earthtrap

Yes. Another person who agrees that Sunho is just a flawed human being like we all are. I made a post about this yesterday saying the same thing. Would probably take a bit of scrolling to see, but I've pointed out the "acts of manipulation" he supposedly exhibited and defended it with facts. Sunho likes a girl. He's going to be competitive if he thinks he has a chance, regardless of past rejections (Note that Hae Yi only rejected him because she thought he was just selfish ladies man. After ep 8-9, she's starting to see him in a different light). Hae Yi likes the captain. Cool. But cap took way too long to say anything so she's hesitant now. These are basic human reactions and the situations are grounded in reality.

I'll agree that the only "toxic" (not really) thing he did was stopping her before she confessed. But he did that once. Cap already knows she likes him. Has for awhile. He's just not acting on it "for the sake of the team." It's cool to be selfless, but no need to be so self-sacrificing. It's kind of cringy. I've said this before, but I like BOTH Jung Woo and Sunho. This series is also, not at all bad. People are looking a predictable Cinderella story, sprinkled with sports and mystery. This is not it. It's a realistic, slice-of-life series about college and a cheer team (sprinkled with mystery/thriller).

Exactly. This drama is a breath of fresh air. When there's a distinguished "ML" it's predictable. Life isn't supposed to be predictable. I think both of them are getting appropriate screen time too. They're not favoring one over the other like some people seem to claim.

That's what I've been saying this entire time. I've been on both sides. I've been the Sunho (not to the extent of causal dating) and I've been the Jung Woo, so I can understand both of them. Jung Woo is soft spoken with his feelings, but firm in his beliefs. Sunho has past pain that prevents him from expressing his feelings for fear of getting hurt again so he puts on a brave, confident face. Neither of them are bad people and it's okay to ask a friend or relative of the person you're interested in about what their interests are and what their ideal type is. It's called "wanting to get to know someone" The wording in the subtitles was just poor ("How can I get to her heart")

^This. It's becoming confusing as to who the actual "ML" is. In which case, I can understand the frustration. But I still think outright calling Sunho a toxic, manipulative person is going overboard. Especially if we compare him to some actual established MLs in other dramas. Thanks for being more constructive on the matter

SML is not as "manipulative" as people make him out to be and I'll continue to stand by this. I'm currently watching an older drama "My Secret Romance" and the amount of manipulation the actual ML does to FL is excessive. Yet everyone and their mother cheers for them to get together, despite the SML in that drama being 100x better.

The amount of hypocrisy amazes me in this community. And frankly, there have been multiple MLs who are always way more manipulative than SMLs and nobody bats an eye because ML is hot or some other reason about the story being written that way. The writers always have this tragic backstory that appeals to the emotions of the audience which is why people ignore the "manipulative" tendencies and actions they exhibit.

By that logic though, the same applies to Sunho here. "The story is just written that way." The difference is, Sunho isn't actually manipulative. Yes, he has asked FL's brother how to appeal to Hae Yi's heart but he never intentionally tries to "manipulate" her by showing his emotions. I re-watched ep 6-8 and he literally does the following.

1. Asks her brother if there's another way to her heart, as he's not comfortable showing his vulnerabilities and emotions that way to anyone.
2. DOES show his emotions, unintentionally at the end of ep 8 because of a family issue at home that has clearly been ongoing since he was a kid. At the ending scene of episode 8, he even tries to brush it off saying "It's a joke. Look at you being so serious." (or something along those lines)

Basically, what I'm trying to say is take everything you read with a grain of salt. Compare it to the actions of ACTUAL MLs who are ACTUALLY manipulative and see how little hate they get for it.

I don't care who she ends up at this point because I like both ML and SML. I'm more interested in the cheering aspect now and how the rest of this mystery is going to play out.

Slow paced does not mean bad. Life isn't always on an express train. Everyone has moments of pause. It's grounded in reality. It's just marketed as a rom com because of some it's comedic moments but the genre more fits slice of life.

