amrita828

@Jaybird & Minnie
You never at any point sounded abrasive to me. On the contrary, I agree with you: it's the angle we are watching from that differs. :D
It's precisely because I look at these people as fictional characters that I venture at criticizing them. In real life, clearly everyone chooses one's own methods and pace in order to find happiness, self-esteem, love or the whole package.

Also, I need to make it clear that I don't dislike the actress, who's doing a great job.
Unfortunately, my dissatisfaction with this drama doesn't rest solely on Jin Ah, even though her character's become a major source of frustration to me. There are other reasons, but they are besides the points raised here.

Therefore, I wish you fun in keeping on watching. We'll meet at the end of the road (with pistols, lol). ;)

I see your point, Minnie, and thank you for replying. Many think criticism is a mere sportspoil and would have simply told me to drop the drama. And if I have to give this show some credit, it would be that it creates this kind of debate. :)

Clearly, if we see Jin Ah as a real person, we can recognize and even sympathize with her efforts to have a large, happy family in which everyone's in accord with the other. However, as a dramatized character and main fictional lead, she's not only frustrating but, to me, very disappointing. The fact that by episode 12 her brother and even her father have made bigger steps forward than her is unsatisfying.

I'm disappointed in the speech she gave that pervert collegue of her at the restaurant, attributing her change to the fact that she now has someone she doesn't want to disappoint. I was hoping for a self determination, something like "I've realized you are wrong and I was wrong in never protesting". Otherwise, to solve the harrassment problem at work it would suffice to say "I'm married now, ta-da!"

I'm disappointed in the way she "solved" the psycho ex situation. I'm disappointed she was never sincere to anyone about that whole story, and that she's still hiding so many thing to everyone, including her best friend and her lover.
I'm more than ready to recognize she went through a lot, but by now I was waiting for something better than her accepting to go on a blind date! Not yet happy, she offers to keep JH's father informed about his son, without him knowing? Bad choice and a little egotistical too, since JH isn't a baby and she isn't his mother.

Unfortunately, all these far from small shortcomings paint the picture of a woman I liked in the beginning and sort of despise now. In terms of drama enjoyment, she's one of the main reasons why I'm not liking this show anymore, which is a pity. Basically, she's stumbling more than there's need to.
I agree with you JH isn't perfect either, but to his credit, he's tried to talk things with her more than she has been willing to do. She usually starts pouting, or offers to spend the night with him. End of heart-to-heart.

Yes, that's the point of the drama, but don't you think, perhaps people are complaining exactly about that?
The writer took one issue out of many and decided to build a whole drama around it. Of course we are watching with western eyes, don't we do this always? I think most of us have seen our good share of Asian dramas and we have always discussed the issues raised using our own, personal view of things and possibly experience. Should we suddenly mute our sets of values in order to appreciate this particular drama?

Family opposition to a relationship is far from being a new topic in a drama; what's incredibly frustrating here is that instead of giving us all - western or otherwise - a heroine we can fully empathize with, they decided to go with an anti-heroine who's still willing to compromise with a mother who not only opposes her choices and offends her at every turn, but went as far as to insult a young man she hipocritically compared to her son and deeply hurt her daughter's best friend, belittling the siblings in the face of family circumstances they are in no way responsible for.

Even in a society like that of South Korea where family is the centre of the world, there is a limit that shouldn't be surpassed, that is gratuitously hurting the people you're supposed to love. If the writer wanted us to sympathize with the situation, she wouldn't have made the mother the villain of this story, which means that in their very Korean eyes what that woman is doing is wrong too.

So why should Jin Ah accept it? A grown up woman at this point would stand by her man - isn't this concept repeated ad nauseam via that ever-present song? The drama's almost reaching the end and the heroine of the story has regressed instead of progressing. I see this as bad character writing, sorry.

