launev

so here is my hot take after finishing this series (and by finishing, I mean all 12 episodes)
I would agree with a lot of the commentators that I am not sure why the separated this into two - you really have to watch the entire thing for it to work. Luckily, there wasn't that big of a gap in-between season 1 and season 2
That being said - it is kind of a hot mess and of you can just let ALOT of stuff go - its not too bad.
Loved Kim Nam Gil - he got the smoldering down quite well in this, Cha Eu Woon got the cute, idol thing down. Not a big fan of Lee Da Her character - she spends way too much time being the damsel who constantly needs rescuing and it isn't until the literal last episode of season 2 that she finally gets it. I am also not a fan of the stick-thin, I can see your collar bones thin actresses.
Fight scenes were pretty good and they do leave us with a potential for season 3 - which would be nice, but not holding by breath on that one - and I only want to see a season 3 to see if Van returns and is saved - that is really all I want to know

another 'meh' cdrama for me. I didn't much care for all the counseling sessions and couldn't really buy into the FL being a genius psychologist - part if this was how the actress did - so stiff and it felt like she was just reciting lines about psychology. Her character does loosen up in the latter part of the series - but she spends most of this series with either this dead-pan look, wide-eyed, dear-in the headlights look on her face (I find she is like this in many of her series) - too many loose ends and plot holes that don't even et resolved in the follow-up series. I ff'd through most of this.

Serious plot holes, brand new child-hood trauma for FL (like her brothers drowning wasn't enough), the dragged out counseling sessions, no real conclusion to Jai Hui's whole crazy dad story. Only plus to this is the how awesome a boyfriend/partner ML is - like gold-standard stuff - this really was the only positive part of this drama - well, and that it is only 8 episodes.

I didn't read the book - hence, why I fall in the category of this relationship doesn't work

I am fascinated reading through the comments as I push my way through this series (seriously, both the seasons are kind of slog) - mostly about how, apparently, the relationship between and Ning Que and Sang Sang is so incredibly different between the series and the book - not sure why the decision was made to portray it the way they did in the series (which is completely awkward, not very romantic and I could even argue inappropriate) - as oppossed to, what sounds like a much deeper relationship and one that makes much more sense in the book - sad that we don't get to see it the way it was written.
And because of that people fall into one of two camps - if you read the books - you like this relationship and if you didn't, you don't.

Painfully made my way through this. Could have totally done this is half the time - sooo draggy.
Not liking too many of the characters, beyond the ML and some of his relationships - especially with his talisman mentor and the back hill brother and sisters.
The biggest thing that doesn't work for me in this series is the coupling of the Ning Qui and Sang Sang. Lets start with the the fact that he has raised her since she was an infant (so more a parent/child relationship), the for most of her life she has been his maidservant (so maid/master relationship) - those two relationship dynamics alone should have been enough to not make them a couple -but they go there and then what I found doesn't work is that their relationship dynamic never really changes- she is still the maid and he is still the young master - there is never a sense of really anything beyond that. Clearly there is love there - but it's more the love of family, not being in-love with someone. You clearly see the difference, especially with this relationship with the Bookworm Maniac. I am then annoyed with the Sang Sang character - cause she clearly knows and makes him choose. Overall, I just never got any sense of them as a romantic couple - like NOT AT ALL. It was the big brother taking care of his younger sibling and so when they go anywhere near a romantic point - it just feels awkward and kind of gross.
I think it really is the imbalance in their relationship that causes most of this - they never feel like equal partners. You contrast that with the relationships he has with the three other women - those just feel more like they are on the same level - especially the Bookworm Maniac and the Doaist Maniac.
The princess is annoying - the bratty, boo-hooo, my mom died and my dad remarried, and I so don't even know the whole story - but I am going try and make my stupid brother the emperor even though he sucks and I am going to listen to all the wrong people all the time, the young child trying to play grown-up politics - yeah, not that appealing of a character.
Did not really enjoy the sang sang character at all (becomes only slightly interesting with the old dude shows up and that relationship)- she just never develops past being the cutesy little girl who just cooks and cleans all the time - she just never matures and is stuck in this child-like mode the whole time - so, she is not that interesting of a character in the end. it doesn't help that the actress they cast for the role looks like she is 12yr old - adds to the immaturity of the character.
And don't even get me started on one of the most annoying characters - Long Quing - again, just one sorry-ass note of a character - the entitled, prideful dude who can't admit he is wrong - seriously - the amount of whining he does is just ridiculous
And on a completely superficial note - all the horrible haircuts (seriously, who thought long mullets were the way to go) are just distracting!

yes, that too!

Wrapped this up in one go - mostly because I ff'd through most of it - the sports drama wasn't really that exciting and got kind of repetitive - so, meh!
The romance part just didn't really work for me - I never 'felt' it - she always just felt like the coach and he the student - it never really got out of this mode for me. Of course - it was even weirder, cause she also never really felt like his coach - I mean, besides the pointer at the beginning - she never really coaches him anywhere. So this disconnect happened - she was his coach, but not really, the tension of the love story is supposed to be the taboo of a student/coach relationship (which, quite frankly should be at that age - there is a power dynamic here) - but she isn't really his coach - so its fine. I don't know - it all just did not work for me
It was also the first noona story where I REALLY felt the age gap - he never grew out of the young pup who has a crush on his coach and she always just felt the like older coach (which was also weird cause she was actually still a student herself - but she felt MUCH older)
The actors were all perfectly fine - just a weirdly written story that missed its mark

Just wrapped this up and can say, while it started out stupid, it did end pretty well - but you do have to let go of a bunch of stuff and just go with it. The two leads did have great chemistry and for the most part have a very healthy, adult relationship that is refreshing.
I also always appreciate when there is no parent drama trying to keep them apart.
Downsides:
Let's start with the premise that a 30yr old woman is running a dating/match making app/service and she has never dated anyone before. Her only experience (if you can really call it that) is having had a crush on her former boss because her was nice to her - I get that that is kind of the ironic pint of this, but I am just buying it.
And can we please stop with the rich, little girl who grew up with the ML and thinks they are together or should be when its glaringly obvious they don't like them in the slightest - this has got to be one of the tropes I hate the most - and this particular character is exceptionally annoying
And the second worst trope - the gossipy co-workers who are obsessed with everyone's love-life - can we just stop with these please.

