gf44

Yep, she is. Legit good.

You are a rockstar!

You absolute wonder!!

@jwells *cries* thanks for your hardworking but none of the links are working now. Any suggestions on sourcing new ones, please?

Ok, so this is peace out for me, folks. So much potential and now it's like a whole other drama aka a typical run of the mill contemporary c-drama with manufactured sweetness, limited story and even less charm. On to the next. Happy drama viewing.

This! Yes, really well said. This is such a good analysis. They have differential levels of power in this relationship. And they are both smart enough and emotionally aware enough to suss that out. But while, we as the audience have an unfair advantage in that we see her motivations (even, if sometimes find them different from our own in that situation) he doesn't see those. So then, what does he see?

He sees someone who is smart, ambitious and thick skinned (while she's painfully thin skinned in her personal life and tough in her professional) and who, as you said, he can train to fit into the mould he wants because she's competitive so failure for her is not an option. I don't think, and this is my read only, I don't think he thinks of it as manipulation he sees it as an exchange of resources and an alignment of interests. It's normal. It's routine in his world. The fact that they connect on an emotional and physical level is a bonus. But, and this is a big one, I don't think he realises that she comes into this relationship looking for love and warmth and a sense of validation and support. He thinks "partners and lovers", and she thinks "the family I chose". And it's this disconnect that grows between them. It's why he doesn't respect or, perhaps, recognise her vulnerability: every single time he gifts her something for doing something he is putting a dollar value to it. It becomes a transaction. An exchange of resources. While every time he gives her something she responds by saying: it's what family does, I want you and us to be happy, to share ourselves. And, you can see his discomfort there. Like the piece with the impromptu interview that he sprung on her without her consent and then rewarded her for with a necklace. She explains that it's about being help meets and he says "you should get used to gifts." It's a rejection of what she's trying to communicate/offer to him because that means there's no clear lines between them. There's a scale and it has to be balanced. And money is a solid, verifiable measure of value.

I think the drama has done good job showing this uncomfortable space where two people are trying but their entry points are so different that it's just not working. He's always had power so....I think of it this way, he has the hammer of power so everything seems like a nail to him. And he reads her through that lens. Her vulnerability is another 'act' or doesn't amount to that much because what do you do with vulnerability? And she's astute enough to comment gently, several times now, that gifts are transactional, that she does the things she does -- because, yes, expectation but also because she sees a need that she can fill and so she does.

I won't even get into his emotional infidelity piece of it. That's for another day. But, I think if their divorce era is coming then it'll be a rude awakening for him. Primarily, because of their divergent povs. He thinks that his resources and money play a bigger part in her choices than they actually do so she won't leave because it'll leave her with nothing. It'll be terrible for her too and in different ways. She'll see a relationship and safe space that she needed and wanted shatter. And to make it worse, it's a relationship she worked so terribly hard to build. So what does that say about her as a person? In terms of how it might go down, I think, they've shown her as a character for whom threats and being at the mercy of others is utterly unacceptable. So, she'll torch it all herself and walk away rather then be forced. A childhood spent being at the mercy of your ostensible caretakers and her own character have forged her into this person that she would rather have nothing (because there is always a chance to rebuild) than live on the whims of someone else. Neither of them is a bad person. They are both approaching this relationship from their own perspective and bringing their own claimed & unclaimed baggage with them.

For a contemporary, ostensibly idol-esque romantic c-drama, they're asked some tough questions with a lot of delicacy. Let's hope it unfolds with the same level of depth and doesn't crash and burn. Everyone has done a pretty solid job. ML is a nuanced actor but ZL has really upped her acting repertoire.

Wow. A drama that started out reasonably well ended up in this flaming dumpster fire. Incredible/.

Admittedly the subs were good enough to make me hold out until the censorship just got too much.

ikr?! 😅

Thank you! They have it on Iqiyi but it's censored 🤬

Apart from the title it has nothing in common with the cleverness, the charm and the messaging of the source material. I won't insult the original material by calling this an adaptation. It's simply a poorly rendered steaming pile of garbage, which has absconded with the name of the original while killing its spirit. Peace out.

Brilliant examination of idol land drama logic, what makes it tick and fail. Respecting your characters and your audiences. Bringing your audiences with you and investing in all characters and their growth. 101 of what makes for a satisfying ending rather than a "dreaded twist" that repulses your audiences and massacres the coherence of both your story and your characters. Really, really, well played Drama. You Done Good. 2025 is Liu Yuning's year. Fantastic drama. Enjoyed every moment. Rewatch value 9/10 especially when struggling with the crap-fest c-drama idol land produces on the regular.

Wow...I should stop betting with myself if a drama -- that started out with some promise -- is simply going to shoot itself in the face repeatedly. This one does. Again and again. I think the scriptwriters and director dug a new low in idol drama crap stakes. No semblance of logic, story coherence or character growth. After Dream Within A Dream's masterful post mortem of drama logic with its narrative structure, twists and tropes it's hard to un-see the garbage heap this one is.

The leaps of logic in their deductions are getting a bit much. Not to mention, for someone who's secretly moonlighting as the coroner (a woman disguised as a man) way too many peeps know of there identity. The scriptwriter is just letting things slide. Also, with how freaking obvious the 2 leads everyone alive or dead knows they're into the each other so I don't know why the ostensibly super sharp grannies are being all like...wot, quel surprise etc. Do better show.

I'm really enjoying how the men are politicking in the drama. Typically, it's a thankless assigned to women in the inner yard -- which sister or female cousin is up for grabs in the building alliances marital stakes, and who's connected to whom and how -- but it's an interesting and clever gender reversal to see the men -- rightly so! -- so in tune with it. The scene with the prince and first house's heir was classic with each of them having dissecting the other's political and relational machinations.
I wish the didn't make the FL proselytise about justice/what have you so much. There's that one speech in every ep. It's a ham fisted bit of dialogue that's not in keeping with how she's depicted overall. But that's a minor thing compared to how well the drama is going so far.
Hardly an 2x speed! hahaha

Folks, anyone have the link for this please?

Thanks! It works still. :)

Wonderful, thank you!

First 2 eps were explosive. Excited about how the rest unfolds. :)

Excellent! Intelligently crafted (I mean those changeable opening credits suggest the degree of thoughtful planning and care that went into this drama), excellent acting -- not a single weak link, exciting cinematography, and a very cleverly unfolding script. Been a while since I watched such a well plotted noir k-drama. Plus Kim Dami's styling #chefskiss 🔥🔥. Honourable mention to the beanie of doom. 🤣