This review may contain spoilers
Loved this! Loved the flawed characters in this seductive slow modern romance
Seems like this drama is getting a lot of hate, but I personally really loved seeing this more realistic approach to modern relationships. Instead of "toxic", what I saw were two flawed characters who had emotionally unavailable parents. Two people who struggle with emotional intimacy. Two people who in their own way, were too afraid to open themselves up to love. Two people who were insanely attracted to each other.You would think that people who have emotionally unavailable parents would seek out partners who are the opposite, but often times, there are these patterns that emerge where they are attracted to the same in their partners because they are trying to subconsciously "fix" that previous relationship. And I could be reading way more into it than it is, but I felt like that's what happened in this drama.
The FL has a mother who was never really there for her. She's been burned in a relationship before so she's very cautious not to get hurt again. She hides her true emotions and basically has a wall up with one foot always out the door. What she needs is someone who will be there for her and stay by her side.
The ML has parents that have sort of abandoned him. He only does casual relationships because he doesn't want the responsibility that comes with commitment. By toying with emotions, that puts him in control to "test" people. What he needs is someone who will keep coming back despite his flaws, someone who won't abandon him.
So what happens when these two meet and do a dance of seduction? Hot chemistry! I don't care if these two might be bad for each other because this is a drama, not real life. I'm in it for the chemistry. I don't want to see perfect people in a perfect relationship because that would be boring. I also don't want to see the same formula that we see all the time in dramas.
I liked that the characters were really flawed. I liked the natural skinship. I liked the music and tone of the drama. I liked that this was different and had more depth than the typical romance. I liked the acting and how the director didn't take the typical cliched route and showed us the realistic insecurities of wanting more from your partner, but too afraid to be the first to admit it. The only thing I didn't like was maybe the last episode....it felt a bit rushed.
Was this review helpful to you?
This review may contain spoilers
Looked promising with unconventional themes but ended ridiculous for the main couple
At first, it looked promising with many characters with their different level of maturity, with their feelings, their struggles, the different type of relationship they are in. Some of them wished their relationship were another kind of relationship. I had sympathy for them trying to move to something better, more in adequation with how they really feel. But halfway, the story becomes draggy and ends up rushed giving unsatisfactory conclusions.In the end, the love stories are:
- uninteresting: the quiet guy and the sex freak : They get drunk, have sex, secretely date, break up because she wants to sleep with other guys, then they start dating again. Did she change her nymphomaniac ways. No idea.
- half baked : the two girls best friends trying to sort their true feelings for each other. It drags for so long then it is resolved overnight and nobody knows how.
- common : the two roomates working together and did not noticed how cute the other was. These two were cute but they amounted for so little in the screentime.
- last and the worst: our main couple. Made of a sneaky manipulative guy and a woman who falls in love with a guy she knows nothing about but she craves to bang him. Then she seems deeply struggling with the situation because he is not sincere and he is making her living an emotional mess. In the end, after dragging for 3-4 episodes, in one episode, the writer manages to force down our throat that the guy was always in love with her since the very beginning when she did not know him yet. Tada! All the games of pull and push, kiss another girl in front of you, the no string attached, friends with benefits, the planned misunderstandings, the butterflies, the going to her place to piss the rival off... suddenly have no meaning and no importance at all. He loved her. Of course.
This drama managed to lead me on and have sympathy for most of the characters. But in the end, it did not live up the expectations I had. I found the redemption of the main guy badly done with plenty of deus ex machina things to close the drama in a common nice but totally unlikely ending that I can't buy.
The drama was a real let down for me and I would not recommend it.
Was this review helpful to you?
Just another kdrama with bad ending
Drama starts off really goodBecomes boring in mid episodes with repetitive story feels like a loop
Predictable for most of the part
Toxic couple
The only thing that kept me going was the story of the side characters
They could have made Na-bi discover female empowerment. They could have made her realize with Jae-eon that no one deserves to go through an abusive relationship. What about Jae-eon saying he fell in love with her at first sight? This was never a crush because if he really had fallen in love with her, he would have had intentions of getting into a serious relationship with her from the start. And not just after losing her
End's
Was this review helpful to you?
This review may contain spoilers
It lacked something
While there is realism in this drama, jae eon's complete turn from an f-boy to a loyal partner (as depicted in the end) is just not believable and out of character. Na bi on the other hand was a realistic and well written character.Whether we agreed with her actions or not, we could definitely picture a real life person going through her struggles and making her mistakes.There were too many scenes with the protagonists spacing out while music was playing in the background. I don't need to watch jae eon staring at his butterflies for 5 minutes. All in all, something was lacking and I found myself fast forwading some scenes.
