Reviews

not authentic BUT DEVOUR

Oh my god i really grateful to know this masterpiece T-T

Tbh i'm not into saeguk kdrama bcz the atmosphere is kinda off my vibes, but some titles that combined with modern settings are very appalled to watch for me and turns out amazing, like this one <3

I love how the characters being potrayed here. Cha segye-arner my namja <3, shin seori sunshine, choi mundo the villy, and the others amazing that blends well each other. Well the story kinda focused on main lead bcs there's no other "couple" shown here.... but i'm not complained that much because the main leads carry this show sooo much. Maybe the story is not that different and authentic, but it is very well delivered by the actors and i can understand easily what happened. There's no big plot twist, just light to watch and enjoy the vibes here. Their chemistry is reaaaallyy amazing and make me blushed as well :>> maybe i'll rewatch some times if i miss them xoxo istg there's soooo many romantic scenes that i really love to watch, gonna miss them so much

THE OST OMG MY YOUNGKEEIII super grateful to hear his voice as this kdrama's ost #myday #talented #stantalent

THANK YOU FOR MAKING ME BLUSHED, LAUGH, ANNOYED for 14 eps HUHU I NEED MOREEEEEEE

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Loved it for GeminiFourth's story

I think the main couple's story was meant to portray realistic struggles but was a bit too much. EarthMix acted very well and if you're on your period and need to cry they will definitely make you cry.. but just how unlucky can a character get?? Uncle Jim's story was so overly dramatic that it felt a bit overdone. Shit after shit happening to him and he stays that goody goody, letting others use him, not getting bitter at all... that's unrealistic to me.
The real gem is GeminiFourth's side couple. Their acting was incredible, Fourth's portrayal of a troubled teen especially. He moved me in many ways and how gently the blooming of their relationship was portrayed is simply beautiful. Also how they, as young people, tell their elders that being gay is not a big deal while Jim thinks of it as a struggle, scared he "made" his nephew gay?!? I liked how these - sadly realistic - worldviews were represented next to each other and how they talked about how some people might support LGBTQ rights while not accepting their own family member's orientation. The true star of the show was Khaotung's character and his mom. The way she loved and accepted him was beautiful. The plotline of her death seemed like a plain plot device to me so that he'd get to know First's character :(
First's portrayal of Alan was touching. He's just so good at playing pathetic desperate characters and while some think of him as a bad guy, his reactions are very realistic and just come out of desperation over a lost relationship he can't let go. Wen on the other hand, realizing he stopped loving is just as complex and Mix really brings out the grief the person who breaks up also goes through.
In total, this show had many memorable characters and the side couples truly shine. However, it's too sad and I'll only rewatch it if I'm in the mood for some real melodrama.

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“And having more ideas, they had more suffering.”

Undoubtedly one of the most interesting contemporary Korean TV series, “The Affair Was Just the Beginning” is a brilliant dark comedy built around an interwoven narrative and a gradual piecing together of the story, in which the chronology and, above all, the way information is revealed are manipulated to make the viewer mentally re-examine what they thought they had already understood.

It is a sort of narrative ‘disjunction’ in which it is not necessarily the story itself that is told in a non-linear manner, but rather the information about it that is presented in a disjointed way: the viewer is thus led to form an initial interpretation of the events, only to be forced to re-evaluate it in the light of what is subsequently revealed.

It could therefore be described as a dark comedy of misunderstandings, built around a chain of tragic errors in which the audience gradually ends up knowing more than the characters. And it is this imbalance in information that generates much of the humour: each event provides partial information that leads to an initial interpretation, whilst the addition of new elements retroactively alters its meaning.

The result is a sort of narrative labyrinth constructed through the retrospective repetition of the same time segments, each time expanded by new information and a different point of view.

Beyond the most obvious simplification that might spring to mind — a sort of interlocking, jigsaw-style plot — the narrative structure finds its most compelling element in the randomness with which events end up linking together, transforming more or less significant faults, omissions and poor decisions into a progressive catastrophe. It is the snowball effect that drives the entire story: each character tries to solve their own immediate problem, but in doing so, almost inevitably, creates a much bigger problem for someone else.

It is a narrative structure that, in some respects, may bring to mind Stanley Kubrick’s film “The Killing”, with its constant re-composition of events through different perspectives and temporal segments; the spirit, however, is surprisingly close to that of the Coen brothers, because behind this sophisticated structure there is no all-powerful criminal mastermind orchestrating events, but rather a cast of characters who are convinced, time and again, that they can make up for their mistakes with a slightly bigger one.

Every attempt to evade the consequences of one’s actions thus gives rise to the next consequence, until a single incident turns into an increasingly uncontrollable chain of events. This progressive accumulation of faults, omissions and responsibilities ultimately makes it impossible to draw a clear distinction between the guilty and the innocent: no one is truly innocent, yet the consequences do not necessarily fall on those who bear the greatest responsibility either.

The entire comic and suspenseful dynamic are built on the vast information gap between the characters and the audience itself. We, the viewers, gradually come to possess more pieces of the jigsaw than those on screen, thus witnessing a colossal cover-up which is, in fact, the solution to a problem that the protagonists have failed to grasp.

