Wonderful World

Nostalgic!!!

As the first episode ended, I was full on sobbing, how can they do that to a small child. Then the murder of the murderer, I felt relief but sad for fmc. The introduction of Cha Eun Woo was mysterious, but as the story progressed and he was introduced properly with story, it all clicked in place. Watching this was such a underrated experience, it's like a masterpiece I want to scream to everyone but still want to gatekeep.

The progression into the cheating plot had my blood boil, bruh that was unnecessary totally but still it happened and our fmc cowered, like not happening but later kicked the husband out so all good.

Kim Joon, should rot in hell with no fucking redemption allowed his way. (Jua)

The overall ending was such a masterpiece, this may seem a simple revenge drama but the way it was potrayed, the acting of actors and the OST had been such a vibe.

100/10 for me. ARGUE WITH A WALL IF NOT IN AGREEMENT!!

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Will Justice prevail?

Nowadays, Korean dramas are centering around heartbreaks and hardships. The latest installment is Cha Eun Woo starrer Wonderful World. The story explores the pain of a parent after losing a child.

The story starts with a happy chapter, unfurling the wonderful world of Soo Hyun who is busy adoring her miracle child Geon Woo, and her supportive husband Kang Su Ho. She is a psychologist and also is busy warming up to the success of her new book. But her wonderful world crashes as her son dies in a hit-run accident. Immersed in grief and guilt the mother ends up killing the perpetrator as he was spared of punishment. As Soo Hyun is convicted of murder., she secludes herself from her remaining life and drives her husband away.
Enters another chapter of the story, Seon Yul who works multiple part-time jobs to make a living. He encounters Soo Hyun in jail where he offers voluntary service. His character builds the suspense that is responsible for the smooth running of the story.

The story was built on a strong plot. However, the director failed to hold the narrative. The inclusion of impossible coincidences and pathetic twists is responsible for ruining the story of 5th episode. The addition of political villains seemed unnecessary as it dragged the title away from its theme. The caricatured villains do nothing but spoil the game of every commoner like they have been doing for every drama. Constant flashbacks and a prolonged '90s scene seemed to have been elongated without any entail. Creating obvious villains is responsible for sprawling the game.

Kim Nam Joo's portrayal of a bereaving mother- oscillating between fury and numbness is the sole survivor of the tale. Her journey from a happy mother to immersed in pain got lost behind a thin plotline. The series failed to decipher her acting spree. Cha Eun Woo - it is good to see the beautiful face of K-pop trying a new genre this time. After his venture into the Island, his enactment of Seon Yul was quite a challenge. He delivered his best shot to date but it seemed luck was not in his favour.

It is really disappointing to watch such a solid cast show drifting apart due to poor direction and cinematography. It is just another series embroiled in a loose storyline and loose narrative.

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Strong performers, poor writing

The actors were amazing! I was particularly impressed by Cha Eunwoo. I didn't know he could handle intense roles like that.

The writing though, whew... To say that this show abused flashbacks is an understatement. Every episode starts with a recap, so what's the point of giving me multiple flashbacks? And there are too many empty scenes (camera panning across the room, actors staring out into the void, etc). I've skipped so many of these, some of them take up a full minute or two, and I didn't miss anything of value. The story isn't even bad at all, it was just the way it was written. Too many plot holes, red herrings, out of character decisions, etc.

There's also too much crying. I get it, it's justified and realistic, but after the 10th crying session it just lost all its impact. I skipped those, too.

Overall this show is way too soapy and could have been reduced to 8-10 episodes. Fantastic actors though!

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Good Enough

Korean Drama '' Wonderful World '' is a melodrama-thriller.

The drama has quite a tragic story and it easily gets emotional and bittersweet when it deals with those matters. With an intense start, the drama slowly unfolds into a political thriller, with the main couple (not a romantic one though, fortunately!!!) having lots of chemistry and enhancing the intensity of the story.

Also, the performances were all great by every actor and actress of the cast. The characters were interesting as well and had depth. In addition, the family drama had many layers.

Finally, the ending was nicely handled, though the final episodes seemed like they were losing momentum.

So, overall, eight out of ten.

