Eleison

I like that the creators didn't just SAY the ML was a lifesaver for all the ex-cons and an amazing person, and expect us to take everyone's word for it.

Instead, the writer actually tried to show us how Ji Hwan saved them (literally and/or figuratively, and without overusing the flashback) and fleshed out Ji Hwan's character so well that by Episode 16 you know why everyone is so insanely devoted to him and will do anything for him. Even his biggest enemies (not to mention his rival in love!) can't end up resisting his dogged efforts to have hope, show compassion and selfless love rather than give in to hate, despair and greed...

(Ah, when Kdrama character arcs are good, they just outshine other types of TV or film in their ability to transform and/or build a character before your eyes over the course of a series.)

I can usually tell who the writers are on MDL, and I had you pegged as one!

I've noticed they have such distinct writing voices, they usually give themselves away. (And I hope this doesn't creepy, causw I don't mean it to. I just think it's fun to find out my hunches are true! 😂)

Well, yes, but Jiang Li is actually Xue Fang Fei, right? And he does eventually find out she's not really Jiang Li. We never learn how he finds out, he just does.

I was advised to stop halfway through Episode 40, then skip to 40.5. I have no regrets.

Also, Xue Fang Fei is Jiang Li now, so she and Shi Jie are not really cousins after all. That helps with the cousins dilemma as well. :)

Like in Pride and Prejudice, if you're familiar with that, Mr. Collins asks Lizzy to marry him, and it's completely acceptable for the time even though they're first cousins.

It's frowned upon now due to modern social customs, and I think it's an improvement on the past (and somehow now we've made it completely gross and basically incestuous to think of your cousin that way--isn't it fascinating the way social norms evolve?), but it doesn't bother me when it crops up in settings prior to the 20th century since I know it was commonplace.

I preferred the way revenge was accomplished in The Double better, and I liked the main leads' as characters in the Double better (Bu Yi in LLTG was good, but he lost me a bit near the end, so I ultimately preferred Duke Su), but Zhao Lusi is the superior actress, in my opinion. She was incredible in LLTG.

I would also say that the MLs are both closely allied to the Emperors and his special agent, if you will, in both. Jiang Li and Shao Sheng are also a bit similar though, as you've pointed out, one is super educated, refined and smart and the other is uneducated but still smart though a little wild and rougher around the edges. 😂 They're always outsmarting everyone (and resourceful), which also makes them feel similar.

That's not true, necessarily! It's just that the super popular dramas' comments sections always attract more contrarians and trolls (especially for several months after it finishes airing), and I think it's just cause they get way more traffic and so you just get way more people, hence a higher number of unpleasant ones. 😐

The more underrated dramas have much more pleasant threads to participate in, and much more cozy communal spaces in which to discuss and chat.

I wish I could have saved @coolforthesummer's review so I could repost it. 😥

I thought so, too, but it's real. Look up an interview with him. You'll be surprised!

It wasn't that kind of drama, though? It was always more of a cute, fluffy-type romance. Not a passionate one.

Wait until Episode 3. There's a scene that did me in, and it had to do with his raspy voice...

Awwwww, this whole drama was just DARLING.

Everyone was so endearing (except for the determined-to-be-baddies mobsters)--from Ji Hwan to Eun Ha, to all of Ji Hwan's deeply devoted little "brothers" to Mi Ho and even Ye Na and Hyun Woo (I actually liked him, and I thought he was also important to the plot, unlike a lot of 2MLs who just exist for angst; he reminded me a lot of the 2ML from I Can Hear Your Voice).

One of my favorite supporting casts I've ever seen (all with fantastic chemistry and a blast to watch), with a sweetie pie ML devoted to treating everyone around him with dignity and respect and winning over all those who no one else thought was worth their time due to his overflowing compassion, and a bright-eyed FL determined to see the cup half full, to look for the good in others and bring out their best.

Such a great drama! I for one DIDN'T think the second half was slow, nor did I think Episode 15 out of place. I think it was perfectly fitting, and the whole drama was well-paced with consistent themes threaded throughout that were satisfyingly concluded and a strong script.

If you don't mind cheesy rom-com humor, then you'll most likely LOVE this!

(And it didn't have a serial killer subplot! 🥳)

That would be nice!

The cheesy, even cringy, humor of Korean rom-com dramas is definitely not for everyone. So yeah, I get it!

But as to the ML's voice, I thought it was affected at first, too, so I looked up interviews of the actor and discovered... it's his real voice! 😂

I didn't care for all the poor communication between the FL and ML, but to be fair, it's written into the premise in a better way than most dramas. It's clear the ML is a newb at romance, so he fails epically (and adorably) at wooing and dating his beloved. But he's so cute about it and always growing through it that you can't help but love him despite all his mistakes.

WIFTY (this drama) and Hidden Love proved to me you can do romance and slice-of-life/coming of age genres without over-the-top angst or huge dramatic setbacks to characters' relationships/life circumstances.

You CAN actually write a sweet story about sweet characters growing together (without toxic side/supporting characters to derail things) and it can still remain perfectly interesting, and manage to hold your attention. 👏👏👏

I thought Episode 4 was better than 3, but I didn't care for the long flashbacks of the MC from their high school days. Especially since the FL says she didn't remember those memories and they didn't seem to mean much to her. 🤔

I DO think the FL's friends are all gems. The way Hye Ji bounced back from losing her first love to the way she rallied all their friends to help Hu Yeong... I thought that was adorable. She's such a sweet friend!

I guess he's going to be 5th wheeling.

In the flashback scene between the 2ML and the FL In Episode 4 (I think it was in 4) I really liked him and their interactions. The actor totally sold how smitten he was. But present day 2ML... nope. He's a schmuck.