This review may contain spoilers
The title and the poster hooked me in, but I'll be watching for the leads.
Ep 1& 2: The child actors are strong, but I'm hoping we see them age up soon (maybe 10 episodes?). The drama style is a miss for me, and the family dynamics are messy, especially the mom (you've been warned!). Despite that, the leads' cute interactions is the reason I'm sticking to it.Ep 3 & Ep 4: Fast-forwarding through the annoying ahjumma plot. The FL's mom is a manipulative nightmare, but thankfully we're past that. Adult ML is a surprising goofball, not what I pictured, and the FL surprisingly clueless.
Ep 5 & 6: Oh, what the hell is wrong with the adults in this drama, they just keeping bad investments. The ML's mother is now using his grandpa's death as a collateral and all is forgiven now that she has the money? Time healed her wounds then. FL's mother is always going to get on my nerves so that's that. Why on the earth is she trying to ruin her daughter's life. And here's Park Do Ra, falling for her favorite Oppa again, only for him trying to use her. Love the last scene of episode 6.
Ep 7 & 8: Wow, Dae Chung finally realizing what the foot in one's mouth tastes like. With him, I wouldn't be surprised if it happens a third time. The romance between Myung Dong & Do Sik is so one sided, he thinks he is too good for her. The leads family are so cross with each other its going to be so damn troublesome for them to ever get together.
Ep 9 & 10: Do Ra doesn't learn from her mistakes, a trait likely learned from her mother. Why does she have to go and fall in love with a guy who doesn't want her. Ever after being rejected, she is going to be stuck on him and embarrasses herself. I feel sad that she is not giving herself enough credit.
Ep 11: I don't understand why Do Ra hasn't matured at all. We get the giddy feeling you get when you meet your first love, but she keeps badgering him even after so many rejections, refusing to hear his concerns. I like her character being the standoffish actress better than this overactive little girl. Since they got together so soon, I'm a bit worried about how many breakups we we are going to be dealing with. Especially worried about this Gong Jin Dan guy trying to ruin her because she rejected him.
Ep 12: There's only one thing I want to talk about all the parents in the drama. What on the earth is wrong with them! All of them are so chaotic, especially the shameless FL's mom and ML's greedy older relative (I'm not sure who she is to him). His father is also crazy, making one poor investment after other. Both Dora and Dae Chung were adorable together. I am a bit worried that it isn't gonna last, but then I am reminded of Dae Chung in love when he was young and the lengths he went for, so maybe he'll do the same for Do Ra. Let's find out.
Ep 13: I just remembered that he gave up on the girl once he found out that he was adopted and felt that he owed his family everything. So, yeah, it means that his family will always be first to him, if they say drop the girl, he might just do it again. Hoping that it isn't the case in the future. It is easy to feel sorry for Dora, she keeps being dragged by everyone, her mom the worst of them all.
Ep 14: Another heartbreaking episode where the worst mom of the year keeps leeching off Dora. She has gambled away so much and owes so much that poor Dora has to take a drastic step. This will be real turning point in Dora's life. She is going to be treated like crap by many people. I wonder how something this huge will change the dynamics between Dora & Dae Chung. This might be the end of them for a while. I just want to hug Dora and tell her to record a video about her mom's leeching and Gong Jin Dan's harassment. (About the story, I was wondering how the writer would keep things interesting for 50 episodes and this turn of events seems to make for a good story)
Ep 15: The episode started out so sad. Do Ra becomes the ultimate commodity, it's either the photoshoot or the guy who almost assaulted her. At the same time, poor Dae Chung, feeling so helpless at not being able to lift the weight off Do Ra's shoulders. He might have reacted strongly in the beginning but he was so understanding about it later to only have Do Ra break up with him rudely. Up to this point, I believed that she would marry the Gong Jin Dan, but things did not follow the script I had in my mind. She ran away from him and tried to contact Dae Chung. It was a given that he didn't believe her when she decided not to marry that guy for the money or the scandal she got caught up in. I have only now realized Im So Hyang is such a good actress, she did such a good job in portraying the listless, hopeless, & devastated character when Do Ra figured out that there was nothing more she could do, no one there to help her, & no one to believe in her. The only way out of it was to let go. This episode was such a tearjerker! I can't wait for the next one.
