BUT the evolution of the main guy is absolutely amazing, his character development, his sensibility , his honesty and humanity is so beautiful and raw.
The female lead is pretty good too at playing the girl who’s very empathetic. And their relationship is well brought on screen even though i found it a little too speeded up and twisted just to make it work at the end and also it’s not a romance drama so it’s not the main story.
The problem is, the main story is the most boring thing. Thank god i had the « pass 15 sec » button cause the characters were so blend and so was the story.
So... I recommend only the male lead screen time on this drama.
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It is a perfect mix of what i enjoy the most : action, love , "broken but still trying-hard in life" characters, sweetness, suspense, and even funny moments.
The plot is interesting in itself but also mainstream among dramas, the journalistic aspect brought an original side to the other shows mainly related to politics and business.
But to me, what really made this drama a total hit is the acting.
The characters were great, funny, appealing , struggling with life but mainly very well acted, even second leads were amazing (special mention to Kim Mi-Kyung who totally stole the show)!
The love story totally worked out with the suspense/action side of the show, and was overloaded with chemistry and cuteness, but also hardship for those two main characters who both had a very rough life.
I think it played a perfect role of balance ( in addition to funny moments) in this dramatic plot.
The action part was thrilling to me , and unlike lots of other dramas, it didn't get too long or boring towards the end. (which is extremely rare)
The OSTs were great (and stuck in my head for a month).
I really went through all different types of emotions watching this drama, and was so devastated when i finished it, i even wish i was able to erase it from my memory and discover it again!
Anyway, to me , it was an excellant show, who gave me a very bittersweet kind of feeling and i strongly recommend it.
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Too blend for me
Hmm... I don't really know how to even comment on this drama.The plot feels very 2013-like. A competent office-worker who can see the future when she kisses people, and her cold but very smart boss who actually suffers from over sensitive senses and childhood trauma ... I would end this sentence with "and obviously they fall in love" but it didn't even feel like they did.
The cast was originally very good, yet somehow in this drama, I wasn't very impressed with their performances. I don't know if the characters were difficult to bring to life or if the directing was lacking but everything just felt artifical.
I think one of the main problem is the lack of character development. I know that 12 episodes is short but I found it quite weird how easing into a relationship didn't change any of the leads' behavior.
The ML is tragically stoic all along but not in a natural way, more in a kdrama dramatic way.
Some people are introverts and blunt and come off as cold and I would empathize with that, but in this role, the ML just looked like he didn't have any emotion at all most of the time. He would say sweet things to the FL towards the end but I could not sense the sweetness and love or chemistry through the screen.
The FL and her ability do raise the interesting question: do we trigger our own fate or in the contrary, are we simply unable to escape it no matter our course of action ? But because they didn't try to make this show a philosophical piece, that question isn't fully exploited by the script.
But again, main problem is : lack of chemistry. Even lots of physical contact cannot fix that. I know they were trying to portray a more mature relationship, less fluff, and I actually really like that angle, I usually prefer more realistic portrayals. But no matter how mature the script is, love still has to pull the heartstrings somehow, even through the most stern parts of it sometimes, such as mutual respect and understanding. Yet, I didn't feel anything.
The second lead is also a very overseen version of the desperate ex boyfriend for a number of episodes. He lacked originality or deepness of character in my opinion.
And then the mystery subplot which was teased throughout the drama but left aside to develop the romance, actually really kicks in the last two episodes, which felt quite rushed.
There's a lot of things in this drama that don't work for me : the plot, the emotions or lack if it, the acting ...
It's not tragically bad but there's nothing to be excited about.
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Not for people who dislike age gaps and straightforward romance
Everything has already been written. I think it's purely a question of personal taste. Here are the two things that didn't work for me :- Age - gap : I was very worried about that aspect. To be fair, it was handled rather professionally and there was no reciprocity until the FL was an adult. But it still is a bit on the edge for me. 19-24 is not huge in theory and a 5 years gap is pretty common later on in life. But people change A LOT during those specific years. I am 24 and would personally never consider looking at a 19 yo coming out of highschool as anything else but a young adult who has a lot to learn, no matter how "mature" they present. It would just feel wrong to me.
The ML has treated the FL like a little sister for 10 years and even though they weren't always together, they still were close enough to have each other's phone number and occasionally text. The shift in the relationship almost as soon as she becomes an adult is a bit abrupt for me.
- the ML approach : once the ML quite suddenly decides that he's gonna go for a 19 yo, he gets very blunt with his approach. And it makes sense, he's honest and clear about his intentions and it's probably the best way to straighflowardly break the existing walls between them. I personally don't like this style at all, it's a matter of personal preference but he came off as too pushy and rushed for me.
Other than those two major contention points in the story, it's a very well made, peaceful love
story. So if you don't mind the age gap and the straightforwardness, it's worth a watch.
