Mila

An interesting, but still incomplete, conclusion.

I was a bit disappointed with part 1 as I felt a lot was left unexplored, especially surrounding the main characters and their relationships together (which, I mean, was kind of the point of the story). This 2nd part did a bit better on this regard with the main group, while still missing a crucial part : Baek Jin/Hu Min relationship. We get that there's something there... but it's so subtle it's too unclear what it is exactly. That's really too bad as it's a, if not THE, core element of the plot...

Also, it's simply too short for my tastes. It's pretty good if you watch season 1+2 back to back, but I still think it's lacking something. The writing IS pretty solid. And I am not easily satisfied. Sure, some things don't make that much sense. You should not think too much. And it's a bit overdramatic sometimes, when it was more 'to the point' in the 1st. There is some slo-mo and some static shots on actors sometimes that is something I really dislike in cinema in general (that weren't to this point in the 1st). There are also too many pending questions that left me waiting. I am disappointed with some key characters (such as Geum Seong Je and Na Baek Jin). Seong Je in particular was simply too... tame. And as for the fights, there were more numerous than previously. And they were good. But I think they were less 'creative' and sometimes the way they were shot wasn't the best, imo.

Yes, I do think overall Yoo Su Min did a stupendous job retaining enough of the base material, mixing existing elements up while adding his own new ideas and take on it... Really. I like it more than the webtoon, I really do. But the same issues as previous season occur, while adding on some other issues. And it does take away a lot from my enjoyment for this show. The potential is here. It's here. Waiting.

As previously, it's not 'bad'. It's a great drama. Great ideas. Great characters. Great fight scenes. It's not just violence for violence. There's really something here. It is enjoyable, entertaining, emotional. Everything. But it feels so incomplete. Like a... great summary. Maybe I'd change my mind with a rewatch... but as for this first ever time I watch it, I'm anxiously happy while not at all satisfied somehow. It's really weird. The first season was almost more satisfying than this despite its gloomy finale. The ending here is also... well. Is this it ? Is there going to be another season ? Do I really want one ? It's a bit unsettling, I'd say. Interesting choice but I'm not quite sure how I feel about it. On the positive side... about the 'thing' almost everyone wanted to know... I'll simply say the writer linked the past to the present very nicely. Way better than the webtoon, in my opinion.

Character-wise, Si Eun is also more likeable for me now than at the beginning of season 1. His odd behaviour is, obviously, way more understandable here. His growth is also pleasant to see and I actually prefer this Yeon Si Eun than the webtoon's Yeon Gray, by far. Another good point. Seo Jun Tae is one tough bean, I loved his character. Park Hu Min is a very important part of the plot here and thankfully he's a good, lovable character too. Although, sadly, a bit shallow. Go Hyun Tak, he's cool. But again, not very developed.

To end this review on the more 'superficial' side of things and stop my rambling, the acting is something I very rarely have to complain about in K-dramas. And this is no exception. Everyone on the cast does a great job at what they're supposed to do. The OST wasn't overly noticeable which is, for me, a very good thing. The opening song is the same as previously and I'm not complaining. The rest was pleasant, blended nicely. I don't know about the lyrics though and how they really fit, as I haven't checked them.

SO... To end it here. I won't repeat myself endlessly. This drama ? Good. But is it enough for me ? Not really.

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Proper communication and trust lead to proper action and problem resolution.

I got invested in the story and in the dynamics between the characters quickly. I love the plot. Nothing totally unpredictable but that's OK. There are some difficult themes - obviously, we're talking about drugs here -. However the depictions stay discreet. If you like romance, there are some slight ones. There are other complicated interconnections between all these people that are very intriguing. The first 8 episodes are pretty good. The last 8 are largely enjoyable as well. The ending song is hypnotizing. However, the writing, the realism, the pacing, the actual characters' development in the middle of that, and that finale...... make me unable to understand the high ratings.

First, everything and everyone seem both strained and clueless at the same time, almost all the time. The communication between these guys is so terrible for so long they make even me look like a diplomat. It feels intense due to the objectively hardcore situations but simultaneously diluted to a critical level because of the writing and realisation. There are too many half-baked characters and plot points. Revelations come at the worst moments in the most underwhelming manners. People recurrently make absurd decisions and then blame others for the stupid consequences of their stupid choices. Then they do it again.

From Chen Yu who I think must have got his police diploma in a Kinder Surprise and so often makes the most inconsiderate, unprofessional decisions ever, to his poor girlfriend who is not much more than a blade of grass occasionally thrown into the wind of the plot before being put back in the background until her next slightly pitiful move, and everyone else in between, it's difficult to pinpoint who or what made me want to pause and take a deep breath the most. Wu Zhen Feng is the only reason I held on to the story. I got attached to his dishevelled, unkempt, beaten puppy look at the speed it took me to be annoyed with his clean-cut cop buddy : fast. Wan Meng Meng also appeared to me like one of the most humane and touching characters, and yet she's just a minor one.

Then, there are too many extreme close-ups, I don't like that. And people always talk so close to each other. For "tension", I guess. But it's awkward. The pacing is mediocre. Recycled flashbacks, slow shots, redundant scenes and dialogues take the place of actual plot and character development for the whole middle part, breaking proper rhythm. What should be deepened isn't and what doesn't matter that much is. It goes in circle at some point and it's confusing. 

The relationship between Chen Yu and Wu Zhen Feng which is at the heart of the story remains a mystery from beginning to end. What's their history besides being somewhat close childhood friends marked by their common past ? They make it look like it's deep and impactful and I really want to feel it. But in reality we can only guess. I couldn't connect. They're on the verge of falling passionately in hate with each other throughout most of the drama - mostly because Chen Yu behaves for 75% of the story like someone who would rather punch trust and righteousness into your face if he could, while showing none of that to you in exchange, than take a proper look at himself. Each time he could and should have shown some compassion and affection towards that guy he supposedly cared a lot about in the past, he never did. They need growth, sure. But it's accomplished in the most unbalanced, disappointing, forced manner. The relationship between the three older policemen is better written than theirs. In fact, every other relationship seems more substantial in comparison. 

Also the acting. While I have 0 criticism to make on the older cast, the younger occasionally struck me as uncertain and unconvincing. Not always. And some are very good. But enough for me to notice. Although Wang Yi Bo was fine for what he had to do - whether that was blank staring, screaming, crying, or being aggressively stupid. I think he did a decent job. His honest acting allowed me to endure Chen Yu's idiocy for as long as it lasted. I guess that says something.

All of that I could have accepted had they not decided on that nonsensical, cowardly finale. Were they eager to just wrap up and go home ? Putting aside the irresponsible decisions and weak writing to which I should have got used by now, the openness of the ending is more like a big smack in your face that renders you unable to form a coherent response for the huge question marks it leaves you with while it's walking away in the sunset. I know there's a special "episode" after this. But these 3 ridiculous minutes aren't going to make the pill go down. To me, it could as well be a feverish delirium. I wouldn't have minded 2 or more additional episodes if this at least meant I could finish this drama feeling like I had actually gained something by watching it. Happy or sad ending, I don't care. But laughably bad ending, I do.

Beside occasional emotional moments, some good thoughts and values, theoretically interesting characters and relationships, I feel like "Being a Hero" barely managed to bring its head out of the swamp it was already in before being pushed right back, in spite of a promising beginning. In summary : high-potential start, confused middle, nice last attempt, insulting finale. I don't even really know whom I can recommend this drama to. It's an average show. Disappointing, in many regards. 

