It was really engaging, until the last quarter..

-- STORY --
The beginning was great.
We have the shady family politics from the FL's side — the mysterious supernatural world from the ML.
Combining these two universes created an engaging setting.

For the first half, pacing was great, everything made sense and it was suspense after another.
However, the same can't be said for the latter.

They start cutting off all aspects of the show that gave it its potential. The FL's return in her ballerina career? Oversimplified. The 2ML being a previous angel was a great idea but nothing was done with it. The development of the angel world? no, but magical things continue to happen only at convenient times.

Instead, what we got was excessive montage footage of slow music, and back-and-forth 30-second cuts between our FL and ML looking at each other. I ended up watching these parts at 2x speed and it still felt repetitive and annoying. The directors wanted to force more chemistry between the two but it flopped because there was no substance in their dialogs — it's just them crying to each other that they don't want to be separated.

Lastly, the latter half really suffered from illogical events that either made no sense or were just unexplained.

The antagonists started using more drastic measures that threatened their own lives without giving them enough of a reason to do so. This is just the classic one-dimensional villain. Even worse, when they finally got caught in the media, they were still being let to roam free. Where is a proper criminal investigation for the induced car accident, which the show did identify as murder?

When the FL had a stab wound, she decided to dance instead of going to the hospital right away.

The connection of the ML and Seong Woo being the same person was a fascinating idea but nothing was really done with it, so it felt like an unfinished thought.

Things behind the deity, the angels were never explained. Perhaps this is an over-critism but the rules of what an angel can or can't do didn't seem consistent. Why did Dan's wings appear in the rain? Why did Dan turn into a human randomly? Why did Dan suddenly appear again? These were never explained.

-- ACTING --
The acting of this cast is just alright. The FL carried the most difficult role in her complex character. She indeed carried the acting for the entire show IMO. Kim Myung Soo (actor of the ML) did a good job but fell short on the performance when he was sad. He's good at the romantic eye gazes but didn't offer much for emotional delivery. Other worthy mentions are Ni Na's mother and Ni Na herself.

-- SOUND & MUSIC --
The soundtrack Pray by Klang, Oh My Angel by CHAI embodied this drama perfectly.
However, sweeter by Jess Penner (used in the fluffy romantic scenes) felt abrupt and forced every time it came on just like the scenes themselves.

-- REWATCH VALUE --
Almost no rewatch value for me. Majority of the excitement in this show were from the worldbuilding of the angels and the suspense of what the antagonists would do next, but these things are either unexplained or didn't happen within logic.

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Cuteness and wholesome overload

I am deeply in love with this drama. It's so simple, yet aesthetic. So classy, yet cute. The perfect fluff execution.

First off, the lead cast is amazing. Both are super attractive. The female lead has this adorable eye smile that I can't get over and the male lead's facial expressions have this natural yet killer charm to it. These two alone satisfied the visuals for the whole series for me, but they didn't stop there. The show is centered around these two - and while I can see why some consider the pacing slow, it never felt slow and it's not a bother to watch versus in other shows. The "slow" build-up is sorta the point. Every scene adds a new layer of chemistry between our leads and it's this type of natural and genuine chemistry that the show tries to sell. When they finally do get together, the chemistry really does feel real and sweet. And it's this fluffy feeling I get the show absolutely nails.

The supporting cast is also super likable, they all have their own quirks yet when they clash, there is chemistry between them as friends. I especially like the ML's best friend who is always there for everyone and is very wholesome to watch. The second lead also had a very mature performance. It's pretty obvious early on that he had no chance but his role was still very important to provoke the ML and added some depth to unrequited love as a long-term friend with the FL.

A criticism I saw from another reviewer mentioned that there are no side plots, and to that, I will say "You are not paying attention". If you are native Chinese, you would know that the title of the drama also happens to be the title of the show that FL eventually directs. This is significant because even though the show arc only recovered a quarter of the series, the founding idea of it is the exact motif for the show. The selling point is that a friendship that has chemistry is also very attractive and I personally think this is reflected exactly in the show. In Chinese, we call this 默契.

Lastly, the music selection is perfect for this drama. Everything from the documentary style cut in the opening to the various songs the drama plays, the feeling is so appropriately matched! As a bonus, the opening later on reflects back to a scene where the cast in the show the FL directs asked the cast to film their own special memory in a vlog - this is just so beautifully connected.

