I quite liked how streamlined and focused this drama was. Scenes flowed together smoothly, and even though you may expect a "thriller" to have a faster pace, the slower development of Kill It worked really well for its story, in my opinion. Nice OST, helped by the fact that it was used sparingly.
I also believe that the better question to ask yourself when watching isn't "What happened?" - because many important developments are revealed to the audience relatively quickly & it's not that difficult to figure out - rather, it's "How will these characters react and what will they do next?" In that sense it's really not a whodunit, and I had a much better time watching once I put my attention on the characters, their thinking, and their emotions.
I started watching for Jang Ki Yong (Kim Soo Hyun) - really liked the restraint in this character - but ended up being especially impressed by the acting from Roh Jeong Eui (Seul Ki) as well as Nana (Do Hyun Jin). Seul Ki really tugged on my heartstrings by the end and her strong belief in ML's good character really stood out (espcially when FL was having doubts). She /is/ a child, after all, and shouldn't be forced to grow up more than she already has had to. I really liked Hyun Jin's character, and her directness (without being cold) + compassion (without being totally naive) was a breath of fresh air. Lee Jae Won as Phillip was also great, I wish we could've learned a little more about their friendship.
On certain plot points, character motivations, and the ending:
Was pleasantly surprised by the great third act in this drama. I thought both the ML and FL had satisfying character…
A good chunk of my experience watching this was thinking to myself "Why are the good guys so stupid!? Why is Hwi so trusting of his brother Kang?? Why does Hwi give Kang so many second chances? Is it just me that remembers how much danger everyone is in right now??" But eventually it sunk in that it's part of Hwi's character to be that trusting. Naive, sure, but he's just written to be that compassionate. Some part of him still wants to make up with his brother Kang. Eventually he learns to be stronger and wiser (shown particularly well in the last episode/epilouge, imo) and that's really nice.
The middle part of the drama felt slower-paced to me, but the moment when the ML and FL truly have a deeper conversation/made up was really nice. I was initially very confused as to why the ML and FL were having issues! They were together now, ML is alive, what is the problem? But the FL explained it well - even though Hwi had the right reasoning (undoubtedly, he wanted to shield Ja Hyun and everyone else he cared about) by leaving her in the dark, it hurt her more not knowing. And after she became more serious, FL is a capable person indeed, they had more success once ML and FL were truly working together. A very nice message, conveyed well.
Was pleasantly surprised by the great third act in this drama. I thought both the ML and FL had satisfying character development, even if it was a little delayed. I think this drama suffered a bit from repetiveness (flashbacks, etc), but I actually feel like it didn't really drag that much - there was quite a lot of plot/palace politics to cover. I particularly liked how they wrapped things up. Nice watch overall, nothing too taxing for the audience, and a sweet romance to match!
Well, I still believe that the drama has a fantastic OST, that's for sure. Really love the main one ("Comfort") so much.
I will post the rest as a spoiler because I don't want to clog up the comment section, but sure, here it is:
Some dramas are gritty and realistic. Some aren't, and instead invite the audience to indulge in some fantasy for a while - "suspension of disbelief." While you might expect a drama involving court cases to be as down to earth as possible, Your Honor isn't really a drama designed that way. That being said - If you can accept that there's some strange logic going on (like why does no one supect the switch when the ML is so obviously different? I think I eventually comforted myself by thinking that the older brother was so scary to work under that no one wanted to question his apparent change in behavior) I think this is definitely a worthwhile watch. In fiction, free from realism, one can explore things that wouldn't be possible in real life, and I think Your Honor does a good job in this aspect.
On the court cases, I was really pleasantly surprised by the uniqueness and realism of the results. Like - talking about the appeals process, about what type of evidence is admissble, what people wronged by the system can do - that's really alot deeper than I could've ever wished for.
The ML (not the judge, it's his petty criminal brother) is a really wacky and ridiculous character, totally unreasonable and childish in many ways - but that's the point, and he brings a refreshing sense of directness to the world of his judge brother. The ML is both written well and acted well - Yoon Shi-Yoon accomplishes the difficult task of playing a very exaggerated character while endearing himself to the audience over time.
I really liked this FL! I know some people thought she was annoying, but her idealism and optimism is an essential part of the story. I was especially happy to see this actress - I had seen her in The Lies Within, which she also did so wonderful on, but where she had a much more limited range of emotions to portray - so it was so nice to see her play this role. Lee Yoo Young is such a good actress. I rooted for her journey so much!
