K-Drama 
1
A MASTERPIECE forever - mesmerizing, hyphnotic, psychological thriller and love story
One of my favorite art pieces ever.An iconic kdrama about what life and love and friendship really mean. I am not going to include any spoilers because you must NOT watch spoilers before watching this.. It is a mesmerizingly hypnotic story, it is really a thriller quality.
It starts super gloomy and is quite gloomy as the plot is ... about decay - a middle aged man sees his whole life falling apart after living in drudgery misery for years...
In some ways, he is lucky, because if this misfortune had not happened, he would probably have died very unhappy in old age after wasting his whole life.... rotting miserably - drudgery work, drudgery wife ....
The main point of this kdrama for me was ML's utmost integrity and kindness...
and FL responding to it. So this drama is highly highly healing
FL character is sooooooo complex... . yet so simple... and very deep.
The acting is just AMAZING, both ML and FL actors.
It also has a few minutes of the young villain who tortures FL, that is an extremely memorable role for that actor too. I would say one of his best roles.
There are no pretty chaebols in this drama... it is all about ordinary people...
The ending is the start of season 2. Which is impossible because ML actor committed suicide. He will always be remembered for his amazing roles, and esp this one imo.
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Starts as a silly rom com and ends in equality of genders and clear communication
I disliked the start of this drama, it was a very silly frilly rom com for youngsters.I like that the FL was a functional strong adult and I like the ML bc of Twinkling Watermellon, so I kept watching and I am glad.
The drama made a U-turn into amazing social commentary.
Eventually, it became a testimony of CLEAR COMMUNICATION, TEAM WORK, AND EQUALITY OF GENDERS, and there were many episodes in that mode
In fact, this drama is a pioneer and a peek into the future where genders are equal
How ML and FL resolved issues, separately and as a team, was great .
Two functional productive adults in great love.
The drama also addressed social stigmas, bullying and how to resolve that.
SO IF YOU THINK THIS DRAMA WAS BORING and something like Dynamite Kiss or Cam this Love Be Translated are "interesting", then we have nothing else to talk about. Do not even bother writing to me :)
=== Disclaimer ====
I wrote this review on Jan 17, 2026 bc so many ppl quoted my review earlier. They are clearly some kind of paid troll if they are making up stuff like that.
Perhaps I should have not written this review now bc someone quoting a non-exhisting review is a sure sign of a (paid) troll.
I still decided to now write this review bc I think it is important.
On April 14, 2026, I moved the disclaimer to the bottom of the review.
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Fun feel good but a great thriller and satire too
No spoilers here, bc the movie has some **** AMAZING **** U-turns and twists that cannot be disclosed :)It is a super fun movie. It is wickedly fun.
And it is deep. It is an amazing satire and social commentary on many things.
There are so many great actors here. It was fun to see Julien from High Kick 3, Stuntman from ,, ,Once Again? FL from Potato Lab - yeah this role is much better than that one!... FL actress was perfect with this ML here... , etc etc etc etc
And ML from Walking on Thin Ice, Haunted Palace, On Her Wedding Day, etc He is one of my fav actors, bc he is so creative in his acting, every role he acts differently, and always has complex cool roles. I am a fan, definitely.. It was so fun to see him in this goofy role.
The first Asian drama I ever saw was Pinocchio and the only thing and character I remember from there is this ML actor :) Oh I remember the opening scene with the boy in a hut on the beach ... like ... old Hawaii. But out of the entire drama, I just remember some scenes with this actor, he essentially took over the scenes. I can spot talent :)
So... enjoy :)
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Ok drama.... Actor Yoon Bak shines here, great script and acting .... SML-SFL couple is the best
The fact that I 100% forgot I completed this drama a while ago, says it all... BUT after reading recaps to jog my memory, I realized I DO remember one thing: the second lead couple. The drama is worth watching it for them.Why I watched it? bc of the premise - HOW DID CINDERELLA FEEL AT 2AM?
I just saw the title by coincidence and it looked familiar, so I clicked on it and YES I watched this drama. But I dont remember much about it except the second lead couple..
In retrospect, why I watched it?
SangMin gave a decent performance as the ML - but not great
and his brother gave an AMAZING performance, and the relationship between him and his wife was just wonderful, how two strangers fell in love
and FL was not bad. She was written as a decent person, not a damsel in distress
So overall it was not a terrible drama. When I was watching it, I was not too happy nor too unhappy about it :)
but the fact that I dont remember too much about it... means it was not so... deep or impactful or engaging
A nice frill, shall we say :)
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Meh
Nothing newpalace politics, greedy fenale villain, eccentric ML who is also half villain, dumb FL
Of all characters, I remember only the Tastefully Yours ML for his excellent acting of a seemingly good but super slimey character
and I remember being totally tired of ML who was too blood thirsty possessive and cemented, all the way to the end
and yeah there was a bunch of pretty young princess, I thought wow what a chick bait
overall - I dont see why this drama was so popular. Honestly.
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Fun true love story, lighthearted warmhearted and uplifting
This is not one of those masterpiece movies, it is rather simple and lightweight, BUT it is also rather profound. Simple is beautiful :) The story is about true love - the dude does everything to help her, lets her go and lets her come to him on her own.The plot is fun, the actions are righteous, and the resolutions lead to everyone growing up and changing for better... So, I say, this is one movie to watch.
The only problem with this movie is that the FL has done NOTHING for her character growth except to go away to fulfill her dreams and then come back to him. She is oblivious to everything that happened LOL
ML did all the work.... as usual in most kdramas :(
The second most of the emotional work and growing up was done by the "demon" LOL who luckily responded to all the work of the ML. FL's dad and sisters stayed consistently great.
As for technicalities:
Hm, FL lead got an acting award for her role here... "The 29th Chunsa International Film Festival was held on December 23. Lim Yoon A, who played the lead character Jung Seon Ji in the film Pretty Crazy, released this past August, received the Best Actress award for her movie role. "
I saw the FL aka this actress in question in King the Land and in Bon Apettit your Majesty and she acted THE SAME in both - exact same facial expressions and body language..... It was OK in Bon Apettit bc it fit the ML acting style and the two of them did some great comedy together. She has a talent for finding comedic moments.
