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such a cute show.
I rlly liked the melancholy vibes of this show, and though it was still romantic, it was a seemingly sad/ cute. Idk the vibe confuses me, but the show was a good distraction otherwise. i rlly like si wan's shows and this is no exception. I recommend, but maybe some might get bored, This seems often but i didn't realize they didn't kiss at all and when i did i swear that wasn't true, but i havent even looked into it and either way idc.Was this review helpful to you?
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Could Have Been A Perfect Comfort Drama
I watched this show while I've lost my motivation about my academic success. The first episodes really gave me comfort. And it motivated me to live more simply. But i think that sub plot was too rushed, instead of killing the grandma they could’ve just focus on the backstories of Daebum and Yeoreum. You know, these two has real sad stories to share. It would have been perfect if they showed those kind of moments.Wasted potential at some point. But still, it was a great drama to watch.
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When Introverts Love…
The FL’s life is good until tragedy strikes - her boyfriend breaks up with her & moments later she learns that her mother passed away. Reeling from the weight of the events, she heads to a seaside village with a plan to do nothing but recharge & heal for a year.There she meets the ML, who was once a math prodigy with a bright future, but is now living a simple life as the town librarian. He’s a kind, quiet man with skeletons in his closet. When these two lost souls meet, a friendship slowly forms & a bond develops between them, blooming into a beautiful love.
The Leads are so sweet. Watching them work up the courage to approach one another & their awkward interactions is so cute. The actors did great! When I think of this couple, the words “quiet” & “peaceful” always come to mind. They don’t have a burning passion, but rather a warm & comfortable love. Like being wrapped in a favorite blanket, safe & secure. 💕
They’re both so low key that they’re often misunderstood. Like since they usually just listen, people think they don’t have much to say. Or because their strength isn’t outwardly overt, they’re assumed to be weak-minded & weak-willed. Watching these two stay true to themselves & not give in to the pressures to change was so satisfying. As a fellow introvert, I really related to them.
The only “negative” was the SFL - she really annoyed me with her selfish words/actions & her constant interference to make the ML to do/be what she wanted. I was really happy when he finally made things perfectly clear to her regarding his wants & feelings. 🙌🏻
_________\\__________//________
-⬇️ S P O I L E R S 🚫 B E L O W ⬇️-
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The things I always want to know 😏😉…
- First(real)Kiss : 🙅🏻♀️💋
- Together : ep.11 👩🏻❤️👨🏻
- BreakUp: Nope 💖
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Summer Happiness, momentary.
Overall, a healing show with some plot holes.If you have time to spare and would like to destress, this would be quite a perfect show with slow movement. In terms of the chemistry between the two actors, I would say its doable because there isn't much of a interaction since they can pass it off as them being shy.
Love the music because I think it fits the vibes really well. Realism wise, I think they skipped quite some scenes so we have to fill in the blank ourselves, which isn't that hard. The biggest problem I would have would be the ending... The discovery of Sun-ah death and the whole case... I felt like there aren't enough time to explain every single detail.
I really love the small little parts of this whole story, like the small moments of their interaction, finding small happiness within all the things that we do. Im Si wan is good at acting so I wouldn't have anything to say about him. Seolhyun improved greatly for this role, maybe because there wasn't much expressions for her to portray.
I really love the grandma though! This drama is really soothing and comforting for my soul although I think the two main leads do not have a huge chemistry unlike most drama. I like how every single character in the drama portray a certain part of people that we would encounter in our life.
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Pretty good if you can get through the first three episodes
Honestly I almost dropped this show, the first three episodes were so heavy and frustrating, everybody was walking all over the FL and I could not believe how the townspeople could be so horrible. How can a town be full of terrible people, what is wrong with all of them, argh. It's kind of boring when only a few characters are enjoyable and the rest are just crap characters. They were all so selfish and despicable. I love shows where even the side characters are funny or bring something to the story, you know. I would look forward to the next scene with them.So I finally managed to get to episode 4 and then I started to enjoy the story and the friendship that was developing between the ML and the FL. The story with Bom was cute as well, and I enjoyed most of the story from then on.
Also, I often don't really care about the SML, they are okay most of the time, but I can never stand the SFL, why are they always so toxic and annoying? And in this show it was not different, Ji-yeong annoyed the hellllll out of me, get a life girl, you spent your whole life with the guy and he's never been interested in you, he won't be interested now either, and it's not the FL's fault. Anyway.
The ML and FL were cute, as were Bom and her boyfriend. Probably won't rewatch though, I will be looking for a better and lighter slice of life drama.
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Good at First But Then....
The story itself isn't bad. I like both the FL and ML, the idea of them both being introverts and falling in love is what struck me to start watching. I really loved both Bom and Jaehoon, Jaehoon was super cute and his love for Bom was unmatched. But what made me drop this drama was on how the drama addressed Bom's abusive father. I couldn't get over how every single character (except Jaehoon <3) was emotionally manipulating her to think that her father's actions towards her was okay. Even the FL yelled at Bom for bad mouthing her father despite Bom being in the hospital due to her father stabbing her.Was this review helpful to you?
