Thanks for highlighting this — because terminal illness is not a license to commit crimes. That’s exactly why I can’t stand dramas that use sickness as some kind of emotional shield where every horrible action is suddenly excused with “BUT he’s dying soon.” That logic is ridiculous. It becomes: He’s sick → let him ruin someone else’s life. He’s sick → let him manipulate, stalk, kidnap, and emotionally torture someone. And the audience is expected to accept it because the writers want us to feel sorry for him? No thanks.
What makes it worse is how kidnapping, emotional abuse, and forceful physical behavior are treated like quirky romantic gestures. Since when did dragging a woman around and controlling her life become “passionate love”? In any real-world scenario, that’s a crime, not a confession scene.
And the female lead… I absolutely agree — she’s written with no self-respect, no integrity, and zero emotional consistency. She goes from calling him out to melting the second he buys her shoes or stares at her dramatically. It’s honestly insulting to women to portray this as “love,” as if emotional manipulation is flattering and abusive behavior is something you endure because he has a tragic backstory.
So yes, I’m glad I’m not the only one who refuses to romanticize abuse. Not every red flag becomes charming just because the show adds soft music and a sad medical diagnosis.
I’m honestly relieved to find someone like-minded here, because the way people are praising this drama’s toxic behavior as “romance” is wild to me. I’m absolutely against these kinds of male leads who are written as controlling, disrespectful, emotionally dismissive, and somehow still get packaged as “mysterious romantic heroes.” No––they’re not romantic, they’re just toxic.
What makes it worse is that everyone in the show just silently accepts whatever he does simply because he’s the male lead. There’s no pushback, no accountability, no character growth—just a nonstop attempt to convince viewers that red-flag behavior is normal or attractive. That’s a dangerous message and definitely not something shows should be glorifying as a “cute rom-com dynamic.”
I really hope writers stop treating basic disrespect as a personality trait and calling it romance. And yes—Lee You Mi deserves so much better than a script like this.
wow you must have 1st Hand knowledge of work place harassment, I do not see any of the crap your spewing so it…
So let me get this straight — you’re watching a drama about a boss emotionally blackmailing his employee, forcing her into late-night unpaid work, then slacking off because Daddy owns the place, and somehow what you take from that is “wow, such beautiful people, so normal, so romantic”?
Buddy, that’s not a “pink-tinted lens,” that’s a full-blown VR headset running delusion mode on max settings.
You’re defending workplace harassment like it’s a spa treatment, and then telling me to “turn it off or rub one out”? Please. If anyone here is overstimulated by corporate toxicity dressed up as romance, it’s you — I’m just the one pointing out the toxic fumes you’re mistaking for perfume.
You can call it “normal work life in Korea” all you want, but in what universe is:
your boss crying like a toddler,
guilt-tripping you to quit,
then acting like working is optional because he’s the heir
…somehow “beautiful people living real life”?
If anything, the only thing “beautiful” here is how spectacularly you’re ignoring every red flag waving right in your face like it’s a fashion accessory.
The glaring issue of this show is the plot device. A lower-class family struggles to get by. Barely making ends meet and raising kids on a dry cleaning owner's salary. Some may have it worse, but there is some terrible luck in this particular family. The father never amounted to anything. He was supposed to become a lawyer, but never passed the bar. Rather than getting a normal job, he continued to retake the exam and continuously study. But he never passed.
What kind of sane woman marries a jobless student and makes two babies with him when he earns Nothing on what basis ? Where do they get this confidence in raising two kids ? Gong Yoo is 46 and still can't afford to marry and have kids......
Well technically, it was just a few kisses and nothing more sexual happened between them.I’m not denying the…
For your kind information, I’m male. So maybe drop the assumptions next time. My point was simply about understanding the characters, not about gender.
