It looks like Seon Ju is going to take crap for a while but she's got a job and will start building up her confidence and backbone.
I wonder what the birth secret is going to be. I think it's pretty clear Sang Ah is not related to her father biologically. But is Seon Ju related to Jung Bae (Sang Ah's father)? And how would Sang Ah's mother know? Does that mean Seon Ju was adopted? Or that her mom gave up on Jung Bae and never told him? So weird. I wonder where they go with that.
I also wonder what the male lead meant when he asked about the art entrance exam in the preview for next episode.
Can someone tell me what the wet dream is that those Korean writers have of always making the protagonist a stepfather?
TV writers in Korea and China seem to want male leads who love the female lead unconditionally and through any situation. She bullies him as a child? He develops a crush. She rejects his advances? He remains devoted. She dates someone else? He remains devoted. She gets pregnant and has a baby with another man? He wants to step up and marry her.
TV is a fantasy I guess and given the ratings keep going up and up it's at least interesting to the Korean housewives watching it.
Overall I think it's not great for TV. You can basically see the romance in every single show these days before it even happens. The male lead will always have one option - the female lead. The female lead typically weighs her options before deciding on the male lead. It's so predictable.
duration of ep 33 =35 min .... real important stuff = 5 min ..........
You're not kidding about episode 33 being almost entirely filler lol. I think half the episode had gone by before they got back to the start of the ending scene of episode 32.
One day we will talk about the unnecessary vitriol female leads get from fans in male centric dramas. This drama…
My Heroic Husband, Joy of Life and Snow Sword Stride all have similar elements to this show. All have aired within the last 5-6 years. The female leads and other romantic interests did not receive much criticism, the shows were focused on the male lead and the events in the world. I enjoyed all 3 of these shows and I thought the female leads added to each of them.
I'm enjoying the show. I don't like how the female lead is written and directed. That's all. I'm not sure why some of you are so invested in convincing everyone this is a well written character and that anyone critical doesn't want the male lead to have a romance.
I think it's pretty good yeah. The show is focused on the male lead and you could almost list him as the main character all on his own.
He journeys through the world stumbling across the different power-factions. He solves cases, tries to help people and sometimes does it with humor. Quick witted. He's not above embarrassing himself, the show doesn't mind having a laugh at his expense.
Most of the supporting cast is strong, well thought out and written with a couple exceptions.
I'd say it's worth watching if that interests you.
This is my last comment regarding the "hate" Lin An is recieving in here. I just can't stand double standards…
Can you point to a single moment that Lin An has seen the bigger picture and been selfless in service of others in the first half of this show?
Qi An is childish and mischievous. But when things get serious he doesn't pretend to faint. He does the selfless thing. He does the right thing. He puts other people first even if it means putting himself in danger. That's why his character works.
You see the same thing when the stakes are smaller with his aunt and uncle. They crack jokes and sometimes they're a bit selfish and childish but they do try to help Qi An and others whenever they can.
Genuine question : why are people finding Lin An as an annoying? Honestly, I didn’t, and I think her actions…
Suitable does not mean she is not annoying. She's a selfish, spoiled princess who hasn't grown up.
And the show isn't about her. If this was a show about a selfish spoiled girl turning into a magnanimous woman and future queen that would be one thing.
But the show is about the male lead's journey to 'save the world' with help from various friends and with some comedic relief mixed in.
Where does she fit in? Is she comic relief? Not really. Is she someone useful to the male lead in saving the world? Not really. She's been about as useful as the head of the astronomy department or the poet-scholars. Notice how none of those 3 characters are leads or significant characters appearing every episode. They're supporting cast.
So that's why people have a problem with her. The show isn't about her personal growth. She's a side character that the writers and directors are shoe-horning into the show as a lead and you can tell. And it's annoying.
Lin An is such an unnecessary character and it's crazy to me the writing and directing team thought "this is the female lead we want". Otherwise the show is good. If they cut every single Lin An scene it would have been great.
My issue is they have all sorts of other stories and plotlines they could follow through on and they choose not to episode after episode
Gong Hui trying to go full time as a designer. Dan Su and his "Holly" persona. Have we had a single scene showing him working as Holly yet? A famed designer and the reason we know is because we've seen him read an email. Gong Bu and his failing gynecology or fertility office or whatever. What does he do? Does he work at the business to revitalize it? Does he give it up for another career or to prepare to raise his child with Hong Dan? Dan Su's parents and Dan Su. How did they get split up? How did his father die? What's going on? Why does Gong Hui's dad seem to have some knowledge of it all? Barely explored halfway through the show.
There are lots of stories that could be told.
I get it's a family drama/makjang/soap opera or whatever you want to call it but most people have hopes, dreams, goals they want to accomplish. Outside of Gong Hui no other character has been defined well at all in terms of what motivates them. And Gong Hui is having that motivation stripped away with the other female lead sabotaging her at work constantly, never getting caught and now this pregnancy.
The show is spinning its tires in mud. Half the show has gone by and nothing significant has happened in terms of a character growing or going on a journey of self discovery. Min Gi has devolved into a bit of a scumbag. Gong Bu was rising to meet expectations but has now fallen back down because drama for drama's sake. Dan Su hasn't changed. Ji Na hasn't changed. Grandma hasn't changed. Mom hasn't changed. Nothing has significantly changed. Just surprise pregnancies and children and nothing changes.
