Zii3

Watch for the spunky lead actress, otherwise forgettable.

General spoilers below.
The lead actors have talent especially the FL, the FL character is feisty, strong and optimistic, the SML is likeable and respectful of the FL's feelings and choices, and the ML puts in a lot of effort to win back the FL. However, character progression is choppy, especially for the ML who feels like he's written as a completely different person about half way through. There isn't really any sexual tension, and the few brief kisses are either DFK (dead fish kisses) or head-blocked. There is the typical obsessed SFL who resorts to immoral means to get her guy and there's no retribution or consequences shown for the last drastic thing that she did. There are a few moments of sweetness here and there, and there is a happy ending.

This is a vertically filmed mini series just under 2 hours, and I watched it in "movie" format on YouTube here: https://youtu.be/8C4y-___VBM?si=C9A-MTS2Kw8uDdmH

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Surprisingly Good

A vertically filmed micro drama (I rate these on their own sliding scale). The screenplay and acting (of the leads) is better than many stories with the same basic plot points (I will refer to these as "plot clones" below). This one had multiple things that exceeded my expectations and thus I've rated it a little higher than I might otherwise; it managed to be more fresh, interesting, and even thoughtful in spots (when compared to other plot clones). I may even rewatch this after some time has passed.

Both leads are good actors (enough so that I'll be looking up their other works) and they have great chemistry, and that's a good enough selling point for many.
What sets this production apart from many plot clones, in my opinion, is that:

General Spoilers below:

- Both lead characters were likeable
- While there was some push-and-pull between the leads (due to misunderstandings from other's lies), there was never any real animosity
- There were a couple of clever/funny/memorable lines.
- The FL was written as a genuine and smart character who was hardworking and had some skills beyond looking pretty.
- The ML starts to admire her quickly, and it actually makes sense, and he looks at her with warmth a lot.
- There are more kisses and intimate scenes than just the one at the beginning (though short they are satisfying).
- There is a wonderfully unique reaction of the FL to an advance made by the ML while he's drunk (I don't want to spoil it by saying more, but you will definitely know when you see it!)
- The screenplay actually shows the leads figuring out and processing all the lies they were each told and some of the emotional impact of that.
- There is satisfying retribution for the main antagonist.
- The SML (childhood friend) remains respectful of the FL and her feelings/choices.
- There's a cute/sweet proposal moment.
- Though not subtle, there are some good messages
- There are likeable and supportive parents or grandparents for the leads.

Now, there IS a reprehensible SFL who is desperate for the ML and does all sorts of shenanigans to get him, but that was expected (it's integral to these plot clones).

The costumes were good and flattering for both leads, and the red wedding dress at the end is gorgeous.

The English subtitles where I found it are sufficient; not great but not the worst I've seen either. The Humor in dialogue still manages to come across. The pronouns are often wrong ("he" instead of "she" for example) but that's a common mistake because, as I understand it, Mandarin doesn't have gender pronouns (just uses "ta" to refer to another person).

Thank you to Jwells who shared in a comment on the main page multiple links for this series on YouTube with English subtitles.

SPECIFIC SPOILERS below on the ending and the very basic plot points that this series shares with other plot clones.

... ... ...

It's a HE with the leads starting the walk down the aisle for their marriage. The actual ceremony is not shown but it's a joyful and sweet ending shot.

Basic plot for this and other clones:
- A drunk/drugged one night stand with a stranger
- FL finds out she works for the ML who is a CEO
- ML doesn't recognize her
- The SFL takes advantage of this and pretends she was the one night stand and makes the ML "take responsibility" by becoming her boyfriend
- The SFL tries to sabotage the FL at work but this only enables the FL to showcase her good qualities
- The FL turns out to be pregnant
- The SFL pretends to be pregnant to force the ML to stay with her
- The ML eventually figures out that the FL was his one night stand and he is the father

There were a few other things that happened with the plot in this version in addition to the basics listed above.

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An enjoyable 3 hour romance.

Having watched a string of mini series lately, I would say this is definitely good for one watch, though I likely won't re-watch. My rating scale for mini series is more lenient, and this was quite enjoyable with no aggravations, so it merits a high score.
It held my attention, was fairly well written for a mini series, and the dynamic between the characters was fun. I was mentally invested though nothing hit me hard emotionally, so it was an easy watch.

