emberzmars

Slow burn romance with good acting

I watched this vertical shot drama because of Wang Hao Zhen after enjoying his performance as a douchebag husband who distrustful of his wife but wanted reconciliation post-divorce. I watched this series 3 weeks ago and had watched many vertical drama since then so I can't remember some things. Regret not writing review immediately because I can't find the drama on Youtube anymore.

What I liked:
1) Acting - This series leans more towards drama and both Wang Hao Zhen and Han Yu Tong excelled in their roles. Wang Hao Zhen was great in expressing his character's feelings on his face.
2) Romance - They started off as strangers who married to help each other but later trust and genuine feelings grew between them. Mature romance that doesn't dwell on prolonged misunderstanding.
3) Jin Ze characterisation - I like that he's a doctor who is comfortable making his own money rather than relying on his family's wealth. I also like his patience and genuineness.
4) Song Wan Xing characterisation - I like that she's a school teacher who is compassionate. She can handle her own problems - not a damsel in distress.
5) Supporting characters - I like the grandma!

What I disliked:
1) Villain - I can't seem to recall the things I disliked about this drama but I assume the villain was annoying.

Favourite scene
When they first kissed

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Impressed by acting & production value

I was intrigued by this series when it appeared on my WeTV dashboard. Once I checked out the drama details & found out that Hong Yao was the main actor, I immediately clicked 'play'. I was curious about his acting when finding out about his marriage.

What I liked:
1) Sisters arc - I enjoyed watching the Shen sisters especially when they were both on screen together. They had different personalities & approaches to their family mystery.
2) Acting - Kudos to the 4 leads. Hong Yao was excellent as alpha male lead who was rational & had a heart. Jiang Peng Yu was amazing in her role despite her young age. Yu Lang was captivating on screen. Lu Si Heng did great in his role.
3) Styling - Love the outfits especially Shen Zi Qiu's wedding dress & the qipao worn by the Shen sisters. Hong Yao & his character's right hand man looked dapper in their outfits & hairstyle. I love Hong Yao's manliness. Lu Si Heng's styling made him look like Korean idol Choi Youngjae from GOT7.
4) Supporting cast - I like ML's right hand man, Tang Zhe, Ms Meng, Shen Zhi Xia's servant.
5) Romance - Good amount of push and pull. High sexual tension. Hot kisses & sweet affectionate scenes.

What I disliked:
1) Deaths - I was shocked by the death of 3 characters. Once the 2 characters died, I lacked some motivation to continue the series.
2) Ending - I don't like it.

Favourite scene
When Shen sisters spent time together before the wedding

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Great start, alright end but most important, good chemistry

I am a massive fan of Zhang Chu Xuan & have seen Xie Yu Wang in another drama with spicy scene at the start. Was curious to see how this pair work on screen so I clicked play.

What I liked:
1) FL characterisation - I love that FL Jiang Yu Yang is not work that is common in cdramaland (businesswoman, designer). She is an actress who has a crush on voice actor. I like that she acts her age because I dislike childlike & childish FL.
2) Acting - Zhang Chu Xuan was excellent in her role here. She has great chemistry with Xie Yu Wang who gave a subdued performance of a CEO in love.
3) Romance - The flirting at the start was so sweet. That role play was hot. There is good amount of skinship though I wish there were more kisses.
4) Supporting characters - I like FL's best friend, Fu Yi Ze, ML's mother, FL's grandfather & ML's assistant. I was surprised when ML's assistant showed his emotions in a hospital scene almost at the end.

What I disliked:
1) Villain - I notice that many villains in vertical shot drama tend to be women scorned due to rejection of ML. This archetype is tiring me. The heinous attacks villain did on FL were shocking.
2) FL's action - I dislike FL's action towards villain once she was drugged. I understand the wrath but to leave a woman in a known vulnerable situation just doesn't sit well with me.

Favourite scene
When FL & ML flirting on the phone at the start of drama

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Does ML deserve second chance in this romance drama?

Lately I am in the mood to binge vertically shot Chinese dramas. This drama appeared on my Youtube dashboard & I gave it a go after quickly perusing the comments.