So in summary, while the story is nothing ground-breaking here, the execution was perfect in my eyes and it truly brought me so much joy, hopes and happiness watching it.

Overall, if you prefer quality over quantity in a drama, this is you. If you like romantic genres with lots of wholesome, cuteness, and fluff, this is for you. if you like positive and uplifting messages and motifs in a drama, this is for you.

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Injustice makes our blood boil

Imagine being framed for something you didn't do. Imagine having zero power to convince your peers that you are innocent. Imagine having your whole life turned upside down just by being at the wrong place, at the wrong time. This is the story of One Ordinary Day.

- STORY -
In this drama, we follow a student who goes out one night, only to end up in the most unimaginable situation possible and became the main suspect in a murder. That's essentially the entire show. It's about proving innocence when the justice system failed to find the real perpetrator. Do beware that there is a strong and rather bold narrative about our justice system and a negative view of the capitalist world we live in, as well as a couple of pretty intense scenes that you may need to pause a few times to get through. The pacing also moves fairly quickly, there are only 8 episodes in total and also no scenes felt like they were dragging. Overall, while the plot is nicely focused, I did find the ending to be rushed and some of the characters also felt pretty one-directional. But then again, I think the focus of the show is getting you to feel this exact, unfair, unjust, and frustrating situation that Kim Soo Hyun will be put through.

- ACTING -
Holy hell, here we go, wherever I read something about this drama, they always rave about the quality of the acting. And I am here to 100% confirm that. Kim Soo Hyun's performance here is out of this world. His character goes through hell in the show and it's an extremely performance-reliant role, and he nailed every bit of it. Possibly the best part of this show is how well all the levels of emotions are captured by his performance. Outside of him specifically, there are really no holes from the rest of the cast either, I think the cast selection for this drama was perfect.

- PRODUCTION -
The production quality here is also extremely high. The music and sound design fit the dire situations very well and the cinematography was intentional and powerful.

- CRITICISM -
The only complaint I have is the overemphasis on the lawyer's feet. Not sure what having fungal feet has anything to do with the story, but in almost every scene with the lawyer, the camera is set up to show his pair of big feet wide spread... could be an attempt of filling comedic relief between the intense scenes, or maybe there was a motif I missed. The ending also felt slightly rushed and was somewhat predictable, some may think it was a letdown that they didn't expand more on the actual case. But for its purpose, I think it was probably the best choice. A show like this holds its impact within the journey and not the ending. The ending will likely leave you feeling rather unsatisfied but I think it was an intentional choice to reflect the reality that the show is trying to portray.

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Just watch it. It's good

This was my first time watching a BL and I thought it was THE PERFECT romantic drama.

The story was fantastic, simple and straight to the point. There wasn't much focus aside from the two leads and it's honestly a breath of fresh air and made it hard not to binge the whole 8 episodes.

The characters, SangWoo and JaeYoung, are both written brilliantly. They have surprisingly contrasting personalities and lifestyles, yet their chemistry was engaging, underlying and totally effective. The whole time, you just wanted to root for them and watching their relationship slowly develop organically was never once for a second boring for me.

The production was also clever and witty. If you are a student or working in tech, there are some dumb programming jokes because of SangWoo's character. It doesn't take itself too seriously but you still get a good sense of authenticity between the two leads.

Just magical. I loved the chemistry between these two.

Side note: both of the leads are also idols from DKZ and KNK. If you haven't heard of them, it just goes to show how much talent is unseen just because groups don't come from reputable labels. I encourage you to give people a try if you're into KPOP hehe :)

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A focus on mental health with a touch of appropriately-placed comedy

I started watching this show after being intrigued by the Netflix preview. Going into it, I was expecting something of an exciting plot with silly, heartfelt comedy. And while that was delivered exactly as I expected, the show's latter half focused more on romance. Except it wasn't the typical k-drama romance...

Mad For Each Other took a more realistic approach from the traditional romantic portrayal. It captured the awkward essence between two strangers becoming close really well. And while I appreciated the recognition of mental health, it was the storytelling and appropriate scene execution that really put it to the next level - I especially love the scenes where the leads shared their feelings in relation to their mental wellbeing with their therapist. This was a really subtle yet creative way to show character development and chemistry between our leads.

