You know, if this were another drama that wasn’t a romance and was mainly a thriller, I honestly might see Flora as a gold digger. The way she has almost no trust or emotional connection with Luke and seems to treat him mostly as a physical partner makes their relationship feel really questionable. She also always seems to remember to tell him about her problems only after everything has already been resolved.
And then there are all those weird situations—hugging her ex, living with a male roommate, and breaking up with Luke the moment she lost her promotion. After seeing how Episode 21 played out, it really feels like she only wanted Luke because he could help her with promotions and her professional growth.
At the same time, Luke might genuinely be the toxic partner that the comments make him out to be. He’s rude, unapologetic, and clearly has no idea how to communicate properly. But because this is a romance drama and the story obviously needed a happy ending, we’re kind of expected to overlook all of that and root for them.
Honestly, if I met someone like Luke or Flora in real life and saw how they handled relationships, I’d probably run in the opposite direction. 😂
Because even at the end, did they actually solve any of their problems? I honestly didn’t see much evidence of it. Luke is still basically the same rude guy who struggles to communicate, while Flora is still the same person who wants to be independent in both her career and relationships. She’s trying to communicate and learn to trust people, but she still doesn’t seem to have the emotional intelligence needed to actually make that work.
So what’s stopping them from having the exact same problems all over again? Nothing has really changed at the core.
That’s why I’m struggling to see how this is supposed to be a happy ending. It honestly feels like they just gave us a happy ending for the sake of having one, rather than because the characters actually earned or reached one.
Which is why the Song Yilia arc is so annoying for me
She hugged her Ex but I didn't see the same concern for Luke that you are showing for Flora here? So Flora can hug her Ex and go on a walk with her Male roommate who likes her but Luke can't go on a business dinner? Are you really this biased or just a plain hypocrite?
When the ML in The Early Spring is rude to people, especially the FL, the comments are like, “Oh, he’s such a red flag and so toxic. The FL should leave him. His mouth is so foul, and the way he talks makes you want to punch him.”
But when the FL in this drama is rude to everyone except her two BFFs, suddenly the comments are like, “Oh, she had such a difficult past. She had to study on her own without any help from her parents. Her parents divorced. She’s so pitiful and needs to be saved. The ML doesn’t deserve her because apparently he didn’t apologize to her. Oh, poor baby.”
Like… why is there such a double standard here? Is it simply because one is supposedly an “independent woman” while the other is a man?
Lmao, I think we can disagree without wishing fictional relationship karma on each other. 😂💀I think we’re…
Bro did you really read the comments? Almost 90% of the comments are pointing flaws in Like while excusing Flora? Read it again, you will know. It's happening everywhere not only in MDL.
Lmao, I think we can disagree without wishing fictional relationship karma on each other. 😂💀I think we’re…
I never said that Luke is not wrong in the relationship. He has his flaws just like Flora but the way people in the comments are maximizing even his minute flaws while conveniently excusing those same flaws from Flora is what's making me mad. Be consistent in what you are saying, don't always term Luke as a Toxic red flag while Flora as an innocent young girl trying to be independent till her 80s
The excuses people give for every single one of FL's bad behaviour while constantly making ML seem like a toxic lover in the comment section is really baffling to see. Hope you really get a partner like Flora, always insecure, never trusting you while constantly hiding your relationship from others in the name of getting hurt just because she is young and doesn't understand much better.
It's only misogyny when it happens in few dramas while the OP is calling it out unnecessarily but when it happens in almost 90% of the dramas then it's a fact not a misogyny. Why can't the makers include some geniune jealousy or at least proper exes of MLs instead of only giving relationship history/ SML to FLs.
I don't think they had a serious relationship. It seems it was more of a dating friendship that didn't last because…
Let me ask you something, why did they make the relationship between Tu Li and Chen Yi fake then? They wanted to censor the drama so they removed the part about Chen Yi and Tu Li dating but kept the part about Cen Ye and MJ dating? Why such hypocritical difference between showing their relationships?
I don't know why but i notice that people tend to criticize the FL of the dramas a lot more than the ML. I saw…
I don't think people are criticizing the FL just because she's a woman. They're criticizing her because of how the script has written her. If the ML behaved the same way, he'd get called out too, just like the ML in Never Ending Summer was criticized for agreeing to date the other girl.
1. "The ML abandoned her."
Yes, he did, and plenty of people criticized him for it. What he did hurt her deeply. The difference is that the story itself treats it as a mistake. He regrets it, suffers because of it, and tries to make amends.
The FL's questionable actions, on the other hand, are often glossed over by the script instead of being acknowledged as flaws.
2. "He keeps her in the dark to protect her."
I agree that's one of the ML's biggest flaws. He has terrible communication skills. But that doesn't automatically make every decision the FL makes reasonable.
