Marshmallow-Chocoholic

I guess this truly depends on what your used to in terms of dramas. This isn’t to spark any hate. There’s nothing wrong if you generally love these types of shows, but, speaking as someone on the fence ( and for those critical/ mixed responses by some watchers ), one of the main reasons this show is getting this reaction is for a couple of reasons; 1) It’s been seen and done before- Again, I understand that you may like this concept and honestly that’s understandable, however, the show isn’t filled with the originality on this front of the “ illness” cliche, the “ mysterious deity” and the “ gods interlinked with man”. Don’t get me wrong. Shows like to steal from one another, but, a lot of people think DAYS just doesn’t add anything which made other dramas like Goblin or Hotel Del Luna stand out with good characterisation . Yes, the cinematography is pretty, but a lot of characters ( including Doom) feel lacking and more like one-dimensional metaphors than characters. 2) The” toss-the-ball” plot logic- This is where I think a lot of “ haters” or some watchers are growing fed up on. One minute when we just feel like we are getting to know the supernatural romance between the main leads,then suddenly we jump to the second main leads and their slice of life, tiresome love triangle, and then all of a sudden skip back to an odd development between main leads which felt out of character. ( As one reviewer has already commented this is like a confusing “ carousel” narrative.)Don’t get me wrong. I think that shows c can succeed really well with genre fusions in a drama, but, there is not a chance for us to really get to know the characters, flesh them without then relying upon the cliches in between. 3) The Dialogue- Oh boy, I think this is going to be an awkward point, but, the discourse exchanges felt a little off for some people ( myself included). Yes, there are some good monologues, but, this is part of the problem; it doesn’t resonate because it feels too enforced. Whilst I hate to bring in the whole " drama vs drama" argument, this is what made shows like Goblin stand out. Yes, there’s a lot to critique about the show as well, but some of the most profound lines were snappy and memorable ( “ But what does the buckwheat flower mean?/ Love.”’ )This is one of the major problems a lot of people find with DAYS when it comes to dialogue. It doesn’t have the same coherent flow. It feels enforced because of the plot, not with the characters in daily situations or their reactions to events in mind. In terms of My Roommate Is A Gumiho, yes, I will admit that it isn’t as a perfect as a lot of the comments make it out to be, however, again, this is a matter of personal opinion just as what I’m saying to you represents how myself and some other watchers have felt about DAYS. This isn’t to rain upon your parade nor is it to spark hate. Fair enough, you like the show and I’m glad you feel there is still potential, but, it’s important to acknowledge that everyone has different sides to their views. (Personally, I’m still watching just to see if it does hopefully improve and how they will wrap it up with the ending.)

I think everyone works differently. To be honest, a lot of watchers ( myself included) just sorta sit back and and try to enjoy the show, however, this depends a lot on previous experiences with dramas etc . It’s only human nature to take a biased notion to something ( whether this is love or hate), however, this doesn’t inherently mean someone doesn’t enjoy a series either just because they critique it. Personally, I’m in the middle with this one. It doesn’t really bring any strong feelings of hate or love, but, it’s fun to see how it will play out.

Agreed with the previous comments. This entirely depends on expectations. It’s certainly not unwatchable and the acting is fairly good, but, the storyline is a bit disconcerting and lacking.

To each their own. I’ll be honest in saying that I agree a lot with @ S_A ; DAYS personally has me sitting on the fence, whilst My Roommate Is A Gumiho is something I have started looking forward to on a weekly basis ( due to pacing and more prominent messages) .Don’t get me wrong. I think the main cast of DAYS are doing a brilliant job, but, the screenwriting? Not so much. I would say that a lot of people are critiquing or sitting on the fence with this one because of this issue. There’s the potential for the screenwriting to be good and for the characters to be well-written, but, at the minute there is the feeling that it’s too sporadic and a lot of watchers ( myself included) feel as though we are watching two different shows, not an interwoven storyline.

@ Yian Ji Yeah, this drama was filmed in 2018. It is sad how many defenders argue that this is why it is “ outdated”, but even by 2018 standards, this is tiresome. It is slightly worrying also that there are a lot of watchers who are fairly young and are sucking the fairly abusive relationships in the show as " cute" or " normal".

@Ddloveskdrama I do think that you have made a good point about us respecting the writer and their opinion, however, it’s important to understand that critical reception shouldn’t be ignored either. Don’t get me wrong. I don’t agree entirely with some of the comments mercilessly attacking the writer because it isn’t “ what I agree with” , but, some of the responses do have a point that this article was struggling to articulate itself. I do believe that the writer made some good points and certainly has a potential flare for writing, but, their assertions that " Vincenzo is a game changer" without backing up their point and not acknowledging other dramas was prominent for a lot of readers. I hope that the writer does not get too downhearted about some of the criticism, and instead can see it as an opportunity to improve their articles. ( I look forward to reading them!)

I must admit that this drama does already look really interesting! Whilst we have seen diversity to an extent in K-dramas before, it’s a topic which is sadly not often addressed . I must admit , however, that my only worry will be how this drama presents our diverse nationality cast and characters. It’s more than understandable that they will probably take the “ culture shock/ difference" through the comedy factor ( to the respectful diversity of the characters’ upbringings) , but fingers crossed that it will present well-written and dynamic individuals rather than reinforcing cliches and stereotypes .

