horikittypie
Scrumptious - the word I would describe this drama
I'm rating this drama high mainly because I have fond memories of it lolFrom the posters, I could already tell this drama was going to have something special & I was not wrong.
PROS
1. THE MAIN LEADS
Yes the age gap is huge but somehow Jerry Yan and Xu Ruo Han was the main saving grace of this drama. Both of them did such a great job portraying their characters. XRH definitely surprised me here bc the character looked so natural on her. So proud to see her acting chops evolve every projects she does. She was able to keep up acting alongside an actor like Jerry Yan, imagine the pressure! Speaking of, Xiao Han IS Jerry Yan - so glad he chose this project as it definitely confirmed that yes he STILL got it. He still got the acting chops to make me cry & feel the sincerity of the character. Idk but I really support the guy & I'm glad this drama worked out for him. I can see this being one of his underrated classic works.
2. THE CHEMISTRY OF THE MAIN LEADS
I don't even know where to start because this casting seem to have come out of nowhere but it worked out SO WELL?? The chemistry was sizzling from the first few eps. Idk what magic they put in this but I sincerely believe if they changed any of the two leads, this wouldn't have worked out as well as it did. But I think it all boils down to their acting chops & love for their craft. Xu Ruohan's braveness to just go for it every scene & Jerry Yan's classic ability to look at his FL's eyes with such love & desire all at the same time. This was a pairing I never thought I'd see but I'm so glad I did. Pure magic.
3. THE CINEMATOGRAPHY
Every shot was worth paying for. This was the 2nd best thing from this drama. Enough said. You can tell they out so much effort in getting the best shot of EVERY SCENE. And with flowers involved (chinese drama name is summer flower)?? OH what a combination. Please, if you're gonna try watching this, watch it for the cinematography at the very least. I'm so glad to see these directors still exist in cdramas. I can only imagine how exciting it must be for them to be given the chance to create such magic in a modern cdrama series.
4. THE OST
The songs in this gave me the same feeling as the drama did. The sense of falling in love & just living the moment. So good.
5. THE SETTING
We are at the beach! We are at the house near the beach! We are in a mansion! We are in the flower shop! We are in the mountains! Summer and then snow! We are everywhere! It felt like we were really living in a world following these characters live their everyday lives. The locations never felt empty. It never felt like we were just jumping from one studio set to another. It felt so real and very immersive.
THE ONE AND ONLY CON
THE EDITING
Ah yes, the cuts. So awkward and definitely ruined the vibe of the whole show. I can't even say anything because I'm sure everyone share the same sentiments. I know the production hated it too but they have to do it for censorship. (I'm not even talking about the sexy scenes, ik they had to edit dialogues too to cater to the cut scenes and all that... just sucks.) I can only forgive them if they release a DVD or something. IM BEGGING.
God, how perfect it would've been if this was shown on Netflix. Let adults be adults and just love damn!!!
I wished this was a bigger success but considering the qualms about the age gap, this was pretty successful to me. So proud of my girl xu ruohan & happy for jerry yan for making a comeback. Everyone has put 100% of their efforts in this and you can tell. This was definitely a passion project for everyone involved & I'm a happy drama watcher as my eyes, ears and brain had a feast.
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Short review:
The first 2-3 eps will be annoying but the story will definitely pick up from there on! If you're looking for a light office romance that actually has a balance of love & life with interesting side story/ies, this is definitely recommended! I even said at one point that this had the potential to be one of the best office romances out there. The story drags towards the end tho so it's up to you if you'll want to continue by then but this is definitely worth checking out, even at least for Marcus Chang! Try the first 6 eps and see for yourself! Also the CEO isn't an ass so that is a big plus.
Long review aka ramblings (no spoilers..except for the ending at the end):
First of all, I watched this bc I adore Marcus Chang & this drama definitely sealed the deal! How I wish he could've gone to the drama world sooner so I could watch more dramas from him but better late than never!! I definitely recommend his past dramas. I didn't wanna watch this bc I wasn't over Behind Your Smile yet but I saw this was an office romance and I love those so I gave it a go.
