lilly.eddie2019

I originally tried to watch this drama a while back, but dropped it because I wasn't sure about the female lead, and the story seemed like it wouldn't hold me, but I started to rewatch it because it was about to leave a streaming platform so I wanted to give it another try. I am so glad I did. The intimacy between the ML and FL took some time to get there but once it did, wow! I feel this was the most grown up kdrama about relationships that I have seen in this genre for a while. It tackled adultery, broken hearts, suicide, emotional manipulation, intense love both in bad and good ways. It even tackled same sex relationships, and the hurt it can cause yourself and everyone around you if you are not true to your sexuality. The only problem with this storyline is how thick the married sister was in not realising her husband's 'friend' was gay, or that her husband could be gay, or at least bi. Trying to set him (husband's friend) up with single girlfriends and even her husband saying he will be not interested and not interested in marriage, still didn'tmake the penny drop for her. Also how close he was to his 'friend'. Maybe it isn't an obvious thing in Korea to notice a man's sexuality, but I noticed from about episode 3 or 4 that her husband was in the closet, and really struggled with his sexuality. He just looked miserable throughout his marriage, even on his first date (the flasback/reminiscing scene) with his future wife he looked miserable. I found this storyline was more interesting that the FL and ML one. This main storyline was frustrating at times. The ML did all the chasing. The FL was cold at times, and was so selfish. I get she was hurt and betrayed by her boyfriend. A secret relationship for 2 years, I would have binned him after 6 months, but that isn't the point. His complex, and hurtful actions I think didn't help her open up, and because of her past trauma of seeing her dad's affair, and her mum's clinging behaviour towards her (which we find out later on was due to her own awareness of her husband's affair, and then subsequent death, had it's own complex issues). I loved how close she (FL's mother) became to the ML in the later episodes, and how when they (FL and ML getting back together. Never understood why she would leave him for 5 years, yet again FLs selfish behaviour), the FLs mother did not approve of them getting back together because the ML was to good for her daughter. Good on her. Calling her own daughter out for her selfish behaviour. Loved it. Overall I found this series enjoyable. Some good acting from some great actors. The various relationships that were going on around the main ML and FL were just as good. if not more interesting at times, than the main romantic storyline. I loved how the second sister found a deep and loving relationship with the brother of the 2nd FL. Their courtship, and subsequent relationship was the purest and most healthy out of all of the relationships that were going on in this drama. The 2nd FL I found irritating beyond belief. She used her attempted suicide to cling on to a man who everyone could see did not love her, but because she was obsessed with him, and only her obsessive (and oppressive) love mattered, a marriage was going to take place. I am glad he walked away in the end. She was irritating beyond belief. A spoilt princess. Hurghhh!! Nothing grates me more than those stereotypical girls in a drama. After her suicide she needed therapy to bring her back to reality, and sort out her complex ideology around love and relationships. The 2nd ML lead also needed therapy. After coming from parents who abandoned him in their own ways (who does that to a child, one parent a con-man always looking for money, and then leaves his son to pick up the pieces. I couldn't believe the people his father conned coming into his school and manhandling him in order to find out where his father was, and demanding the money back! Who does that!? The other just ups and leaves, and even after 25 years still shows not an ounce of remorse for leaving him with a feckless father who only brought pain and trouble to his door, and no emotion when he shows up, just tells him basically to not find her again!) No wonder he can't hold onto the one healthy relationship he had. He felt obliged to be engaged to the 2nd FL because of his past relationship with her brother and her attempted suicide, but the real relationship, the one where he could genuinely be himself, and I do believe he loved the FL deeply. Could not be real or open about because of his messed up relationship with his 'friend' and fiancée. I think it was fitting that he ended up alone. His messed up childhood and distorted ideas of what relationships are (he didn't believe that his fiancée's brother was genuinely his friend! That was so sad.) He needed to heal. He at least was honest with all his past girlfriends about how he felt, and how he dealt with everything. How wrong he was to not be honest with the FL and how he should never had agreed to the 2nd FLs brother's request to be by his sister's side forever. That is not a heathy way to live your life. Overall I really good drama. It looked all the complexities of relationships, be it friendships, sexuality, adultery, parental, romantic or long standing marriages it tackled everything, and it did not sugarcoat the darkness that some of these relationships can bring. It also brought the light when it comes to finding a good and honest healthy relationship. In the end the FL and ML got their happily ever after, and all the other relationships sorted themselves out. I was hoping that the divorced sister would find someone who loved her as deeply as she loved her ex husband. She poured her heart and soul into that relationship, and he was as cold as ice throughout. It took her acceptance of his sexuality and him finding peace with it for him to be truly happy, but I felt she could have done with a bit of love too. A deep love that was based on him wanting her, and her not chasing and clinging onto a ice cold relationship. I thought the 2nd ML might have been that. Giving him a family he never had, but I think that would have been a little to incestuous even for this drama. Some of the relationships were very close, and how they ended up together was mind-boggling at times, but overall it worked out for the best. A throughly enjoyable drama, and I was glad I found it again and gave it a second chance.