My Liberation Notes

I am sold!!!

Jang Hyuk, my heart and soul ...yes!!!!!!

I will not engage with your personal attacks or aggressive rhetoric. It tells me everything I need to know and proves my point.

You're attempts to use the real issue of industry ageism to attack the casting decisions of two talented actors whose work should be judged on its merit, not arbitrary age calculations has no merit. Furthermore, basing your outrage on a supposed "CEO/employee" dynamic is pure speculation when the drama is built on a rivalry between a seasoned actor and a tenacious reporter.

My focus remains on the quality of the drama, the success of the actors, and the necessity of judging art by its performance, not by an outdated spreadsheet of ages. I support talented actresses over 45 getting more leading roles, and that support does not require me to tear down veteran male actors. As far as I am concerned, this conversation is over.

Thank you!!!!

How absurd. You are using the valid issue of female age discrimination to attack a specific male actor and the drama, which is utterly counterproductive to the cause you claim to champion. The notion that I am "ignoring" the problem is absurd. I am actively supporting the idea that talent and narrative matter most for both men and women. If you genuinely cared about longevity and opportunity for older actresses, you would be advocating for more roles for them rather than attacking a veteran male actor who has earned his role.

Attacking this casting only reinforces the idea that there is an arbitrary age limit on who can work with whom, which is the very problem older actresses face. With that said, I will continue to celebrate the phenomenal acting and chemistry of Lee Jung Jae and Im Ji Yeon. Their success is a win for diverse storytelling, which is always better than clinging to small-minded age rules. Thank you!!!

I wholeheartedly agree with this observation. It perfectly highlights the double standard. If the roles were reversed, an older, established female lead paired with a younger male lead of the same age gap the same critics would be praising the show for being progressive. We have clear evidence of this with the excellent 2014 drama Witch's Romance. That show paired Uhm Jung Hwa (in her early 40s) with a much younger Park Seo Joon, and it was widely lauded for their "amazing chemistry" and for showing that communication and talent make the age gap irrelevant.

The fact that this pairing in Nice To Not Meet You is seen as a problem only when the ML is older confirms my original point: the backlash isn't about chemistry or credibility; it's simply about clinging to outdated, gendered expectations for romantic leads. We should be celebrating all actors based on their performance not their age or how good they look.

Chemistry is driven by acting talent, not by an arbitrary age gap number. Lee Jung Jae and Im Ji Yeon are phenomenal actors whose performances are driving the story, which is what matters in a drama. Furthermore, the drama is built around the clash between their different life stages and careers, making the dynamic enjoyable rather than unbelievable. To insist that a talented leading man is only allowed to romance an older actress, or that a younger actress might not enjoy the role because the leading man is older, misses the point of diverse storytelling and, frankly, proves my original point.

Why does age matter, I don't get it.

An immediate 10/10 masterpiece. I'm already completely hooked. Lee Jung Jae looks phenomenal. I deeply appreciate his work. I didn't recognize Im Ji Yeon at first, but this look on her is stunning; it truly makes her look younger than her age. And Kim Ji Hoon is simply gorgeous!

I am giving a deliberate high rating to counter-measure against the small-mindedness I'm seeing online. Those people who are trying to trash this show/actor just because the lead isn't what they fantastically envision a main lead in a romance drama should look like deserve a reality check. The notion that older actors shouldn't lead romantic dramas is foul, outdated, and frankly, needs to end.

I feel drawn to this, I don't know why

This is going to be sooooooo good

This is the kind of cathartic drama I've been waiting for! I genuinely hope the execution of this storyline is as powerful as the premise promises. The core concept is deeply compelling: the ultimate act of fierce, protective loyalty. It makes one truly want to believe that if facing abuse, your best friend would step and take action, if not with a literal final action, then with a commitment to fierce, unwavering defense. Here’s me hoping the drama delivers on this powerful bond

Oh, we are headed to Japan at some point, I cannot wait.

The discourse surrounding significant age differences in loving relationships often puzzles me. When it comes to genuine connection, why is age given such disproportionate weight? To question or suggest or even question that a person in their fifties or whatever age, for that matter, cannot experience the profound, fresh wonder of falling in love for the very first time seems to indicate that there is a certain chronological timeline to one experiencing their "first love," which is ridiculous. Love, in its essence, is a connection of souls, not a calculation of years. It defies fixed rules.

I loved her in Mad for Each Other, and I cannot wait to see what she brings here.

I am all about Shin Ha Kyun

She is gorgeous!!!!

The utter contempt I feel for Lee Gyeong's family is absolute. In my eight years of watching K-dramas, this is the first mother I have seen abandoning her child. I've seen mothers, even for the most monstrous, turn into desperate warriors for their sons, even when they know they're as guilty as sin. Yet Lee Gyeong's mother, the worst of the lot, didn't just abandon him (I mean, not just her; the whole family, and the father, what a coward); she actively distrusted the son she had borne and raised. That lack of faith is the ultimate betrayal to me. The fact that they could dismiss the ten years of living hell they inflicted on him because they finally got the proof of his innocence, especially when he was a minor, makes their guilt even greater than the initial injustice. They do not deserve forgiveness. I am sad this drama ended. I was so hooked. Now I have to find something else to watch that grabs my attention as much as this did.

All in all, a great drama. It was chaotic, thrilling, funny at times, and heartbreaking at times. The core message this drama leaves me with is that the incessant, grinding pressure of the real world, financial ruin, terminal illness, and social betrayal, pushes ordinary, decent people to do monstrous things. No one is immune to becoming a criminal. When society fails you and the system offers no lifeline, the "good person" facade collapses. Desperate situations lead to desperate measures, proving that crime, even when born from love, is a poison that consumes the soul.
As much as the ending seems like a travesty, I think there might be a second season to this —just a gut feeling.

I am so glad to see this show back on the small screen, and I love it regardless of what it is called now. I am just happy most of the team stayed together, and I can see them play again. Fireworks Baseball is flaming, burning, piping hot, and I am here for all of it. If you're addicted to this show like I am, you can watch it on https://studioc1.co.kr/. All episodes are available to stream with English subtitles. They might not be the best subtitles, but they're good enough.

You should, the subtitles are not the best but good enough I remember I used to watch this show without subtitles on ondemandkorea as it released the episodes earlier than Netflix ... actually this is how I found out JBTC released a new version on the Monsters with new players and that the monsters are now Flame Fighters. I love this team and I could careless who they are now or where they play as long as I get to enjoy the show with the team intact. But I understand what you mean. Where I watch it there aren't any commercials.