scenophile

Adorable

This was the typical rom-com — very adorable and never really high stakes because you knew things were going to be okay.

Ultimately, I really enjoyed it, and it helped that the secretary and boss didn't fall too much into the cliche cold jerk/weak but warm stereotypes. JGH stood up for herself when necessary, and DMI was nicer than a lot of other bosses. The chemistry was really good.

I do, however, have a natural dislike for characters that keep these kinds of secrets — the kind that involves and hurts someone else and is purely for selfish reasons — and while I think the drama did a good job of balancing how JGH wanted to be someone else and yet felt trapped in her lie, I still think it might've been dragged on for a little too long.

I also wish the rules around DMI's face blindness were worked out a little better; how it was resolved at the end honestly felt deus ex machina, though I was still kind of relieved we got a nice resolution.

The secretary subplot was honestly really interesting, but I really wish it had been given more screentime and had been fed to us earlier. It's also rare that our two main characters are so uninvolved in the subplot and rather just victims of it (which was interesting to see actually). But I also felt like it wrapped up a little unsatisfyingly, though that could've been because I just didn't spend enough time with those characters to care deeply for them.

I liked JGH's siblings as well — even though they were parent-less, there wasn't ann overdose of angst and I loved how they still teased each other and supported each other.

Ultimately, this was a really fun watch, and I gotta say Veronica Park was HILARIOUS and cast perfectly. Favorite character.

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I feel like this had a lot of potential for good bromance, backstory, and personal character growth — but the thing they zoned in on was the love triangle. We spent so much time with the guys jostling each other and the girl debating who to pick, we didn't spend time on other topics I were really interested in: the guy who ran away from home, the ramen shop, ML's relationship with his dad, etc...I know tvN's Flower Boy series sort of always goes for that type of subtlety, but it also always seems to fall short of satisfactory closure.

There was also a lot of humor at the start, which I appreciated even though it wasn't my type of comedy and because I felt like the FL was acting so ditzy when she was supposed to be the more mature one. Even as someone who's not a huge fan of age gap romances, I really missed the power dynamic in that I liked how the teacher was in a position of power at school. I'm also a sucker for the school setting and kind of liked that part of the drama the best.

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This was a surprisingly wholesome and complete story, considering it was only 4 episodes.

It took a while for the main female lead to grow on me, as throughout a lot of the drama she really just felt like another cliche quiet, top-of-the-class good girl lead. The few scenes we saw her with her best friend made me like her a lot more and I wish we had more time to get to know the more talkative, smiley part of her.

Another character I really wanted to know more about was Brown Bear, and part of me wanted him to end up in the main ship instead, as his personality and backstory just seemed much more interesting than the main lead, who I didn't like as much. The few minutes of flashback we saw between Brown Bear and A-young's brother made him grow on me A LOT. Overall, I just wasn't a huge fan of the male lead, and I didn't think there was enough time for his character development.

Story-wise, however, the plot was really strong and I liked how we saw very subtle but well-paced character development in the side characters. The open ending (which is a style I'm not a fan of in general) left a lot to be desired in my view, but it can still be considered a happy ending, which I'm grateful for.

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The main couple's on-and-off-and-on-again relationship started to get really repetitive, and to be perfectly honest I was rooting for second lead a lot more.

Now, the special episodes I loved, because NOTHING beats the friends-to-lovers trope and even though something about Pu-Reum doesn't quite sit right with me, I love Ha-Neul and I will root for his ship.

I'm also surprised about something else—I'd always thought Jae-In was the main female lead, but it's been three seasons and she doesn't have much plot. I'd definitely want to see more of her in the next season.

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This started out super promising, and the promise of an actual strong, independent female lead was something so refreshing. But somewhere along the way, the drama turned into The Heirs-lite and I didn't know what to think anymore.

The plot of the "missions" to bring the cousins closer together completely disappeared, and we were hit with a bunch of old k-drama tropes: disapproving guardian, secret relationship, hospital and health issues, fighting over a corporation...etc. etc. etc.

A lot of the characters lost their personalities. Even the female lead, who was my only reason for watching, started descending into a stupid girl who cried A LOT and refused to communicate about anything. Truth be told, I was rooting for Hyun-Min because he was such a fun character(and I'm tired to death of the cold/rude male trope), but he definitely lost his charm somewhere, and at the same time, Ji-Woon's cold personality did a 180, as if the writers were actively trying to get the viewers to like him. For me, it was too little, too late. Overall, some of the things the characters did just lacked common sense, as if it was to move the story along. Hye-Ji was also honestly such a problematic character who had no personality (other than being obsessed with Hyun-Min), and the fact that she was such a huge part of the plot development annoyed me, though I liked that she wasn't as conniving as other k-drama second female leads.

I will say, though, that the OST was good.