What I liked:
1) Acting - I was impressed by her acting. She managed to show different sides of Wen Yan: firm, vulnerable and strong. I will definitely check out her other works.
2) Visuals - Chen Mu Ye is very pretty. Wang Yi Ran is handsome. Both of them give this "high society" beauty & elegance.
3) Plot - Depsite the plot holes, this drama was light & easy to follow.

What I disliked:
1) Relationship - I notice other C dramas with 'husband neglecting wife for years' theme and this drama is the one with least suffering. While I am ok that the neglect only happened for 1 year, I still think ML is undeserving of FL because is he mistaking guilt for love?
2) Romance - The kissing scenes played around angles rather than real, lingering kisses. Wish there were proper grovelling & more affectionate scenes too.

Favourite scene
When Wen Yan was hospitalised after an assault

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Spicy transactional relationship that transformed to love

I saw this video on Youtube and was drawn to the title '[MULTI SUB] Not Over Yet【Full】You started it, I won't let you call it off | Drama Zone'. I didn't read the comments nor search for synopsis before clicking 'Play'. Oh boy, I was shocked!

What I liked:
1) Spice - Wow, the director knew how to create steamy scenes within the limits of time and censorship. There were many kissing scenes so that helped in creating tension and letting viewers' imagination run wild. ML's appetite for FL was insatiable.
2) Main characters' growth - For a micro drama, there was some character growth. There were times FL was a damsel in distress and was saved by ML. However I liked that she recognised that trait of hers and apologised for relying / burdening ML. ML character growth was slower but more apparent towards the end.
3) Du Ya Fei - This is my first time watching his acting and I think he understood his assignment. He used different voice tone when he talked to FL. It seemed that he and Yang Shu Yu had developed rapport because their intimate scenes would be awkward without tacit understanding between them.
4) Love rival - It's good that ML's love rival was respectful towards FL. FL already going through a lot of hardships so I don't want her to go through another one at work.
5) Ending - I like it because the story has come full circle.

What I disliked:
1) Coercion - I felt like FL was coerced into having sex in the earlier parts of the relationship.
2) FL's family - One of the worse villains in C dramas because the villains are FL's own biological mother and brother.
3) Relationship - As seen in the inner monologue, FL & ML had doubts which affected their relationship. I wish they confided in each other because this could be an emotional scene that clarifies assumptions and misunderstanding.

Favourite scene
When ML rescued FL at her family home

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Coherent storytelling that is as good as a well-produced mini drama

This is my second vertical shot drama, after 'Captive Love from the Mob Boss'. I came across this series in the comment section and I was curious.

What I liked:
1) Sang Nan Feng characterisation - What a stark contrast between the Male Lead in 'You've Been Tricked' and the Male Lead in 'Captive Love from the Mob Boss'. Nan Feng is a green flag ML. He was kind, patient, respectful.
2) Shen Yue Xi characterisation - I like that she was humble about her family background. She also never played the victim card.
3) The romance - I like how the romance between Male Lead and Female Lead developed. It was slow burn and sweet.
4) Supporting characters - I like both ML and FL families, FL friends and villain's mother. Despite not much screentime, most of the family members were quite memorable. Good acting even from the villain.
5) Writing - Coherent story that I enjoyed. The quality is as good as a well produced mini drama.

What I disliked:
1) Subtitling - I watched this drama on Youtube and subtitle must be AI/machine translated.
2) Acting - I would rate this drama higher if Liu Lan Bo gave a better performance. Most of the times he seemed aloof and distant. Perhaps Nan Feng in public could show those traits but in private with his wife, I expected Liu Lan Bo to give more warmth to his role. I also wish there was more chemistry between Liu Lan Bo and Yao Yu Chen.

Favourite scene
When Sang Nan Feng returned home with sliced cake

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Toxic ML but damn, the visuals & chemistry ?

I saw a short clip of this series on Youtube which peaked my interest. I used to read Eastern European mob boss love stories 10 years ago. Anyway I have iQiyi but surprisingly couldn't find this series. Anyway 'Captive love from the mob boss is my first vertically shot drama. Oh boy, this drama is insane.

