interregnum

Never have I had such a good time with something that so thoroughly lost the plot. An absolutely brilliant first half gave way to a slapdash second half that felt like it had been cut down from a script that was twice as long. But engaging characters, excellent performances, and a deliciously indulgent detour into Korean dating shows wins the day, for me. I'll remember this one fondly--albeit with an asterisk.

Once we got past the halfway point, a lot of the show felt like this, like a scene or story beat is missing. It's as though the script was written for 20 episodes and then suddenly got cut down to 12 after they started filming.

I can't speak to anyone else who gave it a low score, but, while I understood the whole thing, I just found it painfully boring.

I love time travel, romance, and Jeon Yeo-been, and I had to grit my teeth to get through it. I found not a single element of the show compelling. I was quite disappointed, too, because I'd been looking forward to it for a long time. (And, no, I've not seen the original.)

I loved this show through the first 6 episodes, but it feels like we’ve started splicing episodes together when we hit 7 and 8, like they had a script for a longer series and had to scale back. Between the dating show love triangle the writers are thrilled about but we never see play out or the machinations of First Love Girl, it felt to me like we were skipping sections of story that had been there but were set aside so the plot-necessary points of two episodes could be hit over the course of one. I’m still enjoying the show a great deal, but it’s dropped a peg—for the moment.

I believe they cast older actors as her classmates to make her seem that much smaller and less physically mature.

I was wondering the same thing. My assumption is that her power saves her, just as it appears to have (in some way) been the cause of the accident. Her father going back in time to save her is an interesting idea, but it's also tough to see--given the limited information we have through two epiosdes--how he'd be able to do that, given that he's limited to revisiting his own memories and literally was not there for the accident. It doesn't mean he won't be able to do more with his powers in the future, of course, so he very well could jump in, grab her and, like, pull her with him to the future for a moment (or something) before sending her back after the crash.

That smile melts me every time I see it. Pure sunshine, this one, and it always comes across in her performances. Obviously, I'd love to see her in a variety of roles, but...I'm also going to insist that even dark or depressing characters have at least a single moment where she gets to beam with joy. Selfish of me, I know, but I stand by it.

I know. But the thing I keep coming back to in my head is the editing strategy: we get every moment Ju-yeon has ever mentioned him or looked in his direction. It feels a lot more like this impending love triangle is being told from her perspective than from Ji-won's. (And practically nothing from Jae-hyung, of course.) I dunno, I just think it feels excessive if this is all just to get us to cry alongside her as he sails off with the cool goth girl.

Finally caught up. And the only thing I ship harder than JY x JH is JY x SS. Or, really, JY x whatever keeps her smiling.

Singapore is going to be absolute chaos.

Yes, he did, pretty much right away. In the kitchen, if I remember correctly. I believe it was a necklace he gave her.

Well, if nothing else, I had a great time with this show. I really liked the cast, and I really liked the production decisions (pacing, editing, changes, additions, the whole string motif--even the literal bus stops they put together for the decisions). It's not as good as S2, but I think I liked it more, if that makes sense. And, yeah, I'd absolutely watch a Season 4.

Given how she's treated him--especially in the last two episodes--she clearly doesn't want to be with him. I think the only way she'd pivot to him in the end is if Ju-won is too shaky for her to believe he'd choose her, because Yu-jung's need for consistent assurance has been, well, a consistent part of her character.

That said, I think Ep 19 was ALLLLLL about that deceptive editing, where it could get away with it, which is why it seems like the two new couples we were sure of (Hye-won x Dong-jin; Yu-jung x Ju-won) are in danger of not happening. Are they caught up in feeling the end-of-school blues? Absolutely. Are they really as close to reversing course as the episode and preview portrayed? Not a chance.

Don't you try to trick me with your cliffhanger edit strategy, show. HWxDJ is happening, and I'll brook no arguments otherwise!

Also, watching CJ talk to YJ is like watching someone take the Kobayashi Maru test: there are no winning moves. Except, here, the "test" gets mad at you for failing the lose-lose situation.

I have been dying for the Hye-won/Da-hye chat since she brought it up last week, and the preview starting with that got me so excited--and then immediately knifed me in the gut with that pending Da-hye/Dong-jin/Hye-won/Hwi-hyun dual love triangle car crash.

I ask for so little, dating show gods. Why must you both giveth and taketh away?

"Man, I can't believe we got a whole two-hour episode of sweetness and rainbows! Given how the other Jeju episodes have gone, I was expecting a bunch of arguWHAT DO MEAN THERE'S ANOTHER HOUR LEFT?!"

Completely agree. She was equal parts stunned, resigned, and enlightened in that interview. And her being able to recognize/perceive that the man she still loves (and, at the heartbreaking crux of their conflict, who still loves her) seems to be happier or better off with someone else...man, that slapped me in the face. I'm glad she could see it as plainly as we've been able to since the bubble date, but for her to not just see it but be able to compare it objectively...that's just impressive. I don't think Da-hye gets the happiest ending to the show, but she is damn sure walking away from the show as a winner.

Come on, think positively! If I can sit through KT being...all of that...for weeks and weeks, I'm sure you can sit through a few scenes of YJ rolling her eyes as CJ tries to express himself. I believe in you!

Oo, good call on CJ. I was leaning towards MH being a jerk to SJ as Ep 15's turn at "villain," but whenever we get something like that from CJ...oof, that'll get a response.

...until he cries, and then everyone forgives him.

That's my problem with the show, as well. Dividing them into teams so they can play games seems more like a stall tactic for the runtime than actual competition. I love everything else, but I think the teams idea just doesn't seem to fit the show overall--or the show doesn't suit the teams idea.

So...theories on whose turn it will be to have his or her "bad look" day next week?