Slow Burn Slice of Life
It took me eight years to give this drama a try. I was living in Korea when it aired and the hype was so high that I couldn't bring myself to join the masses. As the years went by I heard mostly negative reviews from my foreign friends and only my Korean friends seemed to like the drama. I pretty much knew the plot and never felt the need to watch it due to the mixed reactions from everyone. The only reason I finally watched it is because I've been on a Jung HaeIn phase somewhat against my will - and no one will dispute this is the drama that launched him into leading man roles.
To begin, I should say that anyone who is not Korean or doesn't know/hasn't experienced Korean culture will be frustrated with the majority of the drama. It is not a typical Kdrama rom com or soap opera. The styling, characterization, and pacing are quite unique even by Korean standards (which probably explains why it was such a hit here in its home country). A lot of the drama focuses on the family dynamics and social standings that many Koreans still have but that many other cultures find difficult to empathize with or understand.
I would not recommend this as a drama to binge. It seemed better to me in 1 - 2 episode increments - exactly as if it were airing. The episodes felt more like watching the daily lives of the characters than an actual drama. It was romantic - yes. It was also boring at times, exciting at others, frustrating, funny, and sad.
The good things:
The characters felt like real people. They weren't perfect, they had ups and downs, they had feelings that were mostly relatable. The acting was on point - everyone was locked into their role. I personally liked the scenes that lasted longer than most dramas, letting the actors really commit to their character and making the situations seem even more real.
The romance/chemistry was present. Almost no critics of the drama actually had issues with the leads chemistry - they were a very cute and watchable couple.
The story was good - so many reviews hated on the plot, but to me it felt like a real family, workplace, and home. As someone who lives in Korea, I could relate to so many little moments.
The bad things:
The music was too distracting. It got slightly better in the later episodes, but using the same songs so many times made them lose whatever effect they might have had.
The slow motion was overused as well. Montages seem to be this director's thing, but I wasn't captivated by all the dramatic scenes showing the characters having fun or not having fun in a time lapse. Perhaps this is partly due to the fact that most of the slow motion scenes were set to the overused music.
The final few episodes. Without major spoilers, some of the choices made by the main characters didn't exactly match up with how they were portrayed from the start. It felt a bit as though the writer had a pre determined plot to follow and had to quickly figure out how to make it happen in 2 episodes.
In conclusion, not everyone will enjoy this drama. If you want to give it a try, I will say that a certain understanding and/or appreciation of Kculture (especially family/Confucianism) will allow you to view more objectively. If you like men who fall first and are soft little puppies for their women you will like the main lead. If you like episodes that feel like watching someone's daily life, you will enjoy the story. If you don't like those things, you will probably feel frustrated by this drama.
I'm glad I watched it - probably won't watch it again, but it's definitely on my 'worth it' list.
To begin, I should say that anyone who is not Korean or doesn't know/hasn't experienced Korean culture will be frustrated with the majority of the drama. It is not a typical Kdrama rom com or soap opera. The styling, characterization, and pacing are quite unique even by Korean standards (which probably explains why it was such a hit here in its home country). A lot of the drama focuses on the family dynamics and social standings that many Koreans still have but that many other cultures find difficult to empathize with or understand.
I would not recommend this as a drama to binge. It seemed better to me in 1 - 2 episode increments - exactly as if it were airing. The episodes felt more like watching the daily lives of the characters than an actual drama. It was romantic - yes. It was also boring at times, exciting at others, frustrating, funny, and sad.
The good things:
The characters felt like real people. They weren't perfect, they had ups and downs, they had feelings that were mostly relatable. The acting was on point - everyone was locked into their role. I personally liked the scenes that lasted longer than most dramas, letting the actors really commit to their character and making the situations seem even more real.
The romance/chemistry was present. Almost no critics of the drama actually had issues with the leads chemistry - they were a very cute and watchable couple.
The story was good - so many reviews hated on the plot, but to me it felt like a real family, workplace, and home. As someone who lives in Korea, I could relate to so many little moments.
The bad things:
The music was too distracting. It got slightly better in the later episodes, but using the same songs so many times made them lose whatever effect they might have had.
The slow motion was overused as well. Montages seem to be this director's thing, but I wasn't captivated by all the dramatic scenes showing the characters having fun or not having fun in a time lapse. Perhaps this is partly due to the fact that most of the slow motion scenes were set to the overused music.
The final few episodes. Without major spoilers, some of the choices made by the main characters didn't exactly match up with how they were portrayed from the start. It felt a bit as though the writer had a pre determined plot to follow and had to quickly figure out how to make it happen in 2 episodes.
In conclusion, not everyone will enjoy this drama. If you want to give it a try, I will say that a certain understanding and/or appreciation of Kculture (especially family/Confucianism) will allow you to view more objectively. If you like men who fall first and are soft little puppies for their women you will like the main lead. If you like episodes that feel like watching someone's daily life, you will enjoy the story. If you don't like those things, you will probably feel frustrated by this drama.
I'm glad I watched it - probably won't watch it again, but it's definitely on my 'worth it' list.
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