My Lovely Liar

I enjoyed it too much >.<

I did not expect that I would love this drama. At first, I started watching this for fun, and did not have any high expectations, i expected it would be the same cliche drama. But, unexpectedly i enjoyed it too much. It was unbelievable that people are not hyping this drama up, and I would consider this drama as an underrated drama. I am so grateful that i have picked up this despite people reviewed this drama as an average drama. but, this drama is not an average drama for me. I forgot when the last time I enjoy such a drama.

First of all, the plot is very interesting, the main plot and all the side plot is very well-written. and the ml and fl was sooooo cute, it gave me a soft, warm feeling, although there is not that much heart-fluttering moments, despite that i think they are both very cute and innocent? something like that. The story itself is very interesting, i find the story of the liar hunter is very well written, and i loovee how it wrapped nicely for the ending, nowadays it's very hard to find a drama that is very well written in the beginning until the end. So, I really appreciate how the plot progress, it was progressing very neatly. the pacing of the story was not too fast nor too slow and there were almost no unnecessary scenes which I really appreciate. there were no fillers that are annoying nor dragging. if i were to minus some points, maybe the soundtrack is not really impactful nor it was that good. the songs in the drama were also meh, it was fine for me. (but, i reallly like hwang min hyun's ost tho)

Beside that, I really appreciate how well the action scenes were shot eventhough there were little. to be honest, i enjoyed this show too much than I did not even notice how well it was shot and edited. clearly, the cinematography was perfect since i could barely detect sloppy edited scene nor unnecesary shot. and clearly because I was so into this drama as it was really happening in front of me.

Lastly, as you can tell i really enjoyed this drama, maybe a little bit too much. so, give it a try, you might like it :)

*despite i gave to the soundtrack and rewatch value a 7, i would still give this 10/10 cuz well, as i said many times, i like it too much hahaha

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Didn’t know what to expect, easily got hooked.

When I first read about this drama, I wasn’t really sure what to expect of it. I have seen some dramas pull off the thriller and romcom combo before, but also some that haven’t been as successful with it. So, I decided to watch the first two episodes to see if this drama was any good.

After completing episode one, I knew I would be waiting for the rest of the episodes to air and watch them as they come out. The first episode was solid and got me hooked onto the show. I was sort of expecting to have to watch two or three episodes for it to get good at first, but that was not the case.

The second episode did not disappoint either. I really am enjoying the plot so far, and can’t wait to watch the rest of the episodes once they air. If you’re debating starting this drama like I was, please watch it. If you like thriller/mystery dramas and romcoms, you’ll like this one.

I’ll come back to keep this updated as the rest of the episodes come out, but I don’t think my feelings will change on this one.

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Let down by a random plot

It seems that quite a number of dramas I’m watching at the moment have a lot going for them but are let down or even ruined by inadequate plot structure and this one is no exception.

So what went right?

Well the first half of the drama worked well for me. The premise for this show was good and could provide plenty of opportunities for tension. It gave a credible necessity for the superpower which featured throughout the unfolding layers of the plot.

The driving force behind the story was well handled, of being wrongfully accused and the resultant lack of trust destroying a life. It created sympathy for the character, Kim Do Ha, played by Hwang Min Hyun, as he struggled to release himself from the hole he had crawled into. I liked his performance but I can imagine that it was just a bit too underplayed for some. However, I wasn’t very enthused by Kim So Hyun’s performance as Kim Sol Hee. I think an opportunity was missed here (either by the actor or the director, or both) to beef up the character a bit. Given her character’s background, she could well have shown more edge. The blandness didn’t help the chemistry between the leads which was tepid rather than fiery. I think the most notable performances came from Yun Ji On as Deuk Chan and Lee Si Woo as Syaon.

There was enough differentiation in the secondary cast to keep me interested but that leads me into a discussion of how the plot was handled, because as far as minor characters went, the cup runneth over…

Nothing is more unsatisfying than loose plotting that requires an army of insignificant characters whose only purpose is to pass on information, overhear conversations or create contrived meetings. Knowing characters are being introduced for these purposes alone really gets annoying. Their fragmented stories float around the central plot like misshapen asteroids.

