This review may contain spoilers
It started well but never met its full potential
Things I loved
1 The premise. A bit different than most dramas and although I dislike stories involving a divorce this sounded interesting and went into it with high hopes. The hotel setting is also one of my favorites so I was looking forward to it.
2 The FL. I loved her in Why is He Still Single and wanted to see her in another role and this one seemed perfect for her. I'll leave her in the love list, but I have to admit I was a bit disappointed in the end with her character and her acting. But she's gorgeous and had some great outfits and some great scenes. All in all, though, I was expecting so much more. I thought it was her character in Why is He Still Single that left a bit to be desired but I realize now that it's her way of acting in general and it doesn't speak to me.
It's fine to play the decent, reserved woman, but when you can't connect when she's mad or sad or anything there is a problem. That said, I was so invested in her arc I wanted her to be happy and get rid of all riff raff around her, aka her family and that stupid 2FL. She was good in some scenes with the stuff and her friend, but she wasn't that good with her family and the ML. Something was missing and left me unsatisfied in the end. I even dropped her from my favorite actors list. I found her acting monotone and I wish she had more range. Tat said she'0s so gorgeous I will seek her next drama to see if her acting is better or rather different.
3 I loved the ML friend. The actor did a good to convey things and his character was decent and I was rooting for him. I didn't like the ending and I wish he found happiness in his personal life, although not necessarily with the chef.
4 The jazz orchestra and Daniel's father. He was a character and I loved the way he found his place among the rest of the hotel residents and stuff. He was good to the FL and fair de spite his son's feelings for her.
Things I liked
1 The ML. It's my first drama with the actor and I won't look for his dramas but he did a good job. Not great, but good enough. My problem with his character is the same as with the FL. Not engaging enough. Yes, they are mature and they can't act impulsively all the time, but it'd be great to see a little more sparks between them. To be honest, his confession was at least believable and I wanted him to be happy. It's just that for the most part of the series he didn't show any strong feelings about anything and that bothers me. I'm older than them and I'm passionate about life and everything all the while being reserved. So something fell off. Also, I didn't find there was tons of chemistry between him and the FL. Not enough to make the romance shine. Last thing, his character was a little off-putting at first with the whole cheating fiasco, but I think he redeemed himself in the end.
2 Most of the stuff, even those who were against the FL at first. If you ask me their short arcs were much more interesting than some parts related to the main leads. I liked the camaraderie and even the pettiness between them. It made for something real we all encountered in our jobs.
3 The chef. I just liked her but nothing more. I don't think I really cared about her and at first I felt like her character was too childish for a professional. I just liked how supportive of the FL was. The rest was meh.
4 Duan. I know he got on the nerves of many viewers and I get why but to me he was funny and to be honest kept my interest all along. If they had taken a bit if time to develop his character better he could be one of the best characters in the series. It's a shame they stayed on the surface, he had potential. The actor did a great job.
5 Tan. Contrary to others I found his character the most believable. I know people like him and he never did anything wrong. He was honest about his feelings and I'm irritated when I read that the FL misled him. No she didn't. If you are an adult you know there are periods in your life you get confused and yes you can be confused about your feelings. She apologized if he got the wrong message and he understood. He also made a few faux pas insisting she comes with him, but this is the human nature.
He didn't force anything and she didn't do anything reprehensible. Grow up all of you who think she was in the wrong. I liked his character and his relationship with the FL is the most sensible in the whole drama. Only in my circle I know three couples who had similar experiences. People have the right to fall in love and to fight for that love as long as they don't harm the other person. You have the right to think of kissing someone even if it's for the wrong reasons. It doesn't make you a bad person and the list goes on.
Things I disliked
1 The ex-husband of course. Although I didn't hate him and he proved to be somewhat decent by helping her. I hate cheating with all my being but I think he paid enough for a stupid mistake and with all that happened to him I can't say I hated his character. I think the actor sold well the arc and that's also another reason I only dislike him.
2 The owner of the hotel, the aunt. I don't know why but although she did some good things for the hotel, I found her character underwhelming and her long support of her nephew got on my nerves.
3 Some of the cases the FL had to deal with. They were badly written and over the top. To be fair I didn't like the hotel at all. Not the style and not the vibe. I've seen other dramas where the hotel shines, here it was bland and whatever action they took to improve the sales didn't work for me. That they claimed having results was ridiculous at the best.
4 The lack of romance. Except for a few kisses where was the romance? No sparks between them and although I get that romance wasn't the focus if you have it even as a second or third component you have to deliver nevertheless. Another reason I was disappointed from the whole drama.
5 The ending. I could even out it on the hate list so much I disliked it, but because I get what they wanted to convey I leave it here. But, and here me out why, I hated the ending when I think of the FL's behavior. I'm someone who refused to move to another country because my boyfriend wanted to, someone who put my job before my relationship quite a few times and never regretted. Someone who chose to study later in life instead of getting married and never regretted either. So it's not like I don't get where the FL is coming from.
