skizlock

I disagree, MDL rating is the only aspect that can be applied to a significant international audience, regardless of it seemingly being biased for various groups of people. It just means there are more haters or lovers who are on MDL rating it. After all the whole audience can't or will not rate on MDL.

For me, I have hundreds of dramas I can watch from all over the world. The list keeps growing, I cannot watch each drama to find out whether it is to my liking or not.

I see the rating, I have set the lower limit per country through experience and then I read some comments about romance and especially the ending not being open or sad. (English/Brazilian/Mexican/Korean >= 8, Chinese/Taiwanese/Philippine/Thai >= 8.5)

Main leads not being frustrating is rather subjective but they should not make me wish they die or get beaten up.

With this formula, I may lose watching some dramas that people like you find good, but nonetheless, I still get to watch other good dramas. There is simply too much content in the world.

I am considering to see the drama myself, but many people want to see something they have not seen already in their lives.

[At the cottage after an attack, ML is sitting with the FL with one eye closed.]
[FL is concerned as she eyes the sling he wears to hold his (fake) broken arm]
FL: Your bandage got wet!
FL: Let me change it for you.
[ML panics] There's no need! It's not wet! It's alright!
[FL with goading tone] A wet bandage will affect your wound. Let me change it for you!
[FL tries to grab the sling, ML moves back and stares at her] HAHAHA
[FL tries to make sense of his action, ML continues to stare]
[FL grabs and pulls on the sling]
[ML cries with fake pain] ch... ah...
[FL softly] Change it!
[ML continues to eye her in the same pose] HAHAHA
Aayyo!
Ha!
Here, here, here, take it, take it, take it!
[ML undresses the sling himself with his arm that was supposed to be broken] HAHAHAHA
[FL eyes him in silence]
[ML dangles the sling in front of her face with his fake broken arm]
Take it, take it!
HAHAHA
[FL sees the sling and then the ML]
[ML after continuing to eye her in the same pose, hints at the sling with his eyes, goading her to take it]
[FL tries but ML throws it towards her like a king granting a reward] HAHAHA
[FL continues to eye him]
[ML too eyes her with his seemingly broken arm in the air but then realizes]
[ML pessimistically]
Ahha! Haha!
You caught me again!
Ahem...
[FL continues to eye him in silence]
[ML childishly dillydallies with fake embarrassment]
[FL continues to stare at him with a goading expression as if urging him to explain]
[ML watches for awhile, hoping she will let it go but she continues to stare]
Ayo! Aaha!
My head!
[FL's eyes show disappointment as if she expected this] HAHA
It hurts! cough!
I burned my head, it hurts!
aa! yaa!
It hurts so much!
[FL cautiously but naively asks] Are you trying to fool me again by pretending to be weak?
[ML while holding his head, shakes his other hand, negating]
Aha!
It really hurts! Hurts!
[FL eyes him in silence]
How can it hurt so much!
[ML secretly eyes her to see her reaction but FL catches this and moves away]
FL: Keep suffering, I am ignoring you!
[FL sits on the other side of the table with her back towards the ML]
[ML eyes her with one eye, pushes his elbow of the hand holding his head onto the table. A blissful smile forms on his face, he is happy that she chose to continue the ruse and stay with him]
[FL makes cute expressions as if complaining about his childishness internally as happiness spreads on her face...]

[ML as usual is pranking the FL in a bid to enjoy her frustration and has already messed with her once which resulted in his bathtub being thrown far away]
The fallen leaves in the courtyard need to be swept.
FL: Alright, I'll do it!
[FL picks a nearby broom and starts to sweep]
Wait a moment!
FL: What is it?
The thing is...
Umm, I usually pick up...
the leaves...
in the courtyard...
by hand...
HAHAHAHA
[FL tries making sense of his seemingly absurd request for a while, but realizes he is messing with her]
[FL throws the broom far away, which actually falls into his tub somewhere on the other side of the mountains..]
[ML pretends to be disturbed and hurt]
Why did you throw it away again?
I have nothing much left!
FL: You have been sitting around doing nothing at all!
FL: Are you messing with me?
This time, I am not... I swear!
HAHAHAHA
FL: So, you were messing with me before!
[ML sways his head from left to right and mumbles]
Anyway... I am not this time!
HAHAHAHA

[ML after telling FL, his importance and how he can't perish or everything will end]
[ML with a sad face, full of warmth and seriousness]
That's why... Shen Li... I can't like you.
... mello pause ...
[FL with sad eyes and tone with fake bravado]
FL: Scoff, are you Joking? Henceforth I won't dare to entertain any fantasies about you!
FL: Just don't flirt with me again...
[ML with a straight face]
But I can't control it!
HAHAHAHA
[FL is stunned speechless]
[ML swaying happily, with a fake embarrassed, more mischievous expression]
I can't help wanting to... flirt with you...
FL: You...
AWWW

[ML and FL are in an evil cult's base]
[FL goes on obliterating the base with all the shock and awe, walking around with her death staff n looking all cool with battle music playing in the background]
[While at the starting location, ML watches in silence, conjures a tea table set, sits, and pours tea]
PFFFT
[FL goes on destroying the base]
[ML continues to drink tea]
[Hostages comment on how awesome FL is]
[ML with a tea cup in hand, swishes his hand, and the whole base receives a sweeping attack while all the hostage cages open up!]
[FL stays still starting at him still drinking tea]
HAHAHAHA
[Hostages come out and start praising the FL]
[ML throws the tea cup away and teleports in front of the FL, to receive their praise of, "thanks immortal"]
HAHAHAHA
[FL roles her eyes and says mischievously to ML, "thanks immortal"]
HAHAHAHA