This latest episode was definitely one of the best. I don't get the hate for this drama. It's well written and grounded in reality. It's not over the top melodramatic but it's dramatic enough that it jeeps you interested. This is how entertainment industry is, even with reality TV and this is how someone from the general public acts when they're petty or jealous of someone else getting attention.

So far, the biggest complaint I have is the distracting sound editing/mixing. Music abruptly begins and ends in certain scenes and at times, overshadow the actors when they're speaking. This makes the experience less enjoyable.

IIRC, she never blatantly said ML hurt her. She said that watching him look at another woman hurts her because she likes him so much. You can definitely perceive her as saying, you hurt me but she's merely saying, watching the one you love love someone else is very painful. The dropping out comment can go either way. Realistically, I don't think a lot of people could continue a show all about dating, love and finding your match when the one you wanna match is straight up taken. Fact is, ML isn't taken. Only his heart is.

I actually disagree with this. SFL in LifS didn't guilt the mc on anything. She literally just told her, if you like him, I understand. But I need to take my feelings into consideration and leave/drop out of the the show as I don't want to try fighting a battle I will not win. It's fairly logical in that sense and while people can view it as manipulation, it really isn't. Yes, she agreed to do it knowing fully it'd be fake, but love is fickle. It makes you do things you shouldn't and she honestly shouldn't have even agreed to suggested it. She's just naive and in love.

I actually like the SFL in Love is for Suckers. Very much the same way I like SML here. And that's primarily because neither of them are outright bad people or as manipulative and toxic as they're made out to be. From someone who has been in a toxic relationship, I honestly don't see them as such. I can understand both their points of view in not wanting to give up on a one sided love. So I actually also disagree with a lot of the comments that Ji Yeon is toxic in LifS much the same way I disagree with the comments regarding Su Ho here.

To be fair, it was a complicated situation. Ji Wan just said something super private on camera without realizing and Yeo Rum was trying her best with the authority she has to fulfill her request to not broadcazt it. I'm sure she was uncomfortable with it as well, but at the end of the day, even these reality shows have a level of acting involved and not everything in it is real so a kiss being broadcast over a deep emotional scar that could impact someone's personal life forever? I'd go with the kiss.

This is probably one of better dramas this year. The way it's executed in terms of how people deal with grief. I really hope they continue this past 1 season since the web toon is still ongoing.

I'm of the unpopular opinion here. I normally never root for the SML, but I still stand by what I said in the beginning in liking the SML as a character. Does he present some red flags, for sure. Does his past and emotional distress warrant some of the actions he takes, no. But when people are as vulnerable as he is, they act irrationally and try to do things to cover that pain. Sun Ho is not inherently a bad person. People are ragging on him for some annoying actions sure, but the way he want about telling Hae Yi was not manipulation imo. He had just gotten riled up and upset about the situation at home and he's probably been dealing with that since he was a kid as we saw in the beginning of ep 8 during the aquarium flashback. Yes, he likes Hae Yi, but he also explains why he likes her and tbf, his reasoning gives validity to why he's comfortable breaking down the way he did in front of her specifically. And to be fair, he tried to play it off too. Said he was joking but we all know trying to hide emotional pain is unhealthy. It builds until it just explodes and that's what happened here. Keep in mind, he also asked his brother if there were other ways to Hae Yi's heart, because he's so uncomfortable showing his vulnerabilities to anyone. Was it the ideal way for him to confess confess. Not at all. But I can feel the pain he's going through. I definitely think it could go either way, but doubt Sun Ho will actually be the end game.

Ep 8 definitely had some better moments though. Some actual cheer time and club activities. Progress in the mystery. It's only halfway done so I reckon things will really ramp up by ep 11-13 and close out from 14-16.

Again, I'm probably of the unpopular opinion but I don't dislike the drama. The pacing improved like I wanted it too and they're fleshing out SML story arc and making some progress in the mystery which is what I've been waiting for.

This is overall just an ok drama. What irks me is this trope of the ML hurting the FL as a cover because he "cares" about other people over himself and would rather them be happy. It's a toxic trait that ends up hurting the people they "care" about more than it helps and honestly hinders the storyline and development more.