(Also, I'm usually not someone to care about chemistry that much but this couple? Absolutely spectacular. Something about them clicks just right, and my emotions went up and down with them when I was watching.)
I was worried there would be a lot of 2FL mistakes ML as his twin and the whole jealousy/drama surrounding that, but besides one scene, there wasn't a love triangle there - nice!!
The supporting actors were also really great. I hated the 2ML with the fire of a thousand suns - so kudos to the actor!! The side story of the judge older brother and the news anchor was much weaker, but I did like the little bits that we saw. Ending felt a tiny bit rushed, but I think it was also an ending that made sense.
100000/10 OST. One of the rare times where I remember each song!
Overall, a really lovely watch for me. There was something really warm and touching about the themes and messages in the story. It was a little out of my comfort zone in the beginning, but it was 100% worth finishing! These characters and their world will stay in my memory, I'm certain!
Short answer about the judge - Kidnapped! He's alright by the end of the story. He's not the main character of…
Long answer about the judge - The older brother made a ruling to sentence a defendant to death, in a case that was very complicated and deserved a more nuanced decision than that. The defendant ended up taking his own life - this was not directly the judge's fault, but the defendant's family saw it that way, and sought revenge. He was also either corrupt or very close to being corrupt - by the end of the drama he sees the error of his ways and resigns from his position to repent.
Long-ish answer about the twin acting as the judge - He experiences a lot of character growth. He falls hard for the FL and changes a lot as a person. It's really nice to see! He eventually returns to his ordinary life. It'll all unfold in the drama, it's probably better to watch than to read my attempt at an explanation.
Some dramas are gritty and realistic. Some aren't, and instead invite the audience to indulge in some fantasy…
I don't know how they filmed it, but the one scene where the brothers are fighting each other was so impressive. YSY did a great job emphasizing the difference between the brothers! It was so realistic!
Hei, FB reels brought me here. Spoilers please! So where did the real judge go? What happens to the other twin…
Short answer about the judge - Kidnapped! He's alright by the end of the story. He's not the main character of the drama at all, but we do see some scenes of him every now and then, which are really nice. The story focuses mainly on his younger brother.
Short answer about the twin acting as the judge - He ends up being in charge of many interesting cases. The story follows him mainly, and imo it's pretty interesting!
Some dramas are gritty and realistic. Some aren't, and instead invite the audience to indulge in some fantasy for a while - "suspension of disbelief." While you might expect a drama involving court cases to be as down to earth as possible, Your Honor isn't really a drama designed that way. That being said - If you can accept that there's some strange logic going on (like why does no one supect the switch when the ML is so obviously different? I think I eventually comforted myself by thinking that the older brother was so scary to work under that no one wanted to question his apparent change in behavior) I think this is definitely a worthwhile watch. In fiction, free from realism, one can explore things that wouldn't be possible in real life, and I think Your Honor does a good job in this aspect.
On the court cases, I was really pleasantly surprised by the uniqueness and realism of the results. Like - talking about the appeals process, about what type of evidence is admissble, what people wronged by the system can do - that's really alot deeper than I could've ever wished for.
The ML (not the judge, it's his petty criminal brother) is a really wacky and ridiculous character, totally unreasonable and childish in many ways - but that's the point, and he brings a refreshing sense of directness to the world of his judge brother. The ML is both written well and acted well - Yoon Shi-Yoon accomplishes the difficult task of playing a very exaggerated character while endearing himself to the audience over time.
I really liked this FL! I know some people thought she was annoying, but her idealism and optimism is an essential part of the story. I was especially happy to see this actress - I had seen her in The Lies Within, which she also did so wonderful on, but where she had a much more limited range of emotions to portray - so it was so nice to see her play this role. Lee Yoo Young is such a good actress. I rooted for her journey so much!
(Also, I'm usually not someone to care about chemistry that much but this couple? Absolutely spectacular. Something about them clicks just right, and my emotions went up and down with them when I was watching.)
I was worried there would be a lot of 2FL mistakes ML as his twin and the whole jealousy/drama surrounding that, but besides one scene, there wasn't a love triangle there - nice!!
The supporting actors were also really great. I hated the 2ML with the fire of a thousand suns - so kudos to the actor!! The side story of the judge older brother and the news anchor was much weaker, but I did like the little bits that we saw. Ending felt a tiny bit rushed, but I think it was also an ending that made sense.
100000/10 OST. One of the rare times where I remember each song!
Overall, a really lovely watch for me. There was something really warm and touching about the themes and messages in the story. It was a little out of my comfort zone in the beginning, but it was 100% worth finishing! These characters and their world will stay in my memory, I'm certain!
