TempestChani

Just watched episode 10, and now that we're close to the end of the show, I've got to be honest...I'm feeling underwhelmed? Was wondering if anyone else felt the same way? Don't get me wrong, I love the acting, the chemistry, the cinematography, etc. I love that the main focus here isn't building some fluffy relationship and that it's realistic, but at the same time...None of the wins ever feel like real wins? It's realistic that Sun wouldn't always win, but it isn't realistic that we never see him successfully win a fight after being told from episode one that his ad was a big deal, having him train, then survive prison, then supposedly continue training...I didn't realize until episode 10 that I'd been waiting each week for a big win to feel like the underdog story is believable, and we just keep not getting it. His dad was such a big deal, but we never see more than a handful of his old gang members. We don't have enough moments between Joe and his adopted sons to make it believable that this guy wouldn't see betrayal coming a mile away. The only show I can think to compare it to, even though they're nothing alike aside from having basically a master criminal against the MC is Itaweon Class. If you've seen it, you see that they keep it exciting by having believable wins throughout. I can't name one win that Sun had in ten episodes that wasn't handed to him aside from how he figured out how to become the boss in prison in episode 2. I've loved the show this, and still do, but now that we're only two episodes away I've realized every week I'm left wanting just a little more believable intrigue. I'm not going to rate it low and I'm not bashing the show, so please don't come for me if you disagree. I just wanted to see if anyone else felt the same and discuss. Maybe no one does and it's all me, or maybe no one will even read this 🤣🤷🏻‍♀️

I completely agree with this! Those moments in Secret Relationships where he was soft and charming, like with his niece, really showcased that he'd be a scene stealer in a calm, boy-next-door type of role.

I am absolutely loving this drama. I'm excited for it every week, and impatiently thinking about it on those days there isn't a new episode. That being said, and I know it's highly unlikely at this point, but I truly hope they do all of the characters justice by allowing them to finally let go and move on with their lives. So far, what we've gotten from this drama is how easy it is for people to cling to the past, to hold onto our memories so tightly, that those good moments blind us and keep us trapped. I would love for Eun Ho to actually attempt to find happiness by trying to discover what "Hye Ri" was so drawn to in Ju Yeon. If after eight + years she and Hyeon Oh haven't learned how to communicate with each other, they aren't going to. It'll be healthier for the both of them to leave their relationship in the past, and I think healthier for Ju Yeon to have someone he can communicate with over the grief of losing a sibling. All the things he liked about Hye Ri are aspects of Eun Ho's personality we've seen her present in her past memories when she was happy. No matter how the drama ends, if she ends up back with Hyeon Oh or not, I still think the drama is great, but I do think it'll be a serious missed opportunity to explore and address how sometimes, no matter how much we love someone or miss something, we can't be happy until we come to terms with the fact that it's gone and it's over and we let it go.

Remember when his fiance's dad said he could take out one of the men for him, and we saw this random guy walking around a corner and then heard him scream? He called that guys daughter and told her who killed her father. Definitely one of those smaller details that would easily be missed. Heck, maybe I'm wrong even 🤣 (I don't think I am just joking).

Okay, so at the end of episode 7, I'm just going to assume we're seeing a flashback to what kicked off this whole thing, since him reading his mother's diary was what got him involved in either timeline. Sure, check. But...if they're both dead in this timeline, then does that mean the other timeline is also actually real? And why haven't certain flashes in the 4 minute loops been explained, like the different writing on the cup? Because that didn't happen in either of the timelines we witnessed. How did Great see that shooter about to kill his mom outside the office when that apparently never happened in the "main" timeline? Why did they have to make Win walk out fully naked in that one episode? I've still got so many questions and there's only one episode left. 6 had me thinking I understood the plot. 7 unanswered all the questions I wrongly believed 6 had answered and left me with at least half a dozen more 🥲

I love this show so much so far! My only thing is with episode 4, I really hope that was somehow a fake stone because it really makes NO sense to take the stone from its safe hidden location, and bring it to the house that has already been broken into and searched a couple of times. That room was locked, so they knew the thieves hadn't checked there and could easily try again. Plus, the room it was hidden in in the temple was insanely good. Like, even if someone did realize that was a secret door, there's no way they'd figure out that complicated weight distribution with the books?

I thought for sure that's why IQ didn't and was so mad until I came here. Would have been insanly smart marketing, and maybe that's why they're delaying it? BUT I needed to see that trailer. I feel so much better now lmao.

Thank you. I was hoping that she would be less so in the novel, like that the writers for the show had to cut important things/scenes to make it all fit into 40 episodes and her motivations therefore made more sense in the novel and could make it better. Knowing now that isn't the case, I'll avoid reading and just continue to enjoy (and be frustrated) by the show 😂

That's the only thing I don't like about it as well. It makes her come off as hypocritical and indecisive too often. Having that moved would have made it make more sense.

See, for me though, why doesn't she feel that way toward SRQ? Where is the resentment she should be harboring there? She realizes right away after meeting up with PWX that PWX did not kill her in their past lives. She also acknowledges it was most likely SRQ who did, and that because of his scheming, she had PWX wrongly murdered. She shows she believes this to be true throughout by calling PWX her best friend etc. etc. But that would mean that SRQ manipulated her into thinking he cared ALL THAT TIME they were together, just so he could get revenge. It doesn't matter that he's not the same older version of himself. He's clearly capable, yet she never seriously considers this. It's like that whole thing was glossed over, so that while she comes off smart, she also comes off naive, which is one thing they tried really hard to prove she wasn't since she's got the mind and knowledge of a 40 year old. You're totally right that she's in denial, and I get with 40 episodes we need to have some sort of tension stretch on but man. They're really really stringing it on lol.

Ah, that explains why this was the best they could do with the character in terms of alterations for the show. I'm only on episode 14 because I was waiting for episodes to pile up, but I couldn't understand why they'd write these big sweeping breakthrough scenes (like him confessing in the rain and them agreeing from the start not to involve the other two parties they'd been involved with in the past) if they were going to make it seem like those discussions/agreements never happened in the next episode. Character development and growth is so important for the flow of a story and this is all over the place. My ONLY complaint about it 😂 Like, I can handle if one of the leads is a jerk, but the constant back and forth where she can't make up her mind or seems to forget an important lesson she just learned is so baffling. I usually like reading the novels after I watch the show but I'll be skipping this one for sure.

Thank you for letting me know! I appreciate it! Sounds like I'll be skipping the novel lol.

Not a spoiler but also might contain some references so please don't read if you haven't watched up to episode 14!

For all of you who've read the original novel, is she as hypocritical and wishy-washy in it as she's portrayed in the show? Don't get me wrong, I love the show, but at the same time, it's super frustrating constantly seeing them seem to make a breakthrough only for her to basically factory reset in the next episode. For example when they have that big convo in the rain and it seems like she understands she's always misreading people and them to agree to express themselves...only for her to go back and decide not to. Or her being so angry that he might have someone else in his heart, yet it's totally okay for her to constantly bring her crush up. Like I said, this aside, I'm still really invested in the drama, but I'm wondering if I should read the book after the show is completed to get a fresh perspective on her or not.