Ep 16: Last episode was amazing. But why did they have to mess up this one. I was okay with Amnesia at least since Do Ra would get to live a better life and when the doctor said her face might change, I was a bit hopeful. But that all went down the drain when they decided to pull Clark Kent/Superman disguise. Had it been some other actress, it would have easier to convince us that no one recognized her on set, especially Dae Chung. But it was Im so Hyan with a face that instantly recognizable. They could have at least disfigured her a little for it to make sense. I finally figured out who Do Jun was. Right now, all I can say about the people around her is that they are blind.
Ep 17: Come on now, the more I look at her, the more upset I get. Why couldn't they at least modify her face with makeup to make her look different? I have seen instagram vfx makeup artists do wonders, the drama must certainly have had more budget than them. Instead they just want us audience to believe that yay be happy that Do Ra Is alive, but sorry she's not recognizable because we gave her a makeover from uber-stylish to quirky. Oh, we put on the glasses for an additional touch. But since I liked the drama and our Dae Chung & Do Ra, I have decided to overlook that fact and pretend what the creators want me to. I enjoyed the episode once I started watching it with that attitude. This episode was way better than the previous one. It is surprising that things are unveiling so fast. I hope that once Dae Chung finds out the truth, he tells Ji Young about it and then tell her to go back with her grandma and live a better life away from all the crazies. Her mom will try to bleed her dry again. I would have liked for Dae Chung to go with her as well, but it doesn't seem like that's going to happen because of his career and family. He still has to find out that he has a sister.
Ep 18: I like where it is going. I get that Pil Sung is trying to keep it under the wraps, but Do Ra isn't someone who'll allow that. It is going to be a difficult road for her again.
Ep 19 to Ep 22: That was such a mess. Pil Sung either needs to tell her the truth or leave her be. What's the point of confusing her so much? I guess the guilt is getting to him & he still cares for her, but can't he see how he is playing head games. He doesn't stop even after she tells him to. She imagines this weird scenario because of the mixed signals he keeps giving her. For the part where Mari wants to marry him, that's just so horrific. Their mom needs to come clean soon and step up even if it would cause problem in the family, it can't be worse than the half siblings marrying each other. I wonder who Pil Sung's biological father is.
I liked the part where Ji Young finally got tired of the push and pull game Pil Sung was playing and told him off. It was fun to watch. And I have finally decided to not be shocked or surprised by anything Gong Jin Dan does. Pil Sung's family, especially the grandma thinks too highly of herself, it is not wonder she and Dora's mom didn't get along. They were too similar. I hope that from now on they invest more on Mari and Do Jun's story.
Ep 23 & 24: Mari finally found out that Pil Sung is her brother, thank goodness! Pil Sung is so goofy, tricking Ji Young into dates & becoming his gf. Jin Dan being true to himself & reacting so poorly to a rejection remains consistent. Mari's mom needs to stop the nonsense and just clear the air instead of putting all the burden on that poor child.
Ep 25 & Ep 26: It is ridiculous how these adults get off of treating someone like trash, when they are the ones who are the actual trash in dire need of being taken out. As if Pil Sung's family wasn't enough, here's a biological mother who abandoned him having an opinion about who he dates because she doesn't have a high status or look a certain way.
Ep 27 & 28: And here we go again. Ji Young believing everything her bio mom is feeding her. Do Jun is only biological relative worth having for her. Do Shik is problematic, I understand defending your sister but he keeps causing problems.