But ... the point is, she acts the same every time.... And she acts that SAME as the Daytime FL in this movie too. The only difference is acting crazy at night. She did that part fine, but anyone can act that... acting crazy is easy.... and .. even some of those demon faces are repeats of her SAME "angry look" from all other dramas.
So ... why did she get the award... ? bc her dramas brought in a lot of money and had lots of viewers?
So that's why I gave 9.5 for acting. Bc FL is the same old repeated herself. I really dont see different characters when she acts.
The Dad - that famous actor - should get an award for his role, he is great...
ML in this movie is great and should get an award for acting too.
This is the first time ever I saw ML actor. I was pleasantly surprised.
ML is incredibly handsome! Esp since he doesnt look like a "plastic flower boy" but like a real person, he even has wrinkles from frowning, had real color in his face, clearly he was not indoors all the time, and he is a genuine healthy athlete, not just a couch potato lifting weights, and he has genuine black hair. So refreshing!
So many models taking up acting and being terrible at it.. like... ML in Would you Marry Me, etc etc etc. Many cannot even smile, or have artificial "gym" bodies, like ML in Dynamite Kiss... Many are so pale, it is clear they have not been outdoors forever, like... ML in The Real Has Come or ML in Spirit Fingers (at least they acted very well there, but a pale bloated face is just .. not a healthy sight.)
After writing this, I read the bio of ML actor and found that I was correct, he is a gold medal boxer. Ok, I got that! I am an athlete myself so I could tell he is an athlete and moves correctly from the core. All right, score in investigation, inspector megre!
But I know nothing about plastic surgeries.... so... am I correct that this is not (at least not big) plastic job? Maybe I can only detect only huge distorted plastic looks, like... Cher, mom of FL in Graceful Liar, etc.
In any case, ML is one handsome guy who looks like a real guy to me and is a real athlete, and also acts well. Wow refreshing!
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Old time sexism on steroids aka PRINCESS FANTASY FOR LITTLE GIRLS AKA A GREAT BUSINESS SWINDLE
I was wondering - has Netflix really made something along the lines of a real kdrama... ??? Where was the catch... ? And sure enough LOL this is a smelly pile of script..So the first part is mostly about virtual dating, where the princess girl gets a big house, lots of dresses, shoes, jewelry, and any guy she wants - and she wants pretty guys :) with nice bodies :) That's THE ONLY criteria :)
The FL actress is acting so well, she is confident enthusiastic hot girl going on dates with several virtual guys and having fun... FL is rather selfish and immature... but at least NATURAL... and ML actor is on screen just a tiny bit as her colleague in her real life.
THEN THE SECOND PART IS DATING IN REAL LIFE - and this lovely young lady goes into the 1950s mode of trash kdrama sexism - she is prudish, child-like clutz woman-child. OMG!!!! in year 2026!!!!! we see a grown, professional woman behave like a little school girl with boys.... Not even kids behave like that today... !!!!! And... she sticks with her virtual boyfriend too :)
AND THE DRAMA TAKES A NOSE DIVE AND BECOMES SUPER BORING **** C R I N G E **** Basically you get the Practical Guide to Love, FL and ML....
THIS SCRIPT IS TRASH!!!! and consequently, the acting of FL goes down the drain and for the second half of the drama, she is a mentally disabled dumbo and a very weak immature loser.. chick... A WOMAN-CHILD ... using men
INCREDIBLE!!! this is a real ... jester job... ENTIRE DRAMA IS ABOUT SHOPPING FOR PRETTY BOY TOYS AND GETTING A GREAT SERVICE
it is like ... going on dates with a bunch of escorts... who are all dying to take care of FL...
THIS IS TRULY ... A CON JOB.... and a very successful one, women are paying to see many men without a shirt on, and seducing, and kissing as# and doing whatever the woman says, and the woman can be as awful as she wants... or, to be more precise, as she IS.
WOW THIS IS CONSUMERISM TAKEN TO A NEW LEVEL... SHOPPING FOR A PRETTY BOY TOY!!!! and it is all planned!!!!! bc sooo many dramas have one chick trying zillion guys, or dating 2 at a time.... wooow...
So this is like female Epstein files, allowing women to do what men have always done and women complained about. Instead of becoming better people who are equal, this drama is along the lines of becoming equal in being murky selfish people and using each other.
======
The first part is the satire of all the tropes that kdramas use to grab female audience. It is such a great ridicule, a great jester comedy!!!! The most fun and most sad part is that so many women will not realize that they are being made fun of, and they will be too busy admiring all the good looking guys... And the whole point is to show how immature women fall for those tropes.
I am sorry to male actors, their roles were so ridiculously simple and actually - demeaning - they had to act out some delulu immature chicks fantasy. Well - just like they do in real dramas :) too often.... I realized - the male roles are to be an ESCORT ....
I am glad I saw Undercover High School ML, he was so fun in that drama... This role was waaaay too simple for him in this drama.... he was like a robot escort... ... ML actor is also wasted, he is such a great actor and this role is super simple and dumb...
Then the 2nd part starts and ... gosh this is the classic old time sexist kdrama... AGAIN!!! where FL is this clutz immature weak woman-child... WHO WANTS HER AS@ KISSED AND GUYS WHO ARE ALWAYS THERE FOR HER... like robots .... And... her behavior with ML is just... CRINGE childish... she is portrayed as a total moron for personal life , sooo immature and weak... and such a consumer, eating up guys who dote on her... AND YET ANOTHER IDOL WORSHIPER OF PRETTY FACES ... gosh... such a dumb chick ...
So again, the drama makes fun of such women-children and again lures them in with a "pretty face guy"
AND ML CHARACTER PLAYS INTO THIS TROPE OF LOYAL DOTING GUY, he liked her for so long and didnt pick anyone else - although she never deserved his liking her. So that is the old sexist kdrama trope - this fully dedicated man although the woman is super flawed, stupid, childish, and very crude to him and in general... in general, just a dumb immature snowflake... .
So right now I am starting ep 6 and I SO BADLY WANT TO SEE REVIEW BY OPPA_ if that person wrote a review on this...
