I saw that this was described as a "Younger" adaptation when it was first announced and I can definitely see the bones of that show in some aspects of this one- our main female lead trying to restart her life after a messy divorce, her daughter who is conveniently out of the country and doesn't get in the way of romantic storylines, the job she gets at a publishing company by fudging parts of her resume (accomplishments here and age in the US original). I kind of wish the korean version had kept some other aspects (like making our second lead Dani's age and giving him more viability as a rival to LJS), but I also like how the writers have stripped away some of the more outrageous aspects of the original and added in extra layers of realism- like the small storylines that highlight the struggles of working moms and the extremely unfair expectations placed on them that working dads don't have to contend with.
This is turning out to be super adorable while also managing to avert some negative tropes. Light spoiler, but I love that he had no part in her getting hired at his company. I love that even though he doesn't like watching her do the menial tasks at work, he doesn't step in and make everyone uncomfortable by treating her differently. I also love that this noona romance doesn't feel weird. He's had a life outside of his unrequited crush (even if it never went away) and hasn't solely been obsessed with her for 20 years.
Jung Kyung Ho is amazing here. It doesn't hurt that his character is the best written and developed of the series, but JKH adds to that development by adding so many non-verbal habits to the character. Min Ho's humor is both in his witty lines and in the physical acting done by JKH (and also upped the chemistry and adorable moments between him and Soon Jung), and I was doubly impressed by how his heart disease was portrayed through physical weariness.
Do I start this, get invested, only to be once again disappointed by PSH inability to kiss her costar? Who am I kidding, I'll definitely be checking this out, I'll just cross my fingers when we get to the skinship bits ;D
seo in guk's cameo completely saved the last episode for me. Also, all the jokes about his drama titles (and the reference to Reply 1988) absolutely killed me.
OH HELL NO. are you kidding me. we're letting the freaking serial killer LIVE and get to be slightly REDEEMED even though he killed the BEST CHARACTER IN THIS ENTIRE FREAKING DRAMA. SORRY NO, WHAT THE DAMN HELL. sorry you can't pass all the bad actions off on evil spirit. At the very least he should be in jail but honestly why the hell isn't he dead? Goodbye to at least 1 full point from my final score. Soon Ae deserves so. Very. Much. Better.
(also what the hell, sun woo never fell in love with bong sun, the girl he fell for was soon ae, but the drama never, ever addressed that and sun woo acted like all the meaningful moments that built his entire relationship either never happened or weren't with soon ae-- when they all obviously were since bong sun was only capable of nodding her head or apologizing. wtf. i'm so angry for soon ae, such bs). also regardles of how pissed i am for soon ae/my ship, i DESPISE the "i must go and better myself for 2 years, see you later honey" trope that is in soooo many kdrama endings. Such lazy writing.
park bo young is amazing here though. Depending on which character she was, I loved her or was extremely annoyed by her. How she kept the two separate so well (until suddenly completely changing bong sun's personality in order to justify the ending) was truly one of the best parts of this drama. Kim Seul Gi was also wonderful, and deserves a lot of praise as well.
this is so sad. i remember discovering DF right as i first got into dramaland about 8 years ago when i was marathoning (and obsessing and crying over and just in general becoming a crazy kdrama fangirl over) Boys Over Flowers on hulu and noticed the little note "subtitles by dramafever" and made my way over to their site. they were my gateway to truly discovering the immensity of dramaland and all it had to offer.
the streaming world has been such a gift the past decade, i suppose its inevitable that the continued growth of that platform (and the $$$ it entails) will lead to such shutdowns. viki and every other legit streaming site: fighting!
Me upon seeing the title: Awe, "love and (phonetic) *you*" that's so cute! Me after clicking on the link: Wait. This isn't a Kdrama....so why did they...its not love and "you"? Me after getting farther in the article than is respectable: OH ITS LOVE AND PI I GET IT NOW
I did remember why I got annoyed with this drama in the last 2 episodes though! The whole ridiculous thing with his friend's wife and taking the blame for it IS JUST SO ANNOYING. YOU WANT TO ACTUALLY HELP YOUR WIFE WHO JUST HAD A PSYCHOTIC BREAK FOLLOWING A STRESSFUL PREGNANCY AND MISCARRIAGE, MAYBE GET HER SOME TREATMENT INSTEAD OF GOING TO JAIL FOR HER (also no one is going to freaking press any charges for her ripping up the painting; the gallery owner is her mom and the artist is her friend who knows the circumstances of the crazy stalker ffs)
I just rewatched this drama (and I NEVER rewatch dramas) because I remember loving the main and side couple despite the low ratings. This second time through I think I loved it even more! I absolutely hated Jong Hee the first time through and always thought of her as one of the worst points of a love triangle ever, but this time she hardly even bothered me. All the characterizations even the smallest side characters are so well done and I love how often the writers look a trope in the face and do the exact opposite. Despite some of the crazy circumstances involved in the show, the romance and the friendships just feel SO organic and that is a rarity in dramaland.
