My Dearest Nemesis

Black Dragon doesn't mess around

Summary (tear-jerker warning): Surprisingly gwiyeoounnn! I love that the characters are slightly quirkier than in the usual Asian romcom. The female lead is strong and doesn’t take crap from anyone. The male lead is still full of himself (as most chaebols are portrayed) but in a more comical way than I’ve seen in other romcoms. There’s such upfront romance that I blushed at the end of the first episode. Lol. Most of the misunderstandings were quickly and easily resolved, and they didn’t give up on each other when it counted the most, especially Black Dragon. One of the scenes made me cry because it was so heartwarming. It was also nice that they featured a different genre of music than in the usual dramas. And for some reason, I felt like having a coffee candy after each episode (Kopiko, “’it really wakes you up”). XD I just realized at the end that they were also advertising Chokipong as well. Wow… The ending was a bit weird and disappointing but, sure, I would re-watch it.

Details: It was great seeing that Baek Su Jong didn’t let herself be bullied or looked down by anyone, as well as stand toe-to-toe with the “perfect (no mistakes)” but also clueless Ban Ju Yong. I thought it was gwiyeoun (cute) that Ban Ju Yong’s dirty little secret was so innocent (video games, books, glam rock band, etc.) when the other bachelor chaebols were using women and gambling off their parents’ money.

Throughout the movie, I just wanted to give Ban Ju Yong a big hug. Having lost my parents young, I could totally relate. But his haelmoni withheld the only thing he ever wanted or needed: to be loved and accepted by the only family member he had left in this world. I was so livid when she kept blaming Ban Ju Yong FROM CHILDHOOD for his parents’ death (he was only a kid, you freak!). It’s a wonder he didn’t develop any disorders other than a collectors’ obsession and being emotionally stunted/blind. It only took like multiple people, particularly Chief Kwon, talking sense into her for her to finally realize her mistakes. I cried when they finally reconciled.

The love story of the supporting characters Seo Ha Jin and Kim Shin Won was also cute, especially when Ban Ju Yong had to finally give his hyeong advice on love and how proud Kim Shin Won was of Ban Ju Yong growing up so much.

One of my favorite scenes is when Ban Ju Yong drops his most loved and carefully procured possessions to save Baek Su Jong. ^_^ The other one is the mall lights and water fountain special effects when they kiss. Epic. Lol. In a way, she became his #1 obsession, the only person who ever showed him tenderness (like with the chocolate milk) and treated him like a human being. Black Dragon didn’t mess around after he realized what his most prized thing in life really was. Lol.

I also love the manifestation of the video game world in a realish setting and game animation (danger levels) layered onto reality. Wish that could have been expounded on more. His need to keep recording notes on his watch was hilarious, especially at the end. Not sure why the story kept focusing on Baek Su Jong needing to find a hobby and I wonder why she didn’t just go back to gaming. That would have nicely rounded the ending (the leads as their game characters).

One of my least favorite scenes was Strawberry’s (age 19) heartless response to Black Dragon’s (age 15) confession. But I suppose she was also a kid herself and that shocking (age) revelation was the tipping point for everything she had endured in her life. Later, Baek Su Jong kind of didn’t grow up either (super cruel reaction) when Ban Ju Yong was trying to make it work out with her after they discovered their true identities.

The ending was a little strange and disappointing. They dragged on the last episode with at least two video montages of the leads’ love story, one photo montage of the show, and a strange necklace that had nothing to do with anything… And what I thought would be a proposal was a closing voice over. Kind of wish they just did a proposal (with maybe key/lock design rings) instead. Other than that, it was a great watch.

Side Notes: This is the umpteenth show I’ve seen where there’s emphasis on mobile contact profiles (how do you save my name); is that important in Korean culture? None of the Korean family or friends I know ever talk about that…but they’re also Americanized. Lol.