Episode 1 was absolutely UNBEARABLE to watch. Everything was so annoying esp the female lead. I continued hate watching until ep 3 but the story really picked up from there on and I found myself finally enjoying the drama. Now THIS is an office romance done RIGHT. It's not always fluff as they also tackle office problems, the work aspect didn't stop even after they got together.
I liked the way they wrote the ML's character as he's always professional and I LOVE how he isn't the typical jackass CEO who hates everyone. He's honestly so adorable! I also realized this towards the end but they always let us in to his thoughts and feelings. We don't just see him brood with a whiskey on his hand and we assume that that's him feeling sad. He's vocal about what he feels and always wants to talk it out.
Now the FL; yep, a little annoying. She's the main reason why I wanted to quit watching after ep 1 lol. I didn't really like her character but the ML made up for it that's why I still cheered for them. Her character became even more annoying by the last leg of the drama. She's not unbearable tho so don't let this stop you from watching!!
As for the love triangle, the story didn't really revolve around it so the synopsis didn't suit the overall story. It wasn't well-developed as it's always wishy-washy; you thought he's going to make a move but he doesn't then, you thought he's going to give her up but he doesn't (this continues until the last eps which was also why it dragged). I hated that aspect of the story also bc the second lead's story wasn't explored properly.
The second main couple were cute too! They had a very interesting story and the character development was great!! 10/10!
As for cute moments, there were tons!! Great kisses too (expect that from Marcus lol)! Overall, this was a decent drama that I would recommend to watch if you're really bored and want some light office romance! I didn't intend to watch this til the very end but I did! If u don't know who Marcus Chang is yet, check out his other dramas: Behind Your Smile (good one but more on the angsty side) and Back to 1989 (haven't seen yet but heard great reviews). I really love him, you see lmao.
>>>>>>spoiler>>>>>>>>
(Will talk about the ENDING from here on so just skip this paragraph if u don't wanna be spoiled)
That ending was so unsatisfying I actually screamed. Is it so hard to at least let us see them reunite & hug or make out or sth? Damn. How I wish I didn't watch the last 5 eps lol I'm laughing but I'm actually so frustrated rn. I feel so cheated.
>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>
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a light office romance done right!
Man I'm so glad I watched this without reading reviews etc bc this reminded me that what makes a drama enjoyable is always gonna depend on your own experience while watching it.I personally loved this way more than I thought I would! Things I loved:
- ML & FL chemistry! sizzling althroughout the show. FL is so so so so pretty (dare i say i finished the show bc i liked staring at her lol) the ML might be new but he has potential. what i love is how they wrote his character. he's neither a playboy nor cold-hearted, can you believe it??? he's too good to be true but we can pretend he exists lmao
- simple romance story. went into this expecting an office romance and got what i wanted. yes there's the annoying office tropes but they get resolved quite satisfyingly imo. u can skip if u want tbh
- side characters!! this is one of the very few cdramas where i almost don't skip all of the side character scenes. they have their own thing going on & they're interesting on their own. they are a much needed breather whenever they appear. i didn't find anyone annoying which is a surprise.
- others: ost is good! kisses were great tho u gotta b patient for it lol. ending credits were cute.
ofc it ain't perfect & some tropes are gonna frustrate you but that's just typical cdrama for u lol. i RARELY finish dramas whenever i watch them no matter how great they are but i surprised myself bc i tried really hard to finish this bc i really wanted to (24 eps ugh)!
if u just watched a heavy drama & want something light this might be for u! it also deals with finding a love later on in life & it's honestly pretty inspiring ngl. give it a try!
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This review may contain spoilers
Let me just get this out if the way: I. LOVE. ERIC. MUN.!!!! I watched this after AOHY bc I've rediscovered my fondness for him but man, did this drama solidified my love for him. He does intensity SO WELL and I loved every minute of it! Que Sera Sera is the very definition of angsty-melo kdrama. If you wanna watch some extreme angsty romance, this is for you! (SPOILER/TRIGGER WARNING: Beware though as there was a very mild display of sexual assault and violence in a scene midway through the drama)
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The good:
- acting!!! All four main leads did such a great job at portraying their characters unapologetically! Eric was so intense and just so...perfect for the role!! Granted, he was still new to acting during this but he still delivered so well, I couldn't even imagine anyone playing the role other than him. Yumi was so perfect for the role of innocent yet frank Han Eun Soo. There were some embarrassing things her character said yet Yumi delivered in such an endearing way that u don't even wanna feel embarrassed for her, u just empathize. I won't elaborate on the two second keads but they also did such wonderful jobs!