Bc I am suspecting there is a catch with this drama...
I like that FL actress is a great actress. IN THE FIRST PART ONLY. After ep 5 or 6, when the real guy steps in, the FL actress is clearly acting fake bc the script is trash cringe. She is having difficulty acting the immature cringe..... BC IT IS NOT A NATURAL BEHAVIOR to behave like an elementary school girl. YET THAT IS WHAT KIDRAMAS EXPECT. this is the classic classic kdrama sexism... !!!!! What FL did here, is EXACTLY how all those FLs behave ... Practical Guide to Love is an example of that ..... woooow....
That FL chick is totally undeserving of ML's attention, she always treated him badly, then he confessed and she avoids him and rejects him, non stop and he keeps coming back.. .... AND SHE IS AFRAID TO LOVE BC IT WILL END, SO SHE KEEPS REJECTING HIM AND DUMPING HIM.... ... omg what a loser coward ... and he keeps coming back ...... omg what a loser coward.
WOW this is the recipe for every trashy rom com.... YUCK!!!! how did a great actor like the ML end up doing this? Does Netflix pay very well... ???? I do hope he has better scripts to choose from..
THIS SCRIPT IS TRASH!!!! and consequently, the acting of FL goes down the drain and for one half of the drama, she is a mentally disabled dumbo and a very weak immature loser.. chick... A WOMAN-CHILD
WOOOOOOWWWWW THIS IS A SCAM!!!!! THIS DRAMA IS A SCAM!!!! THIS KIND OF SCTRPT SHOULD NOT BE HAPPENING IN YEAR 2026!
or ... it should be... ? bc there are so many lonely women with money who will pay to watch this smelly piece of script...
I really like that actors are not super skinny skeletons :) FL got nice legs :) ML also looks like a normal athletic guy. So at least the drama has a healthy look. I really like that ML has naror and slanted eyes, not plastic surgery big eyes.
I dislike that such a great actor like the ML actor is put into this overly simple role. But then... I realize... all typical male roles ARE this... omg... this is like seeing the whole mechanics of dramas... This is like seeing the swindling behind the scenes...
Wow who was it who thought of selling this idea of reverse polygamy and/or decadent lewd behaviors by women - basically everything rotten that men used to do? Great busines mind. So many - most? - new kdramas are based on such women.
Our Universe, Practical Guide to Love, Climax, A Graceful Liar, etc etc etc etc etc ...
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Interesting twists on rom com - lots of promises but pathetically disappointing messages
==== WRITTEN AT THE ENDWow what a waste of time. It had potential, trying to make young people's world visible, shatter some preconceived notions and stereotypes, and promote inclusiveness and the environment.
And ended up as a bunch of smart educated kids NOT taking the embezzlement files to the police, suing the university, calling the media, or whatever, etc, to end the crime there.
So the final message is that these people are just helpless kids kinda exploring some adult things but really clueless.
So that is why this was sponsored by Ministry of Culture or whatever it said at the start of the drama? That is how you brainwash the kids into complacency?
Disappointingly pathetic.
==== WRITTEN AFTER EP 8
This drama is generally cute college drama, but ... with some twists... i wonder what this drama is really trying to accomplish... It is using some unexpected twists to shock the audience...
For the first time ever, the typical asian drama plot is reversed - now the man is all heart no brains, and the woman is smart and frozen cold rather cruel. The exact opposite of a typical kdrama, which creates 100% of th plot by having FL do stupid stuff and ML save her.
I am also glad we get to see real women. Not some skinny chicks in mini skirts, like Jenny. Korean actors and actresses seems like are forced to be super thin and that is horrifying. That was fashionable in the West in 1960s... Now, what is fashionable is MUSCLES. And that is a lot healthier too.
I like that this kdrama addresses the topic of "good looking men" and how the looks are passing and not everything, and how many good looking become addicted to attention, fall and become entitled ppl, players, etc... That is a cool attempt to introduce certain equality between genders and to educate youngsters about years ahead and what really matters.
Also, FL is a comp sci major - how great. I am so glad someone is promoting engineering and comp sci, smart women, female engineers, etc. That is so cool.
This show also promotes LGBT.... which is promoted a lot lately, generally, there are so many gay romance kdramas now.... so ok, young people probably need to figure things out these days as the global overpopulation and no need for kids makes LGBT acceptable and actually ... desirable... :) but also clashes with the S Korea being the lowest with birth rate and Korean government and kdramas promoting having babies...
Then we have statements about no environmentally friendly golf courses and hotels... not using plastic straws and bottles... recycling.... Nature... Sure, I am on that...
but.... while ML is figuring that out, ML is wearing a necklace with a catholic cross... and a tank top with the Jesus crown of thorns.. Heck what was THAT??? So many gays in catholic church killing two birds with one stone...?
Then we have party crowd going in cars to some hotel in Nature... ????
Surprisingly LGBT community, at last in the USA, is actually rather wealthy and SUPER CONSERVATIVE and would NOT support green, organic, natural, saving environment, no golf courses and hotels.... They mostly vote Republican... and have taken over the entertainment, fashion, and many other areas of business and wealth and influence...
Then, what is the purpose of that sex toy at the end. It was rather ... cheap humor. I was wondering why that was introduced? Why does th audience need to see that? To shock or tickle the audience? Really? To make this drama so americanized, to have it based on shocking the audience with cheap trashy sexualization? Heck no. I dont watch anything western because of such lack of content and covering up the brainless trashiness by cheap tricks.
If this moment was going to be used to discuss the prevalent use of pornography in the last generations in the West - and perhaps that is a good thing against overpopulation? LOL but it is a bad thing for egotism..... - well those scenes did not have to last like ... 20 mins total? Why make such a big fuss about it?
because that wasted time and cheap meaningless content, I gave a low rating and got totally put off.
Some dramas like Bon Apettit Your Majesty created lots of plot just by showing food... Saves the script writer from having to think about CONTENT...
and I totaly dislike it when th content is thrown out th window
Also, I am very suspicious at this point... it seems as yet another attempt to americanize the Koreans and to cater to american audience and make them watch this and pay $$$$$ for th drama. Exactly the holywood/disney trick - put as much sex and violence and wild car chases as you can, the most lewd and explicit kind, and it will definitely make the movie/series very popular... HECK NO... I am quitting if kdramas become westernized. There is absolutely nothing worth watching in the west, and if Kdramas lose their creative CONTENT then bye bye kdramas too.
