3GGG

I agree with that, my father :D (I love your nickname haha).

I really think that a character being written as aggresive in order to showcase strength is the problem. Aggressiveness doesn't necessarily mean strenght; especially as it has been portrayed here (pettiness). If the writer will treat this aggressives as a character flaw, then I hope Hye Won faces consequences so she can grow out of it).

But it still feels extremely aggressive and painfully childish. I want to assume it was written as ironic that she would tell her boss not long before that interaction that he seemed to have "skipped kindergarden"... Because, unfortunately, she seems to still be stuck in a kindergardener mentality when it comes to not getting her way.

I've never enjoyed when a lead assaults another lead while portraying that as romance, truth be told. This time it's no exception.

Now, if we learn that she has some pull with the higher-ups and her actions have been "swept under the table" to keep her father happy... then at least it means that the writer knows assaulting a co-worker (no matter the reasons) and getting away with it unscathed is a hard sell.

For me it can go either way, but i still think if there's a loveline it will be between the leads; as they have now gone through a lot together and they are about to have more physical interactions now. Having said that, I loved how they redeemed Geun Wook. I think the way they wrote him is particularly good, with a ton of complexity (more so than the ML). So i wouldn't mind him and the FL being together. It's clear he likes her, at any rate.

While this show asks you to suspend your disbelief, I find it incredibly hard to believe that Hye Won was allowed to assault not one, but TWO a co-worker (one of them her boss) and she didn't get reprimanded (with a pay-cut or, more befitting, a suspension).

What I'm disliking about her character is that her aggressiveness doesn't have any consequences, therefore how is she supposed to mature? I think her unhealthy crush (possessiveness) further hurts her character, so I hope that would be over soon. As so far, that's the one thing I'm not enjoying about this show.

There is a secondary couple which, like it's been mentioned, has a toxic relationship. There is a strong possibility that romance will spark between the leads, but I don't think it will be immediate (more towards the end, maybe) and it'll also be very minimal (which I like, as because of how the plot is constructed, it will feel quite forced if the romance was at the forefront).

I think we'll find out that he's the most powerful of the three.

Yes, unobtrusive and in the background, lol. Or at the very least, let us hope it doesn't cause a petty rivalry between the female characters. I hate when that happens.

I think being the romantic interest for Hye Won would hurt the character, since she's already portrayed so childish and petty when it comes to her having a crush with the ML. If she matures, then at least that would be better. Honestly, this drama so far is so interesting, I'd hate to have the plot become romance-centric. That said, if I had to choose, I'd rather the slight romance happens with Jamie instead of Hye Won.

I agree. At the very least i hope the romance stays a very small part of the drama.

I hope she matures, because as it stands, I kind of wished there was no romance tag and no romance in the show, lol.

I agree :), despite its many flaws, it has some great characters that are worth enjoying.

Grandma XD

You know, I hated the ambiguity of this line. It could've easily been fixed by adding a bit more to it. Something like:

HJP: "You and I are no longer the kids from those letters, Dal Mi. It's been 28 years. Of course, we've changed. So ask yourself, right here, right now... who is your heart yearning for?"

And then, bam, suddenly that line makes sense.

Thank you! Over in the discussion section, i had been adding short episodes analysis. Nothing ended up panning out, but I did point out some of the visual cues (and how they all pointed at who Dal Mi didn't choose haha). At least analyzing the characters and symbolism was fun, even if the writer and director decided to flush them down the metaphoric toilet.

I agree. I think they decided to stick with Do San just so that would be the "plot twist". My problem is that Do San as a character never found his footing outside of wanting to be Dal Mi's man. It was such a shame what they did to his character.

I love this show so much. The ML is adorable and I understand why everyone loves him so much and wants to protect him. This show really showcases friendship in such an absolutely beautiful way! <3

"Even though I was for Dosan since the beginning, I recognize he has flaws and issues."

I think his character was the one that had the most potential for not only becoming an interesting and different type of ML but also for showcasing the important message that, before you can find love, you need to love yourself first. The writing did the most disservice to his character by making him embrace his flaws, pretend his problems away, and have him solely focus on his love for Dal Mi. Honestly, I didn't like how the romance was constructed at all and I wished more thought had been given to the message they ended up putting out there. "Fake it till you make it" only corresponds to careers, not to one's own sense of self. You can only wear a mask for so long before you start to hate yourself.

