J-atty

Immaturity of Youth

This series was aptly named as it displayed in full splendor why one should not dabble in the kiddies pool as an adult. It was truly disheartening to see the recent fare from Taiwan diminishing in quality and and creativity. This being the first offering seems to have fallen flat. The characters one dimensional, the story line uninspiring and acting by all less than stellar. This would have best been offered as a school production than an actual series by professionals.

Taiwan stories have always bordered on the taboo. In this regard they have not failed. A teacher being allowed by all to enter a relationship with a direct student. One cannot control to whom they are attracted, one can control their response to the attraction. Yu Xing's response to Lu Hui's admission was disturbing. Disturbing as he disregarded his responsibility as an adult, as his teacher and also as his fellow cohabitant. This was not between a professor and a college student, but between a young teacher who was in college and a willful teenager. How could this be appropriate on any level? He willingly accepted his feelings and embarked on the relationship with the child. I use child here to differentiate their status in age and not behaviors as both have acted immaturely throughout. Yu Xing's female friend had been at his side and the propeller in his life to encourage him to reach academic fulfillment. His immaturity in handling the situation would see her hurt. Had he been upfront, she would not have had to scold him and still advise him on his own life. Lu Hui's childishness would create situations that should never have been. How could he not see that holding the teacher's hand in class was inappropriate? How could he not see that his response to Yu Xing's dreams would hurt him? How could he continue his infantile behavior of ignoring Yu Xing and it be entertained for as long as it did? All of this completely distorted what could have been a beautiful story of love and restraint by both parties. Both of them falling in love was not the error, acting on it before Lu Hui left school while still being a teenager in his care, was. Had both shown restraint and measures used to wait, may have been a story worth watching.

Lu Xi and Bing Chen were no different in courting controversy. Upon first sight, Lu Xi began to have feelings for Bing Chen. Which is fine, as they are both consenting adults. What is controversial, Bing Chen was portrayed as a widower still deep in grief. After receiving a drunken kiss, the grief considerably dissipated and plunged head first into what can be assumed to be his first gay relationship. The reactions of both of them seemed rushed and unrealistic.

After viewing Unknown and The On1y One, this falls way below the expected mark and a poor representation in storytelling. The ending was expected and completed at the steady slow steam that was carried through out. This does not have any re-watch value as it was very bland.

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Well, it was something

This consisted of 6 episodes of nothing new, nothing worth rehashing or inspiring. Nothing. The usual misunderstanding of past hurt was easily resolved. The character with family trauma was not that likeable. The usual female used as as a pawn to separate the two ml. Nothing was redeemed. I will say, that the mls had a nice level of ease between them. I wouldn't say chemistry but an ease in their interactions. It felt natural. What is not natural, telling your bf after the death of his fecal matter of a father, that he should stop crying and smile. Prior to this, he told him that even though his father wasn't good, he would have some feelings for him. So what exactly was the writer thinking? Though he does say, "Mina, I can't fully understand your feelings because I am not you," It is well to remember this in the real world.

The biggest draw back to these super short series is funding. It shows with the script, the location and production. Choppy scenes, discarded characters, poor direction and acting do not make for an enjoyable viewing. It would be prudent to first work on a script with nuances or variances. Location is iffy as it depends on the script. Quality editing and recording equipment is a must. It detracts from the story with fluctuating sound and ost used a filler.

Rewatch, no.

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Love what exactly....

It was a nice calm series and I was truly disappointed.

Six skilled actors delivering the most placid performance I would say for 2024. A nice concept, poor writing, uneventful episodes with little to no engagement. These couples didn't fall in love, they both eased into it. Their grief overshadowed everything else and made the story so subdued that I was left wondering what happened. They're all very likeable with no real drama. The healing from loss and abandonment was dealt with by all but without the bang. Where is the passion for living? The storylines were tied up at the end but very very very peacefully.

Reese finally agreed to go to Thailand with Orca. Sea finally tells Neil about their meeting years ago and how it saved him and Neil confessing how Sea empowered him to be brave. All done very quietly. Standout was Mei, working anonymously in the background to bring them together. 1 point for the casting team for choosing the actresses for Mei and Sea's blonde classmate. They brought their characters to life and relieved the boredom.

