In the end, I gave in and decided to watch it as I was curious about what type of chemistry Park Bogum and Song Hye Kyo would bring to this drama. And anyway, those 2 names are enough to get me curious to give it a go.
And I must say I am incredibly surprised at how much I enjoyed this drama.
What I Liked:
THE CHARACTERS: yes the story is slow paced and that's because it's actually a drama that gives more focus on building the characters than the story it self and I think that's why the pace worked for me. The drama itself was about the journey of love between Jin Hyuk and Cha Soo-Hyun. The back story of Soo-Hyun was exactly that, just a back story to give it some tension (if that). In terms of the chemistry, I really enjoyed the chemistry between the two. I never once thought it was awkward or forced. I thought both actors did such an amazing job with their acting as well, especially in the emotional heavy scenes, you could really feel their pain and heartache.
OST: I'm a sucker for drama OSTs and I loved the OST in this, that fact that there were some in English made me appreciate it a bit more and I found myself singing along to them whenever they came on :D That aside, the soundtrack definitely worked well with the scenes and added extra emotional impact to them on top of the already incredible actors.
EDITING/CINEMATOGRAPHY: The flashbacks in the reviews I read about before watching this drama was what worried me the most before watching it. I don't like watching too many flash backs.. However, having completed the drama, I must say that those were actually very well done and I actually really liked them. The flashbacks were edited in during certain scenes that gives extra impact to the 'present' scene. And actually in some of them it makes the 'present' scene even stronger as it shows the reasons why Cha Soo-Hyun or Jin Hyuk are doing certain things.
I especially thought the retro-photo style and the fairytale animations were a great touch too. The photo style obviously reflecting Jin Hyuk's love for photography, whilst the fairytale animations reflect the fairytale-like story between the 2 characters.
What I Didn't Like:
-The turnout from the backstory of Cha Soo Hyun with Taegyong Group/Chairwoman Kim was underwhelming. It seemed like the climax of the story was going to be from the them but nothing major actually ever happens. I felt like Woo-Seok's character was a wasted character that was really just to give the slightest bit of tension between the 2 main leads.
-Aside from that, there's not really a lot to dislike about this drama. Would I watch it again? Probably not but I'm glad that I DID watch it cause it made me smile and made me feel happy. I love romantic dramas with happy endings the most and this just ticked the box. The only reason I wouldn't watch it again is that I don't think it will have the same effect to me if I watched it for a 2nd time. So I'd rather keep the good vibes that it left me after watching it for the first time.
Would I recommend it?
Definitely! BUT only if you like romantic dramas and don't mind a slower pace. If you like feeling giddy/flustered over the main characters romance then yes. If you like seeing character development/growth, then yes.
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While this was a nice, slow-paced romantic series, I was disappointed in the writing of the female character Cha Soo Hyun played by Song Hye Kyo. I felt like her character lacked any real depth or personality. She plays a guarded CEO mostly throughout the entire series. In the end, I wondered why Jin Hyuk even liked or fell in love with her. There wasn't enough to her personality to make her a loveable character. Most of the time, I either felt sorry or pitied her or just felt uninterested.
This is a story of a guy who chases a girl to the end of the world and you have no idea why.
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Very predictable and little chemistry
7.5/10 is my rating. This is a 2018/2019 South Korean television romance drama with 16, 60 minute episodes.
Cha Soo-hyun (Song Hye-kyo), has lived life in the spot light serving as a poster child for her politician father. Her mother, who sees her daughter as a pawn to further her husband’s political career, marries her off to a chaebol whose family has wealth and power sufficient to support her families‘ political ambitions. The loveless marriage soon falls apart when Soo-hyun’s husband declares he wants to marry one of the women he had been having an affair with. There are conditions to the divorce on both sides, Soo-hyun’s mother-in-law insists she continue to attend family gatherings until her son remarries. Soo-Hyun requests to be CEO of a hotel owned by the family which is on the verge of failing financially. Soo-Hyun makes the hotel so successful that she goes to Cuba to strike a deal to expand her hotel brand. It is while there that she has several chance encounters with Kim Jin-hyuk (Park Bo-gum), who saved doing part time jobs for a fun filled trip too Cuba before returning to South Korea and settling int his career. Soo-Hyun takes an impulsive trip out without her staff to see a highly recommended beach sunset and winds up being pick pocketed and stranded. She asks Jin-Hyuk to help her and they wind up spending a spontaneous and eventful evening together. They planned a good bye meeting the next morning but Soo-Hyun gets delayed and they return to South Korea separately thinking they are unlikely to see each other again. Fate has a say though and Jin-Hyuk’s new job is with Soo-hyun’s company. Differences in age, social class, and her ex in laws and parents desire for her to remarry her former spouse all stand in the way of the developing romance. Can the two overcome all the obstacles?
