Eleison

I also just like to do things the legal way, if possible. I have no scruples about watching a drama on an illegal site if the show can't be accessed legally on any platform in my country (I tried it once, but it just wasn't a relaxing experience). I admit it is getting annoying how many platforms there are now that things are released on, and I get there's lots of bureaucracy and red tape. It is what it is. So, I just plan things out strategically (like watch something with a free trial 😅) or wait it out (several dramas I couldn't watch for a long while finally came to Viki or Netflix), so I'm usually rewarded for my pains. Still waiting on City Hunter, Six Flying Dragons, and 18 Again since nowhere in the U.S. can I access these legally yet (as far as I know). I know, I'm an anomaly, and admittedly kind of a square peg by having this mindset. 🙃

Oh yes, I pay for it, like Netflix. :)

I liked that Se Hyeok was left to take care of Yoo Ra when she walked in saying she was pregnant with his baby; but of course, by then he was over her. 🤣 Sweet justice. Whelp, he wanted her, now he can have her. She came to him when she hit rock bottom (and he was who she went to when she hit rock bottom...ouch).

Final verdict (didn't realize until Episode 11 that Episode 12 was the final episode 🤣): this was fun! I thought the ending was sweet and satisfying and...

Between Rakuten Viki and Netflix I can watch almost every drama I look for, though there are a few exceptions. I don't like the sketchier streaming sites like kissasian and dramacool because the ads drive me nuts.

😂😂😂

Hmmm... do you like the over-the-top dramas that are fun and particularly unrealistic? My Father Is Strange was quite good (it's about 50 episodes and many characters are not likeable at first but they really improve and the end is just great), but I haven't seen a lot of makjangs because they're not usually my thing. What type of dramas do you like? It might give me a better idea of what to recommend. :)

I also thought it got WAY better in Episode 2. Episode 1 was such a random episode, haha. And some stuff just made no sense. 😄

I think people enjoyed this because they could watch a throwback makjang without having to sit through 50+ hrs? This is unusually short for a makjang/family drama, from what I understand? And it doesn't take 3/4s of the drama for you to like characters (that's how long it took me for many of the characters to grow on me in My Father Is Strange 😂). This one is watchable by those of us who can't usually stomach makjangs. 😏

I think that's typical of makjangs, though? 😉

Have you seen The K2? Another Kdrama that's pretty over-the-top but also just fun and entertaining to watch. It's not a story that could happen in any world we live in (like this drama), but it's an enjoyable ride. Has more action than this one but a similar feel. Like junk food that you know is not the best quality, but you just love it because it's comfort food. 😏

Sung Hoon really has the smolder expression down pat, and so many of the over-the-top parts made me giggle. So entertaining! It has been very aptly described as a drama that knows it's dramatic and unrealistic and is just fully embracing its ridiculous plot. 1st Episode was wobbly for me but things got much better in Episode 2.

I'm in Episode 11 and wondering who the villain will be now that the evil step mother has been done away with... ? 🤔 Obviously need to finish, but my impressions so far.

Keep watching. :) It ends well!

Those are some good ones to start with! :) And yes, it's interesting to see how those in Korea respond versus Koreans not in Korea, then Asians in general, and then just people completely unrelated to Korea who get into the content. Definitely seems like some dramas explode with foreign audiences but don't always do well domestically (even though the webtoons many dramas are based off of are usually for domestic audiences, I think? Which is interesting). Though Kdramas seem to do better with western audiences than Jdramas (which I, for one, have not been able to get into, haha; also, the relationship values and morality of Japan is hard for me to relate to). Netflix is doing different stuff with Kdramas and experimenting to cater to western audiences and I'm not a huge fan. I watch Kdramas cause I like that they're NOT like the stuff western media is churning out, haha. I watch almost nothing else on Netflix because I think most of it is... how do I say this nicely?... very mediocre, lewd or just plain bad. Haha, anyway, enjoy!

Yeah, figuring out who the ML was definitely a bit of a task! I was trying to think of a drama I'd seen that teased who the ML was in this way and I couldn't really think of one; it's kind of different, and I realized that some viewers (like you) might find that frustrating. And I get it, haha. Definitely tried to increase everyone's suspense! I also went off of the placing of CJH and CHY in the cast list and that helped steady my suspicions. Also, this comment section was doing all it could to answer the "Who is Ki Ho?" question from the get-up so for those of us reading this while it was airing, it was impossible to miss the hints. 😂 But they were very subtle; they tried to make it difficult to tell!

I would check out this screenwriter's other dramas and see if any look familiar; if you liked them, then you will like this one, as the feel is very similar, and the writer is consistent. I didn't want the FL with the SML, but again, everyone has their preference. You could start it and see what you think, but romance doesn't really pick up until Episode 7.

There is romance, but it's not heavy. I'd say the friendship of the ML and FL is half the emphasis of the plot, but romance is about 1/3 of the emphasis. So it shows them being close friends more than it shows them being overtly romantic. There is a good kiss in Episode 11. :) Some people don't think they had romantic chemistry, but I disagree. 🤷‍♀️ My two cents. :)

Oh, my post was about the male leads. :) But yeah, that's why I wasn't a huge fan of Suspicious Partner. The FL (love the actress) was not my favorite the way she was written.

I usually do, too. :)

First rule of a Kdrama ML is they are pure and inexperienced in love OR they have become reformed at some point for some reason. They vary in personality: clumsy, kindhearted doormat to cold, stand offish, misunderstood jerk, etc., but this purity is standard. That's why I said these men don't exist in real life in my last post to you. :) If you keep watching Kdramas, you'll see. This is just the stereotype, and you will probably continue to get frustrated if you will expect the men to be different. Also, there are love triangles in 90% of romantic Kdramas. If you stick to non-romance genres of Kdramas, you will probably enjoy the way men are written a bit more (just a hunch, I could be wrong!). More of those non-romance dramas are also written by men. :)

I gave this analogy to another user who was frustrated with their experience of 'the formula' in Kdrama: if you eat the same candy that's wrapped differently each time, expecting the candy to taste different, sadly, it will still taste the same.