Too many flashbacks of the same scene. Magnet's one song religiously played for 9-10 episodes. First Note of Love was more like a lullaby. Charles, Michael, Jame and Min Ting were nice to look at but was expecting more. They did act well but just too quietly. Jame, blonde 1980' mullet - why, was the most engaging of all.

Watch if you've had a hard day and just want to relax without too much brain activity. Rewatch - pass.

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Aaaah no...... There is paint to watch dry.

This is not it. Definitely not it. The entire production team should be fired and be hired in a butcher shop. I actually cannot believe, a series as important as this, was left to be cut in so many parts, that nothing resembles each other. It was pure determination that I endured to the end. At this point A Secretly Love could be a masterpiece compared to this and that was baaaaad!!!!! After watching A&H, it would have been easier to be on a small boat during a storm in the middle of the ocean with one paddle.

Cons....
1. Poor script
2. Poor translation
3. Choppy scenes
4. Why place an adult with a minor to make a film with adult themes and can not do adult scenes? I'm not speaking of nc scenes. Attraction / passion / desire. Casting was horrible.
5. Main actors could have done more workshops. Infact, the entire cast.
6. Terrible direction.
7. Inconsistent storylines.
8. The distance between main and second leads are oceans apart. Pop and Hero look college age and Tiger and Only look like babies. How are they in the same class? How were they connected again? Never mind, that's one brain cell I saved. Not worth knowing.
9. What was the purpose of Poppy's mother marrying Hero's father, when he treated her like trash? He could have just bought a watch to put on his hand if he wanted to feel something hanging on. Even they, didn't have any chemistry.
10. What is the purpose of having a special episode and season 2 when the first one was so horrible. There are enough starving children in this world, give the money to them, rather that creating a greater abomination.
11. So no reasonable conclusion for Tiger and Only. Poof....disappear 🤷‍♀️
12. Putting two good looking people together do not make chemistry. How well you interact and feed off of each other, makes the chemistry. Pop's father had more chemistry with his second wife and child than they did. Again, because of the limited interaction.
13. Uncut means what exacly? That Hero can use the word sex in a sentence? That his father can shoot at him? Not once but twice?
14. Mac's / Poppy's nasal monotone delivery was not doing anything to his presence. 16 is relatively young so he has time to get better.

Pro:
1. The scene where Pop goes to apologizes outside Hero's condo and Hero quietly walks up to him and holds the food with him. 😔😔
2. Ep 10 when Hero is in the attic and Pop says he will starve with him and sleep on the grass for him. 😪😪
3. August and Mac are good looking.
4. Whatever they paid Poppy's father wasn't enough, he actually made it better. Pop and his father delivered in this role as parent and child.

Yup, that's it. I was hoping with each episode they would capture some charm like the original or even SWM but no, this complete mess should NEVER be visited again. And when I say never, I do mean never. Can't help but feel with a better cast and production team this could have been magical. Sigh.

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Lesson lost in production

This is the first Thai prison production that I've seen and I believe more should be told. Two things: I've never been to prison and most importantly a Thai prison so the commentary below is from a novice's pov.

Plot: The story of prison life and learning to appreciate your life outside. That's universal. Learning to love yourself and accept love from others. Also universal.

Acting: It's a first time for both main leads but even with a better script, this was terrible. Especially, Jed. Bible and Khuen did a fair job. Kudos to the warden who seemed to have had more experience than all. The long stares and pauses between made this feel even cheaper than it was.

Thoughts: What hampered this from having a greater impact was the production of it. Bad audio. Bad directing. Impromptu humor that didn't fit or was grossly displayed. Very poor script. Choppy, disconnected and erratic pacing. Unrealistic scenes. Prisoners walking around doing nothing at all but talk. Doing laundry, sporadically talking and stares. Why was one actor given two roles? Being the prison doctor and being a prisoner, which did nothing to propel the story. Lack of funding, perhaps. This story could have used less people and made the a more concise representation of prison life. Jed made this unbearble. His wide open mouth and creepy mannerisms, one would think he should be behind bars. Having sex in the open where communal washing is done. This is one of the unrealistic parts. Having to wait 3 weeks for the ending as the series was paused, here the momentum was lost.

