Mature and emotional drama: More of a character study rather than romance

My rating of a drama really depends on how engaged it kept me, if the characters were compelling, and the story is unconventional. I kept coming back to The Interest of Love every single week. It’s a well-written show with great direction and well-developed characters. The last few four episodes especially the finale dragged out, but still not so much that I couldn’t watch it anymore. Although I admit that I came to the ending after a gap and that ways I was able to look at it from a fresh perspective. I wanted my rating to reflect my overall experience with the drama and not just the ending. I’ve watched so many k-dramas, where I’ve been really excited in the beginning but watch it fizzle out toward the end. I wanted to follow the story of IOL till its end and rate my experience throughout. It is a complex and mature love story, and unlike anything I’ve ever watched in the romance world of K-dramas. I feel that the drama is underrated on MDL, but that’s my opinion since I was completely hooked on to the show. The interesting part about this show is that it’s essentially a love story, but it also considers social class and hierarchy, and how that can affect personal and professional relationships. It also portrays the leads in a refreshing and nuanced manner. I’d a good time watching this show and if you’re in the mood for watching a serious romantic drama, give this one a shot! One drawback may be that there’s not much levity or comic relief, so at times the show can feel intense or emotionally heavy and draggy, but if you enjoy the angst and longing, you will probably like the show.

Comments on MDL have been hugely divisive around the lead characters, particularly the FL. Although, the characters were sometimes frustrating, I still found them mostly relatable and realistic…their emotions raw and messy making them very human. What I appreciated about the show is that none of the characters are good or bad, they are all flawed and vulnerable, who sometimes make terrible decisions. So, the FL is a diligent worker who’s really good at her work but has been overlooked for promotions due to her educational background. She’s kindhearted, loyal, and compassionate, yet she can also be stubborn and not communicate her feelings well, to the extent of being self-destructive. Then, there’s the SFL, who’s wealthy, manipulative, and slightly obsessive. Yet, she also takes pride in her work and wants to make it on her own professionally without her father’s support. So, these characters are very nuanced, and that’s what I loved and appreciated about the show. Just like in the director’s other show (Do you like Brahms?) the FL is complex, she’s quiet, fiercely independent and strong. I loved Ahn Soo Young, and Moon Ga Young plays the role like a queen. A quieter and more serious turn for her after her role in True Beauty. I admit that at times, I questioned Soo Young’s motivations and decisions, but the more I thought about it, the more I could see how her past influenced her romantic decisions. I think her fiercely independent and serious character didn’t go well with some audiences because the writers don’t justify who she is by using a mental health issue or a really traumatic history. Even though she’s had some trauma, I think the reasoning behind her actions is perhaps too simple and too real for audiences to grasp why a FL should be so unpredictable. Even if, not all of her decisions made sense to me, I still found her relatable in many ways. The relatability was in small things, such as her taking time off whenever she was struggling, or her looking for more space in her relationship when she was feeling low, to me these characteristics were very comforting. But again, that’s why I love about K-Dramas, good writers put a lot of thought into the characters. Ultimately, the show is about Soo Young’s growth and her finding what she truly loves to do ~ a path that is true to who is. More power to Ga Young and the writers of this show, I hope they continue to bring such female leads to life on the screen. The ML is also unconventional, in the sense that he’s cautious and not aggressive. This is different from other dramas, where the ML almost always takes charge and beats the SML and takes every chance to get close to the FL. The ML here is relatively quieter and lets go of the FL, and respects her decisions for the most part.

