This review may contain spoilers
Wasted potential
This drama started with promising episodes I was ready to nominate as the best kdrama of 2020 alongside IOTNBO. But I was wrong… it went downhill afterwards, it was like the writer put so much effort in the first couple of episodes and just sail without the map in the later half.The Pros :
- First episode, cinematography, & OST
Start-up first episode was hands down fantastic. I'd rather say it was the most beautiful episode of a kdrama that I watched. I was emotionally invested in the buildup plot, aesthetically pleasing cinematography, alongside with their solid OST. The nuance they built was painful yet lovely, everytime I played one of their OST, Day & Night I could picture Nam Da Reum's long gaze under the cherryblossom three.
- Acting
Despite of the characters, the actors has successfully pulled out their act. I can say that Suzy's acting had greatly improved from her last drama, I don't have to say anything about NJH, I already labelled him as a talented actor since The Light in Your Eyes. I discovered some talent like Kim Seon Ho, Kim Dwan, I already know Kim Hanna, but still she deserve all the recognition as an actress. Also kuddos for all cameos.
- Theme (or supposedly)
It's a fresh premise to have a potrayal of youth pursuing their dreams in startup industry. Well despite of falling flat in the later half of drama, I should appreciate the writer for bringing fresh idea.
- Jipyeong & Grandma
I think they're becoming the essence of the story, they have the purest kind of relationship. I cried most of their scene together. I'll never recover from how heartbroken I was seeing jipyeong suffer all alone from start to finish with only grandma bother to care about him. They're the best thing indeed from this drama.
The Cons :
Forgive me it's gonna be long since my disappointment overshadowed all the good traits from this drama. The biggest flop of the show was the character development. I've never disliked the main lead so much like this one.
- Character development
Dalmi was introduced as a strong, independent female character. I never liked it that she lose her independence to a guy. She transformed into more damsel in distress as the story went. It seems like she forget her determination to prove herself halfway and too invested with her romance with Dosan. For someone in their 27s, dalmi-dosan practically very unprofessional to involve their romance into their work. Weren't in the plot you dream of becoming someone like steve jobs, Dalmi-a? It's funny, when she knew dosan for only like 4 months.
Dosan was not your typical main lead, he was a kind, clumsy, naive nerd. At first he was a breath of fresh air. As the ML, we supposed to see how Dosan navigate his life and finding his dream, to grow and to be more likeable to the viewer. Unfortunately, he was still an immature whinning boy even after 15 episodes. He said he has nothing while in fact he has supportive family & friends. He has his brain but his every action only based on his blinded love for dalmi. He didn't want to pursue better opportunity because his dream was dalmi (?) Even after becoming rich, his purpose was what? becoming dalmi's trophy?
Jipyeong on the other hand carried this show. He was written so beautifully he outshine the ML. He was not perfect either, at first I thought he was a coward for not confessing his action to Dalmi. But I wonder how hard it was for him who get used to being alone to realize his feeling, he undoubtedly built a high wall around him when it comes to relationship. He overcome his weakness faster than everyone, and be more straightforward about it. So in my opinion, he did grow.
The most developed character was surprisingly Youngsan, He realized his mistake and bravely admit to the ones he hurt out of anger in the past. Funny when a side character development 10x times better than the main leads.
- Toxic love triangle
They're dragging the love triangle for too long we have nothing left to watch instead of the main lead crying over and over again. They should've spent the time building the reconciliation in seo family instead, or they could've more invested in the business plot. Honestly I don't find the love between main lead healthy tho, I see dosan's jealous streak & inferiority were mostly triggered by his obsession over dalmi. Their relationship started up from lies, flourishes with more lies. Dosan was asked to only become a stand in for one night, he had his chance to stop, yet he still pretending to be the guy from the letter. When he thought dalmi doesn't like him for he who he was, he didn't want to give back the letters, while in fact the letters are not his to begin with. Those negative side in dosan bothers me so much as a viewer.
If the writer want to use jipyeong as a bridge to dalmi-dosan, I think it's better to not create a love triangle, even if it has to, they should make equal opportunity for jipyeong. I think it's unfair how dalmi never recognize all the things jipyeong did for her & grandma. The writer always put dosan in the good light for Dalmi. But did dalmi ever aware how dosan was the one who started the fight with jipyeong, how caring jipyeong to grandma, the money plant jipyeong took care, and noongil investment. It's strange too that the writer never made her curious about jipyeong even after she knew the lie. The letters supposed to mean so much to her. At least I want to know about the person who gave me comfort when my world was falling apart. Well, I'll never buy jipyeong-dalmi resolution in the last episode.
This drama love story was nonsense after all.
I may be biased, but whatever. I can't swallow my disappointment. I regret that this drama was a wasted potential.
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Insufferable love triangle, lost it's value in part 2
They threw away all the potential built in part 1 and turned it into a soap opera slash makjang mess in part 2. Whoever wrote part 2 should never be allowed to write again.How is it that all the misfortunes fall onto Jonghee’s lap, and all the qualities of a male lead are given to Junghyun, yet we’re still expected to root for the main couple?
Jonghee and Junghyun were well written, layered characters, but they ended up being used merely as tools to push the main couple together. The romance in part 2 felt like a checklist, another cliche from kdrama land, where the first male and female leads must end up together no matter what.
Jaepil was more interesting in part 1, when he was decisive, broken yet soft, he knew he liked Jonghee so he actively pursued her. The hate his character received later on is understandable given how poorly written his development became. We were not given enough foundation on how his heart moved to Youngrye other than Youngrye was the one who takes care of his personal (and family's) needs.
Youngrye in part 2 fell into one dimensional main lead syndrome. She eventually got everything while Jonghee had so little, yet lost so much. This contrast made some of us can't help but symphatize with Jonghee rather than Youngrye. The only thing Youngrye's character showed in part 2 was her being a lovesick. She was supposed to be ambitious but the only thing she chased was Jaepil. I cannot comprehend how she still clung to her bestfriend's ex after everything that happened to Jonghee without feeling guilty (and after the grand monologue of ending her unrequited love!). I blame the writer for her such an out-of-character degradation.
This drama would have been so much better if it had focused on female friendship instead of forcing them into rivalry. It could’ve been heartwarming and soul-lifting, but instead, we only got an insufferable love triangle. I genuinely feel sorry for the actors. The only silver lining is maybe the hype from all of this madness could help the actors to be more selective in accepting scripts.
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