A good 120 episode show to me tries to divide itself into 1/4 or 1/3 or 1/2 where you want at least one significant storyline to be resolved every 30-60 episodes to keep the story moving along. We're now at 1/2. Has a single character changed in a meaningful way? No. Has a single mystery been resolved? No. Has a single relationship progressed? No. Two of the characters might be married on paper but their relationship is still about the same as it was 40 episodes ago and may have actually taken a step back and gotten worse.
The show is starting to feel disjointed. The characters are put in scenes together and stuff happens. There isn't a good build-up to anything so far. We are only 1/4 of the way through but I was hoping we'd see something.
I think the gynecologist and the office woman seem pretty funny and it looks like they're going to carry the first section of the show. Probably a pregnancy scare(?) as other commenters have said and not an actual pregnancy until later to have a baby for the finale.
For the daily soap opera for the housewives, unemployed and retired people it's okay.
Park Ha Na looks good for 39 but I'm not sure she's young enough looking to pull off the character. All of the actors and actresses except the male lead visually look old (late 30s at best) so it's a bit weird seeing them act like people in their 20s when it comes to relationships and stuff.
I still like it though, it kept my interest through the first few episodes and set up where it is going roughly.
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I wonder what the birth secret is going to be. I think it's pretty clear Sang Ah is not related to her father biologically. But is Seon Ju related to Jung Bae (Sang Ah's father)? And how would Sang Ah's mother know? Does that mean Seon Ju was adopted? Or that her mom gave up on Jung Bae and never told him? So weird. I wonder where they go with that.
I also wonder what the male lead meant when he asked about the art entrance exam in the preview for next episode.
Haha. But I hope he warns her and lets her decide instead of blindsiding her.
TV is a fantasy I guess and given the ratings keep going up and up it's at least interesting to the Korean housewives watching it.
Overall I think it's not great for TV. You can basically see the romance in every single show these days before it even happens. The male lead will always have one option - the female lead. The female lead typically weighs her options before deciding on the male lead. It's so predictable.
I'm enjoying the show. I don't like how the female lead is written and directed. That's all. I'm not sure why some of you are so invested in convincing everyone this is a well written character and that anyone critical doesn't want the male lead to have a romance.
He journeys through the world stumbling across the different power-factions. He solves cases, tries to help people and sometimes does it with humor. Quick witted. He's not above embarrassing himself, the show doesn't mind having a laugh at his expense.
Most of the supporting cast is strong, well thought out and written with a couple exceptions.
I'd say it's worth watching if that interests you.
And people wonder why Lin An isn't liked as a character, LOL.
Qi An is childish and mischievous. But when things get serious he doesn't pretend to faint. He does the selfless thing. He does the right thing. He puts other people first even if it means putting himself in danger. That's why his character works.
You see the same thing when the stakes are smaller with his aunt and uncle. They crack jokes and sometimes they're a bit selfish and childish but they do try to help Qi An and others whenever they can.
And the show isn't about her. If this was a show about a selfish spoiled girl turning into a magnanimous woman and future queen that would be one thing.
But the show is about the male lead's journey to 'save the world' with help from various friends and with some comedic relief mixed in.
Where does she fit in? Is she comic relief? Not really. Is she someone useful to the male lead in saving the world? Not really. She's been about as useful as the head of the astronomy department or the poet-scholars. Notice how none of those 3 characters are leads or significant characters appearing every episode. They're supporting cast.
So that's why people have a problem with her. The show isn't about her personal growth. She's a side character that the writers and directors are shoe-horning into the show as a lead and you can tell. And it's annoying.
Gong Hui trying to go full time as a designer.
Dan Su and his "Holly" persona. Have we had a single scene showing him working as Holly yet? A famed designer and the reason we know is because we've seen him read an email.
Gong Bu and his failing gynecology or fertility office or whatever. What does he do? Does he work at the business to revitalize it? Does he give it up for another career or to prepare to raise his child with Hong Dan?
Dan Su's parents and Dan Su. How did they get split up? How did his father die? What's going on? Why does Gong Hui's dad seem to have some knowledge of it all? Barely explored halfway through the show.
There are lots of stories that could be told.
I get it's a family drama/makjang/soap opera or whatever you want to call it but most people have hopes, dreams, goals they want to accomplish. Outside of Gong Hui no other character has been defined well at all in terms of what motivates them. And Gong Hui is having that motivation stripped away with the other female lead sabotaging her at work constantly, never getting caught and now this pregnancy.
The show is spinning its tires in mud. Half the show has gone by and nothing significant has happened in terms of a character growing or going on a journey of self discovery. Min Gi has devolved into a bit of a scumbag. Gong Bu was rising to meet expectations but has now fallen back down because drama for drama's sake. Dan Su hasn't changed. Ji Na hasn't changed. Grandma hasn't changed. Mom hasn't changed. Nothing has significantly changed. Just surprise pregnancies and children and nothing changes.
A good 120 episode show to me tries to divide itself into 1/4 or 1/3 or 1/2 where you want at least one significant storyline to be resolved every 30-60 episodes to keep the story moving along. We're now at 1/2. Has a single character changed in a meaningful way? No. Has a single mystery been resolved? No. Has a single relationship progressed? No. Two of the characters might be married on paper but their relationship is still about the same as it was 40 episodes ago and may have actually taken a step back and gotten worse.
Sorry for the long rant. Frustrating.
Edit: I guess they did a season 1 animated version and now season 2 has come out. Still waiting on live action I guess.
For the daily soap opera for the housewives, unemployed and retired people it's okay.
I still like it though, it kept my interest through the first few episodes and set up where it is going roughly.
I like Park Ha Na but it's the daily soap opera type show so maybe I should wait until more episodes are out.