It smacks of the writer having a problem with the flow of information because of a lack of forward planning, and rather than thinking creatively, just introducing a convenient character to solve the problem. Sol Hee’s parents for instance had little impact on the plot and could have been easily dispensed with. Then there were journalists, gangsters, shopkeepers, composers, security guards and on and on.

Getting rid of most of them could have helped to change the story from an XXXL baggy sweatshirt and trackies into a designer suit. There was a lack of sophistication and it simply wasn’t sleek enough to create and maintain the tension, slobbing around like it had all the room in the world. The plot was fairly predictable from early on but the playing out of it was padded with over-complicated details (such as the rings) which failed to convince and required uncharacteristic motivations.

The flow wasn’t smooth either, with false resolutions splitting the whole story into segments sandwiched together with filler episodes. It felt like a revolving door that was clumsy and repetitive in nature.

So it’s back, yet again, to my favourite saying: Less is more. The real skill in plotting is to weave something close fitting with a few characters. Keeping things tight so that the viewer is wrapped up and has nowhere to turn to escape the tension. Then occasionally loosening a belt to allow them to breathe, before cinching it up again by a couple of notches. OK, I’ll accept that’s a bit OTT, it wasn’t ever supposed to be Through the Darkness. But the principle still holds and it could have been a much better drama with a little more attention and an editor’s blue pencil.

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I don't understand why this is so popular

I tried. I really tried. I found the premise intriguing but the show just could not hold my attention. I do not feel any chemistry behind the leads. I find myself drifting off and doing other things while watching. There are endless scenes of people drinking, talking... It's all a blur. I dont think the male lead is bad in acting etc, I have seen worse, but he seems so bland and expressionless 🤷‍♀️

At first, I thought it was me. I have watched really intense wuxia cdramas before this and I thought I needed something more intense. Then I realised that it is nowhere near the standards of my favourite like Another Oh Hae Young.
Pretty puzzled why everyone loved this, because there's very little that makes this drama stand out 🤷‍♀️

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Too many episodes, too little story

Meh.

I liked the premise with the FL being pretty much a human lie detector and the light exploration of how the world isn't black and white, as she first believed, but full of nuance and how, sometimes, the lies we tell ourselves and others aren't always for bad reasons.

The ML was a little too beige for my liking, and the spark between the main couple was missing imo. They were comfortable together, but gave off the vibe of long-time friends, rather than romantic partners. I couldn't help but feel sort of uncomfortable whenever they kissed, because their lack of chemistry made me painfully aware that they were two actors doing a job, and not two fictional people in love, if that makes sense. Like they were following the script, but not actually feeling it.

Lastly, as evidenced by the last two episodes just being a fluff-fest of a mamut epilogue—to give even the most secondary of characters their happy ending—I don't think this drama needed to be 16 episodes, or had enough going on for that to be the case. Frankly, I got bored towards the end and think this would have worked better in a 12-episodes setting.

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Just OK. ML had one expression on his face and FL tried her best.

I started liking the show at the beginning despites so many issues. However, as things went along. I realized this show had so many potentials but the writers just didn't know what to do with any of it. Story was all over the place.
The leads here are pretty average.. Two piece of woods have more chemistry than these two. But I think the blame is mostly on the ML.

The ML is just below average. They tried to give him some good scenes but he always came out very wooden.
The FL is OK/fine. She tried her best to what was given to her.

The writing and decisions just wow. Letting people go who clearly wanted to stab someone and who actually ended up stabbing someone, almost killed that person.

The murderer reveal was absolutely hilarious. Basically his gayness turned him into a murderer/violent 😂😂😂
I just couldn't.

They tried to have many surprise twists, just didn't work since you can tell the manager was the guilty one.
And the last two episodes were basically fillers. Absolutely dragged on forever. Very boring.

