Taino

This is one of those K-Dramas where they are a couple from way before they are an actual couple! 😉

This drama is a perfect example of why love triangles are bad for most places in Dramaland. I am now rewatching this K-Drama, and I am having a great time with everything this has to offer. There are many elements that makes this one a good one, but one very important element that helps a lot is the absence of a love triangle, but why? Well, other stories that rely heavily on love triangles, usually another male lead that loves the female lead even if she never see him that way. The problem with that, well, one of them, is that this other super handsome actor that could be the perfect match for the girl forces the story to split the attention and commitment of the viewer between two men, and with each one their own character development, their own plot, their own feelings and all around the same girl which steals away from the unique and authentic connection that should only exist between the male lead and the female lead! This drama doesn't have these distractions as every scene revolves around the main couple, and their progress is not sabotage with a scene of another person and their more often than not unrequited feelings, feelings that while destined to fail, the writers and the production insist in other dramas to showcase every time they get a chance. What's better? If you will use a love triangle, make sure it fits the plot and the narrative and that it doesn't take away from the main thing, unless the love triangle is the plot... If you will use a love triangle in the story, then, make it short and useful, that it shows only when it contributes something to the story like making the male lead jealous to finally recognize his feelings for the girl (a trope that I hate), or trigger a very satisfying rejection from the female lead (specially if the second male lead is a villain), or maybe this person is just essential to the plot, and if that is the case, don't waste too much time with his daydreaming and his feelings but his active participation developing things forward. Overall, I am happy whenever a story knows who the protagonists are and prioritizes their development and their romance first, and definitely even better of exclusively! Side note, this K-Drama has one of my favorite secondary couples ever! A nice side character with a nice and exclusive romance helps balance the angst and drama, and will always be a lot better than a love triangle!

Rewatching this and this one was a lot better a second time! Both protagonists have amazing chemistry! Great acting, funny, quirky and entertaining!

Wow... that sounds like he is a great actor

I disagree, SML is not better, you are just affected by second lead syndrome.

Nevermind... SFL crossed the line when she helped filter information about her whereabouts

The SFL is supposed to be or be perceived as this evil mastermind that created a scandal to hurt FL, and while she had bad intentions and is the one who exposed FL and SML odd relationship, the only one to blame for this is SML. This guy has been showing up and hovering around FL getting way too close in his words and actions, so even if it was not orchestrated by SFL it was a matter of time for this to be exposed, and it is not entirely a lie, because while they are not dating he does like her and is actively pursuing her.

About episode 6...

Episode 5... the whole trope where the FL is mad at ML for something small or irrelevant but staying upset throughout the whole episode feels so forced! while of course, it doesn't matter what SML does, he will constantly fly around FL like a pestering fruit fly...

The show is good for enough, but you must turn your brain off... LOL

To be fair, the scenes with the second male lead are very skippable (LOL), in the sense that you can skip him completely and you are not missing anything. I would recommend watching, but skipping SML most of the time, if you are in the mood for a rom-com that is simple. The show is full of tropes and cliches, but it can be a good filler or a nice watch if you just want some rom-com (you might need to turn your brain off, and sometimes we need that). Give a try, you might like it.

Exactly my point! They themselves say that the guy is a billionaire, but suddenly he needs to marry this rich girl from another family to save the company... xD

That and the love triangle

I am on episode 4, and the drama is not the worst, but I cannot help but feeling that the male lead acting feels out of place often at least based on the kind of character he is supposed to be, and the writers just decided to throw together as many tropes and cliches together as possible... Writers need to start writing...

Another discrepancy, but this one happens so often that doesn't only apply to this drama, but to many where one of the main leads in a rich heir. These writers have to pick one or the other, but they prefer to contradict themselves. On one side you have the rich, millionaire or even billionaire heir that is basically a celebrity and lacks nothing in life except love, but then, that same heir is also someone the "needs" to marry into another rich family or risk loosing their business or something that bad... pick a side, you are either super billionaire or almost losing your whole business if you don't do a marriage alliance with another rich family...

First, wrong, a love triangle doesn't require reciprocity, "A love triangle is a romantic relationship dynamic involving three people where two people compete for the affection of a third person, or where one person simultaneously pursues or feels romantic attraction toward two different people". What you are describing is one type of love triangle, and even by your own definition you're wrong, because the female lead shows interest for the other dude early on.

For this one, and all dramas with love triangles. I understand that in some stories, love stories can contribute something like helping the main characters realize that they like each other, push one of the two to make a move on the other main lead or something related to the plot, but most love triangles don't contribute on this way or any other way. What is the point on developing the story of a third person who has feelings for one of the main leads if they are not meant to be with that person, as the meaning of a happy ending is that the main couple ends up together. There is no reason other than make people upset with these almost dates and almost relationships between the main leads and someone else, and to feed some people's second lead syndrome just because the actors are hot or something to fulfill the fantasy of many guys who like the girl... Just a little rant, but a necessary one.

I can confirm that you were right! I am only on episode 3, and skipping SML and FML only makes things better, as they are both waste of time designed to create unnecessary angst for the viewer,

Yes, the show has two love triangles. The prominent one is the female lead's idol friend who like the classic trope, is always hovering around her not really hiding his feelings, but not confessing either. This SML is the classic friend that is always around her, and she is definitely affected by his presence and at least by episode 3, she would definitely date the guy if she could touch him. The second love triangle is with a rich girl that likes ML, and is the classic trope of the girl that is either constantly rejected or shown that ML has no interest in her but she continues to like him, but like always, the female lead spends time with SML frequently, while FML is always cut short or straight up sent away by ML.

I agree! A romance story is about the main couple, and we are here for the main couple! We don't need any scenes, even in dreams with other people!