Well if we really look it that way then nothing makes sense tbh. In real life nobody gets a job like that. Atleast…
As you said, it is really sad how most shows keep promoting toxic male leads who always end up getting the girl. And the worst part? They never show how that kind of relationship or marriage eventually becomes toxic in real life — how the woman ends up suffering because she chose the jerk ML over the green-flag SML. It’s like the industry refuses to explore the consequences.
And honestly, I called him a “gentleman” because yes, he did use her for his business, but it was still a mutual, consensual deal, not blackmail, not coercion. He made a proposal, she accepted. Simple.
Plus, once he found out her ex was an actual trash human being, he chose to protect the FL and drop his own mission. That was genuinely gentleman-like. He didn’t pressure her, didn’t manipulate her into doing anything she wasn’t comfortable with just so he could use that jerk ex for his work.
Their second-day date was honestly great, and she wasn’t there for money — at that point, she actually liked him. She wasn’t thinking about fake marriage, scams, or anything shady.
I can even give him a pass for being petty and angry because he felt cheated. Fine. understandable. But competing for her while knowing she’s married? That crosses a line. That’s not romance, that’s him actively trying to break a family apart — not just “stealing a woman,” but permanently damaging a child’s home just because of what he thinks is love (or honestly, maybe he just liked the flavour of her lipstick from that one kiss — who knows).
Well if we really look it that way then nothing makes sense tbh. In real life nobody gets a job like that. Atleast…
Well, your points are taken and understood — I agree that K-dramas run on coincidences, tropes, and “don’t think too hard” plotting. I get that the show expects us to watch it with rose-tinted, made-in-Korea glasses and just enjoy the chaos.
But my issue isn’t with the coincidences or unrealistic job hiring. My problem starts with the character consistency, especially after Episode 1.
Episode 1 established a completely different male lead. He was calm, mature, self-controlled, wealthy but not arrogant, respectful, and presented as a genuine gentleman. A man who didn’t lose his composure, didn’t play petty games, and had a very grounded personality.
Then suddenly he becomes a 180° different person. The shift is so drastic it feels like a different character:
From gentleman → to jerk
From controlled → to childish
From rational → to petty
From sympathetic → to vindictive
Yes, he’s hurt. Yes, he feels betrayed. That part I fully understand. But he’s overdoing it to the point where he feels like a caricature.
And what makes it worse is that he’s targeting a married woman. Even if the kiss was a mistake or based on a lie, the moment he found out she is married, he should’ve backed off completely.
Instead:
He’s getting close to her again
In the Episode 5 preview he seems competitive with her husband
He’s positioning himself like he wants to “win” her
It’s almost like he wants to become the male version of a mistress
That part is what I find genuinely disgusting. You accidentally kissed a married woman — fine, that was a misunderstanding. But actively pursuing her afterwards? Trying to “steal” her from her husband like some prize?
There’s no world where that is morally acceptable.
So yes, I get the genre, I get the tropes, and I get the comedy. But character assassination isn’t comedy. If they wanted a petty, childish ML, they should have set that tone from Episode 1 instead of baiting viewers with a gentleman and then switching him into a jealous teenager.
I understand your point but it’s too biased against the ML. Of course it’s never good to oppress his subordinate…
Well she never cheated even if she was really married Kiss can not be established as a full cheating She never try to connect him Never had intercourse with him. Emotionally and physically never cheated
Naah ...hard disagree! Even as a woman, I find your perspective to be highly biased against the ML. Firstly, she…
Well technically, it was just a few kisses and nothing more sexual happened between them. I’m not denying the wrong things she did — hiding her identity, lying about her marriage, and the potential legal implications. Those are all valid criticisms.
But if the ML is so upright and righteous, why didn’t he report it to HR immediately? If this was such a massive moral and professional breach, the correct protocol exists. He didn’t follow it. Instead, he shifted the situation into a personal grudge and started mixing emotions with power dynamics.
