Has a similar vibe to some CLASSIC Hollywood films

I found this show through a clip on tiktok and was surprised when I saw on here that it hadn't gained much attention from people. Nevertheless, I started watching it since the premise was interested and boy oh boy, it didn't let me down.

It's definitely not like anything I've watched before. The pacing has to be quite rushed since the episodes are short and there's only so much you can fit into 4 hours but the story was gripping and exciting.

PROS:
- I really like the naming of Gyeo-ul and Yeo-reum to signify Winter and Summer (just a nice little addition)
- Great cast
- The characters are very unique and makes the story that much more entertaining. I find it so fascinating when two crazy people fall in love and work together in their craziness. Kind of like a 'there's someone for all of us out there'?
- The scene where Gyeo-ul speaks a couple rushed lines in English was really impressive. I haven't seen many actors speak their English lines in a convincing way but Park Se Wan's acting here really stood out.
- The way they managed to incorporate some humour amongst all of the intense scenes was, at least on my part, very appreciated
- They filmed it according to an MA15+ rating and didn't try to soften the plot to fit a wider audience.
- The fight scenes had great choreography.
- The soundtrack is amazing and I love it when they put a completely different soundtrack over a scene. E.g. The scene where Gyeo-ul and Yeo-reum shoot the guy and the soft 'oooh ooh' with like a 60s tune plays over it. It gives me Kill BIll vibes.

CONS:
- Some minor plot holes. E.g The scene where Gyeo-ul and Yeo-reum get attacked by a teacher. How did the teacher work at the school if he's part of the assassin school or association? How did he not recognise Gyeo-ul at school? The teacher really just came out of nowhere and was suddenly an assassin which didn't make sense.
- The pacing felt a little rushed and I definitely think the show could have been done over a few more episodes just so the viewer has a better understanding of the story and the characters.
- I guess this counts as a plot hole but I was kind of annoyed how the cop was a better shot than the assassins. Like... weren't they trained for years to kill? Why do they keep missing?

Overall, this was genuinely entertaining and would recommend!

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I rarely give 10/10s across the board but this IS A 10!

Wow... Just wow. I mean, really this show just has it all. An amazing plot, characters that you either want to hug or kill, impeccably choreographed fight scenes, multiple scenes that give you physical reactions, i could go on...

The acting in this is so good that you feel the threat behind each word and you can almost see into their heads on what they're thinking. And the soundtrack was also so well chosen and made this even more enjoyable (no real repetitive songs like some kdramas (not that this is a bad thing but sometimes you get sick of it as the episodes go by hahaha)).

I really don't want to spoil anything for those thinking of watching it but if you need a sign to dive into it, please take this as that sign. This is now one of my top 5s and I'm probably going to give it another rewatch straight away tbh.

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One of The BEST

Starting this show, I didn't really set any expectations but as I watched each episode every week, my expectation for the show grew because every episode blew me away. Everything was just right- the comedy, the romance, the cases, representing disability etc. Everything was balanced to a T and I would argue that it's one of the best shows to come out in the last decade.

Were there things that I would prefer were done differently? Yes. Would you disagree with those things? Maybe. Where they left the show and how they decided to go about closing it up, was actually pretty smart. I don't think the drama of everyone finding out Woo Young Woo is Tea Su Mi's daughter is necessary but personally, I would have ate it up lmao. Either way, the story didn't need it and in reality, it was the best outcome.

That being said, I believe there is A LOT of room for a second season to work with. They could explore Young Woo and Jun-Oh's relationship more (including Young Woo's dad getting to know him). They could go into Young Woo and her brother's relationship. They could go further into Young Woo possibly leading a few new hires and see how they react to her disability compared to the first season where she was under scrutiny by her colleagues and higher-up attorneys. Even if they don't expand into a second season, this show was a phenomenal watch from start to finish and I will definitely be watching it again in the future.

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I hate to love it

I am absolutely livid at how this show ended. This was one of the best love stories I've seen in a kdrama in ages. I haven't felt so captured by the two lead's emotions and the story as I did in Twenty-Five-Twenty-One and it hurt when you find out that they didn't end up together. The actors and story did such a good job in making the viewer believe in love and then they rip it out from underneath you. I've set the rewatch value at such a low rating because I don't think I can put myself through that kind of pain again. Like I avoid these types of painful situations in my own life for a REASON. I'M TOO WEAK AND WILL NEED TIME TO RECOVER AFTER WATCHING THIS.