I'm afraid it's you who must revise the meaning of melodrama, Blackpanther. A melodrama has a most eventful plot, so much so that it becomes over the top. A typical melodrama has got birth secrets, missed encounters by a second, misunderstandings, tricks and whatever can be thrown in to create sensation and pathos.
Yes, Shining Inheritance is a good example of melo, in fact it's everything BUT slow. In The Innocent Man there are so many events, one needs to take notes not to forget them!

Here the story revolves around one issue only, that is the romance and everyone's reaction to it, that's why it's slow. After the crazy car ride with lunatic ex, nothing has moved except mummy dear's tongue.

I agree. The high rate isn't due to the eye-candy alone, unless we tag its whole cinematography as eye-candy.

However, every single drama that gets some attention from episode 1 - for whatever reason - gets high marks at once. The rate skyrockets thanks to people who insist at rating a drama when the pilot is barely over - on what ground is still a mystery to me. I wish they would all wait until the drama is completed before deciding if it's a 10 or a 1.
It takes a long time and a lot of votes to come to a more balanced rate for a show that was labelled as fantastic from the very start, regardless of its ability or failure at keeping the initial promises.

That's a general statement, by the way, I'm not referring to this drama alone. When the next highly anticipated show airs, we will all see the same pattern repeating.

So am I the only one who's bothered by the way the whole sociopath ex boyfriend issue is treated here?

First of all, would any of you step into the car of a man who has repeatedly shown his true colours, who has been stalking you, assaulted you, insulted you in many ways and still hasn't got the message?
And if you were as naive as to do so, would you AGAIN try to solve the problem with a handshake after he's basically tried to kill you?
She should press charges, and at once.
What's her plan? Send his boyfriend and brother to his house again in case the wacko makes another move?

Furthermore, why aren't they discussing this a little more between the two, instead of her pouting and apologizing with aegyo voice for making him worry? If she wants to show she's a grown up woman who can deal with her problems, then do so!

I love romance like anyone else, but I find myself seated here, waiting for some kind of sincere, even pragmatic, explanatory talk between these two that never comes. I get it they are enthusiastically in love, but I'd also love to understand why they are.

Thank you so much Minnie!
I owe you one. :D

I second that! <3

Does anyone know the title of the song Jin Ah dances to at the end of ep.1 and beginning of 2?

Thank you! :D ♥

Ha!
Not as bas as me wishing to see more odious dramas so that I can write my reasons... :P
;)

This is when fans' MVs come in handy.: much shorter and to the point, lol. ;)

Your review and Marooya's comment sealed the deal: thank you for sparing me 16 hours of what I have the strongest ever feeling I'd hate. :D

Unconvinced.
If they had to change the cast, they should have done so with all of them. Park Hae Jin is basically repeating a role - he sure knows the script by heart and is not wasting time at learning his lines this time around (I'm a big fam of his, but I'm not sure I'm happy with his choice here). The main actress is just another pretty face whom I may have seen before or not; Kim Go Eun was different in a great way and created a believable character, regardless of what the webtoon drawing looks like.
Last but not least, I usually hate movies adaptation of a drama I have seen and enjoyed. Most plot lines are chopped and there's no time to linger on little details or a true character development.
I pass.

LMAO at Queen of the Ring.
Or not. ;)

While I can understand what you write, I can't reply in portuguese, I'm afraid.
So, thank you for reading me! I'm glad you aren't giving up on this lovely drama. :D

Oh dear, I've seen this one in Japan and it was incredibly funny, even understanding only a little of what was said.

"This drama just had a unique way of coming out of the screen and working on the inside of me."

At times a single sentence is so powerful it immediately lights up my curosity and the wish to watch the drama.
Thank you, Mike!

And we are a trio! XD
Sometimes reviews are a lot more entertaining than the drama...

Thank you for writing it, I enjoyed it immensely! :D

How could I forget our delicious discussion on Empress Ki? That drama was the best mean to get to know one another and share opinions on. :)
I'm actually sorry I've missed other just as interesting opinion sharing due to a very long slump I've finally come out of, so here's hope we will have another occasion - or two - to repeat the experience. ;)

Keep the good job!