S1 was atmospheric but slow in its pacing; S2 makes up for it from the word Go in Episode 1.
The show runners dont hold back in anyway. Relentless in grimness, gore, action and tension, the pacing is fast, slowing only briefly in the middle when we get backstories. Dark thriller lovers will be rapt.
The production felt lavish and the team seemed to have gone all out whether props, settings or cinematography. While you feel immersed in the world thanks to all of this, I have to admit the drama felt like it was wallowing a bit in its darkness and sickness of mind. The last episode will make you look away multiple times.
Performances wise, every one was awesome. I loved Daigo's loose cannon characterisation - he manages to blitz his way out of any situation however dire. Yagira-san does full justice to the role.
But Keisuke was the character that got to me. Kasamatsu-san does a wonderful job showing the complex shades of Keisuke. A special word for Tsunematsu-san who played sinister young Gin with great aplomb.
A product of its times, Purity will test the patience of today's viewer. The pacing is verrrry slow and the characterizations,…
The forbidden love - siblings turned lovers plot ended up being a nothingburger - the writing was truly iffy there, everything spinning this way or that on the mother's word.
A product of its times, Purity will test the patience of today's viewer. The pacing is verrrry slow and the characterizations, particularly the FL's are rather humdrum. The leads are "good" people which means - spinless, colorless and indecisive.
The second leads are the ones to who are written to be interesting - they are spirited, decisive and dynamic. I particularly liked the SFL who was so clearheaded and grounded as compared to the FL who can barely speak up for herself.
I suppose the plotline would only work with such lead characters as the SLs would have sorted it out in a jiffy! Perhaps the writer also wanted to contrast the two sets, each face challenges in their relationships that are hard for them to tackle. For the main leads, it is external, while for the SLs its internal.
Anyway, I watched it raw to practice my Korean comprehension, and because apparently it got over 30% ratings. I however wouldnt recommend it.
What an unexpectedly charming drama this turned out to be. I thought it blended quite smartly and smoothly comedy, mystery and action with a dash of sweet romance, and even a bit of saguek. The plotting may be nothing surprising but the writing never drags, and manages to weave in multiple plotlines quite well.
Park Have Jin and Jin Ki Joo leads are sparkling together - their romance is not the prime focus but is real cute. CCW's confession scene was adorable. The "employee ghosts" of the show are a riot and were my favourite part of the drama.
The cast chemistry is its strong point, with good writing of course backing it up. If I had to nitpick, just one point of the final resolution didn't really click for me immediately - i had to convince myself!
Performance wise: All great. PHJ no doubt does a fab job. As does Jung Joon Ho who plays the guardian ghost. Couldn't believe that he is the same guy in SKYCastle.
Overall: it a fantastic pick for those looking for a light show - you'll need to leave logic at the door but may have lots of fun.
The premise seemed fraught and I wondered if the drama would be able to do justice to it. I am glad to say it…
The two leads do their best to break away from each other but having found peace with each other it proved impossible for them. The FL leaving behind the world for him felt earned. But we barely get over this then we get the next blow. The amneisa trope is only way a kdrama writer could make the ML and FL be together - a bittersweet ending. Poor Jin Yeong.
The premise seemed fraught and I wondered if the drama would be able to do justice to it. I am glad to say it does.
It is fairly well-written and well acted espe the first half so it takes the viewer along the roller coaster of emotions. The romance between Chae Joon and Jin Yeong feels believable and real. Both actors do a fantastic job of showcasing the complex emotions that necessarily underlie such a relationship.
As an old-world melodrama there is a lot of angst in the 2nd half and at times I felt the drama wallowed in it but still I found it bearable. More underneath spoiler.
I quite enjoyed the performance of the 2ML Lee Jong Hyuk - a well-written character he is somewhat obsessed but restrains himself (mostly). I could sense his deep love, his pain and his despair.
The ending was as expected of such melos and I thought it was fitting.
I am wary of noona romances as they are rarely well developed. This one suffered from the same issue but the romance…
The set up is classic one of opposites- we have a timid FL sheltered all her life by her overprotective parents who has retreated from life after suffering a debilitating blow, and a brash ML who has fended for himself from a young age thanks to a neglectful mother.
The first few episodes show us the clash of ML & FL's personalities and how they warm to each other.
