The most relatable drama of my life
This is a fantastic drama, so beautifully done, and extremely poetic. Every stage of my life I've watched this in, I have felt something different.In my 20s, I related to Soo Ji, who didn't need a man, and thought her besties, family, and career are the most important things.
Close to turning 30, I related the most to Ji ho, who wanted to find a steady, unchanging, comfortable "home". Especially good if it comes with a soulmate & partner to call it "ours".
A couple years later, after my breakup of a long-term relationship, I knew how Ho Rang must've felt, with time-ticking, stuck in a loving but just utterly wrong relationship - and how her bf Wonseok couldn't change the way he JUST ISN'T READY.
As Nam Se Hee said, age doesn't matter to cats. To them, time is only the current moment; they do not feel sad or depressed about the passage of time. This has been my favorite drama since 2017, and it still is to this day.
I would knock off half a star for the last episodes, but...ehhh...it is overall too good to hate on.
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I wouldn't re-watch this drama, not because it is bad or something but I'm already contented by it.
The couple that I'm not that happy about is Ho Rang and Won Seok. They were somehow great but Ho Rang's attitude at some point is just a little bit annoying. I hope that she would be able to understand things more. But I guessed she was just pressured or something.
There were also lots of fillers through the late episodes of the drama but it was still quite enjoyable or if you aren't that patient, just skip it.
SO.. For me, it's quite an inspiring story. If you don't really have much to do, you can watch this one. It's not that heavy so it might lift your spirit up if ever you feel sad or something. The ending is quite short so for me, it lacks depth because some of the things were left hanging and unsolved BUT STILL I think this drama is good~
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the romantic equivalent of having your teeth pulled
it's one of these dramas that I genuinely cannot understand how they are so popular here. the premise is nice enough: two young people entering a white marriage to afford life, and falling in love in the process. good, right? wrong. what follows is a cringe worthy attempt at a relationship but the problem is that you can't root for either character! the female lead is bland and the male lead is the stereotypical cold boss that because the standards for men are so low, he passes as decent. plus, the actor doesn't exhibit the charisma and to pull it off. and I've seen more chemistry between kindergarten kidsas for the two side stories, nothing interesting except Esom's character. she's so damn captivating and real, I was rooting for her all the way. unfortunately, she's been paired with a middle aged bore, when all my girl wanted was some no strings attached fun! god, they did her dirty.
overall, I don't see what other people see in this draft of a story, but if you enjoyed it, good for you
what you can watch instead: Something In The Rain, Forecasting Love and Weather, School 2017
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Summary sounds too cliched?
Still wondering if you would try this out?
The deciding factor starts with where you are currently in your life. Slice of life is an understatement for this drama. In my opinion, this drama was specially made for people who are emotionally in connect with themselves and see the world crudely as it really is. The comedy kicks in right from the start and it makes you wonder if it really is for a light watch but then the strange characters walk in, the characters that you see almost regularly and wonder how are they still functioning in this mess of the society within their own bubbles?
Genre : Rom-com, Slice of Life
Story : The story starts with the happy but unfortunate and tough life of a writer who wants little too less from life. Raised in a partriach society all she wants is a place to rest and thats when she finds the eccentric man with his strange house and realises this could be what she was looking for. For a person who wants nothing but peace and quiet and may be a place where she belongs, this drama is particularly those who have lived through the irony of this world. What makes this drama special is the plenty of characters that make you laugh and see the ruthless world as is. The girls who are standing by each other even though they might be in a good or bad situations and the men who are willing to go through loops of fire to keep their girls happy is a refreshing yet has a strangely patriarch edge to them which is quite common in Asian dramas but what makes you happy is the fact that there is good in every bad and i would advice you to watch it for atleast 4 episodes to actually decide if you can be in love with the strange lonely man in his house.
Actors : Jung So Min is one of the most talented actors out there and she proves it with excellence why so. Her portayel of the character was similar to that of "Father is Strange" but somehow it seems natural.
This is my first drama with Lee Min Ki and even though he looks a little weird, i am going to try and watch more of his drama to see him act because this was an amazing ride. At some point i was convinced he might be one of those talking robots with 3 facial expressions.
Lee Som plays a head strong warrior princess kind of character that makes you challenge the society. KIm MIn Suk is a sweet lucky engineer and the struggle is so real from an engineers point of view.
