A LOT More than just Gut Wrenching Comedy
This is my Initial review of the show after watching 3 episodes. I will try to update my review as the show goes on or when it ends. Sometimes some shows start out well, but then falls apart, hope that doesn't happen to this show. (I've actually edited my review along the way by now, scroll down to see them if you would like, SPOILER: It kept getting better and better with time and finished off well, but if you want to get some context look at the Edits below)First, anyone who has just watched the trailer for the show, will obviously think this is a funny comical show, which it is, sometimes to the point it feels like I am gonna squeeze and burst my gut out with laughter. The dialogues are funny , well written and translated, but the context of the scenes are even funnier. The comedy is subtle, not forced, very fluid, something a lot of Korean shows miss in my opinion.
However, There is a lot more to this show than just pure hilarious comedy. If you watch at least the first 3 episodes, you will definitely understand what I am talking about, the things that the main two characters are going through, can happen to a lot of us, to anyone of us to be honest. The struggles of these two characters, felt very real to me. Misfortunes happen, they hurt us, scar us, throw our lives into chaos. People misunderstand us, we misunderstand them, which leads us to think we are better off without people. We can't control our anger, our wrath, our obsession with paranoia, our rage towards the fact that we got sucked into the injustice that we never deserved, neither ever planned for.
The casting is good, Obviously. The acting is very good, to the point. The characters have their own charms, the male and female lead are very well played by these two actors. I gave this show a very high Re-Watch value, cause it deserves it. I personally have Re-watched the 3 episodes quite a few times myself.
Now, each episodes are just around 30 mins, which may sound like too small, but quite a lot of things happen in between just those 30 mins. And that's also the great part about this show thus far, it's not too fast, not too slow, and definitely NOT boring at all. If you think you have 30 min time to spare in between your busy schedule, then Definitely go for it. So far, it's Definitely WORTH it.
Edit 1: I've watched till the 6th episode now. It's going very well, and getting rather interesting. I would highly recommend anyone watching up until now, keep watching. We are at a crossroad where the ML and FL will have to intersect into one another's life for the story to progress in the desired/one of the desired directions. One thing to note about this drama, is that the cliffhangers are really done well, it makes you want to watch the next episode like there is no tomorrow, supplemented also by the fact that each episodes are just 30 min long.
Edit 2: I've watched till the 9th episode now. The show is going in a good direction, with just 4 episodes left we needed some new tension and some dosage of emotional vulnerability for the characters to build something real between them in between these episodes, which we got. This show kinda depicts one of the major issues in South Korea, the cyber crimes of sexual assault and such and the aftermath, with all the judgements and bullying and finding and utilizing the loopholes of law to De-humanize the victims to the general people's eyes. Overall, this show doesn't really water down the impacts, neither do they exaggerate to any unrealistic extent.
Although some K-drama-ly aspects are found in the show like a "Too animated with their movements and Talks way too much with too cute voices", it's not really overdone, which is more than you can say for some other romantic K-drama with ultra popular stars. So far, I can say that this show has been a treat to watch.
Edit 3: I've watch till the 11th episode now, and well, things have gotten interesting. The evil aren't really far away, and the main story is getting more focus. Both the ML and FL will have to face their demons, have to fight it, and it will test that relationship they have formed, that's the way the story is progressing it seems. Personally, This is one of the most UNDERRATED gem of a show I've seen in quite a while. At first I wasn't really all that impressed with the Music of the show, I gave it 8.5 because it was decent, however, along the way the music have improved, or rather, they have actually shown all their cards with the music, the first 4-5 episodes they didn't really explore that part much. Now, I am upgrading the Music to a Solid 9. I am also upgrading the Re-Watch value to solid 10, cause, I feel you would love to come back and see many of the episodes again and again, cause I personally have, and probably will in the future. The 30 min per episode sometimes feel very cruel, especially to us, who are watching them immediately when they release, and wait until they release the next one. However, because the episodes are just 30 mins, the show doesn't drag on, it feels dynamic yet serene, funny yet serious in the most crucial elements. Hats off to the Directors and Show-Makers for being able to create such tension in just mere 30 min episodes, while not making it too much on the nose and keeping it grounded.