So I am not sure where this is going - is it saying - we are hip? is it saying - hey this is fun look at me? is it saying - we are sooo totally westernized, watch us, we are the same?
I dont know. But what I do know is that there is no reason to ruin a perfectly fun great drama with TRASH. No you are not cool when you show sex toys and sex in a drama. It is not cool. It is just trashy westernization.
The ONLY advantage that a kdrama has over a western piece is that a kdrama is creative, based on unique story and characters, has CONTENT, has CHARACTER GROWTH, solves problems in meaningful and warm ways, and promotes sane healthy living lifestyle.
So if a kdrama throws that out, ... there is no reason to watch it :) it becomes the same old western trash.
Kdramas now show ppl drinking whiskey, sleeping in beds, eating bread and pasta, drinking coffee, taking LOTS o sleeping pills, there are Catholic churches and crosses everywhere, like in every single drama... I dont get to see Buddhist scenes in the dramas anymore!!!!
So what is going on here, really.... ???
I will probably finish watching this on some rainy cold day like today but will fast forward through scenes that have zero content.
====
One more comment: I liked those Pilates machines and ML seems to have strong legs, so how come his shoulders and arms are so skinny?
I suspect that ML actor is some kind of fun loving party dude in real life, he is so enthusiastic and natural in those scenes, and very contrived fake in scenes where he is dumb and bland..... I wonder why he took this role.
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This review may contain spoilers
Interesting :) Lots of smoke and mirrors and a puppy-eye serial killer turned hero
This drama is very western concept in some ways bc it addresses "rare" "special" pepple, a high level diplomat who becomes a President of a country (FL) and Paik San Ho, a man with a very shady and for-most-part-unknown past....Paik San Ho was a professional assassin, he was a cold blooded killer, and he still kills people like moskitoes, to the very end of the drama. YES.
Yeah he was a strong silent type and he fell in love with FL. And she too. AND million women in the audience, all swooning over him.... puppy-eyed assassin who works for you is apparently a great turn on... !!!!!
But in this drama, we saw Paik transform into someone in love - not only to the woman, but to the PRINCIPLES of peace and unity that the woman stands for. And he vows to help her accomplish that, and puts his skills and his life on line to help her accomplish that.
.
In this drama, paid assassin and bodyguard Paik was used as a vehicle to bring peace to the world. He turned out to be a hero who saved the world from nuclear holocaust. And that is an interesting message...
The ending? You have to decide. The ending looks like an open door to possible season 2. Maybe... and also looks like an advertisement for Catholic church. The entire drama is...
This drama has cat and mouse game that is really really really intricate, if you are going to watch it, you have to pay attention to every detail, the twists, the games, the betrayals are out of left field, all the time.
The drama is very western as it feels like whiplash, they are always in life danger and everything is so hyper, your adrenaline will be severely tested...
So there is some character growth but it happens in midst of chaos... This drama is CHAOS
The real fun part is commentary on the state of the world and the politics. The drama is worth watching for those 2 minutes.
The ending is of course a very artificial happy ending. In real life, FL and ML would have been dead by ep 2 or 3, the latest.
PS - So this drama is 100% different than Ms and Mr Smith american movie, those two were assassins and stayed assassins... for the sole purpose of lining their own pockets.
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This review may contain spoilers
Had potential but failed
>>>>> Written after ep 68:Started as not a cheap makjang but a deep psychological drama, with some great acting by loan shark Nan Suk and villain Chairman. FL was terrible so I kept waiting for the plot and FL to improve but ... the drama kept getting worse and I dropped.
FL is written badly, and the actress cannot act so it is best to sideline her. Her lines and her acting are THE EXACT SAME from ep 1 to ep 68. Finaly in ep 68 her dumb entitled behavior has consequences and she ends up in a coma - where she should stay until the end, imo bc that actress cannot act.
Other characters also do not change. Everything is just about outsmarting and outdoing each other with clever schemes
Bc of no growth in characters, and the only good guy Ha Neul regressing to be a bad guy, I dropped this drama after about ep 52 and occasionally come to take a peek.
The end of the drama became a smelly pile of script as the characters engaged in decadent sick behaviors, you did not know who was sleeping with whom, who was killing whom, and whose child was who, it was total Kardashians-like cesspool, and I was DISGUSTED. I stopped even coming in to check if the drama finally made it back on track. It was TOTALLY derailed.
============================
>>>>>Overall impression Written after ep 52:
The story is a chess game of manipulations and lies between ppl who are acting on their greed and complacency. Supposedly good characters turn corrupt, there are all kinds of messes... and eventually it seems some bad characters turn complex and some even redeeming. Or not LOL
The main purpose of this drama is to make the audience question where the line is. Are you supposed to go on a rampage spree and destroy people so that you can "revenge" that you were poor and powerless, or is there a better way.
Our female lead started as poor and powerless and exploited, but then she turned in an evil character who made so many people suffer needlessly - and DID NOT ACCOMPLISH ANYTHING EXCEPT KILLING HER FATHER .... and dragging the only moral and sane person down to her level of low cheap TOXIC dirt.... ... so now in th second half of the drama, she is starting a little differently but still with the same basic TOXIC ideas... and it is not going to end well :)
The main plot here is based on a woman - FL - doing revenge against her mother and another woman (YC). The revenge is based on GREED and BITTERNESS and BLINDNESS. She went after YC for good and proven reasons, but in a way that is .. wow destructive to sooo many ppl, including killing her father and emotionally wrecking her husband, whom she used for the revenge... and the audience found that entertaining and justified... If anything, this drama exposes the nasty in ppl.. .
And the way FL went after her mother is super ... blind.
And the way she went after the money is ... exposing the most nasty possible in every human being.
FL is pretty bad at acting and that is a real problem of the drama... and MLs are not acting too convincingly so that dampens the drama - why are drama ppl using "young and supposedly hot and popular" actors regardless of their ability to bring their character to life .... ???