I knew they didn't have much material for 16 episodes.
There weren't anyone in this drama, I liked and cared for. I was into the SFL but she didn't really change or improve at the end.She wanted to take some time off for herself but I don't think she really changes much.

It's OK to like this show. It just wasn't very good in my opinion.
At the beginning this was a solid 8 despites very bad leads but just the writing really brought it down, along side funny reveals and boring last two episodes.

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Useless lies after useless lies - a fresh premise with a weak wrap up

Sol Hee uses her ability as a lie detector for the wealthy. However, being able to hear even the smallest lie caused a lot of trust issues within her relationships, so she doesn't have any interest in dating until a mysterious famous songwriter, Do Ha, moves in next door. She's impressed because he never lies, but little does she know about his dark secret. *Trigger warning; The plot has a darker undertone as it deals with toxic relationships, self-harm, and suicide.

Off to a strong start with instantly mystery with a sprinkling of supernatural. The premise is fresh & the leads are fun! The first 4 episodes are 100% binge-worthy! The writers are dropping breadcrumbs for multiple different storylines and I enjoyed. Sadly it's quickly become a drag with no suspense, only suspicion here and there. The reveal just happened like that... Unbelievable, underwhelming and anticlimactic. Useless lies.. -.- The Korean original title described it best.

The leads acting are just fine but I’m not blown away. The other character with whom I am emotionally invested is only the ex, because he looked ambiguous, but his story was just kind of brush briefly. The show also has funny moments, some are a bit over the top.

My persistently recurring issue; so many toxic female characters; Not only hysterical mothers, but I also think our female lead is inconsiderate, i.e. Why she's so bothered with his mask? “Have you not heard of COVID?". There are many reasons that he could wear a mask, why make it a big deal? I'm also not impressed by how they handle the male lead's backstory… I was waiting for a moment when they flesh-out these issues, but seems that the message is not fully concluded.

-Sept 2023, Yovita
Find me on Instagram: @kdramajudge

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More questions than answers?

In lieu of the more traditional form of review, this author humbly submits the following questions:

Why is Hwang Min Hyun a more expressive actor when he is wearing a mask than after he removes it?

How many subplots can be introduced and left unsatisfactorily unresolved in a standard length drama?

Of the many dramas where one of the main characters is an idol, are there any that are actually compelling, complex characters? Why does an industry that is so heavily populated by idols so poor at portraying a fictional version of one?

Has anyone checked the family register of Hwang Min Hyun and Kim So Hyun to determine if they are siblings because if they were, that would at least explain the complete absence of heat in their shared scenes?

Since he didn't through the entirety of filming this show, does anyone know if Seo Ji Hoon has demonstrated any sort of emotional expression since production wrapped?

Has any paparazzi ever cared a whit about an artist who was strictly a songwriter?

Have the agent and casting director who thought Seo Jung Yeon should play a stonefaced, emotionally stunted assemblywoman been sealed in a homemade submersible and dropped to the depths of the Pacific Ocean yet?

Where does Park Kyung Hye rank among the legions of supporting actors that play the mischievous comic side relief best friend of female lead? All hail Queen Park Jin Joo obviously, but how far down the list after her is Park Kyung Hye?

Which creepy K pop agency CEO is the closest real life facsimile to Yun Ji On's Deuk Chan?

None of these are questions that really need to be answered because this is a show that the less it is thought about, the better. A point for novel concept and a strong soundtrack (if that matters) but everything else that followed was lacking. Not recommended.

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It looks pretty, has solid fluffy romance and goes awry towards the latter part

First of all, the drama has a great budget and has spent alot of time making sure that the scenes look nice. There isn't alot that you can point out to be "ugly" in the drama (except for the whole aspect of murder) on the visual part. I was kinda excited to watch this since it was a LONG time since I had seen Kim So Hyun in a drama. Both Kim So Hyun and Hwang Min Hyun as the leads look (on paper) as a great pair and I had big expectations since the romance surrounded heavy topics of murder and lies.

