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2nd Leads were way better.
Honestly, I only started this for Hyeri, but it ended up feeling like a generic drama. The main leads had zero chemistry. The highlight for me was Oh Hana and Sim Yu-Geon—I was way more invested in their characters! They looked so good together, and I really hope they get a show of their own soon.Was this review helpful to you?
Unexpectedly boring
We'll have to wait for a good Korean drama. My hope that the Koreans finally made a good or excellent drama after a long time was shattered around the 3rd episode of this series.....it started to drag on incredibly, the chemistry between the actors was terrible, there was nothing interesting that would interest and keep you interested. Honestly, I quickly skipped and accelerated the next episodes.After Our Sticky love (which I rated 8, but it wasn't great either) just another disappointment.
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Camera is important
The story is about a woman who wants to make her own film. She's always making short films in high school. But there is another man who has actually loved her since high school without her noticing. It becomes interesting when they both become adults, and they have different goals. Not long after that, they become involved with each other. It's where their journey begins...The problem that I found in this K-drama is that the cameraman is too shaky. But at quarter end of the episode, it becomes much better. I don't know if they changed the cameraman or if the cameraman improved over time. So please be patient and calm when you watch first until mid of the episode :)
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A Decent Dream Until the End!
I placed spoilers at the end of this review.Overall, I enjoyed most of this. This is one of those weird series that started off rocky, gradually improved in the middle, and then went off the cliff in the end. The script is simply ok and is just all over the place at times. Additionally, I constantly had this sense I was missing key information. One positive aspect was the characters grew on me and I wanted to know more of their stories. However, the development between the various characters were a little wonky and seemed off. Two of the three romantic storylines were ok. The main one started off nicely with a good even pace until the end. The second one was also ok, even if a little predictable. The last one was just there and somewhat boring. Another positive aspect of the script was it incorporated some very interesting story development. Episode 7 gave me the biggest OMG watching experience I ever had with a plot twist I never saw coming. The entire cast was incredible with their roles and did their best with the script. The cinematography was good, but there was some shaky camara work
Random Notes:
This is one of those series that I don’t regret watching, but have no desire to rewatch it.
******Spoiler Alert******
The Romantic Storylines: Unfortunately, Woo Soo Bin and Ju Yi Jae storyline suffers from a major second to last episode curse. They also end up getting three of my most hated cliché story elements. Sim Yu Geon and Oh Ha Na storyline was interesting. Even though it had some predictable story elements, I developed second couple syndrome with them. I was not that interested in Seo In Uk and Chae Sa Rang romantic storyline. The whole dating show aspect was just unnecessary and weird. Thankfully their storyline didn’t take up too much screen time.
The character Chae Sa Rang was just there. There were many points I forgot how she was even connected to the other characters. I also found the character Seo In Uk puzzling at times.
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110% Fan service but solid rom com
An ambitious plot that touches the surface of interesting themes like familial bonds (esp parental) and abusive relationships, but they really missed the mark on deepening them. Hyeri and Inyeop have a suprisingly natural chemistry, and honestly this drama was 10/10 of giving the audience a good amount of "in relationship" screentime, which lots of kdramas fall short on. However! this is at the expense of an interesting story and exploring plots outside their relationship but related to them. Despite the second leads being quite endearing, I wasn't as invested in their plots and wish they'd got less screen time ESPECIALLY considering there were TWO OF THEM. 12 episodes was the perfect amount with what they were working with, however writing-wise I wish they reduced the wishy-washy "chasing my dream" because it got so repetitive and the parts were they were outside the shooting set felt so unnatural and felt like they were being fed (somewhat) poignant lines. Overall, worth a watch if you're bored and want just a nice, not as plot driven kdrama!Was this review helpful to you?
This review may contain spoilers
The story follows Joo Yi-jae and Woo Soo-bin, two first loves who shared the same dream of becoming filmmakers when they were young. Fifteen years later, their lives have taken very different directions. Soo-bin managed to pursue their shared dream and became a successful film director, while Yi-jae gave hers up and settled into a completely different life as a reporter. When they meet again, all the feelings, memories and unresolved issues they left behind start coming back to the surface.Yi-jae was easily the character I connected with the most.
