MarxistCat

If you liked Secret Relationships and The Time of Fever, you might like this one. It blends elements of both in one. Overall, I would say the series excels in many aspects that are hard to do correctly for a lot of romantic/drama series. It’s angst and yearning done right.

I appreciate the insights. Hopefully the show holds him accountable to a degree in the upcoming episodes, but even if it doesn’t happen, the show will remain one of the best drama series I have seen this year in terms of the acting and the general atmosphere.

There are elements of this show that remind me of Time of Fever, which is an all-time favorite of mine that fills me with extreme sadness. I would say this one is less bleak even with Do Hyeon being a creep.

I guess I understand the critics, as well as the defenders, of this series; I like how the complex emotions are tackled and not just pushed to the side for the sake of a neat story. The seriousness of the story is also something I quite like. My main problem lies with the lack of reflection on Do Hyeon's part: he is never called out on how controlling he is, nor does he come to realize how manipulative he has been all along in his efforts to isolate Eun Ho from his other friends.

I will keep watching because I am leaning more towards liking the series than disliking it so far. It's definitely not a story portraying healthy boundaries by any means, but not every story will be an example to follow. I believe that having more stories available showing different relationship dynamics and complicated entanglements can be positive, as it can be a gateway to conversations that improve one's media literacy. Having said that, if a story makes one uncomfortable to the point of being enraged or disgusted, perhaps it's best to walk away and find something more in line with one's taste. I have personally done that, especially with rom-coms that played off abuse and SA as a joke to be glossed over. It all depends on how bad a show ticks someone off, and it varies from one person to another.

The leads are killing it with the chemistry and yearning. I can appreciate a good rom-com, but series with vibes similar to this one are what I truly enjoy. The progression of their relationship has been natural and well-done.

I am surprised no one proposed getting a restraining order against the creepy younger brother. Them being stepbrothers isn't even the problem here. It's almost like everyone in the show is a creep, starting from the coworkers who fetishize their male coworkers to everyone casually glossing over coercive intercourse and sexual harassment.

The other couple is the show's saving grace, and even then, their dynamic was sometimes bordering on sexual harassment during the first half of the series, with one of them constantly touching the other to maintain the relationship facade.

I am confused. The conversation between the leads at the start of episode 4 doesn't feel like a continuation of last episode's ending scene. It's like the prosecutor suddenly had a change of heart, and he's generally softer towards the MC this episode with no clear scene prompting this shift.

It was fun, but I was expecting more on their evolution when it was mentioned. I thought that they learn through observation, as well as trial and error, and relay it to the rest of the colony. What I understood to be the case is that Yeong Cheol leads a zombie hoard, who doesn't evolve at all without him. The Sadness stands out in my opinion because the "zombies" were intelligent, just with uninhibited sadism.

I love the dynamic between the two leads. It really highlights that some relationships are neither black nor white. There is a lot of resentment, but there's also a degree of affection, since they knew each other a long time ago and had a good relationship at the start.

My problem with Raffy is that Jack gives him nothing at all for him to be acting like this. He doesn't lead him on or flirt with him, so I don't know from where he got the idea that Jack could like him. Maybe at the start of the series he was a bit, but now it's nothing at all from Jack.

I would be upset too if someone I trusted took my phone and tampered with it, but Raffy has repeatedly told Rome to stay out of his business while continuing to sleep with him, which would make anyone feel like they are just being used. So far, he has treated Rome poorly, but I guess it's on Rome too for settling for it every time.

The prosecutor is insufferable and condescending.

Rome/Raffy are stealing the show for me. Raffy just needs to find some dignity and stop being a mosquito Jack does not even bother to swat. He is to Jack what Pete is to Rome.

I did state in my comment that he is a supporting character, but since he was brought back for a bit, I expected him to be entangled with one of the main characters in a meaningful way. His character just went around trying to kiss people and getting punched before the kiss even landed.

I am just disappointed in the lack of effort put into mixing pairs. This was season1's hallmark and what made Only Friends stand out in the first place. Boston appeared for all five minutes and barely made any waves. He was such a big character in season 1, so I expected him to get a semi-decent storyline as a side character. We knew the pairs will end up together anyway in S01, but it was still fun seeing different actors who would usually not be romantically involved in any other series get tangled up.

I still like the series and will keep watching, but I wish the season took risks like the last one did.

What exactly is the point of killing Pheem when he has already been fired and told to go back to Singapore?

I mean, if somebody ran me and mum over, killing her, and then pushed me down the stairs, I would also take revenge.

True. He also looks constipated the majority of the time.

I can't stand the ML. He has never heard of nuance and can only think in black and white as someone else here mentioned. Nobody is expecting him to reward his mother or have undying love for her for killing bad men, but he can at least try to see things from her point of view and not think of her as a complete monster. When I first started the series, I thought she abused him just based off of how furious he is at her. But no, he is just self-righteous, which makes him such a boring and one-dimensional character in contrast to the complex character of his mother. Also, the cops are too stupid as always.

I can't bring myself to hate the FL. Like, sure, she is a murderer, but she killed awful men. Maybe if the police had done their jobs locking up these men, she wouldn't have had to kill them. FL's only crime is the brassy streaks in her hair.

Both leads are gorgeous, but the ML especially is so attractive. Editing is a bit choppy, though, and those slow-mo scenes come out of nowhere. The pacing is also inconsistent, with some things taking forever to happen while others happen off-screen and are only brought to our attention through conversations.

Thanks for the context. I am a casual J-drama watcher, so I don't know much about the backgrounds of most actors. The only one I am somewhat familiar with in the J-drama world is Shinohara Ryoko, and even then, I haven't read up on her background. I agree that the series is good regardless.