This review may contain spoilers
Nothing says ‘romance’ like ignoring your whole survival plan because of a pretty comic book boy
A girl rewrites her destiny inside a comic book world where every heartbeat might be her last.
Disclaimer: This review is 100% my opinion — I’m not here to hate, just to share my thoughts! Also, SPOILERS AHEAD, so proceed with caution if you haven’t watched yet. Watch it, come back and let’s see if you agree. Let’s keep the discussion respectful and fun! 💕
The Good
A One-of-a-Kind Concept
The idea of high schoolers being trapped in a comic book and forced to say whatever the writer scripts? Absolute brilliance. Dan Oh discovering she’s not even the lead, but an extra with a tragic storyline and pre-scheduled death? Deliciously heartbreaking.
Kept the Momentum Without Dragging
Some viewers felt the middle episodes dipped, but I didn’t. Every new twist: Haru’s memory loss, more characters waking up, the previous story, added layers without slowing the pace.
She Chose Peace (And the Right Man)
Dan Oh not ending up with Kyung outside the stage storyline? That was the real reward. His redemption arc might’ve added nuance, but it didn’t erase the disrespect he dished out earlier. Even with his self-awareness, Kyung still reeked of long-term toxicity. So thank you, Dan Oh, for choosing Haru. Soft boy supremacy lives on.
The Bad
So Many Questions, Zero Answers
This drama dropped a truckload of questions and then backed away like it hadn’t. Haru changed the story… how? Who’s the writer pulling the strings? Why does the shadow even exist? Shouldn’t the characters just vanish until their next scene? And what exactly is the portal? Why was Kyung’s brother self-aware for all of five minutes, adding absolutely nothing? Why was the Squid Fairy basically the Comic Universe Wiki? These weren’t small plotholes, they were gaping wormholes. Instead of telling us, we got Haru and Dan Oh doing sad couple laps around the shadow dimension while the script was begging for answers.
Girl, You Had a Mission And Then You Saw a Jawline
Dan Oh came in swinging: determined to survive, rewrite her destiny, and reclaim control. But as soon as Haru entered frame, survival took a backseat and her only mission was to hang out with him. She had tunnel vision for a guy who, frankly, kept glitching in and out of existence. She went from “I’m rewriting my destiny” to “If I die, I die — as long as we hold hands in the forest.” Girl what?
Haru: Pretty, Powerful, but a Whole Blank Page
One question still drives me nuts: Who was Haru really? Because if you look closely, he didn’t exist outside of Dan Oh. Every scene? He’s either staring at her, thinking about her, talking to her or taking her away from Kyung. That’s it. No backstory, no parents, no hobbies, not even a room to sleep in, apparently.
I know, he started as an unnamed extra, but once he became a “real” character with a name and a bit of plot impact, you’d think we’d get something. He literally bent the rules of the comic world but had zero depth outside of “I like Dan Oh.”
The Squid Fairy Knew Too Much… and Told Too Little
How did the dried seafood mascot know everything? He was suspiciously informed for an extra. He knew the previous comic, the current comic, all the rules, the risks, pretty much everything. And yet, we never found out how. He was an extra in the past story and an extra here. So how does he get all the spoilers?
That Past Comic Was Just… There
Let’s be real, the Trumpet Creeper storyline was more confusing than helpful. It gave us a hint about Squid Fairy’s backstory and vaguely justified Haru’s attachment to Dan Oh, but as for actual relevance? Not much. Kyung digging through it like he was about to crack the Da Vinci Code only to… not crack anything was pointless. History repeating itself didn’t even deliver tension because, spoiler, Dan Oh survives anyway. It felt like a setup with no satisfying payoff. Like the show whispered, “This is deep,” and then walked away without explaining anything.
The Writer Was the Real Villain (and Also Lowkey Lazy)
I needed the author to show up in the final scenes with some dramatic flourish, or at least a post-it note of explanation. Instead, we’re left guessing: were these changes driven by character chaos, or did the writer just decide to pivot mid-story? Duh, it was the latter. The whole idea that Haru was “disrupting” the story makes zero sense. You’re fictional. The writer is just hitting backspace and rewriting you. That’s it. He got deleted because he was an extra who outlived his purpose. That’s not defiance, that’s editing.
Justice for Do Hwa—The Real MVP
Joo Da choosing Nam Joo over Do Hwa will forever baffle me. The scene that did it for me was when everyone bullied her about her old shoes so Do Hwa got her new ones. Nam Joo? A doll. Sir, she needed dignity, not decor. Joo Da claiming Nam Joo needed her in the shadow was confusing since he wouldn’t remember it anyway. What exactly were they preserving? Once she became self-aware, Nam Joo offered vibes at best and bare-minimum effort at worst. The fact that she chose the chaotic cardboard lead over someone who actually supported her? It’s giving True Beauty all over again.
Final Thoughts
In the end, I can only sum this review up with one thing: “?”. This show had an excellent premise and a solid A+ for originality, but it felt like they didn’t really know what to do with all that originality once they had it. Fresh ideas like this need actual explanations, but instead they used a brilliant plot to stage what turned into a half-hearted high school romance.
There was so much potential in the world they created, and it feels like they skimmed the surface instead of diving in. If you’re going to invent a layered, reality-bending setup, you need to stick the landing. Preferably with clear answers and characters who are more than just walking plot tools with romantic side quests.
In the end, the original concept carried the entire show… but it needed far fewer tears, way more answers, and maybe just a little less “I’d rather die than not date my shadow boyfriend.”
~~~
I always see this drama recommended, so what did you think? I was actually pleasantly surprised because I did think that by episode 16, I’d be bored out of my mind.