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This drama was super cute from start to finish, and I love how the relationship between the main leads was different from a lot of cohabitation relationships where they start off hating each other. It was refreshing to see a male lead that wasn't arrogant and cocky; right off the bat, we saw that he was compassionate and caring for the FL, not because he liked her but just because of his personality. The little easter egg scenes at the end of episodes were also super cute because we got to see more of this.

Si Tu Mo was a lovable main female lead as well. She definitely stood up for herself, was straight and to the point when it came to romance and friendships, and it was really great to not have to get frustrated at those stupid misunderstandings that too many other dramas have.

Sadly, the last few episodes of this drama really slowed down the pace, and I felt like it dragged without any real storyline—they seemed like filler episodes.

The OST is also okay, but I love love love Time For A Love Song by Luna!

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This was the very first k-drama that I ever watched, and it began my obsession with k-drama in general. That's the best testimony I could give.

For a drama that has such a dark sub-plot, this drama was surprisingly funny. The romance was hilarious, especially the jealous scenes, and I loved the chemistry between the two leads. The side characters were really interesting as well, and I enjoyed seeing how other relationships developed.

I was SUPER intrigued by the mystery aspect of this, and it definitely delivered. The backstory was nothing that I'd expected, and the cinematography creeped me out successfully, which was a great balance.

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So cute!

I'm a sucker for noona romances and this one really hit the spot. The ML is stubborn but passionate while the FL is practical and strong-willed — they're very golden retriever bf and black cat gf which is one of my favorite dynamics. And the chemistry between them is so good, whether it's skinship or them just sitting on the sofa and talking about dreams and goals.

I do wish we got a little more about the FL on this point — she's a coach so the show follows the ML's dreams more and we don't really see if she has any further career goals other than finishing the postgrad program she's already a part of. On the ML's development, I also think the show kind of drops the ball in the final act. We just needed to spend time on one more important competition where the ML could face rivals that the show had been building up, instead of the overseas arc we got.

Regardless, I thought this was such a fun watch and the leads made me giggle and kick my feet. I might need another noona romance to fill the void.

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Even better than the first

I really liked the overarching plot and villain in this one, and the show does a great job of balancing it with a variety of individual cases.

The drama is once again great at showing Lee Jehoon's range as he takes on different characters, but the best part is still, without a doubt, the friendship between the main cast. It's especially interesting because we start out with a break from the status quo with them having disbanded, and we get to see them coming back together in a very heartfelt way. As a romance-lover, I also liked the subtle hints we got between Go-Eun and Do-Gi, but I appreciate that it's not a plot that takes up time and changes the dynamic between the team.

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Super fun!

It's really interesting to start a drama where the ensemble is already well-established, which makes it so much more fun to see how they work together on different missions and take on their roles. The banter is really fun and honestly it's the friendship that really carries the show.

I'm a little more mixed on the overarching plot. I like the cat and mouse game with the prosecutor and the moral questions it raises about what's valid when the legal system fails. But the other antagonist was not really that interesting, other than how it gives us the final conflict where all the cases we saw throughout the season culminate into one situation.

Overall, a really enjoyable show that's definitely very watchable — I can see why it's renewed for so many seasons.

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A great journey

This one had a rough start but it gradually grew on me.

The female lead's baby voice and naivete really grated on me in the first ten or so episodes, and I'm pretty mixed on the stretch of episodes on the middle which takes place in the mortal world too, since everything — from the settings to the characters — just feels so different. The body swap trope is not one I'm a big fan of and it doesn't really add much to the story aside from providing comic relief and showcasing acting chops.

However, after finishing the show though, and seeing everything fall into place, I can confidently say that I ultimately did enjoy this drama. The pacing is really well done, and I liked the development that the characters go through. The female lead becomes really fun and strong (and significantly less air-headed), and the romantic chemistry is great. The final battle is really climactic, and I think overall it was just a good time.

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Dark and Intriguing

This was cool! It's definitely very different from the first one — which I think is why it's gotten mixed reviews. On that aspect, I do agree; even though it's a sequel, it doesn't quite feel like it's actually part of the same universe.

I didn't really have an issue with that though; the new setting is very unique and the tension seems much more palpable compared to S1. The cinematography, set design, and choreography are all great, and I really enjoyed the darker vibes of the story. The acting is pretty good across the board, though there are some hiccups with the side characters here and there.

In general, I'm pretty satisfied with the plot, but I did find the finale and the twist to be quite rushed. Still, I like the premise of the ending and how it sets up season 3, so I hope we get a renewal sometime soon.

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Brilliant ending

Wow, what a cathartic way to finish the series. Everything really ties together in a surprising but really satisfying way in the end. I really appreciate how intelligent the characters are here, with each plot progression being intentional and decision-driven. Every actor continues to impress me, especially now that the plot unfolds and we get to see different sides of them.

I know the romance aspect has gotten mixed reviews, but I personally still enjoyed it. Even if the drama didn't have it, though, I feel like I wouldn't like the drama any more or less.

The last episode is a little bit rushed, falling victim to some typical kdrama tropes, but I think the show, overall, ultimately sticks the landing.

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