From case to chaos: blackmail sets off the hunt for money; the hunt for money opens up another abyss; and the discovery of the video’s true content shifts the focus of the story yet again. What appeared to be merely a piece of the puzzle suddenly becomes something else, altering not only the protagonists’ perspective but also that of the viewer, who is almost naturally led to view the adults from a different angle.

And whilst Gyeong-hui finds herself increasingly at the centre of responsibilities that seem to multiply rather than diminish, the relationships between the characters are also constantly shifting: what seemed like an alliance turns into mistrust, what appeared marginal suddenly takes on a different significance, and even the blame seems to be redistributed according to ever-changing perspectives.

It is a most felicitous insight: there are not simply red herrings, but constantly shifting perspectives. Together, the viewer and the characters add a new ‘step’ to the story, only to discover that this new piece also alters the previous ones. An almost labyrinthine deception, in which every new piece of information seems to finally clarify the picture, yet instead alters its focus.

As the system begins to become overwhelmed. The arrival of Na-do finally introduces an external element, almost a disruptive force, a perspective that seems capable of breaking that closed cycle of secrets, omissions and half-truths. Except that even the detective gradually becomes absorbed by the chaos he is supposed to sort out, whilst all the characters converge towards that grotesque ‘all together now’ moment, where the various plotlines cease to run in parallel and begin to collide.

Here, “The Affair Was Just the Beginning” proves itself to be more than just a brilliant dark comedy, revealing itself instead as a drama constructed with almost mechanical precision, in which the complexity never ends up overshadowing the central narrative. The starting point and the ending are part of the same story, and even the chaotic final collapse is not a deviation, but the natural consequence of everything that has gone before.

The series’ modest length certainly helps in this regard: eight episodes, all well under an hour, are enough to develop the vast plot without getting bogged down in digressions or redundant backstory. The pieces fall into place at just the right moment and, just when the puzzle seems impossible to solve, they all surprisingly end up finding their rightful place. It’s a sort of Kubrickian precision applied to a subject matter that is decidedly more chaotic and, above all, far more prone to irony.

Just think of the bunker, which has gradually been transformed into a sort of grotesque burial mound: a concept so absurd that it is irresistibly comic, yet perfectly consistent with the series’ internal logic.

But none of this would be possible without the excellent choice of an absolutely perfect cast; the great chemistry between the actors is evident in every ensemble scene and almost seems to suggest just how much fun they had staging this mad, interlocking game. The dynamics between the characters work precisely because no one tries to steal the limelight from the others: the chaos is collective and is collectively fuelled.

Kim Hye-soo naturally deserves a special mention. It is she, to all intents and purposes, who drives the drama and carries it through the crucial moments with the full range of skills required, displaying impressive naturalness, plenty of self-deprecating humour and a sex appeal that would put many twenty-somethings to shame… Magnetic and simply perfect.

Paradoxical as it may seem, the conclusion is perfectly in keeping with the tone adopted from the outset. The police’s far-fetched theories are by no means a narrative shortcut: they are the final, consistent manifestation of the very same randomness and human stupidity that have governed the entire affair. In a Coen-esque world, even those who are supposed to restore order end up adapting to the chaos.

In the end, what remains above all is that mocking feeling that has accompanied the whole affair; after so much anxiety, so much fear and a web of lies that grew until it became almost bigger than the events themselves, reality seems almost to take pleasure in putting everything back into perspective, according to a logic that completely eludes those who have desperately tried to control it.

If you like, it’s a sort of poetic justice: not a punishment, not redemption, but the irony of having gone all that way only to find oneself, in some way, exactly where one never thought one’d end up. To breathe a sigh of relief, yet without being able to erase what has happened, nor that strange feeling that, for once, coincidence had the last word.

This fairy-tale return to normality therefore has a surreal quality to it: everything seems to be falling back into place, but nothing is really the same as it was before. Ultimately, the affair was really only the beginning: having narrowly escaped danger is not the same as freedom, because perhaps the worst prison is not a jail, but having to carry on living within the gigantic lie that has been constructed.

8 ½

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Let Qingtian be the prince of the forest

​I am seriously falling for this series. Even with a few heartbreaking moments, it’s such a memorable ride.

​The Romance: I love the scene where Qinglang uses Changyang’s hand as comfort. The way XCY holds QL's hands always reminds me of an ex back in high school—so gentle and kind. And that kiss? It was so sudden, I was totally shocked!

​The Visuals: Qingtian’s beauty is just too die for. Plus, that rope-tying scene in the mountain immediately reminded me of Wei Wuxian in The Untamed 😭.

Enjoying the silhouette kissings between XCY and QL.

​Han Lu and Qi Hao Yu's story caught my attention at first—it reminded me of a very lighter version of Deep In. I liked them until the end, but because the main couples are so strong, I felt like I didn't focus on them or connect as deeply.