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ALMOST perfect but too good not to have a 10/10

I really enjoyed this drama for many reasons. Whilst I think their portrayal of deaf people could have been better (e.g. usually deaf people still make sounds and especially someone that lost their hearing later in life could still speak on occasion) I do agree they went with the most respectful route. Had they tried to imitate the way deaf people speak, I feel that it may have come across as offensive as the actors are not actually deaf.

I also think the ending was rushed. I was excited when it was mentioned in ep 14 that they would be returning to 2023 soon becuase i thought that would mean we would get at least a full episode of when they're thrown back into their new timeline. But alas, we got maybe 20 minutes where they rushed going through how the world looks now. What I think could have made this new timeline so much more impactful is if they showed a little memory flash of Eun Gyeol's new memories from this new timeline so he knew what had changed.

The ending was just very open and I would have preferred for it to have come together more clearly.

That being said, this was amazing. The characters, their struggles, their relationships... It was so special and I cried a lot in the last ep. And because of that, I can't not give it a 10/10.

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Meh...

I think this drama had a lot of potential but it failed on so many aspect. I think for one, the ML didn't really have any charm or charisma that made me fall for him. Usually you get viewers invested in a drama because you feel a part of their story and living through the emotions with them but with this drama I didn't understand the leads at all.
The ML properly smiled for the first time in the last episode and throughout the rest, even though it was supposed to be this whole 'I have past relationship trauma so I'd rather not feel at all' theme, it was boring to watch. The FL was likable at first and I could understand the decisions she was making but when she decided to leave and divorce him, then proceed to not speak to him for months just because she wanted to 'find herself' or 'be sure of what she feels' I was honestly pissed. Like, good for you but then don't come back, lie down in the bed he's sleeping in and tell him "I'm sorry, I love you"... like no? You left because you were only thinking of yourself and obviously only thought of yourself. I feel like the way the script was written just did the leads dirty. The story was more enjoyable when it was in the supporting character's love stories. Gotta give it a low rating for that...

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This could have been great

Let me just start of by saying that I absolutely love dramas about self-healing and growth but this one seemed to just miss the mark a bit. The acting was amazing and the premise had so much potential but it lacked that punch to the gut.

I feel like the ML's character was a bit contradicting. He shows up looking like a thug and he supposedly stole a bunch of money from his gang but then as the show progresses, you don't really get to know how he stole the money or what kind of work he did. All of the flashbacks just focus on him trying to avoid a life of crime. They dressed him in those ugly patterned shirts for the first few episodes and gave him a standoffish personality but it doesn't match what the writers are trying to show us later. Redemption arcs are supposed to start from a bad person learning to be good but in this story, they try and sell us a good person with bad luck finding happiness. This is not a bad thing but it wasn't consistent with how they began the drama.

The FL also has some plot holes. We meet her brother once and then never again. The other characters talk about how FL lead had a rough life but then they don't elaborate on it....

All in all - it was an enjoyable drama but if anyone asked for a recommendation for a redemption drama, this would probably not be my first, second, or third rec. I'm the type of person who can take note of a show's flaws and still enjoy it but if you struggle to look past these things, this one might not be for you.

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Definitely Good but Still Has It's Faults

I really liked this drama but maybe compared to the other ratings on here, it looks like I didn't hahaha. I definitely think it deserves a high rating but I personally don't think it was an overall 10/10.

The Story:
This was really good and jam-packed with drama! I loved every second of the 'Healer' scenes and found everyone's backstory really fascinating. I definitely think there were a couple unclosed plot points and that they ended up sacrificing a satisfying end with a whoooole lot of build up. Plus, I don't know if I just wasn't paying attention but I swear Yeong-Sin's mother found out that Yeong-Sin is Ji-An really suddenly and, again, it was so anticlimactic for all the build up that was there. Also, I'm curious as to what exactly happened from when Kim Mun-Sik found Yeong-Sin and when he decided to abandon her again? ALSO - what was that scene where she was hiding in a closet and someone came up to her with like a bat or something??? There was just so much story that I think the writers forgot to clear everything up. As I got to the last 10 minutes of Ep20 I had to double check it was the last episode because it just didn't feel like it.