The complexity of the characters in the show also extends to their relationships. Unlike most dramas, the second leads are just not there waiting for their chance, but they actually get a chance and then things happen…as it would in real life. All four characters’ situations are truly entangled, and they feel real and complex emotions. I think this drama is out of the norm in the way that the FL is truly conflicted in her feelings towards the male leads, which is refreshing. Most dramas I’ve watched are too scared to explore this, and the leads are typically oblivious to what the second leads feel for them. In that sense, this drama is mature and realistic. Although, the drama still plays it relatively safe and is not as bold as it may appear at first. I felt the makers couldn’t commit to what they were going for at first and spent a lot of time in the last few episodes trying to clean up the leads’ acts. As realistic as the show is, I felt that some characters were holding on to their relationships as if they were in a marriage, so that part to me was unconvincing. In real life, break-ups can be more brutal than how it was conveyed.

Of course, Moon Ga-Young and Yoo Yeon-seok sparkle in this show, but I also enjoyed Moon Tae Yoo as Kyung Pil and Seo Jung Yeon as Sang Soo’s mother. I also really liked the OST and just the overall vibe of the show. I would recommend this show if you’ve liked Something in the Rain or some other quieter shows. I personally, didn’t find the show to be as slow as some other shows like One Spring Night and My Liberation Notes, and to me those shows were really slow. The Interest of Love has decent pacing, except in the end, which for some reason happens to almost every other K-Drama, which is pretty annoying and disappointing. If you haven’t watched this drama, this is a great time to binge watch the show. The director does rely on cliff hangers to keep the audience hooked, so at least now you won’t have to wait for a week racking your brain as to wtf is going to happen next!! Also, I wish the makers would have promoted the show as slice of life drama or character sketch rather than romance, as I feel the viewers would have then appreciated the non-romantic aspects of it more and been more forgiving towards it.

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I have been thinking of watching 'Her Private Life' again! This is probably one of the best romantic K-dramas I have watched. The fact that the show has not got lost in my fogged memory of the countless K dramas I have watched is a sign that it is a drama I can come back to. I watched 'Her Private Life' during a stressful period of my life and remember it helping me feel good afterwards. Of course, the highlight of this show is the amazing chemistry between its leads. Park Min-Young is lovely in this drama. This was the reason I was looking forward to watch her in the recent drama 'When the weather is fine' which unfortunately was not as engaging for me for some reason. I love the positive and perky character she plays in 'Her Private Life'. Both her and Kim Jae-Wook are great actors and switch between emotions effortlessly. It is their dynamic that made the show watchable even when some of the episodes towards the end were dragging. As others have pointed out, I did not find the childhood plot very convincing. I also thought that the stories revolving around some of the side characters could have been developed more but it didn't bother me much. I enjoyed the friendship between the characters of Park Min-Young and Park Jin-Joo and wish to have friends like that :).
Overall, I recommend this drama if you are looking for something light and romantic to watch. The show has compelling leads who elevate the show from being just fluff. I enjoyed watching the show and I am sure that you will too :)

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Intriguing but slow and boring

I waited every week eagerly for a new episode of My Liberation Notes and I watched it till very end...The characters were definitely intriguing and unique and were played really well by the actors especially Lee Min Ki and Lee El. Btw Lee Min Ki's character had one of the best character arcs I've seen in kdramas. And that's a win for the writer to create such interesting and realistic characters. Yet overall I found the show to be boring and slow and pretentious at times. MLN has been compared a lot to My Mister, the writer's other show and My Mister was a slower show too, but it was sharper and more engaging. I actually thought some episodes were more similar to Be Melo, in the way the characters talked and random situations occurred. The other common thing with My Mister is that MLN teases the audience when it comes to the romantic relationships. In My Mister there was the age gap issue but here I'm not sure why the director and writer choose to stay away from any romantic scenes. How I think about it is don't show all this tension between the actors if it's not ending up in anything and it also seemed very unnatural and stark for them to have feelings for each other but hardly show any intimacy on screen.
The dialogues though random are well written and thoughtful. But the show overall is very dialogue heavy which can be a disadvantage for non-Korean speakers, but I enjoyed that part to some extent. MLN was going for something interesting but the writer doesn’t do as good of a job to tie things together and make it engaging enough. You may like the show if you like deep philosophical conversations and if you're an introvert you may relate to the FL atleast in the first few episodes. But the show leaves with too many loose ends and the reveals or mystery the show builds on and creates anticipation on are not as interesting in the end.