The biggest thing that failed the drama was unfortunately the writers.
Both main leads lack to have great chemistry because the characters themselves are SO BLAND. You could argue that the ML is the greenest flag in the whole drama, but it just felt like he wasn't a real person and lacked any personality. Nothing he every did was wrong, but during all the accusations and threats thrown his way, he let people treat him like a villain and as the murderer even if he never was to fault. Hwang Min Hyun played the "perfect guy" and it felt like it was more about how handsome the character is rather than his personality or talent.

I stopped watching the drama when I got around the halfway mark since I was SO frustrated with the way the murder mystery-plot was being handled. It was messy and ridiculous. When I finally got through to finish the drama, with everybody got their happy ending and with the true murderer behind bars, I felt mostly annoyed by the choices that the writers took with the story. Alot of the characters just felt annoying throughout the drama.

DO watch this drama if you are looking for something that deals with a murder mystery in a mostly unserious comedic (in a k-drama comedy) kinda way with romance and if you like the actors.

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Fluffy romance but thriller part was quite disappointing

The drama is a decent watch if you like fluffy romance. The ML and FL are cute and very complementary in their personalities. They meet again and start to learn about each other, trust each other and the dating stage drags to arrive but there is obviously something between them. SML is not too clingy, and he has his priorities. SFL is childish so no worries from this side. There are also 3 secondary romances that were not so interesting for me, but I believe that some others will enjoy them.

The thriller part is interesting and intriguing at first. Because there are little infos and the mystery has huge consequences on the ML. But when the truth starts to unveil, the victim gained little sympathy but more pity from me. The final twist is surprising because it follows an unexpected and unusual path for kdramas but it also looks cheap and lazy writing. To put all this on one sided feelings and accidents…

The drama suffered from the characterization of the ML. He was way to nice always saying sorry and full of good intentions… to the point he looked bland to me. He also had little good impact on the others and he barely contributed to the solving of the mystery. I loved the FL. She brought light and fun to the drama with a great personality dealing with ML, SML, clients, her parents, employees, rival… SML Is my fav ML. I liked how he dealt with his personal issue and how he did his job despite the uneasy situation. The culprit was also a complex and interesting character with good intentions and very bad actions.

Overall, it was ok but wish the ML was stronger or maybe it was the lead male actor. His acting was below par compared to the other lead actors and especially the SM lead actor. It showed. But I wish him the best like to the others. 7.5/10

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Could have been as good as bong soon but turned into a disaster!

**Spoiler alert-
a messed up love story between a girl (mom sol hui) who can hear lies and a guy (Kim do ha) who is a murder suspect!**

well the starting few episodes were actually good to watch and gave the series a head start. but guess what, unnecessary dragging of plots, too much filler scenes made it into something that made me only fast forward the somehow complete the show.
the episodes with neighbours are still tolerable but the episodes with Sol Hui's monther are absolutely boring and unnecessary and pretty irritating! just couldn't understand why on earth they spent so much time on Sol Hui's parents!

the unraveling of the murder case could have been way better.

the romance! where is the romance!!!! where is the chemistry between the leads! neither emotional, nor sexual tension I could see between the leads. the second lead was better at least there was visible love for fl in his eyes...

i wanted to like both the leads but inspite of being cute they are unlikable. FL' s reactions were pretty much same for all situations where ML was stuck in poker face. i tried, trust me I tried to like them but just couldn't.

I really expected this to be masterpiece like Bong Soon and considering the girl's power it had the potential but bad and dragged up plot, zero chemistry and nonsense murder mistery made it a disaster!!!

oh please... not gonna watch again!!!!

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it started great but

on the first 8 eps, i was in love with the storyline and the main couple, but when they got together it became soooo boring

they lost all the chemistry they had and the development of the murder was poorly written. 12 eps would be enough to develop well the story and the couple, but it wasn’t, it was more 8 eps with pure boredom 😭😭

seriously, i watched the last 2 eps in 2X speed and finished the draw because of syaon and chi hoon

i am rlly mad because i love hwang minhyun’s acting and got sooo happy that he was finally a male lead, but he choose the wrong project tbh😭

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