I'm still baffled by this whole Insta story thing. I did google what he posted because I wanted to know exactly how bad it was or whatever. Yes, the source material is r*pe p*rn, incredibly poor taste, and gross. But what he posted was what looks like a DVD jacket for it, not a still from the p*rn itself. There's no indication at all that he even knew what the actual content was, other than clearly that it was explicit. I have more than once gone to post a story and clicked the first image in my media to find it was actually a downloaded image someone else had sent me that my phone auto downloaded, instead of the image I actually meant to post. I can well believe that his phone is full of downloaded images sent to him related to SG, and that someone stumbled across that image and though wow they really have a p*rn for everything, and sent it to him. I'm pretty sure that's happened in my group chats over the years, when someone randomly stumbled across something relevant to pop culture that had been parodied this way. They were definitely taking a screenshot of that weird Harry Potter p*rn and putting it in the groupchat.
I loved Go Ahead, and I like what they did with this version tbh. The original is a lot slower paced and really delves into each persons struggles with whatever they're dealing with and gives a believable pacing to their growth/acceptance/forgiveness/maturing/whatever. They were able to do that with the 40+ episodes. With this being so short by comparison, they did shave down a lot of the slow paced person struggle stuff, along with some of the many side plots/characters. I found myself mentally filling in the gaps with the original cdrama so it felt more full to me as I watched. But if I was just watching this alone I imagine that some of the character progression would've felt way too rushed, or superficial. Like the relationship with HIY and his mother was incredibly toxic in Go Ahead, and yes we see that here, but it felt less believable here for some reason. Maybe they didn't show enough of her genuine trauma on screen, or how he really struggled over the years. The few scenes didn't really cut it, and I was definitely filling in the gaps myself, because that woman was a weapon and there were some really hard to watch scenes in the original that they softened her, did off camera, or cut totally. Also HIYs personal struggles with his mental health and family trauma seemed a bit less substantial here. Like he was sad and had insomnia, but they just mentioned it and it was over. I also didn't see enough of the development between him and his mother leading to their resolution of their issues. Don't get me wrong, Go Ahead left me heartbroken for the character and what he was dealing with, but it made him more realistic. Maybe HIY is just too smooth with it, I dunno. Side note, this is only the first or second time I've watched HIY get the girl, and I love that for him. All our leads did a great job, and portrayed the characters well. The chemistry was super too. And much like the original, the dads are phenomenal.
I'm still making my way through this (even though I know who wins), but I keep getting irritated by an ongoing thing with all these survival shows. Why is it that the producers give the contestants the songs including part distribution, with at least 1 person getting like 1 line, or even no lines... then at the interim check they criticize that same participant for being barely there. You literally gave them a part with 2 lines and back row choreo, what do you want them to do?! Specifically referencing MJX and Kenshin in ep 9, and I know their final results so I know it doesn't matter to either of them now. But all the shows do it and it pisses me off.
The statement about it makes it seem like someone DM'd him a poster for a SG porn in very poor taste, and instead of ignoring it he accidentally shared it to his story briefly before deleting it. I can honestly believe that might happen if his phone automatically downloads media as soon as it's opened (mine does). When you go to post a story the last thing your phone opened will be there in the photos so if he wasn't paying attention, and his photo albums are full of different SG content (more than likely) he could easily click it by accident. But he'd also have to click a few more times to actually post the story to his page. I've definitely added the wrong image before, but I've caught myself before actually posting it. There's no way he did it deliberately, he'd have to be the stupidest man in existence. So it's more a lesson in paying more attention, and probably picking better acquaintances if that's what he's being sent.
I was watching episode 1 of Starlight Boys today and I'm like that guy looks real familiar... and then they start talking about who he is and I'm like OMG the toxic CEO/husband in all the mini dramas I watch on youtube. What are you doing here?! 😂
"sometimes if the perpetrator shows remorse or growth, acknowledges their fault it can be redeemable." uhm.. no?…
Sorry I should have clarified I meant like in drama rules, there's always blanket forgiveness at even a hint of remorse. But I believe rapists should be castrated and then rot in prison for the rest of their lives.