- THE CHEMISTRY!!! AHHHH I never expected to fall for these two's chemistry SO HARD. I watched this despite just finishing AOHY where I loved Eric and SHJ's chemistry, I was not fond of Jung Yu Mi either but omgosh these two created magic!! The innocent Han Eun Soo + intense Kang Tae Joo was just chemistry explosion!!! I wish it had more lovey dovey and make out scenes from them but alas. Good thing they were paired up again on Discovery of Love!!!
- characters are all flawed and aware of it. No one is playing the victim and no one is oblivious about anything.
- the drama, plot and script are so unapologetic. It's like, here's out story, whether u like it or not, it's up to you but this is how we want it done and we ain't changing anything about it. There were scenes where I just like, oh f*ck THEY WENT THERE!!!!
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The not-so-good:
- Yumi's hair - what the actual f was that??? I didn't find it that bad for the first 10 eps but it got worse!!! It didn't even look good in the first place yet it got even worse as the drama closed the ending!!
- too angsty by ep 12. Just...so much misery. I mean, I liked it but... it's just too painful. Esp since there's no breather. It just keeps going and it hurts.
- the ending. UGHHH. Not bad; not good either: it has that kind of ending. After all the pain I've been through, unassurance is what I'll get?? Oh hell nah. Good thing eric & yumi reunited in a new drama years later!
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This review is messy bc i lack sleep today. This drama is now one of my faves mainly bc of the intensity of KTJ & HES! I'll definitely rewatch up to ep 10 lmao! I am now a fan of Jung Yumi and DEFINITELY a fan of Eric Mun! Ahjussi, pls hurry up with your Shinhwa comeback and do another drama for us after!!
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Yuya did SO GOOD at his role. He nails every expressions (he doesn't really talk so that was very important) and really tells us what needs to be said in just a stare!! I'm definitely a fan now!! He's also really hot lol
Suda did great too! The character development was really nicely done, if I haven't seen some clips from the movie beforehand I wouldn't have expected that (I know it's written in the synopsis but I forget them really quickly bc i wanna be surprised while watching haha)! He really suit these kinds of deliquent, uncontrollable & one-tap-away-from-beating-you-up roles!
Nana!! What a bitch! She does it really well!! I wish we could've seen more of her (she does have a lot of scenes but i stan her so it can never be enough for me lol). Once again, chemistry between her and Suda was great (be warned though bc Suda's really abusive on this one).
I'd give it 6.5/10! Some long shots could've been shorter. Plot could've had more substance. Though, I interpret it as watching a boy spiral down towards destruction. It was enough for me to go on with the story.
Ps. Nijiro is here too! He did great as well! Him and Yuya coukd really pass as brothers visually. I wish I could've seen more of him too.
Also, the ending was great, gave me goosebumps.
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I'm into angsty romance so I was really looking forward to that in here and I must admit, the romance wasn't the main focus (at least for me) BUT boy did the story hook me right from the start. It's not without its flaws but the way they executed everything was so well done and really makes you look forward to the following episodes. The romance is still very much the heart of the story but everything else is what will make you want to watch every episode!
The acting from EVERY ACTOR was PHENOMENAL especially the main guy (Thanapob), he did such a fantastic job acting out every emotion of the very complex Sila! The main girl was kinda lacking in acting, it bothered me at times bc I want her to express more emotions in some scenes but she can still improve in her future projects & still did a good job. I also wanna applaud Ben who played Min's sister, she was also really great. I catch myself blurting out verbally, "Oh dang she's/he's GOOD!" whenever I watch Thanapob & Ben in some scenes.
The music was my FAVORITE!!!! Ugh, I LOVE every song used in this! They also used them so perfectly in every scene!
From what I can see in the comments, this has been the best lakorn of 2019 so far! I hope it gets the recognition it deserves even more!