Edit 4: Finished watching episode 12. This episode was, hands down, The BEST EPISODE up until now. The way the story progressed, was, EXCELLENT. With this kind of relationship, the misunderstanding and the impulsive and emotional decisions that took place in this episode, was bound to happen. People who have been Seriously Abused in a relationship, people who have been hurt by previous relationship not working out, being abandoned in their worst times, have a seriously hard time to really trust themselves with the new relationship. They hardly believe themselves, hate themselves, blame themselves for those misfortunes. This episode, honestly felt very real, and they pulled it off in just 30 min. GREAT ACTING, PERIOD by both these two actors. I am giving the acting an absolute 10. The Music, wow, it now keeps getting better and better every episode it seems. Whatever happens in the last episode, whether we get the ending we deserve or not, either way, I will suggest anyone reading this review, to Really, GIVE THIS SHOW A GO.
Edit 5 (Final): Finished the Finale, ep 13. It was Good, quite a few things happened in just 30 min. Everything came to a conclusion, It was pretty much the best ending you could ask for in a 30 min episode. And that's one thing that I didn't like, they had so much to do in just 39 min, and that they did, but missed out on some details, the gaps to fill, purely because of not having enough time. If this episode was just even 50-55 min long, they could have checked all the tick marks, they could have slowed some developments down a notch and could really sort out things in a steady pace from beginning to end. But nonetheless, it did very well for it's time and gave us all the necessary closure that we needed.
Final Thoughts: WATCH THIS DRAMA, it will be worth your time, and you will remember this drama, honestly. I will call this drama "SEVERELY UNDERRATED". If this drama was casted by IU, Hyun Bin , Park Shin Hye, Suzy Bae, or some ultra popular stars, even with a very mediocre acting, the ratings and popularity would have soared through the sky. Point is, It's a Great show. And Rather than focusing solely/mostly on the cast, which is a problem with Drama-watchers of Kdrama or even any Asian drama, if you are one who is willing to focus more on the story and acting and execution and all those stuff that truly should matter, then watch it. GIVE THIS SHOW A PROPER TRY, that would be my heartfelt suggestion. That's all.
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Unexpectedly Refreshing—a gem of a drama worthy of anyone's time.
I was totally unprepared for how much this drama touched me. And I am not sure if it was because of the issues it tackled in anger management, paranoia, post-traumatic stress disorder, obsessive-compulsive, or if it was in how Jung Woo (truly a gem of an actor) and Oh Yeon-Seo each executed their roles. Either way, it worked and worked brilliantly, from the writing to the acting and directing, a pleasant surprise that hooked me from the first three episodes. I quickly both invested and rooted for Noh Hwi Oh and Lee Min Kyung to overcome the pain and heartbreak that appeared to be eating at them. I continually felt time stop when I watched this drama, with my rude awakening coming with each episode's abrupt ending (abrupt in my mind's eye). I never wanted the episodes to end.When I started Mad For Each Other, I wasn't sure what I was getting, but before the end of the first week, I knew I wanted more, much more than the half-hour snippets three times a week. I like how fluid everything flows, graciously balancing the comedic, crazy, and serious moments. It's light with a somber undertone in how it tells the story of two people scarred by those around them, to the extent that they cannot live their daily lives without coming across something that triggers them emotionally or mentally. There is a lot to like here, but what I found most pleasing is how both Hwi Oh and Min Kyung recognized they weren't okay, be it emotionally or mentally, and seriously seek out and are committed to getting the help they need to better their former selves, and not just pout or play the blaming game. But that they do it in the same doctor's office sometimes brings on the laughs, craziness, and waterworks, as even the visits to the psychiatrists are marred with those moments that make the viewer laugh, cry, and be mesmerized by the fragility of it all.
Getting insight into both of our lead's past traumas was a disheartening experience, especially Min Kyung's. Not that Hwi Oh's is any less, on the contrary. In a way, their situations mirror each other. To be lied to and betrayed by the person (s) you trust the most, but not only that, to be threatened and used for that love is not an easy overcome, if even one can overcome something like that at all. So, Min Kyung's paranoia and traumatic disorders become even that much more understandable, but so does Hwi Oh's anger for being so easily slighted, accused, and shunned by the colleagues he swore an oath to protect and lay his life down for, including his family members and friends. It is easy to see how they and everything around him could readily trigger his anger. Yet, one can't help but empathize and rally behind them. And, boy, do they have chemistry; the moment they finally get together is golden; I love how tender and protective Hwi Oh gets of Min Kyung. I, of course, cannot get over how much I enjoy the association ladies from Hiwi and Ming Kyung's apartment building. I love how expressive they are all and so in tune, but more so that they were not too ashamed to admit their mistakes and take action when needed most.