Manami's sincerity and unfailing conviction in supporting Kaoru gets through to him and its easy to see why he falls for her. She is never not a woman to him - in the first episode itself he teases her asking if she wants him to "entertain" her. So when Manami stands up for him incl. in front of everyone repeatedly he is struck deeply by her as a person and not a teacher. Him developing feelings for her I understand. But my issue as always is with the older woman - as one myself it is hard for me to shift gears and see a young man as a romantic prospect esp one who's your student. I get that Manami comes to appreciate his flamboyant approach to life/living and his lack of malice/cunning but love? that's harder to happen esp when you are nearly middle aged imo - the drama does not make a case for her falling for him.
We just get Kaoru declaring at the start of Ep 5 that they both like each other and Manami glosses over this, saying they'll not speak of it again. I couldn't buy Manami being in love so quickly.
Still as I said, the romance itself works. Why? Well, because Manami & Kaoru, as characters, fulfil each other, and that is shown well in the drama.
Manami learns to loosen up from Kaoru, to take risks again, to become her own person, to step out of her prison, her comfort zone. Kaoru finally finds someone who genuinely, unconditionally cares for him-his true unvarnished self, supports him, without needing anything back from him.
Performances: I found Raul to be a little too overly in-your-face in his acting early on (the clumsy walking, the big awkward gestures etc) but he grew on me. Raul did a wonderful job showing the shame, the vulnerability, the discouraging struggle of being learning challenged as well as Kaoru's childlike joy which brings Manami out of her shell. They are playful together, she revels in his sweet antics...he enables her to enjoy being unrestricted, not following rules of being a "good girl".
Both Fumino and Raul are fantastic in showing the yearning, the intense feelings and the angst they feel while separated. I thought the troubles they face were very realistic.
But - what I didnt REALLY like was the kdrama style break up and reunion in the last episode. I appreciate the writer showing that Kaoru resetting his life was not something done easily - I could make sense of him breaking up. But then why the random reunion. I wish we'd gotten some insight into why Kaoru changes his mind.
Last note on Kawahara - I ended up enjoying the 2nd ML and the fab character growth he gets very much. He starts off a cowardly character who learns to be honest and stronger thanks to his feelings for Manami. His showdown with Manami's dad was superb. Great job by the actor - I couldn't believe he's Sadamu in Gannibal 2
I am wary of noona romances as they are rarely well developed. This one suffered from the same issue but the romance in itself managed to win me over. Let me expand.
A peaceful no fuss drama with a kinda of anthology vibe as there are several side-by-side plotlines.
These many plots do mean that we get some unevenness in storytelling but since the drama's focus was on exploring varying facets of relationships , rather than specific characters - you just gotta deal with it.
The "main lead pair/stars" Elvis & Joe actually had the weakest arc (& performances) - no chemistry, no emotional punch...boring all the way, though they look awfully good together. I skipped much of their scenes as well as the racing scenes.
The Jun Le and Mai You Ge arc was the main reason I kept watching this drama.
Both of them were so charming, so real that it didnt feel like acting. You could see them falling in love. I really loved the discussions they had on living life vs work. I only wish we saw more of them towards the end - we totally lose them in the last few eps. Plus I would have liked to hear how Mai You ge changed her mind. The time-skip was ~1 yr so I guess she took that time to think over & chose to come back to Jun Le. And who wouldnt?!
Jun Le's parents - This was another reason that kept me watching - again, didnt feel like they were acting, very natural and realistic detailing of a loving elderly couple dealing with changes that comes with aging. If I were to nitpick, the retirement party thing felt rushed (esp odd to have Joe/Casey/Mai attending). Jun le just started training and he's in charge in weeks' time?
Casey & Frank plot was the unusual one - but I liked watching how two lonely people regardless of age bond & find support in each other . Joe tells Casey to treat Frank as an adult and that''s what Casey does to create a somewhat oddly equal but sweet bond with Frank.
The In-laws family plotline's introduction was a bit too sudden but strangely I did get drawn it. The professor realising that he needs to appreciate & commit to what he has in his life while battling lingering feelings towards his ex-wife was interesting to see. I wonder though how long his new-found realisation would last.
Last word on the setting: The cinematography is gorgeous with Macau being a worthy subject - its like a sepia-tinged love letter from the director/cinematographer to the beauty & charm of Macau! Propaganda, yes but done way better than what I have seen in Chinese dramas. The eclectic BGM adds to the vibe.
All in all, if you are looking for a slow, relationship focused human drama/slice of life style drama then this may be to your taste.