My least favourite of all the firefighter themed dramas in 2023. FL was a walking matchstick. I lost count of how many fires she was in. But maybe it was the proximity to ML that made her so flammable because she wasn't in any fires while she was abroad, only ever when he was close enough to rescue her. Open ending where he maybe was or maybe wasn't dead, and the whole thing was so boring to watch that I don't care if he lived or not. I like FL is other stuff, and she wasn't the worst here, but I wish they'd gotten a lead with enough dance experience, because I just couldn't buy her as a professional dancer. Also, this is the second time in a row I've seen Zhang Jing Yi play a FL who abandons her lover and leaves the country after being forced to by an overbearing mother. Hopefully next drama she sticks around.
What a waste. They should've had her finish her revenge and just be single and happy, not set her up with a toddler. Like seriously, could they not have found a grown up to play 2ML? They had zero chemistry. The "romantic" NYE scene with the band and her slow-mo walking to him... All I was thinking was damn it's midnight I bet it's past his bedtime. His mum is probably looking for him. I'll accept FLs ex and his coma as punishment I suppose. But the bestie-mistress deserved way worse, she went to jail for slander, but got away scot free for causing FLs miscarriage. She didn't quite push her down the stairs but she basically did. I don't get how FL had a letter and bank card from dude for the mistress either considering they agreed to be strangers. Like did he call her up to say "hey I know we agreed to act like we never knew each other but would you mind giving my mistress, yeah the one who tried to push you down a flight of stairs, yeah the one who stole from you and tried to get someone to take intimate photos of you, that one... yeah can you go meet her and give her this bank card and the shittest letter I can muster? Yeah I'd just rather not meet her tbh. Thanks." And I don't care how much she cared about the assistant, that was a total betrayal of trust and also fraud. That's not okay. Especially when it was just to repay her gross ex-husbands debts. He was apparently screwed by an investor or whatever, but was he actually, because I swear he just made that up because he gambled it away along with the money she stole for him? He was scum and she took him back because he got hit by a vase...oof. TBH I stopped being on her side when she dumped a fish outside where it would most likely die. Even worse she abandoned the other one in a tiny bowl when she moved out? Gross. She has an inferiority complex, and it is well deserved because she is pathetic compared to FL. I'm glad FL has a friend, but babes choose better friends. Get some therapy.
I did speedrun this because despite liking the characters, and story in general, it felt quite slow. Maybe it was just paced a bit differently to what I've seen lately and it threw me off. I liked how fleshed out all the leads and a lot of the side characters were. They were all believable people going through realistic issues. Every scene with Gu Jia's husband in it had to be fastforwarded though. He was pissing me off to the point I left nail marks in my hands from how hard I was clenching my fists every time he made in incredibly stupid decision. Honestly I was surprised he managed to have an affair in the first place. If the mistress wasn't so pushy he probably wouldn't have. I've never seen someone who is such a passive participant in their entire life. Their marriage would've been fine if he had just done something, anything, to actively take part in their relationship. They both said as much, him sulking about being infantilised and her exhausted from raising him like a second child. Even his pathetic voice notes when she left, like "honey come home the flowers are all dry and the diffuser is empty", Jesus Christ, what a sad little man. I hope someone in the prison is wiping his ass for him and brushing his teeth because honestly can he even do that? He couldn't even end his affair without her. And every time he said it was a stupid impulsive decision, I wanted to climb through my screen and choke him. He made several deliberate sober decisions that lead to being in that hotel room with her. And he was being sneaky long before that. She (definitely faked) getting her wallet stolen so he goes and puts her up in a hotel in cash? Take her to the police, and tell her to pay by phone. Him swapping the card for cash was the moment he decided to physically cheat, he just didn't realise. A random colleague quits her job and follows you to your home town? Call the police because that's psychotic. Don't rent her a fucking apartment. I'm glad the mistress was an actual deranged stalker though, because he deserved the stress she caused him. If he'd had a chill mistress like Man Ni, he'd have gotten off lightly. I loved the scene in the airport with Gu Jia and her, when she told her that all the things she liked about him were a direct result of Gu Jia and how she made him that way. I'd been thinking it from the start, before they even had the affair, so I felt really happy hearing her speak my thoughts. TBH I wasn't as invested in Man Ni or Xiao Qin. As soon as Man Ni quit the shop job and dumped the sleaze I got bored of her story. For Xiao Qin I didn't care as much because she was just plodding along and occassionally screaming at fish. I did enjoy her character growth though and seeing her and her husband/ex start to grow into better versions of themselves over time.