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Heartburn daily-soap trash masked as slowburn. Robotic female lead. Too many flashbacks.

Heartburn daily-soap trash masked as slowburn. Robotic female lead. Too many flashbacks. Unnecessarily long loooong loooooong scenes.

First of all, 4 episodes would have been more than enough to cover whatever the excruciatingly long rat dwelling sewerage vomit-inducing stench-filled 14-episode long ordeal that this series was.

Now, my detailed rant disguised as the review for this series:

The story revolves around the son of a criminal seeking misguided revenge against the initial victim. The director and scriptwriter attempt to garner sympathy for the criminal's son, as if losing someone, however evil that person was, somehow justifies his actions.

The main lead actress delivers her lines with a monotonous tone and stone-faced expressions, resembling a robot. It feels as if a director was experimenting with an emotionless robot in the lead role. There seems to be a rule book for Korean actors, where they pause mid-sentence for supposed dramatic effect. To appear melodramatic, they split dialogues into multiple parts with prolonged pauses, maintaining an indifferent demeanor, and hence, becomes insufferable to watch.

The series is riddled with too many coincidences and conveniences favoring the male lead, quite similar to poorly written daily soap operas. It is predictable, and the female lead perpetually shoulders all the problems, likely catering to a female demographic accustomed to being doormats, and here I thought that we should respect people regardless of their gender identities, well, atleast I thought so, clearly unlike the director and script writer duo, and maybe this series loving audience as well, who likens the women like female leads to be a welcoming doormat for all beings present. I don't understand why, but I feel a sense of irrational frustration when these types of roles are repeatedly portrayed as the entire personality of the female leads. Please, move on from these. We can have strong female leads who have experienced loss and while grieving, responded by committing a criminal act, but they should not be portrayed solely as gluttons for punishment.

I stopped watching after the 8th episode, as it surpassed my mental endurance. I initially watched with my family, but there is a limit and apparently mine was episode 8.

The director excessively prolongs every scene, and I do mean every single scene, with 70% of the runtime dedicated to characters reminiscing about trivial memories. It feels like the director's basic premise for the series was to delve deep into every mundane detail, extending every action to unnecessary lengths.

It appears to me that the director's approach for this series was something like this - picture a scenario where your character simply wants to grab a coffee. In this series, that simple act would trigger a cascade of reminiscences, starting from your earliest steps, then recalling your first coffee long ago, followed by another flashback about how you selected that specific cafe, perhaps a flashback on acquiring the credit card used for payment, and even a flashback about the source of your income that covers the credit card bill for the coffee. There might also be an additional flashback involving any person, or even everyone, you've ever shared a cup of coffee with throughout your life. This is how the director stretches the runtime, when 4 episodes would have sufficed to cover what turned out to be a 14-episode series filled with unpleasant and overly drawn-out storytelling.

For those looking for recommendation, do not get duped by whoever is telling you that this is a slow-burn, there is a certain charm in slow-burns, this one is far removed from having any sort of charm, instead this in the name of slow-burn just prolongs every single scene like stretching a single sentence to essay writing. This is not a slow-burn, rather this is a heart burn. And, just too many flashbacks. The moment you feel that story is going somewhere, BAM! flashback and, if you think you are done with that flashback, then, another flashback follows probably accompanied by lots of crying. I hate how they used a beautiful song for this man-made trash. This is not a wonderful world, instead it is dull mandatory-flashbacks-every-5-minutes trashy world, where in the female lead cannot act for the life of it.

You will get combo deal of acidity and IBS if you watch this one, consider yourself warned.

Accordingly, I rate this series 2 out of 10. Heartburn daily-soap trash masked as slowburn. Robotic female lead. Too many flashbacks. Unnecessarily long loooong loooooong scenes. Obligatory but off-topic, F U Chi Chan.

This review is a personal critique and not intended to provoke fan wars. If you are a fan of this series or a certain popular idol, please disregard this review if it offends you. I have no interest in engaging in defensive arguments about it. Kindly ignore it and let this review be with zero comments. Thank you for understanding.

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This drama is not wonderful at all.. it horrible though

What is so wonderful? The title leads one to think this will be epic, heart racing, or perhaps thought intuitive. Beyond the visuals of Cha Eun Woo, I really can’t say much for this drama honestly. Episodes in I should’ve realized sooner what this lacks and been honest with myself about how average this is.