I guess if you like drugs related investigations, slight romance, half-arsed friendship, and are not too picky on writing quality, logic, coherence, pacing, redundancy, character depth, abusive use of flashbacks, obsessive close-ups, bad endings, you can probably like it. There are good ideas, sure. And maybe I'll rewatch this someday and change my mind. But right now, I'd rather put it to rest.

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Another twisted story from the "Light On" series.

When an actor/actress left a strong impression on me by both their acting and charisma, I like to check their filmography to see if among any of their other works I could find something I like. This way I feel like I'm still in a familiar and secured territory thanks to their known face and acting but I can discover new stuff. That's basically how I (very slowly) build most of my watchlist. So after seeing Dai Xu's performance in Unnatural Fire, I got curious. Among his many works, this one show grabbed my attention. I liked the premise a lot and having watched a few of the Light On dramas, I decided to give it a try. Plus, it's by the screenwriter of "The Bad Kids". What could go wrong ?

Well, it's a bit unsteady. The writing is kind of odd. The pacing is... debatable. There are good ideas but connected in a bizarre manner. This drama felt like an awkward preview of "Lost in the Shadows" which certainly was inspired by it and a revisiting of "The Bad Kids" mixed together, sprinkled with some other good and less good ideas here and there, maybe or maybe not from other Light On shows I haven't seen. I don't mind revisiting and mixing up. Every story is a mix-up of something else pre-existing. As long as it's effective. But I'm unsure if that's the case here.

I also struggle with stories where the majority of their characters' ethics are at best extremely grey and at worst completely messed up. It's good if some are messed up and some are grey, as long as the majority (or at least the mains) are good. In this drama, they're almost all messed up or immature or disappointing to some degree. Among the entire main+support cast, I can definitely affirm only 2 characters are objectively good all along, from beginning to end : good heart, good intentions, good actions. Almost all the rest is either neutral or grey, those who are not that bad are not that good either. They may have their reasons, more or less understandable. They may or may not have a positive arc to go through. But they're still not pleasant to be around for most of the adventure.

Their relationships are also messed up. Their mind processes are messed up. You Xi and Wei were kind of cute together, I guess, and the love and devotion that You Xi had for her lost friend Xiao Xu were beautiful and inspiring. Some scenes were very emotional. Some characters were very touching (won't spoil which ones, though). But regardless of what is nice, the uneasiness lingering under remains.

It's a strange and frustrating story that doesn't really feel pleasant and is barely worth it for me in the end. The OST is fine, the ending song is beautiful. The acting is excellent, from the youngest to the oldest. Zhang Zi Feng in particular is very good, her character somehow suits her wonderfully. It's also pretty, I liked the filming and the directing. And the plot is interesting, albeit the writing being... well, I don't know. Odd. The finale is relatively satisfying, which is a good point. Yet I don't really feel like rewatching this one. And as a serial rewatcher, that says a lot about my enjoyment.

I guess these kinds of atmospheres with barely any breathing space aren't my thing. I didn't hate this drama, but the experience was a bit difficult. If you like thrillers, mysteries, exceedingly dysfunctional families and/or you enjoyed "Lost in the Shadows", "The Bad Kids" and/or even "The Long Night"'s icky vibe (it's still better here than in The Long Night, that one's really nasty), you would probably like "Homesick". It's very short so you're not risking much by trying it.

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A drama that deserves more love but that also kind of messes up.

Overall, I think this drama is enjoyable and has many good ideas. Cases are very intriguing and original, I liked and got invested in almost all of them. The fire-based crimes investigation thing is not something I've seen a lot and it's well done so I was hooked pretty quickly. The logic is relatively OK in most cases, although regarding the main plot, there are obvious, big plot holes and unanswered questions. This is even more obvious with a rewatch. You should really not think too much. The pacing however is impeccable, nothing drags or goes too fast. A few minor things and choices here and there aren't to my personal tastes (like the long static shots on actors' faces or slow motion scenes - gosh I hate these stuff) but I guess these are subjective.

The biggest issue is the ending. I won't spoil so I won't elaborate but something just wasn't right in the way it was done. In my opinion. Not necessarily in the choices they made for the story (although that's also debatable, and I could see at least 2 more different ways the story could have gone). But mostly in the way they unravelled it, how they arranged the sequence of events from around episodes 30 to 38. I'm not satisfied at all. Basically, I could rewatch but then stop the drama at episode 31, focus on the main plot, ignore the ending of the episode and everything that is happening on the side and call it an underwhelming and plot-holes filled but OK day, OR watch until the actual finale and have an entirely different experience that leaves me more logically satisfied (more or less) but emotionally even more confused and empty. As I said, I don't necessarily disagree with the choices they made for what happens to the characters, it's more in the way it's, idk, chronologically organised, built up and presented...?

To talk about the characters, the trio is extremely lovable, as individuals and as a group. Jin Chun is probably one of the very few female characters I genuinely love with all my heart, all stories combined. She's great on every level. She's such a mature and complex character, with a great personality but also flaws and quirks. I also appreciate the fact that there is no romance and she isn't there to be a love interest but a character of her own (even though there are two instances where it could be implied that both MLs wouldn't mind a romantic relationship with her, but that's up for interpretation and officially they are more like fated best friends/found family). Basically I really appreciate what they had with her and sadly the moments her character shines the most and reveals her depths are in the last few episodes, the same ones I'm unsatisfied with.

The themes they raised through Shen Ye were also very interesting. His story is... heartbreaking. I don't know how to put it any other way. When you think of what he's been through, your heart will ache. He's a pretty dual character, very childlike and vulnerable in some aspects but at the same time he's very solid. I would be a total wreck if I were him. However I think the way they handled his character and his arc was insufficiently developed and underwhelming. That's too bad because I think they really have something unique there.

Xu Tong Sheng suffers more or less from the same problems. Supposedly, his character arc is the glue that brought and kept the three of them together and his quest for truth is the main point of interest for the plot. In that sense he's technically the "protagonist". I think. Yet he's the least developed and likeable of the three. He is likeable. But he's pretty much unsurprising. Which can make him appear less interesting than the other two. At the same time, it also kind of makes sense that he's this way and I think this makes up for his seemingly one-dimensional nature. In my opinion. Still I expected a somewhat more emotional conclusion and release to his story and his trauma.

As a group, they work great. I loved their interactions and reunions. They grew in trust and affection for each other but sadly their final conclusion was terribly lacking. So that part was also disappointing - because I think this was the most important thing in the entire story. Their unique bond deserved much more.

On the external aspects of this drama, all actors do their job well, including side characters. Dai Xu is very good, Cai Wen Jing is also wonderful. I love the way they played with lights, shadows and colours. I think this drama is very beautiful. There's nothing too extravagant but I'd say it's clean and efficient. The OST is great. I also really loved the little fire safety videos during the end credits.

So yeah. I definitely recommend this drama for its many good points, ideas, its characters and their relationships. But I also want to warn you that, chances are, you may feel like it falls short of whatever you may have hoped for in its conclusion.

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A pleasant surprise.

I do not consider the second season in this review. This is only for the first season, that I think can be taken as a standalone. In my headcanon, season 2 doesn't exist anyway. I'm in denial. Now let's focus on the 1st.