It did require some suspension of disbelief, but I did not feel annoyed at any point while watching. The plot isn't the most intricate but that's not the focus anyway, the focus is on the relationships between characters.

Pros:
- Chemistry between the leads was great and intimate moments/scenes delivered. Desire and dominance is shown by both leads. The love scene in Ep 15 is fairly risqué for a Cdrama (and there's an extra snippet of that scene in the montage of memories in Ep 24).
- FL remained a strong-willed character throughout with great martial arts skills.
- ML is smart, also good at martial arts, falls for FL for who she is, and becomes devoted.
- Nobody was totally evil.
- Nobody acted aggravatingly stupid.
- No delusional third wheels.
- The plot/angst didn't feel overly contrived (even when some suspension of disbelief was needed).

The fighting, music, and costumes were good (the prince's costumes were especially gorgeous).


GENERAL SPOILER ON THE ENDING:

... ... ...

Ep 24: For a rock solid HE, stop at 6:08 in (as they look up at the moon).

Otherwise, the last short scene leaves things open, though a HE can be predicted because the leads love each other. It is in character and presented light-heartedly, just feels rather abrupt for a stopping point.

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Thought-provoking exploration of relationship dynamics. Lots of fuzzy feelings.

A wonderfully intriguing exploration of relationship dynamics. Sweet, cute, thought-provoking, and romantic with lots of fuzzy feelings.

The amount of comfortable and very close skinship, cuddling and snuggling, hugging, and petting is maybe the highest of any show I've seen. And it is so cozy, comforting, heart-warming, and satisfying.

I loved how the dynamic between Sumire and Momo managed to be mostly balanced despite growing into codependency. They are both capable people yet they feel better when taking care of someone other than themselves and they feel more grounded when they are needed by somebody else. She needed him just as much as he wanted to be needed by her. Sumire is extremely bad at self-regulating her emotions and Takeshi is really good at helping her with that even though he's 10 years younger. The balance in their emotional maturity made their age gap a total non-issue.

Their master/pet relationship didn't come across as a power-play dynamic to me. There were moments where an imbalance of power would bubble up during arguments (with Sumire being the home owner) but that can happen with any couple.

This was so close to being a 9 out of 10, but the screenplay choices in the last couple episodes let me down in terms of character development and resolution. The ending was still moderately satisfying, the plot just gave into clichés at the end, which was disappointing and a waste of potential (further explained under the "specific spoilers" section at the bottom of my review).

The actors were great, especially Shishon Jun as Momo. He was also completely believable as a professional-level dancer.

FYI: Extra footage!
During the end credits of each episode there is a background video that is repeated and then a smaller box with scenes that change. At first, the small box shows repeated clips from that episode, but when the background video goes from the dog under to bedsheets to the drawer of shirts, the small box starts showing things unseen before! There's no audio, but it shows little snippets of scenes that could have happened to the characters in that episode that are otherwise unshown to the audience. There are some really cute and/or steamy-ish moments between Momo and Sumire that are fun to see as a little bonus.

SPECIFIC SPOILERS BELOW

My critique of the things that disappointed me in the last few episodes. (I had no other notable issues with the otherwise wonderful series.)

... ... ...

HASUMI & FUKUSHIMA:

I felt like saying Hasumi was "weak to seduction", like it was a character trait, was a bit of a cop-out. I think he was weak to being needed, just like every other main character was! And when Hasumi misses Fukushima and realizes how much he wants to be with her, I wish the screenplay had highlighted more than it did. There was repetition around her sexiness and big chest, her good cooking, and being weak, but I think there were more differences between her and Sumire that drew Hasumi in. Not only did Fukushima show vulnerability (often times faked or exaggerated as a seduction ploy), she showed Hasumi a wider range of emotions period! She showed excitement, happiness, eagerness, and desire to be with him. Hasumi could feel secure in her affection and be himself, instead of constantly and nervously trying to navigate the potential minefield of inscrutability that was Sumire. Fukushima allowed Hasumi to feel relaxed in a similar parallel to Momo and Sumire.

SUMIRE & MOMO / TAKESHI:

- I wish Sumire had at least made a decision to hold off on marriage to Hasumi and moving to Seoul, if not breaking up altogether, BEFORE she found out about him and Fukushima.