Firstly, the main premise is hard to wrap around and understand. I’ll just say it and I’ll use this word a lot, this drama is just so ambiguous- you wonder what is even going on? I’m not dumb and I know what’s going on, but why? What were some scenes there for? Why do characters talk on the phone in riddles and catch phrases. It’s really not that deep, the writing is pretty dumb with the dialogue. It’s too drowned out to be cool and again, ambiguous, as if it’s smart- when really this drama isn’t saying anything. In fact, episode by episode it seems to loose touch of what it said one episode before and to the next. Combined with hypocritical characters and unrealistic situations I can safely say it’s just awkward at times. So what’s the issue here.. well.. I’ll continue.

Firstly, the foundation for the story isn’t good.
There is nothing intriguing to keep someone watching. It’s honestly just depressing and sad, which I can see working if it was telling a story of someone overcoming that, yet our female lead reminds the audience a lot that she failed in life and wants to start new but is she? Soo Hyun is a mother who lost her child, which is tragic and very sad. That’s just her character, she’s all over the place honestly. This story has given me nothing for her in terms of motivation, I’m just watching and waiting to see why I’m watching this story of hers that is already pretty much over. She went to jail, she ends up with pretty much no family, so what is the overarching story. This could be done if I was given a goal to seek, but for everyone here there is none, and if there is the conclusions just.. aren’t there?

The first two episodes are slow burn, so I wasn’t expecting thrill really. I guess I just sat back and took it for what it is. That’s too bad though because there are dramas that are exceptional with slow burns because the storytelling is good. Here I honestly have to explain and explain what the story is, and not in a fun and creative way. This drama is so generic with adultery plot lines, long wet eyed stares, rich bad people who are bad because they want power.. it’s not fresh or new or exciting. I am watching a K-drama for Pete’s sake, like what is happening. Where is the drama?


I’ll break down what frustrates me and doesn’t make sense.
1. Soo Hyun our main lead i and is unlikeable and hypocritical
.. you are telling me that an accomplished professor loses their child. Which is understandable she can grieve, but killing someone with no regret? That isn’t someone I can fully get behind and watch 14 episodes of rooting for. Maybe if she owned up to it and went into a revenge or something, but to just watch her meander around for 14 episodes. It’s boring and confusing. I get she loves her kid but she’s hypocritical. The drama even says this, but still, that doesn’t justify it. Just because the drama says with Eun Woo’s character pointing it out how she murdered someone only reminds me that she did it and she, in the end is not a good person either. I can watch dramas on bad people if it’s interesting and giving me either horror, action, or an actual plot- but here there is none.

2 . Seon Yul is messy.
Cha Eun Woo is very good at acting without overacting. It’s a blessing and a curse for him, but I can’t ever dislike him and I can see what he’s trying to do. Unfortunately some of the times he looks awkward because what is written for him to act is just dumb. You get actually nothing to know about him. Other than him having a heart problem that he acts himself, but the writers seem to forget here and there this character has a heart issue. That’s interesting. So many potential interesting plot points, yet the writers forgot and instead like to remind you of what you knew already instead of developing a plot or having it go somewhere. I also don’t really like how his character acts like he has the upper hand or a big revenge, but just has a photo of Soo Hyun’s husbands affair. Don’t even get me started on his secret room.. it reminds me of the glory but a whole lot worse. There I understood why she was so motivated and went so deep, she owned that and wouldn’t stop. Eun Woo’s character is an amateur compared to that, and I know nothing about his sad life or anything to justify a revenge. It’s sad his father was killed, but come on now.. think about the logistics because I couldn’t help but wonder on a first watch. This guy, how long does he have to stalk someone to get a photo like that? It’s just not believable, everything about this guy is either over the top or getting nowhere, I wish they’d choose one.

