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Clichés and incompleteness

The main idea is quite unique. Then you get bombarded with all the clichés you could imagine in a k-drama; which is not necessarily a bad thing, because this is why many people watch them and find comfort in the familiarity of it all. In this case, some were unnecessary. I will never let go of my despise for the past life/Joseon era trope. I skipped most of the scenes involving the Joseon era story retelling or at least I watched them sped-up - to capture the essence of the happenings to a certain degree. They were boring, somewhat repetitive. And then came my second least trope, the misunderstanding. I detest how the guy cursed and made the life of several generations insufferable, just because of his misjudgement. If he is a god, why didn't he do something against it? Or at least try to learn what happened exactly, like, earlier? Why did he decide to punish them in this timeline? Another unanswered case is the other villain. Why didn't they disclose his case appropriately? And the little brother's with the girl? Because they definitely made the watcher think that something could develop between them but there was no proper closure regarding this case either. Not to mention that in one of the episodes, the mother of him was mentioned, but absolutely no other thing was revealed about neither of her (except that she lives abroad?), nor their family in general. Why does he live with his uncle? The ending felt disappointing as well. A proper ending can do wonders. And vice versa. The relationship and behavior of the characters felt somewhat childish, considering the fact that most of them were pushing 30 and were teachers as well. I was also worried about the borderline teacher-student relationships: the weird addition that the younger brother substituted Mr. Jin, his confession to the FL and that the past lover of the mountain god reappeared as a student of his.
Now on the bright side. The chemistry between the FL and the ML is good, the acting is satisfactory too. The improvement in Cha Eunwoo's acting is noticeable as well, and it was nice seeing kisses other than the typical dead fish-type. The side characters are a good addition and the anti-bullying message is very important and efficiently conveyed.
Despite the flaws and plotholes, I do not regret watching it (but would not rewatch it).

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For a specific audience

If you are looking for an action-filled series with lots of drama, this is not the one for you. Neither does it feature a soul-stirring love triangle. People are so used to the importance of a passionate romance plot in almost all dramas that they forget it does not have to be and does not need to be dramatic. Love does not need to be loud, love can be comforting, safe and subtle. This idea is supported by the cinematography of the Hong Kong scenes (which I absolutely adored).
The portrayal of love and the struggles in adult life in this drama brought me to tears a few times, even as someone who does not usually get emotional to this extent. Especially scenes featuring Munjeong and her husband. Who does not wish to have such a supportive and loving partner in life?
To end the romance part argument of the series, I enjoyed the subtle hints at the fact that Changwon adored Heeji. But would it have been logical if this subplot developed into a dramatic love triangle? The answer is in the genre of the series. I believe people forget what slice of life is and enjoy slow pace in such an accelerated way of life in the modern world.
For the law-related aspect, it is admirable how they portrayed the hardships someone working in this field can go through.
As a conclusion, the general audience is not ready for a mature drama like this. But if you are an adult who can enjoy things other than action, and you are also somewhat interested in the world of law, then this might suit you.
P.S.: Lee Jongsuk looked fantastic in glasses.

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