spoilers** Overall I would characterize this as boring. It wasn’t bad but it wasn’t particularly good either. The entire story line was very very predictable. When they were in Cuba it was slightly interesting as it was intriguing knowing neither one of them really knew who the other one was so there was anticipation in that. Also, in Cuba, they were doing some interesting things in that cultural space. When they were back in South Korea there was a moment of uncertainty when it turned out he worked for her and her company and when he had to go to an office farther away. The female lead character had a very “flat” personality. It was supposed to be due to her upbringing but, other than a few more smiles, the character did not change or grow significantly. It made it hard to understand why the magnanimous male character would be so madly in love with her. I thought that her conflict with her ex‘s family would turn out to be a way bigger deal than it actually wound up being. The fact that her father took care of it made the entire struggle leading up to that kind of a mute point. Even their small break up was very predictable and the fact that they got back together even more predictable. If it seems like I’m using the word predictable a lot it’s very intentional there were no major surprises or twists which for me made the story very ho-hum. His mom and her actions is something you would expect within the context of a Korean drama yet I still found it very mean and irritating. I know it’s the American in me that finds the way parents in Korean dramas interfere in the lives of their children annoying. When it is just them disapproving and working on their own child it is one thing but when they harm someone else emotionally it is just abusive. I was disappointed he was not angry with his mom about it. The father was and I liked that. I was glad she finally came around but it was almost too late. Not one I would rewatch or recommend unless someone is a serious fan of one of the leads or just likes very predictable romantic dramas.
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i came into this drama for BoGum but im having my first girl crush for HyeKyo eonnie! she is stunning! i can't stop looking at her!first, the cinematography technic is first class, i was mesmerized from the first episode but i was worried how can this drama continue to provide me more of this once the storyline is brought back to where MLs meet with reality but i was not dissapointed! i absolutely love how they use the camera technic for angle and focus! someone hv to credit this cameraman!
second, is the animation artwork! a shoutout to the artist that make the artwork for the intro on every eps. my habit now is to checkout every element in the artwork. it was so beautifully crafted that ive started to follow the artist on sns!
third, ost. it matched the storyline, feeling and flow perfectly and im still waiting on two more quality soundtrack that has yet to be release! the score doesnt disrupt the flow unlike most ost/bgm does in kdrama. i believe in the power of editing and score that will either give impact or destroy the flow entirely and this drama editing is almost flawless!
fourth, casting! the first choice for the role is BoGum and HyeKyo eonnie and they were right! not only they are perfect for the role but it seems impossible for any other actor can bring such vibe since both ML actors has brought a huge aura that fit the role like a glove! most supporting actors are on point! im sure if i nitpick scene by scene, i will find some flaw but the editing is so good that everybody blended so well with the storyline.
fifth, storyline. everybody have doubt, even me. but i respect BoGum's choice and i trust HyeKyo eonnie's decision. and im yet to be dissapointed. the storyline flow so elegantly i feel like im falling in love head over heel for this drama. melodrama is not my fave genre to say the least (i actually stay away from melodrama) but this drama storyline break so many normal cliche scenes that shocked me to the roof every single week. of course the storyline between SooHyun xMIL, mother and father is cliche in kdramaland but SooHyun and JinHyuk chars actually break the norm for kdramaland! Their chars is crafted so elegantly that audience has become completely invested on their growth!
this is only 6 episode in and im looking forward for next week episode on how the story develop. so far, im giving a master class review here, hoping for the following week story development with further blow my expectation for this drama. Cheers!
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Great chemistry with great main leads
I adore this drama too much. I must admit that I watched it for the sake of SHK and PBG in a first place, but it turns out differently when I first saw the drama. The cinematography is great with a really great music. The music background makes me understand the character's feeling. It makes me fall so deeply because it so damn beautiful music I've ever heard. I know it's a mellow-drama, but I wish a happy ending for both Jin Hyuk and Soo Hyun. Soo Hyun really deserves freedom to melt her cold personality, and Jin Hyuk could make the ice queen into the smiley queen whenever he near. I wish they meet their happy ending(update)
Yes. There is happy ending.
