Reviews

Explosively Blows Up a lot of Kdrama Canon (not in a good way)

My rating: 6.5/10

Dynamite Kiss starts off with a bang—literally, thanks to that explosive first kiss between Go Da-rim and Gong Ji-hyeok on Jeju Island. The opening episodes are full of charm, sharp chemistry between the leads who bring real spark, funny banter, and that classic rom-com energy that hooks you right away. The setup feels fresh and fun, with the fake-relationship trope flipped into something workplace-adjacent after Da-rim's desperate job lie lands her in Ji-hyeok's team at the baby products company. I would've easily given the first two episodes a 9/10—they had me convinced this was going to be a standout lighthearted K-romance.

But unfortunately, the show loses steam after that strong start. It shifts away from the breezy, feel-good momentum and piles on contrived misunderstandings, rushed developments, and choices that feel out of step with typical K-drama portrayals of relationships and social norms. The pacing drags in the middle, and while there are still sweet and funny moments (the leads' chemistry carries a lot), the later episodes feel increasingly unbelievable and frustrating. It's watchable and has highlights, but it falls apart enough that I wouldn't rewatch it personally. If recommending it to someone, I'd do so with major caveats—mainly that the early episodes shine, but expect some eye-rolling logic gaps and tonal shifts later on. (And yes, spoilers would be needed to explain why it doesn't fully deliver.)

One point that stands out even more on reflection is how the fake-marriage element was handled. The job was specifically for the "Mother TF Team" at the baby products company (Natural BeBe), targeting working mothers. Another team member was a genuine single mom who got hired around the same time, so yes—Da-rim could have plausibly applied as a single mother without needing to invent a husband. Pretending to be a single mom would've kept the lie smaller and more believable (single parenthood is tough but not unheard of), and it would've avoided layering on the extra moral weight of faking an entire marriage.

By making her pretend to be married, the show amps up the stakes unnecessarily—Ji-hyeok's internal conflict becomes about pursuing a "married woman," which feels heavier and more taboo in K-drama terms. A single-mom pretense would've let his attraction develop with less guilt (he's not breaking up a marriage, just navigating her having a child), potentially making the romance feel less fraught and more organic. Instead, it piles on extra angst and misunderstanding that drags things down later. This choice contributes to why the show shifts from charming rom-com to frustrating for many viewers, including me.

Spoilers

As a long-time viewer of Asian dramas (over 400 under my belt), I have a solid sense of the moral frameworks and social norms that K-dramas usually uphold—even if they're dramatized and not always 100% reflective of real Korean culture. This show really deviates from those in ways that made it hard to stay invested.

The core issue starts with Go Da-rim's initial lie: she pretends to be a married mother (with her childhood friend Seon-u, the single dad photographer, posing as her husband) to get the job reserved for moms. I get the desperation—financial pressures from her mom's health and other issues—but it's tough to fully root for her when she's portrayed as someone who's struggled with jobs due to skill or consistency issues, not just bad luck. Then suddenly, she's excelling at marketing, advertising, and sales in the workplace? It doesn't quite add up why such talent went unnoticed before.

The Jeju Island fling is another sticking point. That "dynamite kiss" is intentional and passionate, and they nearly sleep together—without extreme intoxication or buildup that usually excuses bolder moves in K-dramas. Da-rim is surprisingly casual about it, which feels off for the typical morality portrayed (first kisses are often accidental or tentative in these stories). Then she bolts the next morning without explanation after her mom's emergency, leaving Ji-hyeok confused and hurt. Later, she's baffled when he's distant? In K-drama logic, that level of intimacy (especially the almost-sex) would basically mean they're dating now—she owed him at least some communication about why she vanished. An apology even. I mean that level of intimacy is considered a big deal.

Ji-hyeok's side has inconsistencies too. He's supposedly engaged (or headed toward marriage) to another woman, but it barely factors in. His pursuit of Da-rim focuses almost entirely on her being "married," with little internal conflict about his own commitment. In most K-dramas, cheating or pursuing someone attached is a massive moral red flag—yet here he shrugs off his own engagement. No big societal fallout or media scandal for someone of his chaebol status, which doesn't align with how engagements of that caliber are usually handled (public, high-profile, scandal-prone).