So I guess Soo Hyun doesn’t want Seon Yul to live the life she did? She got her revenge but it turned out horribly? But she said she didn’t regret it.. so what is she doing. She clearly regrets it if she is still in Seon Yul from going through with his. She’s admitting her damaged life but said she has no regret because her son didn’t deserve to die? It takes Soo Hyun 11 episodes in to come to terms with the fact other people have families too? Eun Woo’sand her character are a lot alike, with his taking a while to realize that his dad was just a bad person and that other people can be good and have problems too. It’s a great concept to have them both share a pain of being lonely and lost and spiteful, but the interactions are limited to none.

So I’ll get to the elephantin the room. This drama has no spice anywhere with romantic content. Which is fine, and I’m not saying it has to be risqué or that it should. It’s just there is nothing to hook outside Eun Woo’s visuals, at least for me. There is nothing new this drama is trying to say, no risks being taken at all. I can see a good story beneath all the layers. For this drama as what it is here’s a whole lot happening that literally adds nothing.


3. The doctor brother in law? Seon Yuk’s girlfriend that isn’t his girlfriend but a childhood friend that shares an illness? The ambiguity of his illness? The ambiguity of the relationships?

4. The plot twists are very average and cheap to be there

5. The drama isn’t epic like the music wants it to be. A good thing though is the music, yet I will not be fooled to think anything cool is happening even though the score is good

Somewhere I wish they deepened characters relationships. Beyond the ones falling apart that existed before the story started. I’m seeing no development. With Seon Yul and Soo Hyun their relationship should’ve been full revenge to a climax where Seon Yul breaks and accepts help from someone. Honestly this drama should have had a romance to make it more intriguing.

If it was done you could have the contradictions of hating someone’s family to acknowledging the good parts of them. Understanding and humanizing these characters. The necklace scene where Soo Hyun got Eun Woo’s mother’s necklace was very good for a potential of this. I’m only saying it should’ve been done with a more digestible age gap for the audience, with a much younger marriage. You’d have the husband and his affair make more sense, to this already flawed main character having another flaw of her own infidelity. She is already a hypocrite, so being in a romantic relationship with this other person is fine. She can fully be a person with flaws, and questionable morals. She already is, push that further. Seon Yul could accept help and grow a relationship outside of his misfortune life. He could open up about how hard it was for him as he always had felt alone, had health issues.. etc etc. they could share the same loneliness but grow an actual bond. He could see it as new and find someone to protect other than himself. Soo Hyun sort of does that.. but sees that she can take place as a mother role for Seon Yul.. which honestly is weird to me?

Instead they both are lonely and that could’ve been done, if they talked about their feelings instead of these stupid ambiguous phone calls and meetings. Like they meet up to say a sentence, and then leave. Be direct with eachother, have a space to let out your emotions. You know eachother worst parts and accept them, become vulnerable.. instead the drama has some cry scenes I guess

I could go on and on of how to do a romance and how it should’ve been with younger leads or something. Just do something intriguing. Make Seon Yul completely delusional maybe.. something.

I also think that the plot of the fire shouldn’t have been done if in the end Eun Woo’d character wasn’t the guy? Like the guy they did have (love him go watch the eight sense) had no conclusion. The Husband is just there like a leech now? The list becomes endless with the plot holes, like how does Soo Hyun have money? I get she’s a professor but what about the house? How isn’t she worried to start her life again? I don’t get it!

So I’m passionate because I care and that’s a good thing. This drama isn’t, it’s not good. I do watch it blindly to laugh and think to myself how funny this is because it’s just not good. For recent watch the glory, for Eun Woo watch too toks of him and his romantic comedies, watch the eighth dense also. Watch this if you want.

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"Wonderful World: A Compelling Blend of Mystery, Drama & Emotional Revenge Thriller

Off-Thriller, On-emotional experience. An Unforgiven Vengeance of A Mother, A Son - 8.0/10

The story of "Wonderful World" starts as a straightforward mystery thriller but gradually evolves into a gripping revenge drama, offering viewers a rollercoaster of emotions and unexpected twists. The narrative centers around two main protagonists, Cha Eun Woo and Kim Nam Joo, both driven by their individual motivations for seeking revenge. Their complex relationship adds layers of intrigue and keeps the audience engrossed throughout the series.


