Eleison

I saw this drama as a hopeful take on AI, in the sense that it follows the path of some old sci-fi that confirms AI is not nefarious, but PEOPLE can be. Holo highlights people's greatest weaknesses (whether that's exposing their loneliness, revealing their greed, ambition, fears of connection, insecurities, etc.). The drama does conclude the world wasn't ready for Holo, and I think that's interesting social commentary.

I also saw the difference between what the FL experienced and the concept of "dating AI" that we're hearing about today being that, unlike people in these situations who are escaping their pain and loneliness and not pushing for real healing, Holo helped the FL face this pain instead of escape it (and she had the integrity to realize this tendency in herself, as she noticed it didn't TRULY give her what she wanted, deep down). Also, the FL had people around her (including Holo) who pushed her to face her insecurities and fear of being abandoned or rejected because she was different and seek actual connection she was craving with REAL people, people who would be there with her and for her through all the up and downs (the ML had to learn this, too, in his own way).

Haha, then you're probably tired of Kdramas.😉 Probably over 90% of the romances have love triangles. They're here to stay. 😅

Yeah, insistence from an unwilling party is tricky. I think in rom-coms and novels you can get away with one party repeating their advances to the other who's unwilling (it's usually done in comedies, for the humorous effect) and it works, but in real life I don't think it does, for the most part.

For two reasons: 1) If a person says no, you should respect their no. 2) If a person says no, they should mean it, and not say no to play games and act "hard to get" (that's disingenuous and leading someone on).

Maybe guys get this idea from rom-coms that girls that say no are playing with them and don't REALLY mean it (kind of like what Pride and Prejudice makes fun of when Mr. Collins can't take Lizzy's "no" as an answer), or maybe it's because they can't imagine someone not liking them (achem, Mr. Collins), but I've come across several guys who pushed back on my "no" and ticked the heck out of me because they saw it as being romantic and "persistent."

If a guy can completely keep the boundaries a girl has set up after saying no to him, then I think it's fine. This is why making sure it's crystal clear where each person is coming from is so important. Are they uninterested? Just hesitant because they're new to all this? Shy? Scared? The reasons matter, and how someone responds to them is an important way to respect their dignity.

Yes, being honest is always the best policy! 😉

The more PR Kdrama version of "what else is there?" is "I love you just because you're you." I also think that's lame--like really, you have no reasons at all? 😅

Not gonna lie, though, this response gives me flashbacks of the 90's Swan Princess when the prince, Derek, and princess, Odette, start romancing each other and Derek says:

"You're beautiful! You're all I've ever wanted!"

Odette, suspicious of this surface-level declaration of love, says, "And?... What else?"

He echoes, confused, "What else?"

Concerned, and not letting him off the hook, Odette leans in, "Is beauty all that matters to you?"

There's an awkward pause, and Derek, stumbling for what to say to that (as he has nothing), eeks out, "I, uh... w-what else IS there?"

Oh, the cringe! 😅 I think I internalized right there and then as a child watching that that a man who says he loves you (in this case kisses you) because you're beautiful is... not a good answer. 😉

Makes the product placement stand out! 😅

I think they meant 2FL?

Ooh, that one's on Viki. Maybe I'll check it out instead!

So, the king dies at the end?

Anyone know where can this be accessed in the U.S.?

Fun and cute! Pretty basic plot and reveals, but with great dynamics between the team (Korea DOES do funny so well; it took me a while to get into the humor when I started watching Korean stuff years ago, but now I find it hilarious.). A fun watch, with a lot of actors you'll recognize if you watch a lot of Kdramas.

My friends and I used to joke that the BBC uses all the same actors for their shows, and so we'd all say that they got actors from the "BBC Manor House." Maybe we can say the "Kdrama Hanok House" for Korean actors because once you've seen the "Hanok House" roster, you'll basically recognize anyone in a drama (and maybe movie?). 😅

But it's on iQiyi 😭😭😭

So true! 😅

The synopsis gives me major "Meet Yourself" vibes, complete with a big tourist brochure to another region of China. 😅

Does it feel "Meet Yourself"-esque for those who have seen it? Cause I loved that drama. 🥰

P.S. Also, an 8 episode Cdrama?! On what planet? 😅 The shortest thing I've seen was 15 episodes, but 8 is concise, haha.

There are so few romance dramas without it (the noble idiocy trope) in some form, though. 🤷‍♀️ It's a Kdrama romance staple at this point. 😅

This does make it feel more "western," as another viewer described this show as.

I kind of dislike the western way first kisses are often done, though, which is fly at each other like wild animals and kiss madly because of some intangible spark/chemistry even though you barely know each other (instinct is definitely another good way of describing this). Most think that makes it "adult" but I usually think that makes it actually feel more superficial (the fact that it's compared to a drunk kiss...). But it also largely depends on how they deal with the aftermath. 🤷‍♀️

This is a very interesting observation. I'm curious, too!

Wow, that is considerably more thoughtful than I would have expected something like this to be! 😅

😅

I loved it, too!