To get it out of the way, I found 90% of the cases boring. Themes of toxic/weird romances and of abused/permanently victimised women are just not on my top list of interests. If it were only 2-3 cases, varied with other types of stories, that would be perfectly fine and interesting. But here it's almost always one or the other. It's redundant. I have an appreciation for them knowing they are based on real life cases and they are very well acted out but they're just not my cup of tea. For those I would rate it like 6 or 7.

The way they are solved is extremely original and makes up for it, that's for sure. That's the whole premise and point of it. But it also leads to another issue : they sometimes reach their conclusions because the script demands it. It's neither logical nor very well written. Plot conveniences are common. However, it goes without saying that I was astounded learning that there actually exist real people like Shen Yi in China. Although maybe a bit less dramatic, it's actually a real thing and the process is shown well in the drama. I think it's incredible and made me appreciate the show even more.

Now, I accepted all of it. So I watched until the end. And then watched again. I liked it the first time. I loved it the second. Because I've got used to the main characters, I realized at the second watch how well written and interesting they really were. The duo of Du Cheng and Shen Yi is simply wonderful. Complicated, funny, touching, with friendship and trust that are slowly but surely growing. As individual characters, they are just as awesome. Du Cheng is a great guy you just can't help but root for but he needs some flexibility in his life. Shen Yi has a fascinating view of the world and a very unique behaviour but he could definitely use some grounding. Their individual arc depends on one another to grow and transform together and it's well done. The rest of the cast, while discreet, is extremely likeable. They could be more developed but that's fine. They have their own distinct style and personality, that's what matters. Commissioner Zhang is my favourite side character. She's both strong and soft, in just the right ways. Very refreshing, as I'm used to corrupted power figures from K-dramas.

Because of everything I love and of how much I love it, I'll go with 8,5 for its rating. I don't like the cases. But I don't really care as long as these characters are here.

I won't say too much more, I think it's better to simply watch it. It's short, entertaining, sad, funny, hopeful and has a satisfying finale. I don't know exactly who is the artist behind Shen Yi's abilities, but he/she deserves recognition. The OST is good and the acting is praiseworthy.

It has its flaws. But what doesn't ? If you don't mind the occasional lack of realism and you love arts, psychology, thrillers, episodic criminal investigations, and/or unique and peculiar characters and great friendships at the centre of it all, definitely give this one a chance. I think it's worth it.

However as far as I'm concerned, this story ends here.

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If you and loved ones are currently healthy and you can stop thinking for 16 episodes...

...this is an enjoyable drama. I'm saying this honestly, I liked it. Despite the themes being kind of difficult personally, I think it was entertaining, interesting, and emotionally very engaging. The male leads act very well, whether that is Jung Jae Young or Yang Se Jong. Se Jong definitely deserves the praise but Jae Young is on point as well. Their chemistry together is pleasant. Some other actors are not that good or that experienced in my opinion but overall the cast is solid. Lee Na Yoon's Soo Yeon stole my heart the minute she appeared, she's adorable and can act as well.

Now the core of it. The story is sad, dark but gripping. It does explore fascinating and delicate concepts, ideas and themes. There are some unexplored areas that could have been interesting to dig in, although not necessary - the main points are there. However, it doesn't make any sense whatsoever. Plot holes are everywhere and many things are kind of swept under the carpet. The biggest issue is that the writing, while superficially entertaining, is really not that strong and you don't need to go deep to see it. Hence the necessity to turn off your brain almost entirely if you want to be able to enjoy this drama. If you can do that, I would say it's rewarding. If you can't, don't bother, the stupidity will drive you insane. I thought of giving up until episode 6 and then I decided I wanted to see what happened to these guys until the end despite the rest.

The good ? The characters and especially their relationships. It's original and unique. On their own, they're pretty simple people. But their very complex situation makes it so much more intricate. Choi Jo Hye was a reason for some people to give up the show but I think she was an interesting character despite being unlikeable (although I'm unsure about Kim Jung Eun's acting here). The others are all mostly likeable - and I really need to say this : people spitting on Deuk Cheon for his behaviour while praising Sung Hoon have issues. Deuk Cheon was kind of extreme in the first like 3 episodes, but I mean - yeah, of course he was ? He more than makes up for any of his faults in the remaining 13 ones. He's a good guy, a good character and I like him a lot. No, he doesn't scream that much. Sung Hoon is excellent at what his character is meant to be. OK, now that it's said... Romance ? No. Absolutely not among the main cast. You may think the contrary in the beginning. But there is none. Which makes their bonds all together that much more interesting and touching to me. The growing affection between Sung Joon and Deuk Cheon was in particular very, very nice to see, I really loved it.

So. Basically, from an objective, factual point of view, this show is kind of garbage. As I said, it's absurd. I would not rate it more than, like, 6,5 at best for the interesting ideas and the fun you may have laughing at all the nonsense. However, for its characters and relationships, I would rate it a 9-10. So what does it leave us with ? To be really fair, all considered, it probably doesn't deserve more than 7.5. B,ut what can I say ? My feelings take precedence over my mind. So I'll rate it an 8 and stay on that note - and say again that as long as you're not currently hoping for a supposedly miracle cure that would heal anything and everything for yourself or a loved one that you know will simply never come and that this drama would throw at your bitter face, and you can branch off from the critically thinking parts of your brain, you're good to go. Also, if you think it's boring but you don't totally hate it yet, try to stick until episode 6, things really start to move then.

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Pain and more pain.

What is My Country but a fairly mixed bag of a beautifully heartwenching story at its core, a bittersweet taste from beginning to end, a hugely cinematographic production with nice shots, wonderful OST, powerful and breathtaking acting, layered characters, very deep friendships (as well as an awful lot of toxic dynamics...), an OK romance on the side, good comedy sometimes... and a decidedly less than great writing that REALLY sours the soup ? I've seen this drama some time ago, as it was one of my first ever k-dramas. I got obsessed with it, watched 3 or 4 times, loved it, hated it at the same time, then buried it in my memory. Lately, I decided to rewatch it and see if it was as I remembered it to be and if I loved it or hated it.

Somehow, I still don't know exactly.

Honestly, this won't be a spoiler to say that this is extremely sad. Almost every glimpse of happiness, of hope, of light that can arise sometime will be blown away by more sadness, despair and disappointment every time and you'll see this right from the start. I guess it's true to life and I would say don't really watch it if you're depressed... but for some reason, while I am already a fairly sad person, this didn't really worsen my emotional health. Somehow, it almost helps me cope with some things better. So do with it what you want. That's neither a good nor a bad point. It's just that.

Now, although I would simply love to love it without excuse, there are just too many things that miss the spot in this drama. To be fair, I'd say from episode 1 to episode 9-10, it was fantastic. This could have secured its place among my favourite shows, without any big 'buts'. But... something happened. Was it the EXTREME redundancy that started to appear in writing, plot, dialogues, set up, everything ? The sometime overly dramatic tone just to keep the tension going that kind of gets old at some point ? The one too many unsurvivable-wound-they-still-somehow-magically-managed-to-survive-from ? The constant hate/love chase between the MLs that began to really feel too much like an excuse and got to the point that it was kind of pathetic and seriously cringe ? *sigh*

It's like it could have been grandiose. But it was not. And that's so frustrating to me. This is not a terrible drama. When it's good, it's very good. There are some awesome ideas and it's never boring. It cannot leave you indifferent, unless you simply don't care at all about these characters and the plot. If you do, even just a little, it IS entertaining and gripping.