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This drama has EVERYTHING. Romance, family, friendship, school and career --- everything is tackled in this...and they did it so beautifully. This is definitely one of those dramas that are a gem to find, you don't expect it to be good but IT IS. The plot, writing, cinematography, acting and directing was perfection. No pointless jealousy and no unecessary angst.
There isn't too much or too little of anything. Looking for a light romcom with a sprinkle of realism? THIS IS IT. TRUST ME WHEN I SAY THIS IS THE DRAMA THAT YOU ARE LOOKING FOR!!! WATCH THIS. NOW. You won't regret it! It's available on YouTube too!! Go go go!
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I saw a comment saying they didn't like the university flashback (it goes on for a few episodes) so it threw me off a bit (as i don't flashbacks too, that's why i don't like 2nd chance romance stories) BUT I ended up LOVING the university flashbacks (esp bc the actors did so well and were SO CUTE!!).
So if u like angsty romance (like kdrama Secret) and intense chemistry from the get-go, have patience for a meek FL & obsessive & stubborn ML and is ready for a ton of fast forwarding, then I recommend this. Seriously, if this has been in your "to watch" list, WATCH IT NOW (it was in mine too, for a year lol)! I thoroughly enjoyed this one. It's on youtube with eng subs btw, you might find my comments there lol.
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First of all, the poster is very misleading. It's ironic how Eric was smiling on the poster but he's miserable in the whole drama lmao. This ain't a romcom, more like a melo romance with a side of comedy. I'm glad I was fooled tho bc if I would've known this was melo, I wouldn't have watched this as I'm not into melo. There's tons of comedic relief tho so if you're into romcoms, this is still a must watch!
• • • THE GOOD • • •
- acting!! This show definitely brought out acting chops of everyone! I've always adored Eric Mun and he did a great job in this one, hope he'd be in a new drama soon! I'm now also a fan of Seo Hyun Jin!
- character development: everyone had a redeeming quality in them. OHY#2 may come off annoying at first bc she was too aggressive but yknow whattt girls can be like that too!! What? Only guys can be aggressive when it comes to love? Heck no. And that kind of love is obv what Do Kyung needed bc he's MISERABLE and needed push, a lot of push. I'm also glad that they didn't change PDK's cold outside persona in the end bc that's who he is, what i mean is, at least they didn't change the character's individuality.
- flow of story: everything happened for a reason. It never felt draggy to me...well, maybe a little bit by the end but the HY & DK chose to be together by then so it kept me going and assured me everything is going to be alright! No unnecessary makjangs.
- every characters mattered and contributed a story to the drama. No one felt unnecessary.
- music!! Loved the ost!!
• • • THE NOT-SO-GOOD • • •
- the looming "phenomenon" that DK was waiting for to happen kept me from being too happy while watching but since he said he's just going to keep going, I kept on going too without worrying much about it!
- some lovey dovey scenes between Eric and SHJ felt kinda awkward bc it didn't feel genuine. Lol. I feel like they can do intense romance but once it gets mushy and stuff, it's kinda awkward. Idk if it's the acting or intentional. I'm not talking about the kissing and hugging and cuddling bc they're really good at that but more like when they have sweet convos and stuff. Maybe it's the dialogue? Idk, it just felt a bit awkward!
- Han Tae Jin deserved better!!!!!! They should've connected us with him more. I felt like his character was so disconnected in the drama that he seems like in a diff world. They let us get to know OHY#1 but didn't get to let us give more than a glimpse of HTJ & OHY#2's story. I felt bad for him, really.
That's all i could think abt rn. I watch dramas for entertainment so I'm not going to say anything political or noble here. This one is definitely worth the watch despite the flaws! Give the first 4 or 5 eps a try! Then stay for the kissing and hugging ;) (lol srsly they kiss and hug so good! now i want a hug :3)
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Ps. This review is long. Sorry.
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I watched this drama while having dinner 2 days ago without giving it much thought bc I just saw it on yt, little did i know I was in for a pleasant surprise!