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An office-romance parody gone wrong
This story was, in my opinion, purposefully turned into a parody of office romances.For example, the actors are totally overacting certain facial expressions for comedy, and the classic employee-and-her domineering-traumatized-child-boss backstory is also extremely cliche.
And it could have been a brilliant parody considering the cast but parodies are a very hit-or- miss kind of project.
The main actors have shown their ability to portray nuances in multiple other dramas and yet, in this drama, the comedy was very blunt and cringe. This would have been totally fine if it was well directed but the mix between forceful comedy and traditional romance was just not well balanced.
The story is also ridiculous, but here again, it's a choice : The unbelievable trope of the "normal" employee and the domineering almost caricatural boss falling for through unrealistic plot twists , he obviously had a tough childhood and obviously is forced to get married by his grandfather. Very very cliche.
And it could have been an incredible parody if it had that one special element differentiating the story from other classic office romance dramas.
Brilliantly aligning cliches is not enough to create a satiric story, an off-beat original element was needed.
So all I got was out of this was a LOT of cringe-worthy moments and a little bit of disappointment with how the actor's talent was misused.
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An amazing start but a disappointing second part
I got really attached to this show because the first 10 episodes were absolutely incredible.But i have to admit that i spent the rest of it just speeding through the story. Hence the final rating. Which im still conflicted about.
First part : 10/10
Second part : 5/10
- the characters were classic c-drama cliches for the most part. And its very confusing because the main leads are very different. They're more mature, more realistic, portrayed with much more care and subtlety than the rest of the charcters. So as long as it focuses on them, the show is amazing but the side plots and interactions are pretty blend and mainstream. Its like the main leads story and the rest were not written by the same person.
The FL is strong-willed but calm and resilient and she doesnt loose her independence and personality even when madly in love unlike many c-drama heroines.
The ML is not the typical save-your-princess guy, he cares about her so much and shows it but leaves her space to be and breathe and that's extremely rare in a c-drama.
-THEIR CHEMISTRY is out of this world. Its absolutely crazy, i did not cringe at all because while having many sweet moments, it just seemed to obvious and relaxing.
The FL didnt end up with wide eyes and a surprised face captured in slow-motion eveytime they had a physical contact.
- Now the problematic part is the story.
The first part is absolutely adorable. The way they meet and discover each other and get closer is extremely sweet and its also a real friendship before being a love story. The FL is portrayed as being very strong willed and honest even at a young age and they both have a very moving sincerity towards each other.
And there's a little bit of "them against the rest of the world" vibe .
But a lot a cliffhangers left unanswered in the highschool part don't really get a follow-up in the second part of the drama.
Their love story is actually steady , which i liked . They did not go through 4083 beak ups and plot twists and im glad they didn't because it usually makes the story totally unrealistic .
BUT if the romance is steady, then you gotta have a story.
And I've looked for it but im still not sure where it's supposed to be. Its nice to see a sweet couple on screen, but you don't need 28 episodes for that.
For the most part, they go to class and date. That's great and you could somehow say that it might be more realistic that way but because it only includes a few years of their life, we don't really get to see growth and real relationship hurdles. And it found it boring .
So an amazing start, a crazy chemistry but no story in the second part, so i kinda felt disappointed.
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I think the story itself, the writing and the directing were just not on point.
It felt too slow at times, totally rushed at others. I can see where the story is supposed to go and what emotions I'm supposed to feel as a viewer but the drama didn't manage to catch my attention at all.
The romance was very mechanic, and it felt like they were in love just because they had to for the purpose of the drama but nothing felt organic.
The comedic aspect was overdone and therefore not funny in my opinion. The plot was ... just very superficial, forced and uninteresting.
I couldn't go past the 10th episode so my review is based on only half of the drama but I dont think it's worth watching it further. I still put a 6 for the actors who seemed to try very hard with the material they had.
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I always liked the pairing of a tsundere boy and a cheerful girl, which is a total classic among dramas and amines, and in this show, i thought that it was exceptionally well made and balanced.
It's actually quite rare for me to not get annoyed by this kind of storyline after a while (even though i like the concept) , but with this drama , i was completely hooked up until the end.
The plot is not the most thrilling one and is pretty mainstream, but what gave this amazingly sweet feeling to the show was, at least for me , the acting.
Yamazaki Kento, in additon to be really hot (^_^) , really fitted the character and made it a perfect tsundere (an actor to watch out for in my opinion) ; meanwhile Kiritani Mirei managed to keep her character of cheerful and determined girl (who can actually get very annoying after a few episodes) interesting and entertaining. Miura Shohei is already a well know japanese actor and even though i don't think it was his best role, he still did pretty good.
To conclude, i would say that this drama was really addictive to me mainly thanks to the sweet and heartwarming romance that the actors managed to keep refreshing despite an ordinary storyline , so i totally recommend it !!
