Emotional Ride

This series starts kind of slow. It's hard to get into but once you do it's kinda worth it. IT could have been shorter and got the same points across. The benefit for me was seeing that other cultures suffer from similar messiness when a loved one passes. Confession: I used to attend funerals just to observe the messiness that could occur. I would sing in the choir to get a front row seat. I've reformed my ways (I also don't attend church anymore. ) Anyway, not much to say here but if you need material for a cry day this is for you. I've lost my grandma too so I can relate a lot. (except when grandma half jokingly said she didn't like black people, Taiwan WTF!)

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*sigh*

I get it now. I am frustrated that none of this made sense until the final episode, but I get it. This story is realistic in that, until you face/heal your own issues, you will mess it up for yourself and others. When it comes to love, don't depend on an app to make those decisions for you.

Sun-oh finally got the closure he deserved. Realistically, you may not be granted closure and must figure out how to move on without it. But this is fiction and I'm glad JoJo "released him." The way he got JoJo was rude as hell in the first place. So, this whole ordeal although cruel, can also be seen as karma. I went back to first episode and JoJo said that she didn't love him. The urge to kiss came first. With that in mind, Sun-oh was working out his mommy issues. He desperately needed someone to love him. He forced his love on her.

JoJo probably went along with it because she needed someone on her side. Similar to how she went along with the relationship with Ik-Shik. She was working out family issues too. If Hye would have made the first move, we wouldn't have a story. Hye, although creepy in his actions, respected her relationship with Ik-Shik. So I could understand why he was holding back. I feel bad about Sun-oh and Hye's friendship but Sun-oh ruined it in the first place. Hye was an excellent friend, and Sun-oh wasn't.

JoJo finally faced her past and let shit go. It could be argued that her aunt and cousin are just as much to blame for how they treated JoJo. They reinforced those negative thoughts in JoJo's head. (We have not seen JoJo train, but she runs a marathon? Not important.)

I'm glad that JoJo's Aunt found happiness. One thing I don't like about Korean dramas is that the adults are rarely held accountable for the pain and messed up things they do to their children. (i.e., Sun-Oh's mom, but she's so miserable why bother)

Gul-mi is still Gul-mi. Her relationship with her mom and JoJo is better but I fear for her future. (If she was a real person)

I will say that this is a win for the second lead. This is not a bad drama. It could have been told differently. As a viewer it was frustrating to watch because even though I knew why characters were behaving a certain way. It just wasn’t clear. I wasn’t sure if it was the story telling or my intuitiveness that relayed the messages. I feel like certain themes and story-lines could have been better explored. There could have been better hints along the way. It didn't end as bad as it started. I feel like it would be better as a re-watch. Or would I just know better?

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