Reviews

This thing is just absolutely garbage

This story is clearly an inspiration and an insult to the actual Novel and Webtoon. It says that its a "live action" version of the actual orv, but it's just a "inspiration", cause the "live action" version is a version which they did what they think are right to them, just because she's a woman doesn't mean she's just a healer. Not just that, wdym that one of the MAIN character is a SIDE character? He's the main character in TWSA and should be the main character in this story too. Bihyung/Dokkaebi also looks like a ugly ass fucked up gumball filled labubu. I rather buy a labubu then buy whatever that thing is. No hate to the actors and actresses, but YJH is taller than KDJ. KDJ isn't a bully, he's the one who gets bullied, also wdym he SAVES the world? Isn't he supposed to sacrifice? I might not finish the novel or webtoon, but I know better than to make fans upset. Fuck this movie. I hope the next webtoon, novel or both adaptation you do is better than this. I hate YJH and LJH shipper just because of the cast, their family, so please, and don't just go giving 5 stars just because of the cast. A movie isn't just about its cast, but about the work that had been put in by the directors/team. But I would rate this a -1/10. This surely isn't orv but its sure something that came out of your mouth when you forgot about the plot. how did you think of him as a bully? I just found out that he(KDJ) hates TWSA, ok what... HE READ IT FOR YEARS, WDYM HE HATES IT? HE'S THE ONLY ONE WHO KEPT READING IT TILL THE END. IT'S ALWAYS THERE THROUGH HIS UPS AND DOWNS I MEAN. Sorry if my grammar is bad , English is my second language or im being mean, but im just tryna be brutally honest. Everything that is written is all imo and everyone has a chance to give their own thoughts in this movie!(edit)

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Aside from amnesia, the story of mistaken exchange babies is perhaps one of the most used in drama history especially HERE WHERE I LIVE (PHILIPPINES). So it is mind-boggling how the director makes it FRESH if this was done by some Filipino director there will be lots of crying families cursing each other children became delinquent etc. etc.

The movie is slow, but it is so realistic that you feel you're not watching a movie. I love how the family handles the situation and how the parents realize about themselves when they exchange the child.

IF you don't like a slow artsy movie then it's not for you.
IF you want something different then it's for you.
IF you want to relax and stop thinking about your daily work then it's for you

I don't cry in this movie..this is NOT a tearjerker movie...but the effect will last long.

The scene when a father was holding a camera and browsing at the pictures taken by his 6 yr old former son is what HITS me.

[ koreeda style is this......he will make you walk calmly slowly THEN a f*cking truck
came and hit you in the end, the damage will stay with you for months ].


Check my Blog for other reviews & other JDramas stuffs. (｡◕‿‿◕｡)
https://thatjapanesedramaguy.blogspot.com/

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Seasons

Everything is everything ,
What is meant to be,will be
After winter,must come spring
Change it brings,eventually
-Lauryn Hill



This is a random quote but I think it aptly describes what this drama meant to me.I have watched multiple dramas in all languages but nothing has touched my heart as close as this one.The journey of Ding Xian and Zhou Xiyue was a truly memorable one.If anyone asks what is the best thing about this drama it is the realistic portrayal of the difficulties of youth.It describes the various feeling of rebelliousness,friendship ,love and most importantly chasing your dreams .The feelings have been totally brought into life by the actors .Excellent would be an understatement for their performance.While in the first half I couldn’t take my eyes off Zhou Xiyue ,the second half was totally Ding Xian’s forte.
While many argue how Ding Xian was blindly following ZX ,I would completely defer.As in one of the Kdramas Run On they say your dream or destination need not necessarily be a career or any other materialistic thing it could be a person as well.No matter what anyone says you can follow whatever your dream is if you can take the responsibility for it.
The story was simple .It has been told time and again but the freshness with which it was presented made it special.Unlike most dramas where the leads wear different apparels for each episode here we see a simplistic portrayal of the daily school and college life of children from simple average families.The fact that even these simple details were taken care of makes the drama different from many others in the same genre.
The angst in the middle of the series upset many viewers but I totally think it was necessary because that made every character realise what is important to them including the main leads and supporting leads.Morever in real life there is nothing that comes easy.
I could go on and on but the rest is for you to watch.While many of my opinions could be biased on my view of life I hope you have a great time watching this series
And last but not the least Chen Zheyuan and Xu mingjie ,you couldn’t have done it better.

