Eleison

That's fair, haha. I was just hoping to offer a different perspective. When it comes to dramas, people have their own preferences. Thanks for respectfully dialoguing. :)

They remained amicable, yes, but it's very clear to both of them that the FL is crazy about Ji Hwan. It also implies they rarely see each other anymore.

There was one super strong review that praised the drama highly and it was the top rated review and the first listed but then the user left MDL (not sure why, there was some drama on another page or something), and then it was just all the nit-picky ones left... 😔

😂😂😂 I'm just laughing about the "true love" in high school portion of your post. 😂

Interesting, since I don't think I've seen many other dramas quite like Fight For My Way in the pairings of tropes and cliches. It's kind of unique because the ML was obsessed with some other girl until about halfway (very unusual for a Kdrama) and the MC have such an odd dynamic (and the 2nd couple were cohabiting for quite a few years (in a 2017 drama, too, which still felt kind of taboo at that time)). I don't know, it felt unique amongst Kdramas to me, haha. Obviously much of the basic rom-com formula is there, but it had some unique elements to me. 🤷‍♀️

So true!! Sometimes "original" is overrated, especially if it's not as enjoyable as "the good old familiar stuff." 😌

I'm thinking #2, as it's the most likely option?

What are the other shows you're thinking of?

I see, but you really never have to worry about them having a shot. It's a Kdrama, so of course, they never will. 😂

Ooh, like Benedick and Beatrice from Much Ado About Nothing? 😏

"You should know the drill" 😅

This is an excellent post. Well-explained!

Interesting, cause in my opinion, neither is a weasel. They are persistent and an obvious rival to the ML, but are also good men (though flawed) and are a part of the main leads' arcs and positively affect their growth. In this drama, the 2ML inadvertently inspires/pushes the ML to get up the courage to pursue the FL and in this process of getting up the courage the ML realizes it's okay to love her and he doesn't have to deny himself good things simply because he made mistakes in the past.

Did you ever finish I Can Hear Your Voice? The 2ML plays a really cool role in the last 3rd of the drama. In addition to helping the FL become less jaded, he realizes he was too gullible about people's intentions (since he was a defense attorney) and always too willing to believe them with the hopes they were goodhearted deep down. The ML also asks him for help at the end in a way that ends up being really neat, and he also has some really beautiful reflections about the ML and how he turned out different than the villain of the story due to the FL's presence in his life. It was sweet!

Anyway, it seems you know what you're willing to put up with as far as love triangles go. As far as my preferences, my tolerance for the 2ML's involvement in the FL's life is maybe just a bit higher than yours, as long as I can see that they play an actual role in the story and the characters's arcs and aren't just there to create angst, haha. But where you're coming from is understandable! Love triangles are largely frustrating and annoying. ☺️

When did you drop it (what episode?)

I can understand why he bothered you, but to me, he felt purposeful, which made me dislike him less. He was actually a big part of the ML's arc and growth. Yeah, I wasn't a huge fan of him, but he made sense in the story so at least he didn't feel superfluous. I actually like that by the end he came to respect and admire the ML so much that he bowed out willingly and cheerfully. (He reminded me a bit of the SML from I Can Hear Your Voice.) He also wasn't a bad guy, so I didn't have any reason to dislike him other than the fact that he was a bit overprotective of the FL at times.

It is quite fluffy and the humor leans heavy into the cringe end of things (Strong Woman Do Bong Soon level). But it is just SO cute, and Tae Goo is completely and utterly darling.

It's also a rom-com without a serial killer side plot. That's a rare Kdrama these days! 😅

Agree with all this!! Good observations and examples!

I think it's more cohesive as a story, for sure! There are some lovable characters, character arcs and moments in Season 2, though.

Yeah, true! It's a weird fixation and annoying for all of us to read over and over. My one consolation is since I blocked him (@mooc), he can't see my posts. But it's unfortunate that I still see his. *massive sigh*

Has this specific trope become a recent trend? Maybe, but it will shift and change just like each era of Kdramas have. It's not the world-ending issue he's making it out to be. MLs have always been some version of smart, pure, intelligent, rich, athletic, gifted, royal, sefless, or tender, and they fluctuate amongst these features in all the Kdramas. This is just how they're written (just like how martial arts movies have Kung Fu or Tae Kwon Do, etc. they're the genre and nonnegtoiables of the formula). He also said there have been zero FLs recently who are "virgins," and that's just not true. Lovely Runner and My Sweet Mobster are just two immediately off the top of my head who don't fit his claimed sterotype. I could list tons of dramas over the years with "virgin" FLs, too.

I think one of the reasons why dramas tend to have "pure" MLs OR FLs is because it's a little more interesting to watch people fall in love who haven't before (or who haven't very often). Getting to watch the MC make mistakes, overcome them, face challenges while still new to incorporating a person into their lives is more entertaining often than watching someone super experienced at it. It creates the "drama" when they're babies at love, so to speak.

I wish I could convince everyone on MDL to NEVER respond to his posts. I bet he'd go away if that happened. It's boring when no one gives what you say the time of day. 😏 (In a similar vein (but a bit random 😅), I think if media stopped covering active shooters and never showed a picture of them or released their names, active shooters would become less of an issue in the U.S.; unfortunately, media cares too much about money, and they continue to feed the twisted attention-seeking). I think trolls/contrarians are the active shooters of thoughtful internet discourse. 😂

Haha, will do!

And same, usually if I dislike a show a lot of people liked, I can almost always see why people liked it even though I didn't.

But to be fair, in a community it can feel isolating to disagree with the majority. It can also make you feel like it reflects poorly on your taste, as if you can't identify "good stuff," so maybe that's why people get so affronted by the discrepancy? Especially when they can't see why people liked it even though they didn't? 🤷‍♀️

It's just kind of off-putting when they assume the majority of people rating a drama are dumb, fangirls or obsessed with certain actors (if they disagree) rather than considering they might have different taste or preferences. "It must be terrible if I don't love it," seems like kind of a narcissistic conclusion, no?