And the “fake mom” angle is something we as viewers know — NOT something the ML knows. You’re judging her based on information that only the audience has. The ML doesn’t know she faked being a mother. From his point of view:
He met a woman on Jeju
They played the fake couple act
They shared a moment (the peck/lip touch)
He kissed her again
They went on a date
They were mutually about to get physical before she disappeared
For him, this was a big emotional experience — he searched for her for days or months.
Only after all this did he discover she was a married woman with a 6-year-old kid. At that point, yes, he absolutely had the right to walk away and protect his reputation. But he also had a responsibility to separate personal emotions from professional space, especially as a boss.
Instead:
He bullied her
He acted petty
He behaved like a jealous teen instead of the rational, calm, controlled gentleman he was introduced as in Episode 1
I get that Jang Ki-young has insane screen presence and the chemistry looks intense — he’s great at that. But don’t you think the context of this “sexual tension” is actually really troubling?
For me, it’s hard to enjoy any of these scenes when the male lead is basically abusing his position. He’s her boss, he thinks she’s married, and yet he’s still cornering her emotionally, sexually, and professionally. That isn’t seduction — that’s power imbalance, harassment, and honestly the kind of behavior that would be a crime in a real workplace.
So I’m curious: Do you still find the tension enjoyable even with the way he pressures her, tries to force her resignation, and treats her like an object he’s entitled to? Because the drama has gone from flirty to straight-up toxic, and I can’t look past that.
I wish the show kept the witty, respectful vibe of the early episodes instead of turning the male lead into a copy of his abusive father. The chemistry was great — but not when it comes through coercion.
I get that Jang Ki-young has insane screen presence and the chemistry looks intense — he’s great at that. But don’t you think the context of this “sexual tension” is actually really troubling?
For me, it’s hard to enjoy any of these scenes when the male lead is basically abusing his position. He’s her boss, he thinks she’s married, and yet he’s still cornering her emotionally, sexually, and professionally. That isn’t seduction — that’s power imbalance, harassment, and honestly the kind of behavior that would be a crime in a real workplace.
So I’m curious: Do you still find the tension enjoyable even with the way he pressures her, tries to force her resignation, and treats her like an object he’s entitled to? Because the drama has gone from flirty to straight-up toxic, and I can’t look past that.
I wish the show kept the witty, respectful vibe of the early episodes instead of turning the male lead into a copy of his abusive father. The chemistry was great — but not when it comes through coercion.
I get that Jang Ki-young has insane screen presence and the chemistry looks intense — he’s great at that. But don’t you think the context of this “sexual tension” is actually really troubling?
For me, it’s hard to enjoy any of these scenes when the male lead is basically abusing his position. He’s her boss, he thinks she’s married, and yet he’s still cornering her emotionally, sexually, and professionally. That isn’t seduction — that’s power imbalance, harassment, and honestly the kind of behavior that would be a crime in a real workplace.
So I’m curious: Do you still find the tension enjoyable even with the way he pressures her, tries to force her resignation, and treats her like an object he’s entitled to? Because the drama has gone from flirty to straight-up toxic, and I can’t look past that.
I wish the show kept the witty, respectful vibe of the early episodes instead of turning the male lead into a copy of his abusive father. The chemistry was great — but not when it comes through coercion.
It becomes: He’s sick → let him ruin someone else’s life.
He’s sick → let him manipulate, stalk, kidnap, and emotionally torture someone.
And the audience is expected to accept it because the writers want us to feel sorry for him? No thanks.
What makes it worse is how kidnapping, emotional abuse, and forceful physical behavior are treated like quirky romantic gestures. Since when did dragging a woman around and controlling her life become “passionate love”? In any real-world scenario, that’s a crime, not a confession scene.
And the female lead… I absolutely agree — she’s written with no self-respect, no integrity, and zero emotional consistency. She goes from calling him out to melting the second he buys her shoes or stares at her dramatically. It’s honestly insulting to women to portray this as “love,” as if emotional manipulation is flattering and abusive behavior is something you endure because he has a tragic backstory.