What I liked:
1) The chemistry - Whenever both Zhang Chu Xuan & Ma Xiao Yu had electrifying chemistry. I could sense the sexual tension between them that could combust at any time. I never say this but I would love for them to date each other in real life. Their consensual kiss and the morning after were 🔥 ! Wish there were more kissing & affectionate scenes.
2) Acting - I was surprised by the quality of acting by both leads. Zhang Chu Xuan & Ma Xiao Yu were able to portray different facade of their characters. I am looking to watch their other work.
3) Visuals - Both leads are extremely gorgeous. Ma Xiao Yu is freaking tall and has nice build (his shoulders just wow). The styling also helped. I love Wan Ni's outfits especially when she wore white. Her wedding gowns were beautiful - I love the second one (strapless) the most. I like whenever Song Cha wore all black outfit.

What I disliked:
1) Song Cha characterisation - Damn, this dude is toxic! He gave me stress! So aggressive with his wooing & proposal. I cannot stand the manhandling.
2) The plot - I wish the writer would make tighter connection between Song Cha, Wan Ni's brother and Wan Ni's former fiancé so that Song Cha could be more redeemable. It's weird that Song Cha at the start of series claimed to be businessman with no ties to the mob but his actions later proved otherwise.
3) The first meet - The way Song Cha's injury was tended to in first episode was funny. He also managed to raise his injured arm immediately.

Favourite scene
The mutual kiss that led to their lovemaking

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Sadly enough this drama does not touch my heart

I was intrigued by this drama after seeing a few people raving about this drama on reddit. I started this series in August 2024 as I remember watching it during my trip to Seoul. I only completed this series in early December 2024. I struggled a lot. I pushed myself to finish this series after watching another series that I put on hold but resumed and finished.

What I liked:
1) Supporting characters - I really like the camaraderie amongst Always employees. At first, I thought they would be competing with each other since it's a cutthroat business. However they had a harmonious relationship, which I appreciate. I also like Yoon Seo's manager and boss.
2) Acting - Great performances from the cast even from those with underdeveloped roles. Park Kyung Hye was brilliant in her role as she managed to convey different emotions of Dan Moon Hee. She made me laughed in one scene and almost cry in different scene.
3) Thriller - I like the dark arc the most e.g, the stalking, the murder case.
4) Shim Hyung Tak - Wow he is handsome. Anyway he has the best lines in the series. My favourite scene of his is during his analogy of rose and vase. Poetic and hilarious!

What I disliked:
1) Yoo In Na's voice - This is my first drama of Yoo In Na. When I write review, I don't judge an actor or actress physical attributes but I'm sorry that I cannot stand her childlike voice. I have no issues with Yoon Seo characterisation because she grew a lot throughout the series.
2) Writing - I feel like the writing is uneven. The stalking and murder cases were exciting and engaging but once we get the office and dating scenes, this drama wasn't enjoyable. I fast-forwarded to 2x speed after episode 11. I think Touch Your Heart had too much filler scenes and this series should only have 12 episodes instead of 16 episodes.

Favourite scene
Dan Moon Hee talking about her crush who has no feelings for her. Heartbreaking.

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Engrossed by this tale of 3 individuals

I've been enjoying Cheng Yu Feng's dramas these past weeks (Yes, Her Majesty, A Lucid Dream, Enslaved by Love) and have watched Chen Fang Tong in Maid's Revenge. I am familiar with Li Jiu Lin because of Circle of Love (not sure if I'll watch this mini drama) so on a Sunday evening, I decided to watch this series. Love it!