I Wish This Was A Healing Drama
My 4 categories are Acting/Cast, Writing, Direction/SFX/Music, Entertainment Value.I decided to watch this because I was feeling a cozy town romance. I was surprised when I got something different.
Acting/Cast: This drama is well cast. I’m not too familiar with Kim Seol Hyun (김설현), who plays the female lead, but she was good. I am a fan of Yim Sin Wan (임시완), however. I know he can act. I don’t think this was a role that required a lot from him, acting-wise, but he fit the role nicely. I like Shin Eun Soo (신은수) as well, as I always enjoy her acting. The cast had good chemistry together. 7.5/10
Writing: Um…this is weird for me to say but...the murder mystery stuff wasn’t necessary. I felt like it took away from the story. I was really vibing with this drama, too. It had a My Liberation Notes feel to it at first. The female lead is really dumb in the beginning. People are telling her straight to her face how they feel about her and she’s somehow still surprised by their actions towards her. It’s frustrating, but that just means there’s room to grow...or maybe that was just a directing issue… Because I don’t think she really changes from being a doormat. She instead finds a place where people appreciate her. So, there is no real character growth. There's also a weird story arc about an abusive alcoholic father, who, for some reason, gets a free pass. This young girl is miserable, and everyone rather protect the alcoholic. It was really strange and seemed to go against the female lead's quest for freedom from assholes (since she doesn't actually become stronger, she just finds a chill place where she doesn't need to grow). Shin Eun Soo's acting was on point though. She has no protection at school, she has no protection at home, but SHE'S the problem? I could feel her frustration and desperation. Although, it made the other characters reactions to her situation even more strange. Anyway, the female lead’s revelation early on in the drama was inspiring to me. The idea that she has worked for years for terrible people, saved up some money, and now she can just go do nothing in a new place with no pressures. That’s awesome. It actually helped me a lot to stop stressing about my job (of course this only works for people who are good at saving money and budgeting). That’s why I wish this drama was just of the healing and romance genre. It has really good vibes. I feel like the murder mystery stuff just rained on my parade. The romance aspect was too light, as well. This isn't a slow burn romance...it's a no burn romance. The story with the high school kids is more romantic. There’s more of a focus on past trauma due to murders...you know, the usual. It was nice to see her build bonds with the people in the town...until the murder of course. Don’t you just hate it when random murderers are running around some nice, peaceful town? If I had a nickel… Don’t mind me. I’m just annoyed that this drama harshed my mellow. Anyway, the ending is alright. 3.5/10
Direction/SFX/Music: I like the tone or aesthetics of the film style. It has a relaxing, calm feel to it. The OST is alright. It has a feminine or girly feel to it, which isn’t exactly my style. I still liked some of the songs though. 6.5/10
Entertainment Value: This was a nice watch for the most part. It feels comfy. Since it deals with a problem that everyone encounters in life, it’s relatable and inspiring. I was interested to see how the female lead’s revelation and big life change worked out for her. I wish it was a bit more easy-going for her. I mean, the murderer stuff isn’t very realistic or applicable to most people. There was a disconnect for me because of that. The treatment of Shin Eun Soo's character was disappointing, as well. 5/10
Overall, I gave this drama a 5.5/10. I keep comparing it to My Liberation Notes, which is much better written. I really like the cinematography and the overall feel of this drama, but there was a lot about the story that disappointed me. However, it was easy to get through and didn't drag.
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Got comforted by this drama at times when I least expected it
Guys, at first I hadn't liked the drama much on its first two episodes. So I had even dropped it but then again later on I carried on and tried to watch it. Guess what I loved it so much more than before. It brought me sincere happiness to my heart even if it's just for a while. Thanks to this drama "Summer strike", I felt at ease. I tend to enjoy any movies and dramas based on my current interest, mood and my current life circumstances. It was raining today and I kinda felt myself being stuck in my life and I had nothing to do. But I started giggling like a child and there was a sincere smile on my face while watching. The camera quality was somehow darker and unusual than any other dramas like Hometown Cha cha, Welcome to Samdalri, but it was comforting to me despite of not having a brighter screen, I guess that's the speciality of this drama. To comfort us at times when we least expect it to.Was this review helpful to you?
One to serve my Comfort Pick days
/ I watched this bit by bit. It was much better that way./ On a certain level of reality, I, for one, would definitely relate to what Yeo Reum did from the demands of the society. I'm just amazed by her bravery to give it all up and live on the countryside alone (which I didn't have the means because of economic reasons lmao). It is quite impressive enough.
/ Loved the atmosphere that this show made me feel.
/ This is a piece of gem to pick up on idle days and moment of blues.
P. S. Wished it was longer so we can tackle on the developments of other stories behind the characters.
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It takes courage to reinvent your life
My rating is 9.5/10I loved pretty much everything about this series my only real complaint is that it's short. I would've enjoyed it even more if they'd done a few more episodes and actually allowed the character stories to more fully play out.
It covers a lot of really heavy issues but not in a way that drags you down. If anything, it's uplifting to see somebody escape corporate bullying and build a life that's meaningful for them. It's heartwarming in the found family/friendship group that Lee Yeo-reum forms, how she fits into the town, and especially the main couple. You can clearly see Yeo-reum and Ahn Dae-beom so completely complement each other in their manners and personalities.