But as much as I loved Hwi Oh and Min Kyung's bickering, fights, distrust, and even distress when they first met, I couldn't help but love how those fights and distresses enabled them to see each other's truths in each other. And before they even knew it, they were not only rooting for each other, but deeply caring for one another on their road to recovery, as the anger turns to laughter, and the fear and dark sunglasses turn rosy and trustworthy. But the show is also quick to remind us that recovery is a journey; it's not a straight, steady road. And that is the part that stands out the most for me with this drama. It takes its time to show us, the viewers, how fragile recovery is to those afflicted by mental and emotional issues. That there will always be ups and downs, discoveries, and setbacks. And in the case of Hiwi and Ming Kyung, it's the fragility of their trust that quickly crumbled just as quickly as it was developed at the resurfacing of ex-partners. On second thought, it's not even the ex-partners, but the painful memories and helplessness it drudged up. Luckily, despite the halting progress and discouragements, they can look back and see that those painful memories are just pieces of their lives and draw new strength from them, rather than have them be stumbling blocks.
I admire the matter-of-fact tone the drama takes to raise awareness and push acceptance of social taboos, whether it's through Samantha's transsexuality/transgender (Ahn Woo Yeon) or Min Kyung's presumed extramarital affair, physical and sexual abuse/assault, and mental health, and Hiwi's anger issues. But what's even more admirable is how everybody, from the part-time clerk (Lee Soo Hyun) to Hwi Oh, Min Kyung, the apartment association ladies (Baek Ji Won, Lee Hye Eun, Lee Yeon Du), handles and processes these taboos. Despite their initial shock or even disapproval, they can quickly work through whatever misgiving they have to acknowledge. Just because some people are different, it doesn’t mean they are inferior. And I think it's because they realized the crippling effect of fear and pain, giving them the capacity to be compassionate, loving, and understanding. That's the thing about pain; it brings people closer, because one cannot understand how people feel until they've experienced the same or equivalent kind of pain themselves.
As I already noted, there are many reasons why I loved this drama. Still, the biggest is the ease with which it articulates the overwhelmingness of mental and emotional health illnesses and the pain of being ostracized by society. And I cherish the messages it left me with, some of which were that the journey to full recovery takes time, and no matter how steep the road, maybe there is an end if one stays the course. Recovery includes getting better and achieving a full and satisfying life. And that people are often judged because of their differences, but the reality is that people will always be different. This doesn’t mean those who are different are “wrong”; on the contrary, it's those differences that make the world far more interesting.
A gem of a drama that you will not regret watching. As for the cast of the drama, brilliant, Jung Woo excelled at his role, as it was sometimes hard to watch how everything affected him, especially his helplessness in changing the awful ordeal the woman he loves went through. This leads him to resort to his fists, and as much as I am against violence, there comes a time when using one's words is just not enough. Jung Woo was great at making me feel his every being, but so was Oh Yeon-Seo -- I felt her confusion, fear, and stigma of living not only with a mental health illness, but also the accusation of having an extramarital affair. Kudos to the cast and production team for a drama that awakens the sense in every way possible.
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Not Your Basic.
Wow! What a ride for me, as this show just ended I'm disappointed it did, as I've been watching since the first Episode.Story: The story is about two mains both having some kind of mental issue. The female lead, has trauma while the male lead has anger issues. They at first hate each other thinking the other is a weirdo and tries to avoid them. Plain right? It sounds plain but it works out great! The show actually did a great job handling comedy and trauma. When I watched the trailer when it first came out I already knew this show was going to be funny, but I never thought trauma and more sensitive topics would be involved. There's also a side story with a part time worker! I personally think their should've been more screen time with her and her ending seemed kind of rushed so that's really what's stopping me from giving this a 10.
Acting; WOW! Best actors I've seen! If I ever see Oh Yeon So or Jung Woo in another project I would defo watch off the bat for them! Min-kyung's ex boyfriend played well! As well as the part time worker.
Music: Liked it! The music, I didn't really noticed throughout the show expect the opening music? But that's it, everything seemed to fade in the background.
Edit (9/10) : I actually spotted one of the OST's on Spotify and I actually change my rating from an 8 to an 9! The OST is pretty good! I guess I really didn't pay attention to it lol
Rewatch Value, DEFINTELY watching this again when I can!
In total, don't assume this is just a comedy, first episodes might make it seem it's a un funny comedy but I think if you watch until Episode 5, still don't like, then you can drop but other than that, enjoy!