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Cliche but amazing chemistry
I found the plot cliche and even quite ridiculous, everything is made to create opportunities for the male lead to save the " girl in distress", too many slow mo forced kisses and hugs, a genius cold guy and a cheerful cute girl following her dreams ... nothing to see there.BUT , the actress playing Nuan Nuan was amazingly good are portraying her character. She has a very expressive face and totally embodied the cheerful girl without making her annoying. I was very pleasantly surprised by her performance .
On the other hand, the actor for the ML role didn't look very comfortable in the cold guy part but got way better after opening up to Nuan Nuan and becoming a sweeter guy.
There's a LOT of lovey dovey moments, maybe too many, but i I didn't find it as cringey as other c-drama, the chemistry between the main couple was very natural and believable.
I I actually would recommend watching for the lead actress performance and the lead couple chemistry but that's about it.
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BUT, I think the real story begins when Lee Jin ho played by Jung kyung ho appears.
And after that, the remaining episodes are an absolute delight, a mix of smart comedy and emotions.
The characters are so human and you really get attached to each one of them.
The drama really reminded me of the reply serie in its dynamic and its bitter sweet feeling with a really happy, comic note. The sound effects, one of the trendmark of the director, are also serving their comic purpose really well in this drama !
Anyway, it took me time to get in the story , but once I was in, I was hooked.
I definitely recommend !!
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The plot was not exactly great , in the sense that it really appears as a terrible decision for those two to try to be a couple again , but the acting was pretty good.
And what i found really interesting is that the main female character showed a very human side , i couldn't help but still like her even tough she seemed like the most horrible gold digger ever .
It made me forget the rational side (if we look at the facts, she abandoned her husband without real explanations mainly because he was struggling financially and then came back once he was rich, so she is not a good person, lol ) and really forced me to see the emotional one , with a nice evolution of the main characters , who are both trying their best , but still make mistakes.
It also pictures pretty well the fact that in Korea, money and financial stability are major standards to be accepted in the society and even more to get married.
So , more than the acting and the basic plot , what i really enjoyed in this drama , is how human and vulnerable the main leads were.
I ended up cheering their love story , so yes, i recommend this show !
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But I really love dramas about the judicial system even when they’re portraying impossible situations like in « Your Honor ».
But Go Ara’s character and the way she interpreted it... i just couldn’t.
Obviously in a lot of dramas, because it is not reality, you can see how humans feelings and « sense of justice » are important even when facing the law.
And I get it, it’s a drama, not a documentary on the judicial system.
but Miss Hammurabi is going too far, Go ara’s character is constantly crying and whining, thinking about the victim’s Feelings instead of being objective.
How can she be a judge ?
And Go ara’s acting didn’t make it better.
In conclusion, If you wanna watch a legal drama, I do not recommend this one.
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The first 7/8 episodes are pure sweetness. We witness the way a woman who's used to the fast pace of a consumer society adapts herself to a slower life focused on essentials and community. And far from all her obligations as a buisness woman, she discovers herself again, her capacity to trust and to love.
The leads are incredibly good at mixing the sweet and sour of an impossible romance and remind us of the existing reality : a nation devided in two. The comedy glimpses are also a much needed and well introduced relief, often brought by the hilarious secondary characters.
But at some point, towards the middle of the story , it felt like each episode was put on repeat.
She has to leave, but they don't wanna be separated, the bad guy comes at them, he saves her, they cry. Next episode, repeat.
For 6 episodes or more, i felt like the main characters had only one facial expression : crying, and only said one thing : "i dont want you to be hurt because of me, live well. "
There was no real storyline or at least the one from the beginning got kinda repetitve and lost its purpose.
I got into this drama without expectations at all and was mind blown by the beginning, thinking i found the drama of the year and got so disappointed toward the end.
I think it's still worth watching, at least for the beginning and also for the side characters who remain very entertaining.
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It' a very smart drama, the plot has enough consistency to be interesting, and the twists are very well thought but explained clearly and simply enough to keep the viewer in the loop.
You dont need to even remotly like or know about baseball to like this drama, because the point is not how players throw a ball but how to keep a team together.
It wasn't too slow and even though the story could have gotten repetitive, it didn't.
The acting was absolutely amazing, i also particulary like the leads who are, in evey drama i've seen them in, talented and versatile.
I loved how the "bad guy" wasn't the embodiement of evil like usual, but more a career-driven buisnessman with a childhood trauma which screwed up his sense of priorities and who had to think about money first 'cause that was his job.
A very human, entertaining and well played drama !
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I found the plot kind of interesting for 2/3 of the drama, even though there were some inconsistencies, especially in the fact that the unit initially in charge of the case was doing a TERRIBLE job.
But once the solution got clearer, it really made no sense. The ending took 5 episodes that were really badly written in my opinion.
If you have nothing else to do, the drama is relaxing and fun but dont expect a good ending.
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