7.75 Stars...so close to 8 Stars!

There are so many mixed reviews and opinions of The Legend of Xiao Chuo. Despite all of the mixed reviews (there are some seriously strong *negative* reviews/comments), I decided to give this one a shot - there was something about the OST MVs that just had me tantalized - I had to know the whole story behind those snapshots in the MVs in detail. And while The Legend of Xiao Chuo isn't 100% perfect, I found that I was thinking about it when I went to bed and when I woke up and I wasn't bored while watching the 48, 45 minute episodes!

I remember when I was a child that I would wish that TV shows would just skip to the important stuff so we would fast-forward the boring stuff and get to the stuff that matters. Well, The Legend of Xiao Chuo does just this! It was odd, I will admit, because most dramas (excluding family and longer, war-themed dramas) only span a couple months, tops. TLOXC really covers 20+ years in pretty decent detail with a good epilogue in the final episode, documenting the final chapter (deaths) of our MCs. So, yes, odd that the pacing of this drama utilized time-jumps often, but I appreciated that the plot wasn't dragged out or bored with trivial details. Which brings me to my next point...

TLOXC really isn't a *romantic* romance. Yes, the story starts out with sweet(-ish) romances, but by the time episode 25 rolls around, the story is all about politics. Plain and simple. It's about duty, responsibility, conflicts, alliances. I personally found it riveting and couldn't stop watching. It was like watching juicy gossip acted out. Now, I grew up in a Puerto Rican household, so I am no stranger to *chisme* or telenovelas, so to clarify: it's not on *that* level of drama and politics, but I found it interesting to watch an ancient culture play out with the beautiful costumes and decent acting (it was way more engaging and enjoyable than watching a documentary, that is!).
Anyways, I say all this to warn: if you are considering TLOXC because of the romance, you will likely find yourself bored and/or infuriated by the way our MCs are broken apart. It is truly heartbreaking...

Which leads into my next point: There is nothing wrong with being infuriated on behalf of people (*ahem* characters) who are slighted or wronged. BUT, it is not appropriate to apply your own ideals from the society we currently live in today with our current privileges (especially when looking at women's status) to that of ancient times. Don't get me wrong - some of the events that take place in the story are absolutely wrong! BUT, you cannot fault the storywriters for writing the story "wrong" when in reality, that *is* reality from those times.
For example, aside from the obvious splitting up of Yanyan and Han Derang, Mingyi falls in-love near the end of his life AND GETS TO BE HAPPY WITH HER. That really upset me considering what he did to his brother-like-bestfriend. BUT, I had to keep reminding myself that that's how it was in those days - emperor's could be with whomever they wanted, whenever they wanted because *they were* the law (and men, but I digress LOL).
It's very sobering, but also humbling to come to this realization. Once I had this conversation with myself, I was able to move past the tragedies our MCs endured to appreciate the story being told and reflect on the privileges and safeties we are afforded in our modern society.


Now to move onto the characters:
While Yanyan and Han Derang were the main romantic pairing in TLOXC whom I was happy for in the end, my favorite pairing was actually Hunian and Yansage. Hunian was actually my favorite character (aside from Han Derang's amazing mother - she called it how it was and I loved every second of it!). Hunian was someone I could identify with in the sense that being the eldest sibling, you have this sense of responsibility to your parents, to your siblings, to your "clan", that outweighs your own desires and comforts. And as most eldest siblings will likely also identify with, Hunian did not begrudge her place and role in her family. She accepted her responsibility and got through it. Her relationship with Yansage was the most interesting and intriguing dynamic in the entire drama for me. Yansage was my favorite antagonist in the entire drama because he was so multilayered! He wasn't strictly black-and-white; he adored Hunian and was truly in agony when they lost their baby and the risk to Hunian's life (the only true moment of despair we ever really see in Yansage), but he was also extremely intelligent and always scheming for the throne. His character was so complex. I truly could not get enough of Hunian and Yansage as a couple. Even after reading spoilers, I HAD to see how things played out for myself.

