Emily

This is DEPRESSING. This is legit all of my faves.
Junsu. Ji Chang Wook. Yoo Ah In. Jang Geun Suk. Seo In Guk. Joo Won. Lee Min Ho. Kim Soo Hyun!? ALL OF FREAKING BIG BANG, WHO ARE MY HEART AND SOUL!?
The literal only way this could be worse would be if Lee Jong Suk went as well.

I really really liked it! I think I might have even liked it better than the original Hong Gil Dong, if that's possible. The romance is a little sparse, but also so freaking cute, and Yoon Kyoon Sang is one hell of a leading man. Not conventionally attractive as far as younger male actors go, but his height and frame give him a very sturdy, reliable, and a little bit of an intimidating impression. He was a wonderful choice for Gil Dong. I mean, could you see Lee Jong Suk or Kim Soo Hyun play such a character?
The music was one of my favourite aspects. I loved the catchy yet traditional sounding music.
My only complaint with this drama is that it sort of ran a little long- as much as I loved it, there were redundant elements and I felt like a lot of the drama was just... people reacting. People singing to show how unified they were. People being punished to show how unfair the government was. People standing in formation to make a point. People shaking their fists at Hong Gil Dong. They were trying really hard to make sure we knew these things, but I feel like they were a little heavy handed.

Oh yeah, that's such a good point too! If she was really that strapped for cash she would have just phoned or skyped or something, rather than spend the $1,400 or so that it takes for a round trip Canada to Seoul. Sheesh.

...I was rather talking about my own personal surprise in how much they've matured, compared to my experiences of seeing them most often as children. In what seems like a relatively short amount of time, they've become lead actors in their own right. It was a personal anecdote, not a judgement that they're too young to play lead roles. Talk about jumping to conclusions.

I've recently gone back and have been rewatching this drama, and _oh my_. If you were like me and watched it around the time it aired, I recommend giving it a rewatch! Comparing the cast to how they are now, comparing Kpop to how it is now, comparing the feelings it gave you the first watch in contrast to the feels it gives you now.... There's such nostalgia there, and remembering how little I cared about that unknown actor Kim Soo Hyun when I started watching this blows me away when I think about how much this drama made me love him.
I don't know if I would love this drama as much if I were to watch it for the first time now, when the average quality of kdramas as a whole has risen so much, but back in the day this was a really big drama. It started a short trend of music/kpop dramas, a trend I wish would make a resurgence. This is a new(ish) classic.

Does anybody else feel thoroughly uncomfortable with Kim So Hyun leading in a drama?! It's like when Yeo Jin Goo started getting lead, adult roles... it's like, no! You're supposed to be the cute little child actor playing the younger version! You aren't supposed to be an adult!? When did you get so old!?
I digress. Maybe I've just been watching dramas too long.

Such a sweet drama. Just 100% romantic fluff. It's a good drama if you need a break from historicals or makjangs, or maybe if you just like your dramas to be a sugary little retreat from real life. The chemistry in this one is off the charts.

When Joon Hyung's mother was there from Canada to get money for her son's operation, I was shaking my head. That kid would be a Canadian citizen, and would likely be covered under our health care system. Do your research, K-drama writers!

Added it to my plan to watch list, then saw the lead is Luhan? Wha? Wonder how much THAT cost them.

Yes, it does.

!!! Dayum.

THAT MO RI PLOT TWIST THO? *mind blown*

Somebody needs to tell these so-called cops that rubber gloves are a thing.

I've been thinking of rewatching this drama recently... it's so freaking good <3
Random question tho, how old is Lee Bo Young's character supposed to be in this? I never realized that LJS's character is only 19! (Or maybe I just forgot...) Either way, I knew this was a noona romance, but I think I forgot just how noona romancey it is! Man, and do I love it <3

It's going to be 30 episodes total. Not sure why Viki would say otherwise?

The romance in this... man... I feel like you wait so long for it that when it finally happens, it's just heart wrecking in the very best possible way <3

I'm pretty sure it's intentional that we don't know for sure quite yet. Usually kdramas are pretty good at making that we know things that they want us to know ;)

Dramafever says that the main leads name is Jung Hae Dang, but here it says Yoo Jwi Na. Anybody who's watching wanna confirm whether this should be fixed or not?

She's only 28!? Jesus. Wait. SO SHE WAS 18 IN HANA KIMI!?
HANA KIMI WAS 10 YEARS AGO!???????
I... I really need some time to process this. I'm freaking out.

I have to applaud each and every one of these entries, because although I finished all of these (except Goblin. WHOOPS) I totally get where you're coming from on each of them.
Pinocchio was boring as hell. I'd watch a painting of Lee Jong Suk's face dry for 16 hours, so of course I finished it, but I gained nothing from the experience. Oh My Venus... you said you aren't mad at it, and I agree. I wasn't either. It was just extremely bland and uninteresting.
Shut Up Flower Boy Band was watched in 2 days while I was doing other more interesting things. Otherwise I never would have gotten through it.
My only qualms with this are Bride of the Century, which I thought was a fairly fresh and cute drama that surprised me with how good it was, and 'It's Okay, That's Love'.
I think that you should give the latter another try. It loses a little bit of steam in the middle, I'll agree, but it throws some curveballs at you and really hits an emotional depth that you don't see in most popular dramas.The leads are convincing and draw you in, and the entire drama is just so unique. The side stories are a bit 'meh' but I thoroughly believe it's worth finishing.