But when it's bad... well. I'm also a bit disappointed by the ending in some regards, because the emotional tension rose so HIGH on so many levels and it felt a bit underwhelming to me, like it still needed some more wrap up. I don't know. And I'm complaining, but the last two or three episodes are basically what made it feel all worthwhile to me. So contrary to some dramas where the ending ruined the show for me, here it didn't, at all. That's a great thing.

In clear, if you're not too bothered by quality dropping midway, inconsistent and sometimes cringeworthy writing, unrealistic wounds survivability (but hey, at least they don't fly in the air like in some sageuk), dramatic, draggy and repetitive dialogues, extreme sadness as well as frustration, and you love historical fiction, great acting, beautiful OST, emotional rollercoaster and complex characters, I think you could love this show. It's not the most perfect in the world. But it's alright, especially the first half and the last episodes that are very good. And it will not leave you indifferent.

If I live long enough to forget about it again, I would probably watch it once more. Just to be sure.

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It was fun but...

Basically, I liked the characters and the plot, overall. I liked the messages of healing and also of forgiveness. But there were some things here and there that I disliked, like the humour. And the truth is I simply hated how they dealt with alexithymia. Hate is a big word, maybe. But let's be clear : this is NOT alexithymia they are showing here. And it kinda makes me angry a bit.

Alexithymia does NOT make you lack empathy, guilt, remorse, whatever. THIS is what ASPD does. Alexithymia has nothing to do with ASPD. Alexithymia is a disorder where you are unable to identify and express your emotions, with words but also with the right facial expressions. It's nearly impossible to say "I feel THIS", because your feelings are hazy and mixed up and you don't know how to express yourself nor feel comfortable enough to do so. You will more likely say "I think" rather than "I feel", for example. You won't express big emotions, yet this does not mean that you are not impacted by them even though you don't actively "feel" them, and this will translate as suffering from some psychosomatic illnesses. People suffering from this disorder usually are not risk-takers or impulsive like a person with ASPD would, because with alexithymia you'd rather not be stimulated by anything or anyone and you'd rather not attract attention and be outside the law like an ASPD person would. You're not going to kill someone impulsively because of alexithymia. You're just not. It does not affect your moral compass and ability to have empathy for other living beings, although you might have trouble understanding other people's emotions just as much as your own.

Wow OK, so now that this rant is over, what's left :
Good premise
Some good characters
Good story overall
Good acting
Good pacing
Interesting relationships and an OK romance
Pretty dark themes
Important lessons

So yes, this is a good drama. It's entertaining, has a lot of emotions, and the ending's pretty good. But this nonsense about alexithymia is a bit too much for me.

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It's OK.

(Edited - rating from 7,5 to 8,5 after season 2)

Not the most awesome drama in history but it's entertaining and very well acted. It contains one of my favourite scenes to watch in the history of anything I've ever watched and I think those who have watched this drama probably know which scene I'm talking about.

I have already read the webtoon it's based on but I am not comparing them. I see it as its own story. It's not a bad drama and saying I don't enjoy watching it would be a lie. I have rewatched it multiple time and I do like it. But the whole truth is that while it could have been the absolute masterpiece many people make it to be, it's simply not. Limiting itself to 8 short episodes was in my opinion a big mistake.

So my main issues with this drama are :

- I could barely stand Si Eun and found him very dislikable in the beginning. Personal preference. No hate. He honestly acts like an arrogant psycho without any real reason. Gets better afterwards and becomes more likeable as he gets closer to Su Ho and Beom Seok but his personality still doesn't make much sense to me. Backstory is understandable but lacking in realization.

- The trio, relationship and characters, should have been WAY more developed. If it had, it truly could have been an exceptional drama. But in fact, we barely see them actually interacting with each other before it got dismantled. What do they actually love in each others ? What do they each bring to each others ? What do they see in each other ? This is all very superficial and fleeting... I wished we could have actually learned more about them through one another and see them change positively thanks to their bond - way before it started to break down and regress because of the inherent character flaws they had (well, especially Beom Seok's character flaws). Here it was brushed way too quickly, so it didn't impact me that much. I didn't have enough material to actually feel involved and really care about their relationship. The characters in general needed so much more development. They had so much potential. That's a shame. The reason their relationships broke wasn't developed enough either. Because of Young I ? Beom Seok was insecure and got jealous + the return of those bullies that traumatised him (as if he wasn't enough with his dumbass father), I got that, but because it happened too quickly, it didn't really matter to me honestly. It being the core element of the story, it should have been deepened.

- I didn't really like the OST at first but after multiple rewatches it kind of grew on me. Some of the lyrics are too cheesy though. Just isn't fitting imo.

Other than that, acting is definitely good and natural, Hong Kyung and Park Ji Hoon in particular have talent - Choi Hyun Wook is great as well but his character here was emotionally more repressed/balanced in what was shown to us so he doesn't bless us with a wide range of expressions compared to Kyung and Ji Hoon -, characters are interesting (yes even though Si Eun gets on my nerves in the beginning, I think he's still interesting). Beom Seok in particular is a very good, very flawed and very tragic character and I can't really hate him. Fights are awesome. I loved watching them. Ending is good, heart wrenching but appropriately done, I think.

So yeah. I liked it but I didn't love it the way I could have if it had a bit more development and it's too bad.

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Righteousness frees and breaks.

Imperfect stories I hold dear are many. Imperfect stories I barely hesitate to rate above 8,5 and even dare to consider mentioning it to other people around me who do not know anything or care about Asian TV shows are not.

The First Shot ? Since Signal, the very first drama I watched 5+ years ago with my partner, I had not seen another thriller/action like this.

The only major flaw I can pinpoint is how its finale was a bit rushed. A common issue. Unfortunately, everything still unsolved got wrapped up in 5 minutes like they forgot they had a train to catch. 10 to 20 additional minutes would have been so much better to settle everything clearly and give a proper goodbye to everyone without making it look like an amateur Movie Maker edit. Had this been different, would this have become my first 10 rated drama ever ? Who knows. Probably not. Still, it's a pity.

What about the remaining imperfections ? Some tiny specks of dust here and there, slightly misplaced styling of actors for the era it's set in, as well as the occasional anti-drug and police 'propaganda' you might already be used to or fed up with if you watch a lot a Chinese police dramas. No harm done. It's not like it's wrong. I don't like drugs. It's just a bit heavy-handed. Subtlety is not their forte.

Therefore, I think 9,5 does its excellent quality justice while taking into account its few flaws. On a bad day, it's an overweight 9. Now let's talk about this quality I'm praising so much.

Good writing like I don't see often. Like, seriously. Airtight. For my limited brain capacity, at least. For how long have I not watched a 20+ episodes crime show where I wasn't constantly bothered by nonsense overload fed by plot conveniences and plot holes breeding with stupid decisions ? Where neither the police nor their opponents are annoyingly brainless hoping you also are but actually competent and clever ? Where the level of realism and coherence is more than acceptable ? Even when it's imperfect, even when they make mistakes, it leads to rational consequences that propel the plot forward satisfyingly. It's dark and sad, but neither too much nor insufficiently. They rarely go the melo route, extorting tears out of you with professional mourners in the background and indefinite slow-mo when it's not needed. It's to the point. There are some heartbreaking stuff. But it's usually anchored in reality rather than forcefully dramatic.

