Not bad but could be shorter

I did not go in to this with much in the way of expectations. The show was overall enjoyable to watch, the ML and FL were cute together. There were some interesting criminal mystery elements but the linking together the ML and FL through a past crime to create drama was just unnecessary and seemed forced. The show really dragged out the main murder mystery, too. I think overall the show could have been far shorter than it was.

Also, I am really tired of the Noble Idiot trope, one person deciding they know what is best for everybody for reasons that really don't make sense to anybody (audience included.) For me almost every romance series becomes unbearable from episode 8-12 (16-36 in this series.) because a lead decides they need to break up for the good of the other person totally disregarding that person's feelings. I fast forward through all of the romantic longing scenes because they ruin the show for me. I think it would be more interesting to show couples learning to work together and the conflict that happens from being together. I just wish writers would find a new formula.

Rhetorical question: What is with exes showing up in these dramas and acting like their former partner betrayed them by liking somebody new? You left, stay gone. There are billions of people in the world, make the SL somebody new and intriguing.

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Very enjoyable

I didn't have great expectations for this show but I ended up liking it a lot.

Although the ML seems cold and cruel and like he isn't listening to the FL Ruan Nian Chu, he is trying to protect the her from secret danger that he never tells her about ahead of time. Which seems pointless because the FL was written as clever, understanding, and reasonable. The sexual tension between the characters was steamy but would have been better if she didn't think he was a crazy ex who wouldn't let go. (His constant whispering near her ear gave me the vapors *fans self.*)

I loved Fei Fei as a friend, she and Ruan Nian Chu were cute together. However, she was ultra annoying, childish, and pushy with her "parking prince." I really hate seeing a grown a** woman behave like a 5 year-old to get a man's attention, it's gross. I was not rooting for the relationship between her and Jiang Hao to develop at all. And his daughter was terrible, sorry I do not enjoy seeing entitled bratty kids ruining things and being coddled, I am here to be entertained, not annoyed. That whole subplot was full of annoying behavior from annoying characters.

The overall plot is not bad, it is enough to keep you interested between ML/FL interactions. It is a nice, light, not too full of drama show. I liked that the FL would just say what she thought, was smart enough to pick up on clues, and would stand up for herself. I left each episode feeling satisfied.

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Would be better without the romance

I liked everybody in the cast except the FL Song Hye Kyo, I have watched several shows with her and just don't get the appeal. Her acting is flat and stiff and she never seems comfortable with any ML. (Which is especially weird considering she ended up marrying Song Joong Ki for a short bit. ) I never find myself empathizing with her characters, including her character in this series. I did not find it believable based on her behavior that the ML would try so hard to win her over, again and again.

The show would have been better off just focusing on the adventures of Yoo Shi-jin and Seo Dae-young and the medical team in Urk and leaving the main two romances out. As it is, I lost interest after the 239th break up of the ML and FL. The secondary couple was terrible. The secondary female lead was so selfish and immature in her decision making and so persistent that it just seemed as if Seo dated her just to shut her up. I never felt there was a chemistry between them no matter how many tears they forced out. Maybe the actor was just not good with romantic scenes?

Some positive notes, I loved how cheezy the American soldiers were, it made me laugh at how bad their acting is. I liked the fighting and action scenes. Watching shirtless soldiers jogging in formation is my new favorite pastime.

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Weak, boring plot

I was interested in this show because it was unique concept. However, the main couple's story line was just terrible. The FL's character was so boring even during the beach scenes when she was supposed to be intriguing. (I have nothing against Kim Ji Won, but I just never find her characters to be interesting, I don't know if its the writing or acting.) Anyway I didn't understand why the ML was so obsessed with her to the point that he becomes an alcoholic crybaby for years after meeting her. Her "big reveal" to explain her actions ( I read about it in an episode recap) was so anticlimactic that I am glad I dropped the show. I would have been mad to find out she acted like such a turd for such mundane reasons. Then after all the crappy behavior she still ends up with the ML? She deserved to be alone.

Also, showing people being obsessively in love after years of being rejected or ignored is just not a healthy example. I can't even finish shows that use that trope anymore. Writing characters such as the ML encourages people to just keep obsessing. No means no, move on, there are 8 billion people in the world, go meet another one.

I was happy that the characters were written to approach sex the way adults would. I am over seeing characters in their late twenties (even through to their forties) being written to act appalled by a simple hug or as if a closed mouth kiss is taboo. I don't think characters need to have full blown sex scenes constantly but if shows could stop having fully grown adult characters act like preteens afraid of cooties that would be great.

The secondary characters were more interesting but still not enough to keep me watching. I really do not understand how this show has such high ratings. If you are somebody who understands that Romeo and Juliet is NOT a love story, then you probably also disliked this show.

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