This is one of those cdamas that suffers from bad writing, editing issues and just an ok cast.
The story itself could've been very interesting, but too many plot holes and weirdness.
I struggled to get past the ML choking the FL 3 times in the first part - made it hard to accept them as a couple - he was seriously abusive - so not ok.
The typical, ridiculous best friend who really adds NOTHING to the story - FF'd through most of her scenes.
I did appreciate the there is no parent/grandparent trying to break them up and no real secondary love interest trying to get in the way - that is always a good thing.
Business rival and drama was that interesting to me - pretty typical stuff
Overall though, its an ok watch and its short/quick - so doesn't take up much time.

dear lord the writing and acting (especially the FL) is bad on this. The story itself is interesting enough that I will finish - but, man!
Mostly it's the FL - she is so stiff and has the same blank expression on her face the whole time. I can't really feel much sympathy for her as she keeps making things harder for herself out of pure, ego/pride-driven stubbornness - to an absurd level.
She lies all the time - anytime anyone asks her a question - where are you? how are you? her response is always a lie - saying she is home, when she isn't kind of thing - to everyone, even her best friend - again, mostly because of this stupid idea that she can take care of herself and doesn't want to 'worry' anyone or 'owe' anyone anything - its just dumb.
She just kind of an awful character - not sure what the appeal is here.
The best friend who treats her like she is a small child instead of grown-ass adult, I find it utterly annoying
The in-laws and extended family - THE WORST! especially the aunt and the pregnant cousin
And, seriously, people, stop doing shit thinking you are 'helping' when the other person has already told you no or hasn't asked for it
And it is soooo draggy - taking forever to unfold, which is making me so not care about whatever the mystery is.
And its not forget the overwhelming amount of creepy old guys lurking about - I know they were probably going for being mysterious- but they all just came across as super-creepy - it always makes me laugh how much time top executives of a big corporation have to go lurking about places

on ep 5 and dear lord these people are awful - and not just the leads - but everyone - its making it very difficult to watch because everyone is so damn annoying
The nosy, pushy coworkers (seriously - mind your own damn business and stop being so obsessed with other people personal lives); the manipulating rich-girl SFL(seriously - she is awful - just making my skin crawl), the angry-bitchy FL(ok, we get it, your brother died - but this is ridiculous), the creepy boss; the love-struck, puppy SML(dude, get clue - she isn't really that into you) and the quiet ML who keeps hesitating over and over again. Seriously, who thought this would an enjoyable thing to watch for 16 episodes

Well - that was fucking depressing
If you like tragic, fight for the throne to the death, historical dramas - this one is for you.
If you want to see two of the worst fathers in a historical drama - this one is for you.

agreed - which is why I said I was initially annoyed and I like how they resolved it quickly - cause, yes, they could have dragged that out for an eternity!

fun, short rom-com. While I was annoyed at the original premise of the FL going after ML because of overhearing part of a convo and totally misunderstanding his relationship with the niece - I came around to it and enjoyed the rest. I really liked that once they were both all-in, they were all-in and had a complete, healthy, adult relationship.

Slightly better than the first season - but man, whoever wrote this really doesn't like women. Again, made one of the most annoying female lead characters.

Decided to go ahead and watch this before starting season 2 and man, I don't know if its because this was done in 2016 or what - but I do not get all the love for this one.
I like Dr. Kim, the head nurse and most of the staff at the hospital - but the two, young main leads - I seriously just wanted to slap both of them through most of the series, the medical stories were so repetitive and tropey ( I FF'd through most of it) and the whole extra episode 21 - what was that for???
Here is to hoping season 2 is better

Very fun and lite - good humor. ML has great comedic timing
Chemistry between leads is just ok and it doesn't help that when they do finally kiss - its that flat, fish kissing - just lips pressed together and no movement - I always find it so weird
Queen Dowager is great
Side characters are just kind of - meh - but overall its fun

Just finished it and will just say - its ok, not bad and a good enough watch. Of course, I will pretty much watch anything with Song Joong Ki in it - but I would say, this isn't once of his best (and slightly disappointing after Vincenzo) - but ok enough to watch
Not sure why they chose to have an actor in his early thirties play a character who is in his early 20's for most of the series - and while SJK has a baby-face to start with - the weird 'zoom' filter they applied to him to make him look younger - was just weird - he looked like he had a plastic face
And if you are going to have a romance aspect - then do it right - I hate it when its thrown in there as an afterthought - they spent no real time together, which then doesn't create any chemistry, which then makes it pointless and irrelevant to the story.
Ending gets a little weird - but if you can follow, kind of makes sense - but just kind of fizzle and not satisfying at all.

Just finished and wondering if anyone has any info on a season 2 - glad it didn't end on a cliffhanger like Joy of Life - but clearly not the end of the story