It is crazy how it seems like people are expected to work 12 to 14 hours a day, and many even work on weekends.…
Actually, the mandatory dinner after work you mentioned is exaggerated. 😁 I've worked with Koreans from South Korea for more than 20 years, the culture you explained is a 20th Century stereotype that Kdrama writers can't grow up from. The situation is way far better than they're depicting.
Of course, it is not perfect and there are still major issues, but comparing the current situation with Kdrama depictions, it's stereotypical already because things improved for the last ten years.
One could say there are still companies with obsolete cultures (especially old companies), which is true in many countries, not just in South Korea.
There are still many improvements needed but mandatory dinner is no longer mandatory.
Oh, work-life balance is actually a huge thing in South Korea for the last 10 years, and it is through it that many changes happened and are happening.
That is not unrealistic. Writers wouldn't write something they haven't experienced for themselves, or witnessed for themselves. You just haven't met someone or haven't experienced it yourself, which makes you "lucky" but it doesn't mean you should invalidate it as "ridiculous tropes".
See my explanation here: https://kisskh.at/777992-shining#comment-25446912
The bottomline is that they're too young to identify the real problems they're facing and thus in finding the right solutions. Their conclusion was "we started drifting apart because our situation is leading us to opposite directions".
But once you're an adult, with more experiences, you learn that the real problems were each of you are not flexible, had a fantasy view of what a relationship should be, and each of you putting yourself in the center (aka, me me and me).
This is coming from first-hand experience. Their story having a relationship while at school and breaking up as young adults were very similar to my first gf (I was also her first bf). But it took us 11 years after break up to finally fully close our story. For our on-screen couple, they still have a chance to SHINE after 10 years.
They get a happy ending while my first gf and I had a sad ending. 😁
It was painful to watch because not only I was able to relate to it and thus predicted the flow and everything else, but also because I knew why that happened and the correct solution to it.
My first love and I (I was also her first) also had to break up after 3 years of relationship. We thought it was because we were drifting apart, have less time, arguing, and we can't reconcile our differences and new life. However, for the next 11 years, we realized we were wrong.
It wasn't because of our differences and new lives and all that, it was because we were too young and still immature and lacks insight and experiences. The real problems were we weren't willing to be flexible, we had this fantasy of what a relationship looks like, and it was all about me me and me (ie each of you is the center instead of no one being in the center).
That's exactly what happened to them. They had this fantastical image of what a relationship is and their new situations no longer align to that. They came to the conclusion that it's time to go their separate ways. They were not capable of analyzing things properly. They didn't have to break up, they just need to wake up.
A relationship isn't all about bells and whistles, it is also about flexibility and understanding. No one is at the center. The only center is the gravity that is pulling you together, and that is love and relationship. You both made that decision and that was your gravitational force. Just like how the Sun is the center of gravity that is pulling the planets together.
In the end, in our case, we simply finally fully closed our story after 11 years since our break up. Unfortunately for us, it is too late to be together.
But for our couple in this story, they still have a chance to SHINE.
Different models of story structure in creative writing:
- Three-act Structure (most common in Western works) - Four-act Structure (me: best for live-action) - Five Elements Plot (me: best for novels) - KiShōTenKetsu (most common in CJK works)
This show seems to be using Kishōtenketsu, so I'm expecting low ratings in Western-users dominated sites like MDL. We'll see if Kishōtenketsu will work for this story.
If you are confused with the timelines, it basically boils down to:1. Present time. In E01, this was 6 months…
a. As of E02, Momo hasn't appeared in Past 2.0. b. Past 2.0 is primarily about BaRa and her crush. c. Part 1.0 is also primarily about BaRa and her crush, with Momo and Dr. Shin's budding love as close secondary. d. Present is where Momo, her mother, and Dr. Shin comes to the front, while BaRa and her crush becomes secondary.
I suspect that they will all converge and some weird connections will surface or unexpected relationships created.
