This review may contain spoilers
Beautiful Found Family
Let me start by saying I love both the original Chinese story (Go Ahead) & the Korean adaptation. Both casts did a wonderful job bringing their characters to life. Each version has strong points & flaws. Some people struggled with just how much the two dramas are alike, but that wasn’t an issue for me. They’re the same story so I was expecting that, it didn’t bother me at all. If you think it’d be a problem for you, this is my advice - don’t watch them back to back. 🤷🏻♀️
The story is both heartbreaking & heartwarming at the same time. It shows how deeply members of your family can hurt you, but also how family can be the ones to heal you. It also beautifully portrays that some families are connected by blood, while others are made by choice. At the heart of the story we have our beloved sibling trio: the two boys who’ve been abandoned by their mothers & the girl being raised by her widowed father.
One boy is goofy, athletic, & out-going. He hides the pain from his mother’s abandonment with a smile. He’s constantly reminded by outsiders that he’d better behave ‘cause the father could get rid of him at any time (whyyy do people say such cruel things?!) His aunt keeps track of what they “owe” the girl’s father for raising him & promises the boy will pay him back when he’s grown (something the father neither expects nor wants). This all makes a deep impression on the SML’s psyche, affecting his life choices as an adult. The betrayal of his mother & being the only non-bio child of the trio causes him to doubt that he’s equal to the other two in the father’s hearts.
The other boy (my bias in both versions!) is more mature, studious, & a loner. His younger sister died when he was a little kid which resulted in the fracturing of his mother’s mental state. She blames him for the tragedy since he was the only one home at the time of the accident (um, hello, lady - where the heck were you?!?) She files for divorce & abandons him to his father (who never blamed him, fyi). This all causes the ML to draw into himself. He slowly bonds with his “siblings”, but he keeps a wall between him & everyone else. He hides how much he’s still affected by his mother’s cruelty. He works hard to achieve his goals while trying to keep the other two in line (which is quite the task!)
The little girl is sassy & adorable. It’s always been just her & her dad until the arrival of the two boys. One she is not at all impressed with while the other she instantly claims. Eventually she accepts the SML & finally wins over the ML so she feels her world is complete. She grows up sheltered & adored. She’s optimistic with a bubbly personality which helps soothe her brothers’ wounds. She adores them both but their popularity is a thorn in her side. Her attempts to make their admirers leave her alone provide us with some of the best scenes! She’s confident that she’ll always have these two by her side.
Which means the writers inevitably split them up…
The SML’s biological father appears to claim him & take him abroad. The ML’s toxic mother returns with her young daughter, expecting him to leave with them. The trio’s lives are thrown into chaos. The fathers try to guide the boys the best they can even while their own hearts hurt. The FL is desperate for them to stay with her. And despite their desire to remain by her side, the boys are forced to go with those who came & destroyed their peaceful lives. Cue the tears as our beloved trio is ripped apart…
10yrs passes quickly for the viewers & the three once again fill our screen together. Their reunion isn’t happy,though, as the FL treats them coldly for staying away so long. But her love for them doesn’t allow her to stay distant for long. The strength of their bond is proven as they quickly fall back into their friendship & sibling camaraderie. The trio is as they always were, best friends & beloved siblings. But the ML isn’t content for things stay this way & now we gotta cue all the happy girl squeals ‘cause OhEmGee - the chemistry!!! 🔥🫠
Look, I love the alpha male/CEO trope as much as the next girl, but there’s just something about watching a stoic & quiet guy like this one be utterly focused on his female that really gets to me. I love when there’s that connection between the Leads that could never be replicated with someone else - it has to be her for him & vice versa. And not in a toxically possessive/controlling style, but rather because they understand each other in a way that no one else ever could, deepening their bond to unmatchable depths. They need one another just as much as they want each other, if that makes sense? The way this plays out in this drama is like catnip to me!
IMHO, the ML slayed in this role. His facial expressions, gaze, & pitch of his voice - it all worked perfectly to bring life to this precious character. (The fact that the actor is gorgeous doesn’t hurt!) He’s my favorite of the three (though I love the others too!) because he’s so soothing & pleasant to watch. I love the life & color the others bring to the screen, but it’s the ML’s steadiness & calm demeanor that most attracts me.
I adore the way he eases the FL into a different dynamic between them. He’s so careful with her, knowing she’ll need time to adjust going from a sibling type relationship to lovers. And there’s nothing creepy about them developing feelings for one another so I won’t focus on that because it’s a total non-issue. This duo is absolute perfection from their first interaction as kids. I’m not really sure who falls for the other first since they’ve always been special to one another. It’s simply that the ML becomes aware of his feelings first while the FL is too naive to realize what she feels for this boy she grew up with.