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Old story, New Packaging

When you've watched many kdramas (romantic) there are just somethings you come to expect. You know the main leads have felt a sense of deep connection since their childhood/adolescence. You also know that the second ML barely has a chance with the FL. Our Beloved Summer plays along with similar tropes. What makes it different from other shows is how the story was executed, the documentary piece and detailed background story of all characters keeps the show fresh and watchable. The lead characters' acting and chemistry also works in its favor. What I didn't like about the show was that the finale seemed rushed. They didn't seem to care about tying all lose ends with the characters other than that of the ML and FL. I rarely feel that kdramas give closure to the second ML and this show is no exception. Also Kim Sung Cheol reminded me a little too much of Lee Sang Yi in Hometown Cha Cha, considering both their characters were documentary filmmakers too.

To sum it up, if you're looking for a light romantic story with great chemistry between the leads, you can consider watching OBS. It's pretty predictable storytelling but Choi Woo Shik and Kim Da Mi do a good job. Oh, and Roh Jeong Eui was adorable. She needs her own show.

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"Crash Landing on You" is the perfect example of an out-and-out romance-drama (with a ridiculously unrealistic plot) done right!! This is how a drama with all the commercial elements in place should be done - a lesson for not only other k-dramas but TV dramas in general. What is wonderful about CLOY is its attention-to-detail to every character. Each character (even the smallest one) has an arc and gets a closure of sorts. I loved Seo Ji-hye's character arc, so fitting to her independent and strong personality in the show. The finale is probably one of the best I've watched among all k dramas. The overall message was lovely - that love is not only about living together (getting married) rather about two individuals learning to grow and be happy when together or apart; which makes me think how well written was the romantic plot? These are two mature characters falling in love in extraordinary circumstances and their relationship grows gradually and organically.
That brings me to the one observation that is confirmed for me now since I watched Something in the Rain: Son Ye-jin is one of the best (if not the best) criers in k-drama land. Lol... I know how that sounds, but, when she cries I cry and I really feel for her characters. Props to her for choosing such multilayered characters - strong yet vulnerable women. Can't wait to see more of her!!

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A boring show driven by the charisma of its stars

A drab story driven by the charisma of its leads
At one point while watching Doom at Your Service, I was so excited about the things that I wanted to say about the show. Now that I have finally finished this show after several months, struggling to reach the end point, I actually don’t have much to say anymore. It is because nothing really exciting ultimately happened in the show. It was my anticipation in the earlier episodes that carried me through, but the show got really boring after seven or so episodes. I couldn’t get what this drama wanted to be. The show genre includes fantasy, but this is far from the truth. Please know that you will be disappointed if you go in expecting any supernatural/ fantasy element to the show. It also cannot be called a slice of life drama because the subplots and the supporting actors don’t seem strong enough. In the end, it is just a story about a terminally ill woman and ties in some philosophies about life in general. There is some romance and comedy but it again it does not fall entirely into any of these genres either. The biggest draws of this show are its leads. You can only make through this show if you are a BIG fan of Park Bo Young and/ or Seo In Guk. It is unfortunate that the charisma and talent of these actors could not make up for the flaws in the script.
Here are some good and bad point about the show –

The good points
Park Bo Young and Seo In Guk
Not only are they really beautiful people, but also incredibly talented actors. I actually started watching the show because of PBY. She is a wonderful actress. The fans of the two lead actors may enjoy seeing them together. They both get ample screen time especially PBY and she’s so good at the emotional scenes. I can actually even watch her doing laundry and other mundane tasks lol. SIG is equally charismatic. His charm and sex appeal made the first few episodes so exciting to watch. He’s actually pretty good at his bad boy act, and I wish the show creators would have kept that side of him till the end. Later in the show his character is dulled down in the attempt to make him more suitable for the FL. PBY and SIG have great chemistry. This was excellent pairing; it is just that the director and the writer didn’t use it to their advantage. I hope to see them together again in a show with a better plot.