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Dimples! Dimples! Dimples!

Please don't think me superficial but my goodness Fluke Pongsakorn Wongpian has got dimples for days. When he smiles his face lights up. He is Thailand's Park Bo-gum. This is the first BL series that I have seen him in and he is doing an excellent job.

If you love watching a beautiful relationship develop, you will love this.

The development of the romance between the lead characters is so wonderfully and convincingly managed. I am truly appreciating the skill of the actors in playing their parts. I have re-watched the end of episode 7 over and over again. Beautifully done! Less happy moments do come but it is wonderful watching the gentle, beautiful love develop between Mork and Tawan.

I am also loving the wonderful chemistry between all the different love connections in this series. I love the BL Cinderella (lovers from completely different walks of life) aspect as well. And, I really appreciate that they decided to have three different romances going at once. As for the three biker friends they provide jokes for days. I did not want this series to end… but it did and I loved every moment I spent watching it.

Honestly, I want to thank the BL producers coming out of Thailand. It took me a long time to start watching their BL series but I can officially say I am now addicted. Wonderfully produced films, with great actors and beautiful romances. Even the less stellar productions are far superior to anything I have ever watched on the famous romance channel whose name I will not write here.

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Although this movie reminds me of "The exorcist" in some aspects this isn't a horror film. It seems kind of cliché but it really isn't. There are important twists, it's full of tension moments well d'uh it's a thriller but it's a complex puzzle that it's hard to understand until the ending and still I see lot of people who did't get that ending. At the same time this great story is a mix of genres like comedy, horror, exorcism, gore, etc.
STORY
When a mysterious stranger moves to a small village in South Korea, the village becomes plagued by sickness. The police think a wild mushroom is to blame, but police officer Jong-goo thinks it may have something to do with the stranger. He meets a woman who gives him some information about this mysterious man, and slowly begins to fall down a rabbit hole that consumes his life. When his daughter starts to show signs of the sickness, it gets personal and he must figure out who to trust and who to avoid.
ACTING
the performers have a lot of range, from facial expressions to downright melodramatic wailing. Child actor Kim Hwan-hee stands out even among a veteran ensemble cast that includes Hwang Jung-min and Jun Kunimura.These characters are dynamic; the protagonists increasingly vulnerable, and the antagonists all the more menacing. I hope that after this movie Kwak Do Won gets more main roles.
REWATCH VALUE
I need to watch this movie again because I need to find more clues and I have too many questions. I'm gonna recommend this movie to all my friends because it's that good but don't let those 2,5 hours fool you because it isn't boring at all.
OVERALL
It runs over 2.5 hours and one leaves the theater wishing there was more to explain. This would devaluate from the experience because one of the film objectives is to make think the audience go back and look at the clues and turning points, to look into one's own sense of values and want to go back to look at some references upon which the script builds. For me it's another masterpiece of Na (the movie director)

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Don't expect much, I admit this is not for all people. Heard a lot of bad reviews from the comments, saying it's boring and a waste of time. Others found it disappointing. The first 10 minutes was odd to be honest, because I expected a serious vampire gore movie (kissasian even had the melodrama tag on it). But as the film went on, I actually became interested in the main characters (esp. So Nyeon) because they were funny.

Plot: 6.5/10
It's more like a parody rather a serious one (as we all thought). This movie gave an indie feel and I liked the calendar shots which signifies a new chapter. I loved the story between Ran and So Nyeon. The story was funny in it's own way. The overall plot is light and sweet. I think people would actually like this if it was written better. The ending was loose and plot-holes everywhere, they didn't even bother explaining Jin Yi's character and suddenly she appears in the end without context. But humor-wise, this got me.

There is this one scene that really caught my eye (around 50 min mark). I think it was what made me love the movie. IT REALLY MADE MY HEART MELT together with the bgm that was playing.