Overall, I really don't have many negatives to pick about this show. The only thing I can nitpick is some of the subplots weren't really developed in the end. But the story, the acting and the scene delivery were done exceptionally well - and that's 99% of what I care about. As a plus, support characters were also both likeable and memorable. Overall I would recommend this to anyone.

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Human Fears the Unknown

This show may get flagged with mixed reviews, but I honestly quite enjoyed its concept. Despite its flaws in story-telling, I felt like everything was intended.

Even though this is a supernatural show, the real focus isn't actually on the supernaturals, but on humans and our society.

We as humans thrive on information, knowledge and predictability, so as soon as that is thrown out the window, chaos will ensue and swallow the world. And this show captures this idea perfectly as we see how quickly the world turns when the supernatural events immerged. Furthermore, how vile some people are to corrupt the truth simply for self-gain.

So if you were hoping to jump into this, expecting a creatively-written supernatural world, this show will disappoint you because it doesn't really cover many details on the supernatural side. In fact, towards the latter 3 episodes, you will be given more questions than answers. Some of the supernatural stuff seems to just happen out of the convenience to push the human side of the story, which I can see why some people hate. If you ask me, give it a try - the first episode is a bit of a mystery and open-ended but you should know how you would feel by the second episode.

In terms of acting, I was honestly very impressed. All of the main cast was solid, except for the police - I thought his character was a bit illogical sometimes, so perhaps the writing is to-blame instead. However, a special mention is Yoo Ah In's role. He absolutely sold his character.

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Entertaining show about teamwork

I came into the show originally for TO1 and was disappointed when I found out that another group (EPEX) was involved. However, after the first episode, I was quickly convinced by the show's good intentions. Combining two rookie groups is actually a really good idea - it was really entertaining to watch how they mesh together and have all of their belongings, the food they cooked and videos they filmed "synchronized". Because there were 18 members combined, it was hard to learn a lot from each member, but this show is still entertaining regardless! I hope that through the memory created from the show, the two groups will make a lasting relationship with each other in the industry.

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Summary of the Show:
This show is divided into 3 days

- Day 1 (Ep. 1-3) focuses on introduction. Each group shares a house by themselves and the activities between them are indirect (swapping luggage, lunch, dinner, etc.)
- On day 2 (Ep. 4-5), they split everyone into 3 separate teams, mixing up both TO1 and EPEX members together. They were also given separate houses and will proceed to compete in a series of challenges and races. Day 2 challenges will take place within the housing location
- Day 3 (Ep. 6) is filmed somewhere outdoors in a field. The day offers a variety of physical challenges and a performance from each team. Lastly, the series ends off with a dinner meeting, featuring the winning team having a fancy 5-course meal

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Rewatch Episode Summary:
Ep. 1) Luggage synchronization, member profiles pt.1
Ep. 2) Member profiles pt. 2, team leaders, one-ingredient telepathy, lunch synchronization
Ep. 3) 100-second meeting, word dive mission & dinner synchronization, baby photos, lullaby
Ep. 4) Silent breakfast mission, team split, house floor challenges
Ep. 5) Kpop riddle battle, final day performance preparation
Ep. 6) Final day performances, sports battles (3-way tug-of-war, balloon volleyball, linked feet race, giant baton delay), final dinner

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Get to know TOO/TO1 with a zombie theme

Really fun to watch and does its job of introducing all the members of TOO (now TO1). The zombie theme was a genius addition and implemented very creatively - whoever designed these games should be given a raise!

Rewatch Episode Summary:
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Ep. 1) Seeking the first clue inside the dorm - J.You and Donggeon taken away
Ep. 2) Escape Zombie Game - blow and pop a balloon while avoiding zombies
Ep. 3) Bungee Jumping - 3 members must jump to retrieve the cure
Ep. 4) Dinner Ingredient Game - by teams of two, each member picks 1 ingredient
Ep. 5) Horror Scenario Riddle - results determine who sleeps outside
Ep. 6) Human vs. Zombie pt. 1 - song guessing & hidden flag game
Ep. 7) Human vs. Zombie pt. 2 - paintball match & precision games
Ep. 8) Haunted House Mission pt. 1 - completing individual/group challenges to retrieve the cure
Ep. 9) Haunted House Mission pt. 2 - sharing individual messages

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A Must-Watch to Any Omega X Fans (FOR X)

I don't normally write about kpop reality shows, but this group is really special to me. Omega X's members have all experienced being a part of other groups previously. Most of them have been through heartbreaking disbandments due to reasons that are out of their control. This is what sets them apart from other groups - there is an emotional story behind each member in the memory of their struggles.

