chillingindoors

Yes, they speak to the camera all the way till the end.
If you are thinking of skipping it, then don't bother watching because the interviews offer some perspective to the characters.

You can hide your pain behind a mask, but you cannot just decide one fine day that you'll play a cheerful character and stick to that for months without that mask slipping off.. if anything that kind of behaviour is learned, and slowly amalgamates into one's identity (not the way this drama or the movie Tamasha showed it).. writer ought to have done a little more research on psychology

The FL was obsessed with finding her identity - but till the end, I didn't understand what she wanted to find out and what she was running after?
Identity isn't a box that one just fits themself into, it's fluid and ever-changing. Our identity is whatever that we think we align ourselves with, whatever we think describes us.
Does the writer even know what 'identity'means?

Till the end, I failed to understand why she did not contact him and chose to hide, and I didn't understand why he was so stuck on her and never tried to find another? Even after he met her, I don't understand how he was able to simply accept the way she ghosted him and lied about her identity. . shouldn't the drama have shown a slow process of him accepting her the way she is and actually loving her the way she is. But in the end, I just feel like they were pretty much stuck in the past and simply accepted that.

There are hundreds more questions I have.. basically in general, the show asked too many questions and didn't even attempt to answer any.
7.9 is a far too good rating for this.

The leads had the same story and the writing here suffered from the exact flaws the movie Tamasha did, so I am convinced this was a rip off without any credit.

Yet another South Korean drama that could have been half its length. The documentary-style narrative, the willingness to have certain conversations on topics like sex, the reversal of gender role with the females being more dominant was really refreshing initially, but in the end, the show never moved beyond these surface level characterisations to explore more about these characters and what drove them to be the way they were. I liked this but it left me wanting so much more. Till the end, the question of 'who she was' and why she was so obsessed with defining her identity was never quite addressed, and it came across as a plot device to merely build angst between the leads. The other characters and their relationships were not explored adequately either and the show wasted time on filler scenes with random cameos that added nothing to the drama or our understanding of these characters. Too much time was spent on the flashbacks, with the leads going back-and-forth, dragging out their meeting to the 9th episode, which gave the main arc (the present) very little time and focus. In the end, I was left confused about their 'love' for each other beyond the fact that they were clearly sexually attracted to each other.
All in all, a very half-baked attempt at what could possibly have been a classic contemporary romance drama.

The show is getting great ratings in South Korea so clearly majority of the people do not agree. Social media is not always representative of the majority of the population FYI.

And again, if you read my comment carefully - I haven't even started watching this drama yet. As I already stated, if he's not acting well in this drama then yes, he should be criticised for his acting.

RE: looks - I don't think anyone deserves to be criticised for their looks. The basic job of an actor is to act. Their looks matter as far as they are not appearing messy, looking like a bum. From the stills, he looks perfectly fine to me.

Anyway, I don't wish to argue with anyone on this. I stated my opinion and I rest my case.

Good luck to you.

To each their own :)

First of all, get your facts right. Casting directors are the one who screen / audition actors. If they see the actor fitting for the role, then the offer is made, following which the ball lies in the actor's court to accept / reject. It's a different procedure if an A-list actor is involved.

Second, you have a problem with his appearance. That is your problem. I am pretty sure there are people watching this drama who do not agree with you. If you're talking about the bare minimum, may I ask exactly how he doesn't fit with that bare minimum? He is fit, he got height, he has fair skin, and he's got a nice voice. I don't know how he is performing in this drama specifically as I haven't started this drama yet but in the few dramas I've seen him in, he's not a bad actor. Again, if he's not performing well in this drama, then yes, he deserves the criticism for his acting.

Thirdly, acting has got nothing to do with looks. Looks and talent matter for actors who wish to become stars. Problem is nowadays people confuse the two, and want the actor to appear perfect, and don't see how problematic that is, and how that is pushing actors to lifestyles that are unhealthy. You are saying that female stars have it harder than males.. so how is your comment that the male star also has to follow suit helping the cause in any way? Rather, it is basically encouraging the pressure on both sides, validating people who do that to female stars.

Like I said, actors are human at the end of the day. It doesn't matter whether they are earning more than you. Fact is you are not paying them. They will make the set amount of money regardless of whether you watch their drama or not. And yes, it is a regular job like any other. Don't idolise them or expect them to appear perfect. There's a reason they are called actors - because they are supposed to act. Look around the world - there are tons of actors/actresses who aren't the best lookers but they can act, and they are rightfully praised.

Also, there is nothing stopping you from working hard, making tons of money and living the lifestyle you want. Good grooming isn't as exclusive for stars as it used to be in the 50s-70s. If you have some money, you can now afford what they can too. In fact, so many people use the same products and frequent the same salons etc as their favourites.

