michelleoc

Not enough meat to the story

I'm usually a fan of movies, rather than a series, if it is well-done. Chinese series, in particular, tend to be very drawn out with a lot of filler that I can do without. Unfortunately, this movie seemed to be all about the filler and no meat. We never got to really delve into the personalities and the motivations of the characters. The acting was okay, given what they had to work with, but there wasn't enough good writing to let us care about them and what happened to them. I have enjoyed the actors in other shows, but the lack of chemistry here was very disappointing. Add to that a very unsatisfactory ending and I just got the feeling that I had wasted my time in watching this.

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So much to love, but...

I'll start by saying that if you want a slow-paced drama, this is one that has a lot going for it. My overall impressions -
OST - exquisite. The music is perfect, blending the beauty of classical piano with the sadness of a cello, and some beautiful songs that flow effortlessly throughout the show. The music was excellent at pulling emotion out when the script itself wasn't able to accomplish it.
Cinematography - I think this is the most beautifully filmed K-drama that I've seen. The camera filters that give so many scenes the filmy/artsy look. The play of light and shadow was brilliant. Some very good slow motion work, and I loved how most of the show was dressed up in pastels, nothing bright and jarring, save an occasional pop from a red sweater. Him walking through the woods near his childhood home was gorgeous, and the snow scenes were amazing. So, actually, I'd have to say that most of my love for this show vacillated between the OST and the cinematography. In my mind, while I was watching, I kept saying, "pretty!"
Costuming - nothing too attention-getting here, but I had to mention the trench coat that Jung Hae In wore in ep 11 with the leather collar and accents. It was just beautiful and it conveyed power and anger in the scene that he was doing at that time.
Acting - excellent. Jung Hae In as Ha Won was very understated and had wounds from his past, though I didn't really feel sorry for him because of the reasoning (to be discussed in storyline). Chae Soo Bin as Seo Woo - she is really lovely. She has those sad eyes but a perkiness about her that is so endearing. She ran a lot in this show, and it was so cute, her running down the alleyways from place to place. The rest of the cast was very good - I loved Lee Jung Eun as Min-Jung, the grieving mother.
Chemistry - the main couple was cute together, but no off the chart chemistry. This was a "comfortable" relationship (kind of like an old pair of shoes), they spent time together, supporting one another and learning more about one another, but I didn't feel any progression of their relationship. There was one kiss.
Storyline - Overall, this was a story of healing. Healing from loss, healing from loneliness, healing from aspirations unachieved, and healing from secrets coming out too late. Each person in the story dealt with their losses in a different way, and I really liked how the writers delved into ways of healing - opening up to friendships, being brave to put yourself out there to someone you like, turning loose of old hurts. I especially loved the scenes in the boarding house, where the boarders would sit on the floor in the kitchen and drink and talk and laugh. They were each getting something special from this bonding. Again, Lee Jung Eun was wonderful as a mom that feels guilt and despair and has closed herself off from emotional contacts. Watching her open up was a treat.
SPOILERS BELOW:
Writing - here's where my problem came in. First, I'm sure others have mentioned it, but the fact that this show was shortened from 16 to 12 episodes because of low ratings is telling. There was a subtle shift in the pacing of the last couple of episodes as they tried to tie up all loose ends. Ha Won and his 10-year unrequited love for someone that went and married someone else was just pathetic (and why did she, anyway?). A lot of the scenes between Ha won and Seo Woo didn't ring true, because he'd been in love with an ideal for a decade, and then after a few conversations with Seo Woo he's moved on? Plus, I felt that Seo Woo was kind of a doormat. I know she was supposed to be understanding of his dilemma, but really, anyone in real life would say "snap out of it!" And the AI aspect was not believable and just kind of creepy. The ending was very abrupt and unsatisfying.

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What a letdown!

This show was well-acted, and there was really a lot going on, but I didn't find the relationships believable. You've been with a guy for years, but suddenly have an interest in someone else, but then you're kind of "meh" about him as well. Maybe I was most disappointed in this show because it was more of a "discovery of who I am as a person" compared with a romance. The last episode had a tastefully and beautifully filmed scene with the main leads, but the ending was so bland I really didn't feel that they would have a future together. Or maybe they would, but by this time I just didn't care.

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Not earthshattering, but very enjoyable

The Veronica Park character, very annoying - but she really redeemed herself and was so amusing. The storyline, initially not too interesting. Once the storyline really got started, lots of twists! The main characters? Great chemistry and they were both lovely to watch. I found myself smiling, a lot, they were just so cute together. He did a wonderful job of portraying loneliness in his life. He also had the cutest pout. And yes, I did some crying, oh, and laughing too! I don’t like when there aren’t consequences for evil (uncle). Mistaken identity went on longer than I would have liked, but overall this show gave me all the feels. Lovely happy ending.

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What endearing characters!

