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A delightful and moving healing drama about the power of grace and of being present
There were so many times throughout this drama that I laughed out loud, sighed, clapped, and even teared up. It explores the cost of holding onto unnecessary guilt and blame and the power of forgiveness, all the while maintaining an uplifting and fun vibe using the contrast between the busy home shopping network world of the city, and the quiet, small town serenity of a mushroom farm.
If you like a slow burn super romantic drama with great chemistry, absurd but hilarious humor, and that thoughtfully tackles real issues in a genuine way, you will enjoy this drama.
--THE STRENGTHS
Why I recommend this drama:
--- Hilarious.
There was not one episode I didn't laugh out loud, like cackle level laugh. Usually more than once. The comedy is absurdist, breaks the fourth wall often, isn't afraid to go all in, and never takes itself too seriously. The cast seemed to be having a BLAST.
--- Aces main couple, like truly a wonderful pair.
The main couple had great chemistry. You could feel how drawn they were to each other from the start. Their romance felt organic and subtle yet at the same time passionate and loud. I rooted for them from the start, and they are one of the few romcom couples lately that I feel are actually perfect for each other on a soul level, and who will be really happy together for a long time. I enjoyed every single scene between them.
--- Meaningful character arcs for the main leads.
As the show goes on more and more is revealed about what the two leads have been through in their lives, and all their actions, even the ones that are frustrating, truly felt rooted in genuine past experiences that shaped who they are. Even the short period of angst in the drama felt necessary when you consider what they've been through and the depth of the pain they were trying to learn how to face. I connected with their struggles and enjoyed the layers underneath each character.
- Well connected plotline and emotional arcs.
Too many dramas have a plot that seems to unfold separate from the emotional arcs of the characters, so that the drama ends up feeling disjointed or superficial. Not the case here. The plotlines of the contamination backstory, the current day cosmetic acquisition, Yejin and her mother, Mechoori and his lost dream, all weave together and ebb and flow along with the emotional arcs ebb and flow, resolving in a way that felt perfectly aligned. It's really satisfying and makes all the emotional notes hit quite strong. To the point I actually shed tears more than once.
-- A more complex view of relationships and forgiveness
This show focuses a lot on the cost of not forgiving ourselves and others, and the power of showing grace and letting go of revenge or making others suffer like we had suffered. All of the resolutions felt earned and I really connected to the uplifting and positive message as someone who has had a lot of experience with this in my own relationships in life.
--THE WEAKNESSES
That said, the drama wasn't perfect. And I have to point out its flaws as well:
--- The 2ML is one dimensional, bland and unfortunately not played very well by the usually more compelling Kim Bum.
Useful only for adding superficial angst and comedy to the main leads story. Luckily he doesn't have a ton of scenes, and he does start to feel a little more two dimensional in the second half. There was a lot more that could have been done with him, so he feels utterly wasted as a character.
---Uneven execution at times, especially for anything other than the main leads story.
The bones of the story were really well sketched, and when things came together well it hit SO well, as detailed above. And there were times when the side characters were SO funny and well done. But there were times where the side plots with the villagers felt a little thin, where some of the side character's acting felt weak and distracting, where the pacing felt a bit off, or where certain side characters or side plots got more attention than they merited even though they lacked depth.
The above reasons are why I gave it an 8.5. If we're talking just about the main leads story it would be a 10/10.
This was one of those dramas where the weaknesses were never more than mildly annoying for me but the strengths hit SO well, so overall I thought it was a a good drama well worth the watch.
If you like a slow burn super romantic drama with great chemistry, absurd but hilarious humor, and that thoughtfully tackles real issues in a genuine way, you will enjoy this drama.
--THE STRENGTHS
Why I recommend this drama:
--- Hilarious.
There was not one episode I didn't laugh out loud, like cackle level laugh. Usually more than once. The comedy is absurdist, breaks the fourth wall often, isn't afraid to go all in, and never takes itself too seriously. The cast seemed to be having a BLAST.
--- Aces main couple, like truly a wonderful pair.
The main couple had great chemistry. You could feel how drawn they were to each other from the start. Their romance felt organic and subtle yet at the same time passionate and loud. I rooted for them from the start, and they are one of the few romcom couples lately that I feel are actually perfect for each other on a soul level, and who will be really happy together for a long time. I enjoyed every single scene between them.
--- Meaningful character arcs for the main leads.
As the show goes on more and more is revealed about what the two leads have been through in their lives, and all their actions, even the ones that are frustrating, truly felt rooted in genuine past experiences that shaped who they are. Even the short period of angst in the drama felt necessary when you consider what they've been through and the depth of the pain they were trying to learn how to face. I connected with their struggles and enjoyed the layers underneath each character.
- Well connected plotline and emotional arcs.
Too many dramas have a plot that seems to unfold separate from the emotional arcs of the characters, so that the drama ends up feeling disjointed or superficial. Not the case here. The plotlines of the contamination backstory, the current day cosmetic acquisition, Yejin and her mother, Mechoori and his lost dream, all weave together and ebb and flow along with the emotional arcs ebb and flow, resolving in a way that felt perfectly aligned. It's really satisfying and makes all the emotional notes hit quite strong. To the point I actually shed tears more than once.
-- A more complex view of relationships and forgiveness
This show focuses a lot on the cost of not forgiving ourselves and others, and the power of showing grace and letting go of revenge or making others suffer like we had suffered. All of the resolutions felt earned and I really connected to the uplifting and positive message as someone who has had a lot of experience with this in my own relationships in life.
--THE WEAKNESSES
That said, the drama wasn't perfect. And I have to point out its flaws as well:
--- The 2ML is one dimensional, bland and unfortunately not played very well by the usually more compelling Kim Bum.
Useful only for adding superficial angst and comedy to the main leads story. Luckily he doesn't have a ton of scenes, and he does start to feel a little more two dimensional in the second half. There was a lot more that could have been done with him, so he feels utterly wasted as a character.
---Uneven execution at times, especially for anything other than the main leads story.
The bones of the story were really well sketched, and when things came together well it hit SO well, as detailed above. And there were times when the side characters were SO funny and well done. But there were times where the side plots with the villagers felt a little thin, where some of the side character's acting felt weak and distracting, where the pacing felt a bit off, or where certain side characters or side plots got more attention than they merited even though they lacked depth.
The above reasons are why I gave it an 8.5. If we're talking just about the main leads story it would be a 10/10.
This was one of those dramas where the weaknesses were never more than mildly annoying for me but the strengths hit SO well, so overall I thought it was a a good drama well worth the watch.
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