Honestly it was going well, except for how noone seemed to notice the three (mostly two) conniving lying interlopers until they all started telling on eachother. And then it went totally off the rails for no reason. What fucking idiot would think the solution to their breakup due to lying and hiding things was for him to LIE AND HIDE THINGS? How stupid can you be? Honestly the few minutes of berating for that nonsense wasn't enough. He's like yeah that'll teach her, and she'll figure out how much she loves me. All I learned from that is he's a child who will come up with cruel and pointless punishments when they have big disagreements. It doesn't vibe with the rest of his character throughout either. And for everyone to just go along with it was really shitty too. Reassess all your friendships babe because that's a joke. Also, and it's very minor in the context of all his other shitty behavior, but the mother going downhill rapidly due to something she ate... That asshole ex took her out for stupid fancy food trying to impress her. I know she was the irresponsible one for ignoring her doctors advice and eating the stuff. But no one mentioned it at all, so he has no consequences for it. I'm surprised he didn't poison the dog to get her attention tbh.
If the roles were reversed, I think the female lead would immediately find someone else, if she had an insecure…
He deserved way better. They both had their relationship issues, but once he decided to be together he was great, but even when they were together she was just a garbage girlfriend.
Well I finished it at record speed. It got worse. Several truly terrible people just get blanket forgiveness and happy endings because the main characters are absolutely spineless. They were all actual criminals doing fully illegal things and everyones just like it's okay though because they some emotional issues due to having shit parents. I'm sorry but everyone on the show had shit parents, but you don't see FL trying to run people over, committing fraud, blackmailing people, cutting brake lines and then faking a disability to try to coerce a marriage. That girl belongs in prison. And ML deserves a hard slap for indulging her knowing exactly how much of a heinous bitch she is. So at the end she's like oh sorry I guess I was just jealous lol, and FL is like nah it's cool because I was also dealing with feelings of inadequacy. Yeah but you didn't try to kill her, ruin her family business or make her homeless....
Okay I'm at the halfway point and I'll be watching the rest of this on at least double speed with one finger on the skip button. I don't understand how neither FL, ML or any of her family seem to realise what that fiance wannabe and all the other wealthy people are doing. Like how do they not see what's happening? And why the fuck does granny want that house so badly? I'd burn it to the ground before I'd let her have it. All the wealthy people are doing some very illegal things since the very start, like not just morally bad but legally a big nope. Hopefully that weird dude with the vendetta actually ruins them all while excluding ML and FL. I mean a few more audio recordings and a bit more evidence and maybe he can get them all jailed.
The acting was good...the plot however was a shambles. They all should've ended up single tbh. The child bride and the widow give me the creeps. She worked so hard to infantilise herself from the start that when I'm supposed to be impressed by her at the end in her grown up lady suit walking in all smug as the new head of whatever...it just felt like she was playing dress up and everyone had to play along. She was a creepy little stalker, who took a grieving widow and harassed him so aggressively that he just relented and thinks he wasn't coerced. She needs a restraining order and he needs therapy and better friends. I guess the model/designer and the man with mommy issues for a personality were mostly fine, but they're better without eachother. And heaven help that poor unborn child, because those two people hate eachother and are lying to themselves, and any child who grows up in that environment will know they were the bandaid trying to hold together the shreds of a failed marriage. She's a control freak and he's a pervert and a creep. A brief divorce and then sleeping together without ever addressing their very real issues... Oh I'm sure everything will be fine. ML and FL... I don't really care if they're together or not, which says a lot. If they weren't constantly reminding us they're in their 30s I'd have believed this was two highschoolers first relationship.
