Sweetandsalty

Slow but wholesome

I am not the one to wait for something eventful to happen in a drama. if it gets boring, i drop it instantly. But for some reason the liberation notes made me stick to it till the end. Not gonna lie, it was too slow yet i could relate to it. All three siblings and their problems were too realistic. I was rooting for them and secretly hoped to find my way through them. Perhaps some words of motivation or a hope that it gets better.

In a way things did change for them at the end but not soo much as one would expect. That’s why the story is too realistic and bit bitter at times, it’s not those big drastic changes but tiny ones at a time that keeps them going. The portrayal of the family and their bond was soo organic.
Mi jeong wanted to liberate herself from her toxic workplace and her situation.She did stood up for herself at the end and gathered the courage to move to a new workplace. It might not seem like a big deal for some people but for a person who is a doormat, it’s a huge deal to stand up for themselves and it takes a lot. In the end Mr. Gu also returned to her. It wasn’t that grand happy ending but i guess it was a new start for her.
The older sister, ji jeong, wanted love, a partner and got one, even though, he had a complex background and all was not well in their relationship yet it was also a new beginning for her. Change always comes with a price.

And the brother, Chang hee, found a new purpose for his life after working hard for years to get a promotion or to own a store. Yet one thing i didn’t understand was why he and hyun ah broke up?? And why was there relationship toxic?? Also, It was soo sad that the siblings got to move to Seoul after their mother passed.

The only thing that bugged me was that ending could’ve been better. Ending wasn’t a perfectly happy one, it was bit unsettling yet it made a point that in order to get what you want, you need to get out of your comfort zone. And change comes with a price.

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A rollercoaster of emotions

At first, I thought, What fun could it be watching exes reunite on a dating show? They already know each other so what’s the catch here. Well boy oh boy, I was so wrong.. The premise is insanely entertaining and full of drama.

What really got me hooked is how the ex couples are kept a secret from participants and the viewers at the start. Watching those connections slowly unfold and finally being revealed is hands down the most exciting part, it adds so much suspense and makes every episode addictive.

I will review the ex couples first and then the endgame couples.The ex-couples that hit me the hardest:

Minkyung & Yoo Sik: 8 FREAKING YEARS!!
How do you move on after dating someone for 8 years? They practically grew up together. Their story was the most heartbreaking one .

At first, I thought Minkyung was annoying and controlling, and Yoo Sik was just an innocent guy. But wow I judged way too early. They gave 8 years of their life to each other and he couldn’t even reassure her about their future? That’s devastating. What hurts more is that Yoo Sik said before entering the house that he wanted to get back with his ex, yet his actions and words didn’t match at all. He seems oddly okay for someone who got out of a 8 year relationship. I understand Minkyung now. Plus the way he avoids any conversation with her is annoying to watch. If he wants new relationship soo bad he should’ve just told Minkyung and not dragged the situations but he let her suffer till the end. Their last date was soo sad. I felt like my heart sank. They should never get back together..

JiHyeon & Won Kyu
JiHyeon is my absolute favorite in the house. She is soo confident and soo real.. And Won Kyu? I am not soo sure! Initially he seemed quite cold and boring then afterwards he seemed clumsy yet fun to watch. Either he is very confused or just wanted to confuse Ji Hyeon!

He seems calculative and I don’t like that mindset. He let her go because she was struggling and didn’t have a stable career?? like sir, isn’t that the mindset people have in arranged marriages? He also thinks she is not that competent! After that being revealed she is right to call it INSINCERE LOVE! Thou They both have lingering feelings. I don’t mind her getting back with won kyu but won kyun has to change his calculative mindset and appreciate her.

Baek Hyun & Hyeon Ji
I didn’t care much about them at first; they felt a bit overdramatic. I couldn’t tell if Baek Hyun genuinely liked her or was just putting on a show.
But then… those letters in the ex-room.. It was the first time I believed that Baek Hyun wasn’t faking it but he still puts on a show I can tell. Hyeon Ji seems to be over dramatic at times as well and sometimes way to aloof. They have chemistry but I didn’t root for them. they’re just not my favorite. I hope baek hyun stops confusing Yun nyeong thou .

Yun Nyeong & Jae Hyeong
They seem to be on good terms and don’t really affect each other much emotionally. there aren’t any strong lingering feelings between them. Their story feels calm compared to the other maybe a little too calm. Thou after looking at how shady baekhyun was ,i genuinely wanted Yun nyeong to go with her ex instead. lol

Ji Yeon & Woo Jin
I honestly don’t know how to feel about them. Woo Jin didn’t treat Ji Yeon well during their relationship, and that’s undeniable. But at the same time, it feels like Ji Yeon is now provoking him constantly saying in front of everyone, again and again, that she’s completely over her ex and would never get back together with him. Also she treats him like shit !! Woo Jin is clearly acknowledging his mistakes and struggling a lot.

