I should have known after my experience with "W" (written by the same person) not to get my hopes too high, and this drama started very strong, but by the end I felt extremely disappointed. I felt the same way about "W"... that this could have easily joined my list of favorite dramas, and there were so many elements to the story that I loved, but there were also too many things that could have been better. I can't say that I disliked "Memories of the Alhambra" but I can say that it didn't quite live up to the hype.

What I loved about the story is the main plot revolving around the augmented-reality videogame. It's hard to go to into it without giving away too much, but I loved the world they created, the unexpected twists in the story, and the mystery element that intrigued me to the very end. I also loved Hyun Bin! He was great as reluctant hero Yoo Jin Woo and always plays the charming jerk role so well. He is one of my favorites, and it was great to see him as a leading man again. Unfortunately, I can't say the same about the leading lady.

Park Shin Hye as Jung Hee Joo is probably the thing I hated most about this drama. I can blame the writer for making her character so pathetic, but I really think a better actress could have made the role work. Even though I have liked her in other roles, in the drama she seemed out of her league. She had zero chemistry with Hyun Bin in my opinion, and he really seemed to be trying much harder to make their romantic storyline work while she basically cried and looked slightly surprised most of the time. He had much better chemistry with his assistant than with her, he even had better chemistry with the little sister, and since romance becomes a major element in the story it definitely added to my disappointment.

The rest of the cast, in general, was good but there were times when the side character stories seemed more like filler, made the story drag, and didn't hold my interest. Some of it made sense and added to the story, like the scandalous love triangle between the two bffs, and the father played by the always brilliant Kim Eui Sung, but most of the side stories just didn't live up to the excitement of the game world. I didn't care at all about Jin Woo's second wife or Hee Joo's friend zoned guy pal. I would have much rather learned more about the development of the game. I liked the show much more in the earlier episodes when there was more focus on just the game world.

I was also impressed by how this drama looked visually. The Spain locations were great, and the virtual world elements looked impressive and believable. I liked the incorporation of the Spanish guitar too which made a beautiful melody so creepy, especially if it happens to be raining while you're watching.

The rest of the soundtrack was just ok in my opinion.

Would I watch this again? Probably. The game world alone was entertaining enough to watch again, although I would be tempted to skip through all of Park Shin Hye's scenes where she isn't the mysterious Emma. Since the story jumps around in time so much it may be interesting to watch again knowing what's actually going on.

I also have to give a shoutout to the genius product placement! There were the usual blatant moments, of course, but the way some brands were incorporated into the story was pretty brilliant.

I also understand why people were disappointed with the ending but I was more indifferent. Parts of the end actually made me tear up, and other parts made me roll my eyes. It seemed more like a set up for a sequel than a real ending anyway, but I think they did their best to give most of the characters some kind of closure, even if I didn't care about some of them.

Overall, this is a drama where there may be plot holes, lapses in logic, an overuse of narration, and a love story that lacks chemistry, but it makes up for it in originality and intrigue. I was excited every week to watch the latest episode all the way up until the end, which honestly felt like it came too soon. So I would still recommend this drama, even with its flaws. It's another ambitious story that may not have lived up to its full potential, but it definitely stands out among other dramas.

I really hope to see Hyun Bin as a leading man again soon, with a better leading lady. I also look forward to the next sci-fi drama by this writer, because it may not have been as good as it should have been but it was certainly extremely memorable...

*cue Spanish guitar and thunder* o.O