I would recommend this to others, and I would watch it again. It's more of a hidden gem type of quality—like if you've watched a lot of other things and you're looking for something fresh, this is one that might surprise you with how good it actually is.
Spoilers
My main complaint was that Yeo-reum and Dae-beom are only at the point of holding hands in the end, and it's pretty clear the relationship will probably continue to progress. But it would've been super heartwarming to see them fully get together with some kind of confession or something—because they never really have a big confession to each other. They just kind of naturally melt together in a way.
Actually, the second couple—the young couple with Heo Jae-hoon and Kim Bom—their romance is a lot more definitive. He asks her to marry him, and she sort of brushes it off, but it does make it clear that's where things are headed.
There's another potential couple with the single dad Bae Sung-min who has the little kid Bae Joon, and the girl Jo Ji-young who used to like Dae-beom so much. You see them hanging out together all the time. Honestly, I cared about that one the least because I thought Jo Ji-young was so negative about everything, and she pushed Dae-beom in directions he really didn't need to go. Yes, she did eventually see that, but she seemed more tuned to success than happiness. Still, it would've been cute to see something more definitive in that relationship as well, because Bae Sung-min liked her so much, he had the little boy, and she started paying attention to and doing things for the little boy, which made it seem like she was thinking along those lines. But again, it wasn't very clear.
With Dae-ho, they cleared him and showed that he wasn't the criminal—he himself was a victim who had witnessed some really scary things—but it didn't show that he'd gotten professional help. It kind of implied it, and you could tell he was doing a little better with his emotion control, but it didn't actually show that was the case.
So that's the main flaw I think with it, and I think it's also a factor of its 12 episodes when it could've easily been 16. That's what kept it from being a show that always rises to the top of people's must-watch lists.
Like a lot of viewers, I was very angry with the way Kim Bom's dad Kim Jung-hoon was, and that he basically got away with stabbing his young daughter and not getting in trouble for it because she covered for him. It was an accident, yes, but he was headed out to do something really bad, and she was trying to stop him. You don't get into an aggressive fight with somebody you love with a knife in your hand—that's just never acceptable.
They also had Yeo-reum cover up what she thought had happened because Dae-ho would never do something like that, they said. But all the facts pointed to him having done it. And she wound up getting blamed and ostracized for not accusing him and potentially stopping the murder. You later discover why she should've been protective, but she didn't know it at that time.
The townspeople are also okay with Kim Jung-hoon slapping her for supposedly allowing the murderer to be free, when they were the ones who had pressured her to protect him. No one, including Kim Bom, came forward to comfort her in that really hard time. I had such a warm fuzzy feeling for that town up to that point, but it showed that they never truly embraced people they consider outsiders.
I was glad she stayed in the town for Dae-beom, and I was also glad she reconciled with Bom—because Bom was young, and so her error was a bit understandable. But it was sad that none of the other people she had befriended said anything when Kim Jung-hoon attacked her like that.
Major characters:
Lee Yeo-reum (Kim Seol-hyun) — A resilient but exhausted 28-year-old former office worker who declares a "life strike" after personal tragedies, moving to the countryside to rediscover joy in simplicity.
Ahn Dae-beom (Yim Si-wan) — A shy, stuttering village librarian and former mathematical genius haunted by family loss, whose quiet kindness hides deep emotional wounds.
Jo Ji-young (Park Ye-young) — Dae-beom's longtime friend and admirer who runs a local billiard hall, grappling with unrequited feelings and her own vulnerabilities.
Kim Bom (Shin Eun-soo) — A troubled high school girl facing bullying and family dysfunction, who forms a heartfelt sisterly bond with Yeo-reum while searching for stability.
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Comfort
This drama really gives me comfort. THE SLOW BURN AAAHH, the way they speak slowly and softly to each other, their awkward but cute glances !! LIKE THEM HOLDING HANDS IS ENOUGH FOR ME😭. Their love is so calm and healing. AAHH they are just so pure 😩 This type of kdrama will always be my fave, it heals me.After watching this drama, I realized the beauty of finding and choosing yourself. You don't need to fit yourself just because of the "standards." Do whatever you love ! Don't think about what other will say to you. Just live your life and you'll find your happiness. <3
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my new fav romance drama <3
I really loved this drama, and I would definitely recommend watching. It embodies that small-town vibe where everyone's just one big friend group, regardless of age (which actually sounds weird on paper, but it's really sweet). In this drama, there's always SOMETHING to keep you watching. Although it may be a little bit borderline traumatizing at certain parts (people getting killed...), it's overall a heartwarming and emotional story that just depicts humans trying to navigate life. The main romance is not too flashy and overdone like other k-dramas, I would say it's just right. Although there's no kiss or direct confession in the drama (between Dae Beom and Yeoreum at least), it's very clear that they had feelings for each other. It was just so sweet and refreshing. I could say so much more, but I'll end it short here. Definitely would rewatch!Was this review helpful to you?