- The whole point of Takeshi not contacting Sumire first after he leaves is because, as he previously told Fukushima, Sumire doesn't go after what she wants. She may be greatly effected by losing someone yet she won't ever go after them, which is part of why he has never truly left before. So what was really needed was for Sumire to go after Takeshi. Maybe not right way, but to show her calling him first, to visit him first, to finally show her feelings in actions and words while supporting and encouraging him from afar while he pursued his career goals. NOT just WAITING 3 years in stoic silence for him. And while eventually it shows that Sumire has received letters from Takeshi, there's no indication that's she's reciprocated in any way.

- And then after 3 years she actually goes to a performance of his in Japan but leaves flowers without trying to see him! WTF? So in the end Takeshi is the one who, yet again, has to come to her. Sure, she accepts him romantically this time, but her lack in character growth negatively impacted her worthiness of him, in my opinion. So the resolution was far less impactful, meaningful, and satisfying than it easily could have been otherwise. It felt like the writers wanted a specific final scene of them meeting in the rain and sacrificed character integrity while resorting to clichés to make it happen.

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Ep 1-5 are the strongest. Light & easy watch with great chemistry.

Ep 1-5 (and 9-10) were better than comments lead me to expect. The story is simple and not that memorable, but if you want an easy watch with sensual, realistic making-out, some sweetness, and decent acting, then you might enjoy this. Or at least parts of it.

Viewing recommendation: If you like jumping back to see the ML's point of view, watch Ep 9-10 after Ep 3; it integrates well with the story at that time. Then Eps 4-5 would have been a satisfying ending to me, so you could stop there. If you want to see the leads navigating their life choices at the end of college watch Ep 7-8. Skip Ep 6 altogether (I explain why in general terms below). Eps 6, 7, & 8 aren't very well written and aren't needed to have a satisfying conclusion.

The intimacy between the leads is both hot and sweet. The kisses contain emotions and are realistic. And there are a lot of them (in Ep 1-5, not so much after that). Very satisfying in that regard.

GENERAL SPOILERS below.

Notes for Ep 1-5:
The ML lead's revenge thing is short lived once he and the FL talk through their mutual misunderstandings from 4 years ago. They are uncertain of their footing but really sweet and do communicate (even if there are lags in communication it's not super drawn out or unresolved ).

I liked how the ML and FL never wavered in their affection, and really appreciated how the ML *didn't* get upset at the FL when he learned that the SML had forced a kiss on her. I was expecting all the usual unreasonable jealousy clichés, but the ML handled that whole scene/situation really well.

Kazuha (SML) and and Nina are horrible "friends" to Kaeda. Their one-sided feelings, for the FL and ML respectively, are obviously not reciprocated yet they do morally grey things because they can't accept that. They are the most annoying and trope-filled thing about this show.

Skip Ep 6 because almost the whole thing revolves around Nina being nasty in ridiculous ways. At the end she's given excuses and understanding and not only forgiven, but praised. I get the point they were trying to make, but she didn't deserve such consideration, and the writing was really ham-handed with it. It detracted from the story instead of adding value.

Ep 7-8 are full of telling vs showing and thus feel rushed, a bit empty, and not that satisfying (in my opinion). The writing is clunky and the time skips don't help.

I can see re-watching parts of Ep 1-5 (& 9-10) at some point, but I won't re-watch the rest.

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Bizarre.

Bizarre. A 12min long film that's not worth the time except for a realistic kissing scene at 5min 40sec in. Or unless you want to laugh at the cringness! It's a string of WTF moments.

It felt like scenes were shot to compliment the dramatic classical music chosen, instead of the other way around. Kind of like mini music videos with not much connecting them together. The pacing is weird; more time is spent on the music video vignettes than on conversations or realistic/meaningful interactions.

There's not much dialogue, but what is there is awkward and overly dramatic, starting with a sob story that felt like over-sharing in that context. There's an immediate power imbalance with a director and a newbie actor and after their first meeting, the film jumps to them acting like a couple for awhile, then jumps ahead again. There's nothing to get emotionally invested in because we're not shown any of the progression in their connection/relationship.

I found this on YouTube in the USA.

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Psychologically Intriguing. What Voids Can/Can't Be Filled?

Psychologically intriguing and emotionally haunting; a seemingly "happy" ending on the surface but in actuality very precarious as it was hollow. The story lingered in my mind and I really wish there was more of it.

21 minutes long. The script and directing/editing was smartly done and to-the-point. Acting, cinematography, and music supported the storytelling well.