Cast: 9.5/10
To the people saying their acting was bad: I THINK IT WAS INTENTIONAL. This movie only had 4-5 actors in it but it's more than enough. I'd watch this even if it only had Jung Yeon Joo and Song Kang in it. Ran was quite naive despite being in the world for 500 years. So Nyeon was extremely funny and playful. The way he mixes up his English and Korean lmao. Song Kang gives me Yook Sung Jae/ Rowoon(SF9) feels. I think I'm attached?? Both MCs were cute, I LOVE BOTH OF THEM.

Music: 10/10
THE OST IS RIDICULOUSLY CUTE. And there is this scene I mentioned above ^^ (watch and you'll know) which was pleasing and the bgm gave it a different mood.

Rewatch Value: 10/10
I watched this 3 more times after watching it the first time. This is good for some light watching. It's an easy watch and I like this kind of indie comedy, just my style. Or maybe I keep watching because of Song Kang?

Overall: 9/10

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There is honestly no way for me to begin this review with any kind of adequate summation of the feelings that I'm Not A Robot put me through.  Somehow, this show made me fall in love with its lead female, cry for its lead male, and lose days of my life lost in mental soup of ennui and daydreams, imagining life as these characters and wanting more than anything to be at their side.  Although this fell just painfully shy of being my highest rated drama ever, I can safely say that no other drama has stayed with me for so long after I turn the television off.  I haven't written a full review of any drama for probably a year, but I'm Not A Robot deserves this effort.

STORY
While I do feel the need to point out that it's this category that keeps this from being a 10/10 (there are a few glaring plot holes), it is also this category that is going to get people into this drama.  Besides the few plot holes, the concept of this show is brilliant: a rich young man with an allergy to humans is interested in investing in a robotics lab that has a working android, thinking that android companionship could be the solution to his isolation.  Too bad the people who run the lab don't know about his allergy.  Their android breaks and they send a lookalike human in its place for him to "test"!  What could possibly go wrong, as these two attractive young people spend all their time together?
While you can tell just from that premise that this will be a show full of cuteness and hilarity (and it is), you will never imagine the emotional heights that this drama is able to achieve just from that simple plot.  I won't even try to describe it here, you just need to see it for yourself.  Kim Min Kyu and Jo Ji Ah are two of the best lead characters I have ever seen in any piece of fiction; a loneliness as deep as the ocean finally meets an incredible selflessness that might be able to fill it.  You will weep with Kim Min Kyu as he rails against his isolation and desperately searches for a glimmer of light in his life.  Your heart will shatter every time Jo Ji Ah denies herself happiness and chokes back her words and tears in order to protect the people that matter to her.  And when the two of them are together, you'll never want to see them apart.

ACTING/CAST
I'm going to actively try to avoid hyperbole here.  Suffice to say, I had real feelings for the characters.  And I don't mean just feelings.  I mean that I really felt like they were real people and I needed to be with them and help them.  That never happens to me.  Ever.  When I say I "fell in love" with Jo Ji Ah, that's honestly not too far from being literal.  Fortunately, I haven't completely gone off the deep end, but the point is that this cast brought these characters to life in the most beautiful and vibrant way.
First, relative newcomer Park Se Wan.  She is the definition of adorable.  Infinitely watchable, she's going on my list of actresses to follow across genres.
My boy, Kang Ki Young!  From his first moments onscreen in High School King of Savvy, I've loved this guy and am so happy to see his career continuing to gain traction.  He's never played a role quite like this one before but seems to have taken to it naturally.  There wasn't quite enough for his character to do, but KKY himself killed it, being able express a broad range in his role here.
Definitely want to mention brand new actress Yoon So Mi in her first ever Drama role as Jo Ji Ah's sister in law.  A lovely woman who comes out as a natural on screen.  Even my wife couldn't resist her charms, remarking multiple times how cute she was.
And of course, a young lady who has been hard at work in some truly excellent dramas in 2017: Lee Han Seo!  Little Han Seo knocks it out of the park here.  She steals every scene she's in and you'll only wish that she had even more lines by the time it's all over.
Now, our male lead, Yoo Seung Ho.  What a gravitational charisma.  He can literally make "annyeong" sound like it's full of meaning and emotion.  I admit he sometimes struggles a bit with some melo scenes, but only because of the impossible tightrope he's having to walk in many of them: balancing true, raw emotion with total awareness of the absurdity of his situation.  Despite this, during the melo climax at the halfway point of the show, expect YSH to completely destroy you.
And finally..... what can I say about Chae Soo Bin?  She has charms that can't quite be put into words.  The same way that a person just has to *see* Lee Min Jung to understand her beauty, and a person has to actually *watch* Jang Na Ra act to understand why she's quite as lovable as she is, Chae Soo Bin has to be experienced for yourself.  I will admit, on a personal note, when she has long straight brown hair and bangs, she may be the most beautiful woman in the world.  That's impactful enough on its own (in fact, distractingly so, since everyone around her should really always be tripping over her beauty, but aren't because it's fiction), but it goes far beyond just her looks.  Her tender depiction of a feisty but pure young woman who never loses her spark in the face of adversity is one of the most touching and impressive performances you're likely to see in this genre.  You owe it to yourself to watch CSB work, and to see her build Jo Ji Ah into a person we would all do well to emulate.