Read More

Enjoying this one

I haven’t seen a typical, good ‘ol romcom like this in a while. I wasn’t sure if I was going to like this one at first due to the storyline and the ML/FL but after the first episode I was hooked. It’s lighthearted, funny and the story keeps up at a good pace. I actually needed a “breather” drama as the ones I have been watching or are out there seem to be/ have been heavy/intense/not flirty enough. I was not sure ML was the best choice but he ML seems to be playing his part well. Although we can predict how this all plays out, it still will be interesting to see how it all comes together in the end. Give it a try!

Read More

Starts fluffy and shallow but it ends as a deep, warm, mature love and relationship

People wonder why I gave 10 to this kdrama.
If you are not smart enough to see it :) This drama is about a "new world" where differences are handled without prejudice and the genders are equal. The ML and FL are **** E Q U A L ****. She is not a loser, she is competent, and THEY COMMUNICATE. THEY ARE A FUNCTIONAL HEALTHY PAIR THAT WILL HAVE A LOVING PRODUCTIVE HAPPY RELATIONSHIP ALL THEIR LIVES. I think this kdrama is a pioneer.

The first episodes made me think this was just a fluffy rom-com for youngsters full of hormones. Like sneaking up on him to see his naked back with a tattoo etc. I was like ... omg I think Neflix is ruining kdramas.... ok.... I will just sleep through this... I was using the drama to destress from some ugly legal stuff, so my expectations werent high... The drama has an upbeat vibe bc ML and FL are very rational, adult, responsible characters although they are in their 30s so I watched because I was benefiting from that positive vibe. I am also a fan of the ML actor bc of Twinkling Watermallon, and FL is not a loser, she is highly capable, so I kept watching...

So at the very start, ML and FL were fighting against their own feelings in ways that were ... well... boring :) But ... there was no needless drama. ! I liked that. ML and FL are smart people and did not waste time and very quickly realized they liked each other and went along with it. They are smart and know it is necessary to hold onto your dream to make it happen. They are go-getters. That was fun to watch but still not quite it.

Then they had to resolve a conflict based on their animosity and hatred for each from the past. That was not quite fun to watch either but was getting more interesting. THEN the drama very sneakily took the turn to raise the curtain and for us the audience to watch behind the scenes and see MORE, and to see how it all fits together perfectly.

SUDDENLY we got to see the strength and the depth of ML and FL as individuals and as two lovers committed to each other. That was really impressive.

So everything that looked fluffy and over-the-top exaggerated and shallow, suddenly became a piece in a very nice looking overall picture. The two of them MATCHED with their personality and traits and ways of doing things, and were there for each other. THEY COMMUNICATED CLEARLY. They were committed.

So this drama ends on a note that is deeply satisfying, a very warm, solid, reliable relationship, human and humane note, and a lifelong love in a very positive, solid, reliable, sophisticated, mature way. By the end of the kdrama, ML and FL demonstrated HOW you can achieve it. Both were bossy and perfectionists, and both understood the deeper requirements of human condition and relationships, and both took steps to make it happen. They had arguments and fallouts and always cleared it out and came back together ON THEIR OWN. THis kdrama is not about them meeting by chance somewhere or friends rehooking them. EVerything good that happened in their relationship, happened bc ML and FL were mature enough to think it through , self observe, self correct, and step forward towards the other to fix the mess they caused. IT was very inspiring and positive.

THe underlying story is about accepting ourselves and living our life as we are, creating good karma, and about having loving clear productive family and personal relationships.

So that message that it is possible to pull it off if you try, properly :) and clearly, and bravely, was the message that was so powerful and so warm and educational. I started watching this bc there was nothing else to watch on Mon/Tue/Wed and it was boring at first but by the end, I felt good about watching it. IT LEFT A WARM FEELING IN MY HEART. It showed what is possible if you try properly.

Imo the key was the FL character. She was no-nonsense and relatively mature enough to see what was important, and to ACT on the important stuff before it was too late.

