Eleison

"Wattpad story" is the last thing I'd ever think of using as a way to describe this drama. 😅

Here on MDL. 😏

But keep in mind it's also the setting for us to learn about their cases and see them process the difficulties and challenges they're facing (where else would these conversations be happening if they are never together otherwise? They get in early, have their heads buried, and then leave late). This is also when a lot of processing happened for me in college--over meals with friends at the cafeteria!

Solving the world's problems over food has to be one of the most fulfilling activities out there. I love it (and find it quite fun to watch here as well!).

Also, since it's slice of life, it's going for more of that realistic feel, unlike those dramas with leads that never seem to work a day (because the story isn't about the leads and their work, it's about their relationship only). 😅 Slice of life prioritizes differently, hence the shift in focus.

I loved the scene where the FL and ML butt heads about the eviction case.

Both of their perspectives were founded upon very reasonable, thoughtful considerations that approached the issue from completely different angles (and then I loved how the other person's perspective continued to nag at their own perspective afterward, too; if I were the FL, I would find that kind of thing so flattering--to know I got someone thinking so hard that my opinion stuck with them and bothered them, like a pebble in their shoe 😅).

They clearly both care a great deal about their work and the people they work with, but the ML has had to cool the jets of his compassion a bit to stay sane, and it's allowed him to also see more of the bigger picture that maybe a younger, more inexperienced lawyer will find it harder to do.

I think when communities like this get bigger and more traffic, you run into more contrarians because the interest is no longer as niche and there's just more traffice in general (like YouTube comments are wild and run the gambit of totally sane to totally insane; I still feel MDL is vastly more inviting of a community, and more people are here to legitimately enjoy and discuss dramas).

But it is annoying when killjoys come and just want to harping and spread negativity and who also can't handle respectfully stated differing opinions. I definitely think it's gotten worse, but particularly for the more popular dramas. Only the dramas that are basically perfect seem to escape a lot of this, and those of course are far and few between.

Cdrama pages tend to be more positive (again, more niche dramas still, I think, and less accessible than Kdramas, but they can also border on too thirsty sometimes, and then I get uncomfortable and bail 😅).

I love that theory! 😉

Watchers can fill in the gaps during the week with KoreanEnglishman videos of people discovering Korean food.😋

It honestly all looks so delicious, but it's only because I can't smell it. The minute I'd smell that fishy smell that accompanies all the seafood they're eating/cooking I know I'd lose my appetite immediately because that smell always transports me to the pier at the beach. 😅 (Also, I've noticed there's a certain level of proficiency with food that anyone going out to eat in Korea needs to have; cause a lot of dining there (and enjoying the food at its best) has to do with cooking your own food at the table. 😅).

It's much more of an East Asian dining experience in general, I think? Americans see that as getting ripped off when dining out: "Why pay all this money to cook my own food?" That's kind of how my parents felt the first time I took them to Korean BBQ. 😅

This is the lowest version MKY's voice I've heard yet. It's refreshing. 😏

Yes, Episode 1 nailed the feeling of someone working an emotionally taxing and time-consuming job for 8-9 years. I resonated hardcore. 😅

That seems about right!

But I thought the Lord didn't know about it? It makes sense why it affected his mom's favor, though.

Though that's not super typical, though of course it happens (as in your case). The military seems to do it for guys in Korea (I met a 24 or 25 year old Korean guy traveling in Europe who still hadn't finished his BA because he had to serve in the military and also took a year off to travel and do charity work, so they seem to finish their BAs later than girls in Korea).

So, we have to at least factor in ML serving in the military for 18 months, yes? I assume the ML's over 30 then, for sure, if he did his BA and law school (usually two years in the U.S.--is it the same in Korea?), and then 8 years of practicing, and 18 months in the military; he's probably somewhere between 32-35? Their age gap might not be that far off from their real life age gap. 😅

Yes, it is. The middle is a bit slower, and there is one kind of frustrating rough bit between the leads in the last 1/3, but overall I thought it was great. I found the politics a bit confusing, but it will give you more of that historical feel (and less of the wuxia). It's actually apparently loosely based on some real people and historical events during one period in China's history.

As far as a favorite, it's hard to say. The Nirvana in Fire seasons I really liked almost in their entirety, but Season 1 (it really is an incredible script) is quite slow, and not for anyone who likes a plot with lots of exciting events; it's ponderous, subtle, nuanced and beautiful. Other dramas I usually have some things I LOVE and other things I have some gripes about, so none that I would say are perfect and completely enjoyable from beginning to end.

The dramas I suggested sound similar to what you like, I think, for the most part; I think we have similar taste there.

(Horses have 100% died in these dramas; the angles some of them are falling would require them to be put down, most likely; their necks are twisting unnatural directions and some are flipped onto their backs... horses can't be in those positions and function afterwards). Some horses can be taught to fall, actually, but you can tell these horses aren't trained for that. An opening sequence in Who Rules The World had a shot that made me gasp out loud as I watched, it was so bad. 🫣 I definitely have more qualms supporting Chinese production companies over Korean ones since they don't seem to have as good of laws to protect people and animals, but some of the content IS good, so I'm muscling through it for now.

Anyway, take a look at some of those dramas--they're great.:)

So I've officially decided that all the old ladies are insufferable. 😅

Also, Li Hai Chao is a GEM (and he's the only good parent in this drama; the rest are on a scale from dysfunctional to crazy-controlling to a complete wreck. 😰 So many self-decieved parents who are blind to their egos and either selfishly controlling their kids in the name of "the child's good" or just selfishly abandoning them 😳).

Why does Viki say this is 40 episodes, but MDL says 46? 🤔 Is Viki missing some episodes?

Okay, so this says horror in the main tags; how so? The description makes it sound like it's set in a historical time period, but I have yet to see a Cdrama that's historical (at best, I've seen pseudo-historical). Is it set up like "realistic" supernatural stuff set in our (the "real") world, or is it supernatural as in fantasy and in a clearly fictional world inspired by historical Chinese settings?

Ohhh, their past connection was spicier than I anticipated! 😅

I totally understand why she's annoyed with him for "forgetting"! (And why she thinks he's a "sleazebag" at this point). Because this is a Kdrama; there is of course a reason behind all the misunderstandings. I'm looking forward to seeing how they'll explain this one away. 😉

P.S. I liked the expression An Ju Hyeong made as she walked up the first time (cause he 100% recognized her) that said: "Ah... no, no, no...
I'm toast." 😅

Yeah, they should be a bit more suspicious as lawyers, yes? The drama showed that they definitely weren't walking in with their eyes closed, but something will most likely be off and it seems they fell for it. The landlord has a story in there somewhere, and more ulterior motives, I think.

It's definitely giving slice of life vibes! And reminds me of Resident Playbook vibes and friend group dynamics (haven't seen HP).

Under The Microscope also has the actor who played Fan Xian's friend who dies at the beginning of JoL, and he's great. He has a great arc, and you'll like him. Don't get scared off by the math jargon--it's not as bad or as much as it appears! 😅