This goes to the way the actors act as well. Raw. Impactful. Huang Jing Yu ? Dang, I never saw him before and this was my loss. Sure, they all do their job well. I've previously seen Xie Ke Yin in a more intense role and her performance never left me. But there's just something about this guy that doesn't look like pretending. The face. The voice. The body language. Nothing is out of place. Nothing reminds you the cameras are rolling. No wonder Wang Zi Qi took him as his acting goal. And his Zheng Bei is really something. So kind yet so rough. So thoughtful yet so hard on himself. Unyielding. Silently holding, bearing, enduring everything. A good leader. A principled man. But the cost is high and you just feel it.

As I said, there are barely any extreme demonstrations of emotions in this drama. No tragic hour-long ugly crying. No frequent and big laughters. It's in the details. And yet, providing you have a heart, you truly feel everything. Joy, pain, rage, fear, regret, grief. Love. Even the dynamics between these people feel true to life. Their teamwork is true teamwork. You don't really see someone more or less than the other, or immovable duos that never part. They all have their own role to play and they all interact with each other at various levels. They have built an extremely moving camaraderie, but there is also a peculiar bond between Zheng Bei and Gu Yi Ran. This odd poker-faced but surprisingly fiery fellow Bei reluctantly drags from the South ends up looking like the first truly intimate friend and confidant he ever had in his life, rather than simply being the +1 little bro he compulsively wants to add to his already long "let me take eternal responsibility for every bad thing that happens to you" list he suffocates himself with. Ran doesn't want such an unbalanced relationship. He doesn't mind confronting him. He forces him to be vulnerable and honest with himself where the others wouldn't dare say anything to him - or wouldn't even understand how he feels. He's the only character who actually does that. But he also endures his fair share of well-deserved questioning and scolding, and moves on after some self-reflection. In my opinion, their relationship is a goal : it ends up representing a true, supportive and healthy friendship, where both deeply cares about and wants the best for the other but neither is afraid to either be vulnerable nor call out on each other's BS when necessary. They are all very good friends. But these two are clearly the highlight. All of that really gives life to the value of friendship and found family tropes at the core of this story. There is so much more to say about these characters. They are honest, rich and human. They feel real.

It seems I'm describing the most perfect thing ever. I'm not. You can always find flaws if you want to be a nitpicky, annoying, eternally unsatisfied pain in the neck like I am. But when the irreproachable rhythm is rocking you steadily along this balanced road punctuated by excellent fight scenes, heartwarming bonding, suspenseful conflicts, effective character development, efficient teamwork, smile-inducing comedy, heart-wrenching reality, comfortable found-family feels, surprising plot choices, why would I even care about a few pebbles cracking under the wheels ? It was so enjoyable I got increasingly anxious at each passing episode thinking things just had to go south at some point.

And you know what's best ? When I realized beforehand this was written by the same two screenwriters that had worked on Being a Hero, I got torn between watching it immediately and be done with it or just delete it from my plan-to-watch list. If you haven't read my review for this one : it wasn't good. Either they exponentially improved their skills and cohesion, or someone else was involved in the script. I think Zhang Yi Mou in particular clearly knew what he was doing.

The directing is also of primary importance. This is so well shot. Dynamic, creative. The colour palette is gorgeous. The environment is immersive, fitting this 1997 Northeast setting. Now I know that while the background is mostly accurate, the way the actors are styled is not. I get that it might be an issue. But other than this, and for an unknowing Western audience, it still feels authentic. Some inaccuracies don't really hurt the vibe, in my personal opinion. Even the OST is spot on. Flowing with the action rather than guiding it. Almost lyrics-less. When there are words, they have true meaning.

What more could I say ? Too much.

If you like action, thriller, drama, stories set in the 90s, realistic characters, very deep friendships, family bonds, strong teamwork, very slight romantic interactions and do not mind dark themes such as trauma, drugs and violence, please, give this show a try. It might not be such a masterpiece for you as it is for me.

But still. It's good. In case you didn't get that.

"Everyone has their own path. What I have to carry, I will carry." - Zheng Bei to Gu Yi Ran.

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Tragedies are born out of accidents and mistakes.

I wasn't expecting I'd be wallowing in despair that much at the end of this drama. Of course, it was going to be sad : it's about a murder case. But it's not just about an investigation. It's about lives and dreams, broken and stepped-on in different ways. Deep traumas that life forced upon you. Missed chances that were just right there, at arm's length. It can do nothing but leave a bitter hole in your heart.

Actually, I don't have much to say about it. And I can't say anyway, because spoiling it would be too bad. This will probably be my shortest review.

The acting is spectacular. The writing is excellent. The OST is fitting. Every character is deeply flawed, human. With good and bad sides, right and wrong deeds. The story is... what it is. It's pathetic and tragic. The occasional gentle comedy is just there to make you remember even more how heartbreaking reality truly is. It's slow and it really does feel like "The Long Season". When it's over, you can't do much but accept and look ahead.

It's a difficult experience. Not perfect. Nonetheless, extremely high quality. Whether you can gather positive lessons from this story, is up to you.

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Broken-hearted idealists look towards the stars.

It is very difficult for me to summarise in any way, shape or form what "Three Body" made me experience. Because this is a dense story, I'll try and structure this likewise dense review simply : bad - neutral - good - summary. EXTREMELY LONG and highly subjective but spoiler free (within reason). My rating is susceptible to change just like my review because I'm going to keep thinking about this freaking drama for a while. I already feel so empty that it's over. At the time of writing this, I have watched both the initial 30 episodes version and the 26 episodes Anniversary Edition version. I appreciated this complicated and heavy story a lot more with a rewatch. I haven't read the books in detail, I am just aware of the general plot and how different it is in terms of characters and relationships. The drama followed the first novel closely but added a fair part of "non-canon" content and characters/relationships development. As sacrilegious as that might appear to book purists, I'll review this drama as its own separate story. Its creator was well involved in the process anyway, so if he doesn't mind their choices I don't either. I haven't watched the Western Netflix version; I didn't even know there was one when I started and I am not planning on watching it - while Liu Ci Xin was a side consultant for it as well and said he liked it, he was not as prominent in the creation process as he seemed to have been for Tencent's.

[THE BAD]

LACK OF NUANCE. TRIGGERING INACCURACIES. WRITING ISSUES.

When it comes to philosophical stories and existential themes, there's always a risk of coming off as pretentious. In my opinion, it occasionally happens in this drama. Especially its first half, when the plot isn't very clear yet. The attempt to present a pretty wide range of ideas and opinions on multiple topics from multiple points of view (not just science but also religious beliefs, environmental issues, human nature, right and wrong, meaning and value of life, etc.) is good. But the fact is that a fair part of them (not all - but a lot) remains either one-dimensional or unimpressive. At best. If you've never really considered these kinds of thoughts before this might be mind-opening to various degrees, which is fine. If you have, it won't really seem revolutionary. Worse, it might even be pretty annoying. It deals with extremes and lacks nuance and finesse. This can be a turn-off. In spite of that, in the end, I felt like it was ok and rewarding. Like life, you can just somehow put this aside and still experience the events and the people for what they are. It's just that, as you go through it, it might get periodically irritating.

Another problem in such stories is when, while trying to make themselves look intelligent and rational, they expose obvious mistakes as facts. Which unfortunately happens as well. I know nothing about the science side of it and how accurate that is, so I definitely have nothing to say on that matter. Some lack of realism is perfectly fine. However, there are some things I know about.