Ep 29 to Ep 34: Man this is going nowhere. All the parent figures in this drama have no values and only care about money. They kowtow to people who are rich, looking down on everyone else. Makes me sick. I'm watching this for Pil Sung and Do Ra, but things aren't working out for them either. I am so tired of Do Ra's mother. She is a trash of a person that needs to be hit by the dreaded Kdrama truck! But of course that won't happen to her. She is here to get on our nerves. The only parental figure that was a little bit rational has gone crazy, who would blame him though. He is just taking it out on the wrong party.
Ep 35 to Ep 48: Do Jun is the only rational character in this drama. He understands love better than his self-absorbed mother ever would. I forgot the grandma, although she is a bit looney, she is the lovable looney that sticks her neck out for you. Apart from Pil Sung, she was the first to give everything to Do Ra, expecting only love in return. So now it is her turn to be exploited by the leech that the Do family can't get rid of. Right now, I'm just glad that the madness is finally over and I can let go of the drama in just a week.
Ep 49 & Ep 50: Not surprised with the way it ended. I am just glad it did. Don't much care for Pil Seung's family that adopted him, filled with narrowminded people who should have been a support for their daughter in law in time like that but instead chose to abandon her. Pil Seung was a rock throughout the drama, an actual green flag. I didn't think that Do Shik and Pil Seung's aunt would go their separate ways but I'm okay with how it ended for them. Glad that Do Jun and Ma Ri got together, they are both adorable babies.
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This review may contain spoilers
Interesting Story and Loved the very end
So I enjoyed the story line although the relationships were predictable. It was a little rough starting out to keep watching but I am happy I did. After the FL lost her memory I couldn’t wait for the new episodes to come out. I was almost disappointed with the end when I thought it was officially over I was like what happened to the mom? Those were my exact thoughts before the showed an epilogue with her living as a monk. The ending with the twin babies and everyone at the round table made me feel complete and that this drama was worth the 6months I spent watching it! BTW I really enjoyed the over the top acting of Go Yoon as Jin Dan. This character couldn’t been acted any other way his character kept me frustrated and laughing. Looking back overall good drama.Was this review helpful to you?
Not impressed
This is what I can't stand with long melodramas , they start off strong and by episode 20 they basically start to repeat the same scenes . The mother of the FL is annoying as hell , her older brother is of no use Then the ML family as just as bad . There are way to many unnecessary misunderstandings, I know they are trying to find things to show but it didn't need 59 episodes to do so . Once they start repeating the scenarios they in the last 2 episodes all is good. Like really. I get it's a show but it can be done betterWas this review helpful to you?
More "k-soap opera" than "k-drama"
When I started this drama, I thought I must be a glutton for punishment. It had the same look and feel of the 52 episode groaner Young Lady and the Gentleman, starred the same male lead, and shared many of the same supporting actors reprising similar roles--including Cha Wha Yun again as the self-centered, cruel mother. And no surprise at all: It's from the same screenwriter, Kim Sa Kyung. But the similarities really end there. The script seems more polished, the ebb and flow of the love lines run smoother and are more fleshed out. The OST does a much better job of supporting the action. For its type, this show is actually pretty good.To be clear, this show more of a "k-soap opera" than a "k-drama." It's production values are more like an American soap opera or a Mexican telenovella with brightly lit sets and low budget outdoor scenes. The plot features eye-rolling plot twists, over the top villains, and hammy acting, but these are all part of the "charm" of this genre. Just when you think it can't get any crazier, it absolutely does go there. (The table reads must have been laugh out loud funny!)
So don't read too much into the really negative (or positive) reviews of this show. This isn't highbrow art, it is simply campy fun. Enjoy it for what it is.
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Sweet story - a little draggy
Okay, I’m a fan of Ji Hyun Wu and Im Su Hyang (my ID Is Gangnam Beauty) This drama, albeit long in many ways (man I dragged my feet watching with all the different storyline’s in it) was a worthwhile watch. The actors did an amazing job (some of the side actors were a little ‘hohum’ in their roles but for the most part the actors were amazing. The writer, I feel could have made this a little shorter if the plot had not been so elaborate with all the side stories - could have been a little shorter. The mother and son duo frustrated me so much especially with the surprise showing up. (No spoilers here). In the end - I was so happy to finally finish it. Happy ending without spoiling too much. ?Was this review helpful to you?