What made me sad was the conclusion to Hunian in the end of the drama. So many horrible things happened to Hunian throughout the entire drama, but she always got herself back up, dusted herself off, and kept going. I was so happy that even after Yansage's death (and other tragedies in the plot) that Hunian was able to finally find happiness. But it was short-lived. Her ending just leaves me so sad for her. She is bitter and angry and it hurts to see her that way. I wish, as the viewer who adored her character, that Hunian had had a truly happy ending.

I have read a lot of hate against Xiyin and Wuguli. While they were my least favorite couple in the entire drama, they went well together. The character progression for both Xiyin and Wuguli are logical, even if it *is* distasteful for us viewers.


Some things that really stood out to me that I appreciated:
--I really liked how the death scenes were captured. The acting, music, angles, and lines were impactful, specifically in regard to Yansage's and Xiyin's deaths. The way these death scenes were captured and executed really elevated the entire moment.

--I really appreciated the way the final conversation was handled between Mingyi, Yanyan, their eldest son (the future emperor), and Han Derang. It settled something in my heart. Even though I had logically come to terms with Mingyi's treachery against Yanyan and Han Derang nearly 20 years prior, Mingyi acknowledging that he betrayed their brotherhood and trust settled me. The way he rested their hands on top of each other in his final breathes was poetic irony and foreshadowing. Well done!

--I also LOVED that Mingyi's Minor Consort was just the woman he loved with not extra dramatics or malicious intents to distract or spoil the plot. That was so very refreshing!
--Additionally, on the same note, I was super worried that Mingyi's younger (biological) brother would try to plot against his own brother, which would have been a tough pill to swallow, but again, refreshing - HE DOESN'T! He actually sincerely protects Mingyi in the end! A much welcomed deviation from expected tropes.

--I loved how Yanyan's son, the new emperor, and Han Derang's mother both encouraged Yanyan and Han Derang, respectively, to satisfy their hearts and be with their chosen love after they have been widowed. There was something in the dynamics between mother and son in those conversations that just made my heart mush.

Acting:
Meh. It wasn't bad acting, but....don't hate me....but I just don't feel that Chinese acting compares to Korean actors. I think it might have something to do with the voiceovers (dubbing) that throws it off for me. The dubbing wasn't terribly distracting, which is a win! And the acting was good for a majority of the drama. Really, you just need to get to know the characters to get invested to look past the awkward misalignment of sound vs. lip movement. Trust me, the acting was decent enough for me to stick with the entire drama - the story really makes up for it by keeping you interested the whole time!

So - after finishing all 48 episodes, overall, I am left feeling kind of crestfallen, but satisfied at the same time. TLOXC was just one of those dramas I had to watch for myself, regardless of the negative feedback I was reading. It really wasn't anywhere nearly as bad as many negative comments portray it. It was actually quite good and I think deserves some more recognition as a *historical* story. I am glad to have watched it to be able to witness the above mentioned wins with this drama. I wouldn't recommend TLOXC, but I would definitely defend it!

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So the concept of #Alive is very similar to Train to Busan, but less intense. It was a bit slow in the beginning because the story is very character focused. Our MMC is couped up in his house for weeks before we even meet the other main character, the FMC. It kind of has a survivalist feel to it in the beginning, which was a bit slow, yet not entirely boring.

Once we meet the FMC, things really pick up. Their interactions were nice and the way the story evolves with them working together was cool.

The last 30 minutes had me on the edge of my seat - I wasn't sure if they'd make it or not (after Train to Busan, I have trust issues XD). I loved the ending, even if it's unlikely. I don't care! It was a great way to finish the story.

Overall, if you like zombie movies, I'd say, obviously watch it. If you're a chicken like me when it comes to scary stuff, this isn't scary really, just gory. It's not terribly intense and the ending is satisfying. I'd recommend giving it a shot, but it's not a "must see".

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Secret was okay as a melodrama. It was definitely better than Mask (2015), but it wasn't mind blowing like a lot of the reviews claim. The first 5 or so episodes were pretty rough to get through - watching the FMC go through her tragedy was pretty awful and it didn't get easier to watch until after she got out of prison.

The romance between MCs was decent, but it wasn't epic or steamy or particularly romantic. It was a pretty realistic build up, I just wanted more depth and tension. The actors were decent, but I didn't find that the MCs had a lot of chemistry (and they did NOT look great kissing - I disagree with that common opinion).

