elumia

agreed, so many new loose threads and what I previously thought about characters has suddenly been changed. It's so unpredictable.

"I comment from the grave. Go on without me." lol same, I feel you.

Alright, so I'll attempt to write out my two cents on this show as of ep 5. So I'm not immediately contributing to complaints about the show I'll talk about the positives about the show first. I think the direction is very strong, so are the music choices, love the cooking segments they truly shine and his bistro concept is very appealing. Reminds me almost of the restaurant in The Third Charm except cozier.

The story and characterization had potential but took a huge nosedive and has been poorly executed despite what it could have been in my opinion. It's difficult for me to watch it without re-writing it in my head. I know this show isn't a boy love but making the actual characters who are gay into secondary characters in this story about gay issues is exactly where the immediate issue with this show lies. We're relying on the ML of the show who's not truly gay to make a social statement based on him undertaking this moral dilemma. I think straight people will never truly understand the lengths at which lgbtq people are discriminated against their whole lives merely for being born the way they are. I know that later in the show he'll be discriminated against just because he's posing gay. Having the ML deliver this message against discrimination when he doesn't actually have to long-term experience any is hugely a detriment towards the statement I think the show's attempting to make. The fact still remains that at the end of the day he'll just be able to write of his lies & justify his actions by saying he has a gay brother, he needed money for his dad's hospital bills/business and also because he wanted to help the girl he's crushing on. The story hasn't really convinced me these were all good enough reasons. Strictly speaking, I think his dad getting out of the hospital so soon and his business expenses being taken care of kind of left me thinking he should really quit the show now after the pilot ep. Maybe if the actor were younger I could reason more with his immaturity in not fully thinking through the consequences to the fullest extent and not being upfront with his brother. It's just very disappointing the way the story has played out. There's nothing really forcing him to be on this show at this point aside from doing a favor for his love interest. It's such backwards logic if he's wanting to pursue her, especially from this deep thinking character that I just can't... What happened with the money he borrowed from loan sharks, is this still an issue? I feel like his character should be motivated to continue being on the show because of more dire circumstances that weren't so easily resolved. I also wish that making a social statement was among the reasons for him appearing on the show, that is if you HAD to make him straight at all. I still would've preferred other scenarios to be played out. He could've been bi, or gay but lacking the confidence to come out until he's essentially forced to in order to save his dad. Also, I know I went into this playing myself but still I hate love triangles when there's no actual possibility for one of them to be chosen by the main lead. If it's not a complete toss-up who will end up with the lead and you already know who's obviously ending up together, what's the point of including one?

I'm basically only watching for Tae Wan at this point because I really enjoy the actor's performance. I think there are such subtle nuances and complex emotions being communicated strictly through his eyes with little to no actual dialogue being said by him. You have to hand it to him, it's a mark of great acting and I'm so glad it's his acting style isn't heavy handed or a typical caricature. I'm already heartbroken for him too.

same lol

I bet nobody in the family knows that his first daughter isn't biologically his own. Judging from even his wife's reaction when he brought it up it seems that he probably never reproached her on the topic. Despite that, he never wanted his eldest daughter to feel any bit less loved by him and probably even overcompensated making it so even his actual daughter thinks that her older sister is his favorite.

I'm enjoying this a lot. Every character in this seems to have more going on with them than meets the eye. Looking forward to learning more about every single one of them.
Also, the story has this momentum to it, I feel as though every scene and interaction has weight and meaning that will get called back to later when we know more.
Love that it's about the complex relationships you have with family members and their different personalities and learning to interact and get close with them despite these barriers you can sometimes put up in order to fit your 'role' in a family.
Great cliffhangers to each episode too.