Do you really think it would make sense for him to tell her everything the moment she came back into his life? Do you realize how dangerous it is to be a police informant, or how dangerous Zhang Bin actually is? A police officer's wife was killed because of him, and even that officer could not bring Zhang Bin to justice.
So does MJ seriously think she has more power than a trained police officer? Did she ever stop to think about what her reckless actions could mean for CY? He had managed to stay away from Zhang Bin and live peacefully for almost three years. Then MJ came back, made one reckless decision after another, and ended up dragging him back into that dangerous world.
Why do I not see you criticizing her for that? Do you think only MLs should be held accountable while FLs can do whatever they want? Both characters can be wrong at the same time.
3. "Her boss or ex is just a friend."
That is not really the issue. The issue is boundaries.
If your ex clearly still has feelings for you, it is your responsibility to set clear boundaries when you are trying to build a relationship with someone else. It does not matter whether you have feelings for your ex or not. Boundaries are not just for the other person's sake. They are also for your partner's peace of mind.
She keeps saying she wants to heal CY and help him learn to care about himself. Is constantly making him jealous and provoking him through Cen Ye really the way to do that? If that is someone's idea of helping their partner heal, then I honestly feel sorry for their partner.
The script does not help either. It keeps throwing scenes with Cen Ye and constantly bringing up the FL's past relationships. If the writers truly wanted us to see him as just a friend, why keep emphasizing him over and over?
What is even stranger is that the drama changed Tu Li and Chen Yi's relationship. In the novel, they were genuinely together, but the drama made it fake. Yet they still kept all of the FL's previous relationships and kept pushing scenes involving Cen Ye. It honestly feels like the writers are forcing unnecessary love triangle drama.
I do not think anyone expects the FL to literally tell every ex, "We are never getting back together." Healthy boundaries are shown through actions. When someone obviously likes you, you do not keep giving them mixed signals while you are trying to build a relationship with someone else.
I do agree with one thing, though. CY absolutely needs to stop carrying everything by himself. His habit of hiding the truth to protect her is frustrating.
But that does not excuse the FL's own flaws.
Both characters have issues, and both deserve criticism where it is due.
For me, the biggest problem is not even the characters. It is the writing, especially how MJ has been written. The script keeps creating unnecessary misunderstandings, love triangle drama, and dangerous situations because of MJ's reckless decisions instead of letting the couple communicate like mature adults. That is why so many viewers are frustrated.
You said:
"But I think it's time for a proper conversation. I think it's time for CY to stop doing things by himself. The FL can't take it anymore. Like she said, 'It hurts to build my future in your scars.' It's clear that she wants partnership instead of being protected all the time."
I understand what you are saying, but is it really that easy?
This is someone who has spent his entire life believing he has no one to rely on. Those emotional walls do not disappear overnight. How long has MJ even been back? Yet she expects him to open up completely almost immediately.
Healing from years of trauma takes time. If she truly wants to help him, should she not also recognize that some of her own actions are hurting him? Relationships require patience from both sides, not just expectations from one.
I don't think they had a serious relationship. It seems it was more of a dating friendship that didn't last because…
Don't mind me, but the way MJ is behaving doesn't make it seem like they didn't have a serious relationship. It's just your assumptions at this point because we are not seeing any signs for it to believe that. I feel in the recent episodes, she treated Cen Ye better than Chen Yi who is supposedly her only love of her life. Just reverse the genders here and see the hate MLs will be getting. And I don't know why did they change the scenario here making ML a eternal lover saving himself for her in the drama while keeping her relationships the same?
Honestly, I feel like dramas like this still don't know how to write genuinely badass female leads. The writers seem to think that having the FL constantly do reckless, dangerous things despite everyone repeatedly warning her somehow makes her look strong and dependable. It doesn't. It just makes her come across as immature.
The way she's handling Zhang Bin is so reckless that I'm actually laughing at this point. Even a police officer's wife died because of him, and the officer himself couldn't get justice. Does she seriously think she has more power than a police officer?
And if she really wants Chen Yi to heal, she should actually care for him instead of constantly trying to make him jealous. It makes her feelings seem shallow, and she's basically trying to force him to heal on her terms.
She's honestly giving me the same tsundere vibes as those toxic male leads from 2000s/early 2010s dramas who kept hurting the person they loved in the name of love.
And then there are all those weird situations—hugging her ex, living with a male roommate, and breaking up with Luke the moment she lost her promotion. After seeing how Episode 21 played out, it really feels like she only wanted Luke because he could help her with promotions and her professional growth.
At the same time, Luke might genuinely be the toxic partner that the comments make him out to be. He’s rude, unapologetic, and clearly has no idea how to communicate properly. But because this is a romance drama and the story obviously needed a happy ending, we’re kind of expected to overlook all of that and root for them.
Honestly, if I met someone like Luke or Flora in real life and saw how they handled relationships, I’d probably run in the opposite direction. 😂
Because even at the end, did they actually solve any of their problems? I honestly didn’t see much evidence of it. Luke is still basically the same rude guy who struggles to communicate, while Flora is still the same person who wants to be independent in both her career and relationships. She’s trying to communicate and learn to trust people, but she still doesn’t seem to have the emotional intelligence needed to actually make that work.