I greatly enjoyed this show, but I did have a lingering sense of sadness after because I think with a few changes, it could have easily become one of my all time favorites and more of a masterpiece.
As others have mentioned, and as a viewer may glean after episode 1-2, the ML Do Won is really going through everything because of his strong desire to save the FL Se Kyung, the woman he realized he loved a little too late. And man, does Do Won suffer in the process (I think I'd put this ML on my list of most tragic k-drama leads, in the same league as the ones from Come and Hug Me, Mawang, and Damo) - so the less than obvious chemistry between the ML/FL is especially obvious/glaring?
Se Kyung of World B doesn't have the same history with Do Won so there's no reason for her to have anything but animosity towards him, BUT I feel the directors/writers should know that the audience will naturally want to see more of this deep affection (because it's literally the only thing Do Won has left to live for) and showed us it more, via the relationship between Do Won and Se Kyung in World A. I mean, YSY does a great job - the depth of Do Won's sadness is really not something to deny - but it is very one-sided, and a little help from Se Kyung would've been really, really nice.
We did have a few scenes of this - and those were very nice, very effective scenes (I so loved Do Won pretending to be Se Kyung's boyfriend when dropping her off at campus ha) - but they were really too few and infrequent, which wasn't helped by the fact that the scenes we did get were repeated really really often. I remember thinking to myself this drama could've been helped with a bigger budget. Maybe if they had some more money they could've fleshed out this critical backstory and repeated less scenes/plot devices/flashbacks etc.
But I cannot criticize this too much either - there is also quite alot of beauty in the subtle but certain way Do Won has decided to care for and stay with Se Kyung, in any world, in any manner, even if she never knows. Before, Se Kyung followed Do Won with this same devotion, and Do Won had foolishly ignored it - now, having come to terms with his feelings, his resolve is unshakable. Evergreen, everlasting, and forever true. I must emphasize that their story really touched me in a way very few kdramas did, even those ostensibly focused on romance. Surprising, for one that doesn't actually give the couple a lot of screentime!
I think the show was also trying to say some interesting things regarding ideas of fate/the thought of "what if I could go back and do _____ differently?". I didn't see too many plot holes either, at least not enough to throw me out of immersion - plus a unique approach to multiverses.
TLDR: - 100% worthwhile if you're a fan of Yoon Shi Yoon. I watched this almost immediately after I watched Your Honor too, which was perfect because as much I loved him there I was craving a more serious role from him. - Don't expect a full romance, because most of the show revolves around only YSY's character and his feelings. I feel like I wouldn't expect a full thriller either - somehow it feels less dramatic (?) and more limited in scope than many in the genre. That may be kind of off-putting, but I would say the result is still something worthwhile and full of passion!
Go into this knowing 100% that it's not something serious or intense at all. It's lighthearted and silly - and if you'd don't expect anything else, I think you'll have a good time. The friendship between the members of the group is sweet, and I really enjoyed watching them learn as they manage the mart & grow closer.
I found the premise exciting and certain moments to be really interesting, but unfortunately I think the writers/directors either didn't have time, money, or intent to really delve into those aspects (Like, I was expecting more focus on their past idol life and how it would affect their present, tbh). When they tried, the execution could've been better. Still, it's a cute watch and I thought everyone acted well - in fact, most of my frustration was due to the feeling that the drama didn't let the actors express more/connect with the audience more. I would've really loved to hear more about the individual member's backstories & motivations.
That being said, it's also nice that it's not longer than it is - it's compact and simple in that manner, not toooo ambitious (besides the bad guy part, but oh well). I have a feeling it's going to turn into a drama I come back to watch just for fun. It's not a masterpiece, but sometimes you're in the mood for a fluffy drama like this, you know?
Hyungwon, great job! Your ost was so lovely too. I'm looking forward to your next project!!
I watched this a while ago, (maybe end of last summer?) but since then it's been stuck in my mind. I was interested originally because of Jang Ki Yong, who I wanted to see in a positive role (after how scary he was in My Mister, lol!), and then I stayed because I really grew to love how the story was unfolding, despite how sad it was, ah.
Usually in a drama surrounding murder/mystery/in the thriller genre I expect the plot to move quickly, the leads to be thinking on their feet, etc., but this drama really isn't about that at all. It's really focused on the aftermath, the victim's family and culprit's family that are left behind. And well, if you view it that way I think it makes more sense that the plot seems to drag at times - healing isn't linear, and after such a traumatic event, I think it's pretty natural for the ML and FL to move so slowly.