Meanwhile, Xu Wen Shu is actually my second favorite character after Changyang. His love toward Qingtian feels so big, pure, and devastating. Seeing all the pain Qingtian had to endure, and then Qingtian's passing? That made me cry. For someone who cries easily, his death was something I never expected—even though I saw spoilers online (the classic curse of watching a series late!). It feels so crazy how his life ended just when it felt like a real beginning was happening between them.

​Let's talk about Shi Yuhao—I never really liked his character. He was to blame for his mistakes and choices, and even after 7 years, he acted like everyone else had to fold to him. I wasn’t super shocked by his ending, though, since a knife was teased in his scenes a couple of times.

​It was definitely Shi Yuhao's fault. I know I shouldn't say it since the guy was going through something, but I believe everyone has to reap their karma. Live through it, make things better, and make choices because they are right—not because they are the easiest.

​Changyan: At his age, he was so mature and capable of anything. But everyone reaches a breaking point where they show a side they hide from the world. When he cried in that car, it wasn't a loud cry—it was a quiet cry of profound pain. Pain from losing a friend, and pain from knowing people didn't respect his friend even after death (even though the parents didn't know the full truth at first and tormented Qingtian for losing their son, when it was an accident).

​Qingtian: I always saw him as so strong over the past few eps, so seeing his absolute vulnerability and pain this time around really hit my core.

​Qinglang: I see him as such a grounded person who really knows himself. If you asked me if I could wait for someone for years without knowing when they'd return, I'd say I have no idea! Both Qinglang and Changyang love in completely different ways, but their love is just so strong. I swear, dramas are really stepping up their BL game.

​With the ending, I wasn't fully, 100% satisfied because we only got a short glimpse of their reunion—I really wish they had a special episode for it! But on the bright side, we got plenty of domestic moments with them across the episodes, so it wasn't a disappointment.

And honestly, for a hot second, I was really hoping Qingtian's death hadn't actually happened and he was just standing right beside Wen Shu taking pictures of the flowers.

​Overall, this is a series I can rewatch, but not too often. If I watched it too frequently, my heart would just break all over again for Qingtian.

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Another disappointment

I need to breathe properly since my review will be too honest and blunt. The plot is basically Wattpad with a lot of polished changes which didn’t work in the 2020's (If this drama appears in 2010’s it will be more booming than now). Don't get me wrong, I still watch these kind of dramas in duanjus. Jing Boran actually works well as CEO without any pretentious feeling but somehow his styling makes him shorter than Sun Qian. In my mind, only two long drama actors can pull a CEO without being pretentious or greasy. The basic jerk CEO who lusts over Shang Zhitao’s body nothing to praised about him.

This is my hardest take: first of all I love 2026 Sun Qian's performance before this drama (Love in 70’s and The Guilty) but in The Early Spring makes me ask, “is this the Sun Qian i know before?” somehow her acting is regressed from her previous drama, too stiff and no emotions show in her eye especially when the main character appears together, i feel the awkwardness between them. I feel the scriptwriter made Shang Zhitao character like NPC without any emotional conflict while Luke are getting more complex about him which made me quite dissatisfied with the way. The novel version show her complex of emotion when she know her friend suicide and her not getting promoted but this drama didn't give her as morally grey FL. I feel both scriptwriter and actress are not good in this drama.

The supporting casts actually nothing special in this drama just another workplace drama with unrealistic merits since they got promoted fast and unprofessional. It didn't give you any knowledge and giving unrealistic view about work in advertising company.

I don't talk about chemistry between her and Jing Boran since i don't feel anything about them (They are still awkward especially Sun Qian until the end of episode) even though it counts as daring for Chinese Long Drama but I still appreciated their professionalism and it was this drama best feature but i don't feel any sparks for this drama. The only interesting part when Sun Yuan Zhu got suicide and the plot was too predictable, another plot holes like usual c-drama formula and yeah they ending together without any redemption for Luan Nian (this is basic work for duanju with Jing Boran as male lead). Dissapointed and never want to rewatch this.

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This one right here! Watch this one!

I have never seen a drama that has everything, till now. This one blew my mind. It's funny, has amazing fight scenes, creative directing, good romance, great characters, outstanding osts, detestable villain. It did everything well. This one went above and beyond my expectations. Everything gets so much care. You can tell that the people who made this really cared about what they were making. Every other episode there's something extraordinary happening. And in every other episode Yoon Dong-Ju is having a worse day than me. I love it. Don't know why I waited this long to watch it. Going forward I am going to recommend this to everyone.

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The lead actor is way better than this

Some things that were missing: A budget, supporting cast & extras, singing, direction.
Some things worth the watch: The actors are good in other projects, Yang Hong Seok is a really good actor & I wonder if he did this to give his friend a boost into the business or for his own transition into KBL.
Some things to consider: His co-lead is very new & the kissing scenes were not believable. This is direction, camera angles & experience, when all 3 are lacking then this is what you get.
A great storyline but not executed well enough for any rewatch value. I would have liked more singing because Hong Seok has a lovely voice, as does his Shin Jun Seop & they were rehearsing a musical. I didn't catch who produced or directed this but they have much potential & will improve I'm sure.

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