koof

I really enjoyed this show. It has a fantastic cast and I really appreciate the ensemble nature of it. It is a bit weird in that at each character featured plays progressively a smaller role the farther the story goes, but I do enjoy that it isn't the typical 2 main characters with comic relief side characters. Most plot lines are good and each of the men and woman are different enough and have distinct dynamics that make them enjoyable.

The main negatives for me is that there is a lot of just artificially placed issues with many of the romances. Obviously you don't want smooth sailing but for me personally there are too many issues caused by complete failure in communication and unreasonable assumptions / idealism.

There are also 4 or 5 five scenes that are really despicable but played off as lighthearted or reasonable. They are minor enough in plot relevance which makes it annoying that they were even included. Examples include prolonging a forced abduction for brownie points, insane gaslighting, and just weird and callous behavior between family members.

Overall the show is very enjoyable, mostly due to the cast and production. The characters all have their unique elements and likeable. While some are close to being Mary Sues, most of them are more nuanced than a lot of other main roles portrayed in Chinese dramas.