Then there's Seon-u, Da-rim's longtime friend with implied unrequited feelings (longing looks, subtle comments). We expect a second-lead angst triangle, but he barely makes romantic moves. Instead, he spills her big secret (that the marriage is fake) to Ji-hyeok's fiancée, whom he's just met—supposedly to clear things up for her attraction to him. Violating a 20-year friendship like that for someone new? It feels wildly out of character and unnecessary.

The fiancée's quick pivot to pursuing Seon-u (a single dad) is another norm-breaker. She becomes interested in him and finds out pretty quickly he's a single dad. She pauses briefly when she thinks he's married, but as soon as she knows he's not, she's right back in romantic pursuit. This doesn't make sense because she should be considering her own engagement—yet that never seems to factor in. In K-drama canon, single parenthood carries heavy stigma—characters usually wrestle with biases before accepting it and the older generations still look down on it a lot. Here, she doesn't even miss a step or hesitate; she doesn't bat an eye once she learns he's not actually married, pursuing him aggressively without any apparent concern for the social implications of dating a single parent. That level of instant acceptance feels too dramatic a shift from traditional portrayals. And, just a few scenes before, she was trying to get Ji-hyeok to kiss her to test the chemistry. Her behavior toward him implied she was, and had been, interested in a romantic relationship with him. Her past behavior would lead one to think she should be thrilled about the engagement. But not so much. She sees Seon-u, and it is suddenly like never mind.

Adding to the things that just didn't add up: Ji-hyeok's sister wants him to fail because she obviously wants the company and doesn't want her brother to get attention. But some of the things she does wouldn't have been about the company's success—she could've made him fail in ways that wouldn't have damaged the company's reputation. For her to sabotage him in ways that did harm the company doesn't make any sense, as it undercuts her own potential future gains.

Everyone in the show comes across as practically shallow, just like the little kid (Seon-u's son). He likes Ji-hyeok's fiancée because she's pretty—not because she's nice or anything else—but simply because she's pretty, and he wants her to be his dad's girlfriend only based on that. Even though he's supposedly had some relationship with Da-rim where he was almost treating her like a mom at one point, he so quickly forgets that because of this pretty new possibility. Him so quickly deciding that the fiancée should be his dad's girlfriend because she was pretty... I mean, it matches a little kid vibe in a way where everybody’s looking for the "pretty mom" or whatever, but he had an emotional connection with the main character. A motherless child is going to be more interested in a motherly figure than a pretty face.

It is just a series of events that break K-drama canon. Characters that are shallow and annoying lies. I dropped it after completing episode six because I read other reviews and knew it wasn't going to come together well, somehow all be excusable and make sense, and end harmoniously.

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Main Problem: No sparks between WHZ and HCY and Sloppy Production

I watched this on last year because of Wang Hao Zhen and the premises was very promising at first but it turns out to be my biggest disappointment from him.

The plot lacks twists and turns, as does the romance, making it overall quite uninteresting. The acting itself isn't the main problem; Wang Hao Zhen and Hou Cheng Yue still delivers the role but their acting weakness was obviously shown as chemistry almost non-existent and there is no sparks between them. The plot execution was the main problem and the production team were lack from the way they editing the drama.

There are too many close-up shots, and the lack of filters and beauty effects exposes the actors' flaws in appearance. Every screenshot is unflattering; to exaggerate, this series is truly a disgrace to the leads reputations. Even the most handsome men and beautiful women can't withstand such close-ups.

The color tone is also poor, the camerawork is terrible, and there are many meaningless long takes that leave viewers confused. The kissing scenes are also full of close-ups, with no background music, resulting in neither aesthetic appeal nor any atmosphere.

I never rate Wang Hao Zhen drama lower than this .Even two of his dropped drama was better than this, ugh.

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Co-dependent Drinking Relationship Romance

My rating: 8/10

I don't watch movies much because I'm so spoiled by series, where plots and characters get room to breathe, change, and develop over time. But every now and then, I crave a quick romance fix, and Crazy Romance delivered just that.  