What I liked:
1. Ye Rong Er / Wen Ren Jing characterisation - I love that she is ambitious about life. Even though she has money and "somewhat" easy life, she decided that being "someone's wife" isn't her thing and decided to work on herself. I also like her being straight forward and is unfazed by other people's views of her. Her character grew as series progressed - Wen Ren Jing realised that her actions had implications on other people and she was sincerely sorry for the effects she had caused. Chen Fang Tong managed to balance the sassy and soft sides of Wen Ren Jing.
2. Lu Ting Xiao / Yin Si Shen characterisation - He started off as a mysterious courtesan who took on the role of Bai Qing Hall director and then proceeded to woo female lead Wen Ren Jing. I like that Lu Ting Xiao was clear thinking when it comes to work and personal matters. It's nice to see Li Jiu Lin in a green flag role. With the wig, he gave me Henry Cavill vibes.
3. Fang Xian Xun / Lin Xie characterisation - Another mysterious character with a great development especially towards the end. It's great that Fang Xian Xun has opposite personality from Lu Ting Xiao. He is cheeky and readily smiles while his love rival is intense and brooding.
4. Writing - Decreed by Fate has a great combination of drama, action, comedy in this short 16 episode series. I particularly love the plot twist involving Fang Xian Xun's background and the cliffhanger ending. Thank you for writing a great female sidekick!
5. Pacing - Well done to director for great editing. I love the pacing of this story. Compact & concise storytelling within 16 episodes.
6. Supporting characters - I love Wen Ren Ling. Liu Zhan, Zheng Lin. Even Mr & Mrs Yin left a good impression despite the short amount of screentime.
7. The romance - This series has great scenes with romantic tension. Tease of a ménage à trois! I believe that Wen Ren Jing chose the right person to be her life partner.

What I disliked:
1. The kingdoms - Just a small comment. Although it's revealed, I'd like to know what cause the rivalry between North and South Kingdom. Is West Kingdom neutral? Where is the capital located?

Favourite scene:
When Wen Ren Jing, Lu Ting Xiao and Fang Xian Xun were bound by the vine.

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Melodramatic but I like the leads!

I am in the mood for mini series. I watched this drama after watching Zheng Nan Xi's other mini drama, Love at Second Sight.

What I liked:
1) The visuals - Wow, I'd say both Li Pei En and Zheng Nan Xi are visually stunning. Li Pei En, whom I find very handsome, resembles B.A.P's Jung Daehyun while Zheng Nan Xi, whom I find very pretty, resembles Blackpink's Jennie & Twice's Nayeon. I think the stylist made the right choice of outfits for their characters. I love Xu Nian's chic wardrobe.
2) The romance - Good development of romance considering Gu Mingyan dislike people touching him. Love the scenes when Nan Xi helped Mingyan to overcome his fear. Wish there were more kissing scenes.
3) Mutism - I actually liked Nan Xi when she was mute. It's great to see a main character doing sign language and also adorable that the other main character learns the sign language.
4) Shots - I enjoy the quality shots of this mini drama because it felt like a good quality movie. The colours are sharp and vivid.

What I disliked:
1) Villains - There were too many villain arcs in this story. Jiang Wanli arc was overly done - at times her character felt like a caricature because of the overacting. Gu Hongyu's , Mingyan's uncle, arc was clear from the start but Grandpa Gu's arc was confusing. I get a villain vibe from him and I think what Hongyu at the end was true.
2) Multiple arcs - I also dislike the multiple arcs given to the supporting characters because this approach made the mini drama cluttered and too melodramatic.

Favourite scene:
When Xu Nian was feeling down and Mingyan came to her rescue

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Light & funny mini drama with great chemistry between ML & FL

After watching My Lady General, I was in the mood for mini dramas with gender reversal roles. This mini drama was a delight!

What I liked:
1) Cheng Yu Feng - My first time watching his acting and I was impressed. He managed to convey 2 different personas: (i) obedient, slightly himbo husband, and (ii) a king serious about welfare of his subjects. I like his acting for both sides of his character.
2) Comedy - The first half of the series was really funny. Didn't expect period mini drama to be that comical.
3) Romance - There aren't many intimate scenes but when there were such scenes, they were tender. Yue Li Zheng really loved his wife, which can be seen through his actions. Such swoonworthy.
4) Plot - Creative and refreshing. I love the explanation for the gender reversal roles and the king's strategy to catch the villain.

What I disliked:
1) No. of episodes - Mini drama tends to have an average of 24 episodes but Yes, Her Majesty only has 20 episodes. I wish the writers had created 4 more episodes because some arcs had room for more screentime e.g. villain's arc, main couple's romance.
2) Li Shi Hao - Just a minor issue - I wish she wasn't too resistant/angry towards her husband. I don't feel her investment in the relationship until he went to war and she found out all the things he had done for her.