Everyone's acting was stellar, from the leads to the villans. Like someone else has described, this relationship is probably one of the the greenest of relationships I've seen yet from a drama. Also, I liked this drama in particular because it didn't just focus on the pain the FL was going through - instead of the "ML saves FL from everything bad" trope dramas can fall into, it was like they were both healing together. It's very difficult, sad and exhausting process, where they often don't have answers and don't know the next steps to take, but maybe precisely because of that, it's so touching. They both fight /so/ hard for happiness, so when they find it, it's really wonderful to see.
This drama was so picturesque throughout, too. There are multiple beautiful scenes that are engraved in my mind from this drama, from the colors & the way it was framed to the dialouge and meaning in it.
At the same time, I would not blame you for finding parts of it rather cliche - for instance, the copious slow-motion really kicked me out of immersion at times haha - but if you're willing to look past some of that and lean into the world this drama describes, it reveals alot!
I should've listened to my gut when I was first watching this and realized that the brother, with his quiet manner and all black outfits, would be the villan, (duh!) but I didn't and thus was quite heartbroken at the end. I feel a bit sorry towards the drama actually because I fell so hard for that character that I couldn't really properly accept the ending for a while. But looking back I think it's a good thriller with a cute romance. Just don't pick the wrong character to like, haha!
Perhaps why my feelings are so mixed after watching this drama is the fact that I actually liked quite a lot of…
In a way I was honestly not too upset about the sad ending (though I confess I nearly threw my phone at the screen when they pulled the 49 years....JK! on us....what was the point of such cruelty? It was so maddening that I was rather distracted while watching the last lines of Han Bi-Soo - that's a crime in itself because those were good lines! The way his mother had said that the three things you should tell your loved ones often were "I'm sorry, I love you, and Thank You," and he finally said Thank You, multiple times, right at the end, after having said I'm Sorry and I love you to the FL...that was significant!! And it was all wasted because they thought the audience would be ok with that joke? sigh...) the message of learning to accept death wouldn't work if there was a magical ending.
This drama pops into my head from time to time because gosh I loved PHJ in this. It's understandable though if you can't finish it because of the FL...that writing...sigh. She gets better, I promise, but it takes a while to get there. When I just accepted that we wouldn't get much Agent K backstory or why he fell in love with FL specifically, their romance actually really touched me. Think of it this way - love doesn't always need an explanation, and in the end it's pretty cute that in his perfectly orderly and reasonable life Agent K had a somewhat unexplainable but still real love, you know? Definitely a worthwile watch if you're a PHJ fan!!
I also believe that the better question to ask yourself when watching isn't "What happened?" - because many important developments are revealed to the audience relatively quickly & it's not that difficult to figure out - rather, it's "How will these characters react and what will they do next?" In that sense it's really not a whodunit, and I had a much better time watching once I put my attention on the characters, their thinking, and their emotions.
I started watching for Jang Ki Yong (Kim Soo Hyun) - really liked the restraint in this character - but ended up being especially impressed by the acting from Roh Jeong Eui (Seul Ki) as well as Nana (Do Hyun Jin). Seul Ki really tugged on my heartstrings by the end and her strong belief in ML's good character really stood out (espcially when FL was having doubts). She /is/ a child, after all, and shouldn't be forced to grow up more than she already has had to. I really liked Hyun Jin's character, and her directness (without being cold) + compassion (without being totally naive) was a breath of fresh air. Lee Jae Won as Phillip was also great, I wish we could've learned a little more about their friendship.
On certain plot points, character motivations, and the ending:
The middle part of the drama felt slower-paced to me, but the moment when the ML and FL truly have a deeper conversation/made up was really nice. I was initially very confused as to why the ML and FL were having issues! They were together now, ML is alive, what is the problem? But the FL explained it well - even though Hwi had the right reasoning (undoubtedly, he wanted to shield Ja Hyun and everyone else he cared about) by leaving her in the dark, it hurt her more not knowing. And after she became more serious, FL is a capable person indeed, they had more success once ML and FL were truly working together. A very nice message, conveyed well.
