Not a RomCom but so much deeper than that
This TV series was marketed as a romcom and I went in expecting that. I was presently surprised by the second half and the deeper story line. To begin with the cinematography was out of this world and definitely the top selling point. I’ve watched so many of Go Youn Jung’s dramas and she is a phenomenal actress. She plays her role(s) with so much conviction and manages to captivate the audience. I always liked Kim Seonho as an actor and this role was no exception. He has amazing chemistry with Go Youn Jung and their entire journey was an adventure. This is my first time seeing Sota Fukushi on my screen and can’t wait to watch more of his work. The 3 characters balance out so well and I was invested to see their growth through the series.Now coming to the story. I like the sweet, funny start. The playful banter between Cha Muhee and Joo Hojin which turns into a slow burn romance and a deeper connection. It was interesting to see this translator who clearly is proficient in multiple languages fumble and learn to communicate with his love interest. It was fun to see Cha Muhee and Hiro’s relationship develop too. They have a rocky start which turns into understanding and this relationship underscores how two individuals don’t speak the same language but can still grow to understand each other. The side characters and stories were sweet, funny and balanced out the main story line well. The OST is so good and compliments the entire tv show, captivating the audience.
Overall, this was a good show and a great start to the year. I binge watched the episodes and sad it’s over. I was left wanting more.
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Confused who is the actual FL
This drama started off so great with the two FL friendships, struggles, family life, dreams, hopes and ambitions. The entire narrative as to why JH disappeared was not addressed properly. YR seems to have not shared the fact that JH left to save YR’s life with anyone, including JP. The 7 year time jump with the JP and YR suddenly being so close felt forced. The whole JP being so crazy in love with YR after JH showed up made no sense. JH was JP’s first love and he didn’t even bat an eyelid when he found out JH vanished because of YR and broke up with him because YR was in love with him. It’s like she absolutely didn’t matter. YR and Jung Hyun felt more organic and I rooted for them more than YR-JP. JH and YS felt more organic and heartwarming. It felt so incomplete that they didn’t show them getting together. Also, even though YR is supposed to be FL JH carried the show. The fact that everyone was mad at JH when YR was in the hospital made no sense. That was absolutely not JH’s fault and moreover she literally did something similar for YR without any recognition or acknowledgment by anyone. JH was so ready to sacrifice everything for YR’s family and their friends but they all treated JH as an afterthought (except YS who was the only one who valued or recognized her). Overall the drama started of with so much potential, great actors, excellent cinematography and realistic 80’s depiction. It was disappointing how hodgepodge the second half was.Was this review helpful to you?
Surprisingly Heartwarming
As a millennial there is something about this drama that I could really connect with. The three female leads and their unique stories was engaging and I was invested in it. The first 2 episodes are not that engaging and I would recommend sticking with it as the show definitely picks up. The humor takes a little getting used to and it was a an element I surprisingly enjoyed. This is not a typical romantic k-drama and is so different from the ones I’ve watched lately. This deserves to be more popular than it is.Was this review helpful to you?
Tragic Historical K-Drama
I love the story, actors and the overall show. All 3 leads made us believe in everything they felt and experienced. I like that they played out the complex brother relationship and the heartbreaking marriage between the leads. I couldn’t finish the end because just reading the episode recap made me sob so much. The strict confucianist value system which everyone abides by was so hard to watch. The young princes and queen getting deposed with the king was heartbreaking to watch eventhough the king absolutely, ultimately deserved it. The fight between family vs country for the king was truly such a struggle and I appreciate the actors talent in displaying that.Was this review helpful to you?