I referred to Ha Neul as the ML :) I was shocked to find that SH is supposed to be ML. SH is not much on the screen, and it is pretty much flat and very ... simple character... and quite boring character and acting. We do not know anything about him!!! he is more like a tool on the side rather than a participant in the actual plot
luckily there are other characters who do pull the drama - the main ones are Chairman and Nan Suk - and
after ep 50, side characters are brought up to save the show, and it helps a lot. Hopefully the script will bring them out too - we need to see who they are.
We still got only ONE glimpse of who FL's husband really is... YC is still pretty much one-sided stupid brat ....
FL's mom was made more interesting by showing her greedy nasty side :)
the henchmen are now "waking up" etc
_____ A LOT OF INSIGHT INTO THE DRAMA CAN BE FOUND IN COMMENTS BY OPPA_ BELOW. I WILL QUOTE SOME OF IMO THE KEY POINTS:
THIS IS OPPA_COMMENT THAT SUMMARIZES THE DRAMA:
=== begin comments by OPPA_:
"In this drama, the FL didn’t choose the right or difficult path — she chose the easy one. And that’s the core of my point. Her actions weren’t empowering or revolutionary; they were simply convenient. Success without dignity or honesty doesn’t feel like success to me, and it definitely doesn’t make the character admirable or justified."
"FL did succeed in deceiving people long enough to manipulate her way into marriage with a wealthy man who would’ve never even looked at her if he knew her real identity. That’s the kind of “success” built entirely on lies. "
"those fancy outfits and that money don’t come for free. They come with anxiety, constant fear, and the pressure of maintaining a lie that grows bigger every day. Once someone chooses that easy, unethical path, they keep going deeper because turning back means facing consequences they are terrified of. It becomes a point of no return — submit to the dark side or let the truth destroy everything. And most people who choose shortcuts never plan to deal with the fallout… until it’s too late."
"there was nothing noble or romantic about Ha Neul behavior. It didn’t feel like love; it felt like pure lust and infatuation. He wasn’t protecting truth or doing what's morally right — he was driven by desire, not principles. "
==== end of comments by OPPA_ =====
>>>>>Written after ep 7 by me LOL:
This drama is so well done. The complexity makes it interesting, and the fact that FL is not a clutz as typical. FL actress is doing a great job portraying the complexity, which is also rare.
I think the description of the drama has to be changed bc it does not really fit the vibe. This is not a cheap makjang but a very serious deep psychological drama (and social commentary).
The acting is great. There are a lot of characters and they are all... shady to some degree LOL the best one is the Ha Neul but even he is shady, hiding secrets and wrongdoings of FL...
I think HN story is TOXIC AND DESTRUCTIVE...
NL story is a very toxic plot and toxic relationship with FL... He started as someone with brains and intergity, and then dragged himself down into her mud bc he "loves" her.. Capul... he does not love her for real.. it is rather ... codependent relationship... ... it is a very toxic relationship and plot...
He dragged himself down into her mud... It is like falling in love with an addict and enabling them... HN enables wrongdoings of FL and it leads into tragic outcomes..... for so many ppl. HN betrayed his best friend, enabled killing of FL's father, etc etc etc
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A typical kdrama FL is a clutz clueless loser who is taken advantage of in some way and/or lacks the skills to navigate life and is always on the bottom, taken advantage of. These losers are usually "good" characters, who are naive, insecure, etc and in fact acting as indirect villains i.e. enablers, because they allow the real villains to wreck chaos, unchecked :) So their path of redemption is to stop being enablers... and to still stay good LOL I think this plot was suitable for housewives in 1950s... or abused women...
In this drama, the FL is not an enabler :) She starts as a good but insecure naive character who is capable and keeps trying to win her life in proper ways - but there are objective obstacles to it and she lacks the luck and the know-how to move on forward - and then.... makes a bad decision out of greed and complacency, and then goes further down the easy glam shady path LOL
and then she has to return :) her redemption will be to make her designer dream come true and make money that way and leave the impersonation
I think this plot is applicable to many contemporary working woman today :)
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WRITTEN AFTER EP 52:
FL actually turned to be a very small wounded child who did all this out of greed, and justified it with revenge against her bio mom, and then blindly like a raging bull, without any thought or reason, went in to INTENTIONALLY HARM people.... And caused death of her father... and emotional breaking of her (spoiled snowflake chaebol) husband...
It was pretty pathetic.... FL has so much to grow... and the actress is not good in acting...
The plot is a real chess game of ppl playing manipulation games with each other. HOPEFULLY it results in some character growth. So far... not really :)
The characters turned out interesting... bc ... Chairman actor is so good at his camouflaged serial killer role... so sweet and polite... and then horrifying.. He added an element of a horror movie... Truly!!!!!! Although I totally admire his acting, he is scary to watch. Like watching a hungry lion monster in your face, sniffing you quietly. He is suuuuper good at his role. It does not get so much screen time bc he is one sided psychocrazy serieal killer camouflaged as a sweet loving charming person, but he steals the show as he sets the tone. HE SETS THE BASE TONE AND THE BACKGROUND FOR THE WHOLE DRAMA.
And the main villain Nan Suk actress is so good at acting and so fun to watch and listen to. The script makes her say aloud what she is thinking, so we got to "know her" and she has masterfully brought that character to life The drama is alive bc of *her*. I love watching her. That actress is so masterful in acting. Also, she is pretty and acts a lot with her face and body language and voice, and has amazing flashy wardrobe and jewelry and makeup, so she is really really really fun to watch. She is a complex character.....
So I would say these two actors carry this drama.
They made their characters totally REAL and ALIVE.
FL's dad was such an unpleasant redneck, but it turned out he was the only relatively sane and moral character... He is gone now. And it is ok. He and the acting was not enlivening the drama...
But the rest of the characters are far from moral or sane... This drama is about so many ppl making severe mistakes out of greed and/or complacency....
Now the side characters are starting to get more time and it is getting more interesting.