Nothing was learnt at the ending that wasn't told in the beginning. I will defin̈itely not rewatch. If you haven't, pass.

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Ok I guess

Straight off the bat, it's an okay watch. It's like a calm stroll down a no name street where you observe no name people doing no name things. Where was the eccentric romance? It could have been a suspense drama with an electric romance, sadly it wasn't. I watched to the end just to see who the murderer was and the reason behind it. It was great until it wasn't.

I really don't like people who don't know if they like someone or not. Jay has know and been a friend to SH for far too long for him not to know if he has feelings for him or not. After the reveal, it was a bit disappointed by his response. Jay's behaviour is childish at times but you get through it. Leading up to this point the series was nice. After this the eccentric romance had no zing to it. I'm reminded of Dangerous Romance where the only danger was the script and 'someone's' inability to act like they were in a romance.

The plot of the murder was a nice addition. JU as the suspect and their mapping of his actions brought some humorous moments which added to the okayness of the story. This I liked. What was a deterrent, the music did nothing to enhance the suspence. Even at the end with the revelation, it really felt a little flat. Where was the shock factor.

JW was another good addition but with a limited script, she was not utilized more. SJ and his ally, made the series tags a reality. The unrealistic final end of their plot made the comedy part true. Filming it to put out for likes. Seriously? Yes, heavy on the comedy.

As I stated it was an okay watch and I will recommend it. Even if it's just to see Jay's lips and SH declaration to protect him. But who's going to protect him? Go watch. Re-watch, maybe.

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Was it the right choice?

It started with a nice simple feel to the story with a hint of the spirit world added for mystery. Fine. There was a close knit rural setting which felt like it was secluded from the outer world at times. It started off well enough with TK and Nan Krai (NK) as childhood best friends now into adulthood. NK harbors a romantic love for TK, who seems oblivious to it. On meeting Victor, TK immediately is smitten and its reciprocated. NK realizes this and although he confesses, TK sees it as a brotherly love confession. NK resolves to wait for him as he knows in his heart, only TK would make him happy. Victor returns home and TK grieves for him. Within that period, NK kisses him and TK gently rebuffs him. His heart has made the choice for him. So far so good. On receiving an invitation from Victor he happily travels to meet him. He arrives to find that Victor had passed away.

Here is where a very sharp turn from credible occurs. He returns home and continues to grieve. After a few days, he goes in search NK after remembering NK's love for him, only to learn he too has died in an accident. Broken and distraught, he rushes to the cave and cries out in anger in his despair. He is given a reboot and returns to the day Victor first arrives. He meets him, with tears aflow, he wishes him well and goes to meet NK who comforts him.

My concerns in the story:
Rather than lose two, he settles for NK in the reboot. Does NK deserve to be a second choice?
After the reboot, why did he make the choice to walk away from Victor when he could have made a different choice and be with him since he knows the time of his demise?
His mother's love for him kept him from growing into a man making his own decisions until it was too late. His counterparts were already working. Why did he still need her permission ?
What was the purpose of the twin San Lian telling him to stay? He has read the diary. He is still a stranger to him. He was close to his brother so he invites his lover to stay? No time period given. A week? A month? Just stay. Really?
He welcomes his own death, and feels content in leaving both behind. In doing so, he still causes pain to NK alone and resolves his.
Is all of this a dream sequence to deal with the losses?