Despite only nine episodes, this show will put you through an emotional rollercoaster. From laughing to crying, you will grow to love these boys through utter chaos and heartfelt moments. I can almost guarantee that in every episode, a different member will catch your attention. This group is full of energy, variety and talent, but more importantly, their bond is ethereal.

Rewatch Episode Summary:
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Ep. 1) House Introduction -- picking rooms + bed bugs, cooking/cleaning, group vocal lesson
Ep. 2) Talent Evaluations pt. 1 -- new members joins, compete for main vocal/dance
Ep. 3) Talent Evaluations pt. 2 -- Tiger Inside, compete for Junghoon's (exaggerated) room
Ep. 4) Teaser Filming -- bottle flipping challenge, dance practice, flavoured chicken
Ep. 5) Member Profiles -- drawing contest, group games, tickle punishment
Ep. 6) Cheat Day -- Spire red carpet + group feast, debut concept discussion, recording Vamos
Ep. 7) Outdoor Trip -- ocean/amusement park, testing leader candidates, rooftop bbq
Ep. 8) Team Missions pt. 1 -- company mystery trip, cable cars, sky swing mission, treasure hunt
Ep. 9) Team Missions pt. 2 -- kpop charades, relay mission, sharing personal letters, fan letters

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Intense, Confident Action but Overly Edgy

PROS
+ Suspense & action to the MAX
+ Fast-paced with minimum downtime
+ Impressive action scenes and stunts
+ Emotion provoking conflict (you will be sucked in & want justice for our protagonist)
+ Flashbacks are used effectively
+ High budget cinematography & variety of locations
+ Great music/sound production

CONS
- Overly confident plot twists
- Outcomes of scenes may not always be logical
- Villains appears one-directional
- Some mysteries will be unexplained
- Low rewatch value - due to the show's reliance on the mystery

SUMMARY
This drama will hit you HARD on the suspense. Want an good action and mystery hitter? I recommend this one because it is packed with it. Part of the enjoyment comes from the quest of finding out the truth or who the real culprit is. As our protagonist, Cha Dal Geon uncover details of a horrific plane crash, fighting his way through mercenaries and lobbyists, numerous plot twists will arise. Unfortunately, the plot does get progressively messy as the story unfolds and you may start questioning its legitimacy. Outcomes of some scenes also feel very unbelievable and not every detail in the story is explained properly. Fortunately, the performance of the main cast is impressive; their characters are likeable, sensible and relatable to the situations they face. Combined with well-produced action sequences, it becomes easy for us viewers to turn a blind eye or two on some of the crazy showdown that just happened, as unrealistic as they are. Some people will find the plot made to be too edgy especially towards the last couple of episodes. Regardless of how important movie logic is to you, it is still a very compelling plot and definitely worth the hours to watch.

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Strong opening but it all goes down-hill

*THE GOOD*

1) Excellent opening - after seeing a huge hype for this show and knowing the ML as Kim Soo Hyun, I was ready to stay invested in this one. The first few episodes did a real good job to pull you in. We get an unexpected Coraline-like storybook intro, setting the mood and backstory of the series. Although it took more than a few episodes for the show to connect with this, it was great foreshadowing for what's to come.

2) The FL entrance was fantastic! - her character was just gleaming of charisma and power. She was someone who's unafraid to speak their mind loudly, confidently go after what they want, and no one is able to stop them. More interestingly, we got to see very quickly, that even someone as strong and charismatic can be vulnerable to their own demons at night. I ended up binge watching the entire first half of the show purely because of how much I enjoyed her character.