First few episodes
The first seven episodes were quite exciting and had me hooked on to the show in anticipation. The production and set design are really good. It’s too bad that the later episodes really dragged and the joy of the first few episodes faded quickly.

Something different
Perhaps, the creators of the show were going for a different vibe here. Even though the show involves deities, they don’t really display their powers explicitly and nothing is too dramatic. I do like subtlety in the shows, but there is a fine line between subtlety and boring, unfortunately, this show crossed over to boring.
Philosophical dialogues about life
This can be both good and bad. There are some thoughtful dialogues in the show about the impermanence of life. So if you enjoy deep conversations about life and such you may enjoy those parts especially between the leads.

FL is not in a love triangle
But her friend is, which is quite refreshing for Kdrama land. In fact I really enjoyed the platonic relationship between Lee Soo Hyuk and PBY. I just wish Lee Soo Hyuk and others’ stories were connected to the main plot.

The bad points
Talky -Talky
This show is more talk, less play, which makes it a dull show lol. Yes, if you have a thing for long drawn out philosophical dialogues, you may not mind it at all. But it became a little boring for me especially toward the end.

No real mystery
Early on in the show, the audience is made to believe that there is some grand mystery waiting to be revealed. But there is not much to it.

Disconnected storylines
The supporting cast includes some very attractive people, but my expectation was that the stories will ultimately connect. Unfortunately, they operate parallel to the main story without any connection. I think these subplots were more intended to be fillers than anything else . Maybe, the writer realized there was no meat to the main plot so these other plots were added to fill up the show’s running time.

The God
At first, I thought that it was very interesting that the god was a little girl but her character is more confusing than inspiring. I wish they would have added more layers to her character and made some of her intentions clearer, in the end it all seemed to lead to nothing.

** Btw lol what’s up with the token white guy. I wish there was more to him. He could have been a Korean uncle and it would have been all the same.

Overall, I recommend the show if you are a fan of SIG and/or PBY or if you’ve insomnia lol if not I think you can pass this one.

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All the Feels

What Comes After Love is not your typical romantic K-drama, and it may not be for everyone. Clocking in at just six episodes, the story unfolds at a slow, deliberate pace. It's very different from other more fast paced J-Dramas with few episodes, and is much more mellow in its vibe compared with other K-Dramas. The leads spend very little time together in the present, with most of the narrative told through flashbacks. The result is a nuanced story focused less on plot and more on the feelings of loneliness and love—themes that gradually build throughout the series until it resonates deeply with you as a viewer.

What sets this drama apart is its emphasis on the subtlety of emotions rather than grand gestures. In a way reminiscent of Japanese storytelling, What Comes After Love is more about exploring the feeling of love than showing it through big, dramatic scenes. This approach may resonate especially well with viewers who have experienced similar feelings, like living in a foreign country and facing cultural differences with a partner. For others, however, the slow pace and understated approach might feel a bit tedious.

While the show excels at building a quiet, melancholic atmosphere, it’s not without its flaws. Certain characters, like the female lead's sister, felt underdeveloped and unnecessary, and the leads' current relationship could have used more depth. Given the short episode count, though, it’s understandable why some relationships weren’t fully fleshed out. Despite the overall mellow vibe, I found myself yearning for a few more significant, emotional moments between the leads.

Still, What Comes After Love is a uniquely moving experience with a classical romance feel—perfect for those willing to sit back, slow down, and immerse themselves in the emotions at its core.

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Surprisingly real, mature, and addicting!

