Not a fun watch
Soga is a bit too much of a straight edge, wet blanket type character. Since he's less of a POV character than Sakae (who's not the strongest-willed either), I found it hard to sympathize with him. With a different approach, Soga's insecurity could have been relatable, but as it stands he's just annoying. I also don't really buy that he's actually attracted to Sakae or men in general. As a result, I'm with the other viewers who ended up rooting for Mizuki (almost out of spite lol). At least his back-and-forth with Sakae was engaging. Or maybe that's just me liking drama.Overall, nothing terribly offensive… just a very mediocre miscommunication/opposites attract story with a character whose personality dragged down what could have been a passably entertaining show. If you squint, you might even see the potential in there somewhere. After all, it's admirable that Soga and Sakae both look for a better suited partner than either of their exes, but I remain unconvinced that they found that in each other. And the food aspect was nice, I guess? Speaking of which, I wish (J)BL actors were allowed to eat…
Was this review helpful to you?
Serviceable, I guess
Right off the bat, I’ll admit that I prefer my stories on the dramatic side. But I’m not opposed to cuter, more happy-go-lucky couples, either! I really liked My only 12 % and My School President, for example. This series missed the mark for me, though.Sure, storywise the show isn’t revolutionary, but attempts were made. I’ll even go as far as saying that I liked certain plot points, like Pepper’s “dating scandal” and how the band members had to be convinced to trust Thame again. I also found many of the side characters quite charming, chief among them Jun, Dylan, Nano and Baifern.
What brought my rating down so far were Thame and Po — both as individual characters but especially as a couple they were a total snooze fest. They had about as much chemistry as the leads in 2gether, which is to say not very much at all. It just goes to show that you can’t simply throw any two actors together, have them film a couple of kissing scenes, and hope for the best. Not to mention that when the romantic storyline is far from riveting, you at least need both romantic leads to be played by convincing actors.
Was this review helpful to you?
Partnes in (solving) crime
My little aromantic heart really appreciated that the slow burn between the main leads culminated in a comparatively subdued romance, but still dealt with huge emotions. Their partnership was delightful. The mystery was quite gripping too and kept me entertained until the end, even though not every twist was all that twisty.Since I focus most on the characters in the shows I watch, I must also emphasize how much I enjoyed the whole cast. Although I was at first a bit wary, when I realized how many characters were neurodivergent and/or mentally ill, because that comes with many pitfalls, I was pleasantly surprised by the rather competent portrayal of these realities.
Most importantly though, the Yoo Ryung is a lovely main character, and I'm baffled by the less than charitable comments about her in some of the other reviews. As far as I'm concerned, she's not only entertaining to watch, but also has a strong moral compass. Being a teensy bit head-strong and having a style that is maybe 1 % less attractive than that of many K-drama heroines aren't negative qualities in my book. The story also praises and rewards her all the time? So it's not even like she offends the conservative sensibilities of K-dramas?
Was this review helpful to you?