@Memoona This is entirely down to personal opinion. I don’t think the critics or those sitting on the fence ( like myself) entirely critique the show due to its changing genres. In fact, some of the best and most critically-acclaimed K-dramas out there are liked by fans because they are able to constantly shift between thriller or romance, horror or comedy with the natural flow of the drama’s storyline . Instead, for some viewers, this is down to the quality of screenwriting of DAYS. Personally, I think the show does attempt with this fusion ( as you mentioned) but struggles to convey a motivating storyline between our leads due to the problem of trying to constantly flit between our main leads and second main leads. Rather than fitting in their stories with the linear events of the storyline, this often makes it feel as though we are watching two different dramas, and consequently, some viewers and critics note this often results in lacking character development and pacing. This isn’t to rain on your parade. Everyone has different tastes and there is nothing wrong with liking or disliking a show, however, it’s important to acknowledge that there may be reasons why people drop it or don’t feel the same way as you do also. :)

This entirely depends on personal tastes and past experiences with dramas. Speaking as someone on the fence ( who neither loved it or hated it), I can honestly say that " Vincenzo” was average for me ( and I’m sure that a lot of watchers who are making similar critiques feel the same). It wasn’t that it was unwatchable. The casting was fairly good and there were certainly some good moments of character development. On the other hand, the comedy varies for fans ( I.e. it isn’t everyone’s cup of tea), the cliches weren’t exactly brand new, and I guess tastes really do vary on the antagonists. For me, the major antagonist ( no spoilers for anyone else reading) was seriously underdeveloped. However, everyone’s tastes vary( and this is something which isa lways interesting about coming on MDL to see different views).

That’s fair enough. Sure, I’m happy to give some titles which are similar to this one as supernatural-style dramas:) ;
- Goblin ( similar setup of supernatural ML and human FL; cohabitation)
- My Girlfriend Is A Gumiho( similar nine-tailed fox themes, only reversed gender)
- Angel’s Last Mission: Love ( ML is angel, FL is human)
- The Legend Of The Blue Sea ( ML is a scammer, FL is a mermaid; cohabitation)
- Gumiho; Tale Of The Fox’s Child ( past, nine-tailed fox themes)
- Bring It On,Ghost ( ML is a psychic, FL is a ghost, cohabitation)
- Gu Family Book( past; supernatural and nine-tailed fox themes)
- Strong Woman Do Bong Soon( similarly funny and strong FL though she has super powers and ML is a CEO)
- Tale Of The Nine-Tailed( similar nine-tailed fox themes and setup, but much darker in parts than My Roommate Is A Gumiho)
- The Scholar Who Walks The Night( past setting; ML is a vampire, FL is a human- similar interspecies romance)
- Hi! School- Love On ( FL is an angel, ML is a human)
- I Can Hear Your Voice( ML has superpower, FL is smart; cohabitation)
- You Who Came From The Stars( ML is an alien, FL is a famous star though fairly sassy)
- Hotel Del Luna ( FL is sassy and practically an immortal, ML is human, dark fantasy romance ensues)
- Mystic Pop-Up Bar ( ML is dragged into a world of the supernatural)
- Rooftop Prince ( FL meets ML who time travelled from the past, cohabitation ensues)
- Secret Garden( FL and ML swap bodies; complicated romance ensues) .
Evidently there are a lot more dramas out there ( and I’m sure that some watchers will probably add their personal recommendations later on), but, hope that helps :)

@John Smith You couldn’t have put it better. No, the drama does feel a bit on the outdated side ( a little too much like early 2000s K-dramas for my liking) and this format does seem a lot more attributed to the style of Chinese dramas, than a modern Korean one. Totally agree.

Agreed. I will be honest in saying that this drama isn’t without its faults, however, it does certainly raise the question how many potentially intriguing storylines or concepts have been put on hold or disregarded by networks until years down the line.

@John Smith That does make sense to some extent, however, it’s unusual for a show to wait two years to do this though. There have been a lot of dramas where main male actors have filmed and programmes have still aired during their service. I’m not saying that you’re wrong and I certainly don’t want to spread any false word ( as the details towards the delay don’t seem to be specified entirely by media coverage), however, @CChai may have a point. It is likely that there was either a little controversy behind the scenes, or, the producers had a bit of a falling out with the original network.

I don’t know the entire story, but it was originally filmed in 2018. I believe it was shelved due to networks not picking it up initially.

I hate to be that person, but there are a lot of dramas like this out there with similar setups. Agreed with the complete hate upon the drama though. It isn’t as bad as people make it out to be and certainly a lot more refreshing than certain relationships in K-dramas.

Agreed. Don’t get me wrong. I love Lee Dam in both the webtoon and the drama, but, this is where I think the webtoon is a little better at portraying the FL’s complete disinterest in the second male lead.

Agreed. The romance here is more what could be said as ” platonic soulmates" than passionate lovers. Really depends on personal taste.

Depends on personal tastes. If you’re a fan of supernatural mysteries with profound messages and themes , then worth every moment of your time. I’m not normally one to go on a subjective rant but I can’t deny that Jang Na Ra is a complete show stealer as the FL.

Surprisingly I actually quite like the female lead and especially not falling cliche to becoming a total jerk despite her scenario. Instead, I think it’s some of the ideologies around her relationship with the deity, the decisions for the " sake of plot" with her illness and of course the second main leads which ultimately cause the plot to be a bit shaky.

@gashina, agreed . The plot isn’t inherently original, but the female lead is a surprising saving grace.