What a lovely drama. It manages the tricky task of showing us how out of touch and naive Kahoko is without making…
The plotting remains realistic re: Kahoko's rude awakening to the adult world as well, which is hard and slow (as much as JDorama timelines allow). She does not miraculously change but we see her slowly becoming mature, bit by bit.
Hajime-kun is the most interesting character of the drama. I thought initially that the romance seemed too unlikely to work, but it actually made sense - though like all Jdorama, things moved way to fast(again to fit the 10 ep timeline).
He puts reality in front of her with his straight-talking, kept hidden from her so far, while she gives him unwavering love which was denied to him. I can see why Hajime-kun folds first, after their break up. After all receiving such love is rare.
What i had trouble with were the last two episodes. The resolution of Ito-chan's rebellion and Tamak/Mamurou break up were too glib, in an effort to make Kahoko the natural successor to her grandma. Though I did like the solution of Kyoko's issue, and thereby Kahoko's employment. It also made sense her Mama does not change much, - she'll likely remain disapproving of Hajime-kun all her life!
What a lovely drama. It manages the tricky task of showing us how out of touch and naive Kahoko is without making her a caricature. All kudos to Takahata Mitsuki of course for her delicate performance. More thoughts under spoiler
Really enjoyed this drama. Atmospheric and brooding, it presents the crime and the killer in a rather unique way. I loved each episode slowly uncovering different lives and how the man pops up as a natural part of their background but creates unease and dread in us. Striking cinematography and direction choices. Highly recommended to those who love dark thrillers.
Given the cast and the plot, I had expected an edge-of-the seat gripping drama but unfortunately the final experience was mixed. I found the first half entirely uninteresting with its endless gore and lack of tension. I may be in the minority but Lee Sung Min(who I usually think is amazing) failed to be a convincing timid scaredy-cat wuss. His affectations and acting felt put on so I couldn't just buy his character. It was made worse by he and Yoo Yoon Seok not having any on-screen chem as antagonist/protagonist when almost entire episodes had just them together
The drama for me picked up in the 5th episode when things finally got intriguing, and thereon I found it an enjoyable watch. Lee Sung Min's natural state is as a formidable, strong character, and that's why the 2nd half works. The ending was predictable but it is unnatural to expect Korean dramas to forgo kindly good-wins-over-evil endings.
Dare I say it - of the cast, it is Yoo Yoon Seok who knocked it out the park consistently . He was convincing as an smiley pleasant passenger and as well as a psychopath with murder in his eyes. Excellent excellent work.
This is my second most hated drama that I finished, being unable to drop for some reason.
Both the character of Ma Ri and Park Han Byul playing her were such an annoyance. I wish the actors were swapped and Park Ha Na had been the changed Ma Ri. PHB was entirely wrong for such a role; Ha Na was so much more better
Ma Ri the character itself was poorly written with no development - but PHB made matter worse by giving absolutely no soul to her performance. I got so fed up of PHB's sniveling and weeping.
The first half is somewhat ok but second half was awfully draggy with repetitive plotlines. I think I only watched for Ryu Soo Yung's performance which got really good towards the end when his character goes unhinged.
Incredible OST though - haunting and emotional, I have it on repeat
Just finished Sai, and wanted to thank you for your thoughtful translations and painstaking care in subbing. I particularly enjoyed how you played around with the placement of subs melding with the drama's striking camera work. Glad you subbed this exceptional drama. Thanks again!
I think Oh My Venus has lost favour because of its somewhat tricky premise, which is understandable. But if one…
- The chemistry is absolutely phenomenal. I did not anticipate So Ji Sub and Shin Min Ah to have such amazing chemistry so was quite taken aback. Great bantering and bickering scenes.
- 'Realistic' romance: The leads look genuinely happy to be in each other company - the aforesaid chemistry helping here of course. The romance is somewhat organic(as much as dramas allow!), lots of very natural skinship and flirting, the FL taking the lead multiple times, open communication and mutual trust/love that never wavers.
- No misunderstandings here but we do have noble idiocy which I simultaneously felt was unnecessary but could also understand why(if that makes sense!). No silly love triangle
- A fantastic FL – Kang Joo Eun is smart, sassy, independent, self-confident yet loving, loyal and kind. In whatever shape she is in.
- The topic of weightloss focuses on health and better lifestyle. And the makeover avoids cliches. No dramatic entrance scenes here. She loses weight in a very recognisable real way. Yeong Ho seeing Kang Joo Eun’s dimples for the first time is one of the cutest scenes.
