A refreshing and feel good drama that breaks stereotypes
I went into this with somewhat great expectations since this was rated so highly yet went completely undetected by my radar. I'm happy to say that this show went beyond my expectations.
Let's start with the positives:
1. The plot- I liked how the plot was balanced. They used the mystery game to build intrigue and then completely focused on the main characters to hook the audience. It was like the writers predicted the audience's thoughts and balanced the mystery and romance somewhat well.
2. The realistic 2nd leads story- Cdramas usually have a tendency to have a silly 2nd lead romance but here, it was like a mini drama inside a drama. I loved how they focused on a married couple and the portrayal of how sometimes love is not enough. Their storyline felt realistic and the acting was great.
3. The overall acting- The acting of all the characters was well balanced. The female lead stole the show but the male lead did well too. Even the supporting cast did their parts well and felt relatable. I was even able to sympathise with the brother character (villain) which just goes to show how the acting and writing was well done.
4. The non stereotypical plot points/scenes - I liked how the drama was self aware of how cringey some cdramas are. There were some scenes where they allude to a certain cheesy thing but turns out to be completely different. I also how the fmc was written in a realistic way where she communicated her thoughts and got angry when she needed to (thank god she has a spine). They also didn't show the traditional wedding scene or their colleagues making a big deal out of it which I actually liked. This just made the drama seem more refreshing
Now let's move onto the negatives/rant:
1. A few lull moments- As much as l like how balanced the pacing was, i still wish we had some more impactful scenes which grabbed the audience more. I did skip a few scenes here and there because stakes were veey low and I got bored
2. Cinematography- I'm not faulting the cinematography but there were a few missed opportunities where the scenes could've been more aesthetic/ picturesque. Some frames looked bland.
3. A little more editing- I think this drama would've had the perfect pacing if it ended around episode 26. If it was 1 or 2 episodes shorter, it would be perfect
4. The very obvious product placement- I'm used to cdramas filled with obvious product placement but there were just one too many scenes which were like ads for the product rather than a drama scene. Even the way they were displayed was like on a store exhibit. It just took me out of the story sometimes
Overall, i liked this series and would recommend it to anyone who wants a feel good time. Is it my most favourite series ? No. But it can definitely entertain and make us swoon. 8.5 /10 stars
Let's start with the positives:
1. The plot- I liked how the plot was balanced. They used the mystery game to build intrigue and then completely focused on the main characters to hook the audience. It was like the writers predicted the audience's thoughts and balanced the mystery and romance somewhat well.
2. The realistic 2nd leads story- Cdramas usually have a tendency to have a silly 2nd lead romance but here, it was like a mini drama inside a drama. I loved how they focused on a married couple and the portrayal of how sometimes love is not enough. Their storyline felt realistic and the acting was great.
3. The overall acting- The acting of all the characters was well balanced. The female lead stole the show but the male lead did well too. Even the supporting cast did their parts well and felt relatable. I was even able to sympathise with the brother character (villain) which just goes to show how the acting and writing was well done.
4. The non stereotypical plot points/scenes - I liked how the drama was self aware of how cringey some cdramas are. There were some scenes where they allude to a certain cheesy thing but turns out to be completely different. I also how the fmc was written in a realistic way where she communicated her thoughts and got angry when she needed to (thank god she has a spine). They also didn't show the traditional wedding scene or their colleagues making a big deal out of it which I actually liked. This just made the drama seem more refreshing
Now let's move onto the negatives/rant:
1. A few lull moments- As much as l like how balanced the pacing was, i still wish we had some more impactful scenes which grabbed the audience more. I did skip a few scenes here and there because stakes were veey low and I got bored
2. Cinematography- I'm not faulting the cinematography but there were a few missed opportunities where the scenes could've been more aesthetic/ picturesque. Some frames looked bland.
3. A little more editing- I think this drama would've had the perfect pacing if it ended around episode 26. If it was 1 or 2 episodes shorter, it would be perfect
4. The very obvious product placement- I'm used to cdramas filled with obvious product placement but there were just one too many scenes which were like ads for the product rather than a drama scene. Even the way they were displayed was like on a store exhibit. It just took me out of the story sometimes
Overall, i liked this series and would recommend it to anyone who wants a feel good time. Is it my most favourite series ? No. But it can definitely entertain and make us swoon. 8.5 /10 stars
Was this review helpful to you?