In that regard, I think Do San got a band-aid treatment to the gaping wound that was his inner, self-esteem problems.

"I think the drama would have benefitted so much more if they completely scratched the love triangle and made HJP a true friend and mentor."

I agree with this. Or at the very least, they should've put the triangle to rest sooner. Allowing all the characters involved to step out of the romantic plot and into a role outside of who they are pinning for. I think having HJP make amends with not getting the girl and instead move into a friendship with both SDM and NDS would've elevated the show.

"I also wish they had given a reconciliation between Dalmi and Injae so much earlier in the drama."

The drama certainly lost out in tapping into the potential for an epic sismance. It's bad enough that we get so many dramas where there's either not even a second female lead (instead we get an FL surrounded by guys) or an antagonistic till the end type of second female Lead (my least favorite). So this show could've stood out by emphasizing the sister's love and reforging her bond, rather than focusing on so many lovey-dovey moments (most of which felt unearned).

"Ultimately the drama had flaws and sometimes the long episodes felt like a slog, but it was entertaining and had some genuine moments I really liked."

Totally agree. :)

Given how much people love HJP, it would ne smat to milk that via a mini series, tbh.

Where do we signed? Heck, I'd be satisfied if we at least got an special episode of just that :).

So we have finally reached the end and I'd be lying if I said the ending was satisfying. However, I'd also be lying if I claimed it was downright unsalvagable or disappointing. I think the ending was okay. Could it have been better? Certainly. But honestly, it could've also been way worst.

Perhaps the most problematic aspect here is not that Dal Mi decided to stay with Do San. Instead, the problem is how they got together (through a lie that was never properly dealt with), why they got together (Do San was still so focused on filling in the shoes of Dal Mi's first love --that's made clear when he refused to return the letters-- that we never got to see him really embrace his own identity, or even find it to begin with!) and what they aspire to be (wanting to be someone's trophy should never be a life goal!).

While the construction of the romance was problematic, the absence of consequences and the minimization of mistakes are marks of bad writing. Why have characters face problems if the writer will keep them safe from the consequences via cop-outs, plot armor, and/or having those consequences happen off-screen? Characters are supposed to face problems and make mistakes so they can learn, adapt, and grow.

Out of all the characters, Do San faced the most problems but had the least growth. The very fact that his identity crisis was never fully addressed and dealt with is perhaps the biggest disservice his character got.

I think the best thing this drama did was to showcase some beautiful family moments. It also gave us some beautifully written characters we got to enjoy whenever they stepped on-screen (Han Ji Pyeong, Grandma, and, to a lesser extent because she had little screentime, In Jae). I also absolutely enjoyed comparing and contrasting Do San with Ji Pyeong --not to see who was better, but to see how similar they were despite their differences. I hoped they would've established some sort of friendship after the halfway mark, but Do San never matured enough to make it happen.

I also think In Jae's reason for only waiting until now (Episode 16) to meet Grandma was beautiful. Too bad it happened so late, as I'm sure I'm not alone in wishing we'd get to see more bonding moments between those two.

Last but not least let's talk about Ji Pyeon and his ending. I was expecting something really sad with him because I read some of the comments before watching the last episode. I braced for the worst but was pleasantly surprised at his ending.

Yes, I agree that forcing him into the group via a semi-cop-out (his company wanting to invest in Dal Mi's) was not well executed. However, we got to see not only a sweet moment with Grandma basically saying that they are family (I wished she's come out and called him son, though), but then we get that scene with him investing in a GREAT cause. WHY, oh WHY did it not happen sooner?!

I would've loved to see HJP pouring some of his love and nourishment into a startup that aligned so much with his own life. One with whom he will resonate. I wanted to see him take some people under his wing, giving other orphans an opportunity similar to the one fate bestowed upon him when he met Grandma. I was so happy though that we get an open ending where we know he'll flourish and be fulfilled helping that startup change people's lives! Who knows, maybe we get a special episode with only him and that CEO?

I think Ji Pyeong encompasses and embraces the healthiest message I've seen in a K-Drama... love is selfless and kind. Love doesn't need other's acknowledgment, it just gives and expects nothing in return. And Ji Pyeong, alongside that CEO, will certainly plant a garden of nourishment and love. And for that alone, this drama is worth a watch.

My final rating: 8/10