MUSIC
It doesn't disappoint!  While it lacks one huge standout track that acts as a hook, and maybe a theme or two is forgettable, in an OST of about 7 vocal tracks, I came away from it saving 4 of them to my Kdrama Playlist.  I can't say any other drama has hit that kind of success rate.
Additionally, a lot of the incidental and mood music is pretty well composed to; not exactly beautiful, but catchy and evocative, quirky and winsome.  No flies on this drama in the Music category.

REWATCH VALUE
This is the first 10 I've given in this category in any of my reviews.  The mind-bogglingly huge amount of amazing character moments, hearty laughs, and tender romance means that I'm Not A Robot can be watched, watched, and rewatched many times over and never get old.  Heck, if you're trying to convert anyone to kdrama, add this to the list of potential shows that can suck in someone who's never seen a kdrama in his or her life.  It's that good.  It really is that good.  It's never too melo, so no FFing needed there.  The villains are never too annoying, nor are there stupid love triangles to skip through.  There's no filler at all and never any wasted scenes. In fact, if anything, this show needed more episodes, because there were definitely parts of the story that got cut in order to keep up with the blistering pace, to its detriment.   There's literally not one minute of these 16 hours that anyone should ever need to FF through.  Not only WILL I watch this one again someday, I am EAGER to do so.

FINAL SCORE - 9.5/10
While a few unforgivable plot holes, a too-quick resolution, and not enough falling action (along with some rather lazy production work in the penultimate episode, randomly) prevent this from being a perfect 10, please please please do not sleep on I'm Not A Robot.  Easily a Top 5 All Time Drama, in my book, and perhaps my sentimental second-favorite, this will be 16 hours WELL spent for any drama lover.  Just sit back and let it shatter you, because when it pieces you all back together, you'll feel like you're better off for the experience.

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STORY: The story was a good one that ran the gamut: sweet, sappy, sexy shower scene, sad in parts, and ended happily. Now that I know how it ended, I'm going to have see it again and watch for all of the little things along the way. I really liked the friendship displayed as it was already a part of the story instead of wasting a ton of time showing how they met.

ACTING/CAST: There were only three main characters but all were good actors and the two boys were not afraid to show some skin or kiss.

MUSIC: I liked it, some good beats.

REWATCH VALUE: I'll watch it again later when I go on a Strongberry/Matchbox binge again.

OVERALL: I love K-dramas and add gay to the mix and it's a hit! Please support these guys!

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Surreal Food For Thought, Though Some Storylines Were More Striking Than Others...

Netflix’s Persona is a collection of four South Korean short films, all starring Lee Ji-Eun ( IU). Directed by acclaimed Korean filmmakers Lee Kyoung Mi, Yim Pil Sung, Jeon Go Woon and Kim Jong Kwan and partially produced by record- producer Yoon Jong Shin, each episode was inspired from elements of IU’s own personal life and career.

Although there is the initial thought of a vanity project for IU being the main star in each episode, there’s no denying that IU is a talented and versatile actress. Even in storylines which may deliver impactful plot revelations for viewers, IU seemed to add a necessary fair and uniqueness to stepping into the roles of her varied and different ‘’personas’’ in each storyline. Yet due to each episode being vividly different with a new director, story and theme, it is probably easier to assess each episode as a standalone piece before moving on to the overall interpretations of the ensemble.