The plot itself was a bit slow and drawn out, which wasn't too bad, but not great either. Just kind of had me "meh."


***MILD SPOILERS BELOW***

What I really liked about this drama was the ending. The way the FMC's ex realizes how his greed caused him to lose his future of happiness as a father and husband was so well portrayed. The entire scene when he fell apart gave me goosebumps!
I also really liked how the FMC was consistent with her character by the end - she was such a good mother to her son up until the end by not insisting on ripping him away from his adoptive mother even though she was devastated and desperate to get him back. Yes, it was sad that the FMC didn't get to be with her son again as mother-son, but it was a good resolution that fit the story and characters.

***MILD SPOILERS ABOVE***


The soundtrack was decent - while none of the songs bothered me, none of them particularly stood out. *shrugs*

Overall, this drama was alright. I don't think I'd recommend it or dissuade anyone from watching it. It wasn't awful but it wasn't intense or remarkable either. I don't understand all of the hype in the reviews for this drama, but I can respect it.

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I think maybe I have a very different opinion about this movie than a lot of other people. My biggest dislike about this movie is how many characters are cheaters. I just find it very distasteful (the significant other who is cheating and the person the significant other is cheating with are both equally disgusting to me). With that being said, cheating and lying between characters is what the plot is built on to propel the story, so I wasn't crazy about the overall movie by the end.

BUT the movie was good for it's entertainment factor. There were quite a few humorous moments when watching interactions between characters during specific scenes. The ending was also happily-ever-after so that was good. I also found that the 2 MCs had good chemistry and the supporting cast were well selected and just as entertaining to witness.

Honestly, there's not a lot of plot progression - everyone is simply getting drunk/unwinding after work and trying to get over their ex/significant others in their own ways. It's a pretty chill plot, so if people don't mind the cheater sub-plot then I suppose it would be much more entertaining. *shrugs*

Personally, I don't think I would recommend this movie to anyone - it wasn't a bad movie, but it wasn't particularly good for it to stand out to be recommendable against other amazing-er movies. XD

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So I must confess that I didn't even watch the trailer of this movie until AFTER watching the movie; the synopsis was interesting enough to convince me to watch it without needing to watch the trailer! Watching the trailer now, it truly is a great representation of the overall movie - it's fast paced, action packed, and funny! Miss & Mrs. Cop is so funny! And so inappropriate! But so funny!

This movie focuses on a particular group of female victims who have been drugged, raped, and video taped, to be broadcast on the internet so that the assailants can gain illicit drug-interested customers. Our 2 main leads fight these horrific crimes head-on and they absolutely kick ass. It was really nice to see 2 main leads who are both female team up, and then they are triumphant in their endeavors in the end. Very refreshing to witness such kick ass female characters who are also funny in such a fast paced, action packed movie.

Now, as it can be seen across numerous societies around the world, crimes against women tend to be brushed off and minimized, which is depicted here by the peers/coworkers of the 2 MCs. But thankfully, with their persistence (and expressed disgust/outrage), the MCs remind their peers of their responsibilities to do their job with diligence. I appreciate how this movie acknowledged the biases against women and therefore acknowledging, the impacts on women when they are threatened, violated, and/or assaulted. The resolution to the story was impeccably satisfying and full-circle.

I would highly recommend this K-movie and definitely watch it again in the future!

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I started this drama simply for Woo Do Hwan. I've seen a number of his drama's thus far, but after seeing his stellar performance in My Country, I'd really like to see everything he's in.

FMV's made this drama look pretty intense and steamy, which you kinda get in the drama, but that's not really the overall tone. So I'd say the music videos might be a bit misleading as to what to expect.

The drama was interesting to watch in the beginning while the 3 main friends were building their mission to get revenge and to stop the marriage between their parents, but once Kwon Shi Hyun falls for Eun Tae Hee, things got a bit repetitive and boring. There was this constant, repetitive push and pull between these two - they would have a wonderful couple of days and then they'd find something out they didn't like and "break up" and ignore or hate each other for a couple of days and then they'd reconcile. And REPEAT. It got old. It happened at least 4 times, which made the drama dragggg. And get annoying. After a certain point, you just kinda of go, "oh wtf. Come ON."