The only other "good" character - well USED TO BE good - Ha Neul - and I call him ML bc he is the true love interest of FL - and the actor listed as ML is doing very little - well he is a very shady one too. Out of cowardice and complacency, he stood by FL as she was doing all kinds of crimes. So he started as a moral and upright person to end up at the pit of being a pathetic partner in crime... It is a very toxic relationship as he stands by FL as she does one stupid thing after another... So now we have TWO little wounded kids collaborating in revenge... I am not sure what will happen. but.. And this actor is young too and not quite capable of showing the complexity of this character. The script too has to help him.
The "official" ML has so little screen time and is shown as one dimensional flat moma boy snowflake, and the acting is really mediocre. But perhaps could be better, there was ONE scene where he did not have any veneers (the shower scene with YC trying to seduce him) and that is the only scene where he was uncensored himself and acted well.
The drama ppl try to help these young male actors by showing them in the shower, and that is a lot nicer self therapy than getting drunk and a lot more fun to watch LOL and leads to better plots... but I think the guys should ACT more and rely less on the shower. The shower scenes are not what we are here for. It's ok to have two so far but let us work on acting.
Actually, the amazingly handsome dudes are the henchman. One is obviously some kind of heavy duty athlete and looks stunning in his business suit, and both are excellent actors as finaly they are being brought from the background and acting and more alive as as human beings. Ep 52 the heavy athletic one is shown eating and moving around .... in his business suit ... and yeah that dude has a body!!!! But what is more important, it is a body of a character that is shown ALIVE, SMART AND CARING, the ***acting*** makes it wow.
So it was fascinating to see how a totally dead character - a henchman killer just standing there stiffly with a poker face in every scene he was in - suddenly turned alive ... and now we see a PERSON! a person who physically looks amazing and has lots of feelings. That actor is amazing.
And then two shady henchman characters who helped in all kinds of murders etc turned out to be a little bit humane .... The other one is comical... but that one at least did not kill anyone that we know of so far,,,
Side note but imporatnt - this new fad of demanding that female actresses be SO THIN to the point of looking like a skeleton... One thing it does, it makes their bones be weak and their legs esp under the knee look like an O...
so putting a mini skirt on that looks hideous while walking, as the knees look so gnarly and the bones clunk around... boots make it even more visible...
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Meh
I still do not understand why this was so popularThe only good thing about this drama is how Goblin was considerate to his bride and did not sexually exploit the teenager throwing herself onto him. He WAITED for her to grow up and become adult first. That was commendable
The bickering Goblin-Grim Reaper was NOT funny to me...
That's all I remember
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1950s values - shallow/blinded women competing. doormat women doting on stoic parastitic guys
The first few episodes while they are bus conductors are cute and ok and even powerful social commentary. That part shows young ppl putting in effort to move forward in life, and "UglyFriend" as a powerful force in social change and worker's rights. BUT THEN THE CHARACTERS NEVER GROW MUCH IF AT ALL.After the time gap, this drama went totally trashy and promoted 1950s relationship between YR the doormat and JP the entitled male brat
The ONLy good part was the MrQueen King actor, he was awesome, and Sang Cheol taking Single Mom on a honeymoon and saying he will do his best to bring home a honeymoon baby. And scenes of him and Mr Kim the driver talking about handing off the fatherhood and Mr. Kim peeking at the church. The rest... forget.
The rest was trash - the narcissist JH and her abuse of YR being mean etc, YR as the naive baby girl doormat sucking up to JP, and JP as a robotic poker face using YR and then playing with JH
YR is somehow supposed to be good for being a naive immature doormat who taks cute like a little girl and thinks cute like a little girl and crawls on the floor FOR YEARS to catch any sign of polite and cold kindness of the fat as@ Jae Pil, who finally bestowes his princely charms because he realizes he needs YR as a personal servant for free the rest of his life.
The characater of JH is immature, mean, shallow to the max, and the most disturbing thing is how many of the audience found her charming and angelic and even accused YR of backstabbing her. All the narcissists in the world love JH ....
OVERALL THE DRAMA IS ABOUT TOXIC RELATIONSHIPS THAT DO NOT ADVANCE AT ALL BC PEOPLE DO NOT CHANGE
IT IS HOPELESS
and that is very western. This is Netflix. THe drama is about ordinary toxic ppl doing toxic things and not fixing their messes. It is a study in toxicity. REading the comments and reflecting on the drama should be a required homework for every psychiatrist, psychoilogist and social worker.
THIS IS JUST 10000% TOXIC
and worth watching just to analyze all the shades of it
The acting is good so you get to see how real life plays out
TERRIBLE, DISAPPOINTING, HOPELESS, NO CHARACTER GROWTH, JUST TOXIC, **** DEAD END ****
YR, JH and JP are very realistic toxic characters from real life. And that is why it is so frustrating to watch YET ANOTHER character like that for 12 hours. Nuff already. We saw it all. We see it every day. We do not need to see that anymore! We need to see the solutions.
This drama skillfully and cunningly endorses "1950s" type of people and relationships as commendable, so in fact it promotes the status quo in sexism, catering to men, women competing and backstabing each other for men, shallow ambition of being in a peagant, shallow ambition of waiting around a guy, women not thinking further than their nose, men ennjoying privileges and personal servants for free, etc. This drama could have been set in Goreo or Joseon or before, and it would be the SAME plot.
And that dead-end just stating problems and never showing any hope for any solution is the trademark of western media.
For a piece of art to be truly a piece of art, it has to give some ideas for solutions and has to show some transformation.
This particular drama is useful as a study in toxicity because you can dig through the layers and you can see the comments of the audience and realize the toxicity in the society and the false beliefs.
**** So this drama is useful like a dissection class at the medical school. **** But someone needs to start producing art with solutions, ie. some healing ideas and solutions.
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Started as a pretty good fun drama - but no character growth whatsoever for FL
This started as a fun drama, explores some deep issues and questions about The Will of God versus our own will, our karma, our karmic duties, and what happens when we do not cooperate with the Divine ....The main issue is that FL is 100% immature and coldly selfish, cold closed heart, and she STAYS like that until the very end. A total waste of drama...
It could have been a 10 star drama bc the actors are great and just were not utilized properly.