Such as the common but no less blatantly false belief that Middle Ages people thought the earth was flat. They knew the earth was spherical. This erroneous idea that they didn't came in much later. And it really doesn't take much to find that out. Or their ignorant insinuation that burning at the stake people for some conflicting intellectual ideas was the Church's hobby every Sunday during the Middle Ages. Most of their examples in fact happened not during the Middle Ages (roughly 450-1400 AD) but during the Inquisition of the Renaissance period (1400-1600 AD) and involved a lot more theology and politics than just "not being convinced by their scientific ideas". Also none of these guys were tried/killed on the spot; it would start with a non-violent warning and then escalate over multiple years and repeated offences in some cases (well, what the Popes at the time considered offences anyway). D'Ascoli (Middle Ages) in particular was definitely not killed for his "belief in a round earth" as Ye Wen Jie confidently states, but because he was teaching many forbidden things about astroLOGY.

The ridiculous in-game representations of some Western figures also triggered me (such as de Vinci and Newton who both acted like dumb and effeminate cowards for some reason ???). Even though they actually respected their works so I don't understand these weird characterizations. Sure, all historical figures are anachronistic and stereotyped in some manner in the game. But some of these are really bothering honestly. I just don't understand why they did that. If it was for comedy, it was lost on me.

Also : no, one cannot just snap other people's necks like that.

Aside from those various inaccuracies which are akin to an enormous life-sucking black hole at the centre of a drama aiming at rationality and scientific rigour, there are a few other things that could have been better. Although they're not as bad. In particular, there are plot conveniences and holes here and there. Far from the worst writing I've seen, that's for sure. Yet not the absolute tightest either. Especially with those original characters and storylines. Some plot points were forced.

[THE NEUTRAL]

CHARACTERIZATION. PACING. COLOURS. THINKING THOUGHTS.

You see, that's often the case with these conceptual and massive plots : character development is relegated to the second (or third or fourth or fifth) place. I said I wouldn't compare with the novel. However it would be unfair to the drama not to mention that, in the original work, character depth and development is virtually nonexistent. Liu Ci Xin said himself he didn't care about characterization when he wrote. They're a means to an end, tools. Maybe good tools. Still tools. Thanks to the screenwriters, in this adaptation most original characters have the merit to express substance, layers and potential. The team breathed life into these one quarter-dimensional faceless names and made them look and behave like interconnected human individuals. But because they're still working with the base material without deviating too much, they cannot make miracles. Wang Miao has some aspects of his personality I found incomprehensible and unlikeable. I wouldn't say it is "bad", though. At least he has a personality. Shi Qiang and Ye Wen Jie are undoubtedly the best and I'll talk about them more in the good section. The non-canon characters however, I'm not convinced.

Now something else that needs to be clear is that this drama follows the heartbeat of a blue whale and the colour scheme of a winter's night. You may like it or dislike it. I didn't mind. I wasn't bored because the topics interest me and the tension is palpable from beginning to end. However I can understand why some people fall asleep to it. They talk and think a lot. I like talking people. And I think the aesthetic choices fit the story. Although sometimes I couldn't see crap. The Anniversary Edition does "improve" a little on these aspects, as it cuts some non-canon storylines and "unnecessary" bits to shorten the whole, while brightening it. If you find the original version too dark and/or too slow and/or too filler-filled compared to the novel, definitely give the Anniversary Edition a try. But be warned : because they had to edit out storylines for this version, there are even more plot holes (for instance, an important scene is kept in which someone will briefly mention this thing that happened in that other scene but, oops, turns out that scene was cut out in this version, too bad, let's move on).

[THE GOOD]

THE CINEMATOGRAPHY. THE OST. THE ACTING. YE WEN JIE. SHI QIANG. SHI/WANG'S FRIENDSHIP. THE BIG IDEAS. ALL THE REST.

If you can put the aforementioned darkness aside, this drama is a work of art that deserves all the praise. The cinematography is gorgeous. It does not look like a drama at all. It looks like a movie. A breathtakingly gorgeous movie. So many beautiful shots. The CGI is as good as it can get in a C-drama and not a thing to complain about. I am reluctant to watch any drama with CGI because it's usually hideous and makes me unable to get immersed in the story. Here it's fine.

The OST is a whole story on its own as well. Every piece is an experience to listen to. Powerful and soulful. Well-used. Really immersive. Perfectly suited. Just "listen to the universe". Seriously, what a fitting title. The openings are beautiful to watch. I generally don't like to hear English lyrics in dramas but in that case I'd say it's relevant.

Another strong point is the acting. Flawless, from everyone. And there are difficult roles to play. Many of them impressed me. Even the foreign cast. They carved supplementary reliefs into their characters. Yang Dong is an angel. Yang Wei Ning is a good man. Ding Yi is pure-hearted. Xu Bing Bing's a cute puppy. Wei Cheng and Shen Yu Fei kind of broke me. I also liked Colonel Stanton. Their faces and expressions remain ingrained in my brain. They're all awesome.

But the moment the actress of young Ye Wen Jie appeared, Wang Zi Wen, I couldn't take my eyes off of her. It helps that she's a beauty but it's not so much her surface; it's her charisma. Her face barely moves, ever. Yet I could feel everything through her eyes. When she cried, I cried. When she smiled, I smiled (and cried). This character's mind is fascinating, her presence so powerful, I just... yeah. She is an excellent character. A fascinating *female* character, at that. And an astounding actress made for this role. Chen Jin is impressive as well, don't get me wrong. They did such a great job casting her - her vibe is vastly different from her younger self with good reasons and she nailed it to perfection. Wen Jie really hit me on a personal level. This drama is worthwhile even if only for this character.

Then Da Shi. Supposedly the plainest, I ended up thinking he was among the most subtly layered of them all. Rough and straightforward, the kind of person I, like Wang Miao, would barely be able to discuss anything with, ever. And yet he offers a necessary grounded perspective in all this cerebral mess. Most importantly, he has a huge heart. Yu He Wei showcases a lot of micro-expressions, including from his vocal cords. Very dynamic. Very pleasant to watch and listen to. Opposed to that, Zhang Lu Yi's acting here is way more restrained and delicate, as is his character. He often speaks slowly, gently, at a very low, almost muffled level. He really pulls off the somewhat awkward and reserved scientist vibe with his entire being. It's another kind of character completely. They're a particularly good balance to each other.

Which brings me to their relationship. Look. One would not simply expect such a moving connection between these two astronomically different guys in this type of story. Their bond really pulled at my heartstrings and it's not stopping. The team zoomed in on details in the novel and expanded on it to flesh them out while adding their own spin on it. Somehow, as unlikely as that is, it just ticks. Albeit still a bit lacking in development. Although it can't really be helped in order to stay faithful to the original.

For the rest of the good, as a counterbalance to my main criticism, I did appreciate various ideas they presented. And the way they presented it. It was surprising and refreshing. We get to consider different sides on some questions. Made me ponder and think, all that. Regularly, it felt like they really hit the nail on the head, personally. It just resonated. It was impactful. As "rational" as that is meant to be, it was also a 'spiritual' journey for me.

Overall it was very enjoyable. And frequently emotional. There's even some comedy, especially thanks to the perpetual bickering between our two main guys. When things happen... they really happen. And that finale...

