meow everywhere

I feel the exact, exact same way! the rating going down is breaking my heart, not for the studio, but for the actors. they did such an incredible job, the storyline being out of their hands. if anything, ppl are all so upset bc their love and story were so real and we fell in love with them. and that is all thanks to how amazing the actors were. they didn't hold back whatsoever, they let their characters act as two people would who are falling in love, the intimacy and eye contact alone were so amazing. then add the kissing and nc scenes, incredible. the whole dialogue has sadly been about the ending, not about them which i get why and it's understandable. I hope they see the praise of their acting and not ppl being upset. I hope no one turns this on them. and I hope studio oak sees this as a reflection on their choices, and doesn't choose to do this in other dramas to other actors. like instead I wish we could all be talking about how believable their breakup was and how dohyeon chose to work part time to make eunho feel better bc he knew how to do the job and he didn't? or, the mutual hj in the shower? I wish the studio and director had made a different decision for the ending so that the discussion could be about them and not this.

of course, and as you should. I just wanted to say that in case it made anything better for you.
but I agree, my ultimate issue with everything is that the actors did incredible and instead of it being a discussion after the finale about them, it's about this ending. studio oak doing this is so unfair to them

you are 110% correct. we shouldn't have to have this discussion to deduce what really was meant by the ending. i feel they really did such disservice to the actors who imo did incredible especially it being their first drama. so I'm sad this is the discussion instead of their incredible performance. I wish studio oak would have thought this through.

i don't want to try and change your feelings, rather just want to add some context since what you're expressing is so valid.
the author wrote on X that the last scene was a dream, and that it was what Eunho would have now wanted to say to Dohyeon if he could go back to highschool. so, he would want to confess, to be more open, to be more confident in himself and his wants for their relationship and for his own future. and give dohyeon reassurance that they were for certain, and that he wants to find what he wants to do in his life as well.
I agree, portrayal by Studio OAK was poor. we shouldn't have to read between the lines or have the author chime in for this to be explained whatsoever. imo I would've liked the ring scene from the manhwa to be in the drama, so that they can still have the last scene if they so desire, but instead have Eunho wearing the ring so we know for certain this is a dream, and not the whole drama being a dream.
I think you're interpretation of gays only being able to be happy in dreams, is such a fair interpretation of what they showed, and really wasn't well thought out by Studio Oak. it makes me really upset thinking that the studio didn't think that through and how that would impact viewers. I'm disappointed that they didn't fully flush out what they were trying to say and do, and understandably, many ppl will feel this way as you do and others have expressed.
I just hope that this explanation maybe makes the drama ending a bit more palatable? I'm not sure. but all your feelings are so so valid x

that is a totally valid criticism!! it wasn't well portrayed or explained. I think him wearing the bracelet was supposed to be our clue, but then it could just seem like it was from ep 4. they should have been included the scene from
the manhwa about the rings, and then had Eunho wearing the ring in the last scene, bc then it would've been more obvious this scene was a dream imo

yes!!!!!

the author posted on X saying: Watching the drama and thinking about it belatedly, so I wanted to write this down: the dream scene with Eunho attached at the very end of the Summer Vacation side story wasn't about going back to the past, or everything being a dream, or anything like that... I think it'd be great if you could see it as just the current Eunho saying in his dream the words he wanted to say to the past Dohyeonso the last scene, it's eunho dream. what we just watched is all reality. he's dreaming of what he wishes he said in highschool. it's supposed to show his growth and confidence in the relationship and himself. he says he wants to find what he wants, which shows that through loving dohyeon he feels more confident and assured and wants their future to only be them. I don't think it was well thought out by the show of how to film this, bc everyone understandably is upset without themproviding any explanation. but I hope maybe this helps to make you feel better ◡̈

the author clarified that it wasn't a dream. that the last scene is a dream, of eunho wishing he could have said that do dohyeon back then. imo the interpretation is supposed to show eunho's growth and confidence now in himself and the relationship. poorly portrayed and too ambiguous, should've been more explicit in that explanation.
the author posted on X saying: Watching the drama and thinking about it belatedly, so I wanted to write this down: the dream scene with Eunho attached at the very end of the Summer Vacation side story wasn't about going back to the past, or everything being a dream, or anything like that... I think it'd be great if you could see it as just the current Eunho saying in his dream the words he wanted to say to the past Dohyeon

for some context here's what the author of Summertime said about the ending:Watching the drama and thinking about it belatedly, so I wanted to write this down: the dream scene with Eunho attached at the very end of the Summer Vacation side story wasn't about going back to the past, or everything being a dream, or anything like that... I think it'd be great if you could see it as just the current Eunho saying in his dream the words he wanted to say to the past Dohyeon

i feel the same way lol