MadelineMaureen

I honestly don't mind when people state that they've dropped the show and list reasons why in a spoiler tag belong the comment as it can be helpful. But constructive criticism can get lost for a lot of people when they are in the heat of the moment. If it's like @SevenVII said and there a lot of teenagers, articulating WHY they dislike something might not be their priority in the moment. I have had very in-depth discussions with employees who are teens about music, movies, tv shows and even politics, but that's in person & verbal/visual conversation flows more easily. I'm normally acting as a imdb/Wikipedia page for them about things just 10 years ago giving context that they might be missing.

The need I have to correct misinterpretations is so strong sometimes. Someone had the audacity to say the FL was stiff...I literally had to scroll back up to the page header to make sure I was on the correct show page. Because I had talked with someone the day before about how natural/relaxed she was in her character portrayal.

Yeah. A part of me wants to think that he didn't answer only because he would have to tell them the project had been delayed AGAIN. And he needed to focus on that battle instead of putting out all the small fires(complaints)

Flaws are where the meat/personality of a character can be explored more. I'm sure they would call a character a Mary Sue if they didn't have any flaws. Flaws are what make us human. Without them the character becomes boring and one dimensional.
FL's main flaw and also greatest strengths is that she can't sit back and do nothing when someone is in need/there in injustice happening. She will continue finding herself in situations that could harm her, but she needs to do the right thing even if it hurts her.
With the villagers she's not only trying to keep the secret of the wife, but she is also trying to calm everyone down long enough to talk it out.
The ML knows that people hate him just simply for being born, so he does everything he can to endear himself to those who can help him. He is willing to sacrifice his time and energy for his brother to succeed, because he also feels tremendous guilt for their parent's death(we haven't seen the details of this yet) he is punishing himself in a way.
Do Han was over looked after their parent's death. He went into his shell so that no one could hurt him again by leaving first. He always leaves first.
He flees while Ji Han lays plans and takes root within the company creating a stable tree for his brother to climb.
Everyone in the show is both selfish and selfless in some way. They all keep secrets to make others look at them in a way they can't see themselves.
I'm going to stop here because it's late and I've written you an essay you didn't ask for. 🤣🥰

I turn 34 this year...so yeah.👵🏻 I don't enjoy the bickering back and forth. I have seen a lot of shows from many countries. A ridiculous amount at this point, so not only am I making comments based on my own life experiences, but based on books, cinema, and tv knowledge.
I miss the almost book club atmosphere that these comment sections were. I've only really noticed the blatant trolling/name calling over the past few months.
I think I just need to start blocking certain commenters so I don't have to see their negativity in every comment section I go to. Seriously, how can they not have one positive thing to say about any of the shows they've watched?

So there is actually a real life situation where the wife of director Hong Sang Soo refuses to divorce her husband even after his affair with his much younger leading actress came out. (it's fascinatingly petty & i love that for her) https://youtu.be/0-fyL8jbs3Q?si=bSCszvx63vjQ79YI

The marriage of the mother the stepfather was also a business deal aka contracts that cant be broken. Saving face is also a huge thing in Korea. & yes we dont know all the details yet so there might be other reasons.

There are a lot a stones being thrown in the comment section.
Nuanced character discussions seem to be a thing of the past. The name calling is a bit much as well. I enjoy discussing & theorizing dramas with people, but this comment section feels out of my age range.

if you can, use your cellphone. do you have a VPN on your phone? that will be the only thing to save you from the ad-nado those sites would release.

I think I would only call him a red flag because he uses people until he gets what he wants from them. ie the landowners.
I agree with all your points as to why his pursuit of his brother's fiancé isn't morally wrong/red flag.

The daughter had a political/business marriage. It involves mergers and acquisitions. In Korea BOTH parties have to agree to divorce. & because the wife is the cheater, which was jailable at that time, the father most likely kept him around to protect the company & his daughter in his own way. By the time she left the marriage he would have already had shares in the company & people backing him. The gransfather is currently cleaning house of all the people that support his SiL.
Also, those are still his grandson & granddaughter, he tried with both of them & failed to procure the results he wanted.

the FL is one the most relaxed actresses on the planet....am i in the wrong comment section?