P.s I am glad potato boy didn't end up with Na bi, It would be out of character for Na bi, since she didn't feel any sparks and he deserved someone who could love him completely and Na bi was not that person.
Was this review helpful to you?
This review may contain spoilers
DO NOT WATCH unless in need for some some brain degradation.
I knew it! They couldn't have possibly pulled back in 3 episodes. In fact, they did nothing with the last 3 episodes. I honestly have no clue what was the point of this drama. It feels like the director pitied Song Kang from the show that everyone hated so they made him the end goal in this drama. His character is so much more toxic in this show than Love Alarm, yet he still gets the girl. This is so worrying. If you want realism with a tint of fantasy, Love Alarm makes so much more sense. I don't care about all the hate it is getting, it's still one of the best Korean shows I've watched in terms of realism in a flawed character. Jojo's character is the real representation of a flawed person going on a journey to self discovery, yet people hated her for it. What about Nabi here? She had no development nor any consequences.Seriously all the acting was really subpar and nothing stood out. The only thing that stood out like a sore thumb was the annoyance of our three main leads. Nothing came out from them. If you watched episode 1 and then episode 10, you wouldn't have missed anything! Even if it doesn't make sense to watch it this way, let me tell you, it still doesn't make sense when you watch from episode 1 to episode 10. We are back to square one by the end of the series. Jae Eon gets away with his manipulation, and Nabi is as dumb as ever and the Potato Boy is a step-over mat as usual. The side plots were also really boring and kept dragging on for so long. I didn't care about anyone.
For those who are saying that this drama evokes debates, hence it's still meaningful, are wrong. Stupidity can evoke debates too, and this is the perfect example. Actually, it's not even a debate, but more of a rant to be honest. Anyone who likes this, please question your morality or see a therapist because Nabi surely needs one.
Was this review helpful to you?
Only Selling Point is its Mild Erotic
I may be a bit harsh with this drama but so far i am not enjoying it. Story is so boring, no hard hitting lines, conversation or scenes that will mark and make you rewatch the whole thing, NOTHING just endless amount of making out.I love Han So Hee in other drama's but here she's boring and stupid along with the ML who's just creepy and he only wants sex if he's given a chance to be alone with FL. Don't get me wrong i love this type of genre like Marriage is a Crazy Thing i just need more depth in character than two person with high Libido!
The only thing keeping me from watching this is the love story of Yang Hye Ji as Bit'na (she's so cool damn) and Han Eu Ddeum actually i prefer both of them to be the main leads here to be honest.
And just to add the music come on netflix stop with the english ost popping up on every original international drama its annoying let them stick with their own countries songs because it's more fitting.
Also why do they make Han So Hee a sex symbol casting her in erotic dramas where in fact she can act and be wholesome. I hope in the future she can be recognized differently.
Was this review helpful to you?
TRASH⁹⁹⁹
If you don't want to f*ck with your own mind don't watch this and save yourself from watching THE MOST humiliating pathetic portrayal of "love".In the beginning I felt this is gonna be quite promising and artistic, so I was anticipating for a real emotional wreck kind of romance.
OMG I was sooo right about this drama being an emotional wreck. I was left in confusion why the hell I started this drama in the first place. The cinematography was soo good, but the story was all over the place. The FL got on my nerves whenever she was on camera. She was rather pathetic. And the ML was cocky manipulating sadistic b**tard. I'm beyond irritated. This is probably THE MOST artistic trashy disastrous kdrama I ever wasted my time on.
Ngl OSTs were good tho 😒
You're welcome XOXO
Was this review helpful to you?
This review may contain spoilers
I HATED the main lead couple
The drama was okay, didn't ship the leads, AT ALL. I definitely wouldn't have even started this drama if it were any longer than 10 episodes, but I still wasted 10+ hours watching this, I did skip a lot of this drama in the latter half though.The main leads had really good chemistry and were really good looking, but that was all they had going for them in their relationship.
I didn't hate the FL or the ML and for the majority of the drama, I just didn't care that they were together despite how toxic they were, that was until we met the SML "Potato boy". The SML's character made it very blatantly obvious how toxic the main lead couples relationship was, like many of the other charecters relationships were in this drama. He also made the FL see how how stupid her decision was to be with a person like the ML, a person who NEVER cared for her, which is when her character finally starts to develop.
Thought the FL would finally come to her senses and break it off with the ML, which she did for less then 2 episodes. If it weren't for the last 7 minutes of the last episode, I would have been fine with the ending. But, ALL her character development went down the drain in those minutes and she goes back to exactly where she started. I wanted her to either be with the 2nd lead or be single, preferably the latter. The best thing the FL could have done for herself was focus on herself and her art, and take the opportunity to go to Paris without being held back by any romantic relationships.