The bindweed flower plays a pivotal role in this drama, and its meaning drawn in slowly and deeply is mentioned several times by the leads. The drama follows the same course, it is slow at first but then it draws you in deeply and intensely especially after the tenth episode. I really felt for and with the characters. Love Affairs in the Afternoon commits to its theme of infidelity unlike some other Korean dramas with similar themes. I was surprised how honest and unapologetic the drama is in terms of feelings and emotions of characters cheating on their partners. The romance between the leads is written beautifully and there is a tenderness with which their relationship is dealt with, that drew me in and stayed with me even after the show ended. Some subplots like that about the birds is awkward and plays far more of an important role than it should have even if they were trying to make some metaphorical remarks about love but still the plot keeps moving and always throws something new at you especially in the latter half of the show. I found the romance between the leads very compelling and I wish the show kept its focus on them. I can see how Soo Ah's story is important as well, but I couldn't help but wait for her story to pass and for the other two leads to be on screen. However, I did enjoy the friendship between Soo Ah and Ji Eun and how both women supported each other throughout. I think the strongest aspect of the show is its story and its overall message of finding one's most authentic self. It is written from a very open , honest, and empowering stance. I found out only after watching the show that it is a remake of a Japanese show, so I credit them for such a strong and honest voice.
I felt that the acting and OST could have been better, which would have added more depth to the show. Also, given how passionate Ji Eun and Jung Woo's relationship is, I felt the show is somewhat conservative with showing physical intimacy between them which is not necessarily an issue and keeps it subtle, but it could have been shown more realistically. I started watching the show for Lee Sang Yeob as the ML and I wasn't disappointed although I felt he could have been more expressive in some scenes. Park Ha Seun as Ji Eun is not as convincing early on in the show, somehow she can't capture the sadness and loneliness as well but she gets better as the show moves forward. I also found some pieces missing or never explained throughout the show, such as the drama shows both leads' in-laws but you never get to see their parents. Maybe it is implied that Ji Eun is an orphan or something, but it's strange that you never get to see her parents or anyone on her side even when she is suffering. I could have missed it, but if she's an orphan it makes sense why she found it hard to leave her husband at first. Also beware that the show is straight up melodrama, so even if infidelity is handles very realistically, some aspects seem exaggerated, especially how both spouses handle the situation and it can be rather annoying and dated to watch. Overall though, I was surprised by the depth of this drama and I may even watch it again just for their beautiful love story. It also had one of the most satisfying finales that gives closure to all characters. I'm happy I stumbled across this drama on Viki only recently. I'm surprised it was not on my radar before, it certainly is a good romance melodrama if you're into that genre.

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High on nostalgia

Twenty-Five Twenty- One is more about the journey than the destination itself. It's about two people who propel each other forward during difficult times and get each other to a better place in their individual journeys rather than focusing on being together ❤️ it has a beautiful message on individual growth in relationships and the joy relationships bring to our lives even when they're momentary. And sprinkled on that is the magic of nostalgia ✨️ I'm not from Korea and it still took me back to a time of innocence and when internet was still fairly new.
TFTO has great characters, and very talented actors who do them justice. Both the leads have great chemistry and I really enjoyed watching them on screen together. I also really enjoyed their friends, coach, and others. Fencing is obviously at the center of the show, and the creators make sure that it's the focus till the very end unlike some other shows where the FL's dream and profession is quickly forgotten as the show progresses.
What didn't work for me is that the show is mostly set in one stage of the characters' lives, it sort of gets stuck in high school. The later part of their lives is rushed through in last 3- 4 episodes. So the show premise and title is deceptive in a way, because it made me think that it'll capture the lead characters' lives in different stages. So like another comment here stated it really wouldn't have mattered if the daughter and older FL weren't there. I found the FL very engaging and it would have been great to see her life in her 30s, some more of her marriage and motherhood. I also didn't buy the ending. It didn't seem like a natural course of their relationship although I believed in the sentiment behind it, that you can't have everything but you can preserve the beauty of the moments. But, their relationship had been shown to be so strong early on that it seemed a little forced that it ended the way it did.
Overall, of course this is a great show, very well made, and showcases the best of its lead actors. But, don't expect too much from the ending. Go in thinking of it as high school sport drama with some flashback and you'll come out happy ?