For me the breaking point was when the FL was talking to the evil Grandma and told her that this was not about who is the successor but is about the family of her love, how to keep his family.

As for the ML, his character is complex but the script did not leave room to show him as a complex person. The filmmaker made ML role so flat, always stiff, pompous and kinda grumpy and poker faced, so that really did not show even 0.5% of the actor's ability and made ML boring to watch. Some of his funnest scenes in this kdrama is when he gets kicked out and cooks, etc. I think the drama had to show him more in his HUMAN state, not just cheabol-idol-perfect-successor fake ACTING state. The drama forgot to mention how the ML character acted tough for his cheabol job and how different he was in his normal life. Not at concerts but when he was cooking, etc.

I saw the ML actor in "Twinkling Watermellon" one of the best scenes is when he communicates with the guitar player at the start of their first concert. Also, in My Dearest Nemesis, he had just a few moments where it seems like he ran wild and did not listen to whoever was filming him, and showed some of his fun, flirty, romantic, and charming side.
SO he can act a wide range and for some reason some bozos always put him in rough dumb flat shallow roles. Like Weak Hero Class 1.

I guess filmmakers are scared to lose money so they put an actor in a role he already did well at least once before. Like putting Meg Ryan ONLY in romantic comedies.... But that really messes up the filming and drama. It is boring. I cant even distinguish between Meg Ryan's films, they are all the same thing.

You need to milk the actors for all they got.

Well I understand you have to make money off dramas too so perhaps it is easier to recycle actors in the types of roles they already did...especially if the actor is not capable of acting anything else LOL there are those.... !!!!
But it is better to let the actor show more acting. Imo.

Read More

A nice light romcom but with a disappointing twist

From the trailer, to the cast, to the first episodes, My Dearest Nemesis was a light and heartfelt romcom with a promising enemies to lovers trope.
The first two episodes got me totally hooked and wanting more, but i feel like after 8 episodes it kinda lost its way.
The episodes became less exciting and more of a filler, where they forced a poorly written trauma and healing trope on the audience. It felt a bit messy and far away from the original plot.
Nonetheless i still enjoyed it overall, the cast was amazing, kudos to everyone, they did a great job portraying their characters.

PROS:
The main cast was really interesting, CHY and MGY are one of my favorite actors and it was fun watching them together.
Second Lead couple was also interesting but their dynamics wasn't really focused on, we barely got any backstory about Ha Jin and how her divorce really affected her, we only see her having some trust issues moments but that's it.
Since i like the actress and i find her underrated i would've loved to see more of her potential.

CONS:
Personally, i felt like they tried to make Ban Ju Yeon's interest a bigger deal than it really is. A man in his 20s with a passion for manga's and cartoons, it's not as weird as they portraited it to be.
Also, the fast and "easy" switch of Grandmother's personality, it felt rushed and not deep enough since it was a pretty rough relationship between the two.

OVERALL:
Did i still enjoy it? Yes
Would i recommend it? It depends, if you need a light romcom to watch when you're bored or maybe doing something else while watching it, then this is for you, but if you care a lot about the depth and emotional connection of a character then i don't think you're gonna like this.

Read More

More of this pleaseeee

Absolutely loved this show!! I haven’t written many reviews but I couldn’t skip on this one. if nothing else but to share my love for the show ahahah.

so much I could say but the thing that stands out the most for me about this is that the progression of their relationship actually felt realistic. there was substance and depth. And we get to see the development in real time. I feel like some slow build romcoms have brief build up then just jump into boom a relationship. but it’s like ok but this just can’t be two people liking each other 😂😂😂

I know reviews, rankings, etc. are extremely subjective, but if I had rank the office-based romcoms I’ve watched so far, this is 100% at the top. For me, it had a rather slow and weird start lol but it picked up and finished super strong.