They really should remove the romance tag. I loved it. MLs acting was amazing, he really executed the character and story so well. I can't wait to see what FZXs career will be like in future when he's getting bigger roles, as he's phenomenal. FL did really well too. I saw a few comments critiquing her for being 100% deer in headlights the entire time, but that was the role. She was a naive innocent woman slowly being gaslit and abused over time while thinking she was going crazy. She was living in a permanent state of fear and surprise. They did really well. I'm kind of horrified at the ML defenders in the comments, or people trying to say he deserved forgiveness or didn't think he did anything too wrong. And even some people saying FL was as bad as he was... I have to put it down to FZX just being too hot for viewers to think clearly. He was already in contact with FL while trying on wedding dresses with the ex, gross. They broke up, but the timing is icky, and I can only see the care from him and the sister as guilt and trying to keep a lid on their shady goings on. He and his sister were running a definitely illegal business selling women's information to creeps so they could target them and get into relationships with them. This is also how he found FL. He targeted her from the beginning by pretending to be a idealised version of himself based off her profile. Okay, this is sort of what we do with dating websites, showing our best selves. But we don't usually take users private info in order to do so. They start a relationship, get married. Fine. If he'd stopped the shenanigans now that would be almost okay. But he doesn't. He manipulates and lies to her, fakes a break in, makes her paranoid to have her diagnosed with mental illness and medicated. He separates her from her support network, forces her to agree to not contact her sisters. Warps her mind to the point that she's wracked with guilt when she's even in the same house as her sister. This is all abusive. They don't specify how he punishes her for disobeying but I can only imagine it's physical, because when he talks about it she's clearly terrified. It's lies on top of lies. I saw a comment saying she lied throughout as well so she's just as bad. But there's a massive difference. He lied to abuse her and to maintain control. She lied to protect herself. It's like someone who's repeatedly physically abusive to their spouse, and the spouse hits back in self defense at some point. Well they were also physical, so they're just as bad right...No And for those who think his childhood trauma means it's okay... A shitty childhood is not permission to abuse your spouse, or to commit your many crimes. Dude thought he killed the ex's brother too, that's manslaughter surely... That's a pretty big crime on it's own that he seemed to get over alarmingly fast. He cried at the end about what he did so wrong to deserve his world to come crashing down, saying he loved her, and that he didn't deserve to be saddled with the responsibility of the ex. 1. He's an abuser. 2. He's for sure committing fraud or something with the sister. 3. He sabotaged his coworker to steal her project. 4. Noone saddled him with the ex. He continued to visit her. He paid her hospital bills. He cared for her of his own volition. Noone made him do that. He even faked her surname to do it more legitimately. I do think ML loved FL in some way, but that doesn't mean he deserved her. However much he loved her, he loved his absolute control of her more.
I have more than once gone to post a story and clicked the first image in my media to find it was actually a downloaded image someone else had sent me that my phone auto downloaded, instead of the image I actually meant to post. I can well believe that his phone is full of downloaded images sent to him related to SG, and that someone stumbled across that image and though wow they really have a p*rn for everything, and sent it to him.
I'm pretty sure that's happened in my group chats over the years, when someone randomly stumbled across something relevant to pop culture that had been parodied this way. They were definitely taking a screenshot of that weird Harry Potter p*rn and putting it in the groupchat.
I found myself mentally filling in the gaps with the original cdrama so it felt more full to me as I watched. But if I was just watching this alone I imagine that some of the character progression would've felt way too rushed, or superficial.
Like the relationship with HIY and his mother was incredibly toxic in Go Ahead, and yes we see that here, but it felt less believable here for some reason. Maybe they didn't show enough of her genuine trauma on screen, or how he really struggled over the years. The few scenes didn't really cut it, and I was definitely filling in the gaps myself, because that woman was a weapon and there were some really hard to watch scenes in the original that they softened her, did off camera, or cut totally.
Also HIYs personal struggles with his mental health and family trauma seemed a bit less substantial here. Like he was sad and had insomnia, but they just mentioned it and it was over. I also didn't see enough of the development between him and his mother leading to their resolution of their issues. Don't get me wrong, Go Ahead left me heartbroken for the character and what he was dealing with, but it made him more realistic. Maybe HIY is just too smooth with it, I dunno.
Side note, this is only the first or second time I've watched HIY get the girl, and I love that for him.
All our leads did a great job, and portrayed the characters well. The chemistry was super too. And much like the original, the dads are phenomenal.
Why is it that the producers give the contestants the songs including part distribution, with at least 1 person getting like 1 line, or even no lines... then at the interim check they criticize that same participant for being barely there. You literally gave them a part with 2 lines and back row choreo, what do you want them to do?! Specifically referencing MJX and Kenshin in ep 9, and I know their final results so I know it doesn't matter to either of them now. But all the shows do it and it pisses me off.
FL was a walking matchstick. I lost count of how many fires she was in. But maybe it was the proximity to ML that made her so flammable because she wasn't in any fires while she was abroad, only ever when he was close enough to rescue her.
Open ending where he maybe was or maybe wasn't dead, and the whole thing was so boring to watch that I don't care if he lived or not.
I like FL is other stuff, and she wasn't the worst here, but I wish they'd gotten a lead with enough dance experience, because I just couldn't buy her as a professional dancer.
Also, this is the second time in a row I've seen Zhang Jing Yi play a FL who abandons her lover and leaves the country after being forced to by an overbearing mother. Hopefully next drama she sticks around.
