Eleison

Yeah, the gripe I can't abide is when people say a drama is "poorly written" when it's just the genre or actors they don't like but they make it about the writing. One of my pet peeves. 🤨

Yeah, I felt like there were more as well! 😅

So, it looks like I should not bother with this after finishing season 1? Such a bummer, I'm at Episode 21 of FP and the leads are still not even close to being together. This is when those second season attempts often fall flat. Gotta do it all in one go or not at all or you risk making a second season flop. *sigh*

Huh, but a lot of actors take breaks? And he clearly wanted to mix things up as this is quite different from his other projects, even Romance Is A Bonus Book.

I don't think any historical societies in the west or east had strong equality ethics between the sexes as a general rule. There were only degrees of difference (some better, others worse) in how women were treated/seen.

They're open to it only in the costume dramas, not the modern dramas. That's why I prefer the costume dramas. 😉

If I'm pretty confident it's going to remain solid and/or not have a crummy/sad ending, I sometimes prefer watching it as it airs so I can't binge it. 😅 And it's gives me something to look forward to each week!

Why are people calling this his comeback drama? He did Big Mouth and Decibel (a movie) after returning from the military already. He's already been back at it, just not doing as many projects as before his military time?

The Beauty Inside! And what else? I know I've seen a few, but can't think of their names.

@IamKalai, He's doing fine in this; he's playing a colder character, so that's why he's toned down. *sigh* Seriously, don't get all the negativity about him. 🤔

Highly recommend (though just know it's a noona romance; I love the screenwriter for it)! And While You Were Sleeping (same screenwriter as I Hear Your Voice); he's a dork in that. 😅

It is interesting that he hasn't, honestly. So many ML roles are/have been chaebols, so it's actually incredible he's been in so dramas and never played one--I've never thought of that before!

Yes, my limited exposure has shown those genres to be more realistic. I loved Reset.

First of all, I've been so puzzled, because basically all the moments where the FL was in need and up against an awful situation (and she's had a boatload of terrible fortune and mistreatment), I realized I was waiting for the ML to swoop in and save her (you know, like in all the other dramas that exist).

In A Dream Of Splendor, they opt for the way less traveled by having both characters take turns saving each other, but in this drama when that moment came? The ML is almost always... nowhere to be seen OR he watches without intervening at all. 😅

It kind of annoyed me ("What the heck is going on with this guy?"), and then I realized it's because he is allowing her the dignity of figuring it out herself, and trusting her. The only times he helps/saves her (so far) are when they'd discussed beforehand that he would (and they struck a deal). It feels a little cruel at first, because friends should support and help one another, but he IS supporting her, just not in a way that diminishes or mistrusts her skills and capabilities. He's ready and waiting to help if she asks, but also isn't just in the business of pouring kindness on her out of pity. He deeply admires her. He lets her fight for every inch of what she gets so it becomes HERS because he truly believes she can and should.

Even the times when it seemed like he was penny-pinching with her, I'm beginning to think two things are actually happening in these scenes. 1) He is trolling her 90% of the time (the scenes with his old teacher made this more obvious, but I also think the FL has not honestly completely figured that out, either, until the fake dagger 😅; the ML is honestly Scarlet Pimpernel-esque in his masquerading as someone he's not while doing good in the shadows), and 2) I actually think he's doing that to preserve her dignity by wheeling and dealing with her like he would with any fellow man (instead of taking pity on her for being a "helpless women"; he's respecting her intelligence!). This is new territory for an ML in a drama. I was already pleased with the ML in A Dream Of Splendor. This is even more surprising (in a good way). I like it.

P.S. I was also annoyed at how long it was taking for the FL to trust the ML, but I actually like it now. She has been burned by a lot of men, and it makes sense she would only extend her trust to him after much time has passed where his virtue is undeniably apparent.

In some ways this reminds me of A Dream Of Splendor, but as I watch further (currently on Episode 15), I'm noticing some unique qualities of this ML and his dynamic with the FL:

I didn't that one well either. The end just kind of got boring, but I thought he acted well in it. He always does well in everything I've seen him in.

See, I haven't tackled HP yet because I don't want to self-diagnose as I watch. Resident Playlist I can do because I'm not currently pregnant nor will be in the near future, and stuff like Dr. Romantic and Trauma Code are primarily in ER with trauma patients which are pretty different from normal health experiences so it feels easier to disassociate. So, that's one thing this drama has going for it: health anxious people can watch it, no problem. 😅

Many have said it's boring, while others love it. I can't really see why people find it boring, so clearly the consensus is divided. It's very tightly written, as a self-contained thing. Whether people find that self-contained thing interesting seems to be another issue. 😅

They fall for each other pretty naturally and organically and without lots of fireworks and fanfare and drama (there is a tad bit of drama 😉, but light as far as Kdramas are concerned). Honestly, it feels totally accurate to the way a romance might begin at a hostel while traveling the world. 👍

It's definitely not what everyone is wanting out of a drama, and that's okay. Hopefully those who aren't enjoying it will use this opportunity to learn more about how to use this site better to curate their viewing experience and settle on dramas that are a better fit for them.

Yes, hopefully the people that stick around to the end and who end up rating it will bring it back up closer to where it belongs. I think a decent number of people who started it and were like, "Whoa, this is boring and not my thing," have already moved on.

Usually only dramas loved by the largest majority of users get an 8.5 or above on MDL, but I think this drama at least deserves an 8 for quality on MDL as an overall rating. I will personally give it much higher if it continues as it's been going, but it needs at least an 8 in my opinion to pay proper homage to the good writing. While an 8 is generally not seen as super strong, that lower score may just indicate that it's more niche, like the Cdrama Under The Microscope. A very, VERY well-written drama, but very niche, and not everyone's thing. Hence, an MDL score in the low 8s.

People throw around that scores are meaningless on MDL, and I just don't agree. They do mean something, but sometimes you have to dig a bit to find out why it has that score (e.g. is it a genre that appeals to only some, a different pace than is typical, tropes that some people hate, a lame or weak ending, boring bits in the last 1/3 of the drama which is the 16 episode Kdrama's PLAGUE, poor/inconsistent writing, etc.). From what I've seen, lower scores can range from showcasing that a drama is legitimately shoddy to dramas that appeal only to a small audience. Once you find where it lands on that spectrum, the rating system makes more sense.