In regards to actors/characters:
I enjoyed Woo Do Hwan's performance - I much prefer him in My Country and Mad Dog, but he wasn't bad.
Joy wasn't as bad as everyone bashes her to be. I didn't have any qualms with her performance and I can't blame the actress for her character's role, which I think many viewers forget - the characters are written by someone else, the actors portray them. *shrugs* I wouldn't mind watching her again in the future.

I've enjoyed Kim Min Jae's acting in everything I've seen him in and he was equally as good here. His character was pretty tragic - his family/home life was pretty awful and he had an unrequited love with his best friend. Nonetheless, he took things in stride and was the most entertaining throughout the drama. BUT what I couldn't forgive his character for was backstabbing Kwon Shi Hyun toward the end of the story. It was out of character and really didn't sit well with me. This ruined him for me...
Which brings me to Choi Soo Ji - I didn't have an issue with the actress, she was just fulfilling her role, but OMG I hated her character. I don't see what made her so desirable aside from her money and physique. She was shallow, wishy-washy, manipulative, deceitful, and spoiled. She was used to getting whatever she wanted and if anyone inconveniences her or takes what she wants (even if she wasn't clear about what she wants), she feels the entitlement to take revenge or throw a fit. It was immature and annoying. No redeeming qualities.

Now, ALL of these things *could* have been looked past had the ending not sucked so bad. I continued watching till the end because I was hoping for a really thorough, steamy, happy ending. But alas, the ending was really rushed and had a crap-ton of loose ends. For example, what happened to the bastard Lee Ki Yeong or Hye Jung and her boyfriend? What was the purpose in Se Joo disappearing and what happens now that he and Soo Ji are reunited? What happened with Myung Mi Ri, specifically with her confession? These were things that needed more resolution and not such a generalized, skimmed over ending. Instead of repeating the on-again, off-again relationship between Kwon Shi Hyun and Eun Tae Hee, they could have utilized that time to create a more complete, well-rounded and satisfying ending. And honestly, the way Kwon Shi Hyun and Eun Tae Hee separated and got back together in the ending was dumb and unsatisfying.

So, I will not be rewatching this drama nor would I recommend it to other drama fans. And even though I bashed the crap out of this drama above, it overall wasn't awful. It was simply "okay" for me. The biggest issue was that the ending was so weak, it made the overall drama exasperating. Even if the beginning is fun and entertaining, if the middle is super messy and then the ending isn't at all satisfying, why invest the time?

Oh, and the OST was decent. I didn't dislike it, but there was no specific soundtrack that stuck out to me or was particularly memorable.

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I was a little hesitant to watch Eulachacha Waikiki just because it didn't look like it would have much going on when watching trailers. BUTTTT after watching some "funny moments" on Youtube, I decided it looked humorous enough to give it a shot. And man oh man am I happy I did! I laughed during every single episode and not just "laughed" but truly had full belly laughs that would make my sides hurt and my eyes tear. I found the comedy to be extremely lighthearted and truly hilarious. The balance of comedy with the slice-of-life drama was perfect - when something got "serious" there was always something to help lessen the blow. The romance was predictable (I figured out who would be paired with who early on), but I didn't mind the predictability because the story was told in such a fun and light way, it made me happy to watch everything unfold. I loved watching the friendships (old and new) between all the characters as well as watching all the romances develop. I also adored baby Sol. Every time she smiled or laughed or simply came up on the screen I would want to cuddle her because she was so cute!

In regards to the actors, I think everyone did a pretty great job with their roles. The only person I had a bit of trouble with was Jung In Sun - she was a good actress, but I think she had some trouble showing us the inner turmoil and mixed feelings her character was having in regards to her love interest and so it made her difficult to read and interpret, especially early on. I think her acting and representation of her character significantly improved in the last quarter of the drama when compared to when she initially rejects her perspective love interest more toward the beginning of the drama.