- The bromance between the three friends, as well as the cute fluff scenes of the group that Joo Eun cobbles together.
- Lastly but not the least, the performances. Both SJS and SMA were superb. SMA is the second actor after Yoo In Na whose aegyo charmed me rather than making me wince. But she was even better with the emotional stuff eg. the scene where she is distraught after Yeong Ho's accident. I found SJS to be unexpectedly good in both the comedic and outright romantic fluff scenes even though I have seen his range across My Secret Terrius (which was very low on pure romance) and What Happened in Bali(where he kinda just brooded the entire drama!)
As for what didnt work for me:
- The second leads' romance: Oh Soo Jin was actually well-written but Woo Shik drew the short end of the stick so his character is very poorly sketched. Their romance suffers as a result. Woo Shik technically did not cheat even though MDL comments seem to keep referring to it, but i do wish I had seen more of them talking about themselves, rather than just the few scenes we get of them fighting or having tense chats.
- Sung Hoon’s half baked annoying romance plotline, though I did like his mother's plot line. He was largely wasted in this role.
- This is one of those dramas that would have best worked at 14 episodes. We got lots of filler flashbacks which could have been avoided.
- My biggest issue: The writing of the last 20 minutes got kinda messed up. the sudden childhood connection, the weight gain due to pregnancy seemed forced. As much as Koreans love the idea of inyeon, i wish it was used with more discretion! I hated the last scene were Yeong Ho hustles Joo Eun to exercise because she's gained weight. This is the only major misstep re:the weight gain angle.
Oh the whole: If you are okay with its basic premise, this is a lovely light-hearted drama with just the right level of emotional depth for a quick binge.
I think Oh My Venus has lost favour because of its somewhat tricky premise, which is understandable. But if one can possibly look past it it is an absolutely delightful romcom. And I personally thought the drama dealt with the topic in general thoughtfully, bar one major misstep. Detailed review under spoiler
A light easy watch, with a simple-ish plot that - like many such J-doramas do - addresses how we all need to be…
Umi was a bit annoying in the beginning, as her bickering with Kazao was often unwarranted and rude. Obviously writer's shortcut to showcase their bond. Still it improves from 3rd episodes, and their chemistry & interaction is genuinely nice. Until their last quarrel. As someone working for longer, Umi should have been able to understand that it was wrong of Kazao to consider his work at Animal Beauty as a money making project. Just because she thought Animal Beauty photos were amazing did not mean Kazao needed to find artistic fulfillment in them. The writing glossed over this and made Kazao say in the end that portrait work and not abstract were his interest. Whatever. Just my rant
A light easy watch, with a simple-ish plot that - like many such J-doramas do - addresses how we all need to be true to ourselves, and not compromise our happiness as we live life with its ups and downs. Chemistry is decent, the love triangle was very slight and there are no draggy parts with rather short episodes.
The bit I most liked was that there are no quick answers/ shortcuts to Umi's search become her best self and she like all of us will need to continue to work on it.
Since this drama revolves around a couple who are divorced but are unable to let go, I thought it would mature deep dive into why they broke up, how they realise they are meant to be together, work through the problems and then come together.
But no. What we get is a drama where a clingy FL and an ML with no self awareness snipe at each other non-stop but do not have even one honest conversation on their relationship. And then in the last episode they get together.
In between we have both dating to make the other mad, and then several episodes of the FL moping around depressed trying to be the Cool Girl as her ex goes on to date and marry another woman. And she still takes him back. The writing is perhaps a product of its time maybe but the spineless FL really annoyed me.
The basic plot itself left me confused - we never get to know why the miscarriage was such a big hurt that the husband asks for a divorce. The explanations given in a later episode were very unconvincing, both for their breakup and not getting back together.
In the very first episode, the FL tries to tell her ex-husband she wants get back together, but she is thwarted by a clueless ML which should have told me something. Because in succeeding episodes the lack of frankness and maturity in their relationship hurts several people. And I hated watching this unfurl.
No this is a maddening drama and I dont recommend it at all as much as I thought the actors did a good job. PS: I particularly want to give the sister a good shake she had no business interfering as she kept doing, however well-intended.
The show runners dont hold back in anyway. Relentless in grimness, gore, action and tension, the pacing is fast, slowing only briefly in the middle when we get backstories. Dark thriller lovers will be rapt.