I will post the rest as a spoiler because I don't want to clog up the comment section, but sure, here it is:
Some dramas are gritty and realistic. Some aren't, and instead invite the audience to indulge in some fantasy for a while - "suspension of disbelief." While you might expect a drama involving court cases to be as down to earth as possible, Your Honor isn't really a drama designed that way. That being said - If you can accept that there's some strange logic going on (like why does no one supect the switch when the ML is so obviously different? I think I eventually comforted myself by thinking that the older brother was so scary to work under that no one wanted to question his apparent change in behavior) I think this is definitely a worthwhile watch. In fiction, free from realism, one can explore things that wouldn't be possible in real life, and I think Your Honor does a good job in this aspect.
On the court cases, I was really pleasantly surprised by the uniqueness and realism of the results. Like - talking about the appeals process, about what type of evidence is admissble, what people wronged by the system can do - that's really alot deeper than I could've ever wished for.
The ML (not the judge, it's his petty criminal brother) is a really wacky and ridiculous character, totally unreasonable and childish in many ways - but that's the point, and he brings a refreshing sense of directness to the world of his judge brother. The ML is both written well and acted well - Yoon Shi-Yoon accomplishes the difficult task of playing a very exaggerated character while endearing himself to the audience over time.
I really liked this FL! I know some people thought she was annoying, but her idealism and optimism is an essential part of the story. I was especially happy to see this actress - I had seen her in The Lies Within, which she also did so wonderful on, but where she had a much more limited range of emotions to portray - so it was so nice to see her play this role. Lee Yoo Young is such a good actress. I rooted for her journey so much!
(Also, I'm usually not someone to care about chemistry that much but this couple? Absolutely spectacular. Something about them clicks just right, and my emotions went up and down with them when I was watching.)
I was worried there would be a lot of 2FL mistakes ML as his twin and the whole jealousy/drama surrounding that, but besides one scene, there wasn't a love triangle there - nice!!
The supporting actors were also really great. I hated the 2ML with the fire of a thousand suns - so kudos to the actor!! The side story of the judge older brother and the news anchor was much weaker, but I did like the little bits that we saw. Ending felt a tiny bit rushed, but I think it was also an ending that made sense.
100000/10 OST. One of the rare times where I remember each song!
Overall, a really lovely watch for me. There was something really warm and touching about the themes and messages in the story. It was a little out of my comfort zone in the beginning, but it was 100% worth finishing! These characters and their world will stay in my memory, I'm certain!
Long-ish answer about the twin acting as the judge - He experiences a lot of character growth. He falls hard for the FL and changes a lot as a person. It's really nice to see! He eventually returns to his ordinary life. It'll all unfold in the drama, it's probably better to watch than to read my attempt at an explanation.
Short answer about the twin acting as the judge - He ends up being in charge of many interesting cases. The story follows him mainly, and imo it's pretty interesting!
On the court cases, I was really pleasantly surprised by the uniqueness and realism of the results. Like - talking about the appeals process, about what type of evidence is admissble, what people wronged by the system can do - that's really alot deeper than I could've ever wished for.
The ML (not the judge, it's his petty criminal brother) is a really wacky and ridiculous character, totally unreasonable and childish in many ways - but that's the point, and he brings a refreshing sense of directness to the world of his judge brother. The ML is both written well and acted well - Yoon Shi-Yoon accomplishes the difficult task of playing a very exaggerated character while endearing himself to the audience over time.
I really liked this FL! I know some people thought she was annoying, but her idealism and optimism is an essential part of the story. I was especially happy to see this actress - I had seen her in The Lies Within, which she also did so wonderful on, but where she had a much more limited range of emotions to portray - so it was so nice to see her play this role. Lee Yoo Young is such a good actress. I rooted for her journey so much!
(Also, I'm usually not someone to care about chemistry that much but this couple? Absolutely spectacular. Something about them clicks just right, and my emotions went up and down with them when I was watching.)
I was worried there would be a lot of 2FL mistakes ML as his twin and the whole jealousy/drama surrounding that, but besides one scene, there wasn't a love triangle there - nice!!
The supporting actors were also really great. I hated the 2ML with the fire of a thousand suns - so kudos to the actor!! The side story of the judge older brother and the news anchor was much weaker, but I did like the little bits that we saw. Ending felt a tiny bit rushed, but I think it was also an ending that made sense.
100000/10 OST. One of the rare times where I remember each song!
Overall, a really lovely watch for me. There was something really warm and touching about the themes and messages in the story. It was a little out of my comfort zone in the beginning, but it was 100% worth finishing! These characters and their world will stay in my memory, I'm certain!
As others have mentioned, and as a viewer may glean after episode 1-2, the ML Do Won is really going through everything because of his strong desire to save the FL Se Kyung, the woman he realized he loved a little too late. And man, does Do Won suffer in the process (I think I'd put this ML on my list of most tragic k-drama leads, in the same league as the ones from Come and Hug Me, Mawang, and Damo) - so the less than obvious chemistry between the ML/FL is especially obvious/glaring?