This drama has it all: crime, thriller, suspense, romance and comic reliefs! The past few months, I've been watching lots of dramas and I always find myself fast forwarding a lot of scenes just bc they're very unnecessary and boring BUT for this one, I can confidently say that I NEVER skipped a second of it....until the very last few eps.
The good:
- WALLACE mf HUO!!! I never gush about someone's looks but THIS MAN IS TOO HANDSOME. I squeal a little bit inside (okay maybe out loud a couple of times) whenever he comes on screen. His performance was also very outstanding and consistent throughout the drama! Such a great actor!
- THE CHEMISTRY!!! Wallace and Sandra's chemistry was ON FIRE! It was innocent yet intense at the same time! I've seen some who said this had a "little bit" of romance but noooo!! This drama literally revolved around their romance. It may not be through lots of cuddling and intense kisses but their love was there and it was SIZZLING. Their progression was perfect for me. I loved their dynamic so much! If u want a bit of possessive and lowkey intense romance, this is for you! I've been into obsessive dramas lately and this definitely tops it in my list, maybe even next to Secret! (mmmaybe)
- since this is a cdrama, yes it is dubbed but it's bearable this time! I didn't even notice it at first!
- the secondary characters are also very interesting and entertaining to watch! Esp Fu Zi Yu!
The not-so-good:
- the crime storyline wasn't that strong, in my opinion. Nothing new in here but it's still a bit interesting to me bc I usually stay away from crime dramas. Prof. Bo is a psychologist so he focuses more on what goes into the mind of a criminal than the actual investigation so that really kept me interested bc it's new, at least.
- they dragged the storyline at around ep 16 or so. It was especially painful during the last 4 eps, I found myself ffd til i reached the last ep. Like, I alr knew who the culprit is, I just wanted to see how they execute the story.
- should've stayed with chinese actors bc 1.) the American actors were just...weird. i liked Susan and Dr. Barnes tho! 2.) Language barrier (u'll know what i mean once u watch)
- Sandra's acting was ok at most during the start but for some reason it started to become annoying and lackluster. She wasn't giving the performance i wanted halfway through the drama. Her character also plummeted from an independent, outgoing and smart lady to always crying & just always looking pretty character. Idk if her performance plummeted bc of her character arc or her abilities. She also started murmuring her lines halfway through the series too!! It was so annoying. I liked her, too bad her character sucked halfway. Maybe it's just me tho.
I'll definitely rewatch this..until ep 12 or 13 lol! All of the eps (subbed!) are on youtube so it's very easy to watch!! Wallace Huo is no joke. What a papi. Sandra is so pretty! Loved them together! Definitely stayed at the end for their chemistry!
Ps. There's no notable ost here bc they're all instrumentals (i think?) but I didn't mind it at all bc I just skip over them anyways lol there's no actual lyrical song played throughout the eps, just in the intro and outro
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This review may contain spoilers
Sorry if this is long. I rarely finish a drama so I want to write thoughtful reviews whenever I do from now on! Short review:
This drama is cute! If you want a cute fluff, this drama is definitely for you! Think: Itazura Na Kiss but less elaborate and a bit more variety in characters and instances.
The more elaborate review:
I RARELY finish a drama but for some reason, I breezed through this one pretty easily! I watched this in less than 24 hours (I skipped scenes that didn't interest me), it's on youtube too so that helped a lot! I think each ep is only 40 mns if u skip the intro song (it showed lots of spoilers so I recommend skipping it), preview (tip: skip to 160 secs on yt to go straight to the ep!) and the credits!
The story revolved mostly during their time in highschool. Lots of school dramas, as u can imagine: jealousy, love, family, friendship and ofc the infamous asian grade pressuring of parents to their children.
The story after they graduated felt VERY rushed. I wish they could've presented it in a more elaborate way. The story telling was pretty messy and everything was happening SO FAST. There was a time (I think around ep 17-18) where I was like, wait did i skip an ep??? bc everything was so sudden.