I liked all the actors involved and that the co-workers didn’t just feel like lackeys taking up space lol. There are some extreme parts to personalities, and I feel like some things are stretched unnecessarily far, but that didn’t affect the show’s quality to me. I think things were really made up for with how much I appreciated the relationship’s progression and development.

The second couple’s storyline was kind of annoying at first and would’ve definitely preferred more of the main leads, but it was nice seeing the friendships with their respective main leads so I appreciated them being in the show.

I think if you want to watch a solid romcom with strong relationships (not just between the main leads and romantic ones), this is a solid watch. It is a 10 out of 10 for me because of the acting, overall turnout of the show, and the substance. I put the story at 8.5 mostly because of how the beginning was as well as what I was saying about some things being stretched too far.

Even though this is yet another office-based romance with the stuck up/annoying successor, I feel like this show took a different approach that has a lot of value. First, the FL is a team leader and not a secretary. Second, the ML has entertaining components. He’s not just all work all the time. Third, we get to see their connections with friends and family and see how that relates to them and who they are more. It’s not only superficial family stuff. This is part of why it’d be the best one of this type. Finally, flashbacks felt like they made sense and tied into overall story. Things came full circle at the end, and I loved it.

All in all, a great show, and definitely on my list for eventual rewatch (with some episode skipping hahaha).

Read More

cute then deep then cute Romcom

I must say I am starting to not believe in reviews anymore. Because I held off oo watching this because of reviews that I heard on tiktok and I regret it because I finished this within one night. It was literally so good. I couldn't stop watching It. Totally Loved it. It was such a great new concept I've never seen before in k dramas (the video game scenes). At the beginning, it felt like a reverse of Her Private Life, in the best way.

LIKES
-I really like that this time she was the one running towards him.
-I love that we got so much couple time like
-gaming concept and how we got to grow a bit with them
-the acting is awesome and the cast is nice
-used the breeakups and conflicts as learning curves and used it to grow together.
-tons of couple time, happiness, and appropriate intimicy.
-their devotion to one another

DISLIKE
-the second couple went straight into it. It was gross, transactional and weird. i thought hey were going to develop nicely and fall in love. considering how nice they became later, that whole casual thing was not necessary
-everytime It tries to get deep, they make it funny with the comedic timing and music to lighten the mood When it's something fairly serious.
-the reason for the first breakup I found to be very unreasonable and made no sense. Like yes I understood When she was young but they're whole adults now. like girl, you can lean on him.
-I'm going to give it a 9.5 because the nice clean conservative culture i watch kdramas for is actively rotting with that first issue with the main leads.

The OST was great and so was the fresh fashion and the cars. Overall, like it was just a complete and perfect drama like I don't know what people are talking about. It's so good. Literally watch if you love remains. This is up your alley.

Read More

sweet drama

i loved this drama. they are so sweet together. the fl is so intense and you can feel the walls that she put up. amazing acting skills. the ml despite the trauma and pain was so gentle and insightful with her and people around him. i loved that! the grandmother…. yeah no. i was hoping she would have a stroke or something. she was so hateful and mean. then a 2 second apology and that’s it? nope! it was a light drama on the outside. but the grief that both sides held was smoldering below. it was nice to see how they slowly let go and dealt with it. i could have done without the second couple to be honest. that was too cliche for me. the flip flopping of hard core director and child was so cute. he was perfect for that role. i will keep looking for both actors because both of them are great and the ending was as sweet as it should be

Read More

Great premise wasted by bad casting

The ML looked way too young to be the age he was supposed to. Idk if it was because he was supposed to be my age that I couldn't look past it but the actor should be doing college settings or at least entry level jobs there's no way he's a CEO.

The concept was so promising, especially since it involved gaming which I love, I just wish it had better casting.

I love the FL in Law and the City and I'm sure ML is talented but I could not get past the first episode. You could just tell he was a baby.

The story overall I have no idea how it played out but I just needed to vent my frustration, there are so many great actors in their late 20's early 30's and you couldn't get anyone else?

I'm sorry.

Read More