The ML and FL are not shown liking each other. Either the actors just didnt feel it, and/or the director didnt force them to act it... but .. it is already Feb 18, I think ep 8 finished? and there is only 12 episodes and we havent seen enough of the romance or friendship ....
Sure they start as total strangers, then she tortures him and ruins his life and of course he is not gonna like her, however, that part of that drama DRAGS TOO LONG. She tortured him bc she was intrigued by him and kinda "owned him" and explored him and found reasons to keep appearing to him. But the drama doesnt explore that. It seems like she is just a mean person. But the fact is, she likes him and wants to make sure he noticed her - and she is using wrong methods for that. Sure, she is not aware of her feelings yet - but we the audience arent either!!!! bc the drama showed it, in a few seconds here and there. It was not enough to create tension and to convince the audience there is something romantic going on. We saw her being confused bc her hear flutters but the drama never explored that...
Lomon is really good at acting romantic scenes. ANd FL is also cute when she tries to flirt with him. That should have happened a LOT sooner.
First it should have been accidental blopers - since she liked him first and tortured him to get his attention, there should have been a LOT more "accidental" hitting on him too - WE HAD TO SEE THAT SHE WAS SOMEHOW SATISFIED THAT SHE HAD A REASON TO KEEP HANGING AROUND HIM "TO SHOW HIM" WHAT SHE CAN DO - and then it should have increased to the point where they became cognizant of their attraction, by the middle of the drama (ep 6) they should have been kinda together already
It was just too slow of a burn, and also while they didnt like each other, it was too harsh. She kinda hit on him and suggested dating, but it was so ... scientiically cold... and he just ... didnt feel anything bc she was so harsh, her tinny screaming nagging criticizing voice was irritating even to me... LOL LOL LOL
So perhaps, if they started being more friendly earlier, that would have saved the drama. This way, they are kinda jumping from enemies to lovers kinda overnight. So I think a little less of episodes on how she was misbehaving - we got it!!!!! omg we got it!!!! she was just obnoxious!!!! gnarling fox, so unplesant!!!! and he so cold and hurt.... SO LESS OF THAT - and more episodes about the two of them... I am not a script writer so I cannot say anything official, these are just some ideas.
The ending was terrible as FL just regressed back to how she was at the beginning... Ouch... !!!
So overall, if the plot/acting was a tad bit softer and their FRIENDLY INTERACTION and then naturally evolving into romance started earlier, it would have been a much better drama.
But - each couple is different, some jump from enemies to lovers into romance fast. If the script writer wanted to portray that, then I am not sure what kind of tricks they could use to squish the number of episodes while they are enemies, and/or to show more "cracks" in how they are officially not on the same page but are feeling attraction.
Their attraction happens just too fast and sudden and unnatural, and TOO LATE in the drama
That is a sad loss of talent, bc both actors CAN act very well.
And the drama would be worthwhile if FL changed and opened her heart by the end. SHE NEVER DID.
We the audience really do not care to spend the entire drama watching two people quarreling and bickering and learning all there is to know about their character faults and personal issues... That can be shown quite well with a few selected scenes... . We want to see THE PROCESS OF TRANSFORMATION and we want to see THE RESULTS of that process.
So the old kdrama format - 1/4 for context and issues, 1/4 for starting romance, 1/4 for overcoming challenges to being together, 1/4 about putting it all together - did I get this right? I think this is usually the recipe. Sometimes it is pushed bc Part 1 is too long so putting it all together is too rushed at the end, but.. This recipe generally is a pretty good recipe that leaves the audience satisfied.
DON'T DRAG THE PAIN
SPEND A LOT OF TIME SHOWING TRANSFORMATION
is my advice here
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Lesson in karma. Spiritual equvlnt of "don't drink and drive or else bad things will happen to ya"
This drama is about absolute stupidity of ppl who do NOT listen and who think certain things are a joke or some kind of fun, and who utter wishes which are totally ... inappropriate, and who make actions that are totally inappropriate - and then cause unnecessary trouble like crazyFor example: the shaman's daughter wishing that her mother dies. then getting soooo mad about the talisman that she publicly ridiculed her friend; the "pretty boy" who beat up the friend; and then friend wishing they all die and hurting herself. THOSE ARE VERY DUMB STUPID ACTIONS
This drama is really a lesson on karma and what not to do. It is spiritual equivalent of "dont drink and driver or else you will get in trouble."
The drama is quite cringe and totally Hogwarts kind of stuff for young ppl
BASICALLY THE MESSAGE OF THIS DRAMA IS TO STAY CALM, PAY ATTENTION, NOT GO TO PLACES THAT FEEL WEIRD, NOT HANG OUT WITH PPL WHO FEEL WEIRD, AND NEVER WISH OR SAY OR BEHAVE IN WAYS THAT ARE LESS THAN EXEMPLARY
the whole drama is about the law of karma
and the demonic forces that help to execute punishment for creating bad karma
Also, it is notable that most kids got in trouble for sheer curiosity, stupid needless joking, as well as perceived "needs" such as grades, and asking to get it without any effort, i.e. the kid was delusional in their thinking. Also notice that no kids wished that the app be deleted forever, they all were too self-centered and did not see beyond their own little issues in front of them - and that allows the evil to propagate.
Notice that only kids who had the courage and intergrity to HONESTLY TALK about what happened to them survived. Kids that believed some bs and never asked to clarify it, did stupid stuff and died/got stuck.
Also notice that all key players actively contributing to the evil app were somehow connected to evil and/or had a propensity for it. For example:
Shaman's daughter GENUINELY wished her mother to die, publicly ridiculed her friend, did not stop the beating of her friend by the "pretty guy", wished to create the demonic app - she was truly the daughter of her mother whom she so hated - her mother was a black shaman, capable and willing to harm others...
the friend kept hanging out with the shaman mom and wished death to others;
Na Ri was a chronic liar and deceiver/manipulator/backstabber, grabber, club goer/drinker and an entitled rich kid; I would think she would end up as a drug addict and/or a major nasty figure of authority
and the weird Discord kid who reactivated the app was taking pills and giving them to HJ; he read the online manual for the app; and he knew for sure that HJ died and the app kills - YET he listened to what the demon wrote online and went to retrieve the phone and reactivate the app. That kid was off the rails somehow...
