Nox

Making less obvious would help for sure. Not only the advertising but the slow panning shots, long stares and music all make the endgame highly predictable. Despite all the drama is still a success

"NDS only started this for HJP" true, yet when given the chance to walk out by saying he has a girlfriend...no matter what you guys say, him falling in love at first sight on the first day is as cliche as it goes. I loved the "kiss kiss fall in love" type of romance you see on Disney when i was a kid but grew out of it, i prefer the slow burning, raw, complicated, messy and unpredictable romance you often see in adult relationships now. I do respect your opinion regardless, we all have different tastes and it's okay.

NJH seems to be a well liked actor so i am sure he has his own merit. I am still picking Kim Seon Ho in this drama any day of the week tho

Yeah, it's a shame...also i don't think is as much agressive preventing the second lead to reach HJP since virtually all love triangles have competitiveness in it. I think he just has a bad spot on the lie thing along with said agressive ways, like everything is placed in a such a way that he gets the short end of the stick... honestly i skipped any scene were he was shown overly physical with DM to avoid getting annoyed by it even though i knew it wasn't the writer intentions to convey that message (or it was?)

Those two dialogues are my favorite tho i liked most of them:
HJP- "Honestly, Seo Dal Mi is a weird person. What's with her? She awfully unpredictable!"
Grandma- "I am afraid she will fall and get hurt"
HJP- "She won't get hurt, i will make sure she doesn't" sandbox reference anyone? lol

By making NDS actively participating on the lie the author draws unwanted attention to his motives, wich it wouldn't be a problem in itself: NDS likes her, that's why he follows along, no problem here if he were to keep the lie going out of other people's wish, and not his (being a passive factor). But when NDS gets anxious about DM asking HJP it highlights the following reasoning: why is he so worked up? The obvious answer that follows is: because he likes her. So he likes her and gets worked up... hum, okay so what is the logical jump? He likes her and gets worked up because he sees in HJP a threat, especially if he were to say the truth. How he deals with that threat? By intercepting the conversation and doubling down the lie (active participation on the lie). On the 15 years scene the very same thing happens: DM mentions how much the letter meant and he says he has changed and he wishes she hadn't knew him back them: again actively participating on the lie and compelling the audience to dig deeper on it. You see the problem with digging deeper in my previous reasoning

"He stops her from going to find HJP and tells another lie" this particular scene shouldn't have been included, same with the scene were NDS says to DM he has changed in the last 15 years...along with a few rivalry dynamics with HJP, those scenes were counterproductive for NDS i think. But here we are taking the idea that the author didn't did on purpose as a given...i still keep the other hypothesis at the back of my mind: the author is doing all this on purpose as a set up for a plot twist later on.

Can we just take a moment to appreciate how Bae Suzy chemistry with Kim Seon Ho is off the charts? At this point the chemistry alone is selling the couple to the audience. Their scenes are nothing at face value in romantic terms, yet look at the ruckus HJP is causing on the fandom with just those simple scenes. I think Kim Seon Ho and Bae Suzy are nailing the dynamics pretty well all things said

Thanks! As for your comment: i am not ready for the angst T.T

I need a link asap please lol

Oh i see, thanks for clarifying

It is confirmed there were going to be a timeskip? Like, it was hinted somewhere? My memory is failing me. By the way, i share the sentiment on the timeskip: it could help the plot but it wouldn't greatly improve

Oh i see what you mean...but in that case, do you think NDS is a lost cause from a writing POV? Or rather, if the writer were to go about it, how do you think she could fix the mess?

No physical attraction? Out of all the arguments i have seen this one is the most convincing to be honest. I am not sure the physical attraction isn't there but i can see how that could be a deal breaker (not being physically attracted)

I thought they would butt heads because NDS agrees with everything DM says and his friends not so much, so by picking DM over his friends they would become enemies. I never thought about one of the friends beind the culprit but that would be interesting

When HJP took advantage of the lie? Please point out to me how he intentionally exploited the letters to further his own interests (not grandma, or dm...but his own) and what does he personally gains by lying. I am with a open mind here, so please make your point. Just don't forget that for him to be manipulative he MUST gain something

There's also the foreshadowing of NDS friends becoming his enemies...wich doesn't necessarily support your theory of DM leaving but is something that just came to my mind when i was reading it

Honestly, if the above comment about kissing and touching a girl that feels free to do that with you because she thinks you are someone else didn't get the main point across i- you know what, nevermind.

The tongue got me shook, not gonna lie lol

To be honest, i don't even think the writer knows how it ended up that way either (assuming she didn't did on purpose). I have three main suspicions as to why it turned out this way:

1- In the first two episodes we get most plots being set up, and despite that...we get to see the male lead holding almost no significant role in said set ups. Having major overarching plots were the influence of the male lead is diminished is probably not a good idea.

2- In the grand scheme of things, NDS is introduced as a third wheel in the story. Flashing and developing his character should be the top priority, not the romance, especially when we have HJP depths being so explored. Whether with grandma, with young DM, old DM, on his investing firm, the dynamics of his business mindset or the effects of his childhood in his adult years... it's all filled with significance in a character that already got a head start.

3- There's a lot of different plots in this drama that need attention, but attention isn't limitless and there's only so much you can fill in a 16 chapter drama. Giving HJP that much development would mean not giving said development to something else. My suspicions is that this hindered NDS character the most.