested in but gradually as you spend time with them your heart moves. Suddenly they become a part of your own story. There is nothing life changing about this friendship, it was a brief encounter, and am truly sad to see it end. *sigh* "We'll always have Paris."
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I laughed and cried along with the characters throughout the drama. Love how it was realistic and how relatable it was.
Ji Ho was definitely my favorite character. She stole the entire show. There's never been a female lead so realistic like Ji Ho before. I love how straightforward she is with her feelings. She never gave up on Se Hee even though he was always trying to draw a line between them. Jung So Mi did an amazing job portraying the emotions out her character. It felt so raw that I too felt her emotions as the story moved along.
Lee Min Ki also did a great job portraying Se Hee too. Through Se Hee's robotic personality, Min Ki was able to convey his emotions perfectly. Everyone else also did a great job portraying their characters.
The ost for this drama is so good! My favorites are Marriage by Moon Moon and Can't go by Ben. It went very well with the show.
I recommend this to anyone!
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Though I did find the the main love story amusing, I think it's the weakest part of this drama. The premise is so out there that I never fully bought into it and never really understood why they had to get married. It made way for some funny situations, but never really made sense to me. There is a slow halting awkwardness to the mannerisms of the 2 leads that is in character, but can be frustrating to watch. They look like they are sleepwalking from scene to scene for much of the drama. The actors manage to pull it off enough to make it worth it to me, but it did drag a lot when they conversed. Every sentence of their dialogue is punctuated by long halting dramatic pauses that don't reveal much. They had their share of sparky chemistry moments. But I looked for some happy flow in their scenes together and that was missing here. I am not sure if I missed the scenes that made me understand why they fall for each other. Their scenes together often seem like an excuse to make quiet observations about life, love and marriage. But overall the drama is quirky, funny and thought provoking enough to make for an entertaining viewing experience.
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I wouldn't re-watch this drama, not because it is bad or something but I'm already contented by it.
The couple that I'm not that happy about is Ho Rang and Won Seok. They were somehow great but Ho Rang's attitude at some point is just a little bit annoying. I hope that she would be able to understand things more. But I guessed she was just pressured or something.
There were also lots of fillers through the late episodes of the drama but it was still quite enjoyable or if you aren't that patient, just skip it.
SO.. For me, it's quite an inspiring story. If you don't really have much to do, you can watch this one. It's not that heavy so it might lift your spirit up if ever you feel sad or something. The ending is quite short so for me, it lacks depth because some of the things were left hanging and unsolved BUT STILL I think this drama is good~
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I would totally give it a 10 if not for the last 2 episodes. The drama managed to tug on my emotions, make me laugh, deal with difficult topics and avoid cliches and the usual, cookie-cutter dialogues. People say what they think in this drama save for one unfortunate secondary couple. It is really exhilarating to see a drama in which the characters say what you expect them to say. The drama is paced beautifully and even the 'love triangle' isn't really a love triangle in this.
I also love that this drama tackles the societal problems such as starting your life without means, not having enough money even when being successful, soul-sucking jobs, having dreams vs paying bills, sexual harassment and assault and personal oddities with such a unique perspective. I appreciated exposing and talking about those things in the open. The awkward, but honest social interactions between the main couple are gold. They will make you laugh and then feel sad at the same time. This drama is perfectly balanced in this regard. It is perfectly balanced to the 15th episode, that is. After that, I feel like the writers went for the more usual plot devices, which kind of ruined it for me. I understand what the writers were going for, but I'm not sure it was necessary. This is what made me drop a star from my rating.
All in all, it is a truly unique and beautiful drama.
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Best part about this is the lessons that's throughout this plot they're very meaningful.
I do like all couples in here, but sometimes it's annoying. Still it's an enjoyable show.
I didn't like how she was literally mistreated by everyone from her old workplace when she was a writer but other than that everything else is hilarious and great. Oh n se hee's ex like at first I thought she was going to be trouble, but no lol she's such a sweet and likeable character.
Anyways this is a must watch for sure.