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A hidden gem
i don’t usually write reviews for ongoing dramas but i simply had to write one for this drama because i didn’t expect to love it as much as i do! this drama came on my netflix recommended and i thought i’d give it a shot and i’m so glad that i did.when i watched the first episode of mad for each other i will admit that it didn’t convince me. but as i continued watching i ended up falling in love with the characters and the message the drama conveys beneath its scenes and characters. this drama is about more than comedy. this drama is about healing and discovering someone to lean on after having endured hardships and painful memories. hwi oh and min kyung both have had painful experiences and their struggles are relatable; i love how the drama portrays their characters. people struggle everyday with feeling anger, experiencing anxiety and misfortune comes into life in the most unexpected forms but it still happens. the mental health representation of this drama is truly amazing, i love that it isn’t presented as a taboo subject ( ex: the leads express their problems normally to their therapist and it isn’t expressed or perceived in a negative light ) and i feel it’s a very important subject that needs to be talked about more especially in tv shows so i sincerely applaud the writers for executing and representing their characters well and talking about subjects most people tend to not speak up about.
i’m absolutely charmed by the development between hwi oh and min kyung. i love their scenes and i’ve laughed and smiled like an idiot several times by how adorable they can be. the comedy in this drama is on point ( ex: when both hwi oh and min kyung were talking to their therapist about each other and hwi oh mentioned the “pet” since min kyung’s name sounds similar to her dog’s name and the therapist got confused but in reality hwi oh meant min kyung LOL ), and the scene where hwi oh taught her to fight truly had me cracking up from how chaotic they are together, the dialogues always have me rolling; watching the leads slowly fall for each other, and, in the process, understand one another is such a beautiful thing to witness. the development has been natural and i love that hwi oh has become someone min kyung can rely on. it’s wholesome that min kyung has found friendships in the locals of the neighborhood and that she’s being supported by hwi oh as well because gosh, min kyung most certainly deserves better after all the crap that life has thrown at her. i’m rooting for min kyung and hwi oh to both have happy endings!
i’m only 8 episodes into the drama but i already know for a fact that it’s an absolute favorite and it’s a gem that i wish more people would talk about. i’m a little sad that the drama is short at only 13 episodes, 30 minutes each but, to be honest i wouldn’t have minded if the drama were 16 episodes or more. but i suppose it’s better it’s short as dramas tend to drag the longer they are. this drama is truly one of a kind, a hidden gem that deserves much more attention! i look forward to seeing how the drama ends ( … really hoping for a happy ending ), and i am so glad i watched this masterpiece. i’m impressed with the acting as well, it’s superb! a wonderful performance from oh yeon seo and jung woo, i congratulate them for their incredible work — for me it’s already a ten!
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Started well, but ended poorly
I thought the acting and story was good... up until the last few episodes, at which point a few things derailed it:The singer from Akdong Musician who was working as a convenience store part-timer learning to study to become a police officer - Her appearances were kind of the 'b-plot', until her storyline arc suddenly changed as she 'started singing' randomly while walking home. It felt unnatural and kind of cringe. Yeah, I get it, she's a famous singer, but having her incorporate it seemed forced and more like an advert.
I can ignore that though, what I disliked more was the ending where Hwi-oh 'won back' Minkyung with what appeared to be an act of aggression. It wasn't what it seemed, but something just felt super off about it, much of Minkyungs concerns weren't really addressed but she did an almost 180, and they got back together.
Also, it was pretty unclear where she suddenly vanished to (before she came back)... was it Mongolia?
Anyway I would say the first 9 or so episodes were great, but then it kind of fell off a cliff. It really felt as though they were struggling to figure out how to wrap things up, and went in a bit of a weird direction.
Not a waste of time, not terrible, good.. but thats a shame because it could have been really good
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Will You Become “ Mad” At This Drama?
It has been said countless times before in the reviews, however, novice screenwriter Ah Kyung’s ‘ Mad For Each Other’ did surprisingly start on a fairly high note. The storyline incorporated the more avant-grade archetype of the ‘ unconventional lovers’ where both leads suffer from mental health issues. ( A tone reminiscent of Rain’s movie ‘ I’m a Cyborg, But That’s Ok’ [2006] .)
