-hey, how about we create an amazing plot with a little bit of romance to spice it up? -Yes, but let's not show how they start liking each other and also, give she girl as little participation on the story as possible.
That's how I imagine them writing this part of the script. Okay so, honestly I loved the story, it was so creative and well structured, it really got me hooked. The idea and the adventure/action part was really well done, you can clearly see the it was one of their priorities. BUT the only thing that bothered me like crazy was Jung Hee Joo / Emma's role in the drama, I mean she is literally on the poster o f the series but her charecter was completly useless. I couldn't ignore the way the only woman on the main cast was portrayed, Park Shin Hye is amazing actress and neither the scrip or the director did any justice. I felt that she was only there to make the hero look stronger and so that he could make a "sacrifice" to look like an even better person.
About their "romance", it was poorly written and awfully structured, it was so rushed like one moment they hate eachother and the next they are kissing. It didn't make any sense and it was totally useless to the plot, just because it's a man and a woman doesn't mean they have to kiss at some point (heteronormativity still going strong right). Also, Hee Joo had no personality or charecter development, it's like they just shoved her in the story and forgot that she was her until hey need a kiss scene. Jung Hee Joo is supposed to look all determined and and hardworking, but barelly has any involviment in the story and when she appears, she is always being saved by him. Women don't need to be saved, female protagonists are just as strong as the male protagonists.