Seung yong and Hyeon Ji
He seemed calm and mature in the beginning but since the ex reveal episode, he is giving scary vibes. Hyeoneji doesn’t have any lingering feelings for him. I am least interested in them lol.

I am not shipping any new couples bcz they all somehow lack chemistry. I liked Yun Nyeong & Baek hyun in the beginning but not anymore.Baekhyun is weird af plus he confuses Yun nyeong. He seems insincere. I was rooting for Ji Hyeon & Yoo Sik in the beginning but that ship also sank and Hyun Ji came out of the blue and took yoosik with him. Can’t belive Yoosik actually chose her over his ex of 8 years. Insane .
I would have been nice to see Minkyung and Woojin together but they both wanted to go back to their exes!

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Overdid the time travel

To my surprise there wasn’t much to the story. It was quite plain. The writer didn’t overcomplicate the time travel theme which is good but it doesn’t mean there can’t be interesting factors in the plot. The writer didn’t think out of the box much Simply put I lost interest several times while watching the show.

I don’t care about how the time travel(the watch) worked. I liked the simplicity of it but story was too monotonous. There were no “wow” moments. Sol could time travel many times as she wanted so what’s the catch here? Time travel lost the charm simply by overdoing it and coming back with the same problems. Why drag the show for that long! It could’ve easily been a 12 episode drama. Too many filler episodes.

The 2nd lead guy didn’t had much relevance in the story or on sol’s choices same as many other characters !! The comedy had off timing. One moment something serious was happening and the next moment something totally lame. Sol herself wasn’t serious. As the main character she was lacking and wasn’t doing anything sensible that will make you support her.
Sunjae on the other hand was portraying a “boy in love” and we loved him. Mostly bcz he was unaware of what was going on. He was loveable character. But I can’t say that about Sol. Overall it was okay but bit boring.

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I am not a fan of period kdramas but i was craving a drama with similar vibe as Mr. Queen. And the matchmakers did not disappoint. Binged watched in 4 days. It’s not on the same level but good enough to watch. It was entertaining enough with equal amounts of funny and cute moments. It was extremely hilarious at times so i will not be pointing out the flaws much.
The1st half of the show was more funny than the 2nd half. The bickering between the main leads was cute and the story of 3 sisters was also hilarious meanwhile 2nd half was bit slow and had more political elements in it.

Rowoon did a good job as Lord shim. Y’all I wasn’t expecting much from him but he was soo hilarious in this drama. I died laughing watching his expressions and gestures. The female characters in the drama are strong and blunt .A special shout out to the mother in law, she was fierce.. The three sisters were progressive and way ahead of time. i absolutely loved the portrayal of strong women in the drama. Female lead was a widow but she did not sacrifice her love for sake of the society and dignity . Bow 🙇🏻‍♀️
I have zero regrets and will definitely rewatch.

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A Charming love story that lost its way after 4 episodes!!

The drama starts strong, drawing you in from the very first episode .. But somewhere along the way, writers forgot it actually needed a story till the end. It was soo bland after 4 episodes!!

Don’t get me wrong, Jo Hojin and Cha Muhee had amazing chemistry. Their scenes together felt warm, natural, and comforting, and Kim Seon-ho once again proved he can generate butterflies just by staring sadly into the distance. The romance worked. The problem is… the story kept running in circles.

After Jo Hojin and Cha Muhee confessed their feelings, the drama practically stopped evolving. The misunderstandings that followed felt like meaningless back-and-forth added only to stretch the plot, not deepen it. There was no big obstacle standing between them, emotional tension was not strong enough to make you desperately root for their reunion. Honestly, the drama should’ve ended around episode 10.

And Muhee… begged little too much for love!!. The drama keeps telling us she feels unlovable, which is a very real and relatable fear, but the way it was written became exaggerated “alter ego” situation. I kept wondering: is this meant to represent a real psychological condition? Is she bipolar? We do get some answers in the last episode but they were vague as well.

And Jo Hojin deserved to have a story of his own. Despite being the male lead, it feels like we barely know him because the entire narrative revolves around Muhee & her alter ego.

Also I’m sorry but the second lead couple did absolutely nothing for me. Their storyline felt soo dense and disconnected that half the time it seemed like they were only there to fill episode runtime.

Overall, the drama is watchable and has some genuinely sweet moments. But despite all the emotional buildup, it somehow leaves almost no lasting impact.

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Frustrating !!

If i am being honest, the story was quite lame. I watched the drama due to its popularity. And I wonder what made the drama so popular?? I am guessing it’s because of good looking cast. Not gonna lie, the cast is top notch..
The lead couple has good chemistry. The 2nd lead couple was hottt and their love triangle was fun . But the story lacks and there are many plot holes.

Our FL is a typical damsel in distress with every possible tragedy, orphaned , terminally ill, cheater boyfriend and evil boss. Then comes her knight in shining armour, DOOM. ML doesn’t feel like doom or destruction. He is actually quite nice contrary to his role as doom (like seriously)!!!!!!!