‘ Mad For Each Other’ focuses upon Lee Min Kyung( Oh Yeon Seo), a woman suffering from repressed trauma, social anxiety and paranoia as well as her matched “ potential love interest” Noh Hwi Oh( Jung Woo), a suspended cop who suffered from anger management issues. In between the more questionable faeces jokes of the first episode, ‘ Mad For Each Other’ did seem to have a lot of potential towards being an intriguing love story. However the drama slowly began on a downwards slope as a consequence of cataclysmic screenwriting and certain acting performances in later episodes.
This problem became particularly prominent with Min-Kyung. Oh Yeon Seo isn’t entirely a terrible actress, however, her over-the-top expressions and reactions as her onscreen persona can quickly grow tiresome for some viewers.As a character it is understandable that Min-Kyung suffered from low self-esteem and so her journey to developing an “affectionate relationship “ with Hwi Oh was always going to be a rocky road.
However, it was an ineffable screenwriting decision that one minute Min Kyung seemed to be presented as an unfortunate young woman suffering from social anxiety who is trying to get over her trauma , and then later in the same storyline she is dumping Hwi Oh,getting triggered at Hwi Oh trying to help her, running away and then yearning over Hwi Oh once more.
It is understandable that Min-Kyung is supposed to be a flawed character and struggles throughout the drama to make her own moral judgements, however, rather than using previous exposition ( such as Min-Kyung learning self-defence lessons from Hwi Oh) in order to allow this character to develop as an individual or defend herself, the show enforces the stereotype of the “ fickle female lead” into the mixture in order to allow Hwi Oh to become the “ dashing hero”. ( In a montage during the finale which was an unintentional laughable parody of an 80s car chase scene.) There’s an evident difference between low self-esteem, and a lacking of self-respect; something that screenwriter Ah Kyung seemed unable to distinguish between with Min-Kyung as a character.
Oh Yeon Seo’s costar Jung Woo seemed to carry a fairly “ down-to-earth” ambience as his onscreen persona Hwi Oh. However similar to Min-Kyung’s more “turbulent” moments in the drama , Hwi Oh was the epitome of “ writing gone bad”. As it happens it wasn’t necessarily that this character had a” dire” creative setup in the beginning . Hwi Oh ( similar to Min Kyung) showed a gentler side to his cantankerous personality ( such as promising to help Min Kyung with her self-defence lessons)throughout the majority of the drama.‘ Mad For Each Other’ seemed to particularly struggle, however, with Hwi Oh’s intended character development across the show.
Hwi Oh just seemed to raise one question above all; “ how on earth did he pass police academy exams and become a police officer in the first place, when he often allowed dilemmas ( especially the incident with the ex-boyfriend and Min Kyung entering the abandoned building)to boil over?” It’s easy to put together that Hwi Oh is supposed to fit the “ disgraced and renounced cop” archetype because of his short-temper. However it was hardly to truly comprehend what even motivated Hwi Oh to becoming an officer, or even truly understanding why we should feel pity for Hwi Oh over his role in the first place when he often was pretty dumb with his strategies ( case and point with the car chase with the ex-boyfriend) , acting aggressively ( at times) towards Min Kyung and then not thinking to even try putting together concussive evidence and case reports towards Min Kyung’s- ex’s records. This isn’t stating that Hwi Oh should have been the “ police prodigy” archetype, however, even if the show had perhaps delved into something that Hwi Oh had flourished with his job as an officer ( such as fighting or capturing criminals), and then something he struggled with or was mocked by his peers ( his strategies or even just struggling with a desk job), Hwi Oh would have felt been more sympathetic for viewers as the “ flawed cop” trope that the show seemed to struggle to concisely execute.
As far as their relationship is concerned, the best way to describe the pairing between Min Kyung and Hwi Oh is “ flawed for all of the wrong reasons”. Relationships are naturally messy in real life and it did present
a potentially interesting setup to see two unconventional characters, helping to support one another but whilst there were undeniably elements of Hwi Oh and Min Kyung learning to lean upon one another over the course of the drama, their pairing was undeniably oppressive for both parties. Hwi Oh could often been controlling and inflict aggressive conduct ( anger issues or not) towards Min Kyung, whilst Min Kyung often lashed out before neglecting Hwi Oh and then loving him again because it was “ necessary to the plot”. It wouldn’t have been too bad perhaps if the drama had allowed these characters to recognise their mistakes, show remorse or at least acknowledge their wrongdoings, however, the fact that both characters were quick to bury their problems under the sand in order to “ be together”, made this toxic relationship hard to watch for the most part.
