Cute, adorable romance with few question marks included!
This drama was low-key a catfish. Hear me out... I went in fully expecting a light, sweet, fluffy romance with cute bickering, unresolved tension doing the absolute most, and nonstop soft vibes. And yes it is all of that, but then it randomly hits you with grief, regret and an existential crisis you did not see coming. It tries to unpack all of that through a fantasy lens and that’s where things start getting a little shaky.
At its heart, it is cute, romantic in a fluffy sense but it's not just that. It's also about timing being terrible and fear absolutely ruining the party. The whole idea of romance is constantly competing with "what ifs", which gave a little emotional bite to the story.
The story runs in two tracks- The present or the fluff where the feelings are finally being named out loud, and another shaped by fragmented, anxiety-induced visions. The rules of how the second world works aren't exactly clear though.
At the centre of the drama is the relationship between Jerome aka "J" and Jinn, our classic rivals-to-lovers trope. Their relationship has been marked by years of unresolved tension from childhood.
J is the definition of realising things too late and then spiralling about it. While his heart was in the right place, sometimes the lack of commutation trope was stretched too thin considering how understanding and accommodating his partner was. I understand the decisions were driven by fear and it took a while for him to figure it himself but the writing could have cut it short.
Jinn, on the other hand, was not here for instantly rewarding apologies. And I was glad because years of emotions being side-lined don't magically disappear because J got self-aware. He was genuine, funny and cute as a button. I enjoyed their bickering, affection and chemistry between them. Cute, comforting but not boring.
Coming to the second couple, Van and Farm. This is also the opposites attract trope (more on the friends-to-lovers side). While I sympathise and sort of understand Van's emotional distance stemming from unresolved grief and fear of attachment, the way he treated Farm at times pissed me off. I was glad Farm took a stand for himself. But I did like their story too and was glad as the second couple, they had their own storyline with themes of troubled love different from mains but still cohesive to the overall storytelling and were not there just for decoration or filler scenes.
The drama's strength lies in romance and emotions but where it stumbles and fumbles is in its final stretch. The pacing becomes uneven in the later episodes, with certain conflicts lingering longer than necessary while key explanations never arrive. The supernatural element, though thematically effective at the start, felt like a gimmick rather than a logical subplot. These choices don't derail the whole story but they definitely softened its impact on me.
Visually, the production is polished. They managed to portray the difference in timelines well, considering I wasn't confused between them. Though it was hard to believe they were 31, at least they tried.
Acting also elevated the material when plot holes tried tanking it. Sea and Keen continue to impress me. I know they are cute and everything, but they can definitely act and deliver when asked. There were a few emotional scenes where I felt Sea was a bit stiff, but nothing too distracting. Surf and Java were adorable too. I will definitely look up to their new projects.
Overall, even if my thoughts above makes it sound like I didn’t enjoy it, I really did. It’s one of those dramas you watch to destress, even though it might low-key stress you out but it’s wrapped in the cutest fluff, which somehow balances it out... I digress, but yeah, I liked it. I would recommend it just with the expectation that the fantasy element isn’t meant to be taken too seriously. You will likely be left with a few questions, but also be fed with cute romance.
At its heart, it is cute, romantic in a fluffy sense but it's not just that. It's also about timing being terrible and fear absolutely ruining the party. The whole idea of romance is constantly competing with "what ifs", which gave a little emotional bite to the story.
The story runs in two tracks- The present or the fluff where the feelings are finally being named out loud, and another shaped by fragmented, anxiety-induced visions. The rules of how the second world works aren't exactly clear though.
At the centre of the drama is the relationship between Jerome aka "J" and Jinn, our classic rivals-to-lovers trope. Their relationship has been marked by years of unresolved tension from childhood.
J is the definition of realising things too late and then spiralling about it. While his heart was in the right place, sometimes the lack of commutation trope was stretched too thin considering how understanding and accommodating his partner was. I understand the decisions were driven by fear and it took a while for him to figure it himself but the writing could have cut it short.
Jinn, on the other hand, was not here for instantly rewarding apologies. And I was glad because years of emotions being side-lined don't magically disappear because J got self-aware. He was genuine, funny and cute as a button. I enjoyed their bickering, affection and chemistry between them. Cute, comforting but not boring.
Coming to the second couple, Van and Farm. This is also the opposites attract trope (more on the friends-to-lovers side). While I sympathise and sort of understand Van's emotional distance stemming from unresolved grief and fear of attachment, the way he treated Farm at times pissed me off. I was glad Farm took a stand for himself. But I did like their story too and was glad as the second couple, they had their own storyline with themes of troubled love different from mains but still cohesive to the overall storytelling and were not there just for decoration or filler scenes.
The drama's strength lies in romance and emotions but where it stumbles and fumbles is in its final stretch. The pacing becomes uneven in the later episodes, with certain conflicts lingering longer than necessary while key explanations never arrive. The supernatural element, though thematically effective at the start, felt like a gimmick rather than a logical subplot. These choices don't derail the whole story but they definitely softened its impact on me.
Visually, the production is polished. They managed to portray the difference in timelines well, considering I wasn't confused between them. Though it was hard to believe they were 31, at least they tried.
Acting also elevated the material when plot holes tried tanking it. Sea and Keen continue to impress me. I know they are cute and everything, but they can definitely act and deliver when asked. There were a few emotional scenes where I felt Sea was a bit stiff, but nothing too distracting. Surf and Java were adorable too. I will definitely look up to their new projects.
Overall, even if my thoughts above makes it sound like I didn’t enjoy it, I really did. It’s one of those dramas you watch to destress, even though it might low-key stress you out but it’s wrapped in the cutest fluff, which somehow balances it out... I digress, but yeah, I liked it. I would recommend it just with the expectation that the fantasy element isn’t meant to be taken too seriously. You will likely be left with a few questions, but also be fed with cute romance.
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