Kim Nam Joo delivers a standout performance, showcasing her versatility and depth as an actress. Her portrayal of a devoted wife, a mother seeking justice, and a strong-willed individual grappling with complex emotions is truly commendable. Nam Joo's ability to convey raw emotion in the most intense scenes leaves a lasting impression on the audience, drawing them deeper into the story. Cha Eun Woo's performance is equally impressive, with his flawless execution and nuanced portrayal of his character. His ability to convey the inner turmoil and conflict of his character adds depth to the narrative, making it easier for viewers to empathize with him. Additionally, supporting actors like Lim Se-mi and Kim Kang woo deliver solid performances, contributing to the overall quality of the drama.

Plot and Pacing:
While "Wonderful World" may follow some genre clichés, it manages to keep viewers engaged with its well-paced plot and perfectly timed twists. The storyline may be somewhat predictable at times, but the execution and the chemistry between the lead actors elevate the viewing experience. The gradual evolution of the narrative from a simple mystery to a gripping revenge thriller adds layers of complexity, keeping the audience on the edge of their seats.

Cinematography and Soundtrack:
While the cinematography department may not be the drama's strongest aspect, the powerful and emotional background score effectively maintains suspense and enhances the overall viewing experience. The soundtrack complements the mood of each scene, adding depth and intensity to key moments in the story.

Why 8/10 for me :-
• Predictable Plot: Despite its well-timed twists, "Wonderful World" may suffer from a somewhat foreseeable plotline, potentially hindering its ability to surprise and fully captivate audiences.
• Lack of Cinematic Innovation: While the drama offers a compelling blend of mystery, drama, and some action, it may not introduce groundbreaking storytelling techniques or fresh perspectives to the genre, limiting its appeal to viewers seeking more cutting-edge storytelling that breaks new ground and offers fresh perspectives."

Finally :-
"Wonderful World" may not break new ground in terms of its premise, but it is a well-executed drama that delivers on its promises of suspense, drama, and compelling character development. With standout performances from lead actors Kim Nam Joo and Cha Eun Woo, as well as a solid supporting cast, the series offers a thrilling and intense viewing experience that will keep audiences hooked until the very end. If you're a fan of the thriller genre and enjoy watching captivating character-driven narratives, "Wonderful World" is definitely worth checking out.

As a thriller lover :-
I came for the Plot & Director ( of Missing Noir M ) well made one..
In the thriller genre, it's common to see excessive Thriller elements & suspense elements more than character emotions driving the plot, with suspense being the primary mode it's really hard sometimes for the emotional character development.
However, this drama stands out as a prime example of an Emotional Thriller within the realm of Gripping Thrillers. Good to see excessive emotional touch in thrillers from the starting to end of the drama.

brought by :- Shinnosuke_Lee

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Vengeance can give Justice, but real peace comes from forgiveness!

⭐PROS:
The story's main theme is vengeance by a mother who lost a child and a child who lost a parent - who make questionable decisions while blinded by anger & grief, unaware that there is a bigger mastermind behind the injustice they are going through. As the drama progresses & unravels the mystery - it beautifully showcases characters coming to terms with their loss, grief, loneliness & finally peace - in varying degrees.

The latter is a great point shown in the drama - cause while the incident (loss of a dear one) may have been a common point for many characters involved, each of them has their own way of coping with it. And in doing so it shows the growth and strength of that character. Love the ending - I like how realistic they kept it without making it flowery in the end, cause such stories are raw emotions throughout which you cannot tie the ends with a flower and bow. Really likes how each character comes to together in the hour of need - in spite of the bad blood they had before.

⭐CONS:
The story is not new - and while the actors are all great names of the industry and deliver their role well, it was not remarkable/memorable for me. I have seen all the actors in other dramas and know how powerful they can be - here they felt weak in comparison. Not that they are bad - just that they are doing this for the sake of it - they are actors here, they did not live the characters - as per me.

Also, the pacing of this drama was a con for me, and this is a personal opinion. I'm someone who enjoys dramas having breakneck speed, but I believe while this drama maybe tagged as thriller, mystery - it was that but also healing and wholesome, hence for many the pacing would not be an issue but rather a very emotional ride.

⭐OVERALL:
Hence, rating this is a 7 - which in my books is a good drama. Not a masterpiece or something I'll watch again, or recommend greatly to anyone. But rather it is a good watch one time watch if these are the themes that interest you.


