An easy, lighthearted watch, with a fairly good pace. No unnecessary angst or dramatics. Romance is relatively low key, hinted here and there but lots of consistent comedy stuff. Loved the second couple's plotline as well. But yes, the drama feels dated in how it frames raising a child as a "woman's job". Performance wise, Chae Rim is great. Siwon is clearly raw but not that bad actually. Ye Eun is a sweetheart and will steal your heart! Overall, I agree this needs a better rating than the current 7.4 - 'twas a fun watch
Interesting article, but your methodology ended up missing a major kdrama that gave a boost to Hallyu, at least across East Asia: My Name is Kim Sam Soon, aired 2005!!!
The show may have politics as its setting, but its firmly focused on romance all through with a fair amount of comedy thrown in, unlike City Hall(which I absolutely love!). Light hearted and well-acted, it keeps your interest. The best thing I liked about the show was its depiction of the couple in love - natural, sweet but no cringe.
This is not really a thriller or a mystery series - rather a no-holds-barred look at troubled families and familial relationships. The first half dragged on a bit with little actual plot movement, but the second half picked up and was quite emotional. Pretty good performances all around. I personally enjoyed N No Tame Ni far more though.
This was a spectacular watch. The performances particularly the four main characters - Lee Sung Min, Go Soo, Yoo Teo and Shim Eun Kyun - were fantastic. Even though the subject is dense, the plotting still keeps you engaged.
A special word for the stylish directing and camera work - definitely added to its vibe. As did its amazing OST. Can you tell I absolutely loved the drama :)
So i finished this show and I. Am. In. Awe. Very rarely does one find a drama where every single character delivers.…
Loved reading your analysis! I just binged thru the drama and cant get over it :). And agree with everything (except eugene isnt in korea when he calls at the end) but I think he takes to heart her advice to not hide away, so he will likely come back.
Oh this drama literally consumed me for a good while. What can I say except... amazing! Hye Yeong is ❤ - what a wonderfully written character. Lee Yoo Ri and Lee Joon were spectacular as was Kim Hae Sook. 50+ episodes fly past and you are left wanting more!
Is it a crime drama,? Yes, But more so, it's a beautiful, moving study of relationships (particularly those not of blood) and how they enrich our lives and sustain us , often unknowingly.
Atmospheric and contemplative, it starts with a standard serial killer case, but then it turns towards unravelling the whys of characters' choices(over 2 timelines, multiple crimes). Its a little slow-paced, but I personally loved the careful unpeeling of the mystery and the process of knowing the characters and their motivations (and seeing their growth).
All the characters, not just the main cast, are all wonderfully fleshed out - believable and flawed. The performances are uniformly fantastic - with Park Hoon being the most impressive. The kids too were really great.
A special mention for the superb cinematography - some of the drone shots were gorgeous.
What a beautifully done drama. Slow paced but you grow to love the characters, their relationships and the way the mystery unfolds bit by bit. Fantastic performance by everyone particularly Eikura Nana. Really enjoyed it - this is why i love jdoramas.
An exceptionally well-made drama. Tight plotting, excellent performances by the entire cast and slick editing. Yes, it has some minor flaws but it does not take away from the experience. Must watch for lovers of thrillers (even if you don't watch time travel like me!)
I love dramas with non-traditional lead pairs and this was a great combination. The MC has good chemistry and it was fun watching them and also the side characters' banter away all through the drama.
The biggest issue however was the uneven way in which the drama randomly switched from comedy to serious crime solving to melo. It felt choppy and disjointed in many places with narrative flow breaking down - but as I said, you still remained engaged, which is the charm of the drama. Cant wait to start S2
But seriously, the person in charge of BG score needs a talking to - there were so many serious moments with inappropriate cheery/jocular music *facepalm*
Ryu Joon Yeol is absolutely the heart and soul of this show. He will make you laugh, make you go aww and make your heart go faster. He manages to pull off the awkward, adorable lead to perfection, without overdoing it or making it cringy, while also coming through brilliantly in the emotional scenes. Not to mention, he’s simply drop-dead gorgeous. Wasn't expecting him to be such a good actor though.
The drama as a whole? Well, I totally loved 2/3rds of it, but Ep 12 onwards, it turned utterly bland. Like the pieces were all there, but nothing seemed to work right. Everything fell apart - the chemistry, the characterisation, the plot. The way the main plot arc got resolved felt off, and a little too pat. I honestly felt rather cheated! Despite the strange hate Hwang Jung Eum gets, she was fine here - neither awful nor exceptional.
Performance wise, Chae Rim is great. Siwon is clearly raw but not that bad actually. Ye Eun is a sweetheart and will steal your heart!
Overall, I agree this needs a better rating than the current 7.4 - 'twas a fun watch
Light hearted and well-acted, it keeps your interest. The best thing I liked about the show was its depiction of the couple in love - natural, sweet but no cringe.
The first half dragged on a bit with little actual plot movement, but the second half picked up and was quite emotional. Pretty good performances all around.
I personally enjoyed N No Tame Ni far more though.
A special word for the stylish directing and camera work - definitely added to its vibe. As did its amazing OST. Can you tell I absolutely loved the drama :)
Atmospheric and contemplative, it starts with a standard serial killer case, but then it turns towards unravelling the whys of characters' choices(over 2 timelines, multiple crimes). Its a little slow-paced, but I personally loved the careful unpeeling of the mystery and the process of knowing the characters and their motivations (and seeing their growth).
All the characters, not just the main cast, are all wonderfully fleshed out - believable and flawed.
The performances are uniformly fantastic - with Park Hoon being the most impressive. The kids too were really great.
A special mention for the superb cinematography - some of the drone shots were gorgeous.
Yes, it has some minor flaws but it does not take away from the experience. Must watch for lovers of thrillers (even if you don't watch time travel like me!)
The biggest issue however was the uneven way in which the drama randomly switched from comedy to serious crime solving to melo. It felt choppy and disjointed in many places with narrative flow breaking down - but as I said, you still remained engaged, which is the charm of the drama. Cant wait to start S2
But seriously, the person in charge of BG score needs a talking to - there were so many serious moments with inappropriate cheery/jocular music *facepalm*
The drama as a whole? Well, I totally loved 2/3rds of it, but Ep 12 onwards, it turned utterly bland. Like the pieces were all there, but nothing seemed to work right. Everything fell apart - the chemistry, the characterisation, the plot. The way the main plot arc got resolved felt off, and a little too pat. I honestly felt rather cheated!
Despite the strange hate Hwang Jung Eum gets, she was fine here - neither awful nor exceptional.