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Excellent actors but the worst written story I've ever seen ... Really frustrating !
Rom-Fam (50 ep) with Ji Hyun Woo as ML and Im Soo Hyang as FLPLOT: Story about 3 dysfunctional families.
- 1st: 1 mother in debt but gambler, fleeing creditors, with her 3 children (FL & 2 sons, ML2 and ML3). She survives by slaving her daughter to make her an artist.
- 2nd: Cowardly father, lives with his wife, their adopted son (ML), his mother (toxic), his sister (FL3) and his wife's father.
- 3rd: Chaebol couple, harmonious, living with their daughter (FL3, who will become disabled), the ex-mistress of the dead grandfather and her illegitimate son (ML4) and both are super ambitious. The aunt living in the USA comes to live with them.
1st narrative arc [ep 1-3]: teenagers
2nd arc [4-16]: 15 years later. FL became a star, exploited by her mother. The ML is an assistant director. They fall in love (Roméo & Juliet style). ML4 fall also in love with the FL.
3rd arc [17-28]: The amnesiac and seriously injured FL is taken in by an old lady with Alzheimers. She eventually returned to Seoul and worked in the ML team. The ML ends up recognizing her, but waits for her memory to return. She starts acting again, meets ML3 but her mother puts her hands back on her.
4th arc [29-37]: The CL is separated (the mother starts her shenanigans with the ML4 again) but is working together on a drama. The truth about the birth of the ML is causing uproar in families.
5th arc [38-41]: The FL regains her memory in fragments, and tries to cut ties with her toxic mother and the ML4. After a lot of struggles, the CL gets closer and decides to get married to escape the ML4's harassment. This guy reveals to the press that the FL is Do-Ra, and she is blacklisted.
6th arc: The CL clears Do-Ra's name, opens a restaurant. But the ML4's birth is revealed and that crazy guy loses his mind. The FL has 1 accident (etc)
+++ CL performance is excellent. They do everything possible to make people believe in this over-dramatic and VERY poorly written story.
+++ Great actors (particulary the grandparents, Ma-Ri and ML4)
### The description of women-mothers is HORRIBLE: they are all twisted, possessive, stupid, greedy, etc. There isn't one to save... The only reasonable characters are the ML and his sister Ma-Ri.
### Too melodratic & all clichés
### no real chemistry for the couples: a few hugs, but only 1-2 (fake) kisses without skinship... in 50 episodes... for couples who are madly in love! The screenwriter has a problem Щ(ಠ益ಠЩ)
### Far too long series
=> Watched until the end (with difficulty) because I'm curious and the actors are excellent. But I won't rewatch it, and I won't watch any more series written by this screenwriter!!!
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2 for 1
Quirky, fun, but with some deep storylines. It is almost like watching two different shows at some point. I love to hate specific characters. They are doing thier job right if I dislike them. The age difference between FL and ML is unsettling and even more so with the secondary storyline. Great actors and actresses. I just don't understand the casting for the adult storyline.Was this review helpful to you?
INTERESTED ONLY ON THE MAIN ML N FL PARTS
SOME CHARACTERS I DONT LIKE IS THE MOM OF FL N THE GRDMOTHER OF THE ML , N THE OTHER HOUSEHOLD THE SHAMELESS MISTRESS N HER SON.BESIDES THE FL N ML THE REST IS SO BORING LO N THE SHAMELESS MOM WHO SPENT ALL THE FL MONEY ON GAMBLING DEBTS. SHE IS THE MOST EVIL CHARACTER WHO USED HER DAUGHTER FOR HER OWN ENJOYMENT, GAMBLING ALL DORA HARD EARNED MONEY N STILL NOT ENOUGH CREATED SO MUCH DEBT THAT DORA HAVE TO SHOULDER ALL THE DEBTS. IF I AM DORA I WOULD RUN AWAY FROM SUCH MOTHER. AFTER SHE FOUND OUT DORA HAVENT DIE SHE STILL WANTS TO TWIST THE FACT THAT SHE SUPPOSED TO MARRY THE JIDAN N IS HAPPY WITH HER LIFE BEFORE SHE MET PISHEUNG.