Momo's black dress in E01 was super awesome for her. She also nailed how to carry it well without looking like a 50-year old melodrama mother. 😆 Perfection!
Ooohhh!! I love this far more than Mad Concrete Love (which I already dropped) and Climax (which I might drop…
In any case, the question of the synopsis is something you'll learn to answer once you're #Forever28, and that answer is actually very simple: the "soul" or the consciousness, not the body.
But for those who hasn't reached #Forever28, they haven't realized that yet. Though there are a few Forever28s who are avoiding this by saying it only happens in fiction. 😅
Sure, in our age and time, it only happens in fiction. But there is an enlightenment that comes from realizing that you're in love with the soul/consciousness and not the body.
So, let's see how the writer will play this philosophical plot. And I hope the director pulls this well, otherwise, it'll be a waste.
The ironic thing with "Dubai Chewy Cookie Chocolate" is that it isn't even "Dubai" at all.
1. The "Dubai Chewy Cookie Chocolate" is a Korean invention inspired by and based on the "Dubai Chocolate".
2. This "Dubai Chocolate" is itself not "Dubai" either. The idea came from a British-Egyptian entreprenuer, she is not a chef nor baker. The recipe was actually purely developed by a Filipino pastry chef she partnered with, and they released under her brand name.
In other words, the "Dubai Chewy Cookie Chocolate" that is very popular in Korea since 2025 is (a) a Korean invention, and (b) inspired by and based on "Dubai Chocolate", a Filipino-made recipe. Not a single thing in it is "Dubai". It's purely Korean __and__ Filipino.
For the semi-finals focusing on regional flavors and unique Korean inventions, it is very ironic they always talk about "Dubai Chewy Cookie Chocolate" and "Dubai Chocolate" without acknowledging that it's purely Korean and Filipino, respectively.
Sure, the idea came from a British-Egyptian entrepreneur, but ideas are not Copyrightable nor Patentable. 🤪 And regardless, she's not Dubaian at all. The only thing "Dubai" in it is her flagship store is in Dubai. 😁
Sometimes the way we name our products is very silly. We all want to be proud of our own and promote our respective cultures, bet we name our products that guarantees the majority of people will misunderstand its origins.
Koreans, be proud of "Dubai Chewy Cookie Chocolate", it's a Korean invention. Just like how Filipinos are with "Dubai Chocolate".
Hopefully in Episode 8 we'll hear someone mention that.
Let's call out the main plot!(Potential spoiler!!)
The fathers of the ML and FL were in competition. The ML's father was framed. The real corrupt was the FL's father. The ML's father found solid proof against the FL's father, so he was murdered and framed to cover it all up.
1 
Of course, it is not perfect and there are still major issues, but comparing the current situation with Kdrama depictions, it's stereotypical already because things improved for the last ten years.
One could say there are still companies with obsolete cultures (especially old companies), which is true in many countries, not just in South Korea.
There are still many improvements needed but mandatory dinner is no longer mandatory.
Oh, work-life balance is actually a huge thing in South Korea for the last 10 years, and it is through it that many changes happened and are happening.
A very mature and objective analysis.
But once you're an adult, with more experiences, you learn that the real problems were each of you are not flexible, had a fantasy view of what a relationship should be, and each of you putting yourself in the center (aka, me me and me).
This is coming from first-hand experience. Their story having a relationship while at school and breaking up as young adults were very similar to my first gf (I was also her first bf). But it took us 11 years after break up to finally fully close our story. For our on-screen couple, they still have a chance to SHINE after 10 years.
They get a happy ending while my first gf and I had a sad ending. 😁
My first love and I (I was also her first) also had to break up after 3 years of relationship. We thought it was because we were drifting apart, have less time, arguing, and we can't reconcile our differences and new life. However, for the next 11 years, we realized we were wrong.
It wasn't because of our differences and new lives and all that, it was because we were too young and still immature and lacks insight and experiences. The real problems were we weren't willing to be flexible, we had this fantasy of what a relationship looks like, and it was all about me me and me (ie each of you is the center instead of no one being in the center).