Ji Han was with his daughter when she died. Still unclear not only what was happening prior to the accident, nor how he survived. IMO, When he looks at Ji Han all he sees is how he failed his daughter & that she isn't there anymore.
Because the grandfather has a hard time expressing his love he is doing what he THINKS will make Do Han happy in the long term. He only understands business & power. Love is hard for him to grasp.
Ji Han became a people pleaser because of his trauma & abandonment. He endears himself to those around him for personal gain.
I want to see more flashbacks of Ji Han & Do Han's mother to see who takes after her most, cause that could also be playing into the grandfather's prejudices.

She rapes her husband's bodyguard to get pregnant.

First off, super glad that it's being positively received by someone without any context of the source material or other adaptations. My brain will sometimes auto insert information if I know the IP the show/movie is being adapted from. I'm enjoying their take on the source material.
I think my only real complaint as of episode 5 is that there is a lack of "moments" with the ML and FL. Even just adding a few more shots of him observing her could help relieve some of that. There isn't enough lingering on his longing...if you know what I mean.
When they are mainly interacting with opposite gender supporting characters it throws off the ML/FL dynamic that needs to be established in what boils down to a romance. There's only going to be 14 episodes that are roughly 45ish minutes so the fact we are almost at the mid point and they've only had maybe 1 positive interaction together and it was a voice overed montage....it's a bit worrisome.
I'm still enjoying the overall production of the show, but I can't help but have a critical take on it as well, but that's just how I consume content.

Critical take meaning analyzing acting, writing, directing, cinematography, set design, costumes, hair and make- up etc. My film nerd brain has a hard time turning off completely.

I don't like the super negative takes people are having...it's very much giving, throwing the baby out with the bath water. Looking back on some of my comments depending on how people interpreted my "tone" it could seem more negative than it actually is. I need to remember to add emojis or tone indicators. 😊

FL's best friend and older brother of the ML is gay and trying to keep it from the public and his family. FL is the only one who he's told.

Yes, but Ji Han isn't 100% sure that his brother doesn't have romantic feelings for the FL....which would be a problem, morally speaking, if he decided to seduce his brother's fiancé. Having him question HER intentions with his brother is a good way to get around that moral issue, as he feels it's his duty to reveal that she isn't actually in love with his brother.

I'm 34 and find it delightfully light and well performed so it's definitely 'to each their own' type of situation. It doesn't feel as dated as watching a 2010 rom-com, so I'm not getting the same vibes as you.

I can't wait to see what else she's learned "just in case" for her most important role yet. 😂

Her acting style reminds me of Gong Hyo Jin as well, that comfortable in your own body natural posture type of charm. I've found that a lot of rookies or not great actors are too aware of how they look on camera so they become a bit stiff and awkward with their hands/arms. She makes the character feel like a real person, and she makes it look effortless.

I think the grandfather feels like he failed to protect Do Han. He is doing the only thing he thinks he can to make it up to him by making him his heir. I think he either knows or suspects that Do Han likes men, but he can clearly see how much Ah Jeong loves his grandson and the lengths she's willing to go to to protect Do Han's happiness. He's not really asking what will make DO HAN happiest yet, so he is still, like Ji Han, focused on HIS version of happiness...power.

Anyone else have money on the ex-lover of Do Han from before he left Korea being behind/involved in the photos(blackmail) of him in New York?
We never got the full context of why the man was beaten up and the apartment destroyed, just that it spooked Do Han enough to leave the country for five years. & if someone knew that was his lover THEN, why haven't they played that card yet?
I just want a scene before Do Han either comes out to his family or gets outed that is the siblings and SiL finding out that Ji Han likes Ah Jeong...because their reactions are going to be gold.