Also throughout all of episodes 15 and 16 I was just sitting there like, "Ask your mom if she remembers an officer named Han TaeJoo" and "Ask your aunt if she remembers having a mildly creepy crush on a guy with your name and future face in the 80's"
So EPIC! I restrained myself from looking anything up about the UK version but I'm going to have to watch it now, regardless of whether or not this version gets a second season--- and honestly I was not expecting one until the epilogue but if they feel like making it: BRING IT ON!!! 10/10 (I don't even remember the last time I rated a drama so highly)
Quick question: I only really watch K and TW dramas so I've got to know-- is the weird/creepy adult voiceovers for all the child actors' speaking parts a regular thing for Cdrmas or just a particularly freaky quirk of this drama???
Okay, so here are my theories on this drama, in case you were a bit confused like I was :)
I think Gu Si Ren was supposed to die when all those guys were beating him up in the beginning, but since Hero had agreed to meet him, he was there to step in and save him from dying (so that's why Gu SiRen was on the grim reaper's list). It then could be justified that Hero was originally supposed to do the same thing for Lan Xi (save her from whatever accident killed her) since he was probably supposed to be with her at the time (but was actually with Gu Si Ren). In the end, even grim reapers can't always predict the truth in someone's heart- Hero's was a mystery to himself until Gu Si Ren's diaries spelled it out for him- and that's why the list was incorrect to begin with.
--Lan Xi's role in the drama isn't what makes Hero fall in love with Gu Si Ren, Hero already felt that way, just as Gu Si Ren had been hoping. Rather, the point of Lan Xi's 7 days is to give her a chance to say goodbye to the life she thought she had. It overall kind of sucks for her, but in the end she willingly goes with the Grim Reaper, realizing that Hero's true love is actually Gu Si Ren--
(also what the hell, sun woo never fell in love with bong sun, the girl he fell for was soon ae, but the drama never, ever addressed that and sun woo acted like all the meaningful moments that built his entire relationship either never happened or weren't with soon ae-- when they all obviously were since bong sun was only capable of nodding her head or apologizing. wtf. i'm so angry for soon ae, such bs). also regardles of how pissed i am for soon ae/my ship, i DESPISE the "i must go and better myself for 2 years, see you later honey" trope that is in soooo many kdrama endings. Such lazy writing.
park bo young is amazing here though. Depending on which character she was, I loved her or was extremely annoyed by her. How she kept the two separate so well (until suddenly completely changing bong sun's personality in order to justify the ending) was truly one of the best parts of this drama. Kim Seul Gi was also wonderful, and deserves a lot of praise as well.
the streaming world has been such a gift the past decade, i suppose its inevitable that the continued growth of that platform (and the $$$ it entails) will lead to such shutdowns. viki and every other legit streaming site: fighting!
Me after clicking on the link: Wait. This isn't a Kdrama....so why did they...its not love and "you"?
Me after getting farther in the article than is respectable: OH ITS LOVE AND PI I GET IT NOW
I think Gu Si Ren was supposed to die when all those guys were beating him up in the beginning, but since Hero had agreed to meet him, he was there to step in and save him from dying (so that's why Gu SiRen was on the grim reaper's list). It then could be justified that Hero was originally supposed to do the same thing for Lan Xi (save her from whatever accident killed her) since he was probably supposed to be with her at the time (but was actually with Gu Si Ren). In the end, even grim reapers can't always predict the truth in someone's heart- Hero's was a mystery to himself until Gu Si Ren's diaries spelled it out for him- and that's why the list was incorrect to begin with.
--Lan Xi's role in the drama isn't what makes Hero fall in love with Gu Si Ren, Hero already felt that way, just as Gu Si Ren had been hoping. Rather, the point of Lan Xi's 7 days is to give her a chance to say goodbye to the life she thought she had. It overall kind of sucks for her, but in the end she willingly goes with the Grim Reaper, realizing that Hero's true love is actually Gu Si Ren--