Their interactions are so precious. I love all the scenes we get with them being a couple & the way their lifelong bond shines through. Their protection & genuine care of one another is so sweet. How they both handle the initial shock & opposition from their family is admirable. And when the FL defends & claims the ML in front of his mother at the hospital - that scene is perfection & you can see the adoration in their eyes. Absolutely beautiful! 💜
I like the way the shift in their relationship ultimately settles into place with the SML, too. So good! It allows a more mature side to be seen in him. Speaking of which, the scene where he confronts the ML over the sleeping pills is so emotionally impactful. Such depth of emotions in that scene!! The actors deserve recognition for their portrayal of these characters! 🩵
Since I’m talking about the SML, I must also mention the adorable SFL. He’s completely clueless that she’s always had a crush on him, not the ML, which leads to some comedic moments throughout the show. But when she accidentally blurts out her confession he’s forced to face her feelings for him, but also his feelings for her. When he realizes he likes her too & claims her after the basketball game? Swoon! They’re so cute together!! This is one thing I love more in this version - he gets a love of his own instead of thinking he likes the FL. And the SFL doesn’t spend any time crushing on the ML (meaning no fight over him with the FL, yay!)
Another thing I like better in this story is the ML’s little sister. In the CDrama she’s a total brat. She does grow & mature but the majority of the time she’s unlikable. But in the KDrama she’s sweet from the start. This was a refreshing change from the original.
One of the best things that remains true in both versions is the pure awesomeness of the father duo. They’re such a non-gay married couple, haha!! They’re total opposites who’ve formed a bond while raising their kids together. Their friendship is precious & the love they share for all three kids is fierce. They don’t treat their biological child any differently than the others - to them, all three are their kids & that’s that. All the hearts, thumbs-up, & kudos for these two. They’re a beloved father pair in the drama world for a reason!
So despite some flaws, I thoroughly enjoyed this drama & highly recommend it if you want to experience the beauty of a family who genuinely loves one another through all the good & bad times of life. 💖
_________\\__________//________
-⬇️ S P O I L E R S 🚫 B E L O W ⬇️-
.
…
….
……
The things I always want to know 😏😉…
- First(real)Kiss : ep.11 💋
- Together : ep.12 👩🏻❤️👨🏻
- BreakUp : Nope 🫶🏻
The story is both heartbreaking & heartwarming at the same time. It shows how deeply members of your family can hurt you, but also how family can be the ones to heal you. It also beautifully portrays that some families are connected by blood, while others are made by choice. At the heart of the story we have our beloved sibling trio: the two boys who’ve been abandoned by their mothers & the girl being raised by her widowed father.
One boy is goofy, athletic, & out-going. He hides the pain from his mother’s abandonment with a smile. He’s constantly reminded by outsiders that he’d better behave ‘cause the father could get rid of him at any time (whyyy do people say such cruel things?!) His aunt keeps track of what they “owe” the girl’s father for raising him & promises the boy will pay him back when he’s grown (something the father neither expects nor wants). This all makes a deep impression on the SML’s psyche, affecting his life choices as an adult. The betrayal of his mother & being the only non-bio child of the trio causes him to doubt that he’s equal to the other two in the father’s hearts.
The other boy (my bias in both versions!) is more mature, studious, & a loner. His younger sister died when he was a little kid which resulted in the fracturing of his mother’s mental state. She blames him for the tragedy since he was the only one home at the time of the accident (um, hello, lady - where the heck were you?!?) She files for divorce & abandons him to his father (who never blamed him, fyi). This all causes the ML to draw into himself. He slowly bonds with his “siblings”, but he keeps a wall between him & everyone else. He hides how much he’s still affected by his mother’s cruelty. He works hard to achieve his goals while trying to keep the other two in line (which is quite the task!)
The little girl is sassy & adorable. It’s always been just her & her dad until the arrival of the two boys. One she is not at all impressed with while the other she instantly claims. Eventually she accepts the SML & finally wins over the ML so she feels her world is complete. She grows up sheltered & adored. She’s optimistic with a bubbly personality which helps soothe her brothers’ wounds. She adores them both but their popularity is a thorn in her side. Her attempts to make their admirers leave her alone provide us with some of the best scenes! She’s confident that she’ll always have these two by her side.