I would have loved to see this expanded into a full series—there's enough emotional depth, backstory, and chemistry here to sustain multiple episodes. That said, for a feature-length film, they did an impressive job packing in a complex, heartfelt story without feeling rushed. It ends on a genuinely high, uplifting note that left me smiling.  

I'd recommend it for anyone needing a satisfying, low-commitment romance hit. If it popped up on streaming, I'd happily watch it again, though I probably wouldn't actively seek out a rewatch.  

Spoilers

My biggest issue was the constant drinking—it made it tough to fully root for their romance. It felt like they were heading toward a codependent relationship built around alcohol rather than healthy habits. If either (or both) had chosen to step away from drinking, the story would have felt lighter and more hopeful overall.  

That said, Sun-young's epic takedown of the malicious office gossipers was legendary—one for the books! I could absolutely see these two together long-term and even happy... but the drinking would definitely be a lingering problem in real life.

The ending was abrupt they reunite after a 3 month pause (not clear why the split) and say they missed each other. No love confession but it is clear it is headed there. Many would be fine with that. I am a happy ever after confess and sealed with a kiss type of ending fan.

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Love Buried Under a Whole Lot of Animosity

My rating: 8.5/10

Review 

For what it was, Love Reset was really good. It was clearly meant to lean more comedic than anything else, and I'm super impressed because they pulled off a major turnaround that I genuinely didn't think was possible (no spoilers here on why). The acting from Kang Ha-neul and Jung So-min was excellent, and the story stayed interesting enough that I kept watching even when one particular point I considered stopping. I'd recommend it to anyone looking for a quirky thriller-romance hybrid—it's not your typical feel-good fluff. It's more of a darkish, relatable take on marriage struggles that might make some viewers feel truly heard in its portrayal of how resentment builds. It's unique and thoughtful in a genre that's often predictable.

Spoilers

I had serious doubts about No Jeong-yeol and Hong Na-ra getting back together, given how much they seemed to genuinely dislike each other before the accident. How could memory loss alone fix that level of bitterness? But then I stepped back and thought about real-life couples I've known—several who hit rock bottom, made huge mistakes against each other, reached a point of near-hatred, then had some kind of reset (a breakup, a crisis, time apart) and realized the "big" issues weren't actually that big.  That's exactly what happens here: they were stuck in a toxic cycle of nitpicking faults, often as self-defense because each felt unloved or constantly annoyed by the other. The surprise for me was how well they showed that growth—it wasn't just "amnesia = bliss." No Jeong-yeol remembered everything in the end, and he didn't deny the bad memories or pretend the new start erased them; he acknowledged the pain and chose to move past it thoughtfully. That made the transition feel earned and realistic, especially since Hong Na-ra was arguably harsher to him pre-amnesia, while he had already fixed a lot of what bothered her. Even if she regained her memory fully, there'd be enough good new memories to outweigh the old ones.  

I'm superstitious enough that if something like double traumatic head-injury amnesia happened in real life (and they both survived the crash, which was called a miracle), I'd see it as fate or destiny giving them another shot—it's that rare.  So, there's also that. Even though it was hard in the beginning seeing them being able to resolve that much animosity, t felt like there was some fate rolled in or how could such an unlikely thing happen. Two people, on the eve of divorce and both of them not only live through a severe accident but develop almost identical amnesia.

Hong Na-ra's mother, Joo Sook-jeong, was the most interesting character—I couldn't figure her out at first. She seemed so severe and like she'd never accept No Jeong-yeol, but in the end, I admired her because her bottom line was just wanting her daughter to be happy.  

The fourth-wall breaks, especially with the crypto kid bit where they point out "he's got lines," and a few other moments, added a fun, quirky element. It wasn't necessary, but it wasn't annoying either—it lightened the mood without derailing things.  

I did almost quit halfway through—the middle dragged a bit with the families trying to keep them apart and No Jeong-yeol and Hong Na-ra going along with it. At that point, I wasn't even rooting for them and thought they should just divorce anyway. But I'm glad I stuck it out. The unique turnaround was handled in such a thoughtful way, and it made the whole thing rewarding.

