elibonk

I’d like to start off by saying that while there are definitely some negatives in this drama, there are also a lot of positives. So I’m going to start with what I loved and then get into what I didn’t.

First off, I absolutely love that this was only 10 episodes. I know some people are going to call that a negative and say, “Oh, I wish there was more.” But honestly, stories like this don’t need more. So many K-dramas drag out their last few episodes with unnecessary plotlines, and it ends up tanking your enjoyment because you’re watching episodes you don’t even really care about. I think keeping this drama at 10 episodes was the perfect decision, although I do have some complaints about how they used that final episode.

Secondly, the chemistry between the leads was amazing. The female lead is probably one of, if not my favorite female lead I’ve ever seen, besides the one from It’s Okay to Not Be Okay. I absolutely love her attitude, her personality, and the way she looks at life. She’s funny, confident, strong, and genuinely entertaining to watch. It’s so refreshing to see a female lead who actually has a personality and isn’t just there to fall in love with the male lead.

I also want to praise the relationship itself because, let’s be honest, it’s easy to watch a K-drama just for the romance. But what makes this relationship different, at least to me, is that it’s not just, “Oh, I like him because he’s cute and I have fun with him.” It’s more than that, and it’s honestly a little hard to describe.

You actually get insight into WHY these characters fall for each other. He admires her because she’s strong, confident, and goes against everything he’s believed about women his entire life. She challenges his worldview, goes against the patriarchy, and refuses to conform to what people expect from her. Their attraction isn’t just based on appearances or spending time together. It’s built on genuine admiration for who the other person is. The relationship feels so much more grounded and detailed than what we usually get from K-dramas.

Another thing I really appreciate is the show’s commentary on the patriarchy, especially in East Asian societies. I think it paints a sadly realistic picture of how men view women and how women view men. What makes it particularly interesting is that we get to understand both perspectives. As these characters slowly grow closer, we begin to understand why they feel the way they do and how their experiences have shaped their views. Both sides have valid reasons for feeling the way they do, and watching them gradually challenge their own beliefs was one of my favorite parts of the drama.

One scene that really stuck with me was when he met her parents for the first time. They were technically still fake dating, but he started talking about how important she was to him and how much he admired her. I genuinely felt tears rolling down my face. It was such a powerful moment, especially when you consider her mother’s situation. Her dad treats her mom like absolute shit, and for her mother to see her daughter being loved and respected by someone who genuinely appreciates her for who she is was incredibly meaningful. Especially with her mom finally being able to write that book, the whole scene felt even more powerful. I think there’s something really beautiful about that.

And of course, I have to mention the affection. We FINALLY get some freaky scenes. It’s not just a kiss on the lips and then absolutely nothing afterward. The relationship actually feels physical and affectionate, which is something I wish more K-dramas would embrace. The intimacy feels like a natural part of their relationship rather than something the writers are terrified to show.

I also absolutely loved the side couple. The way she looked at him was SO cute, and their chemistry was genuinely amazing. Honestly, I even found both of them more attractive than the main leads. And that’s not to say the main leads are ugly. There’s never been an ugly lead in any K-drama ever. I’m just saying that, personally, I thought the side couple was even better to look at.

Now, getting into the negatives.

First off, you can genuinely just stop watching at episode 9. The final episode adds absolutely ZERO value to the rest of the story. It’s just a bunch of bullshit.

There was absolutely no reason to introduce that entire scandal so late into the drama. It doesn’t add any meaningful character development, it doesn’t deepen the relationship, and it doesn’t contribute anything worthwhile to the story. It’s just another unnecessary obstacle thrown in to fill screen time.

What makes it even more frustrating is that I feel like it undermines some of the feminist themes the drama spent so much time developing. We spent the entire show exploring these characters’ beliefs, their growth, and their willingness to challenge societal expectations, only for the final episode to throw some of that under the bus. It makes those themes feel less important than they actually were.

And this is something SO many K-dramas do. They’ll spend an entire series building up a relationship, only to force the characters to break up or separate in the final episode before inevitably bringing them back together. WHY? I genuinely don’t understand why writers keep doing this. It’s fucking stupid. It doesn’t make the ending more emotional or satisfying. It just creates unnecessary frustration when we could’ve spent that time actually enjoying the relationship we’ve been watching develop.

My other major complaint is the lack of screen time for the side couple. I loved their dynamic, and the way she looked at him was genuinely adorable. But we barely got to see them actually being together. I would’ve absolutely loved more scenes of them as a couple, especially considering how much chemistry they had. It feels like such a missed opportunity because their relationship had so much potential.

Overall, despite my frustration with the final episode and the wasted potential of the side couple, I genuinely loved so much about this drama. The leads had incredible chemistry, the female lead was one of my favorites, and the relationship had a level of depth and genuine admiration that I don’t always see in K-dramas. The social commentary also gave the story more substance than I initially expected.

I just wish the writers had trusted the relationship and the characters they’d already built instead of feeling the need to introduce one last unnecessary conflict.