Oh boy, then there’s the incomprehensible side characters. On a more positive note ( and against all odds), the occasional appearances of the irksome gossipy residents and Hwi Oh’s police officer peers were arguably more entertaining at times than our main characters. However, then there’s Soo Hyun ( Lee Soo Hyun); the definition of the “ prosaic filler character”. It isn’t inherently that her scenes were “ bad” or “ terrible” and the setup of her character trying to work multiple jobs and aspiring for higher goals , was an intriguing setup. However the show didn’t really give Soo Hyun enough time to really be “ fleshed out” or understand her motivations as a character aside from being the “ girl who pops up on the screen and starts randomly singing just to promote that the actress is an idol singer”.
Also on the sideline of prosaic side characters was the therapist ( who quickly became elusive to the majority of the events of the storyline apart from arguably having the potential to play the most important role), a psycho and then “ Samantha” ( Ahn Woo Yeon). Now, there’s two decisive arguments with “ Samantha” as a character; the positive by an attempted representation of diversity within South-Korean society, the second being distasteful for some viewers through the comedic scenes . Despite covering over more hard-hitting issues such as mental health issues, cyber bullying and transphobia, it seemed as though the drama often struggled to truly convey these messages more profoundly. This isn’t due to the nature of the drama as a “ comedy” but rather the styling it took as a “ lighthearted” show, rather than allowing or pertaining more “ bittersweet” elements to enter the storyline. The ending wasn’t bad per say, just more “ questionable” considering the storyline arc.
It’s establish that this isn’t to concisely rule that “ Mad For Each Other” is a “ terrible” show as some watchers may enjoy the comedic scenes and setups, however, “ Mad For Each Other” is arguably more of a “throwaway” drama - easy to binge-watch and certainly with a fairly catchy OST, but leaving a bitter taste for certain watchers by sporadic plot logic and one-dimensional characters.
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It makes it even more astonishing, more powerful and more welcome that Korea has made Mad For Each Other: a story about two traumatised people trying to navigate their way back into the world and into a relationship with each other.
Jung Woo plays Noh Hwi-oh, a cop with an anger management problem on suspension. His neighbour and partner in therapy is Lee Min-kyung (Oh Yeon-seo) who is suffering from paranoia, OCD and other post-traumatic symptoms after coming out of a violent relationship.
Mad For Each Other is written and structured more like a classic American sitcom than a kdrama. It episodes are a short 30 minutes and the scenes are short, snappy and the camera never lingers or settles. And yet, while it's a fast paced situational dramedy, the writing has genuine pathos, heart and depth. It's a tragi-comedy that treats all its characters with respect and empathy and never opts for a cliche. Its treatment of mental illness is never trite and, while exaggerated, never farcical.
The production values are high, the acting is excellent and the show never makes its damaged characters the butt of its jokes.
And while I would love to be awarding it the 10/10 it almost attained, the final episode couldn't help itself in opting for some unnecessary action to resolve what should have been resolved with the more subtle character-driven plotting it had until the end. But for being almost perfect, I highly recommend this show.
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surprisingly good
I was worried after the first episode that it was going to be too over the top with the yelling and the pettiness. But it soon settled and I enjoyed the way they developed the characters, and we got to know them and what drives them, how they ended up in the situation they are in. This drama flowed pretty fast with only 13 half hour episodes, so it didn't get bogged down by a lot of useless stuff. But the ending did wrap up abruptly and very tidily, which I was both annoyed with and somehow was ok with - one more episode might have rounded it out to fill out the ending more properly. I'm not mad at it though.I have waited so long for Jung Woo to be a romantic lead again after Reply 1994 - and I was not disappointed! Oh Yeon Seo, who I've only enjoyed watching in Korean Odyssey, did a really good job in this. She nailed this role. I enjoyed the side characters - especially 'Samantha'. The neighborhood busy-bodies were nosy and jumped to conclusions, but I liked that they apologized when they knew they were wrong and tried to make things right. That made them endearing rather than irritating.
This was just a nice healing type of drama and would be great for a quick watch some rainy weekend!