I cover more topics elsewhere so let me know if you want the full review (+What I Would Do!)
Disclaimer: This review is 100% my opinion — I’m not here to hate, just to share my thoughts! Also, SPOILERS AHEAD, so proceed with caution if you haven’t watched yet. Watch it, come back and let’s see if you agree. Let’s keep the discussion respectful and fun! 💕
The Good
A One-of-a-Kind Concept
The idea of high schoolers being trapped in a comic book and forced to say whatever the writer scripts? Absolute brilliance. Dan Oh discovering she’s not even the lead, but an extra with a tragic storyline and pre-scheduled death? Deliciously heartbreaking.
Kept the Momentum Without Dragging
Some viewers felt the middle episodes dipped, but I didn’t. Every new twist: Haru’s memory loss, more characters waking up, the previous story, added layers without slowing the pace.
She Chose Peace (And the Right Man)
Dan Oh not ending up with Kyung outside the stage storyline? That was the real reward. His redemption arc might’ve added nuance, but it didn’t erase the disrespect he dished out earlier. Even with his self-awareness, Kyung still reeked of long-term toxicity. So thank you, Dan Oh, for choosing Haru. Soft boy supremacy lives on.
The Bad
So Many Questions, Zero Answers
This drama dropped a truckload of questions and then backed away like it hadn’t. Haru changed the story… how? Who’s the writer pulling the strings? Why does the shadow even exist? Shouldn’t the characters just vanish until their next scene? And what exactly is the portal? Why was Kyung’s brother self-aware for all of five minutes, adding absolutely nothing? Why was the Squid Fairy basically the Comic Universe Wiki? These weren’t small plotholes, they were gaping wormholes. Instead of telling us, we got Haru and Dan Oh doing sad couple laps around the shadow dimension while the script was begging for answers.
Girl, You Had a Mission And Then You Saw a Jawline
Dan Oh came in swinging: determined to survive, rewrite her destiny, and reclaim control. But as soon as Haru entered frame, survival took a backseat and her only mission was to hang out with him. She had tunnel vision for a guy who, frankly, kept glitching in and out of existence. She went from “I’m rewriting my destiny” to “If I die, I die — as long as we hold hands in the forest.” Girl what?
Haru: Pretty, Powerful, but a Whole Blank Page
One question still drives me nuts: Who was Haru really? Because if you look closely, he didn’t exist outside of Dan Oh. Every scene? He’s either staring at her, thinking about her, talking to her or taking her away from Kyung. That’s it. No backstory, no parents, no hobbies, not even a room to sleep in, apparently.
I know, he started as an unnamed extra, but once he became a “real” character with a name and a bit of plot impact, you’d think we’d get something. He literally bent the rules of the comic world but had zero depth outside of “I like Dan Oh.”
The Squid Fairy Knew Too Much… and Told Too Little
How did the dried seafood mascot know everything? He was suspiciously informed for an extra. He knew the previous comic, the current comic, all the rules, the risks, pretty much everything. And yet, we never found out how. He was an extra in the past story and an extra here. So how does he get all the spoilers?
That Past Comic Was Just… There
Let’s be real, the Trumpet Creeper storyline was more confusing than helpful. It gave us a hint about Squid Fairy’s backstory and vaguely justified Haru’s attachment to Dan Oh, but as for actual relevance? Not much. Kyung digging through it like he was about to crack the Da Vinci Code only to… not crack anything was pointless. History repeating itself didn’t even deliver tension because, spoiler, Dan Oh survives anyway. It felt like a setup with no satisfying payoff. Like the show whispered, “This is deep,” and then walked away without explaining anything.
The Writer Was the Real Villain (and Also Lowkey Lazy)
I needed the author to show up in the final scenes with some dramatic flourish, or at least a post-it note of explanation. Instead, we’re left guessing: were these changes driven by character chaos, or did the writer just decide to pivot mid-story? Duh, it was the latter. The whole idea that Haru was “disrupting” the story makes zero sense. You’re fictional. The writer is just hitting backspace and rewriting you. That’s it. He got deleted because he was an extra who outlived his purpose. That’s not defiance, that’s editing.
Justice for Do Hwa—The Real MVP
Joo Da choosing Nam Joo over Do Hwa will forever baffle me. The scene that did it for me was when everyone bullied her about her old shoes so Do Hwa got her new ones. Nam Joo? A doll. Sir, she needed dignity, not decor. Joo Da claiming Nam Joo needed her in the shadow was confusing since he wouldn’t remember it anyway. What exactly were they preserving? Once she became self-aware, Nam Joo offered vibes at best and bare-minimum effort at worst. The fact that she chose the chaotic cardboard lead over someone who actually supported her? It’s giving True Beauty all over again.
Final Thoughts
In the end, I can only sum this review up with one thing: “?”. This show had an excellent premise and a solid A+ for originality, but it felt like they didn’t really know what to do with all that originality once they had it. Fresh ideas like this need actual explanations, but instead they used a brilliant plot to stage what turned into a half-hearted high school romance.
There was so much potential in the world they created, and it feels like they skimmed the surface instead of diving in. If you’re going to invent a layered, reality-bending setup, you need to stick the landing. Preferably with clear answers and characters who are more than just walking plot tools with romantic side quests.
In the end, the original concept carried the entire show… but it needed far fewer tears, way more answers, and maybe just a little less “I’d rather die than not date my shadow boyfriend.”
~~~
I always see this drama recommended, so what did you think? I was actually pleasantly surprised because I did think that by episode 16, I’d be bored out of my mind.
I cover more topics elsewhere so let me know if you want the full review (+What I Would Do!)
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