So yes, I’m glad I’m not the only one who refuses to romanticize abuse. Not every red flag becomes charming just because the show adds soft music and a sad medical diagnosis.
What makes it worse is that everyone in the show just silently accepts whatever he does simply because he’s the male lead. There’s no pushback, no accountability, no character growth—just a nonstop attempt to convince viewers that red-flag behavior is normal or attractive. That’s a dangerous message and definitely not something shows should be glorifying as a “cute rom-com dynamic.”
I really hope writers stop treating basic disrespect as a personality trait and calling it romance. And yes—Lee You Mi deserves so much better than a script like this.
Korean drama rules
Hero can't hit his evil criminal demon looking father....
how can two single people be in a illicit affair when they had not partner to cheat on...
Buddy, that’s not a “pink-tinted lens,” that’s a full-blown VR headset running delusion mode on max settings.
You’re defending workplace harassment like it’s a spa treatment, and then telling me to “turn it off or rub one out”?
Please. If anyone here is overstimulated by corporate toxicity dressed up as romance, it’s you — I’m just the one pointing out the toxic fumes you’re mistaking for perfume.
You can call it “normal work life in Korea” all you want, but in what universe is:
your boss crying like a toddler,
guilt-tripping you to quit,
then acting like working is optional because he’s the heir
…somehow “beautiful people living real life”?
If anything, the only thing “beautiful” here is how spectacularly you’re ignoring every red flag waving right in your face like it’s a fashion accessory.
What kind of sane woman marries a jobless student and makes two babies with him when he earns Nothing on what basis ?
Where do they get this confidence in raising two kids ?
Gong Yoo is 46 and still can't afford to marry and have kids......
So maybe drop the assumptions next time. My point was simply about understanding the characters, not about gender.
And honestly, I called him a “gentleman” because yes, he did use her for his business, but it was still a mutual, consensual deal, not blackmail, not coercion. He made a proposal, she accepted. Simple.
Plus, once he found out her ex was an actual trash human being, he chose to protect the FL and drop his own mission. That was genuinely gentleman-like. He didn’t pressure her, didn’t manipulate her into doing anything she wasn’t comfortable with just so he could use that jerk ex for his work.
Their second-day date was honestly great, and she wasn’t there for money — at that point, she actually liked him. She wasn’t thinking about fake marriage, scams, or anything shady.
I can even give him a pass for being petty and angry because he felt cheated. Fine. understandable. But competing for her while knowing she’s married? That crosses a line. That’s not romance, that’s him actively trying to break a family apart — not just “stealing a woman,” but permanently damaging a child’s home just because of what he thinks is love (or honestly, maybe he just liked the flavour of her lipstick from that one kiss — who knows).
I get that the show expects us to watch it with rose-tinted, made-in-Korea glasses and just enjoy the chaos.
But my issue isn’t with the coincidences or unrealistic job hiring.
My problem starts with the character consistency, especially after Episode 1.
Episode 1 established a completely different male lead.
He was calm, mature, self-controlled, wealthy but not arrogant, respectful, and presented as a genuine gentleman. A man who didn’t lose his composure, didn’t play petty games, and had a very grounded personality.
Then suddenly he becomes a 180° different person.
The shift is so drastic it feels like a different character:
From gentleman → to jerk
From controlled → to childish
From rational → to petty
From sympathetic → to vindictive
Yes, he’s hurt. Yes, he feels betrayed. That part I fully understand.
But he’s overdoing it to the point where he feels like a caricature.
And what makes it worse is that he’s targeting a married woman.
Even if the kiss was a mistake or based on a lie, the moment he found out she is married, he should’ve backed off completely.
Instead:
He’s getting close to her again
In the Episode 5 preview he seems competitive with her husband
He’s positioning himself like he wants to “win” her
It’s almost like he wants to become the male version of a mistress
That part is what I find genuinely disgusting.
You accidentally kissed a married woman — fine, that was a misunderstanding.