I'll accept FLs ex and his coma as punishment I suppose. But the bestie-mistress deserved way worse, she went to jail for slander, but got away scot free for causing FLs miscarriage. She didn't quite push her down the stairs but she basically did. I don't get how FL had a letter and bank card from dude for the mistress either considering they agreed to be strangers. Like did he call her up to say "hey I know we agreed to act like we never knew each other but would you mind giving my mistress, yeah the one who tried to push you down a flight of stairs, yeah the one who stole from you and tried to get someone to take intimate photos of you, that one... yeah can you go meet her and give her this bank card and the shittest letter I can muster? Yeah I'd just rather not meet her tbh. Thanks."
And I don't care how much she cared about the assistant, that was a total betrayal of trust and also fraud. That's not okay. Especially when it was just to repay her gross ex-husbands debts. He was apparently screwed by an investor or whatever, but was he actually, because I swear he just made that up because he gambled it away along with the money she stole for him? He was scum and she took him back because he got hit by a vase...oof. TBH I stopped being on her side when she dumped a fish outside where it would most likely die. Even worse she abandoned the other one in a tiny bowl when she moved out? Gross. She has an inferiority complex, and it is well deserved because she is pathetic compared to FL. I'm glad FL has a friend, but babes choose better friends. Get some therapy.
Every scene with Gu Jia's husband in it had to be fastforwarded though. He was pissing me off to the point I left nail marks in my hands from how hard I was clenching my fists every time he made in incredibly stupid decision.
Honestly I was surprised he managed to have an affair in the first place. If the mistress wasn't so pushy he probably wouldn't have. I've never seen someone who is such a passive participant in their entire life. Their marriage would've been fine if he had just done something, anything, to actively take part in their relationship. They both said as much, him sulking about being infantilised and her exhausted from raising him like a second child. Even his pathetic voice notes when she left, like "honey come home the flowers are all dry and the diffuser is empty", Jesus Christ, what a sad little man. I hope someone in the prison is wiping his ass for him and brushing his teeth because honestly can he even do that? He couldn't even end his affair without her.
And every time he said it was a stupid impulsive decision, I wanted to climb through my screen and choke him. He made several deliberate sober decisions that lead to being in that hotel room with her. And he was being sneaky long before that. She (definitely faked) getting her wallet stolen so he goes and puts her up in a hotel in cash? Take her to the police, and tell her to pay by phone. Him swapping the card for cash was the moment he decided to physically cheat, he just didn't realise. A random colleague quits her job and follows you to your home town? Call the police because that's psychotic. Don't rent her a fucking apartment.
I'm glad the mistress was an actual deranged stalker though, because he deserved the stress she caused him. If he'd had a chill mistress like Man Ni, he'd have gotten off lightly. I loved the scene in the airport with Gu Jia and her, when she told her that all the things she liked about him were a direct result of Gu Jia and how she made him that way. I'd been thinking it from the start, before they even had the affair, so I felt really happy hearing her speak my thoughts.
TBH I wasn't as invested in Man Ni or Xiao Qin. As soon as Man Ni quit the shop job and dumped the sleaze I got bored of her story. For Xiao Qin I didn't care as much because she was just plodding along and occassionally screaming at fish. I did enjoy her character growth though and seeing her and her husband/ex start to grow into better versions of themselves over time.
And then it went totally off the rails for no reason. What fucking idiot would think the solution to their breakup due to lying and hiding things was for him to LIE AND HIDE THINGS? How stupid can you be? Honestly the few minutes of berating for that nonsense wasn't enough. He's like yeah that'll teach her, and she'll figure out how much she loves me. All I learned from that is he's a child who will come up with cruel and pointless punishments when they have big disagreements. It doesn't vibe with the rest of his character throughout either. And for everyone to just go along with it was really shitty too. Reassess all your friendships babe because that's a joke.
Also, and it's very minor in the context of all his other shitty behavior, but the mother going downhill rapidly due to something she ate... That asshole ex took her out for stupid fancy food trying to impress her. I know she was the irresponsible one for ignoring her doctors advice and eating the stuff. But no one mentioned it at all, so he has no consequences for it. I'm surprised he didn't poison the dog to get her attention tbh.
I'm sorry but everyone on the show had shit parents, but you don't see FL trying to run people over, committing fraud, blackmailing people, cutting brake lines and then faking a disability to try to coerce a marriage. That girl belongs in prison. And ML deserves a hard slap for indulging her knowing exactly how much of a heinous bitch she is.