The 11th SungKyu wants a nice home and family so much that he stands in to fill the voids the other family members have. But he is a shell of a person himself, can HIS void be filled? Maybe over time, but we don't get a clear-cut answer, and that's why my thoughts on this short film keep percolating and drive me to dissect it.

It's well done and good for one watch if you're in the right mood for it.

SPECIFIC SPOILERS below!
... ... ...

I can easily understand SungKyu learning how to interact, and puting effort into play-acting, with the mentally fragmented mother (who can't accept that one of her real sons is gone).

I feel sad at his decision to be physically intimate with the brother, SungWoo, though. Sad for both of them because it seemed the result of individual desperation. Maybe they both end up being what the other needs and have a healthy future together, but that seems a fragile hope. More realistically, SungWoo may develop feelings while SungKyu's interest would remain in question; does he really care, or is he trying to fill his own void, or is he just maintaining his place in the family?

And whatever drove SungKyu in that scene, it doesn't seem to have given him much. The next morning, SungWoo feels accepted and is noticeably lighter and happier but the smile that SungKyu returns slides off when he's not being looked at, and his eyes remain vacant throughout. SungKyu said he was "nobody" and seemed to remain empty himself even as he filled in what the other family members needed.

For me, it's really hard to leave the story at that moment because I crave more emotional resolution, so I likely won't re-watch. I am glad I saw it once though.

I found Bearr's MDL review good and insightful too.

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Adrift Characters Find Determination In Unusual Somber Yet Hopeful Tale

Cinematography 7, Lighting 9. GENERAL SPOILERS ALLUDED TO below.
I started out hating Ritsu, as Nishini does, and normally I'd have a hard time forgiving that kind of character if they made those choices as an adult, but he's a stupid, young 20 year old. I have seen people in real life change their priorities by their 30s, especially when fueled by regrets. With the 10 years that have passed since they've seen each other and the looming end of the world in 7 days, the story manages to make Ritsu's imperfect-redemption possible. It's not a fairytale, and Ritsu's character does NOT get a knight-in-shining-armor make-over. And I think that makes the story more real and compelling.

The extenuating circumstances (the end of the world) acts like a pressure cooker; puting force behind Ritsu's contrition and speeding up Nishini's absolution. Each episode smartly reveals to Nishini and the audience a little more of who the present Ritsu is, how his past impacted him, and how he's being more thoughtful (it's subtle, but it’s there). He's still a flawed person, but Nishini's shifting attitude towards him is, at the very least, understandable. I was with Nishini all the way and able to feel happy and satisfied for the solace they find in each other as some of their wounds are soothed.

The series does a good job overall balancing some really heavy topics with hope (in various forms but can't explain without giving too much away!). Trigger warnings for suicidal ideation and attempts (with a pill, non-graphic). Plus some existential ruminations, as one might expect with the end of the world in sight. Even though the ending is positive and life-affirming, it would have been too hard-hitting for me to get through if I had watched it while in a severely depressed state myself.

Seto Toshiki completely redeemed himself from his simplistic acting in Senpai, This Can't Be Love. He portrayed a wonderful range of nuanced emotions in face, voice, and body in this series. Nakata Keisuki was a good match with him. He's a little more subdued but it works for his character and he and Seto have good chemistry together. The other actors were great in their roles too, there were no weak links.

The intimate scenes, of which there are a few, are definitely NC-17. They are more rough than artistic, and the actors seem pretty comfortable with each other so their interactions are believable.
I SO appreciate the line "...it feels so good." Finally, a 'bottom' character who expresses that it's pleasurable (and pain free)! As it can be, if properly prepared! It aggravates me how many BLs treat "being the bottom" like it's humiliating, painful, or a chore.

The time the characters are at a cabin was my least favorite part of the series. Not a huge deal, but the plot felt more contrived during this part, some character decisions didn't quite make sense, and the pacing felt slower.

The music was beautiful, sentimental, somber, and hopeful. It blended with scenes well and enhanced emotions. I will listen to this soundtrack as background music.

I love asianblreviews very thoughtful, insightful, and well-worded review of this series. I recommend reading that too. Full review here: https://asianblreviews.wordpress.com/2023/03/21/bokura-no-micro-na-shuumatsu-review-bl/

SPOILER ON THE ENDING:

I loved how they shot this and at what point they decided to stop filming. It's meaningful to have Nishini and Ritsu facing a new dawn together. Symbolic of the new and hopeful path of their relationship, as well as their individual selves that have done some healing and been reforged; ready to face life again individually as well as together.