All the kids who helped the evil had some major problems and evil streaks
and some looked so cute ... those girls with long hair, so pretty like dolls... but ... killers
The discord kid definitely looked weird and behaved weird
So the bottom line is - be someone exemplary, live a clean decent life, and do not indulge in things that are overboard, shady, etc communicate honestly,
and that will be your "wash your hands before you eat and dont drink when you drive" kinda protection mechanism.
>>>>> The drama has some very deep messages that most of the audience might miss while watching the glitz special effects :) <<<<<
For those messages, I give the drama 10/10.
The gory details and shocks are kinda cringe cheesy so that's why overall lesser rating.
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Dragged out on one hand, not developed enough on the other hand. Runaway train story
The first few episodes lay a nice foundation for the drama. I would say, all episodes in high school are masterful laying out of psychological framework, characters and their relationships. That ends in ep.5Ep 6,7, all the way to the end of 8 are mostly fluff, watching the pretty face of adult PiO in suffering. Also ep 9 and 10 are not really deep.
Ep 8 has a very very very profound message, of how the objectivity of art and one's genuine appreciation for it can lead to healing. .
Adult life episodes (from ep 6 and on) are majorly dragged... and acting is inadequate. Main leads have enough acting skills to act not-so-complex teenagers, but they severely lack skills to act very-complex adults.
The main issue here is that PiO's mother is a malignant narcissist, and she uses PiO to advance her own prestige, influence, and social status. She convinces PiO that he is a fantastically great talented pianist and he has to compete to show to everyone that he is great. Or else - he will be some unknown pitiful person.
PiO's mother always manages to "bribe" and manipulate PiO to go back to that grandiose view of himself.... However, PiO's mother actually hates him for not being ah so great and having to practice real hard to achieve winning by technical competence, not by soulful playing - as his grandfather keeps reminding him.
So because Pio is not perfect and a genius and truly "the best", his grandfather considers him nothing. And his mother pushes him to be "winning" and being "first" but she too hates him for not being a genius.
Pio wins all competitions... but his Grandfather and his teacher tell him his playing lacks soul. Meanwhile, his mother, society, and his girl fan always shower him with praises.
And PiO ... goes with it. He does what his mother says, and ditches his best friend and colleague (and competitor) JY.
At this point, PiO is a snowflake, coddled by massive praises and "wins", and majorly insecure in himself. He is on the verge of mental illness at all times.
Somehow, PiO is impressed by JY's genius playing, and he saves him. The two of them have such a great time playing together, and for the first time in his life PiO genuinely experiences playing for fun and having a friend - and he throws it all out to listen to his mother and compete to beat JY and show him he, Pio, is the best.
SO THE ENTIRE DRAMA GOES BACK AND FORTH LIKE THIS. WHERE PIO LISTENS TO HIS MOTHER, THEN TO HIS INNER VOICE, AND KEEPS SWITCHING.
And every time he listens to his mother's voice, he becomes more mentally ill.
So PiO came with negative karma, where it is too easy to convince him to diss others to benefit himself.
JY also came in with negative karma. He is a genius piano player, naturally, and he pities PiO for being "lesser player" - but he hides it, to keep PiO as his friend, so that they can play piano together.
Eventually, they do compete and PiO's mother commits a crime that disables JY for life. THIS IS THE END OF EP 5 AND THEIR TEENAGE YEARS.. Thus far, the drama is done well.
The drama has 9 yrs time skip. Now the soap and fluff for most of the time, and waste of drama time begins. Ep 6,7, most of 8, 9, 10 about their adult lives are ... dragging. PiO suspects his other and investigates, and suffers - as he is now a global star and he knows he doesnt deserve it.
JY thinks PiO did the crime, and comes back after 9 years for revenge.
END OF EPISODE 8 IS A WONDERFUL STORY OF A TEMPORARY TRUCE OBTAINED BY BOTH PIO AND JY FOLLOWING THE HIGHER PATH OF ART. The music shows their genuine feeling, and they make peace. JY finally believes that PiO has talent.
However, their music healing does not transfer into real life. In real life, snowflake PiO is still his mommy's boy and goes back to it as soon as there is an obstacle.
PiO finally finds out his mom was the criminal who permanently disabled JY - and he protects his mother at the expense of throwing JY - and himself - under the bus :) He covers up for his mother and accepts the responsibility for her crime. PiO feels guilty for doing so - which enrages JY because it is clear that PiO has absolutely no compassion for JY and just blindly covers up for his mother.
Ep 9, 10 are JY torturing PiO and PiO suffering in guilt - sure it was necessary to show this, but two episodes of that is too much -
although PiO looks "guilty" he really has no genuine remorse He is just taking on his mother's responsibility to feel guilty. He genuinely is NOT able to feel the pain of JY. PiO's "suffering and guilt" is not real - it is just a way to avoid JY and stay with his monster mommy.
PiO sticks to his mother - although he dislikes her and avoids her, his mother is STILL #1 IN HIS LIFE. PiO is essentially an accomplice in crime because he hides the evidence of the criminal - his mother.
Since PiO has tasted joy and friendship and real enjoyment of music, we cannot say "he never experienced it." He did. With JY. And PiO *** chose *** to throw it away, because his mother convinced him he has to win over JY bc he is better than JY. This conflict inside him is driving him into mental illness. From ep 6 on, PiO is on the verge of needing a psychiatric asylum.
JY may seem a victim but he is effectively a villain, torturing PiO and pushing him more into mental illness.
The only thing that could work is for PiO to somehow find something Higher to latch onto and rise above the narcissistic brainwashing and his own negative tendencies.
It is going to be hard for PiO to overcome this .... and there are only 2 episodes left. So the drama might end up in a major flop because of improper pacing, spending too much time on the drama and suffering instead of showing how the healing happened.
In ep 10, PiO is genuinely trying to play JY's original piece properly, and JY keeps complaining PiO missed to convey the feeling of the piece. Because the piece is about JY's suffering due to that injury. Since PiO practices badly, he is ruining his hands.
So at this point - either PiO sticks to his mother and becomes mentally ill, or he changes.
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