Which means the writers inevitably split them up…
The SML’s biological father appears to claim him & take him abroad. The ML’s toxic mother returns with her young daughter, expecting him to leave with them. The trio’s lives are thrown into chaos. The fathers try to guide the boys the best they can even while their own hearts hurt. The FL is desperate for them to stay with her. And despite their desire to remain by her side, the boys are forced to go with those who came & destroyed their peaceful lives. Cue the tears as our beloved trio is ripped apart…
10yrs passes quickly for the viewers & the three once again fill our screen together. Their reunion isn’t happy,though, as the FL treats them coldly for staying away so long. But her love for them doesn’t allow her to stay distant for long. The strength of their bond is proven as they quickly fall back into their friendship & sibling camaraderie. The trio is as they always were, best friends & beloved siblings. But the ML isn’t content for things stay this way & now we gotta cue all the happy girl squeals ‘cause OhEmGee - the chemistry!!! 🔥🫠
Look, I love the alpha male/CEO trope as much as the next girl, but there’s just something about watching a stoic & quiet guy like this one be utterly focused on his female that really gets to me. I love when there’s that connection between the Leads that could never be replicated with someone else - it has to be her for him & vice versa. And not in a toxically possessive/controlling style, but rather because they understand each other in a way that no one else ever could, deepening their bond to unmatchable depths. They need one another just as much as they want each other, if that makes sense? The way this plays out in this drama is like catnip to me!
IMHO, the ML slayed in this role. His facial expressions, gaze, & pitch of his voice - it all worked perfectly to bring life to this precious character. (The fact that the actor is gorgeous doesn’t hurt!) He’s my favorite of the three (though I love the others too!) because he’s so soothing & pleasant to watch. I love the life & color the others bring to the screen, but it’s the ML’s steadiness & calm demeanor that most attracts me.
I adore the way he eases the FL into a different dynamic between them. He’s so careful with her, knowing she’ll need time to adjust going from a sibling type relationship to lovers. And there’s nothing creepy about them developing feelings for one another so I won’t focus on that because it’s a total non-issue. This duo is absolute perfection from their first interaction as kids. I’m not really sure who falls for the other first since they’ve always been special to one another. It’s simply that the ML becomes aware of his feelings first while the FL is too naive to realize what she feels for this boy she grew up with.
Their interactions are so precious. I love all the scenes we get with them being a couple & the way their lifelong bond shines through. Their protection & genuine care of one another is so sweet. How they both handle the initial shock & opposition from their family is admirable. And when the FL defends & claims the ML in front of his mother at the hospital - that scene is perfection & you can see the adoration in their eyes. Absolutely beautiful! 💜
I like the way the shift in their relationship ultimately settles into place with the SML, too. So good! It allows a more mature side to be seen in him. Speaking of which, the scene where he confronts the ML over the sleeping pills is so emotionally impactful. Such depth of emotions in that scene!! The actors deserve recognition for their portrayal of these characters! 🩵
Since I’m talking about the SML, I must also mention the adorable SFL. He’s completely clueless that she’s always had a crush on him, not the ML, which leads to some comedic moments throughout the show. But when she accidentally blurts out her confession he’s forced to face her feelings for him, but also his feelings for her. When he realizes he likes her too & claims her after the basketball game? Swoon! They’re so cute together!! This is one thing I love more in this version - he gets a love of his own instead of thinking he likes the FL. And the SFL doesn’t spend any time crushing on the ML (meaning no fight over him with the FL, yay!)
Another thing I like better in this story is the ML’s little sister. In the CDrama she’s a total brat. She does grow & mature but the majority of the time she’s unlikable. But in the KDrama she’s sweet from the start. This was a refreshing change from the original.
One of the best things that remains true in both versions is the pure awesomeness of the father duo. They’re such a non-gay married couple, haha!! They’re total opposites who’ve formed a bond while raising their kids together. Their friendship is precious & the love they share for all three kids is fierce. They don’t treat their biological child any differently than the others - to them, all three are their kids & that’s that. All the hearts, thumbs-up, & kudos for these two. They’re a beloved father pair in the drama world for a reason!
So despite some flaws, I thoroughly enjoyed this drama & highly recommend it if you want to experience the beauty of a family who genuinely loves one another through all the good & bad times of life. 💖
_________\\__________//________
-⬇️ S P O I L E R S 🚫 B E L O W ⬇️-
.
…
….
……
The things I always want to know 😏😉…
- First(real)Kiss : ep.11 💋
- Together : ep.12 👩🏻❤️👨🏻
- BreakUp : Nope 🫶🏻
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