⭐ MILD SPOILER - to highlight some great work / small things but went a long way:

- Love how the son-in-law comes to take care of the mother-in-law. And even before that while his mother was earlier a cold character, it is amazing to see how in her heart she actually a warm person and is just looking out for her family - immediate and in-laws too.
- The sisters, tbh, it would not work the way it did in real life; but it was a beautiful relationship and very well done by both the actresses.
- The brother-in-law had a very minimal screentime, but still was so crucial at important change of scenes. Usually in dramas crucial information is lost because main characters "miss" each other and then cause a lot frustrating misunderstandings. I like how here the brother-in-law was the narrator in a way who kept the information flowing from one character to another. Eg: how he tells his sister-in-law about the reality of Cha Eun Woo's character. Also how in the end - he tells his sister-in-law about Eun Woo's mother etc. Also his mother acted as a conduit to relay the information to her elder son about his mother-in-law 's dementia.

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Lead of drama have no real Purpose,

Wonderful World is a psychological revenge drama that explores themes of grief, guilt, and justice. The story follows a mother who tragically loses her child due to her own moment of neglect. Overcome by sorrow and anger, she seeks revenge on the driver responsible for the accident, ultimately killing him and being sent to prison. While in jail, she divorces her husband, unable to move past her own guilt, leaving him to grieve alone.

Upon her release, she encounters the driver’s son, who is determined to take revenge on her for his father's death. However, his justification for vengeance is questionable, as his father was responsible for a child’s death and had even taken the blame for another man's crime. Meanwhile, the woman's ex-husband has tried to move on with his life, but his actions are framed as betrayal despite their divorce.

As the story progresses, the drama delves into the characters' emotional turmoil and their struggle to cope with past events. The revelation that another person was behind the child's death adds complexity but also raises questions about the characters’ motivations and the cycle of misplaced blame.


The premise of Wonderful World already revolves around morally grey characters, but one of the most unsettling aspects is the FL’s relationship with the son of the man she killed—especially considering that man was responsible for her own child's death.

The FL's grief and guilt are understandable, but her actions become increasingly questionable. She divorces her husband, leaving him alone to deal with his own pain, yet later forms a connection with the ML, the son of the driver. The most baffling part is that the driver not only killed her child but also knowingly took the blame for another man's crime. Despite this, the ML still seeks revenge for his father as if his death was an injustice, when in reality, he was protecting a true criminal.

The fact that the FL engages with this man, instead of completely cutting ties, makes her character even more difficult to sympathize with. It raises uncomfortable questions: Does she feel guilt for taking revenge? Does she believe she doesn’t deserve happiness, so she chooses to suffer in an unhealthy relationship? Or is she simply making excuses to avoid confronting her own responsibility?

This dynamic not only undermines the FL’s grief but also makes her moral stance feel inconsistent. The drama attempts to explore complex emotions, but in doing so, it creates a situation where both leads seem detached from true accountability—blaming others while excusing their own actions. Instead of a thought-provoking revenge thriller, it turns into a story about two people justifying their toxic behaviors.

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You can reach a better, a Wonderful World

This series is now one of my favorite thrillers. Every episode was exciting, full of emotions and tears. It's sad, heartbreaking and bittersweet. It makes you hopeful that good things can arise in the midst of pain and suffering.

The plot is about the mother Soohyun who loses her little son in an accident. But was it really an accident? After that her whole world falls apart and she makes a decision that has many terrible consequences for her and others.

Even though the twists were mostly predictable, it didn't change the fact that I was excited throughout. The pacing was okay. There are a lot of quiet phases, don't expect too much action, but to be honest... it doesn't need action to be memorable and thrilling.

The main characters are morally grey. I often hated their actions and decisions... but sometimes I understood them. I cried with them and for them. Romance doesn't play a role in this series, but that's okay because it's really not necessary.

I'm so glad that the story didn't feel rushed. Everything was put together naturally. I was very pleased with the happy ending. In my opinion, Wonderful World is a heavy, cruel and sad thriller series that leaves you satisfied in the end!

On a side note... I really love Seonyul's apartment.

[finished watching on 26 February 2024]

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