The romance is slow, but meaningful. Gong Myung’s character feels like the calm in Geum-joo’s storm, and their moments together have this quiet tension that makes you root for them. The humor is light and helps break up the heavier moments, but the show doesn’t joke around with the serious stuff either.
It’s not perfect — pacing is a bit slow in places — but it’s real. Messy, emotional, and human. I didn’t expect to feel this much, but I’m definitely staying till the end.
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De-Addiction Not, A Comic Sojourn Yes!!!
There is so much alcohol in this show that you literally feel like you are drowning in it!tvN’s Monday-Tuesday bloomer “Second Shot at Love” aims at propagating sobriety, not that it does much for this premise. Because from start to end, the female protagonist is portrayed as drunk skank, she is addicted to alcohol, not just her but her entire family (minus her temperamental mother), who is trying to restrict them from drinking. Not that her restrictions or threats actually work on any of them. Han Geum Ju returns to her hometown after breaking off her engagement and losing her high paying job. The only cliche being that no one knows her fiance cheated on her or her higher-ups were delaying her promotion because she is a woman. Everyone automatically assumes it is because she is a high-strung alcoholic. As she hides her wounds, her mother and the nosy people in her small town make her life difficult. Adding to the chaos, she reunites with Seo Ui Jun, once her best friend but now they aren’t on speaking terms. You don’t know if you should try to stop Han Geum Ju from her drinking herself to stupor or let her be, because only alcohol numbs her pain. Either ways, this show is a train wreck in many ways, yet entertaining!
Read the complete article here-
https://kcdramamusings.wordpress.com/2025/05/15/second-shot-at-love-first-impressions/#more-1815
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Second Shot At Second Chances
Second Shot At Love tackles a serious plague in South Korea, alcoholism. This is a country where socialization with workmates after long arduous workdays with hard work loads is a social norm. This foster after work drinking to the point of drunkenness. On my visit to South Korea, a walk at night proved to me that after work drunkenness is not just a trope. I saw a T-shirt with the slogan “Drink, Drank, Drunk” on it. While this was the beginning of the night, I am sure it was true by the end.In this drama “Second Shot At Love”, the main focus is on a woman caught up in the fray. So that is different as well. It brings in the woman’s prospective. What is unique about this drama is that it makes it clear that alcoholism genetically runs in families. It shows how enablers can constantly sabotage progress. It shows that a good support system makes the way to sobriety more successful. This is a RomCom. So the talking points are spoon fed to you instead of throw down your throat. There are so many talking points that I love about this drama.
Let us discuss the title. Second Shot at Love. Alcoholics don’t refuse that Second Shot of Alcohol. Why not develop positive reasons to put away drink and take a Second Shot At Love?
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Amazing kdrama!!!! a masterpiece script and acting etc
Based on the comments, I decided to watch this and I LOVE IT!!!! all the issues are stated up front.The ML gives a speech about functional alcoholics... everyone should rewatch that until you get it...
and the FL calls off the wedding because she chose alcohol over her fiancee, straight to his face, because "DRINKING IS A NORMAL PART OF SOCIAL LIFE". There you go. It is all out in the clear.
FL is a functional alcoholic with a job and gets a little "higher" during the day and plastered at nights and weekends, like many people do, and is unwilling to quit. SO now what... ?
THERE ARE MILLIONS OF PEOPLE LIKE HER OUT THERE. causing car accidents and other accidents at work etc, overloading the medical system, and unwilling/unable to reproduce. So now what... ?
I know so many functional alcoholics!!!!! construction workers, mechanics, businessman, real estate ppl, self employed, sales people, mothers, housewifes, entertainers, .. etc etc etc are some groups that are very prone to being a functional alcoholic...
I strongly support this kdrama. I think is is a wonderful piece of art and social commentary, it is done very very well, the acting and script are amazing. No time wasted. It keeps rolling.
I think this kdrama cleverly uses sexism LOL since men are EXPECTED to drink for business - FL said "you cannot build relationships without alcohol" etc So it is impossible to call a male drunkard to the carpet bc the society will defend his drinking.
But if a WOMAN is a drunkard then people will bash her - and hopefully then they will connect the dots and look at their wives, sisters, daughters, and themselves LOL and hopefully men will start thinking that if it is bad for women it must be bad for men too...
Also, alcohol seems to be a form of psychotherapy and making sure to have honest conversations... so ... people need to get educated on those skills too... This kdrama has FL dancing around the lake to vent out.. hiking.. prayer... etc those are all remedies...
the rewatch is useful bc there is EDUCATION throughout the drama ...
And, .... this is a huge issue deeply entrenched addiction and socially acceptable since there is huge $$$$ industry and business behind it.....
Alcohol will never totally disappear but it can NOT be out of control either...
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The story is pretty common. A girl game back to her hometown after her failure in love and work, all people think that she is wrong but she covers the true story.
She met her friend that they aren't friends anymore (we don't know the story yet) and she kept embarrassing herself in front of him.
What i don't like :I don't see that chemistry between the main leads, but they aren't that bad. it's a cliche story (they tried to put a little twist to it that alcohol thing)
What i like: there are many beautiful scenes. I like the FL acting, she made me feel her heart break.
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