The production felt lavish and the team seemed to have gone all out whether props, settings or cinematography. While you feel immersed in the world thanks to all of this, I have to admit the drama felt like it was wallowing a bit in its darkness and sickness of mind. The last episode will make you look away multiple times.
Performances wise, every one was awesome. I loved Daigo's loose cannon characterisation - he manages to blitz his way out of any situation however dire. Yagira-san does full justice to the role.
But Keisuke was the character that got to me. Kasamatsu-san does a wonderful job showing the complex shades of Keisuke. A special word for Tsunematsu-san who played sinister young Gin with great aplomb.
The second leads are the ones to who are written to be interesting - they are spirited, decisive and dynamic. I particularly liked the SFL who was so clearheaded and grounded as compared to the FL who can barely speak up for herself.
I suppose the plotline would only work with such lead characters as the SLs would have sorted it out in a jiffy! Perhaps the writer also wanted to contrast the two sets, each face challenges in their relationships that are hard for them to tackle. For the main leads, it is external, while for the SLs its internal.
Anyway, I watched it raw to practice my Korean comprehension, and because apparently it got over 30% ratings. I however wouldnt recommend it.
The plotting may be nothing surprising but the writing never drags, and manages to weave in multiple plotlines quite well.
Park Have Jin and Jin Ki Joo leads are sparkling together - their romance is not the prime focus but is real cute. CCW's confession scene was adorable. The "employee ghosts" of the show are a riot and were my favourite part of the drama.
The cast chemistry is its strong point, with good writing of course backing it up. If I had to nitpick, just one point of the final resolution didn't really click for me immediately - i had to convince myself!
Performance wise: All great. PHJ no doubt does a fab job. As does Jung Joon Ho who plays the guardian ghost. Couldn't believe that he is the same guy in SKYCastle.
Overall: it a fantastic pick for those looking for a light show - you'll need to leave logic at the door but may have lots of fun.
It is fairly well-written and well acted espe the first half so it takes the viewer along the roller coaster of emotions. The romance between Chae Joon and Jin Yeong feels believable and real. Both actors do a fantastic job of showcasing the complex emotions that necessarily underlie such a relationship.
As an old-world melodrama there is a lot of angst in the 2nd half and at times I felt the drama wallowed in it but still I found it bearable. More underneath spoiler.
I quite enjoyed the performance of the 2ML Lee Jong Hyuk - a well-written character he is somewhat obsessed but restrains himself (mostly). I could sense his deep love, his pain and his despair.
The ending was as expected of such melos and I thought it was fitting.
The first few episodes show us the clash of ML & FL's personalities and how they warm to each other.
Manami's sincerity and unfailing conviction in supporting Kaoru gets through to him and its easy to see why he falls for her. She is never not a woman to him - in the first episode itself he teases her asking if she wants him to "entertain" her. So when Manami stands up for him incl. in front of everyone repeatedly he is struck deeply by her as a person and not a teacher. Him developing feelings for her I understand. But my issue as always is with the older woman - as one myself it is hard for me to shift gears and see a young man as a romantic prospect esp one who's your student. I get that Manami comes to appreciate his flamboyant approach to life/living and his lack of malice/cunning but love? that's harder to happen esp when you are nearly middle aged imo - the drama does not make a case for her falling for him.
We just get Kaoru declaring at the start of Ep 5 that they both like each other and Manami glosses over this, saying they'll not speak of it again. I couldn't buy Manami being in love so quickly.
Still as I said, the romance itself works. Why? Well, because Manami & Kaoru, as characters, fulfil each other, and that is shown well in the drama.
Manami learns to loosen up from Kaoru, to take risks again, to become her own person, to step out of her prison, her comfort zone. Kaoru finally finds someone who genuinely, unconditionally cares for him-his true unvarnished self, supports him, without needing anything back from him.
Performances:
I found Raul to be a little too overly in-your-face in his acting early on (the clumsy walking, the big awkward gestures etc) but he grew on me. Raul did a wonderful job showing the shame, the vulnerability, the discouraging struggle of being learning challenged as well as Kaoru's childlike joy which brings Manami out of her shell. They are playful together, she revels in his sweet antics...he enables her to enjoy being unrestricted, not following rules of being a "good girl".
Both Fumino and Raul are fantastic in showing the yearning, the intense feelings and the angst they feel while separated. I thought the troubles they face were very realistic.