What I really loved about this drama aside from the comedic aspects of the story telling, was how there was no "bad guy." There wasn't someone who was ridiculously malicious or evil for the sake of moving the plot. Everyone had well-rounded characters who all made mistakes and tried their best to fix them or make amends. The conflicts weren't drawn out or bogged down with melodrama, instead they resolved things relatively realistically (with of course, the comedic flare). Another point I'd really like to make in recommending this drama would be that every conflict was resolved. The drama is definitely slice-of-life, showing us how we might fight with our loved ones and how inevitably, we figure things out without super grudges or vendettas.

If you are a fan of the ABC Family, Baby Daddy, or simply enjoy slice-of-life with romance and some serious comedy with a non-rushed ending, I would highly recommend Eulachacha Waikiki. You won't regret it and you absolutely won't be able to stop binge watching it, so maybe start on a Friday night. ;P

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Lovely romance that keeps you smiling through to the epilogue!

Live Up To Your Name has been on my PTW on Netflix for wayyyy too long XD. I'm not sure why I didn't watch it sooner, but after finishing it, I'm mad at my past-self for not watching it sooner! Haha! It *did* take between 4-6 episodes for me to get really invested in the story, but after that, I was thoroughly hooked!

Being a daughter of immigrants, the way the MMC, Heo Im, struggled with the modern day culture and language made me giggle often as I could easily identify with the struggles he encountered while adjusted to the foreign modern world! His many moments of adjustment while in the modern world sincerely helped maintain a balanced tone and mood - it never got too dark or sad!

The comedy, time spent in each world, practiced medicine, and romance are really well balanced throughout this entire drama, even weaving some historical facts in there to give context. The ending was very good too, which I was happy about (I was worried there for a second, "I thought this was a happy ending!" 'XD).

I really liked that they go back and forth between worlds - the time spent in the past was personally very meaningful to me, and especially humbling to the FMC, Yeon Kyung.
My favorite arc of the story was when interacting with the Japanese General, General Sayaka, especially when saving the children!

Live Up To Your Name is a lovely romance - I would 100% recommend it! The main actors, Kim Nam Gil and Kim Ah Joong have great chemistry, which makes their romance and tension all the spicier! It's got great comedy, not bogged down by too much corporate business politics, and a smashing OST (the instrumentals especially are fantastic - "Fate" by Yoo Jonghyun is my favorite!).

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Totally worth watching for Lee Sang Yeob!

I didn't even know 1 episode "dramas" existed, courtesy of KBS's yearly drama special series, but I'm glad to have stumbled upon them. These 1 hour-ish short stories are great to watch when you're in a funk or don't want to commit to a longer drama or just need a satisfying break.

What made this drama worth watching was seeing Lee Sang Yeob. I absolutely adored him in Once Again and when I saw him in the trailer for this drama, I just had to watch it, especially considering it was a romance. And let me tell you, he did not disappoint. His acting was stellar, as expected. I even cried at one point when he portrayed his character's heartbreak.

Lee Yoo Young was okay. I've only seen her in 1 other drama (Tunnel) and she's just an odd person to me.

The ending was slightly rushed - I would have been okay with a slightly more drawn out, developed conclusion to their rekindled romance, but perhaps that was due to time constraints?

I didn't really notice the music, though, that's not surprising in an hour long drama.

I don't likely think I'll rewatch this. Not because it wasn't good, but because I'm not a huge fan of the FMC/actress.

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Promising story, horrible conclusion - UGH

DDSSLLS was solidly enjoyable in the beginning. Ra Ra was a bit of an airhead compared to my usual tastes in FMCs, but she was innocent and wasn't malicious at all. Her struggles were cliched, but believable - a fallen heiress having to adjust to life without. But who picked Ra Ra's wardrobe? It was okay *sometimes*, but most of the time, it was AWFUL. I know that name-brand expensive clothing can be pretty ridiculous, but this is crazy. Just WHY? *shakes head*

ANYways, the side characters were also entertaining. I generally liked all of the side characters and their stories, but my favorite was Jun.