ALSO THE BROTHER WHO DID NOT DO MUCH TO HELP ALSO N HIDE ALL THE TRUTHS FROM DORA UNTIL THE DEBTS BECOMES A MOUNTAIN OF DEBTS.
ANOTHER CHARACTER I DONT LIKE IS THE ML GRANDMOTHER, WHO LIKES TO STIR SHIT N PUSH THE MOTHER TO DO USELESS STUFFS. EG CHASING THE FL OUT OF THE RENTAL ROOM. THE GRANDMOTHER GOT THE MOST EVIL TONGUE HERE. SHE IS SO MEDDLING N KPO .
ALSO THE 2ML, JIDAN N THE MOTHER (MISTRESS OF THE GONG FAMILY) , BOTH OF THEM ALSO SO EXTRA. ALL THE MOST IRRITATING STORIES LIKE THAT. GIVING PPL HIGH BLOOD PRESSURE.
HOPEFULLY THE ELDEST BROTHER DONT GIVE IN TO HER. DONT LET HIM TAKE ALL THE ASSETS, THE BEST KICK THEM OUT ASAP. SONNER OR LATER THEY GOING TO DESTROY THE FAMILY N EVERYTHING.
13/5/2024
AT PRESENT REACH EPS 14, TOOK A PREVIEW OF THE NEXT 2 EPS, SEEMS LIKE DORA WAS DEAD BUT I THINK SHE JUST DISAPPEAR FOR A WHILE , LUCKILY SHE DONT GET MANIPULATED BY THE EVIL MOM TO PAY ALL HER STUPID DEBT OF GAMBLING. EVIL MOM. DORA MUST BE TOO NAIVE OR STUPID TO LET HER MOM CHEAT HER MONEY FOR SO LONG. IT IS OK WHEN SHE IS YOUNG BUT AFTER GROWING UP SHE STILL NVR LOOK INTO HER OWN FINANCIAL ACCOUNTS N BOOK MUST BE TOO TRUSTING OF HER MOM. HEARD STORIES OF RICH KENA CHEATED OF MILLIONS BY THEIR OWN PARENTS OR BF OR SOMEONE WHO SHD NOT BE TRUSTED.
HOPEFULLY SHE COMES BACK FROM HER DEALTH N DONT GET BACK WITH THIS KIND OF TOXIC FAMILY. SINCE EVERYBODY SHE KNOWS BETRAY HER I DONNO WHAT IS THE POINT OF GETTING BACK TOGETHER WITH THEM.
WILL COMMENT MORE AFTER WATCHING THE NEXT EPS.
1/7/2024
SO NOW JI YOUNG FOUND OUT SHE IS DORA N GO BACK TO THE FAMILY. SHE STILL HAVEN REMEMBER EVERYTHING. NOW THE MOTHER IS GOING TO USED HER AGAIN N TELL HER GO BACK TO THE GONGJIDAN TO GET MORE MONEY LO. GUESS SHE WILL REGRET BREAKING UP WITH PISEUNG NEXT TIME WHEN SHE FOUND OUT THE TRUTH.
CANNOT STAND HOW SHE TALK WHEN SHE IS JI YOUNG. SHE TALK LIKE POUTING HER MOUTH.
HOPE WHEN SHE GET BACK HER MEMORIES SHE WAKE UP N LEAVE HER FAMILY EXCEPT HER YOUNGER BROTHER N GET BACK WITH THE ML .
