Kelekat

The entire premise of the drama is lost and pointless in this version and the story becomes completely stupid. The TIMING of how things are going down between the FL and SML is off. It's all progressing too fast (I'm referring to the epic breakdown and full blown toxicity of their relationship) while the relationship between the FL and ML is progressing too slowly for the overall drama to make any sense. With the way the story is unfolding had the FL not been a doormat in all aspects of her life - i.e. had she broken up with the SML giving him all the perfectly justifiable reasons she had for doing so, told her mother how fucked up their relationship was and just walked away, then started her relationship with the ML slowly, none of this would be an issue. At most we'd see the SML trying to get her back (as was the case in the original version) and them powering through it all together as a couple.

The original is one of my all-time favorite dramas BECAUSE of how well it was written (and also how superbly it was acted). The story is already there for them in this one. Why fuck it up? I'm glad it's not a copy and paste but don't take away from critical core aspects of the story in the process.

I'll eventually finish watching this because I do want to know how it plays out but I'm no longer invested.

They've completely missed the point of what made everything about the original so epically beautiful in this version.

Ep 7. Okay now they're just making this FL extreme in her level of complacency in her relationship with the SML. I mean the FL in the original version was frustrating enough but this version has taken things to an entirely new level. The amount of stuff he's done that should be more than enough for her to break up with him yet she NEVER says anything and lets it all slide. I'm only referring to what she knows about. He treats her like absolute shit and is constantly gaslighting her yet she never calls him out about it. She proposed to him, he made excuses but now he's back to treating her like she's the one who doesn't want to get married??? WTF? She says NOTHING about knowing he was lying on valentines? Nothing? I really need to find something else to watch for a while. The original version was frustrating to watch at times, yes, but not to this level and at least we had some actual romance growing between the leads to keep us going while watching all the frustrating shit surrounding the SML. Here it's just the stupid shit over and over and wondering why the hell they're even still together. She EASILY could have just broken up with the piece of shit, justifiably so, and then gotten into a relationship with the ML cleanly. They haven't progressed at all so far. Definitely not enough for it to be anything truly reprehensible. So it just doesn't make sense to watch with the way they are making things unfold in this version. I need a break.

One thing I don't understand so far in this storyline. The SML's mother clearly saw the shit the FL has to put up with both from the SML and his father (at the birthday dinner) yet she doesn't say anything to the FL's mother about it, despite them clearly being very close??? If the FL's mother knew how badly she was being treated would she still be so gung-ho about pushing the FL to still marry that asshole? I don't even understand why the SML's mother would still be pushing for them to get married either knowing that's the kind of treatment the FL would be subjected to.

See!!! Even the ML knows what the SML is doing! In ep 6 the ML asks the FL if she's ever considered that the SML is just waiting for her to make a mistake so their breakup would be her fault!

I guarantee if they ever bothered to show more of their past 10 years together they'd show the SML has cheated on the FL in the past, likely more than once. It's all in his behavior and attitude towards her. He just refuses to be the bad guy in the relationship though, all while knowing full well that he is.

I'm on ep 5 and I may need a break. There's something to be said about the simplicity of the original version. It feels like they're trying to do too much in this version. I'll finish it but it's starting to lose its grip on me. The original had me hooked from beginning to end. I was absorbed to a ridiculous level throughout. The level of passion and emotion just isn't there in this one and THAT'S what made the original so great.

I'm only on ep 4 and I'm already sick of seeing the disgusting SML (the FL's boyfriend). In this version I feel like he's purposely pushing her away while gaslighting her in the hopes that she'll end up cheating on him (hence, his constantly inferring that she must be) so that he can blame her for their breakup, possibly because he feels guilty for stringing her along for so many years. He wants the breakup to be her fault. However, just like in the original version, he believes the ML to be inferior to him so when she eventually does break up with him but it's to be with the ML he can't accept it. He's clearly not in the slightest still in love with her. It's already setting up for the true issue from the original though - his obsession with defeating the ML is definitely starting to fall into place. [Why the ML's friend felt the need to discuss his damn divorce with someone else I cannot begin to fathom!] Her ass (the FL) should have broken up with him long ago. Of course, since the reason would be because he was a shit boyfriend he wouldn't have let that stand though. It HAD to be something that was her fault. It's the only reason he keeps hanging on.

However, I really don't understand why we're seeing so much of the SML now. There's way too much focus on him very early on in the drama. In the original he was present in the early episodes, yes, but not quite this prevalent. We've barely seen the ML at all in comparison and now at the beginning of ep 4 the SML seems to be the lead character in the drama. I don't like it. Unlike the Korean version this has a full 24 episodes. To be seeing him this much now doesn't bode well for the rest of the drama as he's supposed to be far more pertinent in the second half of the drama. Plus, in terms of the SML the drama is moving along way too quickly. It's like the drama has only 12 episodes. For the other characters it seems paced well but not him. This makes me apprehensive because he's the source of most of the angst in the drama and there was more than enough from him in the original version. Are they going to ramp it up even more in this one? That would be too much in my opinion. I guess I'll see.

I hate how much the FL constantly lies to and keeps secrets from the ML. He gives her opportunity after opportunity to come clean but she never does. I'm on ep 27 now and I HATE this aspect of her character.

I'm almost done rewatching this now (I'm on episode 26) and see that you've captured EVERYTHING I felt about this drama. All of it! To a T!