And you know what ? Regardless of my opinion, the fact is that many people who worked on this project have a genuine appreciation for the original work and it shows. Yang Lei (director) and Lu Bei Ke (visual effects supervisor) are hardcore fans and decided to do everything they could to preserve it (and in my opinion they enhanced it). Yu He Wei wanted to play Shi Qiang so much he made the request himself to be cast, even though he'd have to get body makeup because his skin is too light (and light or dark he's perfect). Tian Liang Liang (screenwriter) probably knows the book almost by heart as well and wrote accordingly (and many dialogues are word for word what's in it). And it really shows through everything. They didn't do this thoughtlessly. They put in a lot of care. Without the unfortunate inaccuracies and dark areas I mentioned, this drama could have been a 9-9,5 for me. It's no surprise it's a masterpiece for many. And an important cultural achievement for Chinese fans.

[THE LONG SUMMARY]

Tencent's "Three Body" is a HARD SF with a fascinating premise and setting, a strong plot but weak spots and bothering inaccuracies, a gorgeous realisation made alive by fans of the original work, good characters on paper whose depth and likeability in practice may vary but still allow for enjoyable dynamics between them and especially a noteworthy duo. There is mostly A.L.O.T of thinking, philosophising and speculating about scientific and existential topics but BIG AND INTENSE things happen as well. It also indirectly addresses various but not always nuanced views on some ethical issues and metaphysical questions through the musings of the characters and general context of the story. Which may or may not be enjoyable depending on who you are. Do not expect frequent fast-paced action. Definitely do not expect romance between anyone (although there are married couples, romantic interactions between them are scarce). Even the heartfelt friendship between Miao Miao and Da Shi stays subtle, blended into an ocean of plot points.

However, this is not just a science-fiction story. This is a deep dive into the frontier between hope and disillusion, ideals and reality, so-called rationality and what lies beyond our control. I think it can appeal to different person for different reason and offers different levels of understanding and interpretation. I found a lot of value in this drama. Through their desperate ideals and tragic longings for a more beautiful, humane universe, it made me unbury my own, as painful as that is. In the end, what I'll truly remember are Ye Wen Jie's character and Shi/Wang's partnership, because I care more about people and bonds than I do plots and concepts. As interesting as they are. Which is why I'm looking forward to the short Shi/Wang spin-off preceding "The Dark Forest", hoping it will be a proper wrap-up before entering into the second phase of the story. I don't know if I'll keep watching afterwards for reasons I won't spoil. And I don't even know if I'll still be around when it all comes out, because it's probably going to be a massive production with an equally massive wait time. But regardless, I liked this drama despite what I didn't. As a part 1, an introduction, a summary, a standalone with an extremely open ending, or anything else. I will remember it both in my mind and my heart, with criticism but with fondness also, and am finding it hard to part with it.

Thanks to the team for their work. And thank you if you read the entirety of the unintelligible, emotionally confused scrawl that is this review and didn't just skip to the summary (I know you did - it's ok). May the vast universe around you bring you comfort rather than fear.

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A story I don't want to forget.

I rewatched this drama because after my first watch, I felt I had been unfair towards it. I even wrote a review but then I deleted it. I guess I wasn't in the right mindset. I skipped a lot of it because I felt like it was so boring and badly written and I would never reach the end, but somehow I wanted to see where these characters would go. So I kept watching. I also had issues with a few things that were for personal reasons so the drama wasn't entirely at fault, it was mostly me. The truth is that despite what I didn't enjoy (and there was a lot), I could not stop thinking about it after I finished it. I simply could not. So after a little while, I gave it another try.

Because I knew what to expect this time and because I had, in the meantime, gained a new appreciation for it, knowing a little more about the base material and the behind the scenes, etc., it actually went a lot smoother. I did not skip a single scene (even rewatched quite a few of them multiple times). What I didn't like or what I hated the first time, I either liked or at least accepted/tolerated this second time. What I liked the first, I absolutely loved it even more. Even though I knew what would happen, it still was an emotional roller coaster. A really rewarding one.

Overall, this drama is not perfect. It's not very realistic, there are a lot of childish ways of seeing things, some uselessly cheesy/overdramatic stuff, some average writing (imo) and redundancy. It's pretty patriotic and I don't really care about these kinds of things. I also didn't really like what they did with Rudolph, sometimes bordering on racist stereotype (although, that could have been way worse, they still managed to make it OK eventually). So there are obvious flaws that I can't just ignore. But, in the end, to me, the good overthrows the bad.

By its excellent and heartwarming intentions, messages, life lessons, by the pure hearts and the pure love these characters show us and give to one another. Its core values are unconditional love, life, friendship, patience, healing, growth, forgiveness, compassion, effort, selflessness, teamwork and a sense of "fate" and acceptance for what happens in our life, regardless of our personal beliefs. That's what this drama is, what it shows you, what it can inspire you to instil in your life, even just a little. As childish, unrealistic and idealistic as that is, it can help you forget reality - or even better, grow stronger in the midst of it.

Yes, everything is idealized : medicine, doctors, human nature, human relationships. Ren and Yun's friendship in particular is among the most beautiful and inspiring things I've seen in my life. Really. And NO, this is NOT BL. I know some people consider that they're looking gay or whatever, but in my opinion this is a very narrow-minded way of seeing things. And regardless of what I personally think, the novel is objectively not a gay romance and this drama is not either. That makes it even more beautiful in my opinion. It's honest, emotional, deep and spiritual. And it's unrealistic, that's for sure. But it feels really good and really healing to give yourself the right to imagine that, maybe, somewhere, at some point in the history of humanity, such people and such absolute love really do exist. There is room for some potential straight romances between the MLs and their respective female love interests (as it is the case in the novel) but it is not developed in this adaptation. Any romance between these ladies and the male leads is therefore up to interpretation and imagination.

And talking about the ladies, how I loved Su Li and Lin Yuan ! I think they were very well written, multidimensional and memorable. I kinda loved Lin Yuan with Zheng Ren, as partners or anything else I don't care, I simply loved their interactions. She's a great character. Xie Yiren and Chang Yue are awesome too, but a bit too "perfect" for me.

I am grateful for this drama. Grateful to the team behind it, to Zhen Xiong Chu Mo the author of the original novel (as different as it is from the adaptation - and it really is) and to all these great actors who did such an astounding job, including support and guest actors. Even the OST is gorgeous (although a bit overused). I won't talk much about the medical side of it. Just know that every case is based mostly on the novel's. And the novel, even though it is a cultivation fantasy novel, is itself based on reality and is very, very heavily medical-focused. And is apparently, by what people say of it, instructive (the author IS a surgeon). So do what you want with it.

But please, if you consider watching this drama, don't be like me : give it an honest chance from start to finish and don't be too critical. A bit of a "philosophical/spiritual" outlook on things may be necessary to really appreciate it, though. I wish you to meet a doctor like Zheng Ren when you need it, and partners and friends like this duo and their team cared for each other.

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l didn't hate it and might even rewatch it occasionally, skipping a few parts.

I've been curious about this one for some time now. It does touch on themes that are close to my heart. I love the youth and life genres. It supposedly had friendship as a main topic. And after seeing Park Ji Hoon's stellar acting in Weak Hero, I was on top of that curious to see him in other roles. Therefore after some thinking I was finally convinced to watch this show. I haven't read the webtoon nor am I planning to, so this review is solely based on the drama.