Instead, we got an open ending about whether or not the FL would follow her dream since episode 1, to go to Paris. And, a closed ending of her and the ML ending up together and likely repeating another toxic and heartbreaking relationship, heartbreaking for her, maybe not so much for him.
I know that in the webtoon (or whatever this was based on), the FL ends up with the SML and the ML never actually cared for her. Considering that's how that ended, you'd think it'd at least be similar in the drama, but it's not and I HATE how the drama had to end with the FL ending with the ML simply because he is the ML.
Was this review helpful to you?
I was expecting toxic cliches but got: broken, scared and confused done right!
A trip to my broken youth... This drama threw me to my teens, though the characters here are in their twenties I could not help but think of the time I was trying to find my place in the world, wanting love while being terrified of it at the same time.... this drama is neither the feel good, butterfly fluffy romance or the toxic bad boy mess one may think it would be but a beautifully made show of the chaos that is made when fear, longing and broken souls come together.I completely fell in love with the way this drama uses sound, filming angels, slow motion, lighting and even backsplashes to set the mood and convey the way the leads are feeling and topped them off with letting us listen in on their thoughts. And while I often find flashbacks annoying these where just perfect to set the mood in this drama. not to mention the great use of symbolism thru both art, weather and umbrellas. I could really understand and feel what I think they where trying to make me feel.
The characters here are probably not the most lovable characters and do not always make the best choices but they feel real and relatable in a way that is hard to explain but was just right for me. I loved how the women in this drama are portrayed as active, sexual beings with lust without completely ignoring the double standards set on women. Not to mention the inner war between heart, logic, fear. The second male lead has great dimples and is a great second male lead. dare I say second male lead done right giving way for some pretty important dialog from the female lead and was great for the plot as well as an aid for her character development and self awareness.
The male lead is portrayed as this dangerous guy that uses women as toys, that women should stay clear of, but is actually a pretty broken yet upfront guy that actually respects others boundaries (most of the time) and though he may have used some tricks never forced himself on any one else, so I actually liked him. And could definitely see my 20 year old self fall for him.
The side couples in this drama complement the main couple beautifully showing different struggles on the way to admitting to ones feelings as well as pressure and again self doubt. And there was not a single character that annoyed me.
This drama will show you more butterflies than give you butterflies but is worth much more than temporary butterflies, and is most definitely worth being watched.
P.s. There is also a really cute kitten in one of the episodes!
Also, smoking is bad for your health (they smoke allot)!
Was this review helpful to you?
Was this review helpful to you?
insanely overhated
i really was expecting the worst when i saw people all over tik tok hating on the show and saying it caused them anxiety. they said that the main lead is a total red flag and that the female lead should have ditched him right away but honestly even tho he was a bit of a red flag he never forced someone to do something they didn't want,he never SAd someone, always asked for consent and knew how to stop if he was aked to. I've seen biggest red flags than him and also the reason people hated so much on this show was that it was quite realistic, it portrayed the emotions of young adults, their worries, their imperfections and their impressions of love.it also shows the fact that we may start a relationship knowing that we will end up being hurt but we still do it for the sake of our mental sanity at the moment. overall i believe it was a great show worth watching not only for the main characters but for the relationship developing in the whole group. but ig it's hard for people to accept that irl a millionaire isn't gonna show up in your door and do everything possible to make you his.Was this review helpful to you?
This review may contain spoilers
10/10 Do NOT Recommend
I heard so many things about this show from social media and word of mouth. I’ve seen previews for it and thought it would be a different take on the k dramas I usually watch. Well I wasn’t wrong about it being a different take.At first I thought it was this new exciting relationship for Na-bi after her breakup with her boyfriend. A friends with benefits type of thing. I soon realized it was more toxic than I imagined. As the story line progressed it got much worse. Her inner monologue drove me nuts because she was aware of what was happening but still wanted to continue. Just when I thought she was going to go for a healthy relationship she goes back to the ML. I just couldn’t get behind the way he treated her. There was a certain scene in the rain that just didn’t sit well with me. The way he spoke to her and grabbed her it showed all the red flags of an abusive relationship. Manipulation for sure. I spent the whole time a ball of anxiety trying to see how everything would play out.
This was the first k drama I actually did not like to this extent. Save yourself 10 hours and skip it. The only thing I will say positive about this show is the side relationships made it! I loved every single one!
Was this review helpful to you?