‘’ Love Set”- Starting off the collection begins with director Lee Kyoung Mi’s strange and surreal storyline on a tennis court. In this fictionalised world, actress Bae Doona is ready to marry IU’s father. Naturally, IU is contemptuous about the matrimony and decides to issue a tennis battle with Bae Doona on the tennis court.
Using minimal dialogue, filmmaker Lee Kyoung Mi turns 19 minutes, into an eccentric , humorous and over-the-top battle of grunts and tennis balls being smacked back and forth in an odd competition of love, rivalry and hormones with a strangely sexual undertone . It is one of the most peculiar shorts in the series with an oddly anticlimactic and abrupt ending. Rather than viewers understanding the reason behind IU’s disagreement, passion and drive to stopping this rivalry, the undeniable relief of not having watch IU’s and Bae Doona’s unexplained and peculiar tennis match instead overcomes the watcher’s mind with just one thought. “ That was weird.”

“ Collector” - Yim Pil Sung‘s film and the second piece of the “ Persona” collection transitions into notably darker territory, with its focus upon an older man named Baek Jeong-u on a date with a notably younger woman, played by IU. As the date goes on, Baek becomes increasingly irked as the younger woman teases him and appears disconnected from their conversion. Pil Sung’s scenes then present the evident discomfort of Baek in a lonely, empty room as he attempts to prepare himself either to relax or to literally be killed by a woman’s subtle emotional jabs. Notably having a more prominent overarching storyline than “ Love Set”, “ Collector” initialises the reminiscent traits of the promiscuous Kumiho ( a nine- tailed fox in Korean mythology) as well as an intriguing critique upon stereotypes of women in South-Korean society. ( Which naturally IU herself has also been subject to in the wider media.) IU’s character is undeniably playful and manipulative with Baek, however, she never goes out of her way to seduce him as Baek practically throws himself at her feet. This subversion reversal of gender dynamics offered both the literal and metaphorical stereotype of the coquette’s ways of playing with a man’s heart. Still oddly surreal and taking time to interpret , the storyline was certainly subversive in this short piece .

“ Kiss Burn”-A clear critique to the oppressive natural of youths in rural Korea, the third entry of “ Persona” brings Jeon Go Woon’s focus on arguably the most ‘’lighthearted’’ short of the ensemble. IU plays a conniving schoolgirl named Han-na, who visits the rural house of her friend Hye-bok. Hye-bok’s father, a forest fire lookout, is strict with Hye-bok and greatly dislikes Han-na under the impression she’s a bad influence. Out of anger and revenge, Han-na helps Hye-bok pull various pranks, but naively ignites other unintended consequences. Go Woon’s filming- style is notably the most basic and simplistic out of his counterpart directors, yet the usage of screenwriting through approachable storytelling, pacing and jokes makes the story easier to follow than the last two predecessors of the collection. The one flaw of this piece is that whilst the storyline was easier to follow behind the reasoning of Ha-na and Hye-Bok’s vengeance, it is harder to truly define what made their characters original or intriguing.

“ Walking at Night”- Persona concludes with Kim Jong Kwan’s monochrome-filmed short tackling the most poignant segment of the entire ensemble. IU plays a deceased woman who appears in her former boyfriend’s dream. In that dream, the couple takes a walk at night, reminiscing about bygones and musing about the nature of love, life, and death.The scenery is kept simplistic with a simple interaction of walking and a succinct soundtrack . The only true uncertainty which may strike viewers as harrowing can be seen through the mysterious figure as the two characters walk into the night- something symbolising the unknown just behind them. Out of all the shorts, this final piece tackle arguably the most heartfelt and profound themes of the series with focuses upon existentialism as well as the social issue of suicide in South-Korean society, giving the piece a sense of deeper meaning and reflection for viewers.

