Han Gyuyeong is shaping up to be the best character on the show, of a type that's all but disappeared from modern kdrama under the infantilizing influence of international streaming platforms and an increasingly risk-averse domestic industry that favors safe bets, generic webtoon clichés and emotionally immature Mary Sues whom even the stupidest members of the audience could thoughtlessly project onto. Unlike the unproblematic two-dimensional supporting characters that abound in 12-episode romcoms on Netflix, HGY is nasty, selfish and mean, but also strong, morally justified in her unpleasantness and vulnerable in a way that draws you in. She feels like a real person. Again, this kind of complex, grown-up female character who is at times repellent yet all the more compelling for it used to be more common in the golden age of kdrama (the 2000s through the mid-2010s). Nowadays it's been relegated to the dying genre of the weekend family drama. How far the industry has fallen!
Anyway. It's precisely because HGY is such a delightful throwback that I find the early indications that she is to be paired up with the shouty comic-relief ahjussi who walks around in flip-flops so irritating. Such an interesting and dramatic woman deserves an equally dramatic (and at least a little bit sexy) love story, not to be reduced to some demeaning taming-of-the-shrew subplot.
In fact, the only pairing I'm really vibing with so far is that of Han Gyuoh and his unkempt and unlucky classmate. I always tend to enjoy the designated young couple in these dramas and this one is no exception. The main couple, by contrast, hasn't grabbed me yet, but I am looking forward to their development after the eight-year time skip. I'm not a fan of either of the lead actors, but hopefully their characters' story will get more interesting once we've speedrun through the obligatory exposition.
I've been a Hari apologist until now, but making her grandma's terminal illness all about her and being that nasty to her grandma and Dr. Do for no reason in ep. 6 was too much. Girl, get your act together.
I genuinely don't understand why so many people prefer the 2nd lead here. He's handsome, I'll give him that, but…
Dr. Face is very handsome, but not in a way I find remotely stimulating. Lee Jaewook’s face has a lot more character, and his character in the drama has a lot more personality too. The idea that anyone over the age of 14 would find Dr. Face sexier or more attractive is shocking to me.
Nothing against romcoms, but feels like such a mismatch for Lee Jae Wook's talent, many romcom viewers just want…
This character is a departure from his previous roles and he’s doing a great job portraying someone neurotic/flawed yet strangely reliable. He has a lot of fun scenes with his co-star too. What exactly is your problem?
The preview for episode 3 is trying to ragebait us with love triangle nonsense, but my intuition tells me the other public health doctor will have an unrequited crush on Nurse Yook and that will be it. It's only episode two and the leads are already staring at each other dreamily when the other one isn't looking and admiring each other's professional integrity... I don't think there's anything Dr. Face could do to prevent them from falling in love lol
Decent first two episodes. Enough to keep watching. It’s no My Royal Nemesis but then again, what even comes…
I really enjoyed the first two episodes of Doctor on the Edge and dropped My Royal Nemesis 10 minutes into episode 2, so I can't really agree with this comparison. Every couple of months we get a new overhyped romantic kdrama stuffed full of scripted 'moments' and ugly designer clothing and MRN was the latest addition to that list. Doctor on the Edge is a breath of fresh air by comparison.
I'm sorry, I know she has a lot of fans, but she does NOT have the right vibe for this role and would pale in comparison to Ishihara Satomi. I'd try to get someone who can play a character with a spark in their eye, like Kim Taeri, Han Hyojoo or Park Boyoung. Jung Somin would also be a good choice, and she could definitely use a break from romcoms after playing the same character so many times. I realize most of these names would be hard to get, but there have to be other, less in-demand actresses with more vitality, pep and authenticity than Lim Yoona. Han Jimin perhaps?
They're wasting this fire cast on this Jonathan Franzen ass premise. I'm already bored just thinking about it. If you're going to make a drama about cheating, at least make it sexy! Long-term partners tired of each other and not knowing if they're still in love or not and getting dazzled by pushy NPCs who exist to highlight their character flaws is not sexy. Oh well. I'll still tune in because I trust the director, but I'm not too optimistic.
What historical drama is connected to physical reality? So you think most people falling off cliffs would survive?…
I was referencing wuxia; that's why I used the term. I was talking about some of the set and costume design choices, like the light wood paneling/furniture/floors and the cloaks.
What historical drama is connected to physical reality? So you think most people falling off cliffs would survive?…
I never said I was worried about it, though? And yes, Chinese historical fantasy dramas are frequently extremely unrealistic. The reason this one is so conspicuous is that it picked a particularly gruesome/gritty subject matter and gave it the full wuxia fairyland treatment.
All stories require the suspension of disbelief to some extent and we all have our own criteria for it as audience members. There are signs of unreality that always take us out of the story and signs we can overlook more or less easily, depending on our personal preferences and the other elements of the story we're watching/reading. You don't need to take my impression of the show so personally.
They had addressed the stink issue. FL's mother made perfumes. It was an indication towards how she might have…
Yes, thank you for reminding me of that hilarious moment. "I'm a clean beautiful butcher maid and I don't stink because my mother made scented sachets!" That made me laugh a lot. Some random scented sachet neutralizing the overpowering odor of carrion, pig shit and blood is about as believable as her having superhuman strength while weighing 45 kg.
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Anyway. It's precisely because HGY is such a delightful throwback that I find the early indications that she is to be paired up with the shouty comic-relief ahjussi who walks around in flip-flops so irritating. Such an interesting and dramatic woman deserves an equally dramatic (and at least a little bit sexy) love story, not to be reduced to some demeaning taming-of-the-shrew subplot.
In fact, the only pairing I'm really vibing with so far is that of Han Gyuoh and his unkempt and unlucky classmate. I always tend to enjoy the designated young couple in these dramas and this one is no exception. The main couple, by contrast, hasn't grabbed me yet, but I am looking forward to their development after the eight-year time skip. I'm not a fan of either of the lead actors, but hopefully their characters' story will get more interesting once we've speedrun through the obligatory exposition.
All stories require the suspension of disbelief to some extent and we all have our own criteria for it as audience members. There are signs of unreality that always take us out of the story and signs we can overlook more or less easily, depending on our personal preferences and the other elements of the story we're watching/reading. You don't need to take my impression of the show so personally.