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An Emotional and Pondering Exploration of Romance and Marriage
This drama is a rollercoaster. It made me at times extremely happy, and at others practically depressed. A lot of this has to do with my intense identification with the characters, but that's not to say they don't stand their ground for any viewer of the series. Certainly they are some of the most nuanced characters I have come across, with dimensions that can't be explained away with a single trope. Speaking of tropes, besides the obvious ones there aren't many to speak of, and the context around the contract marriage is quite different from the usual.It's not uncommon to see either a solemn male or solemn female lead, but it is somewhat uncommon to see both. It's the combination of the two that make the drama both fresh and exciting but also stressful and frustrating. There is a sense of slow progress that could all come crashing down at a moment's notice. Simply put, it can be intense and taxing. That's not to say it's a bad drama, though, just a certain style. Oftentimes it's beneficial for a drama to be intense because this makes it more engaging and leads to greater plot investment, which is certainly true in this case.
And, besides all this, the good times undoubtedly make up for the bad, just as in a real romance. I have no doubt you'll have a stupid grin plastered on your face just as I did when the leads are together. The three pairings certainly give you a lot to root for, which is one of the reasons I stuck through the tough parts to see the ending, where I might abandon most shows.
I can't forget to mention the thought provoking messages permeating the narration. The main character- a writer- displays her skill by thinking and speaking in the most interesting of ways, questioning everything to a philosophical level. The level of these observations can sometimes be so deep and complex as to make you pause and think for a bit. And, while they sometimes feel like disguises for possibly simpler motivations, they definitely add to the character's personality and maturity.
I do recommend this show, if only for the glowing chemistry portrayed between outwardly solemn leads, supported by a dynamic cast with just as rich of stories as the protagonists.
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A light yet honest look at marriage and relationships
I really enjoyed this drama. It speaks on the reality of marriage and love. Whilst I feel some of the endings for certain couples took away from the realism aspect, I still felt this drama was more palatable as a romance focused drama, which I normally find incredibly hard to watch. I also love how it touched on gender roles in relationships and families; instead of tearing them down and automatically labeling them as 'sexist', this drama takes a more nuanced look at it. I also adore how this drama handles workplace sexism and the reality of working as a young 20 something, at all levels of life.If you want a light, relatively easy to watch drama, give this one a go. It has plenty of fun and humorous moments. It definitely made me warm and happy. I'm not the biggest fan of the slightly cliche ending for some pairings. (hence the 8 rating instead of a 9). Particularly annoyed after the drama spent time shading cliche endings... but it's still okay I suppose.
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This review may contain spoilers
This is one of the best dramas out there. The writing itself is just superb and all of the cast was well chosen. It is a joy to watch, the story keeps you on the toes and I personally could not put it down.The story is overall well designed, mostly character driven but the attention is well divided into three main lines following the side characters as well. This created unique tempo and various stages of relationships of the others present a solid ground - this kept the episodes varied and not one was boring or weak. You will be interested in the side characters as well, the drama takes the time not just to develop the relationships of the couples, but presents very fleshed out friendships and individual relationships between the ensemble as a whole.
It's just such a shame that for the sake of creating dramatic conclusion, the last two episodes are a sore spot. The female lead starts behaving absolutely out of her character and creates a situation that you as a viewer can't get behind. This bothered me. Otherwise well written conversations became just monologues and some rushed decisions left me a bit confused.
As for characters, the main six are excellent. I especially loved the character of Ma CEO who was a true gem and solid element in every relationship. The minor characters were very good as well, I enjoyed the parents very much. I liked the music.
I will definitely rewatch this at least one to have a "further think" about this. It gave me so much food for thought and it did stir emotion within me. It really is a unique drama and even though the last two episodes are a bit of a let down, the overall quality and character of the show itself make up for that.
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I did not like this show at all. The style of conversations supposed to be "realistic", but to me they were very draggy and lacked any entertainment value. I am not a fan of the slow talking style used in shows like these, where there's too much pause between sentences and it looks very artificial.
I did not like any of the characters on this show. Watching them interact with each other was boring and frustrating. The lead couple is a stoic wooden man and a dull woman, they were hard to look at and did the stupidest things. Characters doing stupid things is normal in a drama and many a times we actually don't mind them but here they just seemed too annoying. The way they conducted themselves wasn't relatable or admirable, I only kept getting mad at them. I did not feel the chemistry between them and watching their romance which was almost non existent anyways was a total bore.
The acting was good, but since I was not enjoying the characters anyways it was hard to like any of them. My Favourite was Kim Min Seok. He is always delightful. The other actors also did a good job of portraying their characters.
This show has a fairly good rating on MDL so I guess other do like it. But personally I would suggest you don't waste your time.
Good slice of life dramas: Le Coup De Foudre, Put your head on my shoulder
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