So what’s stopping them from having the exact same problems all over again? Nothing has really changed at the core.
That’s why I’m struggling to see how this is supposed to be a happy ending. It honestly feels like they just gave us a happy ending for the sake of having one, rather than because the characters actually earned or reached one.
But when the FL in this drama is rude to everyone except her two BFFs, suddenly the comments are like, “Oh, she had such a difficult past. She had to study on her own without any help from her parents. Her parents divorced. She’s so pitiful and needs to be saved. The ML doesn’t deserve her because apparently he didn’t apologize to her. Oh, poor baby.”
Like… why is there such a double standard here? Is it simply because one is supposedly an “independent woman” while the other is a man?
1. "The ML abandoned her."
Yes, he did, and plenty of people criticized him for it. What he did hurt her deeply. The difference is that the story itself treats it as a mistake. He regrets it, suffers because of it, and tries to make amends.
The FL's questionable actions, on the other hand, are often glossed over by the script instead of being acknowledged as flaws.
2. "He keeps her in the dark to protect her."
I agree that's one of the ML's biggest flaws. He has terrible communication skills. But that doesn't automatically make every decision the FL makes reasonable.
Do you really think it would make sense for him to tell her everything the moment she came back into his life? Do you realize how dangerous it is to be a police informant, or how dangerous Zhang Bin actually is? A police officer's wife was killed because of him, and even that officer could not bring Zhang Bin to justice.
So does MJ seriously think she has more power than a trained police officer? Did she ever stop to think about what her reckless actions could mean for CY? He had managed to stay away from Zhang Bin and live peacefully for almost three years. Then MJ came back, made one reckless decision after another, and ended up dragging him back into that dangerous world.
Why do I not see you criticizing her for that? Do you think only MLs should be held accountable while FLs can do whatever they want? Both characters can be wrong at the same time.
3. "Her boss or ex is just a friend."
That is not really the issue. The issue is boundaries.
If your ex clearly still has feelings for you, it is your responsibility to set clear boundaries when you are trying to build a relationship with someone else. It does not matter whether you have feelings for your ex or not. Boundaries are not just for the other person's sake. They are also for your partner's peace of mind.
She keeps saying she wants to heal CY and help him learn to care about himself. Is constantly making him jealous and provoking him through Cen Ye really the way to do that? If that is someone's idea of helping their partner heal, then I honestly feel sorry for their partner.
The script does not help either. It keeps throwing scenes with Cen Ye and constantly bringing up the FL's past relationships. If the writers truly wanted us to see him as just a friend, why keep emphasizing him over and over?
What is even stranger is that the drama changed Tu Li and Chen Yi's relationship. In the novel, they were genuinely together, but the drama made it fake. Yet they still kept all of the FL's previous relationships and kept pushing scenes involving Cen Ye. It honestly feels like the writers are forcing unnecessary love triangle drama.
I do not think anyone expects the FL to literally tell every ex, "We are never getting back together." Healthy boundaries are shown through actions. When someone obviously likes you, you do not keep giving them mixed signals while you are trying to build a relationship with someone else.
I do agree with one thing, though. CY absolutely needs to stop carrying everything by himself. His habit of hiding the truth to protect her is frustrating.
But that does not excuse the FL's own flaws.
Both characters have issues, and both deserve criticism where it is due.
For me, the biggest problem is not even the characters. It is the writing, especially how MJ has been written. The script keeps creating unnecessary misunderstandings, love triangle drama, and dangerous situations because of MJ's reckless decisions instead of letting the couple communicate like mature adults. That is why so many viewers are frustrated.
You said:
"But I think it's time for a proper conversation. I think it's time for CY to stop doing things by himself. The FL can't take it anymore. Like she said, 'It hurts to build my future in your scars.' It's clear that she wants partnership instead of being protected all the time."
I understand what you are saying, but is it really that easy?
This is someone who has spent his entire life believing he has no one to rely on. Those emotional walls do not disappear overnight. How long has MJ even been back? Yet she expects him to open up completely almost immediately.
Healing from years of trauma takes time. If she truly wants to help him, should she not also recognize that some of her own actions are hurting him? Relationships require patience from both sides, not just expectations from one.
The way she's handling Zhang Bin is so reckless that I'm actually laughing at this point. Even a police officer's wife died because of him, and the officer himself couldn't get justice. Does she seriously think she has more power than a police officer?
And if she really wants Chen Yi to heal, she should actually care for him instead of constantly trying to make him jealous. It makes her feelings seem shallow, and she's basically trying to force him to heal on her terms.
She's honestly giving me the same tsundere vibes as those toxic male leads from 2000s/early 2010s dramas who kept hurting the person they loved in the name of love.