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The fast paced and decent reborn drama

I watched this because of Tik Tok advertisement and it was decent drama even there is less romance in this drama.

I never expected Cheng Cheng can be so youthful. Cheng Cheng and Ma Le Jie have great chemistry FL's appearance as a basketball cheerleader was stunning! Their interactions are quite sweet, but there aren't many scenes featuring them. The humiliation scenes are smooth, without any major mishaps.

The script is clichéd. FL mistakes the person who comforted her, leading her to chase after a scumbag. After her rebirth, she turns back, only to discover in the last few episodes that it was her childhood sweetheart who comforted her. There's also a lot of verbal sparring from the SFL, FL hiding her wealthy identity, the female supporting character getting humiliated at a wealthy family's house, etc. In this version rather than focusing on reborn, it more focusing on ML secret crush to FL.

I watched the same version but personally it was the most decent chemistry. Recommended to Watch.

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Positively Awful

This is a flop. I’m distracted doing laundry, doing other things on my cell phone and not paying attention to this Kdrama. It lured me in because I like the two romantic leads but not sure they have the chemistry together. But the story has been so boring and not believable. Love Triangle not working. The supporting cast are loud and annoying. I’m up to episode 6 and will just finish this to the end even if I have to skip an episode or fast forward through. This one is no Dynamite Kiss or Idol I, that’s for sure! There’s some really good kdramas and ones that completely flop.

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Wholesome timeless classic BL

"Monster Next Door" was a Thai BL from 2024, with Park and Big in main roles. I remember Big in another more recent BL where he felt a bit stoic, and I was very glad to see him here way more emotional.

They are playing Diew, an introvert, locked in his world, and God, an extrovert from a music band who is very lively and popular with a big circle of friends. The series shows how they slowly find togethers, it is mostly wholesome and sweet. Of course some drama comes with Episode 10 and 11, where Diew has to face his past and both learn to arrange with each others differences while also growing together.

It was a bit difficult to find, and while 12 episodes sometimes can be a bit strechted when the story is so much about personal development, I didn't feel it was overstreched here. We have also a nice sidecouple, who faces its own issues without overshadowing or feeling instruve or extra. Overall I felt I spend a good time with the BL series, feeling well entertained with good acting and storytelling. While it was not a 10, it surely did everything it set out well without any negative elements that stuck out to me, even though time moved in with BL today, I am comfortably giving it a

9/10
Timeless Classic

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A Pawn is Something Valuable You Leave but Intend to Come Back For

10/10 is my rating

This is the most heartwarming movie I've seen in a really long time. The only very minor change I'd suggest is how Doo-seok and Seung-yi first come together—but it's such a tiny quibble that it doesn't detract at all from this beautiful story. I would highly recommend Pawn to anyone who loves family dramas about a group of people that choose each other not because of biology but due to connection. This movie showcases the best side of humanity even in tough circumstances. It's uplifting, emotional, and full of genuine warmth. I'd watch it again without hesitation and recommend it to everyone—it's just that good.

Spoilers  

The one and only thing I'd change is that it felt a little weird how Doo-seok essentially took Seung-yi away from her mother initially. He never intended to keep her permanently or harm her, but taking a child like that is never acceptable on the surface. I think they could've handled it better by having Myung-ja explicitly ask Doo-seok to keep Seung-yi safe overnight while promising to bring the money the next day, then simply not showing up (due to her deportation). That would've avoided the uneasy "kidnapping" vibe entirely. I basically pretended that part played out more consensually and just went with the rest of the story—it didn't ruin anything for me.

When Doo-seok came and rescued Seung-yi from Madam Jung's brothel, that was such a heroic, powerful moment. It was heart breaking for such a little girl to be in such a rough environment, and it was virtually guaranteed something bad was going to happen. Him storming in like papa bear was magic.

