lovelaughter

I think a lot of low ratings are because of the ending in the middle of the story for the benefit of the next season.

But yeah... it's sad how some really good dramas get low rating on MDL for no reason.

Oh, yes, definitely! I don’t have any other explanation except that he was a very flawed man who didn’t understand his emotions or how to communicate them. The fact that his second marriage failed, with the family moving to Canada (basically running away), is also a confirmation of this.

I think the point is that they didn't need to look for the biological parents anymore. He doesn't need to know who his biological dad is because all he wanted is to be accepted by his "adopted" dad. Her mom didn't seems interested at all in getting to know her daughter, so as she left her place she closed that page.

Without spoiling much, it's expected and realistic

The killer seems to be strong, as he was able to hurt him in other timelines as well. I think the medication is the reason it was concluded as a suicide. However, due to the doorbell ringing and the similarity to other timelines, I believe the killer is involved. Essentially, the repeated pattern seems to be that SJ saves Sol, the killer is arrested, and then the killer kills or hurts SJ.

Yes, I think so.

I really wanted to watch this drama and had been waiting for the right moment to do so, but I couldn't believe I found myself not liking it much. I'm not sure if it was because of the plot holes, or some issues being brushed over, or maybe because I was expecting something exceptional plot-wise given the high rating and A-list actors. I always feel it's better to be pleasantly surprised by a drama than let down by high expectations (sigh...). I really hope the second season will be stronger in terms of the story.

Yes! After scrolling through the comments section, I wish there was a separate page for everyone who’d like to share negative comments without much explanation, just to vent their frustration. I’m all for constructive criticism, but it feels destructive and disruptive reading through such warzones...

I love how well you described it.

+1!

He looked cool with glasses! Kind of a homey type of vibe

It was a nice move of ML to run to help the FL (and what a nice funny-to-watch plot twist), but still, I feel like it should've been her call whether to reveal this information or not. While the report was hilarious, I can totally understand her point of view

Thank you for your warm words! Somehow they brought comfort for me today.

I totally relate, sometimes I watch dramas to take my brain and put it into another world that is worry-free so I can rest. I am very happy to hear that this drama is able to do that for you!

For me, I think No Gain No Love is like this these days. I hoped that Cinderella at 2 AM will take this spot, but found myself thinking too much on the plot and characters. Still, I appreciate that aspect of it. Hope they will wrap it up well in the coming 2 weeks!

I am in a weird spot: I feel like I appreciate this drama because I can analyze it :D

I am also waiting for the ML to gain more courage to handle his mom and family. At the end of the day, it is his family, and he hasn’t yet given the FL enough validation that she can rely on him. The situation when she turned off her phone was probably the first one.

I am also curious about what the writers have planned for later. It could indeed follow the typical route where the last episode magically solves all the problems with solutions that are never explained, or it has the potential to be smarter than that. I guess we’ll find out soon.

Regarding the ML: he is portrayed as a very nice person who loves the FL very much. It’s exactly as he said that he won FL over on his own (perhaps the first thing he did by himself), and he really treasures that. What I find sad is that his motivations and emotions are often used to drive the plot and create cliffhangers, jumping from cold to hot (e.g., he’s going to leave everything but isn’t sure, he’s going to pursue her and then not, and then pursue her again, and so on). Maybe that’s why he might be perceived as a "simp." I wish his behavior were used less for plot convenience and more for character development. However, it is still well-portrayed that he is lost and hurt, and there is a lot of humanity in that.

I also hope we will see more honest communication between him and his mom. She seems a little bit more reasonable compared to the typical rich mom in similar dramas.

If you don’t communicate or show your interests - yes, that can happen. The ML didn’t communicate what he liked and he was perfectly happy doing things that the FL liked. He was even more excited about new movie releases, and so on. So there was no way for the FL to know what he actually liked. As soon as she learned, she was upset about it.

Of course, the portrayal of money offering/taking and the whole chaebol family setup in dramas is not very realistic.

Regarding the promise to his mother to break up, it was explained that she expected to break up with him sooner or later after learning about his background.

I’m not saying the FL is perfect; I just don’t think she is a red flag. Her character is actually well-written compared to other dramas, and her motivation is more or less clear. She has struggled a lot, worked hard, and achieved much. She understands her background and how it is viewed by society she lives in, and she also needs to take care of her brother. She wants a cozy, warm, and kind relationship and not to deal with something she will always be anxious about.

I think it was explained as she wanted to give him a reason to hate her to ease the breakup. After she learned about his background, she expected this meeting to happen sooner or later, so she kind of went along with it. I’ll be speculating, but from the show so far, it seems that she hasn’t touched or used this money for anything, nor does she intend to.

I felt that FL struggles are well explained in the drama. She had tons of responsibility as a kid and growing up, and now she's acting like an over-responsible adult who is actually inherently very warm and kind. Even with the breakup, she takes responsibility and plans to quit her job. She honestly does not think they belong together in the future, even though she struggles and has strong feelings. It is complex, but how is it a red flag? It seems realistic and human.

Oh! That makes sense!