Tom

Lots of people in the comments seem unaware of what Ahn Pan-seok melodramas are like, so you get the typical "slow" and "boring" comments - very unsurprising.

The TV rating for the premiere was 5.2%, which is a solid start! Better than most of the recent tvN weekend dramas except Queen of Tears (5.9%). Usually Sunday ratings are higher, but time will tell.

Loving the writing so far. The argument with the (stupid) teacher in the teachers' lounge was so thrilling! Excellent start, introducing all the hagwon characters and the world of the drama expertly.

There were so many little things that stuck with me too, like how after she put the bandage on her shoulder and was feeling rough, she turned on the smiley teacher role when entering the room. Ahn Pan-seok is so great at little moments that are true to life. His dramas are refreshing.

It is lo_ve after all, what else is there to expect 🤣

This isn't going to be a fluffy feel-good drama, so I would adjust my expectations if I were you. It's going to be a realistic melodrama with complex human emotions, including arguments, societal expectations and pressure, workplace drama and more. This is not a romcom.

I mean she annoyed everyone with her loudness and attitude, but that was also the point. Kang-tae and Mun-young had very different ways of trying to live with their trauma. Hers made her appear unlikable and unsympathetic, which was why it was so rewarding to see her grow.

This drama is going to be #3 on all-time popularity on MDL soon. It's outpacing current #3&4 by a lot!

I really liked Moon Sang-min in Under the Queen's Umbrella but his character in this drama gave me the ick so bad that I'm not sure I like him as much anymore. Hopefully his next role will fix this🤣

Need him back desperately 😔

It's an adult melodrama; this type of drama relies less on heavy promotion than more youth-oriented dramas. Adults who like this type of drama (the target demo) will find it regardless.

But they have definitely been doing promo, though. There was the tvN presscon the other day for one, and the actors have been posting billboards they've seen around Seoul. They've also been releasing still cuts, posters, teasers and BTS clips for weeks. The leads are also doing appearances on various programs, both on tv and on radio. All the usual stuff, in other words.

KSH and Kim Shi-eun got a picture together at the Baeksang Awards (both under Gold Medalist):
https://pbs.twimg.com/media/GNMNCc0asAA2MtU?format=jpg&name=large
(Feeling pretty certain KSH will do this project, despite not officially confirming his appearance yet.)

The cast is doing Netflix press today. Poster and teaser should be out pretty soon, though they may wait until after The 8 Show premieres on May 17, since that's their focus now.

Everyone can check Netflix for themselves now and see that what this article from February is saying simply isn't correct. The rating itself depends on your region (it's 13+ here), but the advisory remains the same. Violence, substances, injury detail. Nothing sexual mentioned.

If you're having some sort of juvenile moral panic about a 29-year-old man pursuing a 35-year-old woman because she was once his university prep instructor when they were 19 and 25, then it's pretty clear that realistic, slice of life dramas from Ahn Pan-seok aren't for you.

He's been doing movies, and unfortunately his drama The Worst Boy in the World was shelved when Disney decided to scale back on Korean productions, I believe.

Just 7 episodes. Not uncommon for Netflix.

Who's talking about sex? This drama is rated 13+ for me on Netflix due to "violence, substances and injury detail"; there is nothing about sexual content or even nudity in the advisory.

Bogum mentioned this at the Baeksang Awards today; he's playing a gold medalist in boxing.

Because it is upcoming. And they show up there when it's a month to airing.

That's your opinion, though. The drama he won Best Director for at the Baeksang Awards was actually Secret Love Affair, and the screenwriter for that won Best Screenplay. His last two dramas didn't even get nominations.