You have to remember the Cinderella theme, and remember the comment "I wanted to be the Prince but turned out to be the Fairy Godmother." Then the second ML is not so ridiculous.
While I am here, I would like to make some comments with regard to two of annoyingly repetitive complaints about this programme.
(1) The age gap between the lead characters: Often it is described as a complaint about the ages difference between the actors. Sorry, but these are two professionals doing their job, so criticism of the age gap is insulting. Would anyone make the same criticism for the many Western progammes where the male lead is vastly older than the female lead. One that comes to mind is No TIme to Die, where Daniel Craig and Léa Seydoux play a couple, even though Craig is 17 years older than Seydoux?
To be honest, I think that often the criticism of the real life age gap is a thin veneer covering the actual criticism which is about the portrayal of an older woman having an intimate relationship with a younger man. Just 2 days ago, the following was posted "recently all the dramas have huge age gaps with old FL and young ML, cant they cast actors of approximately same age??" Perhaps, someone can name these dramas because clearly missed them.
(2) The male lead is a Simp: I had to educate myself on what that actually meant, and it seems that there is no definitive meaning. Having said that, the dictionary definition is " a silly or foolish person." However, it has morphed into an insult directed towards someone (usually male) who subsumes their wishes and desires for those of their partner. Taken to its extreme, this is dangerous.
In this case, Ju Won has been criticised and demeaned for what is alleged to be "simp" actions and decisions. Looked through a different lens, his actions are merely those of someone deeply in love who wants to better understand his girlfriend, and thus fit into her life better. As someone has lived a highly privileged life, he knows that introducing Yun Seo to his "life" will be a shock at best, if not relationship ending (see Chairwoman's reaction). He has the EQ to understand the situation and act accordingly. Did he did it perfectly? No, but he tried.
I am here to put up my hand to apologise for somewhat mischaracterising this programme. Five days ago, I wrote that I was "not watching this for anything other than some very light entertainment over the weekend." However, with the back history that was revealed this weekend, the show has taken on another "role", and I am enjoying this.
One of the aspects of Korean dramas that I really love is their willingness to raise social issues as part of the story line, whether as fundamental or as a subtle, almost subversive, subject. I am not certain how these story lines are received amongst the Korean audiences, but viewed from the outside, it is both powerful and refreshing. In my experience, Western "entertainment" almost always depicts social problems as aberrations of individuals rather than a deeper, societal problem.
The moral police was here before the drama even started, they usually don't stick around for long
Unfortunately, in this situation, they seem to have hung around far too long. Even yesterday, they were posting. Something about this programme seems to have "got their goat".
It would seem that you have missed the basic premise of the programme. Specifically, Yun Seo chooses not to fight…
We have seen in flashbacks, that Yun Seo ran away from home (abusive father) with Ji Suk, and has been supporting the two of them since. While she might be comfortably off now, why wouldn't she take the money? She was going to have to give up Ju Won regardless. [Personally, I would have taken the money.]
You will note that I did not write "he is not spineless". I actually wrote "wouldn't he have been more spineless". A subtle but significant difference.
As for spineless characters, I present Si Won. The heir-apparent to a major corporation, but who allowed his mother to dictate who he married; let's his wife to live in Paris (nominally leading a subsidiary of the corporation; his mother's decision?); and then meekly allows his wife to move into the apartment and change everything, such as having maids on call.
Finally, there have been many comments about Ju Won not accepting the situation and walking away. We have not even reached the 2 month deadline initially agreed upon. I have to ask how many people would have given up on an 18 month relationship, without some effort? If Ju Won had done that, it would have shown that the relationship meant nothing to him.
I am not even watching this. But it's keep popping up in my insta and makes my blood boil, this has to be one…
It would seem that you have missed the basic premise of the programme. Specifically, Yun Seo chooses not to fight against the powerful, rich parent and takes the money instead. This is based on her past history and the fact that she does not want to have in-laws who hate her. What follows is the traditional "love wins" scenario.
As for Ju Won being "one of the most spineless ML [you] have ever seen", wouldn't he have been more spineless if he had accepted that the Chairwoman (his mother) could control him and just walked away?
Do you think ML's brother did anything wrong by not reporting those bullies? If he's guilty, then everyone in…
We saw in the flash back, that Yun Seo ran away from her father who had been hitting her. When he caught up with her in the street, no one stepped in to stop her father even though he was hitting her.
Yun Seo's position was that her brother should have protected his friend from the bullying, especially as he appears to be the "leader" of that group.
So, yes, I think he did do something wrong and should have been punished.
Can I respectfully ask those commentators who dislike this programme to simply say "I do not like this and will not watch any more, and will refrain from commenting further." Please let those of us enjoying this continue to do so, without the boring and gratuitous insults, like "A childish simp who just can't get over a breakup..."
Personally, I am not watching this for anything other than some very light entertainment over the weekend.
I haven't read it but dramas like these usually have a happy ending but we never know
This morning, I found an English translated version of part of it at bato.to. However, it starts at episode 7 and goes to episode 41. It seems that the series has 74 episodes in total, but they stopped at 41. I am hoping to find the rest somewhere else.
What did note as I read through the episodes is that the "stalker"-like person is not completely creepy, and there is more nuance to that part of the story. I am not certain if the series will echo that but I hope so.
Why do we have the "Block 🚫" option on our phones? Is it just for show? When you get unwanted messages from…
I completely agree that this new character is unnecessary. For the remaining 6 episodes, they could have focused on the main couple getting back together, and the brother and sister-in-law realising that they actually get on and can live together.