Favourite scene
The concubine audition

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Beautifully shot revenge drama with noir concept & good acting

I liked Fan Zhi Xin's acting in My Lethal Man so I was curious about this series. The trailer caught my attention so I watched this series last weekend. Yang Yu Xi kinda resembles Miyeon of G-idle.

What I liked:
1) Acting - Wow, it's quite rare to see good performances by both male and female leads. Fan Zhi Xin and Yang Yu Xi played their roles really well because I could see different facial expressions on their faces. I like Guo Jia Yu's acting too.
2) Writing - Good acting wouldn't happen if the screenplay is bad. So well done to the writer for keeping audience on their toes about what's going to happen next. I also liked that FL shared her revenge plans with ML in the middle of their partnership because often times most revenge-themed dramas have Lead Character keeping it as a secret till almost the end.
3) Romance - There is a lot of sexual tension between two couples, i) Xiang Ye Ran & Cheng Che, and ii) Xiang Ruo Lan & Yu Jia Hao. I sensed the emotional pull and genuine affection between them whenever they appeared on screen. I wish there were more kissing between Ye Ran and Cheng Che.
4) Supporting characters - I like that supporting characters have depth to them: Xiao Xiao, Ruo Lan, Jia Hao, Mr Thirteen.
5) Ending - I hope there is season 2.

What I disliked:
1) Pacing - Some scenes in 3rd part of the series were draggy that I didn't pay much attention to the dialogue.
2) Error - Some characters were hospitalised in the final episode. I was bothered by Xiao Xiao's arm injury because her long sleeve was also part of the injury dressing.

Favourite scene
The dance scenes at New Fairy Club. Great performances by Fan Zhi Xin, Yang Yu Xi and Guo Jia Yu.

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Enjoyed it because of FL but ML was a disappointment

I watched a clip on YouTube and halfway through I thought "why not give this drama a go?!". The last 10 episodes were frustrating.

What I liked:
1) Zhou Ran characterisation - She is bubbly, smart and career-driven and overall a FL who went through great character growth. Zhang Tian Ai was brilliant in this role. With her styling, she looks like Satomi Ishihara during Pretty Proofreader. She is a flawed character - she helps people when I think they don't deserve her kindness.
2) Xiao Fei characterisation - FL's best friend was wonderfully written as well. She started off as a kept woman but wanted more from her relationship. I like that she's unwilling to compromise her principle with her lover. Her character also grew up and it's great to see her form a bond with Liang Wei and his kid. Lorene Jen was great in her role.
3) Chairman - She was cold and aloof at the start of the drama but there is a reason for that cold exterior. I really liked her especially when she bonded with Zhou Ran.
4) Gu Yunfei - He is handsome and more attentive to Zhou Ran compared to Ye Rong Xuan, the ML. I wish Zhou Ran had picked him over Rong Xuan but you can't force someone to fall in love. I don't like his friendship with Siyan though - he didn't tell Zhou Ran nor Rong Xuan of Siyan's tricks.
5) The ending - I like that Zhou Ran took that decision and excelled in her chosen path. I also like the vague ending because I think Rong Xuan needs a lot of grovelling to do.
6) Plot - I like the business/professional aspect of the main 2 characters. It's fascinated to see a glimpse into fashion magazine world. The personal side of main 2 characters were good too except the romance.

What I disliked:
1) Siyan - We have 2 main villains in this drama: Siyan and Guo Rei. Siyan was cunning, manipulative b!tch! I HATE her character so much that I wish I could strangle her.
2) Guo Rei - I fast-forwarded a lot of the scenes of Guo Rei and Xu Man after he broke Zhou Ran's heart. The only time I watched in full was when his parents met Mr Xu & discussed the marriage and when Guo Rei & Xu Man had a big fight. I couldn't care less about them after that.
3) Ye Rong Xuan characterisation - I am frustrated by ML's behaviour throughout the fake relationship. I can't believe that he took Siyan's side or wasn't suspicious of "incidents" at the office. He was also ok with Siyan's touches after breaking Zhou Ran's heart.
4) Romance - I wish there were more affections shown by Ye Rong Xuan toward Zhou Ran in their private time. Their kiss was good but why must Zhou Ran be drunk? The romantic scences between Xiao Fei and Liang Wei were sweet.