So at the end she's like oh sorry I guess I was just jealous lol, and FL is like nah it's cool because I was also dealing with feelings of inadequacy. Yeah but you didn't try to kill her, ruin her family business or make her homeless....
I don't understand how neither FL, ML or any of her family seem to realise what that fiance wannabe and all the other wealthy people are doing. Like how do they not see what's happening? And why the fuck does granny want that house so badly? I'd burn it to the ground before I'd let her have it.
All the wealthy people are doing some very illegal things since the very start, like not just morally bad but legally a big nope. Hopefully that weird dude with the vendetta actually ruins them all while excluding ML and FL. I mean a few more audio recordings and a bit more evidence and maybe he can get them all jailed.
The child bride and the widow give me the creeps. She worked so hard to infantilise herself from the start that when I'm supposed to be impressed by her at the end in her grown up lady suit walking in all smug as the new head of whatever...it just felt like she was playing dress up and everyone had to play along. She was a creepy little stalker, who took a grieving widow and harassed him so aggressively that he just relented and thinks he wasn't coerced. She needs a restraining order and he needs therapy and better friends.
I guess the model/designer and the man with mommy issues for a personality were mostly fine, but they're better without eachother.
And heaven help that poor unborn child, because those two people hate eachother and are lying to themselves, and any child who grows up in that environment will know they were the bandaid trying to hold together the shreds of a failed marriage. She's a control freak and he's a pervert and a creep. A brief divorce and then sleeping together without ever addressing their very real issues... Oh I'm sure everything will be fine.
ML and FL... I don't really care if they're together or not, which says a lot. If they weren't constantly reminding us they're in their 30s I'd have believed this was two highschoolers first relationship.
I loved it. MLs acting was amazing, he really executed the character and story so well. I can't wait to see what FZXs career will be like in future when he's getting bigger roles, as he's phenomenal. FL did really well too. I saw a few comments critiquing her for being 100% deer in headlights the entire time, but that was the role. She was a naive innocent woman slowly being gaslit and abused over time while thinking she was going crazy. She was living in a permanent state of fear and surprise.
They did really well. I'm kind of horrified at the ML defenders in the comments, or people trying to say he deserved forgiveness or didn't think he did anything too wrong. And even some people saying FL was as bad as he was... I have to put it down to FZX just being too hot for viewers to think clearly.
He was already in contact with FL while trying on wedding dresses with the ex, gross. They broke up, but the timing is icky, and I can only see the care from him and the sister as guilt and trying to keep a lid on their shady goings on.
He and his sister were running a definitely illegal business selling women's information to creeps so they could target them and get into relationships with them. This is also how he found FL. He targeted her from the beginning by pretending to be a idealised version of himself based off her profile. Okay, this is sort of what we do with dating websites, showing our best selves. But we don't usually take users private info in order to do so.
They start a relationship, get married. Fine. If he'd stopped the shenanigans now that would be almost okay. But he doesn't. He manipulates and lies to her, fakes a break in, makes her paranoid to have her diagnosed with mental illness and medicated. He separates her from her support network, forces her to agree to not contact her sisters. Warps her mind to the point that she's wracked with guilt when she's even in the same house as her sister. This is all abusive. They don't specify how he punishes her for disobeying but I can only imagine it's physical, because when he talks about it she's clearly terrified. It's lies on top of lies.
I saw a comment saying she lied throughout as well so she's just as bad. But there's a massive difference. He lied to abuse her and to maintain control. She lied to protect herself. It's like someone who's repeatedly physically abusive to their spouse, and the spouse hits back in self defense at some point. Well they were also physical, so they're just as bad right...No
And for those who think his childhood trauma means it's okay... A shitty childhood is not permission to abuse your spouse, or to commit your many crimes. Dude thought he killed the ex's brother too, that's manslaughter surely... That's a pretty big crime on it's own that he seemed to get over alarmingly fast.
He cried at the end about what he did so wrong to deserve his world to come crashing down, saying he loved her, and that he didn't deserve to be saddled with the responsibility of the ex. 1. He's an abuser. 2. He's for sure committing fraud or something with the sister. 3. He sabotaged his coworker to steal her project. 4. Noone saddled him with the ex. He continued to visit her. He paid her hospital bills. He cared for her of his own volition. Noone made him do that. He even faked her surname to do it more legitimately.
I do think ML loved FL in some way, but that doesn't mean he deserved her. However much he loved her, he loved his absolute control of her more.