But - what I didnt REALLY like was the kdrama style break up and reunion in the last episode. I appreciate the writer showing that Kaoru resetting his life was not something done easily - I could make sense of him breaking up. But then why the random reunion. I wish we'd gotten some insight into why Kaoru changes his mind.
Last note on Kawahara - I ended up enjoying the 2nd ML and the fab character growth he gets very much. He starts off a cowardly character who learns to be honest and stronger thanks to his feelings for Manami. His showdown with Manami's dad was superb. Great job by the actor - I couldn't believe he's Sadamu in Gannibal 2
These many plots do mean that we get some unevenness in storytelling but since the drama's focus was on exploring varying facets of relationships , rather than specific characters - you just gotta deal with it.
The "main lead pair/stars" Elvis & Joe actually had the weakest arc (& performances) - no chemistry, no emotional punch...boring all the way, though they look awfully good together. I skipped much of their scenes as well as the racing scenes.
The Jun Le and Mai You Ge arc was the main reason I kept watching this drama.
Both of them were so charming, so real that it didnt feel like acting. You could see them falling in love. I really loved the discussions they had on living life vs work. I only wish we saw more of them towards the end - we totally lose them in the last few eps. Plus I would have liked to hear how Mai You ge changed her mind. The time-skip was ~1 yr so I guess she took that time to think over & chose to come back to Jun Le. And who wouldnt?!
Jun Le's parents - This was another reason that kept me watching - again, didnt feel like they were acting, very natural and realistic detailing of a loving elderly couple dealing with changes that comes with aging. If I were to nitpick, the retirement party thing felt rushed (esp odd to have Joe/Casey/Mai attending). Jun le just started training and he's in charge in weeks' time?
Casey & Frank plot was the unusual one - but I liked watching how two lonely people regardless of age bond & find support in each other . Joe tells Casey to treat Frank as an adult and that''s what Casey does to create a somewhat oddly equal but sweet bond with Frank.
The In-laws family plotline's introduction was a bit too sudden but strangely I did get drawn it. The professor realising that he needs to appreciate & commit to what he has in his life while battling lingering feelings towards his ex-wife was interesting to see. I wonder though how long his new-found realisation would last.
Last word on the setting: The cinematography is gorgeous with Macau being a worthy subject - its like a sepia-tinged love letter from the director/cinematographer to the beauty & charm of Macau! Propaganda, yes but done way better than what I have seen in Chinese dramas. The eclectic BGM adds to the vibe.
All in all, if you are looking for a slow, relationship focused human drama/slice of life style drama then this may be to your taste.
Hajime-kun is the most interesting character of the drama. I thought initially that the romance seemed too unlikely to work, but it actually made sense - though like all Jdorama, things moved way to fast(again to fit the 10 ep timeline).
He puts reality in front of her with his straight-talking, kept hidden from her so far, while she gives him unwavering love which was denied to him. I can see why Hajime-kun folds first, after their break up. After all receiving such love is rare.
What i had trouble with were the last two episodes. The resolution of Ito-chan's rebellion and Tamak/Mamurou break up were too glib, in an effort to make Kahoko the natural successor to her grandma. Though I did like the solution of Kyoko's issue, and thereby Kahoko's employment. It also made sense her Mama does not change much, - she'll likely remain disapproving of Hajime-kun all her life!
More thoughts under spoiler
I found the first half entirely uninteresting with its endless gore and lack of tension. I may be in the minority but Lee Sung Min(who I usually think is amazing) failed to be a convincing timid scaredy-cat wuss. His affectations and acting felt put on so I couldn't just buy his character. It was made worse by he and Yoo Yoon Seok not having any on-screen chem as antagonist/protagonist when almost entire episodes had just them together
The drama for me picked up in the 5th episode when things finally got intriguing, and thereon I found it an enjoyable watch. Lee Sung Min's natural state is as a formidable, strong character, and that's why the 2nd half works. The ending was predictable but it is unnatural to expect Korean dramas to forgo kindly good-wins-over-evil endings.
Dare I say it - of the cast, it is Yoo Yoon Seok who knocked it out the park consistently . He was convincing as an smiley pleasant passenger and as well as a psychopath with murder in his eyes. Excellent excellent work.