3) Fairytale motifs & theming - unique to the show, each episode tries to connect its developing plot towards a message or lines from a fairytale story. This is a fun and flavorful touch. These references are often done as a background monologue with the voice and interpretation of the FL, which makes sense considering she is a writer in this drama setting. These "monologues" provided more opportunities for us to learn and understand her character, she always has a very distinctive way of interpreting things. And as we listen each episode, it's almost like we were a part of the drama casted as her fans, listening to her character telling the stories. These little motifs came a long way to push forward the whimsical mood the drama has. In fact... the entire drama almost felt like one big fairytale story.

4) Sang-Tae, the brother - his acting was very accurate and realistic coming from someone who dormed with an autistic person in the past. Specifically his facial expressions, when he was angry or scared or felt guilty, you could see the emotions and even the awkwardness from his face - the acting really was brilliant. Later on, we also see this character develop in various ways and the way that everything was done is believable. This was a difficult role and Mr. Oh Jung Se (name of the actual actor) nailed it!

*THE BAD*

1) The FL character changed completely? but also just made no sense - I was surprised no other reviews mentions this but there is something inconsistent about Moon Young's character. Perhaps it's just an oversight on my part but after her character visits the mental hospital, her character started to develop from being a strong, charismatic person to someone who just whines and nags all the time. In the beginning, we see her approaching Gang-Tae, every time expressing her desires to be with him. When he rejects her, she moves on and minds her own business. But later on, she just gives up her whole career almost to chase after this dude, essentially forcing him to be with her by taking advantage or manipulating his ill brother. Now, I understand that every person is vulnerable in some ways and she re-living her childhood traumas may have contributed to this but even so, her character development just felt unnatural. if she was that deeply traumatized, why would she ever go back to that place? In my opinion, a more appropriate plot would be that after seeing Gang-Tae pushing her away on episode 2-3, she should just be back in Seoul the next day to work her business. Even the way she talks changed! I actually confirmed the difference re-watching some of the first two episodes.

2) Slow burn is slow - the progression of this drama is... painfully slow. The entire drama is just a push and pull between the two leads, even after accepted each other, has these little fights and don't much other than to prolong the series. After 12 episodes of using the same cards, it just got old.

3) Out of the blue couple pairing and filters - this point kinda goes into the last one but for some reason, the CEO of the publishing company that managed Moon Young quits his position to pursue this random nurse in a mental institution (forgive me, she's not a random character) but the plot here just makes no sense. Despite having zero chemistry, these two pairing together also didn't add anything to the main plot. There was also an episode that focused two of the patients from institution ending up as a couple, but they again, do not add anything to the main story, I am just confused why so much focus are added to these side characters. The series could have easily done in 10 episodes otherwise.

4) Even more ridiculous, the return of a dead villain trope - So this is current arc I am watching (episode 13) and honestly at this point, it's really difficult to watch this. They are setting up the stage for clear showdown of our main characters fighting against this mother that supposedly was the one that murdered the ML's mother?! Like the plot just enter the ridiculous category and at this point, just wish the series would end.

*I will be editing this review after completing it* but in summary, the story is really disappointing for me. The only scenes worth watching being the first few bits.

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Choi Yoon Jin's captivating performance

THINGS I LIKE
(+) Great action scenes
(+) Amazing acting performance by Song Yoon Ah
(+) Tense political action
(+) Deceptive storytelling
(+) Choi Yoon Jin

THING I DIDN'T LIKE
(-) Romance between leads felt unnecessary
(-) Final arc got a bit ridiculous
(-) Anna is underdeveloped

REVIEW
I was surprised to see many have highlighted disappointment towards the show. This is an action series starring Ji Chang Wook so if you enjoy fight scenes and political battles, the K2 is going to be enjoyable nonetheless. There are tons of intense moments and the fight scenes all take place in different settings. I also thoroughly enjoyed the deceptive elements of the political tension that surrounds the plot. However, the biggest treasure box from this series was CHOI YOON JIN, with her Oscar-award winning performance. Seriously, she is the best villain/anti-hero I have ever seen. Her character is just so power-hungry and spiteful, yet at the same time, charismatic and vulnerable. I started this show for Ji Chang Wook and Im Yoon Ah, but was won over by Song Yoon Ah's amazing character towards the end. I literally became a fan overnight and will definitely be checking more of her in the future. Her character is also the most important character in the show as well. Onto the negatives, yes, the final arc does get a bit ridiculous but I personally can overlook that because the plot was still enjoyable. The only thing that I didn't care much for was Anna. Unsure if it was the acting or writing, but her character just felt flat throughout the entire series. She was supposed to be an important character but she's the only one that never got any development. She's constantly running around or being naive and manipulated by others and was a huge nuisance to all the other characters. Her romance with the lead also didn't feel needed to be in the show and just felt forced.

