life is a drama

I agree what happened is very unfortunate but ranting raving against a Korean Drama achieves nothing. Besides who are you really upset at, who is to blame, you cannot cure the ignorance of others by banning them, it comes with open minded honest discussions not spreading more hate. Also this type of negativity you punish those that don't deserve it.

she knows her limits. when he told her to stay in the car she didn't get out so she knows what not to do. but this time he really pushed it he said he would return made her wait 6 months. hence she had to go look for his sorry ass.

I just saw the PALTIMA reference this is so unfortunate and such a cruel disservice to the actors and the entire team who made an excellent drama, you shot yourself in the foot at the end. Even if koreans and korean government are pro Israel they should not have mixed politics with entertainment. Now if people are rating this drama down out of vengeance can you blame them, this makes me think of Baek Saeon blaming himself for his father's sins, it does not matter who fault it is you are all guilty by association.

it is a lot more complicated than that he thought he was feeling relieved he would be free if she dies that is because of years of unhappiness between them, but deep down he loves her even if she trips he gets panicked and worried that is true love. you have to give the character a chance to overcome his shortcomings, that only makes him human he is not perfect and neither is she.

You said it so well, they are still his family he should bear some responsibility it is not logical it is an emotional response. Don't victims usually resent the entire family when a crime is committed, ofcourse our HeeJoo is angel she wouldn't do that but in reality people are not fair.

people get obsessed with flags labels tags have to put people in a box why

I read everyone complaints, criticisms and contemplations. My positive review is posted but yes there are flaws and here is my major flaw in the drama.
A drama does not fail what was in there but more for what it fails to include. Baek family’s dynamics are the beating heart of this drama, and the Hong family are more of a plot device. Baek Saeon’s relationship with his biological father is the foundation of who he is, his actions, what he says and how he wants to live his life. The writer/director included a few scenes that shows in 20 years of living together they had some affection for each other, the 2 pics of him with his father he has a hand on his shoulder with a genuine smile and the full family pic where he is more leaning towards his real father than his adopted parents. Ofcourse the most telling scene is the final scene where he returns his father’s ring in a sombre manner gently giving the ring back, his father told him the ring is a hidden camera trusted him with that info and his adopted mother said his father was proud of him and found joy in seeing him grow up which indicates a positive relationship between them. He could have mourned his father’s death especially him being murdered would have traumatized him, all this should have been shown. For Baek Saeon his real father starts as a monster in his life source of his nightmares fear resentment but in 20 years he made peace with his biology and might have been even proud that his father was a successful president, however when the truth emerges that his father was always evil killed a child destroyed the woman he loved Baek Saeon is plagued with guilt shame hatred at his own existence for being the son of such a monster and ever caring for such a man. This is the driving force behind why he left HJ he needed time to reconcile his feelings with the past and how he now should feel about his father who he went from hating to accepting now back to hating.
This is where drama dropped the ball in the final episode in not explaining/showing clearly enough, we needed some flashback happy scenes of grown up Baek Saeon with his dad, how he truly felt about his father to contrast with his collapsing reality.

He is not Rambo there should have been a team of soldiers there with escape vehicles, not every single details needs to be shown this is not a Hollywood film.

I agree Lovely Runner and When the phone rings are the best dramas of 2024. Queen of tears had a gorgeous couple no strike against their chemistry but the overall plot let the drama down.

It seems like those complaining about Argan did not pay attention to the first episode or notice the certificates in his office Paek Saeon was FBI trained in crisis management/hostage negotiations. He was in active war zone for years, he only worked in the Presidential office because of pressure from his family. Both Hong Hee Joo and Paek Saeon are pursuing careers of their dreams. HHJ merged her dreams of being an anchor with being able to sign, you cant undo the past trauma but you can embrace the new you, what was once her punishment gives her renewed purpose.

I just wish they gave something more to say to Senior Hong to explain his POV, his silence didn't add depth just confused us.

wowwwwww was that him amazing. most korean actors if not all are such great singers.

A near perfect drama.
If there was any big plot holes or things that did not make sense it was Senior Mr. and Mrs. Hong, what did Chairman Hong really gain from supporting the family that murdered his son (if it was all about money/power this did not come across well) and worst is Mrs Hong this woman had no redeeming qualities yet they tried to gaslight us into thinking noooooo she does love her daughter, lets call FUBAR on this.
Paik Sa Eon is an excellently written character, everything he did/said was in line with the psychology of this character that was well developed and presented with nuance. The final action of fleeing does make sense if you understood his trauma. YYS gets full marks on his performance.
Hong Hee Joo had a tough challenge to hold her own against a very charismatic ML and give full credit to CSB for able to portray HHJ with silent strength. She was not just a romantic tool, or a mere plot device, she was her own interesting person and her character had a fully evolving journey in the plot.
Final acknowledgement of excellence to the entire production team director/editor/writer, especially the screen writer for this superior adaptation.

Point 4 is critical this is why most audience get frustrated and their criticisms are invalidated. Dramas has characters that are the creation of the writers, these people are not you, so it is not about you and they will not behave like us. Every dramas has its own internal logic, and in a well written drama like WTPR this logic will be very consistent and the characters will operate within this logic (not real world) and they will react/respond accordingly to their imagined personalities.

That is the ultimate irony, Old Baek is demonic but maybe the mothers are normal that is why his 2 boys the eldest yes he is a buffoon but he is no killer and youngest is the ideal self righteous boy, so they get humanity from their mothers side. But the grandson is hit with double dose of insanity because of his own mother being a ruthless killer, she wants revenge against the old man is justified but why hurts innocent people. Paek Saeon is messed up because of mommy.

Thanks for saying this. Everyone whining about plot holes, your questions are answered in the drama, it is not the script writer's fault you are not watching carefully enough and expect to be spoof fed like a toddler.
Him disappearing was his OG plan and he warned Hee Joo this will happen and he promised her he will return, so why are we complaining about this.
Him finding out his father tried to kill 3 innocent kids would be a shock to him, he knows his father murdered his grandson over the years perhaps he justified it to himself saying real PSE was a psychopath so his father did what he had to for the greater good. But to find out that his father is just an evil ruthless cold blooded killer with nothing to redeem him would blow up his world.
Yes he is smart, but human instinct is self preservation, he didn't seriously investigate the accident or much of his father's crimes because deep down he didn't want to know, he didn't want to be the son of a monster.

Yes anything about 8 on douban means the drama is actually excellent work and it is not just fan girls delusions. Drama is not just about running on fumes of chemistry, it is actually excellent plot pacing, structure of plot, editing, production, keeping even the simple details consistent that reflects hard work of actors and professionalism of the entire team, screen writer has done a excellent job in adapting, great dialogues, fabulous acting. This drama is rated high for the right reasons.

yes that evil smirk by inho just reinforces his belief that gihun was always a hypocrite. not sure if he really genuinely had any faith gihun's goodness but inho is a purist he doesn't deal in grey, if you can't all be good all the time then you are bad trash.

South Koreans who are here on MDL, our sincere condolences and deepest sympathies over this latest tragedy that has affected your country. Any time of the year is still devastating but to happen at end of the year is morbid it feels like a curse that has doomed us all for eternal sorrow. It seems silly to discuss dramas at this time, life is unfair and death is cruel. We grieve this senseless tragedy and hope for peace for the lost souls and the families left behind.

I would vote for this plot twist but not happening lolzzzz