I love how their relationship slowly developed from reluctant responsibility to true devotion—Doo-seok became fiercely protective and caring, and in the end, Seung-yi turned around and showed equal devotion to him. It's a beautiful display of chosen family love, being a genuinely good human being even if you don't look like it on the outside, and the redemptive power of kindness. The film really tugs at the heartstrings in the best way.

When she called him "dad" and he was so happy that was such a heartwarming moment. He earned that title not the man who sired her then left her and her mom for another woman. Same with when he explained why he nicknamed her pawn. You pawn something valuable he told her. He never wanted her to fell abandoned by her mom and that was sweet. In fact, when the grandma asked him to bring her to see the mom he didn't hesitate. He was worried she might not stay with him, but he still selflessly took her. When the mom asked him to find her biological father and let her meet him - he did that too. Again, worried she might feel like she found her dad. He always did what was best for her.

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A show with loveley premise called Run On that refuses to run

✨ THE GOOD (YES, THERE’S A HEART IN HERE):
The dialogue can be sharp and quietly clever.
Some emotional beats sneak up on you in that low-volume, “ that’s actually nice” in a way.
There are sparkles, moments of sincerity that genuinely feel different from typical rom-com fluff.

🙄 THE “WHY IS NOTHING MOVING?” PACKAGE:
This is slow burn… but like, glacial slow.
Conversations stretch. Silences stretch. Plot? On vacation.
You keep waiting for momentum and it just politely nods at you.

🤦 THE “QUESTIONABLE ENERGY” DEPARTMENT:
Some moral takes feel weirdly framed.
And one specific b*tch’s attitude? Straight-up fuc*ing draining.
No complexty , no layeres. Just exhausting enough to pull you outta the damn vibe.

💔 THE “ALMOST SOMETHING SPECIAL” FEELING:
You can see what it wants to be , mature, dialogue-driven, subtle.
But subtle doesn’t mean stagnant.
And quiet doesn’t mean nothing happens.

🎯 FINAL VERDICT:
A thoughtful, slow romance with moments of genuine sparkle… buried under pacing that refuses to run.

✔ Watch if: You like introspective romance and long conversations.
❌ Skip if: You need plot progression, strong momentum, or characters who don’t test your patience.

🏃 Best paired with: Coffee, patience, and accepting that “Run On” is ironically in no rush whatsoever.

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I’m really into the “God visiting human's world” trope, so this drama immediately caught my attention. The concept of a water god descending into the human world had so much potential, and I was genuinely excited going into it. Stories that blend mythology with modern romance are always fascinating to me.

However, what really took away from my enjoyment was the portrayal of Habaek himself. For a king and a god, seeing him constantly begging for money and being completely clueless about the human world was frustrating rather than charming. While I understand that the fish-out-of-water dynamic was meant to be comedic, his behavior often crossed into red-flag territory. He was arrogant, entitled, and emotionally immature for most of the drama, yet the story still framed everything as romantic in the end. That shift into a rom-com resolution felt undeserved and honestly disappointing.

What I did find interesting, though, was the portrayal of the “villain.” The idea of a half-human, half-god character being written as charming rather than purely evil added a layer of complexity to the story. It made the conflict more nuanced and emotionally engaging, instead of giving us a one-dimensional antagonist.

And of course, Bi Ryeom completely stole the show for me. He was by far my favorite character throughout the drama. His presence, depth, and charisma made every scene he appeared in more compelling. I found myself far more invested in him than in the main romance.

Overall, the drama had a trope I absolutely love and some intriguing character ideas, but the execution—especially regarding the male lead—left me wanting much more.

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Couldn't ignore the flaws.

The beginning of the plot is solid .. Story is not dragged at any point .. events and people keep coming serving their purpose and leaving, nothing is stretched over the threshold. Yet with all its good I can't help but complain about the insufficient efforts they given to write a good ending. Substance in the story pretty much ends with ep 32 after that is pure BS (skippable).
People here are complaining about logic loss in the entire story ..okay i understand a man taking over a woman place everything from height to physique is changed and no one is bothered seemed too illogical but that's how fiction works you have to let go of certain amount of logic to enjoy such plots .. If it were the part of a single event from whole context, I might say it's illogical but the sister brother swapping was the very core of the structure itself you have to take it as it is ..so spare the logic dont use it where it is not asked.