Yo, I can't wait

If only he was bisexual! this show is so frustrating...

ep 4 - So the ML's approach to handling this whole ordeal really frustrates me (avoidance & lying). Dragging out the issue of not coming clean with his brother is very disappointing, nonsensical and unnecessary. It's not as though he's not close with his brother, (they live together and talk to one another usually.) There's really no justification for his behavior and it makes the character very unlikable, not that a character has to be perfect, however in this circumstance there's really no excuse. Not only that, but I feel as though his lying and avoidance tactics are in direct opposition of the main character's positive attributes. He's shown himself to be sensitive, good in confrontational situations and usually articulate. Disappointed in the writing, but hey, what else is new. I just hope the romance between his brother and Tae Wan later on will help redeem this show. I'm off to rewatch parts of Antique Bakery now and just hope that maybe SOMEDAY there will be happily ever after boy love kdrama for me to watch. Thank goodness for Thai bl dramas, love them forever.

ep 3- Right now, I just don't really feel anything for the FL, like... at all. She's the standard, hard-working but trampled on at work character we've seen a billion times before. The show is far less interesting whenever she's on screen. Even that car ride scene where they tried to introduce some romance between the ML and FL fell completely flat for me. Personally I feel any scenes involving the ML and Kang Tae Wan's character are far more thought-provoking, not to mention hold more romantic tension. I know they won't do it, but I think a good twist would be if both brothers were actually gay, but that the ML never had the confidence of his younger brother to come out. I know the drama is trying to do this whole moral dilemma thing, but I'm not digging it so much. I appreciated the dinner scene where Kang Tae Wan asked the FL's co-worker what his last best known work was. It was such a great and professional way of putting that guy in his place.

I wish instead of avoiding it, he'd actually sit down and talk with his brother about why he made the decision he did.

It'd be so amazing if everyone expects him to fall for the FL and then he doesn't. I know the likelihood of that happening is probably nonexistent.

ep 11 - I just knew her dad would somehow be involved in Jae Hyun's father's death, wouldn't be a kdrama without ALL of the tragic connections between characters. It feels like this ep had the least amount of flashback in it to date. Also, the writer had to somehow explain Jae Hyun's background info slipping past the CEO and also still make the ML a good guy because he didn't approach his daughter with the intent for revenge cause he didn't even know who she was. Which at least makes sense since when he got out of prison and first learned of his wife's affair he did look hurt. I bet he did actually love her to an extent. Not as deeply as his first love of course, but they had a child together and it just appears to be in the ML's character to be extremely empathetic even all the while righting all these wrongs.

I agree with you. Hopefully this isn't that, I haven't watched it yet though. I do want to watch dramas that show variation in different sexual orientations. I hope that doesn't mean I'm being disrespectful or 'fetishizing'. I'm disappointed to hear the ML isn't bi in this story which were my initial thoughts when I heard of this drama.

aw, I feel your complaints, it can be frustrating.

I think having past and present events unfold at the same time is special. Rather then having the entire backstory told upfront.

I love that this show doesn't take itself too seriously. When she's blaming everything on the screenwriter was pretty great. Also enjoying the meta characters that have basically their own backstory and life of their own that I guess she's not aware of. The side character assistants have great comedic timing too. But like, the best part is the tender romance brewing between the otp. I love watching the ML get all cute, pouty and jealous, it'll be so satisfying when he's affections get returned, can't wait. The role reversal is funny too but sometimes I catch myself thinking that it's really wrong we think its funny when men get objectified. Love the equality stance third princess has. Basically, it's my fav currently airing drama right now.

I find it hard to believe that the CEO didn't look into Jae Hyun's background first when he was marrying his daughter. But whatever, I'll overlook it because the story wants me to. I know he went to prison for the company but that wasn't until long after they'd been married. How long was he in prison for? In order for the CEO to trust Jae Hyun implicitly without being the one who has to carry out corrupt plans would be extremely difficult, I wonder how successful he's been in doing so. I know that the story will have it mostly be that he appears to be corrupt but in actuality has all the employees best interests at heart. I feel very sorry for his son and to some degree his wife even though she's awful. I really think this show might have a happy ending, but anytime I think that it usually blindsides me.

I mean obviously we haven't seen how it all plays out yet but I just don't appreciate the way depression is handled for the use of breaking up a couple in dramas. You can still have conflict in the relationship and a breakup while still having the characters being open and honest and discussing it with the other person. Seldom are characters shown doing this though. Also, never are they shown seeking therapy despite the stigma of course. The problem is that while the reason has validity the execution of it leaves a lot to be desired.

I LOVED this