Kyubin

Well, if you need to write or read an essay to make a story understandable for all, that's proof that there is a problem with the writing I think.

I don't think this person is right or wrong, it's only that person point of view of the drama so far (the last two episodes can change the interpretations and points of view). Another person can (and did) a different analysis of it and it could be valid too.

From 헤븐리 Heavenly:
"도회가 뭔가를 숨기고 있는 것 같아 🫣
보드라운 행복으로 포장한 긴장감 🎢"

The fluffy happy end is coming... I bet, just like I thought, it will be like nothing happened, leaving us with shallow reasons for everything but, hey!, what's matter is that it ends on a happy scene with a kiss, right ? 🙄

Or maybe they are adults who understand perfectly what's going on but think it's not well executed in a way or lack something ? Not everybody has to think or like the same you know.
This kind of condescending comments are really the worst... Praise the drama for what you like about it, stop complaining about others having a different opinion. Grow up ! ;)

For me he is just a cliché character. Hiding his feeling and sexual attraction for Do Hoe while they were in high school by bullying him. Then sticking to him as they meet again in college, hoping for Do Hoe to fall for him while he likes another man. Nothing interesting in that, too shallow for me.

Wouldn't be interested by a spin off focusing on Hyeon Ho, the character is not likeable at all for me, but Jang Yeon Woo definitely exudes a very sexy and lusty vibe, so I understand you and would be happy to see him more in the future.

I understand your point of view but I'm not convinced. "Moving" was in 2023, "The Atypical Family" this year and "Cashero" (I wasn't aware of this one so thank you for pointing it), is scheduled for next year. I don't really see a "trend" with so few dramas. Compared to dozens of rom-com every year, and other usual genres, it's quite a small amount.
I know Chang Wook mentioned that in an interview. I think it was after "The Worst of Evil". But in reality, if he is typecast, it's more as a rom-com master I think.
It's not that I want to see him play in an action movie/drama. Just that this one was offering a new type of character compared to his previous projects. So yes, a fantasy drama would sound good for me too.
As for "Frabicated City", it sounds more and more like the movie sequel each time some information is shared about this drama. I love the movie, so this lack of originality bothers me, but hopefully it will be good.
I have been a fan of Chang Wook for a long time, I'm always rooting for him, but I'm not a member of a cult, so I'm still having personal opinions and can be critic about his choices and projects, something many "fans" don't understand.

Of course there is saturation of super heroes stories over the world, but Marvel is Marvel, here it's a Korean drama, so it's still very different, and it looks nothing like the recent super powers dramas you mentioned.

As for the reference to "The K2", people should really move on. It was 8 years ago. He did "Fabricated City" next in 2017. And then only rom-coms and others things until "The Worst of Evil" last year that had some action, and this year and next year he is having new roles with more action again, but it's far from an actor being cornered to only action roles. "Welcome to Samdal-ri", which is the epitome of rom-com, was last year too.

Of course Chang Wook will do what he wants to do. Still, when it comes to adding a different type of roles to his filmography, this one is a miss, compared to is next project that is just the remake drama of "Fabricated City".

Really looking forward to this sageuk ! I think it might be a very good surprise for sageuk lovers.

Sharing roughly your opinion, and having watched "Hidamari ga Kikoeru" and "Happy of the End" with a similar opinion, I'm worried to watch "Love In the Big City" now, because I guess I won't be happy with it. ^^

Latest trailer: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bqX_LkPHphw
I'm starting to have high expectations for this sageuk. I hope it will not disappoint.
I have absolutely not doubt for Im Ji Yeon's performance. And from the brief moments we see Young Woo in the trailer, I think he will be very good in this role.

Spring should have communicate about this before. Actors management companies (or actors if they decide about this too) have a weird way to communicate about the project they do or not. It's not difficult to stop a rumour by stating that the actor will not be part of this drama/movie. And it avoids much disappointment from the fans.

And as I wrote when the first rumour about Chang Wook not being part of it appeared, I think it's really his loss this time to not participate in this drama (whatever his reasons are). Objectively, it would have been very interesting to see him play such kind of character and play in this type of drama. Too bad.

He is not an average teacher, he is a top hagwon (private school) tutor, which pays a lot, a lot, in Korea.

There is definitely a curse with this drama.

With this quality of production and acting it could be very very good, excellent. Some of the scenes are really on a level we don't often see, especially for this production scale. It's beautiful, and beautifully done.

But that story and characters developments just don’t work for me, and I can’t overlook it. And it's not that I don't understand this or that, like some very arrogant people keep commenting here since the beginning, when someone share a critical opinion on the drama. It just doesn't make sense for me.