You should keep watching. He does annoy her a little in the beginning but they have one of the best 'friends to lovers' story. He really supports her, and they grow into great companions.

It's not his decision though. Casting directors and the producer(s) are the one to make the final call. They clearly saw potential in his pairing with Park Shin Hye.

I am all for free speech but your comment is downright insensitive and spreads hate. I don't think you would like it if someone made that comment about your face or body, so please do not say such things about others. Actors are human beings too.

You don't like his face, don't watch. Nobody is forcing you to watch.

Whoever said Que Sera Sera is some gold standard of romance LOL
His character is trashy and it's the fact that the show embraces that and is not scared to show him and the other characters the way they are that makes it good.
Anyway to each their own..
You didn't enjoy it and that's ok.

I am halfway through this drama and I am convinced the screenwriter ripped off the idea from Tamasha without giving credit (unless Tamasha is also a rip off)

I was so excited when I saw Ji Chang Wook and Imada Mio and then I saw the screenwriter's name.. SIGHHH
I haven't liked a single drama from that screenwriter.

For those who can't be bothered to read the review, a short explanation

What she termed as revenge is in fact, her entanglement, and her way of interacting with her father through the game of Shogi. Playing against her father in the finale was a way for her to gain closure and "self-differentiate" her identity from his daughter to an individual in her own right.

Self-differentiation is a concept in family therapy where we ask- does this person have rationality in the decisions they make, or are they driven purely by emotional responses to the father?
For instance, if someone decides to cut off from the family - we don't see that as a rational decision. We see that as a person with a very low differentiation of self, someone who is very muddled by dysfunction in the family or with a certain person in the family.

In this case, Asuka was highly entangled with her father, due to which she joined shogi.

And that's why the ending scene has brighter colours with sakura blooming at the back - because she healed, and she gained closure. So she can now move on, to enjoy shogi as a hobby (not as a competitive sport which she entered into due to her father). She now has her own identity, and she has also made her own identity.

I had to reply to your review because I think you misunderstood the intent of the drama.

The revenge comes a little more in an emotional form rather than the I-destroy-you kinda way. If you have some experience with family therapy work or therapy in general, it will probably be easier to draw that connection.

At it's core, this is an emotional and psychological drama depicting a girl yearning for her father's love; the father who abandoned her and her mother for Shogi. What she terms as revenge is in fact, her entanglement, and her way of interacting with her father through the game of Shogi. Playing against her father in the finale was a way for her to gain closure and "self-differentiate" her identity from his daughter to an individual in her own right.
And that's why the ending scene has brighter colours with sakura blooming at the back - because she healed, and she gained closure. So she can now move on, to enjoy shogi as a hobby (not as a competitive sport which she entered into due to her father)

This is neither a conventional revenge story nor a thriller, so please manage your expectations accordingly. I have asked for the tags to be removed. The revenge comes a little more in an emotional form rather than the I-destroy-you kinda way. If you have some experience with family therapy work or therapy in general, it will probably be easier to draw that connection.

At it's core, this is an emotional and psychological drama depicting a girl yearning for her father's love; the father who abandoned her and her mother for Shogi. What she terms as revenge is in fact, her entanglement, and her way of interacting with her father through the game of Shogi. It's a character-driven story that doesn't waste its time on endless flashbacks or digging deeper and deeper into the trauma or the characters' decisions, rather it goes straight for the emotional punch and let's the viewer sit with the characters' plight and decisions, and lets them form their own learnings and hypothesis.
Needless to say, I loved this short and effective drama.

More in review, with some discussion on the psychological aspect of this show: https://kisskh.at/profile/chillingindoors/review/535952

No.

Great!

Glad it's of help, enjoy :)

Oh you mean the lists? When you go to your profile, at the top next to articles you will see lists. click on that and then add new list. After that you can create different kinds of lists for yourself. The ones you last edit will appear on your profile.

You see your icon at the top right, click on that, and press settings. At the settings page, scroll down to biography and you can write whatever you want and save it. Then it will appear on your profile page.

I was honestly very surprised that so many people call this a comfort drama when every relationship in the village, including the leads, isn't a healthy one. The writing was absolutely horrible. Anyway I've come to realise MDL isn't an authentic place for ratings. The most mediocre dramas get high ratings just because they're South Korean or Chinese.

I have a 'healthy romances' list - https://kisskh.at/list/4BNoZPD4

There are a few South Korean dramas I think that have a pretty healthy relationship-
Weightlifting Fairy Kim Bok Joo
Run On
Shopping King Louis