My concerns with the writing:
If this is not a dream:-
How can Victor meet him in the afterlife as someone he loved, for the reboot had occurred which prevented their love story from beginning?
Why on his return, no one told him of NK death? After his grieving had abated, he now remembers his friend? Why didn't he question his absence? Their relationship had been written as close friends, why wasn't he told? This felt like, ok since Victor is dead, let me turn to NK.
If he had settled for NK, didn't NK now have the right to meet him in the afterlife as NK was the one who loved him in both versions? Victor didnt know him as such in the reboot.
Why did the writer opt for the easy way out, rather than choosing a partner and sticking with it? It shows an unwillingness to resolve the situation and straddle the fence between. It didn't solve the situation, it erased it thus nullifying the reason for the whole story.
Why do writers create irritating desperate women as the spurned love? Is this a way to show that it's understandable to refuse her advances?
Why were the conversations at times extremely childish and immature? Poop on his shoes. TK touching Victor in the gallery.
Why wasn't a common language used and understood between TK and Victor? Wasn't this the reason for his hire? This felt truly odd.
Why was the humor not humorous and as for the spurned female, consistently outlandish? A woman can be warm, loving and beautiful and still be refused. Rather than making her a caricature.
Why was it necessary to show 2 nc fantasies? The script shouldn't require 2 as he was not the end game. The first could have been omitted. This created a deeper sense of loss to the viewer and more empathy for him than anyone else as he was the one to lose everything in both versions.

Honestly, there were times that were enjoyable as the 3 mls felt matched. The interractions felt natural. NK with TK and also TK with Victor. The writing overall needed to be better. The acting from some needs to be improved and the script, well...... Scenery was ok as it was basically a tour guide while falling in love. Though this could have shortened a bit to allow for the last episode to not feel crammed. I would have preferred a more realistic ending. Watchable, yes.

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Escapades of a man-child and his student Jun

My stubborn doesn't pretend to be what it's not. It's blunt. It's crude. It's raw. It's definitely for adults. Sorn's entry into the series clearly defined the direction this was going to take. Your sensibilities may be shocked for a few moments, but the guile he uses to trap Jun should be studied. Sorn being the 'kind' person that he his proceeds to provide tutelage to a naive and clueless Jun.

Jun, previously identifying as straight, has shown to have since changed his desire with their meeting. The thing is, Sorn uses every trick possible to get a rise out of Jun, in both senses of the word. The tricks seemed to have worked on Sorn himself as he fell for Jun. Inexperienced Jun begins to question his intent and the contents of his heart. It is within this chaos that fun begins.

Sorn is a very polarizing character. Either you love him or you don't. He feels protective of Jun but also his chief adversary. It is only later that it's revealed that his tactics hid the feelings that grew for him. Twisted in the past hurt of being accused of 'being with a minor', he desires Jun but is afraid of being caught up in another situation that will be painful to him. Sorn is a master at sex but terrible with relationships. Platonic and intimate share the same fate. He will not entertain anyone who does not serve his purpose. He stayed true to himself and, in the process, hurt Jun time and time again.

The series was entertaining for the most part, but there were times it wasn't. Jun's curiosity and lack of respect for himself placed him in positions he should not have been. Sorn's caustic tongue was too abrasive at times. The bathroom tap-out was not a pleasant watch. The fml with no questions asked, just pounced and ate. Then the cliché hurt gf that was allowed to behave like a banshee in an office environment. HR was on 'vacation' from ep 1, it seems. In fact, the entire office would have had to be written up by HR.

There is no real plot to this series, just a hodge podge of scenarios stitched together with every excuse to insert nc. A few characters were not necessary, and this could have been wrapped up in 8 episodes. A very and I do mean very poor script with disconnected breaks that had no fluidity. Truthfully, I was humorously entertained throughout. Each week, I tuned in just to see how far Sorn would go and how fragile he truly was. He kept seeking approval from Jun, someone he didn't 'love'. They picked the perfect couple for these roles. BoatOat did not fail in their delivery. Oat is easily believable as the precocious impulsive Jun who is now trying to find himself. Boat as the closed off selfish demanding Sorn. Together, they made this nonsense work. The usual misunderstanding occurred, and I reveled in seeing Sorn lost, repentent, and afraid to let go. The beard deserves a worthy mention. On and off the screen, they work well together.

Penny's office relationship was as dry as biscuit and unnecessary to the plot other than her being Sorn's fwb. Tai's seemed oddly off kilter as he was the one lecturing Sorn on his unwillingness to be true to his own feelings. Now, near the end, he adopts the same attitude and causes Champ pain. Again, with proper writing and planning, this could have been dealt with earlier on and not like an afterthought. Script, poor. Tedious, repetitive, contrived conversations. Production and direction, poor. Again, how can one forget the beard? It will be remembered for eternity. Acting was on the lower end but served a purpose for enjoyment. Sorn and Jun together, entertaining.