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Suspense to the very last stand...

By far the best drama I've seen this year. It's action-packed with zombies, great characters and a very believable political battle. The cinematography is highly impressive. Compared to the first season, there's a ton more scene where I felt more satisfied.

In terms of story, this season definitely tries to pull a bit of the logic to make it feel more epic or extreme. Critics may focus on this and say it wasn't as good, but in all things considered, I don't think they could have done it better. Also, there is still more to uncovered about how the zombies spread. This was foreshadowed for season three, so I would personally hold off my opinions on that until I see it.

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My Soul is CLEANSED with wholesomeness

I'm speechless. This drama came out of nowhere for me - I was literally just browsing through shows and this just so happened to intrigue me with its extravagant title. Little did I know, this one click of a button spiraled down to a 12-hour long session of cleansing my soul and spirit. This charming drama was EVERYTHING I didn't know I needed.

(+) Fantastically executed storyline
(+) Unique 'mystical' theme that references into some shaman cultures in Korea ?
(+) Very likable main cast
(+) Great acting
(+) Plot twists done right
(+) Wholesome scenes ❤️❤️
(+) Quirky moments but never over-the-top

REVIEW
Now I can go on forever about the details, but to be honest, this is a drama you want to go in blind. I think part of what is so tasteful about the story is the discovery - like I said, this is a very well thought out story. The mystical theme introduced in the beginning may throw you off and cause some confusion but just trust the plot and you will understand eventually. Once you have a decent understanding of the main premise, there will be specific details the director will leave out until it is revealed at the right moment. These are the qualities of an effective story-telling, which this drama really excels at.

This is probably biased from me being completely whipped by this drama but there is absolutely zero reasons for you to not give this a chance - this is by far one of the most well-crafted stories I have seen in a long while, and that's not an overstatement. Unless you hate watching anything that is not 100% realistic, I'd strongly recommend to just give it a shot. I will say this drama is not perfect though, but the entire mood and wholesome intention of this drama has absolutely captivated me and won me over. And I don't consider myself an easy critic or reviewer either - which should tell you that much more about the potential greatness this drama can bring to you.

Now go on and enter that mystical tent you've always been curious about!

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A true crime masterpiece.

THINGS I LIKED
(+) Unique story with non-cliche scenes or tropes
(+) Great acting
(+) Dark and true crime concept (this may be a negative for some people)
(+) Complex characters and development
(+) One of the few dramas I would compliment on a great ending

THINGS I DIDN'T LIKE
(-) It felt a bit slow during 1-2 intermediate episodes (this is very minor)

REVIEW
Where do we begin? This series takes you on a journey. If you are a fan of true crime and don't mind a darker concept, Extracurricular is one to watch out for. The main characters we follow in this drama are designed beautifully complex and believable - particularly our mini Bonnie and Clyde leads, that is, Oh Jisoo and Bae Gyu Ri.

The synopsis kicks off with a slightly confusing first episode. For a long while, I wasn't clear of the illegal activity being engaged as well as understanding GyuRi's character and motivations. However, once you reach the third episode, the plot really starts to pick up and you can just sense some major storm foreshadowing your way. This story is written and executed really well with minimum downtime or fillers. Expect to feel more and more tense after each episode as this plot takes our characters down the rabbit hole further and deeper.

This is a story about two high schoolers whose background and life experiences had driven them to enact illegal crimes. They are not the people we should root for in reality but we somehow want them to succeed in this drama so very badly. In terms of romance, it's quite subtle for a kdrama but in this case, I find this approach to be very fitting. This story fundamentally shows how far a person can go to achieve their own dreams despite the action may appear to be out-of-character or the potential harm it may cause to others. This is very noticeable in the later half of the show especially in the ending. I won't say anything more about the second half other than it is just a diamond in the rough. One of the best endings I have seen in a kdrama where most tend to fall short on.

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