As a teenager, she was passionate and ambitious. She had a very clear idea of what she wanted to do with her life and genuinely believed she would become a filmmaker.
Then life happened.
Fifteen years later, she's still capable, funny and energetic, but there is a sense that something inside her has gone quiet. She has adapted to the life she ended up with rather than actively choosing it.
And I thought that was painfully relatable. Not everyone gets to follow the dream they had when they were seventeen. Sometimes circumstances force you to choose stability over passion, and eventually you become so accustomed to that choice that you stop wondering whether you actually wanted it.
Soo-bin's return forces Yi-jae to confront exactly that. He represents not only her first love, but also the version of herself she left behind.
Woo Soo-bin could easily have been written as the perfect successful first love who comes back to rescue the heroine.
Thankfully, he's not quite that simple. Yes, he achieved the dream.
Yes, he's successful.
And yes, he still loves Yi-jae. But he also carries his own regrets and unresolved feelings about the past.
I liked the fact that his return isn't simply about getting Yi-jae back. He has to learn that loving her doesn't mean deciding what her future should look like. Soo-bin can remind Yi-jae of who she used to be.
He can encourage her. He can support her. But he can't choose her dream for her.
That distinction is important.
As much as I enjoyed Dream to You, I don't think the writing is consistently strong enough for me to rate it higher.
The premise is actually very good, and the emotional foundation is there, but the drama occasionally introduces complications that feel unnecessary. There are moments when the story becomes more dramatic simply because it needs something to happen, rather than because the characters naturally arrived at that point.The middle portion in particular felt less focused to me. When the drama concentrates on Yi-jae, Soo-bin, their shared past and their dreams, it's at its best.
When it starts piling on additional conflicts and twists, some of that emotional focus gets lost.
But even with those flaws, I never regretted watching it.
I liked Yi-jae.
I liked Soo-bin.
I liked their complicated history.
And most importantly, I liked the idea that sometimes what you need isn't someone to save you, but someone who reminds you that you were allowed to want something for yourself in the first place.
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good good BAD BAD? probably
Have you ever watched one of those dramas, which you cannot really name anything great about it but you still know you enjoyed watching it? Well, this was the one for me.To be frank, I was waiting for this drama for so long because I LOVE the cast and aside from the storyline, I believe Inyoup and Hyeri look perfect together; however, it did not go as well as I expected it.
The show had a promising start, but by time passing, something was feeling off.
The first thing, which bothered me so much was Wu Soobin's character. I know everyone was saying he had a hard childhood and all but I really couldn't understand how he was behaving in the first episodes and the decisions he was making. He did love the female lead but he had absolutely no idea how to love her. He did get better tho.
The storyline itself was... idk. Okay? I did like the atmosphere of the drama and it did have a GOOD plot twist in the middle, which I hope you watch it without seeing any spoilers; but somehow everything felt out of the place and the last 4 episodes became so boring, unlike the first 8 episodes, which I can say I enjoyed watching, relatively.
The cinematography was perfect and the 2nd couple were literally on fire; however I generally feel like the existence of the 3rd couple was so unnecessary. It didn't add anything to the drama. They were literally there...to be there.
All in all, it was an okayish drama. I kept watching for the visuals not gonna lie, and I don't regret it, but they did waste the potential the story and the cast had.
I wouldn't recommend it highly but if you have time and you love the cast, I don't think it would be a bad idea to give it a try!
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Not-So-Dreamy Romance: Too Much Melodrama, Not Enough Character Growth
High school sweethearts reunite in their 30s and find life hasn’t gone as they’d planned. Their shared aspiration of working as a film director became an unexpected reality for one, a crushed dream for the other, and a broken promise that stands between them.The premise is promising and creates some interesting tension between the characters, but the way the story unfolds feels like the series is trying to be too many things at once. Is it a coming-of-age story, romcom, melodrama, family drama? There are multiple elements and subplots at play, but instead of combining into a complex and compelling story, it’s sometimes confusing and disjointed. Two other couples and various family relationships thrown into the mix don’t help matters.
