Call It Cringe, I Call It Peak K-Drama
As I read through several reviews of this drama, I can’t help but feel a bit unfortunate. I don’t know if most of these people watched it only after 2020, but for those of us who saw it around 2013, this was peak drama. Not because the storyline was groundbreaking or the acting flawless, but because it carried that unique charm old K-dramas had. The music was overly dramatic (but honestly, lit), the plot was ridiculous at times, and yet… this drama is iconic no matter what.
Almost every main actor in this drama has become a top star today, which makes looking back even more special. The story itself, in its entirety, fit perfectly with the era it came from. Maybe I enjoyed it more because I wasn’t nitpicking every detail, I just let myself dive into the romance, the unexpected twists, the simple flow, and of course, the dramatic entry of the OST. This drama, together with those romantic Wattpad novels we devoured back then, really shaped our childhood.
I don’t know about y’all, but I loved those “I will fight for you” moments. I had no issue with the acting , they were great, and the visuals? Even better. The only problem is that it completely ruined Lee Min Ho for me in a way, because I just can’t see him as anything other than a rich man’s son anymore. This role basically defined his aura in all his following projects. Still, I appreciated how the story highlighted the significance of social hierarchy in Korea.
What I wasn’t satisfied with was the ending. The female lead was strong enough to stand up for her mother and for herself, but with that unsatisfying conclusion, it felt like she’d just be swallowed up. If K-dramas had been doing second seasons back then, maybe this one could’ve gotten a better ending and a stronger response.
For me, this is a one-time watch drama. It’s not the kind you casually rewatch for comfort; it’s too dramatic for that. But back when I first watched it, I was deeply invested. And honestly, I can say that for me, the very definition of romantic K-drama started with this one.
Almost every main actor in this drama has become a top star today, which makes looking back even more special. The story itself, in its entirety, fit perfectly with the era it came from. Maybe I enjoyed it more because I wasn’t nitpicking every detail, I just let myself dive into the romance, the unexpected twists, the simple flow, and of course, the dramatic entry of the OST. This drama, together with those romantic Wattpad novels we devoured back then, really shaped our childhood.
I don’t know about y’all, but I loved those “I will fight for you” moments. I had no issue with the acting , they were great, and the visuals? Even better. The only problem is that it completely ruined Lee Min Ho for me in a way, because I just can’t see him as anything other than a rich man’s son anymore. This role basically defined his aura in all his following projects. Still, I appreciated how the story highlighted the significance of social hierarchy in Korea.
What I wasn’t satisfied with was the ending. The female lead was strong enough to stand up for her mother and for herself, but with that unsatisfying conclusion, it felt like she’d just be swallowed up. If K-dramas had been doing second seasons back then, maybe this one could’ve gotten a better ending and a stronger response.
For me, this is a one-time watch drama. It’s not the kind you casually rewatch for comfort; it’s too dramatic for that. But back when I first watched it, I was deeply invested. And honestly, I can say that for me, the very definition of romantic K-drama started with this one.
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