Beyond Expectations, Forget the bad reviews!
Fist of all I couldn’t stand episode 3-5, it was unbearable! but since this is a romantic drama about love, self-discovery, and healing. I found it really relatable, especially with how the FL grows throughout the story. That said, I couldn’t help but get frustrated with some of her choices after the breakup—she did some embarrassing things DANM! it was frustrating. But I was glad to see her pick herself up and realize her ex wasn’t worth her time. Yoo In-na did an amazing job capturing that journey of self-love and personal growth.The acting was definitely a highlight. Both Yoo In-na and Yoon Hyun-min brought so much depth to both characters, Yoo In-na really showing both her vulnerabilities and growth. The supporting cast also did a great job, making the whole thing feel grounded and real.
The music was fine, but it didn’t really stand out or leave a lasting impact. As for rewatch value, I don’t think I’d come back to it often. The plot is a bit predictable, and I don’t think it would hold up on a second watch, but there are still a few emotional moments that might pull me back.
The ending, however, felt pretty cliché, which took away a bit from the emotional payoff. Overall, it’s a solid watch with strong performances, but not for everyone. If you’re into character-driven stories and emotional growth, it’s definitely worth checking out.
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Say the words
Bora Deborah (2023)Likes
1. I always love enemies to lovers trope. Bora and Suhyeok are so cute together! They have seen each other at their worst times and they liked each other for who they are. It did take a few eps for them to get together so i wished they gave us a proper 16 eps. I can watch them act lovey dovey for two more episodes.
2. I love how they handled break ups so realistically. It was so relatable even though the breakup got extended for around 6 episodes, i understood it coz that's really how it happens in real life. The scene with Bora begging Juwan to take her back plus them talking about garbage felt so raw and real.
3. Got so annoyed with Yuri, trying to play victim when she was the one who was two timing and being insecure. Felt bad for Suhyeok. I know there are guys who really cant express themselves well, but like what Suhyeok said, he could have proposed if he wanted to, he just didnt coz thats wher ehis love ended. Likewise, when Bora told him that he still couldnt put down his petty pride to commit. I was expecting a grander confession but his confession was so Suhyeok and it was perfect. That aegyo scene was too cringey but funny!! (Ps. thought Suhyeok might give the ring to Bora after all but he gave a different one in the end)
Dislikes
I mainly didnt like how the stories of the three other couples ended. Bomi and Jinho are both too young to get married and have a kid. Yujeong should have divorced Jinwoo long ago. Sangjin and Uri are just so mismatched and creepy.
Rating: 8/10
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To each love story an ending of its own
Have you hit a phase of the more mature, less cliché, romance storylines? Are you looking for a variety of couple plotlines and don't mind some second hand embarrassment and cringe that's just as enjoyable? Then this drama is for you!This drama was hard to completely get into for me, but I loved the little love lessons you would get each episode. The storylines of a range of couples gets picked up near the end, and although its rushed, I don't mind. The plotline development is not necessarily new, but it has its own charm in showing us the downsides and negatives of breakups while also what goes on after.
It's an 8/10 from me moreso about just appeal and personal preferences - to each their own and if you're like me, watch this while doing something else on the side (like crocheting) to avoid getting too embarrassed at times for the leads.
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This review may contain spoilers
Jeez! This show was so mediocre. I love Yoo In Na and she was good here as Bo Ra the relationship coach who might not know much about real relationships after all. However, the writing was just terrible, especially in the latter episodes. The only person I like throughout was Su Hyeok. I get he was a bit obnoxious by not being able to at least once tell Bo Ra! that he loved her; let alone likes her but she knew he did so does a person really have to say it out loud for you to accept and believe it? All of the couples irritaed me in some way or another. The reason I didn't like Uri and Sang Jin's reversal in the relationship department is that for me it would have made sense for him to grant her what seemed to be her wish of going out with him for that day and then knowing it wouldn't work. Not b/c of the age difference or him being her boss but b/c I didn't buy that he liked her like that.
Bo Mi & Jin Ho were completely obnoxious. Bo Mi and Jin Ho were both too naive and idealistic especially Jin Ho. Bo Mi is so damn awful to Bo Ra that I just can't with her. She lives with Bo Ra and doesn't pay any bills but spoke to her sister in the worst ways. Bo Ra is partially to blame for allowing it though. Bo Ra being upset about her situation or just wanting to talk to her seemed to be beyond her selfish comprehension.
Yu Jung and Jin Hoo eye roll. I jiust felt like he didn't even like his wife and she didn't really like him either.
I will stop watching young adult romcoms for a while. I need adults to behave like adults.
1/1/24
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A fun light romantic "comedy"
I really enjoyed this. I know a lot of reviewers said it was awful and degrading to women; I don't agree. I loved the ML accepting the FL's "mishaps" and I think they evolved well throughout the show. I love the FL and haven't seen the ML before but I loved him. They had great chemistry.I did not like the boss and receptionist ending up together - he was clearly far more mature and older than her and she was very naive. I thought it was a very unnecessary "couple".
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At the same time fun, sweet, emotional and entertaining !