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Like a warm cup of tea on a rainy afternoon

I recommend watching Do you like Brahms if you are looking for a soothing and musical love story. It’s the first drama I’ve watched in months from start to finish without putting it on hold (and not on my phone). That’s not to say that the drama doesn’t have any flaws or doesn’t drag towards the end, but overall it was an easy watch for me. It’s not a very fast paced show but it’s good enough that I didn’t realize until maybe episode 11 that I’d come so far. Like most k-dramas, the episodes drag a bit after the 10th episode, but not so much that I just had to stop! Having said that, I wouldn’t recommend this drama to those who are in for lots of surprises, big twists and maybe a dark side to the plot (like in What’s Wrong with Secretary Kim). It also doesn’t have much comedy to it (True Beauty). Do you like Brahms is a mellow and subtle love story. Sure conflicts are aplenty but nothing that doesn’t get resolved or completely breaks your heart. Yet, the execution is unique and the characters are really well written. It also avoids a lot of K-drama tropes and the relationship between the leads is handled very well. It might also help you to decide if you want to watch the show if you understand the focus of the story. It’s mainly a story about two people overcoming their pasts and other internal conflicts to eventually fall in love and commit to each other. There are several love triangles tied in together and the focus is on 6 characters who face various conflicts mainly with unrequited love. As the plot focuses on them, some of the other side characters such as their families don’t get a lot of attention (more on this later) – I personally found this refreshing, that all conflicts were between the leads and not because maybe a parent wasn’t happy with their relationship and so on… But those who love the quirks and emotions that the supporting cast can bring to a drama, you will not find much here however the advantage is that the focus is on the relationship between the leads and on MUSIC which obviously is key to the plot.

Now some of the pros and cons of the drama in more detail that you may find helpful –
Pros
Female Lead - I think any introvert who has watched the show would agree that Song Ah’s character is one of the most relatable introverted female characters I’ve seen in (recent) K dramas. Park Eun-Bin is subtle and believable in her portrayal of Song-Ah, she’s brilliant in this role. Something about her feels very personal and real. Song-Ah is gentle and quiet yet strong, honest, and straightforward. She knows her mind and is not afraid of expressing her feelings. For some, towards the end of the show (episode 12 onward) her character probably seemed annoying and not in line with how it was portrayed early on in the show. I personally didn’t see it as a stretch. Since she is an introvert, I did not see it as unrealistic for her to tolerate as much as she could and then one day just blow up in an attempt to reclaim her sanity. It was impressive how she stood up to her manipulative professor and was not a push over. Because the writer waits until episode 13 to have Song Ah release all this pent up anger or frustration (lol) to some she can come across as overbearing and unfair to Joon-young. I actually really liked that she was true to herself and did not hesitate from making changes in her life to reclaim her happy self and reduce her anxiety. I respected her decisions and felt that her character was very well written and nuanced. The writer remained true to her character and her honesty and courage not only helped her but also others around her in the end. There was one minor complaint I had (see ending) about how her professional dilemma was resolved but I didn’t mind it too much. I look forward to other female characters the show writer will develop in the future. Thanks for bringing Song Ah to screen!!

Musical passion v talent – Joon Young has a natural talent for playing piano. In fact, that’s what he’s done for the majority of his life. While Song Ah came late to music… she left her potential career in business and started playing the violin for her sheer love of it, unfortunately she doesn’t have a natural talent for playing it. This conflict between Joon Young and Song Ah is central to the plot. Although this conflict is specifically regarding music, it lends itself to other relatable scenarios of life. The dialogues portraying this conflict are beautifully penned, and you’ll find yourself relating to Song Ah’s dilemma and find courage from her to pursue your passion in life and be true to yourself.
Music – As you already know, music is key to the plot, and there are classical music pieces throughout the show. I found all of it very soothing. I will say though that the Traumerei piece does get old by the end of the show because it is referred to several times during the show. It is still a beautiful piece and the production team has done a great job pulling all this music together.

