Came for cute romance, left with a touching lesson of what life and youth really is about
This was an exceptional ride. I had heard of the anime before, didn't know it also had a J-drama. This show should be talked about, even when 20 years have passed; it is exceptional. This story was almost perfect in every aspect. Acting was god-worthily perfect. The story was very inspiring. Suddenly, I didn't watch a simple romance series, but a masterpiece. Would recommend for everyone, and I mean it. The slapstick humour was unusual at first, but by episode 2 I was totally enjoying it. Top-tier cast and story, I think nothing could even come close among asian series I have watched so far. The length and pace here were basically perfect for one season, very uncommon for J-dramas usually, in my humble opinion. The only thing that was just a tiny bit missing for me was relationship development among supporting characters. Would have loved a second season but at least there are movies I can watch. The funny chemistry between the leads was just perfect. I didn't even long for more romance, the story just completely immersed me. Oh, and of course the soundtrack - amazing!Was this review helpful to you?
Remarkable acting
I would recommend this if you like summer romance stories, Emily Henry romance books, and non-toxic love triangles. This definitely is a peaceful and calm comfort romance.What I liked: the female lead was admirable, but at the same time relatable; the relationship between the brothers was very touching; realistic storyline with no unrealistic drama; representation of dedication and passion for cooking.
What I disliked: the tempo of the story was a bit uneven, and lots of development happened in the last two episodes; sometimes I was irritated by the low EQ of every character in the show.
The best part of this story wasn't romance but rather the satisfaction when all complicated feelings between all the characters are sorted out. I think the acting was very good in this show, especially for a short J-drama.
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Cute but plotless romance
I would recommend this drama if you like cute romantic scenes (the drama is packed with them), healthy relationship dynamics, cute but protective male leads, and the appearance of Lee Junho. It definitely is a fluffy romance with a bit of drama, which doesn't really affect the main couple.What I liked: the chemistry between the leads, the male lead's selfless personality, the bickering between the main couple at the beginning, the hotel setting, and the supporting couple's story.
What I disliked: the plot was very boring and predictable, the cute scenes got very repetitive, the characters' motives/goals were all over the place, tempo of the whole story was incredibly off.
This drama left me very indifferent. It is definitely not a good story, but the drama has very likeable characters and good production. The leads were somewhat enjoyable, but their dynamic got boring really quickly. Maybe it is also my personal assessment here because I am a slow-burn fan, which this drama was not. But if a person prefers a cute and quickly developing romance, then this would at least be a cute watch for them, despite the plot being boring.
The decisions and reactions the characters had were unsatisfactory. No character development arc, different plot points just happened to them without any deeper emotional immersion. I almost dropped the drama after episode 10 because the plot was basically non-existent (you cannot build a good drama just from cute romance scenes). I am relieved I decided to continue because the whole interesting part of the plot was in the last 5 episodes. Which was annoying since a) why not sooner? and b) they could have made the drama at least 3 episodes shorter. The supporting couple I think was the best developed part of the whole series; it actually had a realistic development and some personal doubts along the way.
At times, it reminded me of a fanfiction story; all the attention goes to romance, and the other parts are of bad quality. If you are a Lee Junho stan, it would definitely make your heart flutter. If you are not, you will admire his likeable acting and be occasionally irritated about the story development of his character. Overall, I think most people would get most of the satisfaction from this drama if they watch the romantic scenes on YouTube.
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A blueprint of romantic K-dramas
This is one of those dramas that will forever feel nostalgic. Without this drama, I think the K-drama industry wouldn't be as it is currently, with heart-fluttering moments, dramatic twists and extra comical characters. Putting this legacy reputation aside, I think this drama is definitely interesting plot-wise. It keeps you on your toes more than multiple others. But at the same time, if it isn't your first time watching a drama like this and you know all the cheesy tropes, then it can get repetitive and tiring really fast. ML and FL have a toxic push-and-pull relationship. It started to bother me more towards the end because I had hoped they would grow out of it eventually, but they didn't. Both leads are also extremely childish throughout the whole series. The cast was chosen very wisely, I think no one lacked in that regard.Was this review helpful to you?
Mischievous Kiss: Love in Tokyo Season 2
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Ultimate guilty pleasure watch
I would recommend if you like heart-fluttering slow-burn rom-coms, klutzy female leads and cold male leads. Being a fan of the sunshine/grumpy trope, I can say with 95% certainty that this is the best textbook example of the trope.What I liked: the chemistry between the two leads; character development of the male lead; the comedic acting of supporting characters; actors making unrealistic characters (something which had bothered me in the manga and anime) more human.
What I disliked: the female lead being an extremely unrealistic pushover sometimes, instead of being it a normal amount.
This is definitely at the top of my guilty pleasure rewatch list. I have read the manga and seen the anime as well, and this drama outdid them while still sticking very closely to the original storyline.
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Ultimate guilty pleasure watch
I would recommend if you like heart-fluttering slow-burn rom-coms, klutzy female leads and cold male leads. Being a fan of the sunshine/grumpy trope, I can say with 95% certainty that this is the best textbook example of the trope.What I liked: the chemistry between the two leads; character development of the male lead; the comedic acting of supporting characters; actors making unrealistic characters (something which had bothered me in the manga and anime) more human.
What I disliked: the female lead being an extremely unrealistic pushover sometimes, instead of being it a normal amount.
This is definitely at the top of my guilty pleasure rewatch list. I have read the manga and seen the anime as well, and this drama outdid them while still sticking very closely to the original storyline.
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Cheesy drama without a great story development
I would recommend if you like cute and heart-fluttering rom-coms; cheesy dramas but dislike extensive dramatic plot twists. It is a guilty pleasure watch for sure.What I liked: Takeru Satoh's charm, the wholesome vibe of the show.
What I disliked: lack of character development for everyone; weird progression tempo of the story.
You would have to be a fan of rom-coms to enjoy it, and even then, you aren't most likely satisfied with the show. I felt like 10 episodes were too few for the show to progress normally and give this really aching slow-burn feel. The ending was rushed and packed with unnecessary content, and I enjoyed the middle episodes a lot more. I read the manga this show was based on after and the adaptation of the script is quite bad. Manga had multiple layers of character development (even though it was also quite short) and the leads were actually believable as real human beings. Would rewatch it only for Takeru Satoh, who played his part well (at least how well the script allowed him to).
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Great idea, mid execution
I felt like the development of the story wasted the potential this show and its actors had. The beginning was very promising in my opinion. I loved the whole architecture companies rivalling part of the series. I also felt the main leads had good chemistry. Loved the supporting male character (ML's coworker with glasses). Ending was just messy, I had low-key anticipated this aswell because of the whole famous-dad-who-doesn't-show-up-until-the-end thing. I felt ML and FL were quite realistically written. Supporting love rivals were a bit too exaggerated in my opinion and the show made them too dislikeable.Was this review helpful to you?
Great acting but confusing ending
The thing I enjoyed most about the drama was the separate character development for the main characters and the most important supporting characters. The main couple's chemistry was very sweet and down-to-earth, definitely refreshing if you want a change from the high school/first perfect love trope. ML is very charming here, a cool and smart lead who shows some realistic warmth from time to time. FL is actually super sweet while being mature at the same time.Ending left me a bit confused. Not even in the sense of plot but rather how the whole thing played out in the last episodes and the vibe of it all. It reminded me of a 10-episode J-drama - slow-burn progression overall but lots of plot dumping at the end. For me personally, it didn't ruin the story as a whole, but at the same time it didn't give me the feeling of ultimate satisfying ending either.
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