The first half was brilliant, but something went wrong in the second…
I’d been really curious about this one for ages, and as I’ve been in the mood for a school-themed K-drama recently, I decided to give this story a go. And I’ve got very mixed feelings about it now that I’ve watched it…
The first half was brilliant; it completely drew me in, and I was already expecting it to be one of the best school dramas I’d ever seen. The concept was very original and unusual – the characters’ world is also the world of a comic book. And yet, halfway through, my enthusiasm waned, because whilst the story was unpredictable and full of twists and turns at the start, the second half became rather dull and nothing could surprise me anymore. I almost fell asleep during some episodes; the action was slow, and I couldn’t get as engrossed in it as before.
It must be said, however, that the actors’ performances were of the highest standard, even though the development of their characters wasn’t always quite as well-rounded. Rowoon managed to convey Ha-ru’s emotions with great depth – his feelings were almost tangible, from his tears to his smiles. Kim Hye-yoon didn’t disappoint either, perfectly embodying Eun Dan-oh – showcasing her pain and strength at the same time. Here, however, I must take issue with the way their characters’ development was portrayed. Although I grew very fond of the lead couple at the start, I soon began to be bothered by the fact that both Eun Dan-oh lives for Ha-ru and Ha-tu lives for Eun Dan-oh. Could they really not have had any life at all apart from each other? I would have liked to see a bit more of the father-daughter relationship. And couldn’t Dan-oh have refrained from being so artificially sweet all the time? I didn’t mind it at first, but it started to annoy me a bit as time went on…
I must also admit that I wasn’t interested in the other couple (triangle) – Yeo Joo-da, Oh Nam-joo and Lee Do-hwa. Baek-kyung was the only one apart from the main couple who really caught my interest (Lee Jae-wook, as usual, was irreplaceable in his role) – his eventual redemption (a bit late, but never mind) moved me, and although it’s hard to really like his character, I do feel a sense of pity for him in the end. Because just as Eun Dan-oh didn’t choose to love him, Baek-kyung didn’t choose to hate her 🥺. The. real. villain. is. the. writer.
And finally, I must mention the ending, which I didn’t find particularly convincing. There were a few plot holes and unresolved issues right up to the very end, but all in all, I still think it’s a good story. To me, it’s like a sine wave – my rating shot up in the first half, then dropped in the second. I’d still recommend watching it, but don’t get your hopes up too high after the first half, so you won’t be too disappointed in the second 🫡
The first half was brilliant; it completely drew me in, and I was already expecting it to be one of the best school dramas I’d ever seen. The concept was very original and unusual – the characters’ world is also the world of a comic book. And yet, halfway through, my enthusiasm waned, because whilst the story was unpredictable and full of twists and turns at the start, the second half became rather dull and nothing could surprise me anymore. I almost fell asleep during some episodes; the action was slow, and I couldn’t get as engrossed in it as before.
It must be said, however, that the actors’ performances were of the highest standard, even though the development of their characters wasn’t always quite as well-rounded. Rowoon managed to convey Ha-ru’s emotions with great depth – his feelings were almost tangible, from his tears to his smiles. Kim Hye-yoon didn’t disappoint either, perfectly embodying Eun Dan-oh – showcasing her pain and strength at the same time. Here, however, I must take issue with the way their characters’ development was portrayed. Although I grew very fond of the lead couple at the start, I soon began to be bothered by the fact that both Eun Dan-oh lives for Ha-ru and Ha-tu lives for Eun Dan-oh. Could they really not have had any life at all apart from each other? I would have liked to see a bit more of the father-daughter relationship. And couldn’t Dan-oh have refrained from being so artificially sweet all the time? I didn’t mind it at first, but it started to annoy me a bit as time went on…
I must also admit that I wasn’t interested in the other couple (triangle) – Yeo Joo-da, Oh Nam-joo and Lee Do-hwa. Baek-kyung was the only one apart from the main couple who really caught my interest (Lee Jae-wook, as usual, was irreplaceable in his role) – his eventual redemption (a bit late, but never mind) moved me, and although it’s hard to really like his character, I do feel a sense of pity for him in the end. Because just as Eun Dan-oh didn’t choose to love him, Baek-kyung didn’t choose to hate her 🥺. The. real. villain. is. the. writer.
And finally, I must mention the ending, which I didn’t find particularly convincing. There were a few plot holes and unresolved issues right up to the very end, but all in all, I still think it’s a good story. To me, it’s like a sine wave – my rating shot up in the first half, then dropped in the second. I’d still recommend watching it, but don’t get your hopes up too high after the first half, so you won’t be too disappointed in the second 🫡
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