AKH

The best friend pair are kind of the most engaging part of the drama to me! Found the episodes in the middle were really dragging with the main pair but I kept watching to see how the second couple would progress.

Can't tell why this feels like a slog when I'm personally quite happy watching s tropey romcom and wasn't looking for anything astonishing out of a drama like this. I think I cannot feel... at all... why the ML and FL actually like eachother.

Yeah while I really liked the setup for this drama, and the first half of the episodes- overall I'd say I don't really like how we untangled everything in the finale episode, don't really love how the plot arcs unfolded. The whole- he lies to her for 10 episodes, she finds out and tells him to go away, then stumbles across information where she learns about his motivations and suddenly she feels like he's absolved and she wants him back. Very easy , rushed and tropey. Wish they spent way less time on the false relationship and way more time watching them actually healthily rebuild a relationship despite their complex past and her own grief.

Aside from that, a tiny gripe- feels kind hard for me to buy that the Dr ladytook such an attitude with Chan in past episodes considering she had been *actively cheating with Haran's boyfriend AND it turns out knew the whole time that that cheating boyfriend actually asked Chan to talk to Haran on his behalf while away on a romantic trip with her*. And then years later with all the hindsight of a grown woman she not only lashes out at him when he has questions for her but actively lies that he caused an explosion that caused a man's death...? Huh? Even in the flash backs she acts like an actual normal person, saying they're the guilty ones and hyeokchan needs to come clean to his girlfriend.

My one small issue with this drama is I feel like i don't care at all about the second couple- I mean the FLs friend is nice and all but there's absolute no chemistry (or even plot) surrounding them as a second couple i basically zone out for the few minutes they have of screentime per episode

I'm actually annoyed that they're only leaving two episodes to sort out all the lies because I'm really doubting they will be able to give it the same justice they would if she had found out many episodes ago. I think it's much more interesting to see Haran overcoming her grief while developing a real relationship with someone she actually knows is tied up in that event (how complicated that would be but slowly and steadily they would heal together). We essentially watched an entire drama of the ML building a relationship with her under completely false pretenses.

I honestly think it would have made a much more interesting arc to see them to develop their relationship / deepen their relationship after the big reveal of who he is to her, and wish more of the drama time was dedicated to that. I don't see any point in watching them be happy right now when it's built on deception on the MLs side and we're just going to see Haran experience yet another traumatic / devestating thing in her life. The setback she will experience finding out the one person she finally opened her heart to after closing it off due to deep seated trauma was lying to her seems like it would be huge so I hope the drama dedicates enough space to them rebuilding after that... I wish the whole reveal would have happened sooner to be honest because I think it would be more satisfactory to see her truly healing (rather than just being built up for another fall).

I don't know how I missed this drama last year- enjoying it as a nice feel-good binge watch alongside waiting for the much more dramatic pursuit of jade. I liked watching the relationship between these two scheming main characters develop.

They're so warm and sweet with eachother-- I really want to fast forward to their happy ending without our FL being hurt when she finds out the truth about his past!

Seperately to that though, I'm struggling to understand why our ML hasn't revealed himself to her + tried to keep her with him and under protection of his soldiers. She's basically being hunted by his enemies for being the Marquis' wife, she should at least know that herself. Also him leaving that town with no protection didn't seem like the smartest move considering he knows both of those evil brothers know her.

Okay so the last time I cried at a historical cdrama was Love Like The Galaxy - I can't believe this one has me crying and we're only at episode 19. The FL actress is doing an amazing job

Guys I was so worried he was going to leave pretending to be calm and dignified. I'm so glad he had a crashout , asked her to go with him / wait for him-- it definitely feels right for the character, he's a possessive warlord afterall. (Her lashing out at him with a knife to his neck also felt in character- one thing about this FL is she is kind and straightforward but she doesn't accept anyone doing her wrong.)

I've realised a large part of my declining enjoyment of this drama is coming from the FL's acting.... unfortunately. I've never been one of those people over critical of kdrama actors or actresses - in fact sometimes comments on a drama I'm watching comments are all dissing the actress when I thought she was fine.

I just think here scenes aren't hitting and we aren't getting as much emotional pay off because the actress isn't pulling off depth or complex emotion- she felt really blank and one note after their airport reunion. In the first half of the drama I could buy it as her just not being emotionally invested in either the ML or the SML and feeling somewhat numb about the day-to-day stuff because she was grieving but as the drama has gone on and we're supposed to be getting pay off to the emotional arcs I just think it's not there. The writing / directing might be contributing too, I feel like we've seen our ML learn about himself and his relationship to the idea of "family", go through emotional things and come out the other side having clearly grown etc whereas our FL the internal thought processes and emotions just aren't coming through.

I need one of those character relationship maps that tell me who all these people are to eachother (including whether they're allies cause I can't keep track)

NGL, I'm enjoying the fact this ML is kinda... crazy for our FL in a borderline toxic way meanwhile she's still on a journey to trust him. Don't usually like an overly nice/ perfect ML and love a slow-burn that feels earned!

I'm in! It's shot beautifully - this FL is stunning and her characterisation is really likeable, physically strong because of her father but emotionally soft because she grew up a cherished daughter and so far I'm liking the progression of the plot. The no hesitation cheek kisses from both of them to prove a point already shows why they're well suited as a couple.

Between the writing and the FL's acting.... this drama has turned out to be such a disappointment.

Can't think of anyone in this whole drama aside from our main couple (and I guess her parents) that are remotely likable

Just binged all four episodes, so far this is my fav kdrama in a long time. I really hope they're able to stick the landing.

Am I wrong that as a woman you can pretty much feel instinctually who you're romantically interested in out of two parties? I can't suspend disbelief while watching her stumble along cluelessly while making the ML just wait for her in this ambiguous space. Everyone is owed better. Actually the SML isn't owed anything, frankly it's so inappropriate that he's hitting on her at all while she's similtaneously in the running for a permanent position as his company.

I usually love the trope of people falling for eachother while taking care of a baby (I know it's not the same thing but even though it's a sitcom Welcome to Waikiki had such cute romantic arcs) and there's plenty of character growth and romance that can happen there- alongside them battling grief and the ML uncovering what happened in his own past would have been enough of a drama they didn't need to include the love triangle.

Him jokingly handing her the stick for "self defense" on their wedding night because he can tell she doesn't trust him yet -- and the way it made her smile and relax a bit -- so cute I melted!