Amazing social psychology drama, with masterclass writing.

Review contain relation and character development minor spoiler, but not contents or events spoilers for the story. It's my first review on mydrama, hope you will find it helpful.

First, it's worth noting that this is almost not a romance. Polarizing reviews may result from expectations of a romance, but the story could just as well fit into the realm of friendship. The main couple only embraces in the most dramatic moments, never kisses, and doesn't share a bed. However, I recommend this drama for those interested in psychology and social psychology issues. This should be the main focus of our interest to fully appreciate this work.

Emotions

First, it's essential to emphasize that it avoids what many others drama do - 'dramatizing' based on uncertainty and unrest. There are few unusual 'villains' or admirers for the female lead (FL), but the drama manages to make it less anxious for the viewer, not due to a lack of emotions but because of the strong principles of the FL. She knows what she wants and what is good for others, with no gray area or hesitation. However, the downside is that she decides things for herself without consultations or communication, which is connected to her struggles.

Facing trauma, social and family expectations, fighting fear, anxiety, obsession, guilt, and finding meaning and happiness are just a few psychological topics explored around the characters.

It feels like across characters, their traits are always more than one-dimensional. For example, love confused with obsession or love confused with respect for mentorship. Good intentions escalate into bad things due to control cravings, anxiety, etc. Bad emotions dissolve and transform, and even bad intentions rationalize as good, only to result in more bad. The drama also features a sophisticated psychopathic antagonist, but I won't spoil his actions.
The series also has an interesting approach to presenting events beyond human influence, directed nowhere - like nature. All events are just things that happened, not inherently good or bad, depending on people's reactions to them. The consequences of choices are just consequences, not bad karma, fate, or anything else.

Characters

The main pair of characters is likable from the beginning. They are compassionate, genuinely helpful, altruistic, caring for people around them. However, sometimes, they are distant and lost in their inner world, adding an interesting dynamic to their relationship. One wants to be alone while the other needs externalization. Sometimes they are just beside each other, but over time, with daily courtesy and care for each other, they inevitably drift closer.
The 'calm drift' of everyday life is often interrupted dynamically by relationships with other characters, who are well written and memorable.

The screenwriter does an amazing job at separating external reality from characters internal thoughts, emotions, and reactions, allowing us to observe the whole internal process.

It can be said that the characters develop by building experiences. When one might expect a focus on reminiscing about the past and fixing wrongs, thats an positive surprise. It shows that sometimes, in a seemingly hopeless moment, the only option is to move forward without seeing a solution, but having hope that new experiences and new people will create a way out. This is a valuable element of life wisdom, often overlooked in psychoanalysis, which can be focused on analyzing cases separated from the patient's life when the process and time can bring answers.

Paceing/Structure

Apart from situations showing social relationships and psychological behaviors in relationships with others, there are also some flashbacks and cases of FL's clients. Still, the main element that changes the pace is ML's creative process. When he writes a script, we get snippets of mini-dramas with actors in new roles. These stories are genuinely interesting and could be developed into full-fledged dramas. Often, when many threads are heading towards difficult and heavy themes, the invented script contains something lighter, and vice versa. This also gives actors the opportunity for often different roles, showcasing their abilities. (By the way, allowing the audience to distance themselves from actors roles they might not like).
Working on scripts and characters seamlessly intertwines with the main plot and is revealed in ML's behavior. He becomes more open, bold, versatile, engaged, and responsible. Over time, the changes occurring in him due to FL find reflection in his scripts. It is a very accurate and interesting depiction of the creative process in the evolving life of the creator.

The only downside is their lack of involvement in deepening romantic relationships, overlooking not only the supposed romance but also the natural desire to get to know the loved one better. It seems challenging for FL to talk about certain things, making it look like she doesn't trust ML enough to confide in him. Even if the screenwriter wanted to show internal struggles, he could still show attempts at conversation that fail, then the audience would see not only hesitations but also the desire for closeness (it's shown basically in last 3eps). Living next to each other won't magically become living with each other if there's no effort in it. Even in the last episodes, FL preferred sleeping together and confiding in her bestfriend rather than in her supposed beloved. Why? Therefore, the ending, with an open ending, may be disappointing, but it is still interesting, especially if you don't expect anything more about the second season.
Oh, and I don't understand why there are so many music montages, especially with the same two songs throughout all 40 episodes.

In summary, this is one of the most complex, multi-threaded, and multi-layered scripts in TV shows that I have seen. Moreover, it ties up and specifies by circling with smaller and larger cycles of different threads.

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Almost perfect fate breaker

First of all, this drama not only has high production value, great acting, and a logically refined plot without understatements and suspension of disbelief, but also the closeness and tenderness of the main couple. Usually, high production value goes hand in hand with historical dramas and high political figures that don't show much emotions. Also approach of the inevitability of fate, man's powerlessness against heaven, and an unhappy or bittersweet ending (aka Alchemy of Souls).

For me, the perfect breakaway plot would be a case where a person not only creates their own destiny despite the consequences but also creates their own happiness. This depends on whether we insist on facing our destiny alone for the good of others or whether we trust in the strength of those who believe in us.

*Spoilers*

The only route she didn't try, knowing that meeting him and acting along wouldn't work, was to be brutally honest and trust that staying together would save them both. Sure, she was afraid she would disappear from the past on the third run, but she didn't in the fourth, so they could have had a life together. Already in the third time, she learned that distancing herself from him didn't work, but she didn't understand that this was because she tried to do everything alone.

She still succumbed to fate, tried to change it, and gave up, thinking that having a worse fate for herself would give a better one to her loved one, as if it were some cosmic equilibrium that couldn't be changed. Even the end was presented as heaven rewarding her for her sacrifice.

Sure, the whole 'try hard to remember a life we didn't have' (anemoia) by the ML was exciting and in fact maybe even better ending as being more dramatic, but for a perfect score, I missed one route where she stays with him and together they try to change fate without wasting time(even if it route where they still dies after years and then back for 4rh time).

Asian cinema still hasn't broken out from the doom of fate, and this drama was the closest to changing and shaping destiny by one's own will. Therefore, almost a perfect 10 from me, but I will still be looking for that perfect one.

Special mention for the amazing directing and camera work here. The hugging scenes with close-ups on faces can melt a heart. Also, the grandma with dementia remembering all timelines was a perfect touch.^^

what an amazing show

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