Wow ! I just fell in love with this drama ! Wonderful actresses and actors playing perfectly a very fun, sweet, emotional and entertaining plot.It is about love and relationships, about how it can be difficult to be honest and to show yourself without hiding in a love relationship, about how to heal your wounds from a past relationship that didn't end up well, and mostly about how much it is hard to not do exactly the same "mistakes" that leaded you to a sad ending in the last relationship when you begin a new one.
A lot of very fun moments and some heartbreaking ones, I deeply recommend this drama to everyone who likes romantic comedies that touch your heart for its honesty about humans relationships. And OST is great too !! :D
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i usually dont do Reviews, but
This drama was such a pleasant surprise. And the first thing that makes it different from most dramas is that they choose to show all the different forms of (heterosexual only, sadly) couples, it doesnt mind if you agree with them or not. its like "they exist, and are here". for instance, there is a couple with a big age gap that doesnt make me very comfortable, but then i realized "hey, ok, it could be problematic, but the fact is that this kind of couple exists". couples who get back together, couples who break up and move on, couples who are married and the marriage is cold, couples who got divorced and theres no going back... anyway... it was such a beautiful drama about love and self care, i enjoyed it very much. hope who reads it do too.Was this review helpful to you?
Despite the tacky title, the drama is worth a try.
The story depicts the story of a woman who goes through a breakup and how she deals with her carrier, emotions, social life and how she slowly gets over her heartbreak. In addition, there is the love story of Bo Ra friend's married life and how she deals with after-marriage problems, how Bo Ra co-worker deals with her life after divorce and her views of what divorce means, and there is also the story of Bo Ra sister and her teenage love story.All in all, it was a good story.
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Re-constructing yourself after a breakup.
I watched this for Yoo In Na and discovered the male lead who seems quite interesting and I would like to see him in more dramas.This drama is weak and fails to hit the emotional beats that are required in a drama of this nature. I commend the attempt to tell a post -breakup story but the exposition is clumsy and unappealing. For one thing, the show doesn't manage to convince me that the female lead ever loved the guy she broke up with, she seemed to be only concerned with getting the perfect ring and proposal.
I did laugh out loud here and there so it's not a complete washout.
The post breakup love story is completely unconvincing.
The female lead is a mess and the drama never convinced me how the male lead fell in love with her or her with him for that matter; he's basically a sympathetic shoulder she cries on after her breakup.
The supporting cast is not impressive, neither are the other love stories.
I watched this drama to the end always hoping that it would hit its stride, but it never did; however, the fact that it managed to somehow hold my interest means I have to give it a rating.
5.5/10
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Not your typical rom com
This drama is superb. Very tight story and acting is superb. It won't be for those who doesn't like pure romance stories or those who likes fantastic events with their romance. It is very realistic mostly IMO and the pacing for me is just right (maybe except for the last 10 mins).It is also something that you can't just take at face value. It shows 4 different couples and what their love looks like. And while others think that the other couples, I feel like they're necessary to what the writer wants to show (being true to love). Even the ending is great for me. We have 2 couples just starting their coupledom, 1 with pairing who knew each other so well and 1 who seems to have started it with rose colored glasses. And another 2 couples, 1 whi has been long married and who just got married.
I also liked that BoRa's book ended, not with the planned ending, but with her knowing she can recover even if she's just by herself.
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Like A Phoenix which has come to birth again from its ashes
Yoo In Na's character at first was a little immature or let's say not considerate. She analyzed things which I liked but analyzed it too much, and made a relationship between a couple less human, it was frustrating but character development would come, so let's wait.And it did, those conversations between Bo Ra and Si Hyeok, about love, life, if the drama would have been only that, I would have been okay too.
The drama tried to be realistic and shared some of our parts that we can be ashamed of. She wanted her three years with her now ex boyfriend to be worth of it, and we've been through five episodes of breakup. It was maybe heavy, but she was so human and there was So Hyeok so who likes a damsel in destress little trop was well served, they were cute, and she let her ex love life go for no return(in her heart not our screen though).
Su Hyeok, aaah, I've thought, with Bo Ra, it'll be different, he'll swallow that pride and tell her, eeeuh no, he made her wait, he made us wait, I was going to be mad at him, I understand you can't change that easily, but you can't cross a certain in the patience limit, but then the drama made it well, that book having an open ending made Bo Ra an even more likable character, she knows what she wants, fights for it, but accepts defeat and that's not the end of a life.
His confession, I've never seen something, that honest, that real, that hilarious, that touching.
It reminded me of the garbage scene, that will become iconic hhhh you know when it seems to become pathetic or sad, writers turn it into a hilarious scene that you're just enjoying.
You Jeong and her husband, maybe I didn't see enough dramas with that trope, but seeing a married couple having this kind of problem and I thought they will divorce, and so glad, they knew how to deal with it, all this drama felt real, mature, warm, healing.
It was Bo Ra born from Deborah, she was the drama, a not perfect drama but a different and cozy one.
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Made me feel single!
A great drama! It did have some hiccups in the way at times I wonder why the writer would put those lines in. I really enjoyed the process we went through with the main character and going through he breakup to then finding new love. It really showed how messy breakups can get, and I think it would comfort anyone going through it. The main leads had amazing chemistry I do wish we had seen them dating for longer but I really liked the ending scene. This drama shows no one is perfect you have to have patience with people and understand your worth and what you want from a relationship.Was this review helpful to you?