The ending was rewarding for all, with Sorn's explosive desire capturing Jun once more. Sorn's maturity is still not fully complete as he bluntly speaks his mind irrelevant on how he affects those around him. Win's jibes at his bro Sorn, meant that Sorn was not untouchable. Tai and Champ's tender moment was the most comforting throughout the series. Yoon and Punpun made their relationship believable. I can't wait to see BoatOat in a better script as they've proven to be a fun couple.

View this at least once. If you go back for seconds, the why is understood.

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When it's no longer fun being alone

There is good. There is bad. Then there is this. It just is. The only name that this wears is called life. It's the conversations too difficult to have but must be done to move forward. To feel as close to whole as you think you can be. The thing is, both Min Jun and Jin Hwan couldn't have those conversations in university. They were both inexperienced at it. Rather than find the truth in what was between them, the both took the hard way out. Misconceptions abound, they retreated and disappeared into their safe worlds.

Min Jun is stuck in a holding pattern as life moves on around him. He has changed with the passing of years but he hasn't lived either. Jin Hwan assertiveness has grown and in this he resolves to make Min Jun his. Unfortunately there are three obstacles to face. Min Jun's truth. Jin Hwan's truth. Which one is the truth. In the past, each in their safe cocoon, they deconstructed the events that separated them and their views were sadly very different.

Min Jun assumed that Jin Hwan was playing a game with him and held onto the hurt. Jin Hwan believing Min Jun to be an indecisive coward, never made the situation clear. Now working together, their daily interactions unavoidable, they have the difficult conversations. Ultimately one thing between them is true, they still have great love for the other.

This is life. No one is right or wrong. They're just two people dealing with their emotions, expectations and pain. They have to decide if it's worth it. They do.

As much as I loved the lessons taught it was not as engaging as it could have been. There were moments of good writing but the majority were just words to keep the vehicle mooving. Min Jun's depressive state from university to present weighed too heavy at times. Jin Hwan attitude seems a bit too bright in his fight to get through to him. A homophobic father and depressive ex lover, he had to be. The biggest drawback was the monotone through out. A flat line running straight through with no real spark of emotion to make the drama between them life effecting. Each episode a repeat of the other.

What's to like: It's a realistic take on two people with contrasting personalities, vowing to stick together. It's shows what can happen when lack of communication is left to it's own device. Lost years. It's two people ensuring that the past will not repeat itself. What's not to like: It can be sleep inducing. Don't raise you expectations too high and you won't be disappointed.
At other times a nice surprise.

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China: Truth Unknown

China does it again. The suprise of this beautiful gem was unexpected but very welcomed. After Blue Canvas of Youthful Days, I was hoping for something just as beautiful. It has arrived and surpasses anything else currently.

It took me a while to write this as I felt any words used here would not do justice to how beautifully perfect this is. The warm conflicts of that summer transmit effortlessly through the screen and envelop your psyche. This is as good as it gets, and it's evident by my immediate desire to watch again until every scene, every nugget of wisdom is locked in memory.

It feels wildly free and deliciously innocent. The entire flow of this piece was refreshing in the current sea of mundane and uninspiring. Their meeting is boyishly relaxed and instantly bonding through proximity. Playfully engaging, their responses are as it should be. Conversations between them seem innocent in nature but bear the weight of maturity beyond Xiao Zhi years. The younger of the two is very self-aware. Chen Li carries the audience through the painful dance of acceptance. He acknowledges within himself that his behaviors are to prevent the unwanted judgement that Xiao Zhi tosses aside without care. The pain Xiao Zhi feels strikes at the heart of this story. No one else knows the full insertion of Chen Li in Xiao Zhi's life. His brother included. It is through dreams, memories, and half truths the audience is given one revealing moment at a time. Xiao Zhi's breakdown at the reunion seems overdramatic for a one-sided crush. Or was it? Only Xiao Zhi and Chen Li knew, but they both kept the secrets.