I will never comprehend how the FL's roommate's boyfriend (the instigator of the leak) got a redemption ark or even how someone as strong and upstanding as the girlfriend (the roommate) could stay with such pure scum simply because he treats her well as a boyfriend. It's like saying you'd stay with a serial rapist (or serial killer even) just because he treats you well. Like WHAT?! He literally tried to sell off their other roommate to some old guy as his secretary! Granted she didn't know about that particular scenario but she knew enough about his other behavior to know that his moral compass had serious issues (as in, being non-existent)! He didn't even pretend he wasn't trying to sell that girl off either. He was even nonchalantly talking about using their "pillow talk" to benefit him. He's so gd disgusting!

It's taken me several attempts over the past 2 years to actually make it through watching this drama again, despite my having such strong feelings about it. Mainly because I hated so many of the side characters so strongly that I could never get past that to watch this again, despite how much I liked the main couple. This time, I pushed through and was happy to find I didn't quite hate the characters as much as I did the first time around - they're still terrible and some especially STUPID but I guess because I'd held on to my animosity for them so strongly for so long (which literally never happens), when I actually watched them again I realized I could tolerate it a lot better. The stuff that pissed me off was usually very brief and they quickly moved onto something else so you couldn't dwell on the ugliness per se. I think that's what made me get through most of it without losing my shit this time honestly. That and knowing it was coming.

Anyway, off to watch the last 2 episodes. I remember all the stuff you're saying about the FL leaving and the stupid decisions she made. I remember feeling all the same things and having all the same thoughts you describe. So much so it's pretty uncanny honestly. You're dead on!

So true!

An off the wall comment but I have to say it - every friggin person in this thing is gorgeous. Damn!

Also, I haven't finished it yet but this drama is absolutely beautiful. It's so simple and soothing and...addictive! I'm on ep 24 now but it's already become a new favorite. Production quality is 100%. It's also the first asian drama I've watched where even the foreigners can act AND the English is good all around. Oh and the foreigners who can speak Chinese speak it well. It's just such a well-rounded drama. The acting is fucking outstanding across the board. This entire thing is an experience. Just WOW!.

LMAOOOO! Dead! I'm dead!

LMAOOOOOO! I'm dead! Talk about a meaning lost in translation!
You're so awesome for your reply too!

Now I'm actually curious about the darn story too. Go figure.

LOL It's not an afterthought. It's integrated into the story throughout. It just doesn't dominate. It's a nice blend of genres.

Love 911. Had to go look it up as it's been a while since I posted this comment.

Exactly! It's like they normalize this horrific behavior in dramas and I just can't accept that even after convincing myself it's just for dramatic effect and not real.

It feels like similar depictions are always there too in some form, even in the best of their dramas and as much as I love their work, this aspect of it has just never been something I've been able to make peace with.

For the past few months I've just been waiting for my Kdrama energy to return. I know it will eventually because their dramas are seriously fantastic otherwise. Like this one. I know it's gonna be good but I need to get over this mental hurdle of accepting the ugly aspects to enjoy all the good. It'll happen. I'm certain.

LOL! Sorry for the length. I totally get your point as well too though.

We fall in love with the person, not just with the way they treat us. Was he already cheating on her when she fell in love with him? No she wasn't. Do you fall in love with everyone who is kind to you? No, you don't.

After she was already in love with him she found out about his cheating. Do I think she should have stayed with him after that? Not even in the slightest. Hell no.

However, that doesn't mean she should have settled for being with someone she didn't love instead either.

You keep comparing how the two men treat her while the point I'm making has nothing to do with that comparison. Even if the cheater never existed she still wouldn't have loved the other guy (the ML) is my point. No matter how he well he treated her she never could reciprocate his feelings and with that being the case then the right thing to do is let him go so that he can find someone who can love him the way he deserves.

We fall in love with the person for more than just the way they treat us. That's why people end up staying with people who treat them like shit unfortunately. Their shitty side usually comes out long after they've already fallen in love with the good sides they've allowed them to see thus far. Because they're already so far in love with the person it's too hard to let them go. That in itself explains her relationship with the cheater. It's why self-love is so important in relationships. If she'd loved herself more she'd have left his cheating ass.

But back to my original point. Think about it. Picture a person completely in love with someone and who is constantly devoting himself to her and doing everything in his power to care for her and make her happy and feel closer to her but the entire time he feels a distance, a disconnect from her. He knows she doesn't love him back the way he loves her. He'll either become desperate or depressed because no matter what he does he cannot force her to love him the way he need or wants her too. Think about how painful that would be. Staying with someone who loves you but you don't love in return is one of the most selfish and cruel things a human being can do to another person.

Do you understand my point now?

She's definitely one of my favorite actresses out there. She's so talented and very beautiful too! I'm currently rewatching I'm Underage But I'm Not A Child and her acting in it is sooooo spectacular! I recently rewatched Today's Kira-Kun and she was great in that one too. Her acting is so just natural and real, even when she's being completely over the top. That's not an easy thing to pull off, as we've seen from so many other Japanese actresses who've failed to do so in dramas and movies.

Ummm where exactly did I say that she said anything wrong or make any judgements whatsoever about the comments made? I simply asked her how old she was out of curiosity. Literally not a single thing else. I haven't watched this drama yet so I have no opinions about it either way.

I see that many people liked this drama and I will say I did enjoy it at first. But by the end I hated it. In a nutshell, here's why:

The characters all act like, because they love someone so deeply that automatically means they should have (and even deserve) their happily ever after with that person - whether or not the person reciprocates their feelings. They act like love is something you can turn on and off. Treat me nicely and I'll fall in love with you. Stop loving this person and love me because I love you so much.

These are ADULTS! I understand kids and teenagers not grasping the issue with this mindset but adults?

Anyway, there are a lot of other specific things I didn't care for BUT I do still think it's worth watching.