Favourite scene:
When Zhou Ran chased Chairman up the stairs and convinced her to do surgery. Good acting & writing!

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Fun series and I am enchanted by Satomi Ishihara

Being a fan of Satomi Ishihara and Rika Adachi, I've added this series in my watchlist. Decided to watch it last weekend upon finding out that it would leave Netflix on 14 October 2024. What a fun series!

What I liked:
1) Etsuko Kono characterisation - Satomi Ishihara was radiant and enchanting. I love that she's cheerful and colourful. She might seem frivolous because of her appearance but she was never condescending. Great to see that she takes her proofreading work seriously despite that not being her first job choice. I also like that Etsuko enjoyed learning new content through her proofreading job and saw its value for the future.
2) Supporting characters - From Etsuko's proofreading colleagues and Oden buddies to her clients/writers, all of them had significant role in her growth as a person. My favourite is Mr Takehara, who was a wonderful mentor to Etsuko.
3) Etsuko - Mr Kaizuka's dynamics - To be honest, I prefer their feisty proofreader-editor relationship to Etsuko-Yurito budding romance. I feel that the former has a lot to offer to each other despite them budding heads most of the time. They had more honest conversations with each other.
4) The fashion - I love Etsuko's fashion style though she often wore very high heels, which always concerning me. I love her mantra "When I dress my best, I do my best!".
5) The ending - Yukito's first attempt at writing something he's passionate about resonate with me. "There are work that may never been noticed nor recognised by most people, but it holds meaning, and that's what matters." It is realistic and I like it! I wish there was season 2.

What I disliked:
1) Morio's immediate boss - She didn't seem to care much about the articles makes me think that she saw her job as a paycheque.
2) Etsuko - Yurito's dynamics - I feel like Yurito hero-worshipped Etsuko. Yes Etsuko is an amazing woman but dude barely spent time with her. She knew what she wanted in terms of career but Yurito was still figuring out, which is fine but he needed to know his priorities.
3) Colour grading - There was too much yellow during the outdoor Tappi-bashi scenes.

Favourite scene
When Etsuko, Ms Fujiwa and Yoneoka helped Mr Kaizuka to proofread Mr Kiritani's work

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Better than the other Cinderella kdrama but I wish for more depth

I needed something light & romantic to watch after finishing Again My Life. Moon Sang Min's face was heavily promoted on Viu so I chose this drama. Cinderella at 2 AM is light touch romance drama with moments of seriousness.

What I liked:
1) Moon Sang Min - He has this sweet, kind face. This is my first time watching his work and I enjoyed it. For a leading man with this characteristic, he's alright.
2) Yun Seo chracterisation - It's great that her past was shown to the audience because then I understand why she is the way she is - fiercely independent woman who is focused on raising her younger brother. I cried when scenes of her childhood was revealed - I did not expect that at all.
3) Si Won characterisation - I also enjoyed knowing Si Won outside of work. Such a quirky but sensitive character.
4) Seong Min - At first I find his character creepy but later on he turned out to be a great guy. I wish he formed a tighter friendship with Yun Seo because they have a lot in common.
5) Yi Rae & her Uncle - Great support system for Yun Seo and Ji Seok. Plus I love that they brew their own maekgeolli.
6) Music - I love most of the songs featured in this drama, which is quite rare for me. Love the 80s vibe of the OST. Standout songs are Sweet Drama and Boyfriend.

What I disliked:
1) Romance - The romance between Yun Seo and Ju Won was sweet but I wasn't convinced at the end and I sided with Ju Won. I don't know why they needed a wedding when Yun Seo doesn't seem to be ready. I also wanted more of Si Won and Mi Jin's romance. They were so adorable but only got together in episode 7 if I am not mistaken.
2) Si Won and Ju Won's mother - She is selfish because she acts more like a chairwoman than a mother. I still don't understand why she opposed Ju Won's relationship with Yun Seo. Overall I find her character poorly written.

Favourite scene
Yun Seo's childhood because I see the love she has for her brother.

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