For the characters:
XiaoXi. Sigh. Girl, where's the self-respect?? She really didn't know when to distance herself from Jiang Chen. I guess he doesn't mind but it's frustrating for me, a girl viewer, to see someone submitting themselves so much to a guy who barely even shows his real feelings towards her. I get that she's like that at first but during the last legs of the highschool story arc, I was just fed up. She also didn't mature that much when they graduated. Not as annoying but she really does forgive him too easily and when she doesn't, she becomes annoying again by not even listening properly to him and what he has to say. She's cute though and I now stan Shen Yue (the actress). She so smol tho aw
Jiang Chen. Sigh again. BOI IF U DON'T-!!!!! Idk how to feel about his character, he's cold but not too cold. I relate to to him in a way tho, idk how to express feelings properly. I was so annoyed he kept on entertaining Lee Wei but I guess in the end, she really needed his help. He needed to learn to express his feelings and his motives for the things that he does for XX. I liked tho that he's become open about his feelings for her to his friend. Also, during the times XX and him were together, he was open to doing what she wants eventho he's not a fan of them. He's a tad bit possessive and selfish tho (not that much of a bad thing ;)). I also like his arc as a doctor bc he never neglected his duties. He's given a proper bg story for me to understand why he was the way that he was so I guess I didn't remember much of what annoyed me of his character.
Wu Bo Song. He's such a sweetheart. A generous, kind and loving sweetheart. I like his story arc as a swimmer. I don't have much to say about him as his character was the typical nice 2nd male lead. We're all used to that. He's the Kin-chan of this story, basically.
Second main couple: their characters were very well written from beginning to end and honestly, they might just be the reason you'll keep on watching.
OTP:
Chemistry was great! The height difference never fail to surprise me whenever I see it lol.
Some annoying things abt their relationship: misunderstandings. They literally got separated for a long time just bc there was a misunderstanding (also bc both of then are hardheaded). They never communicate properly (as u do in these stories) that's why they don't meet halfway. It git annoying so I definitely skipped some of those parts.
One thing I liked about their relationship is when he was having his internship/job at the hospital, XX never complained of how him being a doctor gets in the way of their relationship. Whenever he gets a call, she can get upset but still, she understands. That's why she's perfect for him. As for the sweet moments, it takes a while before we get there and there's not much but when there is, it's very very cute!! We should've gotten a bit more intimate moments, I remember having an ep where they were just acting SO CUTE and next ep was literally hell. One step forward, two step backwards (as u do ofc). It was even worse the second time around.
The ending felt VERY rushed so we didn't get to have enough otp moments. They were very cute tho! Love the scenes on her apartment. He's so into her, it's great. I'm getting Scorpio vibes from Jiang Chen, and XiaoXi is the Cancer to his obsessed Scorpio! Lol.
Final thoughts:
All in all, despite my rants above, this was an easy watch! I recommend it bc seems like lots of people liked it too. Many says this is the greatest drama they've ever watched (which confuses me bc it's pretty average), it's pretty good when you're looking for a lighthearted drama! The otp is so cute!!! I would love to watch them again (I've known about the "scandal" midway through the drama and it did kinda ruin the fantasy for me but i got over it eventually). I've became a fan of Shen Yue.
Ps. Hu Yi Tian looks like Park Bo Gum + Sehun in some angles and Shen Yue looks like Mugi Kadowaki + Tsuchiya Tao!
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This was a pretty simple drama. The main conflict is obv the love triangle so if you ain't into that, then this might not be for you. I'd say this is good to watch when you're in a relationship bc u might relate a lot to the topics being discussed, especially if you are or were in a long-term relationship! Even Eric said he learned some things in this drama, that's why he accepted it!
If you want to watch Eric and Yumi again and u are a fan, you'll definitely wanna check this out! Otherwise, I'd say just skip it bc this ain't anything new. I honestly just skipped eps 12-15 and went straight in the last 2-3 mns of ep 16 just to watch the ending. The narrative is very slow and can be frustrating. I stayed for Eric & Yumi bc they were so adorable here! Their chemistry was still there even after 7 years! If they weren't in it, I would've skipped this tho.
Now, this ain't a bad drama!!!! I thoroughly enjoyed ep 1-10!! It's actually pretty good but it's just really simple. It's from the writer of I Need Romance series so...u can interpret it from there (INR series had pretty boring plots & slow execution, lbr).
The whole drama is on kbs' official youtube channel so it's very easy to check it out if u want.
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