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Everything I like in a k-drama but unfortunately one big flaw that drags it down
This drama has just about everything that I love in a K-drama combining important issues with humor and fluff. Not only does it have a very fluffy dog but also allot of fluffy moments and a sweet, sweet ost. the drama has great side characters who show typical K-drama development making you annoyed in the beginning but leading you to fall in love with them by the end. The drama also shows a person who likes to cross dress as a competent and complex human being who is more than just a stereotype, yet manage to show the reality this person faces in a day to day life. The drama also touches issues such as poverty, mental illness but mostly violence against woman in various forms. All things making this drama worth a watch. Add a great OST and one might wonder why I did not give this drama 10 stars.There is one reason, and one reason only for the lack of stars, though the female lead does show some character development, the way she is written is a bit off and rather adds to mental illness stereotypes than breaking them. Also conveying people who have dealt with trauma as completely broken, and yes that bothers me. I am not saying that there is a right or wrong way to deal with trauma. And can not say that I fully understand her state of mind. Some people may be able to identify with her and if that is the case all the power to you. what bothers me is that this is this feels to stereotypical and that I have seen this before adding on this notion of broken , crazy and paranoid woman also used as well as showing us it as an excuse to treat others badly. The state they show her in is one where she is so paranoid she needs allot of protection and though she is getting help her state is so extreme that it is letterly dangerous for both her and people around her to let her walk the streets = A person who should get more help and stay in an institution until she stabilises = not the typical victim. And yes I am team there should be no shame in going to a mental institution when needed. to add to this her character development is to extreme for the lack of help offered to her. And yes that bothers me.
She does however have allot of great lines. the male lead is a complex antihero but a sweetheart for most parts (but he does contradict himself) and the show overall is mostly entertaining with mostly good humor, but unfortunately also some humor that just makes me go oh come on, and how the h*** is this funny.
So overall definitely worth a watch, just dont judge it by the first episode.
p.s. Lee Su Hyuns character and singing rocks in this! gave me a new crush, not bad for a supporting role.
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Extremely Promising Series Utterly Destroyed in the Last Two Episodes!
I'm not sure if there is anything worse in television shows where you invest time in a series that is going really great for you, and then it collapses like a house of cards at the very end.When you destroy the ending of a series, it destroys the series itself, regardless of how good things were before. That is just a fact. The only reason my original score of "9" didn't go down to "1" is because the performances and literally 11 of the 13 episodes were really good. The last two episodes were so bad that I nearly gave up the series on the spot.
Two people suffering from mental issues end up living next door to each other. Min-Kyung is suffering from extremely low self-esteem and is the victim of abuse. It's also very clear that she does not like herself. Hwi-Oh is a cop on suspension who is trying to deal with anger management issues. The premise is quite good, setting up some very humorous scenarios between the two.
However, as I stated above, the last two episodes are costly to the series, as if the writers piece-mealed everything together to make a horrific picture.
First, Hwi-Oh is not a very good cop or even a realistic one. He allows Min-Kyung to go into an abandoned building by herself. He also doesn't find it remotely suspicious that the abandoned building is occupied.
Min-Kyung swaps from loving Hwi-Oh to helping him to abandoning him, to loving him, to moving away within the span of two episodes. Of course, this doesn't even serve as a red flag to any sane person that this is a person to stay as far away from as possible. Not to mention the "no explanation" of the capture of Min-Kyung's abusive boyfriend at the very end. It would have been more credible to have a fairy appear out of thin air and scream, "That's him!" instead. It was also laughable to see Hwi-Oh chasing after Min-Kyung not once, but TWICE! And, of course, Min-Kyung changes her mind more rapidly and suddenly than a jackrabbit on a hot date! By all intensive purposes, even after the series ended, one has to wonder if she'd already changed her mind about Hwi-Oh...again!
The car chase scene was beyond absurd as Hwi-Oh rolls down his window and tells the ex-boyfriend to pull over with an unconscious Min-Kyung in the passenger seat. Again, not a very bright cop. Especially when he jumps on the hood of the car. When did this become like a bad 70s/80s action flick?!
We also have a crime plot that miraculously resolves itself in the span of about five minutes!
Also, one of the silliest things I have ever seen was Min-Kyung's reaction to Hwi-Oh beating up her sadistic ex-boyfriend as well as the fact that as a cop, the officer interrogating Hwi-Oh at the station could have easily looked into the ex-boyfriend's record. Never mind that Hwi-Oh doesn't even bother to suggest this or offer up any kind of a defense, which was beyond ludicrous!
Like poor, amateur writer, they make sure everything is all nice and tidy at the very end, regardless of how implausible it was.
We also have a side-story of a covenience store clerk and a cross-dresser that serve absolutely no relevance to the story at all. They literally add nothing.
In short, what started out as a well written series, quickly turned into a convoluted hot mess in the space of its last two episodes. Traffic accidents have taken longer than that to develop!