Ultimately, IU is the main star of each storyline and plays each one of her roles with diverse brilliance and talent. Whilst each episode has its own flair, there’s no doubt that some shorts were a lot better than others. “Walking At Night” offered arguably the most touching, harrowing and profound themes of the shorts in literal black and white , closely followed by the surreal, yet social critique of women’s roles in ‘ Collector’. ‘ Kiss Burn’ pointed out an undeniably ironic and twisted ending, but lacked intrinsic character depth, whilst arguably the weakest of the series was ‘ Love Set’. Attempting to weave in too many sociocultural metaphors and messages into one short, the storyline was weakened by its lacking sense of purpose, context and ending.

Overall, the ‘ Persona’ collection was fairly entertaining- IU is a talented actress and the artistic licensing by different directors gave us a fresh feel to each episode. On the other hand, as a collection, the weaker storylines of the piece ultimately complicated episodes and character depth - ultimately not a bad show to binge watch out of boredom, but probably not worth committing time towards if you’re expecting to watch an ensemble of well-written and profound collection of shorts.

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Must Watch!

This is a perfect korean drama to watch. It has good amount of comedy, friendship and romance. Its perfectly done. I want to thank the writer for writing such a beautiful story about youth. This drama not only showed the positive side of youth but also also showed the darkness of youth. Everyone of them had a dark side in their life. Overcoming the hardship is all about youth. I was amazed by the acting of baeinhyuk. He is such a good actor. And the way he portrayed the character was so perfect. Park jihoon was also good. I loved how beautiful their friendship was. The last episode was too beautiful. Two different people of two different background having different problems in their lives met and their relationship was not good. But the way they overcomed it and became happy in their own lives and solved their problems because of the existence of each other is so overwhelming. Baeinhyuk and park jihoon are the real heroes. The OST was beautiful too

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I didn't give a full 10 cuz I found that the two main characters' scenes were limited. Though I find the other cast enjoyable, too much time was spent there. I know I didn't watch this for Min&Wan's story or for Pan&Fah, which I found even less interesting. These couples' time on screen could have been edited out shorter. I found that damn girl coach segment especially annoying too. If it's a BL, then make it a BL rather lump every other couples' problem as if it were the main story (ah but I'm reminded its GMM, and they tend to bait people). If I wanted an Everyone Drama, I'd stick to watching stuff like Hormones. So next time, production team, less dragging around and more focus on the driven source of the drama.

Casting: Earth and New's chemistry was on par. They did really good together. The kiss scene felt natural. A 10 for them and 8 for the rest of the cast.
Music: Love Pete Pol. A 10 Also.
Rewatch: Only when I'm bored. Even then I'll just watch Waii and Apo.
Overall: Narrative could have been better. A 7 here.

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Shot review:
This drama was awesome and then some, really no complaints here. I just can't believe how it ended and how it all ties into the first episode. I give a shout out to the writers who took this historical story and made it seems like a deep love story. The actors must be commended for their hard work and commitment to the story. The music really suited the different climaxes as the story progressed. I must have cried buckets of tears to the point of drying out my tear banks. So much was given up in order for those who survived to live. Empress ki herself was so strong and brave there are few women who could accomplish, and persevere through what she went through, so I give accolades to the actress who portrayed her life story. This is very much my favorite drama from 2013 to 2014.

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Spoilers for Ep 16

The way I interpreted what happened in episode 16, is that the ML was not in his right mind to communicate clearly with the FL. Even though so far their communication has been really open so far, it shows that he still had reservations in telling her everything, and this unfortunately created a misunderstanding that was later called out by the FL. I have seen comments lambasting her for the way she treated ML, but considering what he did to her I think it’s natural for her to be afraid of him even though she understands why he did it. Forgiveness took time, which I appreciate and even then she later realized how hurtful her words were. Her responses are flawed, and most importantly human and she acknowledges it eventually and apologises and that’s what really elevates this story for me. Including the ML, even though he is an immortal who has been around for some time when it comes to inter personal relationships he still has a learning curve and will make mistakes. Yes, they have established a relationship where they are open with one another but that does not necessarily mean either one will get it righ all the time, and it was later addressed. So, I do not think it was “out of character” or a plot hole but a demonstration of how flawed they are. However again that is my interpretation of it, but I think for anyone considering on dropping it because of that just know it does get addressed later on and is not a moment that happens and is forgotten about

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