The premise, the themes, the main characters and the finale, as well as the acting, are what made me watch it until the end and not think that this was a total waste of time. There are some memorable and very emotional scenes. Other than that, I can't say it was spectacular. The plot is wonky, it relies a lot on plot conveniences, clichés, nothing is really subtle at all, the pacing is a bit weird, it's a bit boring sometimes (it's a slice-of-life, sure but still) and I can't say I was very entertained all along. I was tempted to skip ahead more than once (and I did end up skipping some seconds and minutes here and there, particularly episode 7 and onward). I also didn't like the OST. To be more precise, I do not like having a piece, or worse : a song with lyrics, in almost every scene. It's too overstimulating. I prefer minimalistic OSTs and silence. Here it seemed to me there was barely any silence ever.

So what is good ?

The overarching themes and lessons are.

Yeo Joon is one of the best things in this story in terms of psychological complexity. He's the kind of characters I love in general. He looks weak and fragile and he does cry easily for a guy but he's actually pretty tough. What he went through makes his behaviour understandable, that's a great point as it's not an easy thing to write. Ji Hoon's acting obviously brings a lot. But his character 'grows' too easily, too fast in my opinion. I was happy seeing him happy - but maybe it was too hopeful for me ? I prefer realism. He's endured so much and I think his character flaws needed to take more precedence than that, create more inner and outer conflicts. Also, the plot convenience of him having forgotten/mixed up his memories and suddenly remembering correctly and everything just resolved like this... I think it was disappointing, underwhelming and badly written. His backstory is what was most intriguing to me and this was very quickly dealt with.

Kim So Bin, as much as I love Kang Min Ah and think she did a beautiful job here with what she was given, is pretty much the typical lost, shy, kindhearted and cute damsel in emotional distress without much more to it. While she seemed to be so important in the beginning, and the romance took a lot of the available space for a few episodes, she then kind of blends into the background at some point and just becomes Joon's girlfriend with no life of her own. Her trauma, her mother, her story, her own interests and other non-romantic relationships do not really matter any longer. She does have some nice moments with her roommates but their bond primarily resolves around crying about their individual love pains and it just doesn't interest me that much. I admit I was hoping for some cool girls friendship when I saw she was going to live at a dorm with 2 other girls but got almost nothing. I do not dislike her character but she's simply too linear. Her only flaw is having some abandonment trauma and anxiety and being too nice, but that's not how good character flaws work. To add to that, I think the way her trauma was dealt with was also fairly unoriginal. And when she met with her mother and simply decided never to see her again and after some explaining this was over - it seemed lazy to be honest.

Nam Soo Hyun is the character that made me cry the most, seeing him struggle so hard to get by, and I think he was a very interesting and flawed guy with a great development. I actually like that he was the most reticent to change and I like the fact that, even though he had two potential love interests and he was apparently interested in one of the girls, he chose not to conclude with any of them as he was still too unconfident in himself until the end. I think it was realistic, interesting and relatively well done. People don't change just like that, as he said rightly. His slowly growing brotherhood with Joon was also very moving. I think it was pretty nicely done considering their unusual personalities and they do end up looking like close brothers, which was pleasant. Joon really looked like this annoying and clingy but cute little brother that just desperately needed the help and support Soo Hyun could provide, while Joon was his door to learning to be more laid-back and emotionally honest with himself and others.

However, I think the writer didn't rightly balance romance/friendship over the course of the story and the ending was a bit weird in this regard (their final group project was basically all about the MLs friendship even though the romance and romantic love in general was so important in like 60% of the show). The romance between So Bin and Joon, while cute and all that, didn't seem very logical to me the way it was done. I don't really understand why she suddenly was in love with Joon. He manipulated her and used her emotional fragility to make her rely on him. She shouldn't have just accepted that so easily. I'm also uncertain about the need for a romance altogether. It made sense that Joon would need both friendship and romance in his life to grow as he was desperate for any kind of love he could find but - and I'm really trying to see it without my preference for friendships bias - I think the romance aspect should have been a minor/side thing instead of trying to take the main spot only to be relegated to the backseat in the end. The friendship part of it all between the 3 should have been the foundation and the meat (and it does go back to this in the finale anyway), while the romance should have been something that would have slowly developed along the way to blossom towards the ending, less flamboyantly. So yeah, I'm not sure if I'm the best person to judge a romance but I'll just say I wasn't really convinced. I've seen better, less forced ones.

It's also too bad the secondary girls weren't much more as characters than love interests for Soo Hyun. Young Ran was probably the most well-developed of the two though and I loved her a lot. It's a shame Mi Joo just disappeared. Professor Park is another secondary character that I really liked, he was so funny with his obsession for his students to love him and eat with him and his pure joy whenever any of them would talk to him and ask for his help... Professor Song on the other hand was inconsistently written and dislikeable all along. I constantly wondered if I had missed something because I never understood why she acted the way she did.

And - a thing I REALLY appreciated, is the total absence of love triangle between the 3 leads. Very nice and refreshing.

I think this drama contains good ideas and is quite a fun watch. It does drag and has its flaws and is definitely not entirely to my tastes. But I'm very picky and have weird preferences. If you love romantic dramas, do not care too much about plot or writing quality, and also like friendship and coming of age stories in general, and don't mind themes of domestic and child abuse, there's no real reason you wouldn't enjoy this one.

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This drama could have been excellent but there are some problems.

The plot itself, at its core, I think it's good. I know many say it's predictable or whatever, but personally predictability doesn't really matter as long as it isn't too cliché and I really care about the characters to whom the plot is happening. And I'm dumb and uncultured so it wasn't that predictable to me anyway.

However two major flaws are its ending, and its frequent plot conveniences and plot holes. Although I can sort of ignore the latter because it overall still fits pretty well and the story is still engaging, the former on the other hand is a big issue for me. Putting aside the fact that it's very rushed, and to remain spoiler free, I'll just say it's disappointing. It's not horribly bad to the point it would make me feel like the whole story wasn't worth it. But it's lacking, underwhelming and feels extremely incomplete. And for such an emotional ride that is this drama, this is a huge downside.

On the good side, I loved every main characters and really appreciated Eugene as she is presented as a mature and intelligent woman but with her own flaws all throughout the story and that's rare enough to note. Sadly, she did not receive a proper development in my opinion and while it was promising, it ended up stagnating. Her ending, like the ending in general, is disappointing and bittersweet. I really liked that while both male leads seemed to sort of like her romantically - I'd argue especially Jae Hwan - it doesn't turn out all love triangly and stays very light and subtle. No romance actually happens and it's unclear whether feelings are reciprocated.

Jae Hwan and Jung Yeop are on their own good characters as well. Their relationship is an important part of the story. While I loved it, I think it somehow seemed a bit superficial because we don't really understand why they ended up being so close so fast (a common friendship writing mistake). Well, in the beginning it does make sense that they're growing to trust each other - but then in the middle of it, it lacked a bit more development to really make it feel organic. But this is detail. It's still good. Although, like the rest, their conclusion was underwhelming and bitter to say the least.

I cannot speak too much about other characters without major spoilers so I'll stop there. Overall you don't really have totally black or white characters and many of them are grey. Most are likeable and relatively interesting but not all of them are memorable.

Actors are doing a great job as always, regardless of the script quality. The OST I neither liked nor disliked, some pieces were nice and it blended mostly well with the action. But there technically wasn't much music that I can remember, or lyrics. This is good. I prefer it this way.

I already watched it twice so I would rewatch it again for the characters and their relationships. This is not a perfect drama in any way but I think it's unfair its rating is so low. I'd say if you like thrillers, non-romance dynamics, strong friendships and sad stories, give it a go.

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