What frustrated me most was THE DEAL between doom and the FL. I tried to understand but the contract was still unclear till the end !! She will die a painless death if she uses her wish to bring end to the world or else someone she loves will die! So to prevent that, FL tries to fall in love with the doom. Then doom will disappear? But she actually falls for doom and now she don’t wanna die and also don’t want doom to die? Soo much confusion. Also how can doom die, he is death himself ? Aghh

Another annoying bit was the amnesia part, they both remembered everything in the same episode, so what was the point of amnesia !!! It didn’t change the story or anything for that matter. The deity in the show is soo weird. The show overall gives a really gloomy vibe. I can’t imagine to rewatch this drama, i already finished it with great difficulty.

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Good Boy deserved better

I was putting off this show for very long.. I had already seen some spoiler clips on instagram so i knew who the FL will end up with, still decided to give it a go for Kim seon ho and nam jo hyuk’s sake .
I have got to say the writers played us with the first episode and i wondered how after this amazing backstory did ji pyeong not ended up with the FL !! We got introduced to The Good Boy, we empathised with him, rooted for him and looked forward to his story but all in vein. They butchered his character towards the end. I am not necessarily saying that he should’ve ended with the female lead but he didn’t deserved to go like that. He made mistakes like not owning up to letters while he had the chance to and missing on opportunities to come clean in the beginning. That’s where Real Nam do san got the opportunity to shine. But why build Mr. Han soo well when you are just gonna use him as a prop to bring the main leads together and then throw him?? He was more than a mere prop.

Also I don’t understand the criticism on real Nam do san, he was soo organic and real. Not a made up ML full of cliches. He had his complexes just like a normal person. He lied to keep the girl bcz he was afraid he wasn’t good enough. The only flaw in found in Nam do san was that he started an unnecessary rivalry with Mr Han. He got ungrateful. But there’s no lie if I say he deserved the girl more and he eventually got her.
Injae my girl was done bad by the writers. She was insignificant even after working soo hard.
I have no issue with nam do san and dalmi ending up together. But wished better for the 2nd leads.

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No unnecessary drama and twists, it’s simply cute

The whole simulation dating app idea was pretty genius and gave the story such a fresh, modern vibe. More importantly, the writers understood exactly what kind of drama they wanted to be: a light, fun 10-episode rom-com that doesn’t drag unnecessary angst for 16 episodes straight.

The drama didn’t try to force deep trauma plots or shocking twists just for emotional impact. Instead, it gave us just enough to understand Mirae, her fears and the effect her past relationship had on her without making the entire story emotionally exhausting. I’d rather watch a drama that stays simple and consistent than one that introduces heavy issues only to completely abandon them halfway through with weak explanations. This one knew its limits and played to its strengths perfectly.

The enemies-to-lovers/bickering dynamic between the leads was fun to watch.. Was their love story deeply emotional and layered? Not really. But I genuinely don’t think it needed to be. The vibe of the drama was more about chemistry, and fun rather than intense emotional depth, and it delivered exactly that.

Now let’s talk about Jisoo!! because people seriously had me expecting the worst. I kept seeing comments calling her acting cringe, awkward, etc., so I went in fully prepared to be disappointed… but she actually surprised me a lot. She felt pretty natural for most of the drama, especially during the flirting scenes in the dating simulation game. Like she genuinely sold the playful charm of Mirae really well.
I will admit that hospital crying scene in the last episode was lame. That was probably the one moment where the acting felt noticeably awkward and overdone. But aside from that? She did a solid job overall, and I honestly think people were being way harsher on her than necessary.

Now can we PLEASE talk about the star of the show! Eunho? Because that man absolutely nailed chemistry with Mirae. Chemistry soo goated that I forgot that he wasn’t the main lead.
And Park Gyeong Nam??? His journey from “annoying coworker I can’t stand” to “wait… why am I kinda rooting for him?” was honestly so entertaining. That progression was done really well, and he and Mirae had surprisingly good chemistry too.

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Brilliant Premise Wasted by Clichés

A fascinating premise completely let down by weak writing and endless repetition. After watching the first two episodes, I genuinely thought I had found my next favorite kdrama. The story felt fresh, exciting, and full of potential.

Little did I know that excitement wouldn't last long. What started as a unique and intriguing story quickly became weighed down by overused K-drama tropes like amnesia, past-life connection and other predictable plot devices.
The show started with a bang but lost momentum far too quickly.. I genuinely couldn't find a reason to keep watching.

Another problem for me was the lack of chemistry between Rowoon and Kim Hye-yoon. No matter how many scenes they shared, I felt absolutely nothing. Their relationship felt flat, which made it hard to stay invested in the story. Ironically, the second lead couple was far more compelling and had much better chemistry.

And don't even get me started on Baek Kyung. He wasn't a misunderstood bad boy he was simply toxic, with serious anger issues that made him difficult to watch.

I can forgive a slow or boring plot if the main leads have enough chemistry to keep me emotionally invested. But when both the story and the romance fail to connect, there's just no reason for me to continue watching.

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