Jun was precious and a classic tsundere and I loved him 100%. My fierce adoration for him is why I'm pretty upset with how his story turned out. I was surprised by the initial plot twist in (I think) episode 6, but recovered quickly because the plot twist didn't destroy who he was. But once Jun's big secret was revealed, I wasn't a fan of how they wrote his story around his tiger mom. And THEN they wrote his "tragedy" into the finale and I just couldn't stomach all the flaws in their story writing anymore. How is it possible that this is the same screenwriter from Shopping King Louie?! (Though, not to go off onto a complete tangent, but Terius Behind Me flopped too sooooo. >.< )

I'm not sure why the writers felt the need to go in the direction they did in the last 6 or so episodes, but it didn't make me happy or satisfy me at all. Just because they "overcome" tragedy doesn't mean that their story all of a sudden becomes more endearing (this could apply to more than 1 character/set of characters). *sigh* And then the time jump in the end before the "epilogue" was such a cop out (so many products in entertainment do this and ugh it's annoying). *roll eyes* Write a strong ending/conclusion instead of a forced "happily-ever-after" after destroying the story with garbage tragedy and plot inconsistencies and fallacies.

I wouldn't recommend this drama. The beginning seems like it'll be a fluffy, sweet, drama, but it's really not worth it, even if the majority of the drama is light and fun. The conclusion to this drama really brought down this story.

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Unexpectedly wholesome and enjoyable

The biggest selling point of this drama for me was it's length - 3 episodes is a PERFECT drama length when you don't know what you want to watch and just want to fill in the void until you find that one drama to dedicate yourself to a good binge watch.

I really enjoyed how wholesome this story was - each of the main characters had a nice, relatable story and evolution, which I ate up. I appreciated all of their struggles and how they each overcame them.

While the story did not have romance, the story was still overall satisfying, even for someone like me who enjoys a nice romantic sub-plot. The only plot improvement I would have really loved for the ending to have included was a bit more in the ending/conclusion of the story (like, a more inclusive epilogue).

I loved the soundtrack, both the OST and the selected piano pieces.
The actors were well-suited to their roles.

I will likely rewatch this for a number of reasons: it's quick and short to watch, the good feels in the end, the piano genre (I like instrumental music), and the unique plot device of blindness. Stories like this one make me want to go find similar ones to enjoy the feels again. :}

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Overall, Good Casting was a nice mystery drama, but it had its flaws.

I wasn't a huge fan of Im Ye Eun's love interest - he was too immature and it felt superficial considering she has a daughter; any man who is interested in her would need to really prove that he's there for the long haul for both mother and daughter.
I really liked Baek Chan Mi's love interest and I was really glad they got their happily-ever-after, even if it was kinda rushed in the end. I wanted more!

The beginning of the drama was really strong - the tragedy from the beginning was devastating and goosebump-inducing. But I just didn't feel like the conclusion packed a strong enough punch in the end from all the buildup. And what was the point in killing off a character in the last episode?! *inner rage* XD Also, the identity of Michael wasn't a spectacular reveal and anticlimactic, which was really disappointing.

The fighting sequences were fantastically choregraphed! So cool and awesome to watch! Especially the female fighters!

I've never seen Choi Kang Hee in anything, but I really liked her voice AND her acting.
Yoo In Young has usually played the antagonist in previous dramas, so it was really nice seeing her as the good character. I'd really like to see her in another drama, again as the protagonist, but a little less meek.
I really loved Lee Sang Yeob - he's played a mix of bad and good characters in the past, but this drama just kinda sealed the deal for me. He's someone I will definitely give a drama a chance for! The way he portrays emotions and his chemistry with other actors is great!

OST was nice - I enjoyed some of the songs, didn't care for other songs. The music was well placed though, and didn't bother me overall.

I likely won't rewatch this entire drama, but I'd probably happily watch F/MVs of this drama, especially to get some of Chan Mi and Seok Ho.

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The only reason why I honestly picked up Revenge Note is because of how short it is - the episodes are only 35 minutes and there was only 11 of them, which made it a super quick watch. Honestly though, the drama could have been wrapped up by episode 6 or 7.

I liked the drama alright. The characters were cute and the high school drama was consistent and predicable (not necessarily in a bad way though). The idea of "revenge note" was fresh, which I appreciated, but by episode 6 or 7, I had seen enough of the concept to be ready for a wrap-up because nothing new was really happening after that point.