The 12 years gap between Do Hoe's disappearance and their reunion has finally a justification, Do Hoe has to show off how successful he is now, but a lesser years gap would have done the same and be more realistic. For me, Do Hoe and Hyeon Ho relationship doesn't make sense neither considering their past. And Do Hoe's reasoning for his actions has no complexity, it is just totally shallow, under the pretext of trauma and psychological illness. It becomes even cliché in a way.

It’s so good in some aspects, that it's even more disappointing that the story and characters development are not as good.

I doubt the next and last two episodes will change anything. But at least we will get beautiful scenes and can enjoy Lee Sun's insane charm as Ju Young a little bit more.

Not a zombie-themed film... ㅠㅠㅠ

Oh please no, Chang Wook, not a zombie movie... I really hope he will not do it. That's the worst genre of film for me.

You see, everything his resumed in these words you wrote : "so it would make sense that he'd forgive hyunho". Well, no.
Maybe it make sense for you, but definitely not for me, it's quite the opposite, it makes no sense for me. But that's okay, because of many factors, even though we watched the same thing we have different understanding of it and views on it.
Unlike Meg's comment or others, I don't say that I'm right and that the others are stupid for thinking differently, but that my opinion on this is different, that's the big difference. These contemptuous comments some have here are really annoying.

"Some of you are really blind and tone-deaf to these subtle nuances and subtext which are clearly there and when someone points this out you all act butthurt and hyper-defensive."
Typically the attitude I can't stand here. You are right, everyone else who have a different opinion is wrong. What's the point to exchange with you ? I don't see the interest of debating if you can't accept that others can have a different understanding and views.
To me, what you wrote is not wrong, it's just your opinion and your interpretation of what we both watched but see differently.

Just one thing though, you wrote about nuance and subtlety, but obviously, your are also blind to the fact that Hyeon Ho is the one commanding the bullying against Do Hoe because he has the most power in their group. So because he doesn't used his fists directly he is nice and not bullying him but defending him instead ? We don't have the same definition of bullying then. That is just one of the most cliché thing seen in dramas and movies with bullying, but yes, sure, I'm the one who is blind and tone-deaf.

That could makes sense for me, maybe, but here you are also ignoring the fact that he ends up being super close with the guy that was bullying him violently, probably because at some point they had feelings for each others but Ha Hyeon Ho refused to accept that and used Do Hoe's father violence against his students to retaliate using Do Hoe as a punching ball. So after 12 years they are now super close, maybe even having something going on between them, but that's coherent with Do Hoe behaviour's towards Ju Young ? Well, that doesn't work for many people, like me.
We will see what exactly happens in episodes 5 and 6, and hopefully some justifications will be made for that, but if it simply passes like a storm and end with Ju Young being just forgetful and Do Hoe slowly warming up to him and falling in love with him again, that 12 years time skip and the reasons for Do Hoe's disappearance will appear to be totally useless.

It took me a second watching to appreciate "To My Star 2" actually, but after the first watch I thought exactly like you, and I think everything you pointed out is still valid, even though I like it better now.

And what you highlight regarding "Let Free the Curse of Taekwondo" is for me the key point that damaged this story. Because, of course we can all understand Do Hoe wanting to escape his father considering his past, but he is the one who disappeared while Ju Young fought for him and was waiting for him, and he purposely avoided him for 12 years (like it's not 6 months or even 2 years, it's 12 years !)
All people defending Do Hoe using Ju Young bonding with his father are just wrong, because they justify his actions based on that, when it actually happened after he left and disappeared from Ju Young's life, totally ignoring his and Ju Young feelings.

The point is not that we have to be on Do Hoe's side, or Ju Young's side, just that as a watcher, it doesn't work for many of us.
As you wrote, me might have a plausible explanation for that in the next episodes, but just like you I doubt it too, and I'm not convinced by the "psychological" reason some people gave neither (that he left because he was afraid to become violent like his father).

YNK Entertainement is doing a poor job at promoting their rookie actor.

So far, they only promoted Sun three times through their social medias (X, Instagram, Naver, nothing on Youtube).
The first time was in August 2023 when he made his debut in the MV for the song "No Love" by Chu Hwa Jeong.
The second time was in April 2024 for his birthday.
And the third time was in July 2024, when he attended Bucheon International Fantastic Film Festival.
That's good, and it's fair for a rookie actor that didn't had anything public going on in the meantime.

But in the last few weeks, there was absolutely nothing, despite Sun doing is official debut in a drama. I really don’t understand that. I hope they will share something when "Let Free the Curse of Taekwondo" ends but, nonetheless, they failed him here, because they should have promoted his first drama before, and every week during its airing.

And despite being whit them for more than a year, he doesn’t have a page amongst their artists on their website…

I hope he will get better promotion in the future and that we will see Sun in many more dramas or movies.