GOT ONE WORD FOR THE STUPID MOTHER OF FL, EVERYBODY DIES WHY DONT SHE DIE, JUST GO N DIE , SHE IS THE WORST CHARACTER HERE, HAVEN WATCH FIN THE SHOW, BUT HOPEFULLY THE END IS SHE DIED. NVR SEEN SUCH SHAMELESS PPL IN MY LIFE. NO ONE BITCH, SEE WHATS HER ENDING.
LOOKING TO SEE HOW IT ALL END. THE 2ND STUPID WOMAN IS THE 2ND ML MOTHER, HOPE SHE ALSO GET KICK OUT OF THE FAMILY SOON. ANOTHER SHAMELESS BITCH.
WHY ALWAYS DORA HAVE TO PAY FOR THE STUPID BITCH TROUBLE MAKING MISTAKES.
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All acted very well
I watched it for female leadBut everybody were amazing
FL mom , she made me hate her so much...
Frustated at times but i somehow got hooked and waited for new episodes
Watched all the episodes...
If u r having free time and if u like family drama... old korean style watch it... if not kindly dont frustate yourself.
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Its so entertaining and refreshing
I loved park dora, the characters was potrayed so well, the clothes she wore were so cute, also this drama has many actors from young lady and gentleman so its fun seeing them again, this drama is really well acted and has some comedy too, the lead actors oviously know what they are doing, this is amust watch.Was this review helpful to you?
Easy and simple review:
It's long but so good. I had to skim through the longer dramatic scenes between the Gong family since via doesn't have a 2x speed option. - but that's on having ADHD and I really don't have time for these ajummas' and halmeonis' dramatics.The acting was amazing. All the actors had you really loving or hating them. I was talking to my screen the whole time watching.
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This review may contain spoilers
Underrated
Overall, the show was a masterpiece. The characters are so well developed and growth was lovely.Park Do Ra's character had it hard. She suffered a lot. My only complaint is that she needed to fight for herself more, she needed to grow a back bone. With each problem she had with the ml, she always choose to run away and that annoyed me cause for someone who claimed to be so in love, her first response was always to run.
Go Pil Sung, I felt each of his emotion. I loved how he was an older brother. Both his parents had a lot of control over him in the beginning but as time went on he started to stand his ground and I loved that for him. He was a green flag, I wasn't even mad at him for not believing her when she said that she didn't have a sponsor cause with each problem she was quick to push him away.
Gong Jin Dan, was so delusional that I was screaming. He did everything and tried to burry the FL so that she would have no choice but to turn to him and she kept raising above each situation and didn't need him.
Gong Jin Taek, he pissed me off so much. But he really loved his wife and daughter. His growth at the end was nice.
Jang Su Yeon, was so selfish at times. She didn't really have any growth but she learned from her lesson so that was a plus.
Ko Myeong Dong, her character was basically a filler cause she honestly didn't make much sense to me. She always had an opinion, on things that wasn't even her concern.
Baek Mi Ja , it's crazy scary how much this woman loved money. She kept selling her daughter down to the last for money. Even when she lost her memory, she still sold her phone money. She had to have been one of the worst character, I have ever seen that writers didn't even give her a redemption arch.
Gong Dae Suk, was selfish. She was only interested in the company and who would secure it so that she would have money.
Kim Sun Yeong, couldn't think for herself. She was always listening to what her mother-in-law was saying.
So Geum Ja, was terrible. She kept reminding ML that his mother and father wasn't really his parents. She loved money as well, she took every opportunity and pushed her opinions on her daughter-in-law when it came to money.
Go Hyun Cheol , was a terrible father. He was always investing money and then having the ML pay back cause he always lost it. His growth towards the end was needed.
Park Do Sik, I have a love hate relationship with him. He always wanted to see the good in his mother. He let her get away with too much before he finally drew the line with her. I loved how he stood up to her in the end.
Park Do Sik , He understand after FL supposedly died how much of a nuisance his mother was and he never forgave her for it. His relationship with ML sister is cute
Gong Ma Ri, was the glue keeping everyone together. They really soften up for her. I loved it.
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