AnthideAgiusMuscat

Although to observers FL's behaviour when dealing with the predatory CEO is less than wise, it is in line with her inclination to single mindedly try to "figure out or research" matters that have caught her attention. Same as she did in the case of the Gas company. This has been her modus operandi since her school days (as we have been repeatedly told). Only post these particular incidents (& their aftermath) did FL start to understood she is now in a different "world" where some social rules must be followed as non compliance has a far reaching effect both on herself & those connected to her. IMO the FL is neuro divergent. Hence her unusual thinking pattern & sponge like memory. The missteps regarding adherence to established codes of social or professional behaviour would really not be that much of a surprise, at least to those who know her well.

Netflix

I cannot read Japanese & rely on the English subtitles to make sense of what is going on screen. I have already followed a number Japanese serials but not think I have ever seen the disclaimer that flashes on screen before now. The English "translation" mentions "unlawful practices" which might be violations. What is meant by this?

Even the drama series title "Esquire" has "depth". The term is indeed an honorific applied in NA to exponents active in the legal profession but in origin it denoted a gentleman who is training to assist a "knight" (a knight being in essence a public official who acted in defence of his country, its citizens and/or ruler). The manners of the ML are really exquisitely in line with the appelitive of Esq!
Attorney Yun's "courtly" gestures which in themselves seem of little significance, "spare" the FL unnecessary embarrassment or future emotional regret. This is the true worth of the "old fashioned" handkerchief supplied at an awkward moment or the retrieval/return of a favourite trinket which would have otherwise been lost ....
What is notable is that the our seasoned "knight" has learnt the hard way to hide his deepest held desires or convictions; he is only now risking exposing a bit of his true nature as he has ascertained that our FL is a "pure" spirit lacking any guile.
Also, I might be wrong, but our Attorney Yun,in complete contrast to his professional achievements, is still a "youngster" in the "love" department ... despite being a divorcee ... his first choice of a life companion could not have been much worse than it turned out to be 😣

To me LJW was a most pleasant surprise. A SK actor who has charisma & presence in spades (with extremely expressive eyes) but not an impossibly perfect face! LJW even has a faint but most manly beard shadow (so familiar to us European ladies!) The cherry on the cake: LJW has a "mobile" face. The man gets eye creases when he smiles or laughs. Sometimes wrinkles his nose or sports a furrowed look when under stress or "displeased! All natural reactions or expressions but actually a rare sight in KDrama land.

Instead of reflecting on the many insights this drama has already offered, too many seem to be obsessed with the age gap between ML & the FL (at times flipping back & forth between their fictional & real life avatars). I am guessing most of comments are from SKoreans who it seems favour the superficial over the substantial. Hence the unhealthy insistence on the physically "beautiful" mate only with the likewise beautiful or that age gaps beyond a couple of years are intrinsically unsound. Outside Asia such notions are ludicrous.

I fully concur with your opinion. Abortion destroys life definitely (there is no hope of rescue or recovery). Where I live abortion as a birth control method is still regarded as immoral & illegal. Also agreements that somehow pave the way to dissolution of the marriage contract are not envisaged. Either one wants to marry & assume all the responsibilities & consequence thereby or one simply does not marry.

What I find astonishing is the fact that so much of the fine points of what occurred back in 2016 with regards to LJW are in the public domain. I'm guessing that only after a full exposure of even the most lurid facts was LJW able to carry on with his life & career. Otherwise, truth would not have prevailed ... what would have prevailed are the contorted ideas of those who believe that they are "immaculate" (the faceless righteous netizens). Actors, are after all, not quite on par, humanly speaking, to their audience. Ain't that universally acknowledged.

If this was a theatre play, your skip scene strategy would be impossible to "indulge" in ... so if you have "reservations" with regards to viewing any footage of any actor (not just LJW) opt for a book!

Why oh why are the English subtitles so bad? Wang YS is so underrated; he manages to shine despite the low budget setting and/or dodgy script. Also too often his projects are screened without much fanfare or publicity .... small wonder you might miss them if you blink at the wrong moment. What did this talented actor ever do to be treated so poorly by those who should be pushing him to bigger & better projects instead?

This film project amongst other things is a barely disguised PR promotion of the ski boarding & Chinese skiing resorts/facilities. The emphasis is on this message and not on the life long implications of being born to parents who only consider you, their child (creation) as an "investment vehicle" to be used towards the betterment of their own social prospects or prestige. In view of this underlying fact (which the FL is actually well aware of) all protestations of disinterested worry for the future wellbeing of their child by the same said parents sound obscenely hollow.

What is crystal clear to my "western" eyes is understandably not a palatable notion to a mind immersed in Asian culture values. As it is, no culture strikes all the right notes ... human life should be regarded as intrinsically precious anywhere in this world of ours. The harsh truth is however that this concept is not "genuinely" acknowledged nor safeguarded neither in the Western nor in the Eastern hemispheres.