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Lovely Slice-Of-Life Epilogue.

General spoiler only at bottom of review.
Cute and sweet, slice-of-life epilogue to the series. It's simple and light and I found myself smiling a lot. It’s a nice and very satisfying end cap to the series story. I wouldn't recommend it unless you've seen the series first, otherwise you'll be missing the emotional foundation of the main couple's bond. The secondary couple were less annoying to me in the movie (and didn't get much screen time, which I was fine with).

I appreciated how Adachi and Kurosawa learned to communicate better with each other and started to approach things in their lives as a team.

The lead actors are so good with their eyes and facial expressions. Everything is 100% believable until there's close romantic physical touch, then it feels ever so slightly stiff. Even so, there are some nice hugs and the way they look at each other holds so much emotion.

The cinematography is nice but the music is not memorable.

GENERAL SPOILERS.
The introduction to the families was a nice blend of realism and fantasy. Some realistic tensions were brought up, but then were resolved fairly quickly, which kept the overall tone of the movie bright. The family members with concerns showed a lingering internal worry even as they made efforts to be accepting, which I thought was a nice, more realistic touch than doing a 180 in 5 min.

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Toxic Angst On Repeat

Unrelentingly toxic, homophobic, and emotionally abusive dynamic between the lead characters. And started off with the sexual harassment of a character who happened to be a victim of pedophilia (an issue which is brought up near the beginning but then never discussed again, which is weird and frustrating. The dude obviously needs a therapist). Also romanticization of over-the-top jealousy.

Their dynamic does not improve enough over time to be considered sweet in any way. The same issues kept coming up with little improvement in how the characters reacted. I did watch the whole thing hoping for more character growth but was left disappointed. Acting is middle-of-the-road. The leads are a bit flat in emotions they are able to portray; they do well with extremes but lack range and nuance. I don’t remember the music. I was unable to like, let alone fall in love, with these characters.

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Well done and interesting dom-sub undertones between leads

(I rate vertically filmed micro dramas on their own sliding scale.)
A strong production and a very different story (at the time it came out, it has been repeated multiple times since). I didn't fast-forward anything. A darker/grim story (the main male antagonist, aka SML, is involved in human trafficking for sex and organ harvesting).

To me there were some strong dom-sub undertones in the dynamic between the leads all the way through; it was captivating. ML has the air of a predator but he's not sadistic. FL could be considered a rabbit but she's smarter/sharper than most. There are multiple moments of sexual tension and intimacy. After their first time, the FL mostly welcomes his advances and participates a bit. Kisses are mainly lip presses to small movements but often intense.

Expansion on synopsis:
A student intern needs money to pay for her dad's medical fees and decides to sell some eggs. She accidentally dials the number for the ML doctor who has her come over and scares her into promising not to sell eggs or organs ever. Later they run into each other when she's serving drinks at a bar and gets sexually assaulted and the ML saves her. The ML keeps being drawn to the FL and continues to help her out. The ML becomes the color in the FL's colorless world.

General spoilers below.
It did get a little old that the FL was so strongly swayed by the words of SFL and the ML's mother, determining she wasn't worthy of him and giving up on them instead of listening to the ML who said his world/life meant nothing without her.
I was happy to see in a flashback that the leads actually planned and worked together near the end.

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Fun dynamic between leads as a fantasy (yellow flags IRL)

A vertically filmed micro drama (I rate these on their own sliding scale). General spoilers further down. I thoroughly enjoyed this, but it won't appeal to all. I'll definitely watch again.
The writing, acting, and directing presents everything in a slightly humorous way, which lightens things up and makes the interactions and reactions fun. Both lead actors are fantastic. The ML is extremely domineering and occasionally manhandles the FL but is not violent (no slapping, choking, sadism, etc). He does raise his voice and can have an imposing or threatening demeanor, and the FL is afraid of him in a flustered way. To me, both actors did it in a way that wasn't heavy and both had great comedic timing that played into the fantasy of it without making it feel uncomfortably real. There are some sweet moments between them too.

The FL is super clumsy and shy but earnest, cute, and a good worker, and the ML is sometimes exasperated/miffed yet drawn and attracted to her. He does ask her questions and gives her a chance to explain things in different situations before judging her, which is rare! He grows suspicious over time that she is keeping something from him but continues to give her the benefit of the doubt. He steps in to help and/or save her a couple of times.