I would also like to comment on the OSTs (which i rarely do) because they're so perfect for each charcater. I couldnt stop myself from humming along.
Will i watch it again? Probably if i cant find any perfect rom-com for binge watching on girls night.
Will recommend it to Anyone? Ha Ha I already have.
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I would totally give it a 10 if not for the last 2 episodes. The drama managed to tug on my emotions, make me laugh, deal with difficult topics and avoid cliches and the usual, cookie-cutter dialogues. People say what they think in this drama save for one unfortunate secondary couple. It is really exhilarating to see a drama in which the characters say what you expect them to say. The drama is paced beautifully and even the 'love triangle' isn't really a love triangle in this.
I also love that this drama tackles the societal problems such as starting your life without means, not having enough money even when being successful, soul-sucking jobs, having dreams vs paying bills, sexual harassment and assault and personal oddities with such a unique perspective. I appreciated exposing and talking about those things in the open. The awkward, but honest social interactions between the main couple are gold. They will make you laugh and then feel sad at the same time. This drama is perfectly balanced in this regard. It is perfectly balanced to the 15th episode, that is. After that, I feel like the writers went for the more usual plot devices, which kind of ruined it for me. I understand what the writers were going for, but I'm not sure it was necessary. This is what made me drop a star from my rating.
All in all, it is a truly unique and beautiful drama.
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Best part about this is the lessons that's throughout this plot they're very meaningful.
I do like all couples in here, but sometimes it's annoying. Still it's an enjoyable show.
I didn't like how she was literally mistreated by everyone from her old workplace when she was a writer but other than that everything else is hilarious and great. Oh n se hee's ex like at first I thought she was going to be trouble, but no lol she's such a sweet and likeable character.
Anyways this is a must watch for sure.
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An Emotional and Pondering Exploration of Romance and Marriage
This drama is a rollercoaster. It made me at times extremely happy, and at others practically depressed. A lot of this has to do with my intense identification with the characters, but that's not to say they don't stand their ground for any viewer of the series. Certainly they are some of the most nuanced characters I have come across, with dimensions that can't be explained away with a single trope. Speaking of tropes, besides the obvious ones there aren't many to speak of, and the context around the contract marriage is quite different from the usual.It's not uncommon to see either a solemn male or solemn female lead, but it is somewhat uncommon to see both. It's the combination of the two that make the drama both fresh and exciting but also stressful and frustrating. There is a sense of slow progress that could all come crashing down at a moment's notice. Simply put, it can be intense and taxing. That's not to say it's a bad drama, though, just a certain style. Oftentimes it's beneficial for a drama to be intense because this makes it more engaging and leads to greater plot investment, which is certainly true in this case.
And, besides all this, the good times undoubtedly make up for the bad, just as in a real romance. I have no doubt you'll have a stupid grin plastered on your face just as I did when the leads are together. The three pairings certainly give you a lot to root for, which is one of the reasons I stuck through the tough parts to see the ending, where I might abandon most shows.
I can't forget to mention the thought provoking messages permeating the narration. The main character- a writer- displays her skill by thinking and speaking in the most interesting of ways, questioning everything to a philosophical level. The level of these observations can sometimes be so deep and complex as to make you pause and think for a bit. And, while they sometimes feel like disguises for possibly simpler motivations, they definitely add to the character's personality and maturity.
I do recommend this show, if only for the glowing chemistry portrayed between outwardly solemn leads, supported by a dynamic cast with just as rich of stories as the protagonists.
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A light yet honest look at marriage and relationships
I really enjoyed this drama. It speaks on the reality of marriage and love. Whilst I feel some of the endings for certain couples took away from the realism aspect, I still felt this drama was more palatable as a romance focused drama, which I normally find incredibly hard to watch. I also love how it touched on gender roles in relationships and families; instead of tearing them down and automatically labeling them as 'sexist', this drama takes a more nuanced look at it. I also adore how this drama handles workplace sexism and the reality of working as a young 20 something, at all levels of life.If you want a light, relatively easy to watch drama, give this one a go. It has plenty of fun and humorous moments. It definitely made me warm and happy. I'm not the biggest fan of the slightly cliche ending for some pairings. (hence the 8 rating instead of a 9). Particularly annoyed after the drama spent time shading cliche endings... but it's still okay I suppose.
