smoky_topaz

Story could’ve been better with 8 or 10 episodes

Overall I liked the drama and got drawn into the story. I can even see myself watch it again at one point in the future.
But is it perfect?
No.
The acting was okay for me, the chemistry matched the plot (more sparks within the last 2 episodes).

What leaves me a little disgruntled are two points.
The first is the rushed storytelling overall.
Hayakawa’s messed up psyche and him sexually assaulting Konno could’ve been fleshed out better and should’ve been addressed more, than the glossing over with just a heartfelt apology (and an additional non consented kiss!) we got to watch.
Konno should have confronted him about it and cleared it up.
My second point of annoyance is a missing good ending. A kind of epilogue, which shows us how they’re doing as a couple in the future. A proper send of.
Hence my opinion, this drama could’ve been better with some additional episodes and storytelling.
So, all in all, since I liked it despite my criticism, 9/10 it is.

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Messy, but it hit the metaphorical spot as an emotional rebound drama

After watching 3 costume dramas in a row I needed a change of scenery on screen.
And since LITC got me heavily emotional invested I was looking for a suitable show for the recovery phase. 😅
Stumbled upon a TT about Double Love, looked it up, gave it a try.
Luckily I read through the comments and reviews before starting it. That adjusted my expectations and I was prepared for a probable disaster.
Is the drama a mess regarding storytelling and editing? Definitely.
It’s has multiple plot holes, where we as viewers have to fill in gaps on our own. Thankfully some users have looked for and added links and a translation for the most crucial missing scene in the drama. You can look it up in the discussion section below.
BUT. But, but, but.
After I settled in for a bumpy watching session I surprised myself by liking the drama despite its obvious flaws.
A cute MC with a spunky FL plus very charming supporting characters embodied by a cast, who did a good job. As an easy, fluffy romance tale with cute and funny moments (munching watermelon as a running gag, whenever someone had juicy news to share) - the show had a lot of good and promising points too!
Only to end up being botched afterwards while edited.
It made me feel bad for the actors and the crew, who did a good job and brought great ideas and the chemistry into their work.
That drama wasted a lot of its potential.
But I liked it despite the flaws. And - like my headline said already - it hit the spot, got me hooked and I more or less binge watched it in the end.

My mind compared it with nutrition as an analogy:
I love my daily diet of healthy food, but sometimes you just crave some greasy fast food.

Back to the drama: I even see myself watch it again after some time.
Hence the reason I give it a 8/10.

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Don’t judge a book by its cover

The MLs are both uber shy introverts. So be prepared to sit and watch through a lot of awkward situations and communications. Especially in the first half of the drama.
But if you have the patience for this more slow pacing you won’t regret it.

This story shows that everybody has insecurities and more often than not the perceived situation only tells parts of the whole truth and can lead to wrong conclusions. Don’t judge a book by its cover - so to speak.
This drama is for binge watching.
I got invested and the episodes are short. It starts slow but as the story unfolds it gets more and more interesting and in the end I was sad that it was finished already.
It ends on a feel good note. Some good messages.
Recommended!
(Review from 2022/05/10)

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A show to savor like a good wine

I need to leave my ⭐️ already because it’s just THAT good.
I am totally hooked and have developed a serious crush on the female lead‘s character. Her personality is a silent but persistent power which knows how to articulate her thoughts when necessary. 🤩👍💪
After watching more than half of the drama - serious binge material! Update after finishing this show: Still going with the 10 stars! 🤗
The second half included some episodes where they took the melodramatic quite seriously and it felt oppressive to watch all these discouraging moments. And yes, some part of me was considering if this drama should’ve been shorter, too. If they might’ve stretched and overdone some negative story elements.
But after ending this drama I’m not sure if a shorter storytelling would’ve worked out regarding this drama in its entirety. Perhaps it needed these difficult parts filled with nearly only hopelessness so we viewers can fully appreciate the growths in the protagonists at the end.

If you’re now struggling with the decision to watch - this drama made me often smile so hard that my cheeks hurt, too. 😅
And I don’t recommend to skip through these difficult passages because (imho) they’re fundamental to fully appreciate the satisfying last episodes! I ended the show with a big smile on my face, deeply satisfied with how they concluded the different subplots. Some other reviewer compared watching this drama with savoring a good wine. In my eyes a suitable comparison! Bravo! Well done! 👏👍🤗
(Review from 2020/10/29)

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