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~The romance made me feel super fuzzy and happy. It was so intimate, pure and poetic even
~I wasn’t too impressed with the FL’s acting. I found her to be bland and expressionless.
~Slow paced at times and there is not much to the storyline except two people falling in love and trying to make it work among various externalities
~The mothers were really annoying and unlikeable, borderline controlling especially towards the FL. They were the biggest turnoffs in the plot line for me
~The plot drags towards the second half and you end up wishing there were more fillers to the story
~The Cuba scenes were amazing and what got me into the drama. Beautiful OST that matched with the cinematography.
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Sadly, The Fantasy Wore Off
I was genuinely enjoying this. Specifically for the romantic fanstasy. Park Bo Gum being the perfect guy who says and does eveything perfectly. Park Bo Gum and Song Hye Kyo also, had really good chemistry and it made for a great love story.But alas, even Park Bo Gum's character, Jin Hyoek started to get on my nerves and the story of the younger man and older, divorcee just didn't do it for me anymore. Way too many filler episodes and scenes. Way too many people in the way and all the mothers are terrible. Can I please just have a romantic fantasy where there are no obstacles the leads have to face to be together and don't drag out over 16 epiosdes???
I will say that they did a good job with Woo Seok, Soo Hyeon's ex-husband. Who knew that I could ever feel sympathy for the rich, chaebol she divorced. I mean yes his actions and not protecting her were terrible when they were married but I felt like he was genuinely, trying to make up for that with his actions throughout the series. The road to hell though is paved with good intentions. He definitely should have done better when they were married.
Overall I give the show a 6/10 b/c I actually loved it up until FL ends the relationship. Plus the cast/supporting characters are joy to watch.
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Romantic story and that's it
Well I think the show is too long.I don't agree with most reviews I saw because, for me, it is not a slow romance. The romance is there from episode 1 until the end. But...
Episodes were too long, almost nothing happened, only the way they deal with the pressure of society and family.
PLOT - good original idea but plot was very boring, with very dull Vilans...
Should have developed more the other actors
ACTING - good acting for me.
OST Interesting. It is always good listening Cuban music also
REWATCH? - Don't think so. It is frustrating the pace of the drama, not the love that is present, but the stupid pressure of all the surrounding actors.
The ending? If it is so slow, I think they should have deliver more closure. Also i think they could close the other relationships.
I don't understand why, in simple plot dramas, it is not so pragmatic the ending... Why leaving open relationships?
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i think i'm going to be the black sheepwhen i read the summary i said to my self wow this is going to be brilliant new story
normal guy with rich elder women
then i watched :\
the main idea really was great but i think the director spoiled it cause it becomes really
very very very very slow motion drama and very detailed without real events starting from ep. 02 and repetitive
even the problems they faced wasn't serious or critical for me as it should be in reality
even the kissing scenes i didn't feel cause i thought it wasn't in it's place
like when he should just kiss her a forehead kiss he kissed her on lips
when he should hug her he just hold her hands ..etc
many times i found the romance in it lukewarm and cold which was really depressing
i liked bo gum acting sooooooo even i react a lot with his crying at ep. 14/15
i really loved his character
it was so cute and lovely but i saw it wasn't for facing strong powerful family as it should be
i thought he must be more strict & strong character than that
i saw him soft and cute most of the time
in the contrary i found hye kyo so strong till the limit of no face expressions many times
she should be more soft than that
cause love changes the character
i really loved the events between them in Cuba
these were the most lovely scenes in the drama
many characters affected their love a lot and that bothered me much
this story was detailed and shallow at the same time
i didn't enjoy much and this was really frustrating
but i liked the message it delivered
in-spite of your age difference, marital status and family materialistic level you've the right to love and be loved
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Magically Sublime
The premise of romance between a high-profile woman and a much younger ordinary guy sold me to watch this show. I'd like to know how I could empathize with the two characters as their relationship blossom. And it was such a beautiful experience witnessing their encounters and journey. It somehow reminded me of those classic romance Korean dramas of the early 2000s.Although there were flaws such as the annoying trope of villainous mother and in-laws, it's the breathtakingly gorgeous moments of love and longing that left the most lasting impact to me. The dialogues and acting of Song Hye Kyo and Park Bo Gum were all heart-fluttering, sometimes poetic. I hold my breath whenever they convey their emotions through the silence. And I can't love enough the beautiful landscapes of Korea and Cuba.
I can only describe this drama as simply magically sublime. I can rewatch this endlessly.
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