Se Kyung of World B doesn't have the same history with Do Won so there's no reason for her to have anything but animosity towards him, BUT I feel the directors/writers should know that the audience will naturally want to see more of this deep affection (because it's literally the only thing Do Won has left to live for) and showed us it more, via the relationship between Do Won and Se Kyung in World A. I mean, YSY does a great job - the depth of Do Won's sadness is really not something to deny - but it is very one-sided, and a little help from Se Kyung would've been really, really nice.
We did have a few scenes of this - and those were very nice, very effective scenes (I so loved Do Won pretending to be Se Kyung's boyfriend when dropping her off at campus ha) - but they were really too few and infrequent, which wasn't helped by the fact that the scenes we did get were repeated really really often. I remember thinking to myself this drama could've been helped with a bigger budget. Maybe if they had some more money they could've fleshed out this critical backstory and repeated less scenes/plot devices/flashbacks etc.
But I cannot criticize this too much either - there is also quite alot of beauty in the subtle but certain way Do Won has decided to care for and stay with Se Kyung, in any world, in any manner, even if she never knows. Before, Se Kyung followed Do Won with this same devotion, and Do Won had foolishly ignored it - now, having come to terms with his feelings, his resolve is unshakable. Evergreen, everlasting, and forever true. I must emphasize that their story really touched me in a way very few kdramas did, even those ostensibly focused on romance. Surprising, for one that doesn't actually give the couple a lot of screentime!
I think the show was also trying to say some interesting things regarding ideas of fate/the thought of "what if I could go back and do _____ differently?". I didn't see too many plot holes either, at least not enough to throw me out of immersion - plus a unique approach to multiverses.
TLDR:
- 100% worthwhile if you're a fan of Yoon Shi Yoon. I watched this almost immediately after I watched Your Honor too, which was perfect because as much I loved him there I was craving a more serious role from him.
- Don't expect a full romance, because most of the show revolves around only YSY's character and his feelings. I feel like I wouldn't expect a full thriller either - somehow it feels less dramatic (?) and more limited in scope than many in the genre. That may be kind of off-putting, but I would say the result is still something worthwhile and full of passion!
I found the premise exciting and certain moments to be really interesting, but unfortunately I think the writers/directors either didn't have time, money, or intent to really delve into those aspects (Like, I was expecting more focus on their past idol life and how it would affect their present, tbh). When they tried, the execution could've been better. Still, it's a cute watch and I thought everyone acted well - in fact, most of my frustration was due to the feeling that the drama didn't let the actors express more/connect with the audience more. I would've really loved to hear more about the individual member's backstories & motivations.
That being said, it's also nice that it's not longer than it is - it's compact and simple in that manner, not toooo ambitious (besides the bad guy part, but oh well). I have a feeling it's going to turn into a drama I come back to watch just for fun. It's not a masterpiece, but sometimes you're in the mood for a fluffy drama like this, you know?
Hyungwon, great job! Your ost was so lovely too. I'm looking forward to your next project!!
Usually in a drama surrounding murder/mystery/in the thriller genre I expect the plot to move quickly, the leads to be thinking on their feet, etc., but this drama really isn't about that at all. It's really focused on the aftermath, the victim's family and culprit's family that are left behind. And well, if you view it that way I think it makes more sense that the plot seems to drag at times - healing isn't linear, and after such a traumatic event, I think it's pretty natural for the ML and FL to move so slowly.
Everyone's acting was stellar, from the leads to the villans. Like someone else has described, this relationship is probably one of the the greenest of relationships I've seen yet from a drama. Also, I liked this drama in particular because it didn't just focus on the pain the FL was going through - instead of the "ML saves FL from everything bad" trope dramas can fall into, it was like they were both healing together. It's very difficult, sad and exhausting process, where they often don't have answers and don't know the next steps to take, but maybe precisely because of that, it's so touching. They both fight /so/ hard for happiness, so when they find it, it's really wonderful to see.
This drama was so picturesque throughout, too. There are multiple beautiful scenes that are engraved in my mind from this drama, from the colors & the way it was framed to the dialouge and meaning in it.
At the same time, I would not blame you for finding parts of it rather cliche - for instance, the copious slow-motion really kicked me out of immersion at times haha - but if you're willing to look past some of that and lean into the world this drama describes, it reveals alot!