The Characters:
Absolutely love love love the characters and everyone played such an important part in making this show the hit that it is. I definitely think the writers can thank the actors for the high ratings!

Again, overall I the enjoyability of the show deserves an 8.5 but there were a lot of points which I would have liked more clarification on and a lot of points that I don't think were necessary for the development of the main plot.

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This is the new STANDARD

I wasn't 100% sure what my overall rating would be but as I was ticking off all the marks, I realised that everything was near perfection and deserves a 8.5.

The music in this show was incredibly diverse and although I appreciate Thai artists being used in Thai shows, the fact that they used English music kind of made it a deeper experience for me. I guess you don't realise how much the lyrics of a song makes a difference when it plays in the background. You unintentionally relate those lyrics to what is happening in the moment. For this reason, the music was a 9.5/10.

The acting and plot was phenomenal and original. There wasn't a boring moment in this show and it really hit all the right markers.

The scene where Yok is doing a nude portrait of Dan is one of my favourite scenes in the show. It was so vulnerable and really set this precedent for BLs to follow. Instead of it focusing on steamy scenes and desires, this show actually showed a deeper meaning which was perfectly worded when Dan said 'I feel like I'm confessing my sins'. 10/10.

Also, the relationship between White and Sean was so naturally introduced. No confusion in what they were feeling, no regret or worry. They just accepted it as naturally as one should accept feelings for another. They didn't hide it from anyone and were so open to what they were feeling. Also, I love that both of them made sure eachother wanted the same thing. Basically, I love the CONSENT.

Great representation of the qommunity (get it.. haha queer community... qommun... anyways you get it). We had some beautiful raindbow flags in some scenes which I love <3

However, it wouldn't be a fair review if I didn't touch on the negatives...
I was a little disappointed with how they reintroduced Black into the story once he woke up. He kind of left the gang after he woke up which just doesn't make sense since he's the one that started it. If anything, I would have liked him to see that what White had done was working better than his plan but it was a little disappointing how he then continued on his own.

The ending was a little disappointing as well. They spent the entire show trying to take down Tawi but in the end, all of their efforts seemed to just be a symbol for society to stand up. We didn't have an epic scene where Tawi got taken in by police which I was looking forward to.

Also, I didn't fully understand why Dan all of a sudden changed his mind and went to arrest them. Like I get that someone powerful told him that he needs to step in line but AS IF that would be enough to scrap all your efforts and the effort of someone you supposedly love.

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A Boring Mess...

I really wanted to like this show but unfortunately it failed to achieve what it was going for from the start. If they focused more on telling one story from A to B, maybe the show would have been better but it ended up jumping through so many loops and plot twists that it was just not satisfying to watch.

The romance - this was really rushed in the beginning and I didn't feel like their relationship had any substance. Why does he like her? I get that she has been reading about him for years and could have fallen in love with his character but it doesn't explain how within 2 episodes, Kang Chul went from comparing her to a stray dog to all of a sudden liking her as well.

The plot - there are so many points when I thought 'this really wasn't necessary'. Yeon Joo going to jail and Kang Chul shooting her dad etc. etc. It didn't add to the story or serve a purpose except to lead into the next thing. I really think they could have cut out half of the bullsh*t and focused on the foundation of the story more.

All in all, I wouldn't watch it again and can't say that I genuinely enjoyed it either.

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Strong Start but got weaker

I really liked the start of this show. The story of Mokha and Kiho as kids really got me so invested in their success after escaping such a terrible situation. I can't pinpoint when this show starting falling off... Maybe it was the way they revealed the whole name change thing (because if he had really been looking for her for 15 YEARS, how did he manage to treat her so coldly at the start. If we, as the audience, were let in that he was Kiho from the beginning and we saw him struggling to not tell her it would have been a bit more believable), maybe it was how they went about the side story of the dad looking for them, maybe it was how the dad unalived himself... I just feel like there were so many things that I was waiting on that ended up being anticlimactic when it came around. It wasn't bad but I feel like they could have given us one solid good ending and everything else that was lacking wouldn't have seemed as disappointing.