I support her move to Switzerland, which was funny to me since I live close to EHL where she's supposed to go to, and of course I'm with the ML and his decision to wait for her. That's the adult and decent thing to do. You respect her goals and you trust your relationship. But when the FL said she made the decision alone without even talking to him, that's where I draw the line. If you are in a mature and honest relationship you talk with the other person even if your mind is made. You don't decide alone and then show not remorse at all, that's a lack of respect toward someone you claim to love. If you are strong you give the other person the chance to weigh on your decision. It's an implicit right and it takes nothing away from your independence. When you don't even mention something that big to him, you are weak, tactless and to be honest not in love. You don't deserve someone like him who supported you all along and is ready to wait for you.
That's where my disliking for the FL character comes. She never showed true feeling for the ML. he was always the one to support her and to show his feelings. I know she was cheated and she was cautious but she's a grown up adult who indulgent her stupid family and she can't have the common courtesy to talk with her boyfriend about something that big? You don't respect less alone love him. A miss that ruined the drama for me.
Things I hated
1 The nephew. I wish I could see him suffer more. What an arrogant little jerk who never worked a day in his life and only learned how to manipulate people and things to his advantage. At least he got some kind of punishment.
2 The despicable 2FL. She did a great job for me to hate her and that I found her ugly didn't help. I think she was awfully dressed and her make up was appalling. All in all one of the ugliest characters inside and outside. The baby twist was also stupid and worthy of a teenager first draft. I hate that kind of predictable clichés when they aren't funny or moving. She got what she deserved but the baby story was left without an outcome and that was also something that irritated me.
3 The sister. Such a leech and until the end she was a stupid, unworthy character who the FL should cut ties without a second thought. That's another reason I didn't like as much as I thought the FL. She was spineless a lot of times and she never was up to the challenge if you ask me regarding her family.
4 The father if you can call this. With a father like him you better not having one. A stupid, manipulative, horrible person. The FL should cut ties with him as well and be a bit more honest with him and with how they made her feel. Every time he appeared on the screen I wanted to slap him.
5 The mother. I think I hated her even more than the sister and the father. The FL was her daughter and she treated her a source of money for her husband's whims. The whole arc with the mother was stupid to be honest and I didn't care what happened to her. I'd love it if she stayed away from her daughter instead of the comme il faut ending we had. Shameless the whole family.
1 The premise. A bit different than most dramas and although I dislike stories involving a divorce this sounded interesting and went into it with high hopes. The hotel setting is also one of my favorites so I was looking forward to it.
2 The FL. I loved her in Why is He Still Single and wanted to see her in another role and this one seemed perfect for her. I'll leave her in the love list, but I have to admit I was a bit disappointed in the end with her character and her acting. But she's gorgeous and had some great outfits and some great scenes. All in all, though, I was expecting so much more. I thought it was her character in Why is He Still Single that left a bit to be desired but I realize now that it's her way of acting in general and it doesn't speak to me.
It's fine to play the decent, reserved woman, but when you can't connect when she's mad or sad or anything there is a problem. That said, I was so invested in her arc I wanted her to be happy and get rid of all riff raff around her, aka her family and that stupid 2FL. She was good in some scenes with the stuff and her friend, but she wasn't that good with her family and the ML. Something was missing and left me unsatisfied in the end. I even dropped her from my favorite actors list. I found her acting monotone and I wish she had more range. Tat said she'0s so gorgeous I will seek her next drama to see if her acting is better or rather different.
3 I loved the ML friend. The actor did a good to convey things and his character was decent and I was rooting for him. I didn't like the ending and I wish he found happiness in his personal life, although not necessarily with the chef.
4 The jazz orchestra and Daniel's father. He was a character and I loved the way he found his place among the rest of the hotel residents and stuff. He was good to the FL and fair de spite his son's feelings for her.
Things I liked
1 The ML. It's my first drama with the actor and I won't look for his dramas but he did a good job. Not great, but good enough. My problem with his character is the same as with the FL. Not engaging enough. Yes, they are mature and they can't act impulsively all the time, but it'd be great to see a little more sparks between them. To be honest, his confession was at least believable and I wanted him to be happy. It's just that for the most part of the series he didn't show any strong feelings about anything and that bothers me. I'm older than them and I'm passionate about life and everything all the while being reserved. So something fell off. Also, I didn't find there was tons of chemistry between him and the FL. Not enough to make the romance shine. Last thing, his character was a little off-putting at first with the whole cheating fiasco, but I think he redeemed himself in the end.
2 Most of the stuff, even those who were against the FL at first. If you ask me their short arcs were much more interesting than some parts related to the main leads. I liked the camaraderie and even the pettiness between them. It made for something real we all encountered in our jobs.