This story does multiple things slightly differently than expected (in the micro drama genre).
One of them is that the ML continuously chooses to gives the FL the benefit of the doubt (as mentioned above).
Another is that no 3rd wheel wanna-be pretends to be the woman the ML slept with when drugged.
Another is how the FL acts when drugged; not only does she become aggressive with intimacy, she also gets more dominant with a hazy predator look in her eye (their starting scene is the first time I can remember seeing a FL grab a ML's throat in that way). The two leads have great chemistry and seem comfortable with each other (underneath how they act as their characters). There are multiple moments of sexual and/or romantic tension and a couple great, realistic kisses with small to medium movements.

General Spoilers below:

Expansion of synopsis that sets up the story:
The FL works as one of the ML's assistants and the two of them end up drugged and sleeping together one night. The FL wakes up first and sneaks away. She knows the ML hates women who try to seduce him, so she is comedically afraid that he will think this of her and run her out of town if he finds out. The next day the ML tasks the FL and his main male assistant to find the schemer who stayed with him in the hotel. He suspects that it was manipulated by his stepmother. The FL's best friend, who also works at the company, helps her cover up the evidence (surveillance and hotel workers). Over the course of the story the best friend continues to advise the FL to cover up the truth, afraid of retribution. Thus the lies get bigger and the FL gets more and more flustered, especially as she starts to like the ML.

There is also:
Family debt that the FL is trying to pay off, a contract relationship that slowly turns into more, an unexpected pregnancy (that the FL wants to keep), later in the story there's a 3rd wheel for a bit (the ML's girlfriend from the past who comes back to the country), drugging of the FL and attempted rape, and a kidnapping. Still, for a vertical drama, things don't feel overly crazy. The focus remains on the interactions between the leads.

The ending is sweet, ends with a kiss, and is satisfying enough; it's not long, but it didn't feel rushed either.

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Subtle, Feel-Good, Sincere Romance.

To me, this series felt like a higher rating than the sum of it's parts (technically, more like a 9/10 but enjoyable and satisfying enough to be one of my favorites). It was like being wrapped in a cozy blanket of hopeful sincerity. It's slice-of-life with a focus on feelings and while there are multiple emotional moments, there's no big drama (other than school bullying at the beginning). I enjoyed every minute and will watch again.

Notes on general differences from the manhwa at the bottom of review.

There are eight 25min episodes. I liked that we got to see HaeBom and TaeSung's story over a couple of years even though the time constraints meant that time passed quickly. The passing of time was slower in the beginning so it was easy to understand and connect with the characters and watch the transition of their bond into something more romantic. Then time jumps became a little bigger and more frequent but still retained character arcs. The mother's arc near the end felt the most rushed but it still worked; it feels like she would have gotten to that point anyway so doing so quickly didn't really break character.

I would have loved to watch more details of HaeBom and TaeSung's relationship as it unfolded, but was still very satisfied with what was shown. The staying power of their bond is reiterated over time so their happy ending and hopeful future is believable.

Their dynamic may seem stereotypically simple and unbalanced at first, but over time it's demonstrated how their strengths compliment each other's weaknesses and they balance each other well. They also put effort into understanding each other. Fondueforkharpoon's review expands on that and pretty perfectly sums it up.

There is a lot of skinship and cuddling and a couple passionate kisses.

While HaeBom was adopted by his mother's friend when he was 7 and grew up in the same house as TaeSung, I appreciated that the story *didn't* feel like a fetishization of brothers.

I enjoyed the friendship that the side characters YongHee and JiAh had with TaeSung and, over time, HaeBom. They were very much supporting roles but still felt like real people, not caricatures.

Cinematography was often soft and lovely, though some of the handheld camerawork was a little unsteady for my preferences (the constant small movements felt like maybe it was done on purpose to underscore high emotions but I found it distracting). Music fit scenes and emotions well.

Notes on the manhwa:
General Spoilers below.
The show follows vol.1 very closely then makes a few adjustments when incorporating vol.2. The show smartly makes the give and take between TaeSung and HaeBom clearer and more balanced, which I love. The one thing the show left out that I felt missing when I watched it (before I even read the manhwa), was the Mom's concern that TaeSung forced HaeBom; that HaeBom was in a position where he didn't feel he could say no. That's one of the Mom's biggest issues in the manhwa.