A wonderful treat to enjoy. The length of each episode captures the important aspects of their interactions. Smartly written and enticing. The support cast doesn't feel like an intrusion or filler but is used expertly to propel the story in a natural flow of young love coming to fulfillment. There are no flaws or anything to remove or add. The production and the acting of the entire cast are without question the best I've seen from China. Everything appears unrehearsed and a natural ease amongst all. As the characters aged, so did the mannerisms of the mls, adding authenticity to the passage of time. My only regret is that seven episodes left me wanting more of this and much less of what else is currently being offered.

The perfect depiction of youthful love and expression beautifully captured in time. I won't urge you to go see it. I will say it will be a great loss if you don't. It's really good.

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Penguin Only

If you are inclined to watch this do not go into it with any expectations and you won't be disappointed. Yes it was scattered, poorly written and unbelievably stupid. I fully supported releasing the last 3 episodes together. Why stretch the unbearable? A better script might have them becoming shape shifters, exploring the world by night but living their animal form by day. Then a catalyst happens forcing them to make a choice. Their choice would include being adopted by Ton and Nam with Jeng and Jod as friends in their escapades. No, what we got was a whole lot of nonsense, with irritating side characters and with outlandish plot twists. Eliminate the rest of supporting cast and the money saved could have gone into more cgi to enhance the plot.

Then I remember Penguin and I'm okay with some aspects. He is innocent, naive, sassy with a big heart. He was the only reason that would excuse wasting 8 hrs of mind blowing nonsensical. Sun, rubbing his face against Junior aka Penguin and resting his head on Junior's shoulder while telling him how much he loved him, made for a very sweet moment. Junior crying in ep 10 undid me. His process of deduction and internal conversations are humerous. That is all.

Take Junior and Sun out and you can burn the rest. For relative newbies they were okay, especially Jay. I do hope they get better scripts because they are cute together. I can not recommend watching this. No, I really can not. Go to a real zoo instead.

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Worth every second

Very rarely have I a seen a drama that pulls the water works out. Every story within the main story was brought to an expected end. None were rushed or left open ended. Which I loved.

Nut and Plan brought out their best work without relying on nc scenes to make their story believable and complete. Phob and Phat's timely meeting set the tone and pace of the series. Every nuanced expression and emotion was felt. The ending was expected because a love like that just isn't forgotten.

The imagery, costuming and ghostly effects were great without going over the top. The three main shooting locations did become tedious to see but budgets to consider was acceptable. Only peeve, Phat's mother seemed invisible until needed. It seemed days would pass without seeing each other.

I would recommend watching over a period of days to truly enjoy the story and everyone's performance. In a era where fast food is easily accessible this was like a nice meal.

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Sorn The Whipped

Let's face it. The only reason to watch this was to see how far they would go. You'd think there wasn't anything that was omitted in My Stubborn, they proved me wrong. If the plot was how well Jun absorbed all of Sorn's teaching. They succeeded. The script was like an improv piece. Just responses with little to no real direction.

I did like seeing that Jun received the advice given by Win in the right vein. Sorn appreciated the extra love shown to him. I didn't like seeing him a bit insecure because of it. In the end, Sorn adoring Jun was beautiful to see. The ending on the yacht, perfect.

BoatOat will be missed. Put aside the nc. They interract well together. With a better script, I'll be there again watching them.

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Not Needed At All

From the previous review, I will still state that they have struck gold with these two actors. What I will say now is that it is wasted. These 4 episodes were not needed at all to enhance the previous story. It led nowhere and the natural chemistry between them is wasted. Why expound on the past that was already explained? The ending of the previous showed that they had reconciled but with baggage - Dae Yeong's cheating and Jeong Ha's dependency on him. This would have been a better story for them to deal with day to day conflicts because of the tainted relationship. A crying DY would have stretched his acting skills to pull in the audience more. An independent JH would show him asserting himself and not be clinging to DY for support with a final reconciliation. Choi and Jeong appeared lazy in their roles with no real meat to chew on. It was disheartening to see a poorly written script passed off as content. This is Sukfilm's weakness and it is hampering their growth. Their are other stories to tell and I hope they do. Choi and Jeong have "it", please don't waste it. Watching this before the previous episodes might make a better experience.

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