That's exactly what happened to them. They had this fantastical image of what a relationship is and their new situations no longer align to that. They came to the conclusion that it's time to go their separate ways. They were not capable of analyzing things properly. They didn't have to break up, they just need to wake up.
A relationship isn't all about bells and whistles, it is also about flexibility and understanding. No one is at the center. The only center is the gravity that is pulling you together, and that is love and relationship. You both made that decision and that was your gravitational force. Just like how the Sun is the center of gravity that is pulling the planets together.
In the end, in our case, we simply finally fully closed our story after 11 years since our break up. Unfortunately for us, it is too late to be together.
But for our couple in this story, they still have a chance to SHINE.
- Three-act Structure (most common in Western works)
- Four-act Structure (me: best for live-action)
- Five Elements Plot (me: best for novels)
- KiShōTenKetsu (most common in CJK works)
This show seems to be using Kishōtenketsu, so I'm expecting low ratings in Western-users dominated sites like MDL. We'll see if Kishōtenketsu will work for this story.
b. Past 2.0 is primarily about BaRa and her crush.
c. Part 1.0 is also primarily about BaRa and her crush, with Momo and Dr. Shin's budding love as close secondary.
d. Present is where Momo, her mother, and Dr. Shin comes to the front, while BaRa and her crush becomes secondary.
I suspect that they will all converge and some weird connections will surface or unexpected relationships created.
1. Present time. In E01, this was 6 months after the diving accident of Momo. Of course the present time is moving forward.
2. Past 1.0 is 6 months before Momo's accident.
3. Past 2.0 is 9 years (I can't remember exactly) ago.
There's more below.
But for those who hasn't reached #Forever28, they haven't realized that yet. Though there are a few Forever28s who are avoiding this by saying it only happens in fiction. 😅
Sure, in our age and time, it only happens in fiction. But there is an enlightenment that comes from realizing that you're in love with the soul/consciousness and not the body.
So, let's see how the writer will play this philosophical plot. And I hope the director pulls this well, otherwise, it'll be a waste.
This is what I want from shows of this type and genre: complexity and philosophical.
1. The "Dubai Chewy Cookie Chocolate" is a Korean invention inspired by and based on the "Dubai Chocolate".
2. This "Dubai Chocolate" is itself not "Dubai" either. The idea came from a British-Egyptian entreprenuer, she is not a chef nor baker. The recipe was actually purely developed by a Filipino pastry chef she partnered with, and they released under her brand name.
In other words, the "Dubai Chewy Cookie Chocolate" that is very popular in Korea since 2025 is (a) a Korean invention, and (b) inspired by and based on "Dubai Chocolate", a Filipino-made recipe. Not a single thing in it is "Dubai". It's purely Korean __and__ Filipino.
For the semi-finals focusing on regional flavors and unique Korean inventions, it is very ironic they always talk about "Dubai Chewy Cookie Chocolate" and "Dubai Chocolate" without acknowledging that it's purely Korean and Filipino, respectively.
Sure, the idea came from a British-Egyptian entrepreneur, but ideas are not Copyrightable nor Patentable. 🤪 And regardless, she's not Dubaian at all. The only thing "Dubai" in it is her flagship store is in Dubai. 😁
Sometimes the way we name our products is very silly. We all want to be proud of our own and promote our respective cultures, bet we name our products that guarantees the majority of people will misunderstand its origins.
Koreans, be proud of "Dubai Chewy Cookie Chocolate", it's a Korean invention. Just like how Filipinos are with "Dubai Chocolate".
Hopefully in Episode 8 we'll hear someone mention that.
The ML's father was framed. The real corrupt was the FL's father.
The ML's father found solid proof against the FL's father, so he was murdered and framed to cover it all up.
(Potential spoiler!!)
They just need to mesh the two sides better so the flow is smooth. Other than that, it's enjoyable.