The show also integrates their growing physical relationship smoothly and believably once they start living in their own apartment. The manhwa on the other hand, is very chaste except for some kisses for vol.1 & 2, while vol.3 is mostly all R rated scenes (which are well done, by the way, and focuses on the progression of their physical intimacy). I've just started to read vol.4 and it seems to be bringing in more plot from the world around them again.

Fondueforkharpoon has a wonderful review that says other things I was thinking as well.

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Ruined By The Writers

Starts strong but became less enjoyable, then the writers completely ruined it in ep 10-12. (General spoiler on this at the bottom of the review.)
Gets more and more cheesy. It's also very heavy-handed and preachy in it's messages. After the two best friends start dating they keep having conversations about things like they're still getting to know each other, instead of having been with each other constantly for 20+ years! One of them doesn't know what the other likes to have for breakfast even though they eat together every day. But it creates a cute scene, so it's okay that it doesn't make sense, right? (Sarcasm) Ridiculous.

*It's like the writers didn't know how to continue with their own premise and so they resorted back to a generic relationship approach.* It was so disappointing. Also, the writer's style is more about 'telling' than it is about 'showing' through actions and interactions. This type of storytelling gets old fast for me.

The acting by all is good. Shi Cheng Xuan as Fu Li is especially good and I was drawn to watch him the most. Chemistry is also satisfying. I really appreciated the two fathers, they were written and acted well.

The secondary couple is cute/sweet but the fast-paced love-bombing by one of them kind of put me off. The family dynamic between them and the laundromat's kid is mostly sweet, but again, very fast-paced.

GENERAL SPOILERS:
The EXTREMELY CONTRIVED and NONSENSICAL plot twist in ep 10, PURELY for the sake of angst, was inexcusable. It was completely unnecessary angst that could only be achieved by making Fu Li act out of character and in the complete opposite to everything he had expressed previously. And then the end of ep 11 resolved it in a cliche manner and in a way that just swept it all under the rug. The whole thing was so inane it made me quite mad with frustration!

In contrast, the sweetness in ep 12 was so over-the-top it made me roll my eyes and cringe. So much so that I actually had to fast-forward through a lot of it.

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Gentle, sweet, and fluffy romance.

A vertically filmed micro drama (I rate these on their own sliding scale). The story focuses on the interactions between the main leads and how their relationship grows. There are no major interferences or crazy plot shenanigans. It's a gentle love story.

General Spoilers below. Expansion of synopsis that sets up the story at the bottom.

I would not consider this a steamy drama, though there are a couple moments of medium-high sexual tension, and a couple brief kisses with small to medium movements (where the lips touching are actually shown, unlike some of the other productions these two have done together that had none or were head-blocked). It is satisfying how the two characters look at each other, especially later on as the FL falls in love. Her smiles of joy and eyes filled with adoration were lovely and very believable. It was also fun to watch when she decided to woo her husband in return, and try to figure out how to entice him to take further steps with intimacy. The way she got a little embarrassed though nervously excited was adorable and also very realistic.

The ML is quietly steady and a little too perfect, lol, but the FL deserves it. He pampers the FL every single day, often with lots of gifts. He trusts, supports, and encourages the FL.

The actor of the SML deserves a special mention; he gives a fantastic performance! His character is not evil or sadistic, but he's not really likeable. He is a self-absorbed man and has been taking the attention of the FL for granted. While his temperament is not likeable and he is not good husband material, the acting and writing still manage to make him pitiable. It would be really easy to turn this character into a cartoonish caricature, but the actor is nuanced and believable in his delivery, and makes him feel like a real person.

A little more on the set-up synopsis (within the first 7 minutes):
The FL has been chasing the SML since highschool (10 years) and now works as one of his secretaries. They have an ambiguous relationship and one day the FL overhears him say, essentially, that he won't consider her for marriage because she's an adoptive daughter and not on the same level as his family. It's not shown how they meet, but the FL then drunkenly sleeps with the ML, who is another highschool classmate from a wealthy family that is now a CEO. Afterwards, the ML essentially asks her to "take responsibility" for him and marry to keep things above board in the public eye. He persuades her saying she can keep half his property after they divorce. A short while later, when explaining their quick marriage to another, the ML reveals that he has secretly loved the FL since highschool. The FL, however, believes he his just acting for show. Thus begins the story of the ML wooing his wife by showing his sincerity through actions.

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