Perhaps the biggest miss is the leads’ lack of character growth between high school and their 30s. If the difficult and traumatic circumstances they experienced during their time apart didn’t change them, what’s the point? The characters, while realistic in the sense that they have both good points and flaws, stay stuck in the same behavior patterns throughout the whole series.
That’s not to say the cast doesn’t deliver decent performances with the script they've been given. Hwang In Youp’s male lead, Woo Soo Bin, is sweet, flirty, and determined to win back his first (and only) love. His patient persistence and the way both he and his mom find the courage to stand up to his abusive father are probably the highlights of the series.
Lee Hye Ri’s female lead, Ju Yi Jae, is also a vivid character, the type whose emotions are always cranked up to the highest level — whether her mood is sunny and enthusiastic or fierce and unapologetic. There’s never a dull moment with her, but her emotional ups and downs can be exhausting to watch.
While the series does have a happy ending, the melodramatic elements (including domestic abuse, a scandalous family secret, a serious medical diagnosis, and a last-minute, illogical breakup) sometimes felt jarring mixed in with the overall romcom vibe. There are some emotional moments that hit hard, but overall the writing comes across as messy. It’s a drama that had potential, but couldn’t decide what direction it wanted to take and suffered from trying to squeeze too much into 12 episodes.
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Too many storylines
I still wonder what was the need for a third couple. They were so disconnected from the rest of the cast and the main storyline it almost felt like an entire different drama.The first 4 episodes were so good but somewhere down the line it got a little boring, at least for me 2nd lead couple stole the show and I kept watching just to see them 2 get together.
It is sad because the lead actors had so much chemistry and did a fantastic job, they could've developed their story a little more.
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Some dreams are worth holding onto
This was one of those dramas that quietly pulled me in and never let go. What I loved most was how it balanced the romance with the characters' individual dreams and personal growth, making every achievement and setback feel meaningful. The relationship never felt rushed because both leads had their own journeys, and watching them support each other instead of holding each other back made their connection even more satisfying.The chemistry between the leads was effortless, but the supporting characters also played a big part in making the story feel complete. They each brought something different to the table, adding warmth, humor, and emotional depth without taking the spotlight away from the main couple. I found myself genuinely caring about more than just the romance, which always makes a drama much more memorable for me.
If I had one small complaint, it's that I wanted a little more time with the characters once everything came together. Even so, this was an emotional, comforting, and beautifully paced drama that left me with a smile by the end. It's definitely one of my favorite surprises of the year.
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Good potential
This drama has great potential but is not executed very effectively. In my opinion, the leads were good; the female lead, in particular, makes her characters feel very realistic and natural. The underlying concept is excellent, but it often falls into clichés or gets bogged down by an overload of plot dynamics. It could have made for a solid 16-episode drama...or avoid certain dynamics that are secondary to the main plot.A lighthearted drama that draws you in, yet leaves you with a bittersweet feeling about what might have been.
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FL treated the ML badly despite the fact FL was super nice and caring (mild spoilers)
The story was ok, but through the whole series the FL treated the ML badly. Others have noted this as well. (Not the actresses fault, of course.) Not setting boundaries with her ex, dumping him and not loving him when she wanted to fulfill her dream rather than wanting to fulfill her dream and just asking him to keep up the relationship. And the sucker ML took her back no questions! Frustrating! I'd have said no thanks! (My wife agrees ha ha.)ML did a great job at his given role, BTW.
Mostly enjoyable but spoiled by the leads' relationship.
The 2nd couple was more compelling and their relationship, while not a smooth ride, had internal logic and consistency. Give me a drama with Lee Yul-Eum and Baek Sung Chul as the leads.
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