The ending isn't as terrible as people make it out to be. It just felt contrived. Incredibly rushed with no deliberate reason. The guilt ate away at FL but to the extent that she also cut contact from everyone, including her best friend Ui Joo. Out of character to say the least. I'm sure if they had more time, they'd have fleshed it out more, but it was poorly executed.

Totally respect your take on this. While I can see your point, I'm still in disagreement about the ML and FL not being forced. While in most dramas, confessions do tend to happen in thr 8th or 9th episode, most of the plot has been more focused on developing the mystery behind who Yoo Min was and the MLs trauma about what happened in the past. There were definitely some moments of importance where the ML and FL bonded but it's still not quite enough to make me as an audience member believe their feelings for each other are to that level in terms of authenticity. Many of their interactions have not been as deep or emotionally bonding. Again, just my personal opinion. SML def needs more purpose than what they're making him to be. Yes he actually has interest in FL, but besides that, what else is he there for? I'd like them to explore his background more. How his mom became an alcoholic and what he has to deal with. It's sloppy right now but hoping it gets better. As for the FL pretending to be her ex's bf, I can see your point but it felt rather unnatural and rushed. The 2 had been going back and forth for awhile now and it suddenly changes to a "Hey, I don't like you but I'll help you out." It feels like poor pacing if anything. Regardless, we'll see what happens. Still over half the series left so there's time for things to happen.

That's literally because the writing is lacking. There's a lot of potential between the 2 we have yet to see because the writers are forcing FL and ML together. It feels rushed and completely unnatural in terms of progression. You only see what's currently being fed to us. if he really didn't care, he wouldn't have saved her, not once but twice; from the potential uniform malfunction before the rally and her literal life. He wouldn't have come to find her when she and the ML were arriving to the party together. Sun Ho is a fairly likeable character who just needs to be fleshed out more. Though we all know how it's going to end up anyway do it's unfortunately no use in even hoping.

The potential I initially saw in this drama is starting to dip. There's a handful of inconsistencies that aren't sitting well with me, especially in ep 6. ML and FL relationship feels very forced. The progression is very unnatural. SML's actions are within character but both sudden and rushed. He left the squad, got a girlfriend, rejoined the squad, and then broke up with her in one episode. Pacing is just poor here. FL pretending to be ex's current gf is also out of character. I know she's supposed to be someone who forgives but that was too sudden as well. This entire episode was a major disappointment in the storytelling and character development. I hope they can patch up the damage done here. Pacing needs to be better overall and SML should be fleshed out more. Why introduce him to FL's mother twice and his mom's background as an alcoholic, but then choose to rush the romance between ML and FL without having the FL and SML at least bond about their shared troubles with parents struggling with addiction. If you're going to have love triangles, it should at least be done properly. And the circumstances of SML always seeing FL and ML together is overdone. Absolutely serves no purpose other then to make people who like the SML mad. Which I've said before, but SML is actually a likeable character who truly cares about FL, saving her from both not being able to participate in the rally with the potential dress malfunction, and her literal life.

Kocowa

I'm rather new to K-Dramas but a majority of my watch have been rom-coms. And never have I one enjoyed love triangles because I know how they're going to end up anyway. I get the point in them, but unless the writer and director decide to switch things up actually make the SML the chosen love interest, I find it unnecessary to the plot. I'm sure there are some dramas with this, but since I haven't watched any, I'm not considering those as of now.

I will say this is the first show where I do think the SML should be the ship, simply because I like their dynamic more. People were adamant in True Beauty and Gangnam Beauty that SLS would be prominent, but I never once rooted for the SMLs in those. While I enjoyed them as characters, I found other potential characters they'd have been better with. Wasted potential so to speak.

FL herself is a breath of fresh air. She's honest, hard working, and despite her flaws, does her best to be a ball of sunshine. The mystery, thriller aspect to the show is a draw for sure and I look forward to watching this every week.