What I am kind of bummed about is Cha Eun Woo. I adore his character, but he basically disappeared around episode 8. I know he was just the second lead, but man he was adorable - he really needed to be present for the remainder of the drama for at least consistency's sake! And yes, obviously, I have SLS (even though there was nothing wrong with Ji Hoon).

Anyways, I enjoyed the fact that this was a mindless and quick watch with little to no commitment. Very casual for when you're bored.

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I liked this drama through and through. It was balanced really well between the spookier scenes and the comedic/cute romantic scenes. So while the spooky scenes were kinda disturbing initially, they were quickly remedied with a cute noise, a funny joke, and/or some slap-stick comedic moment. This is what really maintained the drama's entertainment value for me. I watched this drama extremely casually, but committed nonetheless. I didn't feel a need to rush through the episodes to find out what happens, but I also always came back to it to inevitably finish because I found the drama entertaining.

I think the best thing about this drama was the selection of actors - they all had great chemistry together and they all had the capability to be funny/cute, which as mentioned before, helped balance the drama significantly.

While I enjoyed this drama, the only reason why it doesn't score higher for me is because I simply liked it and enjoyed it while it lasted for all it's qualities. But, I didn't find myself obsessing over it, nor did I find it to be addicting. It wasn't particularly amazing, out-of-this-world, or never-seen-before enthralling. It was pleasurable and left me feeling satisfied though, which I absolutely give it credit for.

I would recommend this to people who enjoyed The Master's Sun and Oh My Ghostess.

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I avoided watching this drama while it was airing and continued my avoidance after its completion simply because the synopsis and trailers misled me. I thought it was going to be some cringe-y drama about an obsessed fan-girl and a guy who stumbles across her secret and holds it against her maliciously...I never expected a healthy romance to bloom, which I was completely and pleasantly surprised by.

I really enjoyed the fan-girl portrayal - it was fun and kinda made me feel not so alone in having an obsession deemed inappropriate by the society I live in. What *did* unfortunately disappoint me though was that the fan-girling was mostly forgotten once the MCs got together and the celebrity never found out about her, which was kind of disappointing.

In regards to cliches, I didn't mind the cliched plot twist about the MCs childhoods, as many apparently did. It's a romantic comedy *shrugs* it's gonna have cliches. And in comparison to other rom-coms, the cliches included were well handled.

But what really needs to be noted and taken away from this drama wasn't the plot. It was the characters. Her Private Life is truly character driven and it's a mature watch. Forgiveness and acceptance were large topics in this drama that were handled very maturely with little to no drama, which was refreshingly clean and quick to watch. There were also quite a few steamy scenes (our main actors have some amazing chemistry) that I must sheepishly admit had me completely enamored. I also really appreciated that the "love triangle" wasn't unnecessarily drawn out or petty. It was neat and the second leads dropped out gracefully.

The ending....hmm...I think the last 2 episodes were necessary to tie-up loose ends, but they *did* drag quite a bit in comparison to the pace of the rest of the drama. I could have easily forgotten or lost interest to watch the last episode and still had a general idea of what happened in "the end." And for some reason, I get a Coffee Prince feel for the ending. *shrugs*

What kept me watching this drama in binge-style viewing over 3 days was the laugh-out loud comedy (I literally replayed certain hysterical scenes multiple times just to laugh again), the quick pace, and the extremely well selected actors for our MCs (their chemistry was through the roof and I couldn't help but eat it up! :*}). Her Private Life isn't a must-see and it *does* have its flaws, but enjoyable and infatuating just the same.


**Side Note:
I know that some people have often mentioned and criticized how the female MC's best friend treated and regarded her husband poorly as well as found the extreme fan-girls to be beyond extreme and borderline criminal. I acknowledge these 2 points and absolutely deem them valid. I would just like to say that they didn't stick out much to me because the genre of drama has certain tropes, characters, and cliches that I am personally expecting. Honestly, these 2 criticisms, while valid, are the much preferred plot devices compared to some other, more extreme and/or cruel plot devices I've seen employed in dramas before, which is why I didn't mention them in depth above.

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