This show reminded me of a rich, sweet dessert. It was so delicious, but I wanted to take small bites in order to savor it and enjoy every bit of it. This is a show about the families we are born into, and the families we create for ourselves. There were so many sweet moments when I found myself smiling like a lunatic, as well as the heartbreaking moments where I kept reaching for tissues. All of the actors did a terrific job with a wonderful script. I didn't feel that there was anything extraneous in this show, nothing that felt like filler just to have more episodes. Each character had strengths on their own merit. Woo Seo Ri has been in a coma for 13 years. There are so many ways the writers could have gone wrong with this - by turning it slapstick/silly, by making her behave in an immature way throughout - thankfully they didn't do that. She suffered, sure, but she had a strength of character that allowed her to keep forging forward. She had a lovely, positive attitude. Gong Woo Gin had a tragedy in his past that changed him - he cut himself off from human contact. Yang Se Jong, who played him, was exceptional. Watching him unfold like a flower, opening up to those around him was such a special thing to watch. And when something happened and he started to close up around himself again, my heart broke. I also loved Mr. Gong's nephew and his friends, and Jennifer? She was astounding! How someone can convey so much emotion while being emotionless is amazing. I thought they were going to use one of the standard (overused) ideas for the ending, and I was so happy when they didn't! The chemistry between all the cast was just wonderful. I feel like I don't want to move on to something else yet, and start this whole thing over again tomorrow. I put off watching this for a long time because I thought it was going to be filled with cliches, but the writers took the high road and turned this into something unique and wonderful.

I also have to say that I LOVED that there wasn't the evil love rival in this. Jung Eugene as win Joo's boss was terrific, and it was a joy to see a strong woman in her own right, being friends with a man for years. They, too, had sort of a familial relationship. I felt that each relationship was so special, and because of this, I have enjoyed watching this drama numerous times.

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Serious melodrama

This review is based upon my reaction ONLY to the show. I'm a romance/happy ending kind of girl, and this was WAAAYYY on the other end of the spectrum. This is a serious melodrama.

If you want to see some awesome acting by Seo In Guk, watch this. He was amazing. Here he plays completely opposite to anything we've seen him in to date. I had a hard time seeing him as anything other than the hero of a show, but he was chillingly believable.

I felt that the female lead's character was severely lacking in self esteem and came across as needy. This was a woman that should not be let to make her own choices, because she chooses wrong every time.

The music was perfect and carried the mood well.

I have to say that I was depressed after watching this show. Too much angst, too much deception, too much melodrama.

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Fun, but...

Let's get what I didn't care for out of the way first.
-FL and no self-esteem. It was so bad, I wanted to smack her upside the head. You could see why, though, with always being compared to her brilliant brother, and having this totally attractive guy liking you. She felt she couldn't possibly measure up.
-ML sometimes acted like a child. When he was upset, he'd get in his bright pink sleeping bag and wallow and whine. Plus, he did a lot of physical bouncing around, which read as immaturity to me.
-Second couple. I love her. He was very wooden. I can understand the fear of moving from friendship into a relationship, but the back and forth was irritating.
-The ending was too rushed.
-FL's little brother's expressions were actually scary.

However:
-I loved the building where they met for their club. Mysterious rooms, ever-changing themes (where did they get all their clothes though?), bright colors, etc.
-ML was never swayed from liking the FL. It didn't hurt that he looks an awful lot like Woo Do Hwan! When he was worried about her and slept on the porch outside her apartment - cute!
-The others in the group. I liked how they were different ages and were able to see and speak to things that the teens couldn't see. When they confronted the bully, that was well done.
-The friendships that the ML and the FL had.

Overall, it was a fun watch.

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What a sweet story!

I have to say I ended up loving this drama. It was difficult for me at the beginning with the mental health issues, but I couldn't help but love both the ML and FL. I loved the story of them trying to save the chocolate shoppe, and the scenes at the beginning of each episode were especially beautifully done, showing the chocolates being made.

This was very funny in places, serious in others, and cozy in other places still. Others knew that they liked each other before they did, and that was sweet. Their chemistry with each other was natural, and I really believed them when they bonded.

There wasn't any of the usual trope-y stuff. No breakup, no evil ex, ML's father was a pill and his assistant was two-faced, but the importance of that was way down on the list of importance. It was so touching when the other workers accepted her and what they did for her to make her feel comfortable.

We got a wedding!

I especially appreciated the fact that they weren't magically cured at the end of the drama, it was more believable. If you want something sweet and easy to watch, give this one a try.

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Did they get a different writer after episode 7?

This one started out so promising! I was absolutely loving it. Lots of humor, likeable characters, good lead couple. Then from episode 8 on, it went down drastically...

Liked:
ML - Cold, stoic, tsundere boss. He fell very low on the EQ score, which is one of the things that made this drama so funny toward the beginning. He dealt with his ex in a very good way.
FL - beautiful, competent, no-nonsense. She stuck up for herself and was able to give logical arguments that the ML could not refute.
Main couple - good chemistry early on
2d couple - got married after one day because they knew each other for a day as children. I liked this, because I felt it was poking fun at the destiny trope.
Food - this was like a food orgy! Lots of delicious looking food.