Both the character of Ma Ri and Park Han Byul playing her were such an annoyance. I wish the actors were swapped and Park Ha Na had been the changed Ma Ri. PHB was entirely wrong for such a role; Ha Na was so much more better
Ma Ri the character itself was poorly written with no development - but PHB made matter worse by giving absolutely no soul to her performance. I got so fed up of PHB's sniveling and weeping.
The first half is somewhat ok but second half was awfully draggy with repetitive plotlines. I think I only watched for Ryu Soo Yung's performance which got really good towards the end when his character goes unhinged.
Incredible OST though - haunting and emotional, I have it on repeat
- 'Realistic' romance: The leads look genuinely happy to be in each other company - the aforesaid chemistry helping here of course. The romance is somewhat organic(as much as dramas allow!), lots of very natural skinship and flirting, the FL taking the lead multiple times, open communication and mutual trust/love that never wavers.
- No misunderstandings here but we do have noble idiocy which I simultaneously felt was unnecessary but could also understand why(if that makes sense!). No silly love triangle
- A fantastic FL – Kang Joo Eun is smart, sassy, independent, self-confident yet loving, loyal and kind. In whatever shape she is in.
- The topic of weightloss focuses on health and better lifestyle. And the makeover avoids cliches. No dramatic entrance scenes here. She loses weight in a very recognisable real way. Yeong Ho seeing Kang Joo Eun’s dimples for the first time is one of the cutest scenes.
- The bromance between the three friends, as well as the cute fluff scenes of the group that Joo Eun cobbles together.
- Lastly but not the least, the performances. Both SJS and SMA were superb. SMA is the second actor after Yoo In Na whose aegyo charmed me rather than making me wince. But she was even better with the emotional stuff eg. the scene where she is distraught after Yeong Ho's accident. I found SJS to be unexpectedly good in both the comedic and outright romantic fluff scenes even though I have seen his range across My Secret Terrius (which was very low on pure romance) and What Happened in Bali(where he kinda just brooded the entire drama!)
As for what didnt work for me:
- The second leads' romance: Oh Soo Jin was actually well-written but Woo Shik drew the short end of the stick so his character is very poorly sketched. Their romance suffers as a result. Woo Shik technically did not cheat even though MDL comments seem to keep referring to it, but i do wish I had seen more of them talking about themselves, rather than just the few scenes we get of them fighting or having tense chats.
- Sung Hoon’s half baked annoying romance plotline, though I did like his mother's plot line. He was largely wasted in this role.
- This is one of those dramas that would have best worked at 14 episodes. We got lots of filler flashbacks which could have been avoided.
- My biggest issue: The writing of the last 20 minutes got kinda messed up. the sudden childhood connection, the weight gain due to pregnancy seemed forced. As much as Koreans love the idea of inyeon, i wish it was used with more discretion! I hated the last scene were Yeong Ho hustles Joo Eun to exercise because she's gained weight. This is the only major misstep re:the weight gain angle.
Oh the whole: If you are okay with its basic premise, this is a lovely light-hearted drama with just the right level of emotional depth for a quick binge.
Until their last quarrel. As someone working for longer, Umi should have been able to understand that it was wrong of Kazao to consider his work at Animal Beauty as a money making project. Just because she thought Animal Beauty photos were amazing did not mean Kazao needed to find artistic fulfillment in them.
The writing glossed over this and made Kazao say in the end that portrait work and not abstract were his interest. Whatever. Just my rant
The bit I most liked was that there are no quick answers/ shortcuts to Umi's search become her best self and she like all of us will need to continue to work on it.
But no. What we get is a drama where a clingy FL and an ML with no self awareness snipe at each other non-stop but do not have even one honest conversation on their relationship. And then in the last episode they get together.
In between we have both dating to make the other mad, and then several episodes of the FL moping around depressed trying to be the Cool Girl as her ex goes on to date and marry another woman. And she still takes him back. The writing is perhaps a product of its time maybe but the spineless FL really annoyed me.
The basic plot itself left me confused - we never get to know why the miscarriage was such a big hurt that the husband asks for a divorce. The explanations given in a later episode were very unconvincing, both for their breakup and not getting back together.
In the very first episode, the FL tries to tell her ex-husband she wants get back together, but she is thwarted by a clueless ML which should have told me something. Because in succeeding episodes the lack of frankness and maturity in their relationship hurts several people. And I hated watching this unfurl.
No this is a maddening drama and I dont recommend it at all as much as I thought the actors did a good job.
PS: I particularly want to give the sister a good shake she had no business interfering as she kept doing, however well-intended.