Moving forward to casting, leads were good ..I love zhou ye she brings life to anything she plays, her charm ... her spontaneity.. cheerfulness ... Is second to none in the chinese industry and I loved the fact she carefully chooses her projects. She did amazing job with he yan, she adopted her rough and rugged aura beautifully and acted her character with brilliance. Now the ML ..well I am a strong critic of Ryan cheng .. for some reason I am not yet convinced with his acting talent .. his expressions are just too restricted, rigid, monotonous and cemented. No doubt he is very handsome but he can't even flash a proper worrying expression for his beloved lying seriously wounded in his lap ... Below average to say the least {I am sure some people will come for my a** in comment section after reading this} kang le was good... He Clearly has looks and talent to lead big banner projects. About the rest of the cast no one caught my attention.

Asthetics of the sets to apparel were just so so .. passable for period drama but then military based drama is not about fancy outfits but about Nice action which was there in good amount. Though the movements in some fight sequence seemed too unnecessary...too extra ... like a couple dance holding swords instead of a proper fight (for instance the way they fought wutuo leader in last episode.) seriously who asked for this salsa x tango performance, it was so cringe.

There were five songs but only ' long cherished wish ' catered my taste.

Overall a good drama for one time watching definetely.. for re-watch you can just watch only the good parts sure there were lot of take aways.

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One of the Greatest Tear Jerker Drama

I just finished watching this drama (I watch this every few years). Just when you thought it couldn't get any sadder, then it did again! The tears just never stop. Never!!!

ALL the actors and actresses do such an amazing job. I can only imagine how mentally draining it was for them during filming with all the sad scenes.

As a busy mother I don't have all the time in the world to watch drama so I had to fast forward all of the other ghosts stories and mainly just follow the main leads' stories. And I'm not going to say this drama doesn't have many loopholes. Like for example, how Yu Ri can walk around in the neighbouring area she grew up in (in visible human form) for 49 days or so, without being recognised by her neighbours. And how freaky would it be for them to see someone undead!

But if just put aside some plot holes and just watch the story as it is for the sake of emptying your tear reservoir, this is the one to watch.

This and Go Back Couple are my two top favourite tear jerker drama.

PS. I could never get over how similar Lee Kyu Hyung is to Zo In Sung!!!

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Think of the most unlikely pairing and this jdorama has it

This is probably one of the best romance jdoramas I have seen in 20 years. (My favorite, "Long Vacation" with Takuya Kimura came out 30 years ago, followed by "Hana Yori Dango" which came out nearly 20 years ago. "Bandage" with Jin Akanishi came out in 2010.) Now, we have "Ai no, Gakko." which ranks up there with the best romance jdoramas and will turn the actor (Raul) who played the male lead Kaoru/Taiga into a once-in-a-generation, household name.

From start to finish, the story, production value and acting are top notch AND it's an original screenplay (not a manga adaptation)!

STORY: "Ai no Gakko" is a slice of life jdrama modern day romance about 2 common tropes: forbidden love and opposites attract- this time between a straitlaced, serious sheltered older female teacher and a flamboyant, worldly, playful, younger male host. The two main leads inhabit worlds that couldn't be farther apart from each other, yet remarkably, and, against all odds and societal taboos (e.g., host bar/teacher relations), they are drawn to each other and connect in a way that seems to work. Kudos to the author and production studio for keeping the story nuanced and realistic (for the most part) in spite of an unbelievable premise and to the actors for playing off each other and making their characters likable. Surprisingly, there few plotholes or loose ends (except for Kaoru's search for his dad, which is heartbreaking). Caveat that although it is a love story, it contains darker and mature themes of emotional manipulation, psychological abuse/control and violence. The ending felt a bit rushed as they had to make cuts to the story due to time constraints. I don't know that Kaoru has grown from their last breakup to be able to resolve his inner demons to truly be able to stay with Manami, I think his love letter to Manami is meant to show his acknowledgement of what she means to him upon further reflection.