Until I didn't:
ML - said he wasn't over his ex after five years. The not being able to verbalize his feelings got very old.
FL - quits and breaks up with her boss for a year or so and wants to continue where they left off. She hated it when the ex did that, but it was okay for her? Her ability to communicate rationally diminished with each episode. I liked how she dealt with the employee that he told her to fire.
Main couple - they needed to learn to talk to one another
2d couple - spent all of their time trying to get the main couple together. They were all up in their business all the time, to the detriment of their own relationship. They fought like children.
3d couple - man and woman spent the whole series trying to break up the main couple. It was cute at the beginning, but that didn't last long.
Time skip - I wish we could get rid of this trope.
HE - in the last three minutes.
So much phone usage. Always texting or voice texting, and, as usual, no one can be reached in an emergency. They are at a formal function, she's dressed beautifully and carrying her phone in her hand.
The business aspect was low at the beginning, but then there was a LOT of it from midpoint on. All the people gossiping at work was irritating.

I wish I had stopped at episode 7. It was so good until then.

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I love the concept of "found family"

I'm not a big fan of corruption dramas, but with Ji Sung in it, I had to give it a try.

The story slowed down in the last couple of episodes, but I still liked it. The acting/characters were what made me keep coming back for more. I loved the "found family" aspect of it, people coming together that you'd never imagine being in the same room.

Ji Sung - him standing at the funeral with tears streaming down his face really got me. He can be over-the-top, but, for the most part, he reined himself in admirably.

Moon Sori - the irritating tenant that eventually becomes the president of the building. She started out SOOOO irritating, but once she decided to help, she was all in. I loved the change in her.

Kim Won Hae - always good for comedy relief but also plays serious as well. I look forward to his performances when I see that he's in the cast.

But, ultimately, it's Park Byung Eun as the villain that really impressed me. First, his makeup. His skin tone was pasty, making you feel like he never saw the light of day. There were a couple of humorous things from him, but for the most part his performance was chillingly understated. When he showed up at the funeral and spoke to the ML, I totally got the creeps!

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Glad I read a detailed review

I don't usually place much stock in reviews, but I ran across a review for this drama a few days ago. I hadn't even heard of it, so obviously it wasn't on my radar, but since I haven't had much luck in the rom-com department recently, I decided to give it a try and I'm so glad I did. This was one that cause all of life and chores to cease - I finished it in two days! I'm not going to reiterate the story but just give my general impressions:
-ML and FL relationship was believable. They were in a contractual relationship, and we got to go along for the ride as they got to know one another. The development of the relationship and their feelings was believable. We could feel when they started to care for one another.
-Their relationship was also healthy. They supported one another and were there for each other.
-Lovely chemistry.
-There wasn't a lot of over-the-top acting.
-Loved the boss/assistant relationship. Lots of amusing things there.
-There was a lot of comedy in this. I think they tag things as comedies too often. You watch, expecting a rom-com, but are disappointed. I laughed out loud a lot. There was something that happened toward the end that surprised me so much, snorting occurred and I hit my head on the headboard. My husband came in to see if I was alright.
-Likeable characters, for the most part.
-Business talk was kept to a minimum. This was, thankfully, more romance than business. They could have probably cut it by a couple of episodes, but it wasn't too laggy.
-Sweet, happy ending.

Things I didn't care for:
-The second couple. She was a stalker, immature, and whiny. If she had changed in earlier episodes and become more mature, I would have been all in on this relationship. But it was too little, too late.

A good rom-com makes me feel good while watching it. A really good one keeps me smiling. This one kept me smiling.

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It pains me to have to rate this as low as I did

I'm normally on board for an office romance. I'm ALWAYS on board for Seo In Guk. So, to say I was disappointed with this offering is an understatement. I think the major blame needs to go to the writer, for a number of reasons. The lead couple and the second couple felt like their stories were too much alike. Sure, one woman was ghosted and the other left for someone else, but the female responses to both situations was the same. The females seemed weak and needy to me. When the SFL said to SML "I'm always going to put myself first", I think the point was that she was going to start believing in herself more, but the result was selfishness - that's not a relationship that's going to work in the long run.
The FL came across as childish and seemed to always be making emotional demands of the ML. Her internal conversations always seemed to be about why he wasn't behaving in the way she thought he should.
I'm also very tired of the trope where the couple goes through so much, they are supposedly very in love, but then she is reluctant to get married.
Seo In Guk - he has never been one to over-emote. He can convey so much using just his eyes and a slight upturn of his lips. In this show, first I felt an extreme lack of energy from him, like he was slogging through mud or something. I kept thinking of Winnie the Pooh's friend Eeyore.
There was a real lack of chemistry between the leads and I didn't believe in them or their love.
Small thing related to makeup/lighting. There were a number of scenes when the main couple was outside at night, talking. The makeup for the FL was strange, lots of reddish around her eyes and not in scenes where she was supposed to have been crying. And the scene where she goes into the bathroom after he showered, I don't know if it was makeup or lighting, but Seo In Guk looked yellow. Not a good look.
This is one of those shows, that after completing, I'm gun shy about being disappointed again. I guess I'll have to re-watch something that I know I loved.

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