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This review may contain spoilers
This is one of the best dramas out there. The writing itself is just superb and all of the cast was well chosen. It is a joy to watch, the story keeps you on the toes and I personally could not put it down.The story is overall well designed, mostly character driven but the attention is well divided into three main lines following the side characters as well. This created unique tempo and various stages of relationships of the others present a solid ground - this kept the episodes varied and not one was boring or weak. You will be interested in the side characters as well, the drama takes the time not just to develop the relationships of the couples, but presents very fleshed out friendships and individual relationships between the ensemble as a whole.
It's just such a shame that for the sake of creating dramatic conclusion, the last two episodes are a sore spot. The female lead starts behaving absolutely out of her character and creates a situation that you as a viewer can't get behind. This bothered me. Otherwise well written conversations became just monologues and some rushed decisions left me a bit confused.
As for characters, the main six are excellent. I especially loved the character of Ma CEO who was a true gem and solid element in every relationship. The minor characters were very good as well, I enjoyed the parents very much. I liked the music.
I will definitely rewatch this at least one to have a "further think" about this. It gave me so much food for thought and it did stir emotion within me. It really is a unique drama and even though the last two episodes are a bit of a let down, the overall quality and character of the show itself make up for that.
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I did not like this show at all. The style of conversations supposed to be "realistic", but to me they were very draggy and lacked any entertainment value. I am not a fan of the slow talking style used in shows like these, where there's too much pause between sentences and it looks very artificial.
I did not like any of the characters on this show. Watching them interact with each other was boring and frustrating. The lead couple is a stoic wooden man and a dull woman, they were hard to look at and did the stupidest things. Characters doing stupid things is normal in a drama and many a times we actually don't mind them but here they just seemed too annoying. The way they conducted themselves wasn't relatable or admirable, I only kept getting mad at them. I did not feel the chemistry between them and watching their romance which was almost non existent anyways was a total bore.
The acting was good, but since I was not enjoying the characters anyways it was hard to like any of them. My Favourite was Kim Min Seok. He is always delightful. The other actors also did a good job of portraying their characters.
This show has a fairly good rating on MDL so I guess other do like it. But personally I would suggest you don't waste your time.
Good slice of life dramas: Le Coup De Foudre, Put your head on my shoulder
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My 1st Life rewatch 2nd 3rd great
I have watched this drama many times & I will watch it many more. The story to me never gets old. The cast & acting was top grade. I grew to love the main leads Lee Min Kii & Jung So Min . The supporting cast were all top grade actors & the series got their monies worth. The story line was direct & it stayed that way through out the drama. I appreciate that. Often times more isn't better. Even the yelling which can get really annoying in Kdrama's was great. It carried a familiar theme guy lead being the upper & the female lead being lower, but anywhere it is rarely any different. I guess stick with what works. Grew to love the male lead in this series. Jung So Min I have never seen her do anything wrong when acting. She is lovable beautiful & always believable.Was this review helpful to you?
This review may contain spoilers
The best marriage of convience drama out there
Probably one of my favourite dramas of all time, I love the marriage of convienience trope but the way BTIMF tells it puts a new spin on the cliche. I feel like this drama changed my perspective on marriage when i first watched it, and every time I rewatch it,(I've now seen BTIML 3 times) I've cried.Spoilers ahead:
The only negative about this drama is the last 2 episodes. I feel like screenwriters or directors of kdramas are allergic to having a story that doesn't contain some twisted misunderstanding. I really do not understand why they had the see-hee and jihyo break up and give jihyos reasoning as something super wishy-washy as needing an intermission. I feel like if they gave the simplest reason of her insecurity over his ex gf it would have made infinitly more sense.
Like the fact that he hid the fact that he used to be previously engaged and even had a child on the way, but the miscarriage changed everthing? The two leads having a heart-to-heart about jihyos own insecurities in marriage and see-hees reluctance to open up and love after that would have genuinely been wonderful. The other couples endings made more sense than how the two leads ended up. Like why have them move out? it just felt like drama for dramas sake
also they fully misunderstood the message of to room nineteen as well. its about how you need your own space in relationships, and opening room nineteen is bad, but the drama talks about how jihyo wants to see see-hee's room 19, which is weird?
either way though i still love this drama a lot, see-hee grew on me and his more subtle way of loving was sweet. jung so min's acting as jihyo was steller and this drama has made me a fan of her work.
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