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Sloppy writing toward the end
Mad for Each Other could have been one of the best show this year. But lazy, sloppy script writing ruin the ending to what could have been a great and funny show of 2021.Both Lee Min-kyung and Noh Hwi-oh are flawed characters who are neighbors and being see by the same psychiatrist.. Min-kyung is in hiding, scared of people, not trusting herself, and is a victim of past abused. Hwi-oh is a cop who is put on leave due to his anger management.
The series started out so funny with great acting and great story build up. I was so happy I thought I've found a gem. Since it's only a 13 episodes, I thought things would quickly finished without any mishap or dragging storyline. Wow. I was wrong. There are characters that don't even need to be included in the series. The cross-dresser and store clerk add nothing to the story. I don't even care about them, yet they're in the story. Why? Those minutes spent on them should be on the two main leads and their healing of eachother.
The series should have been focused on Min-kyung empowered herself. To be able to heal and not be afraid of her ex again. She need to lean to stick up for herself with relying and needing to be rescued. She was learning self-defense from Hwi-oh, yet, it was not put to use in the latter episode. Why? What's the point of showing her learning to kicks, hits, and run when it was not put to use? Hwi-oh was learning about his anger issue and how to manage it, but the first chance he needed to show that he had managed his anger.....he exploded....right in front of her. And the way she reacted when she saw it is beyond me. I understand she is traumatize by previous abuse but all of these should have taken place during the earlier episode....not the last two episodes. They vowed to trust one another but they broke that promised. What a let down.
The last 3 episodes are the worst. I couldn't believe what I was watching. It's like a different drama. Hwi-oh is a cop but he must have been a stupid cop because he's willing let Min-kyung trespassed into someone else property. Plus.....I thought she was afraid of people....yet she constantly take walk at night, and then trespassed into someone property alone at night. What a moron. At this point, I lost interest in both of these two characters. The way she's acting so childish without any coherent thought in her head during the patrolling. The car chased was the worst. It's so out of characters. This scene doesn't need to be included at all. It all could have been solved peacefully without the chase. Then the verbal abused from her to him. Why? Why did she had to go away? At this point, I gave up trying to understand what the show is trying to show me.
Overall, I don't believe they are healed. They're going to hurt one another continuing in their relationship. They don't trust each other. His is quick to anger and she's scare of that anger. All of these are due to lazy writing in the script writer part. What a let down to a good show. It could have end so much better. The potential was there....but...sigh.
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This review may contain spoilers
Awesome romcom(till ep10)
OK u must be quite shocked with the title right? well thats exactly how i felt!! I really liked the drama alot!! It felt unique and there were so many hilarious scenes. The characters also had solid back stories and there was no forced romance or something. It was a very good romcom.The main positive for me was the main leads acting... They were so good!! I am oh yeon seo biased so i really loved her acting.. I felt she nailed the role to perfection!! The ladies association ahjummas were also a positive for me i found their interactions funny. Both the mothers also had a good influence. There were some heartwarming and emotional scenes as well which will make you cry !!
For me the show till ep 10 deserved a perfect 10 like real perfect. Now, from ep 11 it derailed from the tone of how things happened till ep 10. The fights became stupid and they were just splitting up unnecessarily to only get back together again.
From ep 11 second half the show became frustrating to watch for me especially ep 12 ending and ep13{except for last 10 mins}. They tied up all the sub plots in a hasty way but it was done in a comic manner which i would have enjoyed if not for ep12. It just doesnt make sense for em both the times { in ep12 and in ep13} as well why Minkyung left him... Like in 13th ep the reason they gave was like real pointless. Her reason was so that nothing bad would happen to him and look what happened. The only potential danger from her past or whatever was her ex and he already caused damage and is now serving time so it made zero sense to me. And in ep 12 the way she ignored him and he had to run after her was just painful to watch. The ending of ep12 and the point where it continued off in 13th ep didnt make sense at all. I didnt even mention the way they split up in ep11 i guess when she saw him with his ex and a stupid argument which could have been avoided easily followed from there....
However, I would like to say it has like a lot of hilarious moments and u can always watch till ep 10 and again the ep13 ending{last 10 eps} when u rewatching(coz u already know what happened in the non rewatch worthy part). I still gave a 10 rating for rewatch value coz the first 10 eps are like really worth it.
Its one of the best quirky romcoms u will ever find and also the mls only they could have pulled it off u shd watch it definitely.. just skim through the ep 11 and 12 rest everything is real good!! Hope it helped!!
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