That being said, I still think the story was intriguing and the characters were lovable. The beginning of the show really does pull you into the story and it's still worth it to finish it if you've already started.

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This was so close to being a 9.5

To make this review more fun: drink every time I say disappoint. LOL

I honestly was going to give this show a high rating up until episode 16. I'm just so disappointed in the ending. I loooveed the concept of him being able to go back in time and change the future. So for him to jump back into his first life at the end was the worst.

I don't even know how to properly express how disappointed I am from how the writers decided to end the show. Everything was coming to a close and he was right at the precipice of taking over Soonyang and officially becoming chairman. Only for him to wake up in a hospital after being shot in the head and none of it was real. This is not a plot twist that is going to grab your viewers or please your audience. This was just disappointing overall.

What I did like was that he ended up building up Miracle Investment again when he wakes up and trying to go back to living the life he was before. But yeah.... I would recommend watching this up until when he calls his gf to meet up and hops in the car. (make up your own ending because I promise you if you keep watching, you'll feel the same amount of disappointment that I'm feeling now.)

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Slow burn, more like no burn.

From my title, you might be thinking that the leads had no chemistry. And let me just quickly clarify that the leads had some of the best chemistry I've seen in a drama in a while. The gentle and sudden contact from a hand on her shoulder, or grabbing her sleeve to lead her through the dark, they showed this kind of tension throughout the show. But the thing with tension is it needs a good release to really make the tension worth while.

Actually, this can be said about the whole show. So much tension for little release. The build up to what happened between KIW and KJS to make KJS so depressed was deep and kept me on my toes. I needed to know what had led them there but when I found out, I was kind of disappointed.

Also, I've said this about previous shows but I dislike when a show is trying to sell me a profound love story only to have no intimacy. Sure they had a little peck in a car finally in EP 10 but with the amount of build up that just wasn't enough. Like it doesn't have to be anything crazy but I am sure they could have replaced one of the hugs with something more.

The other thing that was disappointing to me is rude HSW was towards KIW after she found out about what happened. She kept saying how she's uncomfortable with talking about HIS WIFE because she had this high and mighty approach where she believed it was up to her to decide whether he was worthy. She had known her for a couple weeks before she passed and then talked to a device which isn't ACTUALLY her but had her personality. He was married to her for 9 years and like her for 10 years before that. And he was distraught over her death but still she just thinks she can play judge and condemn him for a childish mistake he made. This really irked me and is when the show plummeted from a 10/10 to an 8/10.

I do think the show captured emotion really well and what it is like to miss someone you love. This was done so beautifully that it makes it even more upsetting that the last few episodes went in the direction it did. I still would recommend this to someone but only if they were looking for something a little depressing and they had already watched my other recommendations.

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Worst Case of Second-Lead Syndrome

I did really enjoy this show overall and it was a good filler show when I didn't know what to start. I will say though, Tae-Gwon would have been a wayyyy better suitor for Eun-Bi. Yi-An was in love with Eun-Byeol for 10 years and has all these memories with her so it doesn't feel as satisfying that he switched teams after Eun-Byeol came back. On the otherhand, Tae-Gwon and Eun-Byeol were not even friends at any point and Eun-Bi was the first to understand him and he was finally able to be himself around someone, not just the person they expected him to be. Eun-Bi was also able to open up to him first and she met him first so it just doesn't feel right that she ends up with Yi-An??? Like, I thought it was weird when Eun-Byeol was still 'dead' because he would see Eun-Byeol whenever he looked at Eun-Bi but it was so much worse when she came back because they literally were "more than friends" for like 10 years?? I don't know... I liked the rest of the show but that aspect really bothered me.

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Enjoyable but could use more OOMPH

This show was pleasant from start to finish with enough drama that it keeps you watching and enough plot to keep you entertained. That said, I think it was missing a hook. I didn't get caught up in it and when I would stop watching after a few episodes, I wouldn't really think of it until I sat down to continue watching it. (unlike some other shows that would play in my head when I wasn't watching and I would itch to know what comes next).

I have to say though, JaeHyun did an exceptional job for his first drama. I am so proud of him as an NCTzen and hope to see him play in many more roles with his talent in acting.

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