But actively pursuing her afterwards?
Trying to “steal” her from her husband like some prize?
There’s no world where that is morally acceptable.
So yes, I get the genre, I get the tropes, and I get the comedy.
But character assassination isn’t comedy.
If they wanted a petty, childish ML, they should have set that tone from Episode 1 instead of baiting viewers with a gentleman and then switching him into a jealous teenager.
Kiss can not be established as a full cheating
She never try to connect him
Never had intercourse with him.
Emotionally and physically never cheated
I’m not denying the wrong things she did — hiding her identity, lying about her marriage, and the potential legal implications. Those are all valid criticisms.
But if the ML is so upright and righteous, why didn’t he report it to HR immediately?
If this was such a massive moral and professional breach, the correct protocol exists. He didn’t follow it. Instead, he shifted the situation into a personal grudge and started mixing emotions with power dynamics.
And the “fake mom” angle is something we as viewers know — NOT something the ML knows.
You’re judging her based on information that only the audience has. The ML doesn’t know she faked being a mother. From his point of view:
He met a woman on Jeju
They played the fake couple act
They shared a moment (the peck/lip touch)
He kissed her again
They went on a date
They were mutually about to get physical before she disappeared
For him, this was a big emotional experience — he searched for her for days or months.
Only after all this did he discover she was a married woman with a 6-year-old kid.
At that point, yes, he absolutely had the right to walk away and protect his reputation.
But he also had a responsibility to separate personal emotions from professional space, especially as a boss.
Instead:
He bullied her
He acted petty
He behaved like a jealous teen instead of the rational, calm, controlled gentleman he was introduced as in Episode 1
But don’t you think the context of this “sexual tension” is actually really troubling?
For me, it’s hard to enjoy any of these scenes when the male lead is basically abusing his position.
He’s her boss, he thinks she’s married, and yet he’s still cornering her emotionally, sexually, and professionally. That isn’t seduction — that’s power imbalance, harassment, and honestly the kind of behavior that would be a crime in a real workplace.
So I’m curious:
Do you still find the tension enjoyable even with the way he pressures her, tries to force her resignation, and treats her like an object he’s entitled to?
Because the drama has gone from flirty to straight-up toxic, and I can’t look past that.
I wish the show kept the witty, respectful vibe of the early episodes instead of turning the male lead into a copy of his abusive father. The chemistry was great — but not when it comes through coercion.
But don’t you think the context of this “sexual tension” is actually really troubling?
For me, it’s hard to enjoy any of these scenes when the male lead is basically abusing his position.
He’s her boss, he thinks she’s married, and yet he’s still cornering her emotionally, sexually, and professionally. That isn’t seduction — that’s power imbalance, harassment, and honestly the kind of behavior that would be a crime in a real workplace.
So I’m curious:
Do you still find the tension enjoyable even with the way he pressures her, tries to force her resignation, and treats her like an object he’s entitled to?
Because the drama has gone from flirty to straight-up toxic, and I can’t look past that.
I wish the show kept the witty, respectful vibe of the early episodes instead of turning the male lead into a copy of his abusive father. The chemistry was great — but not when it comes through coercion.
But don’t you think the context of this “sexual tension” is actually really troubling?
For me, it’s hard to enjoy any of these scenes when the male lead is basically abusing his position.
He’s her boss, he thinks she’s married, and yet he’s still cornering her emotionally, sexually, and professionally. That isn’t seduction — that’s power imbalance, harassment, and honestly the kind of behavior that would be a crime in a real workplace.
So I’m curious:
Do you still find the tension enjoyable even with the way he pressures her, tries to force her resignation, and treats her like an object he’s entitled to?
Because the drama has gone from flirty to straight-up toxic, and I can’t look past that.
I wish the show kept the witty, respectful vibe of the early episodes instead of turning the male lead into a copy of his abusive father. The chemistry was great — but not when it comes through coercion.
i hated chun chu in that drama