This review may contain spoilers
So many unnecessaries
Lets start with the good. The first episodes it really felt like I was here for another epic like Hidden Love and First Frost. The cinematography was giving vibes of both. I was hopeful this is the direction it was going. Visuals on the leads are off the charts. Unique sub plot of TCM was fun, to the point where it started to feel like TCM was the sponsor. Wouldn’t be surprised. Green flag ML, yes he liked her from the first moment, thank goodness or there would have been little to show up for in the beginning.
Here’s some things I found irritating for me, and why I knocked off 1.5 stars off of something that was headed in the 10 star rating direction.
The overall story was missing something- it didn’t need to be more angst, as there was enough for the pace this drama was going for. I can’t put my finger on it. Chrmistry struggled with FL. She already had plenty of loving expressions and curiosity about her, but the sudden rejection after we knew she was deeply into him was weird. In fact lets discuss this study abroad plot. I honestly don’t understand the obsession in Asian dramas wuth study abroads. I get it, but what are your reasons? In asian dramas it is always sold as, you’ll have a better future if you do it, and hence nothing should ever stand in thecway of your future career or you will have regrets. Its the same thing every single show. Most people can attain the future with a domestic university. Let’s look at why people in real life study abroad, because lets face it, its not the easiest or cheapest option.
1) They are wealthy and curious, and its about ego or just something fun to have some fun with away from home. So sure why not.
2) The school offers something-either accreditation or unique learning that other domestic schools can’t offer. This is true for a handful of study abroad opportunities.
3) They want to become proficient in the language in that country, and seek immersion opportunities that are easier to apply for than trying to get a job.
Only the second of these would I say comes even close to a reason to seperate for a long period of time, for the sake of future career. Very rarely do we see them heading abroad to a top flight school because its the only place in the world to give them that. In fact 99% of the time that’s not it in dramas. They break up perfectly good green flag relationships. This show is no different. Yes no breakup per say here, but it felt stupid and they rushed through the away time, and then had an unecessary extension-that whole time it felt very one sided, ML was aching for her, she was off having fun. After all of that, masters in hotel management she comes back and rushes in to running a small restaurant with her best friend… ohhhhhkaaaayyyyy then. Her job AT THE HOTEL she had already was already a solid job in that career of hotel management and likely would have got her where she wanted to be had she just stayed. It was the most pointless part of the show. The side story with her mother felt like a typical “give me a reason to stay” moment, but we knew it was there for that plot only and that it wouldn’t stop her trope. For goodness sakes if an amazing relationship with ML isn’t gonna stop you skipping out, nothing will lol.
So no, the study abroad thing ended up a stupid way to add some angst, even if she thought about it early on - I wish they had found a way for her move forward without it. For once can a show, do what no one ever does as a writer and show how important good healthy relationships are, making mature decisions like the fact the ML is already getting on a bit. Who has wimsy to go abroad for a bit of experience she was already getting in her “management job at a fancy hotel”… good relationships can be hard to come by, and can offer great mental health benefits and memories. This is never promoted.
Enough on that. The efforts to push a 2ML & 2FL both were extremely flat.
Occasionally something is in the script thats just laughable and silly. Eg “your room is on the 9th floor” of a hotel that never once shows a building anywhere near as tall as one that even has 9 floors. 5 maybe at most. And every hotel room scene is ground level with outdoor door access lol.
I found some dragging too, which I thought theres too many episodes but then they rushed through things near the end, so I think overall pacing dropped off after a handful of episodes. I started off bingeing and end up trying to keep watching.
So in the end, this was no Hidden Love, not even close. I have zero desire to watch this through again. Even a 8.5 is a stretch, but I’m doing it for what I think they wanted this show to go.
Here’s some things I found irritating for me, and why I knocked off 1.5 stars off of something that was headed in the 10 star rating direction.
The overall story was missing something- it didn’t need to be more angst, as there was enough for the pace this drama was going for. I can’t put my finger on it. Chrmistry struggled with FL. She already had plenty of loving expressions and curiosity about her, but the sudden rejection after we knew she was deeply into him was weird. In fact lets discuss this study abroad plot. I honestly don’t understand the obsession in Asian dramas wuth study abroads. I get it, but what are your reasons? In asian dramas it is always sold as, you’ll have a better future if you do it, and hence nothing should ever stand in thecway of your future career or you will have regrets. Its the same thing every single show. Most people can attain the future with a domestic university. Let’s look at why people in real life study abroad, because lets face it, its not the easiest or cheapest option.
1) They are wealthy and curious, and its about ego or just something fun to have some fun with away from home. So sure why not.
2) The school offers something-either accreditation or unique learning that other domestic schools can’t offer. This is true for a handful of study abroad opportunities.
3) They want to become proficient in the language in that country, and seek immersion opportunities that are easier to apply for than trying to get a job.
Only the second of these would I say comes even close to a reason to seperate for a long period of time, for the sake of future career. Very rarely do we see them heading abroad to a top flight school because its the only place in the world to give them that. In fact 99% of the time that’s not it in dramas. They break up perfectly good green flag relationships. This show is no different. Yes no breakup per say here, but it felt stupid and they rushed through the away time, and then had an unecessary extension-that whole time it felt very one sided, ML was aching for her, she was off having fun. After all of that, masters in hotel management she comes back and rushes in to running a small restaurant with her best friend… ohhhhhkaaaayyyyy then. Her job AT THE HOTEL she had already was already a solid job in that career of hotel management and likely would have got her where she wanted to be had she just stayed. It was the most pointless part of the show. The side story with her mother felt like a typical “give me a reason to stay” moment, but we knew it was there for that plot only and that it wouldn’t stop her trope. For goodness sakes if an amazing relationship with ML isn’t gonna stop you skipping out, nothing will lol.
So no, the study abroad thing ended up a stupid way to add some angst, even if she thought about it early on - I wish they had found a way for her move forward without it. For once can a show, do what no one ever does as a writer and show how important good healthy relationships are, making mature decisions like the fact the ML is already getting on a bit. Who has wimsy to go abroad for a bit of experience she was already getting in her “management job at a fancy hotel”… good relationships can be hard to come by, and can offer great mental health benefits and memories. This is never promoted.
Enough on that. The efforts to push a 2ML & 2FL both were extremely flat.
Occasionally something is in the script thats just laughable and silly. Eg “your room is on the 9th floor” of a hotel that never once shows a building anywhere near as tall as one that even has 9 floors. 5 maybe at most. And every hotel room scene is ground level with outdoor door access lol.
I found some dragging too, which I thought theres too many episodes but then they rushed through things near the end, so I think overall pacing dropped off after a handful of episodes. I started off bingeing and end up trying to keep watching.
So in the end, this was no Hidden Love, not even close. I have zero desire to watch this through again. Even a 8.5 is a stretch, but I’m doing it for what I think they wanted this show to go.
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