Having said that, I read an earlier comment that this character is actually in the webtoon.
Forget the ml & fl. I am loving the dynamic between ml's brother and sister in law. Can anyone recommend more…
The "business" marriage is a common theme/trope in Korean dramas. However, the loveless and soulless marriage it the most common situation. I do not recall ever seeing one quite like this.
In this case, the people involved decided to live their own lives on their own terms, while maintaining the pretence of a marriage. How things work out over the remaining 6 episodes will be as interesting as how the main couple work out, at least for me.
According to your profile, you have been here since 2018; have you watched Backstreet Rookie? If so, did you complain…
Fair points, and I appreciate the reply.
I completely agree that the pressure for women "not to age" is extreme and very harmful. Sadly, this is not merely a problem in Korea; it is a worldwide problem.
The actress is almost 40 in real life and the actor is 24!! Where is all the young talent in Korea? Also, the…
According to your profile, you have been here since 2018; have you watched Backstreet Rookie? If so, did you complain that the 29-year-old male lead character and 22-year-old female lead character were played by the 33-year-old Ji Chang-wook and the 20-year-old Kim Yoo-jung, respectively?
Or is your problem merely the fact that 38-year-old Shin Hyun-been is playing the female lead? You wrote "Hard to romance with an actress you'd otherwise call "ajumma" on the street." Would you agree with "Hard to romance with an actor you'd otherwise call "Ahjussi" on the street."?
There are thousands of dramas with older men paired with younger women and none of you complain like this. The…
Sadly, this has been an unending complaint about this series. And, as you correctly point out, if the role was reversed, there would be no complaint. Earlier on here, I identified three very famous U.S. actors who have partners at least 30 years younger than them and about whom there is no criticism. The person I was responding to then resorted to calling me stupid.
(1) The age gap between the lead characters: Often it is described as a complaint about the ages difference between the actors. Sorry, but these are two professionals doing their job, so criticism of the age gap is insulting. Would anyone make the same criticism for the many Western progammes where the male lead is vastly older than the female lead. One that comes to mind is No TIme to Die, where Daniel Craig and Léa Seydoux play a couple, even though Craig is 17 years older than Seydoux?
To be honest, I think that often the criticism of the real life age gap is a thin veneer covering the actual criticism which is about the portrayal of an older woman having an intimate relationship with a younger man. Just 2 days ago, the following was posted "recently all the dramas have huge age gaps with old FL and young ML, cant they cast actors of approximately same age??" Perhaps, someone can name these dramas because clearly missed them.
(2) The male lead is a Simp: I had to educate myself on what that actually meant, and it seems that there is no definitive meaning. Having said that, the dictionary definition is " a silly or foolish person." However, it has morphed into an insult directed towards someone (usually male) who subsumes their wishes and desires for those of their partner. Taken to its extreme, this is dangerous.
In this case, Ju Won has been criticised and demeaned for what is alleged to be "simp" actions and decisions. Looked through a different lens, his actions are merely those of someone deeply in love who wants to better understand his girlfriend, and thus fit into her life better. As someone has lived a highly privileged life, he knows that introducing Yun Seo to his "life" will be a shock at best, if not relationship ending (see Chairwoman's reaction). He has the EQ to understand the situation and act accordingly. Did he did it perfectly? No, but he tried.
One of the aspects of Korean dramas that I really love is their willingness to raise social issues as part of the story line, whether as fundamental or as a subtle, almost subversive, subject. I am not certain how these story lines are received amongst the Korean audiences, but viewed from the outside, it is both powerful and refreshing. In my experience, Western "entertainment" almost always depicts social problems as aberrations of individuals rather than a deeper, societal problem.
You will note that I did not write "he is not spineless". I actually wrote "wouldn't he have been more spineless". A subtle but significant difference.
As for spineless characters, I present Si Won. The heir-apparent to a major corporation, but who allowed his mother to dictate who he married; let's his wife to live in Paris (nominally leading a subsidiary of the corporation; his mother's decision?); and then meekly allows his wife to move into the apartment and change everything, such as having maids on call.
Finally, there have been many comments about Ju Won not accepting the situation and walking away. We have not even reached the 2 month deadline initially agreed upon. I have to ask how many people would have given up on an 18 month relationship, without some effort? If Ju Won had done that, it would have shown that the relationship meant nothing to him.
As for Ju Won being "one of the most spineless ML [you] have ever seen", wouldn't he have been more spineless if he had accepted that the Chairwoman (his mother) could control him and just walked away?
Yun Seo's position was that her brother should have protected his friend from the bullying, especially as he appears to be the "leader" of that group.
So, yes, I think he did do something wrong and should have been punished.
Personally, I am not watching this for anything other than some very light entertainment over the weekend.
What did note as I read through the episodes is that the "stalker"-like person is not completely creepy, and there is more nuance to that part of the story. I am not certain if the series will echo that but I hope so.
Having said that, I read an earlier comment that this character is actually in the webtoon.
In this case, the people involved decided to live their own lives on their own terms, while maintaining the pretence of a marriage. How things work out over the remaining 6 episodes will be as interesting as how the main couple work out, at least for me.
I completely agree that the pressure for women "not to age" is extreme and very harmful. Sadly, this is not merely a problem in Korea; it is a worldwide problem.
Or is your problem merely the fact that 38-year-old Shin Hyun-been is playing the female lead? You wrote "Hard to romance with an actress you'd otherwise call "ajumma" on the street." Would you agree with "Hard to romance with an actor you'd otherwise call "Ahjussi" on the street."?