[ML, being the guest, is reasoning to stay at the FL's home instead of the palace]
In the spiritual realm... I think... her highness is my only friend!
I hope her highness... might bring me around to experience the local customs and culture!
FL: People here have no customs or culture!
[Other party also objects and suggests "appropriate" alternative]
[ML with a straight face]
I want to stay in her residence!
HAHAHAHA

[ML, being the strongest man, is reasoning on holding FL's hand]
[ML with a pained and pitiful expression]
I feel.. afraid... when I am alone...
HAHAHAHA

[ML, being the vanquisher of evil, is reasoning to get FL to "survey" the terrain with him but others are objecting and suggesting "appropriate" options]
[ML with a straight face]
I want... < while pointing at FL> her!
HAHAHAHA

No that's not the case because at this time she does not know anything about him aside from him getting married. Getting married isn't something extraordinary or indicative of a good life unless you were in a relationship and were used and then dumped. Or she was tortured or assaulted by him. nothing of that sort happened.

Yes, she could be momentarily shocked and disgusted to hear about him after so long. But all that overblown fear, crying and sadness does not make sense. It was like the world had ended for her!

It is actually a very common occurrence in such hierarchical societies, even in mine it happens. It is infuriating and saddening at the time, but it can only invigorate anger later, not fear.

She gets to know about his accomplishments much later as well as the bride being rich. Her main contention being him getting the professorship for her work which she was aiming for. She doesn't even know this because she left immediately after the reveal. Also his blatant disregard for it as he used it as a bargaining chip for his impending placement in a pharma through marriage.

They will come as I see more of the drama.

His straight face and childish reasoning mixed with the fact that nobody can actually deny him is like a guilty pleasure, hahaha.

[ML is imploring FL to stay, after getting discovered for essentially trapping her in his home]
[FL throws escaping ML, from the window, to the floor]
HAHAHA
[ML pitifully cries]
Ahhah! Ahhaaah! Aha! Aaahha!
My arm! Ahhah! You used so much force! Hah! My arm! Ahan! Ahha! Ha!
I think I broke my arm!
I saved your life once!
Cluck!
HAHA
Did you have to break my arm! Ahaha! Ahha!
HAHAHA
...
FL: Farewell!
What did you say?
FL: I said after you have healed...
Ayah! My head hurts!
Ah... ha... ahha!
HAHAHA
FL: But wasn't it your arm that got injured? Why the headache?
You don't know this...
but I have been weak since I was young!
Whenever I am injured, my head hurts too! AhhA! Ayaah!
HAHAHA
...
[FL does not relent and moves towards the exit]
[ML pleads]
After you leave...
please inform the officials!
In 10 days time...
come to this courtyard...
to collect my corpse!
...
[FL goes out but then comes back]
FL: I'll stay until you recover...
[ML in reassured tone]
I knew it!
Cluck!
HAHAHA
You are a good person!
[FL pulls the ML from afar by magic and grabs him by his collar]
FL: My name is Shen Li!
FL: Call me "Cluck" again and you'll know
Shen Li?
Doesn't... sound like a... woman's name
HAHAHA
FL: Xing Yun also does not sound like a man's name!
Isn't that perfect then!
You are masculine, I am feminine.
We'll get along just fine!
FL: am not sure about that. You are too thick skinned!
Not thick skinned enough!
[Both see into each other's eyes while in close proximity]
... first mello pause ensues while red petals fall ...

I'll keep adding the banter titbits I loved in separate replies below! They became too long...

Man what weak policemen this drama has!
Our policeman are so powerful even with their large obese bodies, it only takes one slap to make one go to their knees! They even give one complementary slap to all criminals as a form of greeting before talking!

Exactly!

The whole plot device of oh I won't accept him, even though I like him, and he sincerely likes me, as something bad will happen to him because of some scenario involving me, is so bizarre and cringe. Completely something no one would come up in any circumstance in our world. Rather people would like to go through the hard and good times together, isn't that the whole premise of having a relationship?

Indeed she does and frankly forgets that she has that time stop superpower at her discretion. Which she only uses once in the whole drama to escape.

She could have used it so many times to escape similarly but the mechanism is completely forgotten.

The drama essentially should have ended on E12. The no purpose dragging of the plot from there onwards is just a crime against this superb romance story.

FL was always very frustrating and immature despite being an adult of over 23 years. But on E13, I sincerely wished the villain to finally end her. Just because the drama had to have 16 episodes they made the FL go back to her dumb personality which had just been fixed an episode before... really disappointing.

There are so many plot lines that are completely unnecessary like the story of the ML's dad or the FL's brother's antics, too slapstick and lame. None of them were memorable and could have been replaced with the necessary evil of the villain's bogus storyline.

The drama also does not take the rules it sets itself, seriously, and sacrifices them for melodramatic effect. Essentially the whole time travel is taken too seriously at first and then completely forgotten. Even ML's predicament that actually required a long-term solution is forgotten and its seriousness ignored.

There was only one plot in the whole drama that didn't make any sense to me at all. That is when the FL comes to know about her deceitful senior's wedding date and feels the extreme anguish.

What triggered that sadness is beyond me. Really what for? They didn't have any romantic feelings. Yes, he did deceive her in a teacher's capacity, and capitalized on her accomplishment, but him getting married has nothing to do with her at all. Seems to be a broken plot device or perhaps a remnant of a love line the writers sloppily abandoned. It was so jarring when the drama completely forgot to expand upon that.

Man Korea is such a toxic country! I knew about the workplace hell and the competition in schools leading to highest suicide rates but man this drama really shows a more extreme version of it.