Chemistry between the leads – The chemistry between the leads is great! It looks very real and they are very cute together. There are some great scenes between them especially in the first 10 episodes. It’s too bad that later the writer-director team chose not to focus much on their chemistry. Later their relationship becomes more talk-y and heavy on emotions. This is not necessarily bad as most relationships run into communication related issues early on and as both partners grow and mature these issues get ironed out. It was wonderful to watch their relationship mature over the course of the show, in fact in the last episode they look so comfortable together. However, I personally would have liked to see some sexual chemistry or tension in later episodes as well just because it would have made their relationship seem more realistic, but I also get what the writer and director were going for.

Cons
Did Joon Young really love Jung Kyung? – I frankly found this angle to be the most unconvincing part of the plot. Too bad, that this is such a major part of the plot. It’s shown that Joon Young used to be in love with Jung Kyung and is slowly emerging out of it, as he attempts to start a new relationship. At first, watching the flashback to his show in NYC, I thought maybe they slept together, or at least they shared a passionate kiss. But what happened seemed very minor for such a big conflict and it was mostly from Jung Kyung’s side. And even if you buy into that, I just felt that not even once Joon Young showed any type of affection or emotion towards her that would lead me to believe that he loved her a lot. He seemed mostly cold and cordial and frankly it seemed more like a one sided ordeal for Jung Kyung. If the show wanted to tell the story of people who are in love with more than one person at once, they should have committed to it more fully. I felt the show backtrack several times and there was not much in it to convince me that the leads had eye for anyone except each other right from the start.

Underutilized subplots and side characters – There are some characters in the show I would have like to known more about, but it probably was hard for the writer to juggle these subplots and give everyone ample time on screen. An example is Dong Yoon, Song Ah’s first love. It was fascinating for me, how his love for Song Ah unfolded gradually. But he kind of disappears after he confesses to her and becomes more sort of a messenger between Hyun Ho and Jung Kyung. So are the oddities of the drama land, that even when he sees Song Ah crying in his studio in one of the later episodes, he calls her friend Min Sung to comfort her instead. Of course it’s a wise and respectful decision, but if he loved her wouldn’t he lean toward comforting her himself.

The other interesting angle is Song Ah’s family especially her sister and mother. Song Hee, her sister is a fascinating character but we don’t learn much about her. I understand that it’s probably hard to give screen time to everyone in a show but it would have been nice to have known more about her. Interestingly though Song Ah’s family seems to not support her decisions at first , they come around later, and the writer chooses not to spend so much time on their disagreements. There are disagreements but unlike some other dramas the mother doesn’t seem authoritarian. I actually thought that later in the show the class differences between Song Ah and Joon Young would become an issue but it never does and refreshingly they don’t seem to care much about her dating life.

Ending – How often do we even get a perfect ending in drama land? *sigh* there’s always more to desire. One of my complaints is how Song Ah ended up professionally. She ended up pretty much what Soo Kyung (her professor) had predicted. She gave up music and got more of a management role! Isn’t that what the dilemma was to begin with. I mean, I get it, it wouldn’t have been realistic for her to have become this gifted artist all of a sudden but it did seem like a bit of a let down when ultimately what she was fighting in all 15 episodes is what comes to be.

Overall – This is a great show to watch if you are looking for a relatively light love story. It has few to none comic parts but I didn’t think it was emotionally very heavy. The leads have great chemistry and the FL is very relatable. Just know it drags from Episodes 11 to 15, but ultimately there are no big setbacks and you’ll have a smooth ride until the destination.

:) Having said all this I would love to know what were your thoughts on the show? Also what did you end up watching after you finished Do you Like Brahms?

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