This film project amongst other things is a barely disguised PR promotion of the ski boarding & Chinese skiing resorts/facilities. The emphasis is on this message and not on the life long implications of being born to parents who only consider you, their child (creation) as an "investment vehicle" to be used towards the betterment of their own social prospects or prestige. In view of this underlying fact (which the FL is actually well aware of) all protestations of disinterested worry for the future wellbeing of their child by the same said parents sound obscenely hollow.

What is crystal clear to my "western" eyes is understandably not a palatable notion to a mind immersed in Asian culture values. As it is, no culture strikes all the right notes ... human life should be regarded as intrinsically precious anywhere in this world of ours. The harsh truth is however that this concept is not "genuinely" acknowledged nor safeguarded neither in the Western nor in the Eastern hemispheres.

One of the escapable truths of life is that one cannot "select" one's parents or the social situation he is born into. To suggest otherwise is an obscene lie and a very cruel distortion of an undisputed fact. This what renders the behaviour of the FL parents' so repulsive.
Asian culture seems to discount "spiritual" worth vs "monetary" worth. Being "poor" which in the case of many is a relative not absolute term as the essential needs of the individual are never under threat, becomes a "disqualifier" which the individual cannot make up for, whatever he does or achieves should the criterion of self worth be the "trading" instrument known as "money". What is not also made explicit is that money comes but as easily goes!
The life purpose of the FL's parents is quite obviously the making & accumulation of the most "liquid" of assets human society has given form to: money. The struggles of the FL can be traced back to the fact that her parents do not value or accumulate other assets other than money. Human connection, phycological wellbeing (sense of self worth) are foreign concepts to the parents of the FL. Not much of a surprise as these intangible assets cannot be qualified in terms of "money" or reliably secured by it. Although it can be argued that money can acquire all the elements of a "good" life, this is a cruel illusion which is proved false time & time again. All hinges on the definition of what is a "good, well spent life?

As expected much is being posted about Esther's light girly voice & mannerisms. It should be clear by now to everyone that the fluffy exterior hides a core of steel! Esther Yu reminds me of Marilyn Monroe. Marilyn's premature death secured her fame as not even a 50 year long career would have made possible but her talent was undisputable especially in the comic, satirical vein. Esther has the same ability to make nonsense palatable, the unlikely possible. In fact, no other actress of her generation pulls off the impulsive, fluffy characters as well as she does; the breathless quick speech is part of this characterization so why the complaints?

Esther Yu is more than competent at her craft & stills looks barely 20 years old when she is flooring 30! Given the Asian obsession with looking "eternally" young, Esther is managing to live up to one of C Entertainment essential criteria remarkable well 😊

Reading the heated exchanges of comments, I cannot help but think that sexual assault/harassment/PTSD should have been included under the "tags" for this drama. The trajectory followed by the FL is heavily shadowed by these behaviours or state of mind and are central to all her interactions with Sang Yan. It takes WYF several years to realise that "running away" hurt herself & those who she loves & love her back when meantime the "evil" elements prosper for another day, unpunished & still in circulation to do as they please. One more eye opening titbit of this drama.
Whether the film mirrors the original novel IP has never been my concern as book to reel adaptions are just what the term implies. At no point is it a matter of verbatim transposition of novel text to screen. Surely this is a concept that is not too difficult to grasp?

However painful or triggering it might be to certain members in the audience of this drama, it is still highly commendable that some very serious & ugly truths are being aired and explored. In practically every culture, silence and/or denial is too often the default reaction in the case of sexually motivated attacks ... the ones who gain from this reaction are the perpetuators who rarely stop at the one attempt. Thankfully in many cultures, sexual assault or harassment is now viewed as an aggrieved form of assault not an act which brings "social or personal" shame to the victim. However much still has to be done so that this is so in all cases, everywhere, always.
In TFF the theme is being expounded in a realistic manner without unnecessary "shocking" detail but with enough depth to clearly put across how the behaviours/indifference of many persons "protect" from detection & official restraint perpetuators of all sorts of crimes including those which are acts of sexual assault & harassment.

Ask the ever critical netizens.

Not in this drama but it cannot be ignored how often KDrama actors die prematurely due to the pressures of their working environment and/or the "feedback" from the consumers of their work. Is it an unfortunate coincidence? There are no societal or cultural forces at play?

It is regrettably that the Chinese censorship system does not stretch to warnings as to the nature of the film content ... Judging on the fiction coming out of Asia, it is undeniable that in that hemisphere "suicide" & abortion are often suggested as an honourable option when a human person seems likely to be a "burden" in the lives of those connected to him. The sanctity of life is not the absolute value as actively promoted by the Christan faiths .. the cultural/moral divide between the two ways of being is abysmal.

No, that is not what I wanted to convey. I am non Chinese & have no knowledge of the original IP (novel). The ending of the film drama has been interpreted in more than one way ... the one I find most "progressive" in view of the PTS of the main ML is that no one sought to end his/her life in the immediate but that the two lovers went on to support each other physically/phycologically for the rest of their natural lives ...