3 The chef. I just liked her but nothing more. I don't think I really cared about her and at first I felt like her character was too childish for a professional. I just liked how supportive of the FL was. The rest was meh.
4 Duan. I know he got on the nerves of many viewers and I get why but to me he was funny and to be honest kept my interest all along. If they had taken a bit if time to develop his character better he could be one of the best characters in the series. It's a shame they stayed on the surface, he had potential. The actor did a great job.
5 Tan. Contrary to others I found his character the most believable. I know people like him and he never did anything wrong. He was honest about his feelings and I'm irritated when I read that the FL misled him. No she didn't. If you are an adult you know there are periods in your life you get confused and yes you can be confused about your feelings. She apologized if he got the wrong message and he understood. He also made a few faux pas insisting she comes with him, but this is the human nature.
He didn't force anything and she didn't do anything reprehensible. Grow up all of you who think she was in the wrong. I liked his character and his relationship with the FL is the most sensible in the whole drama. Only in my circle I know three couples who had similar experiences. People have the right to fall in love and to fight for that love as long as they don't harm the other person. You have the right to think of kissing someone even if it's for the wrong reasons. It doesn't make you a bad person and the list goes on.
Things I disliked
1 The ex-husband of course. Although I didn't hate him and he proved to be somewhat decent by helping her. I hate cheating with all my being but I think he paid enough for a stupid mistake and with all that happened to him I can't say I hated his character. I think the actor sold well the arc and that's also another reason I only dislike him.
2 The owner of the hotel, the aunt. I don't know why but although she did some good things for the hotel, I found her character underwhelming and her long support of her nephew got on my nerves.
3 Some of the cases the FL had to deal with. They were badly written and over the top. To be fair I didn't like the hotel at all. Not the style and not the vibe. I've seen other dramas where the hotel shines, here it was bland and whatever action they took to improve the sales didn't work for me. That they claimed having results was ridiculous at the best.
4 The lack of romance. Except for a few kisses where was the romance? No sparks between them and although I get that romance wasn't the focus if you have it even as a second or third component you have to deliver nevertheless. Another reason I was disappointed from the whole drama.
5 The ending. I could even out it on the hate list so much I disliked it, but because I get what they wanted to convey I leave it here. But, and here me out why, I hated the ending when I think of the FL's behavior. I'm someone who refused to move to another country because my boyfriend wanted to, someone who put my job before my relationship quite a few times and never regretted. Someone who chose to study later in life instead of getting married and never regretted either. So it's not like I don't get where the FL is coming from.
I support her move to Switzerland, which was funny to me since I live close to EHL where she's supposed to go to, and of course I'm with the ML and his decision to wait for her. That's the adult and decent thing to do. You respect her goals and you trust your relationship. But when the FL said she made the decision alone without even talking to him, that's where I draw the line. If you are in a mature and honest relationship you talk with the other person even if your mind is made. You don't decide alone and then show not remorse at all, that's a lack of respect toward someone you claim to love. If you are strong you give the other person the chance to weigh on your decision. It's an implicit right and it takes nothing away from your independence. When you don't even mention something that big to him, you are weak, tactless and to be honest not in love. You don't deserve someone like him who supported you all along and is ready to wait for you.
That's where my disliking for the FL character comes. She never showed true feeling for the ML. he was always the one to support her and to show his feelings. I know she was cheated and she was cautious but she's a grown up adult who indulgent her stupid family and she can't have the common courtesy to talk with her boyfriend about something that big? You don't respect less alone love him. A miss that ruined the drama for me.
Things I hated
1 The nephew. I wish I could see him suffer more. What an arrogant little jerk who never worked a day in his life and only learned how to manipulate people and things to his advantage. At least he got some kind of punishment.
2 The despicable 2FL. She did a great job for me to hate her and that I found her ugly didn't help. I think she was awfully dressed and her make up was appalling. All in all one of the ugliest characters inside and outside. The baby twist was also stupid and worthy of a teenager first draft. I hate that kind of predictable clichés when they aren't funny or moving. She got what she deserved but the baby story was left without an outcome and that was also something that irritated me.
3 The sister. Such a leech and until the end she was a stupid, unworthy character who the FL should cut ties without a second thought. That's another reason I didn't like as much as I thought the FL. She was spineless a lot of times and she never was up to the challenge if you ask me regarding her family.
4 The father if you can call this. With a father like him you better not having one. A stupid, manipulative, horrible person. The FL should cut ties with him as well and be a bit more honest with him and with how they made her feel. Every time he appeared on the screen I wanted to slap him.
5 The mother. I think I hated her even more than the sister and the father. The FL was her daughter and she treated her a source of money for her husband's whims. The whole arc with the mother was stupid to be honest and I didn't care what happened to her. I'd love it if she stayed away from her daughter instead of the comme il faut ending we had. Shameless the whole family.
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