PRODUCTION VALUE: The editing and cinematography were movie caliber. The cuts are not all seamless however, and the fade to black between scenes is noticeable and a bit annoying. Everything in the story and "set" is meticulously and intentionally planned. Even the way the words "Ai no, Gakko." are written changes as the ML learns to write the kanji, until the last episode, when he is able to write the strokes correctly. Even the misplaced comma and period in the title is explained as he sees it as a metaphor for their relationship. The author and production also place special value on props such as pens, books, scraps of letters, hats, and umbrellas, all which became important symbols of their relationship later in the story. Even the lighting and character hair styling and clothes are used to convey the mood and stage of their relationship (Notably Manami's hair starts in a bun and unravels as she starts to spend more time with Taiga and he teaches her to loosen up.)

ACTING/CHARACTERS: The FL, played by Fumino Kimura, is thoroughly believable as a teacher who really wants to be liked by her students and do right by them but doesn't seem to know how. She starts out meek and becomes the stronger of the two leads towards the end. The ML is played by Raul, a relative newcomer to acting, who is a revelation and his ability to go from sleek, sleazy Kaoru to fun-loving, goofy Taiga really shine to where I don't know whether he's being himself or acting. He proves to be an excellent foil to Manami's staid personality and teaches her how to freely live, highlighting how sheltered she is. He initially tries to take advantage of her naivete but has a change of heart when he is moved by the fact that she still wants to help him learn to read & write. And for anyone wondering what he sees in her, it turns out Taiga is a boy who, like the FL, also has a heart of gold, made cynical by his dyslexia and traumatizing upbringing and family circumstances. She makes him feel seen and feel supported, even when he doubts himself and is able to help him remove the beliefs that shackled him.

The characters all have incredibly well layered backstories and come with their own, sometimes troubled past and associated baggage. However, each character is trying to survive their past trauma the best they can and explain their own motivations for their actions clearly and directly which is unusual for Jdorama and makes the characters feel real and sympathetic (even if some of them do horrible things to themselves or others). Some redeem themselves in the end, including her fiancé, her dad and his mom - all of whom end up rooting for the leads to be together. In fact, I found all the main and side characters (and their storylines) relatable and as a result, likeable.

Interestingly, as an outgoing, smarmy, confident host who has no problem saying "I love you" to his customers, the character of Taiga has a LOT of trouble voicing his feelings for Manami. He is so afraid of showing any vulnerability that he can only tell her he loves her when she is distracted and not listening to him. Instead, he uses his body language to express his love for her: he grasps for her fingers, grabs her hands, steals her food, pretends to fall asleep on her shoulder and on her sleeping bag while holding her hand, and hugs her from behind, He says he can't kiss her because his lips are tainted by the 100 women he's kissed, yet when Manami tries to kiss him, he can't stop himself from kissing her over and over. He treasures the pencil she gifted him and takes her hat which he often looks at to remind himself of her. That said, I did find his goofiness a bit over the top and cringy at times but it made him a memorable character as I've never seen a Japanese actor behave like him.

DIRECTING: I heard the director spent 2 months having the leads rehearse and get comfortable becoming their characters and was open to them ad-libbing some of their lines (as long as it was something their characters would say). This results in scenes that make you feel like you are looking at a documentary (compared to other jdoramas) for its natural rapport and seemingly unscripted dialogue (probably because it is!). This is apparent in the beach scenes which are groundbreaking in jdorama because it feels like they're responding in the moment to each other and having real conversations instead of reciting lines from a script. I read the novelization and while the core dialogue stays mostly the same, much of the dialogue is ad libbed e.g., convo when they are trying to catch the bus, in the restaurant where Taiga asks if Manami wants to change him, when they are trying on hats. Taiga's actions at the beach were also changed to seem more natural (he appears on the train just before it departs, reappears to Manami on the beach and not in the restaurant, they hold hands only after they kiss, etc.)

The series holds up very well under rewatch. Episodes 5 (starting with his confession), 6 (first date), 8 (when he takes care of her after she faints) and the last Episode are my favorites to rewatch.

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