I doubt it. Viki sometimes puts the 1st and 2nd episodes for free. But it's a paid platform. Gaga is also a paid platform, do not know if they give free episodes.
The best 1st episode of a Thai BL series I've ever seen. Fast paced but not rushed, cute but not over-the-top or saccharin, well acted, decently shot, built the characters quickly while leaving room for growth and backstory, introduced the plot without spelling-out what is to come, created tension and chemistry, and above all, is dealing with adults in a workplace which is not only rare in Thai BL but almost unheard of from GMMTV BL fare.
While I can't say this is amazing, original, out-of-the-box incredible. I can say the first episode was sturdy, solid, and lay the foundations of what could be a pretty decent and enjoyable series, and that many times is good enough. Everything doesn't need to be amazing. At this point I'll just settle for good and enjoyable, as I was starting to give-up on Thai BL series. I hope this one brings me back into the fold.
So instead of manning up and admitting his crimes or at leas his great betrayal yo the FL, he decides to drop…
So, once the ML came clean, what little interest I had faded. The 19th episode was a joke in all aspects and I ended up fast forwarding through at least half of it.
Episode 20 has been ridiculous melodromatic over-the-top empty calories. The fallout from the main story was fully anti-climatic and boring, not to mention unrelalistic and absurd...
I liked how the ML lead called the FL out on her actions. How she is willing to allow her father's murder to be covered up since she knows the truth and sinply hoped it wouldnt be...cause the big bad would just grow a conscience after all that had transpired....its her decision so be it...she a grown woman and can do what she pleases. But if it wasnt a Kdrama, then all the work, the struggle, the pain, and the betrayal, and the truth would have never seen thr light of day and even her brother would be left knowing that his fathers death was unsolved and bad prevailed...and that those who commited these crimes and continued to do so, woulf continue crushing innocent people moving forward. ....but she knows so its okay.
Im emotionless for the final bit, which is all set up to create tears...but at this point...hahaha. Wahhahahaha. I dont give a damn about any of it. This was a below par watch and while not the worst thing I've seen...most definitely a 5 at best and thats for the production. The actors did do, for the most part, what was asked of them...but the story, the chracters, length of the drama, and final resolution are all flat and underwhelming.
I'm actually proud I finished it, it took me 5 days (normally a 1 to 2 day binge person) but I did it...and it wasn't worth it.
So instead of manning up and admitting his crimes or at leas his great betrayal yo the FL, he decides to drop…
Getting through episode 18 is hard as hell. The FL, the f+cking female lead. My god, my god. Hahahaha...why did i waste my time here just see if they would actually have him confess....
So instead of manning up and admitting his crimes or at leas his great betrayal yo the FL, he decides to drop…
Episode 15 was the best episode of the series so far. Our FL actually acted with integrity and resolve. I respected her again and liked how she approached cutting both men off...
But then episode 16 happened and we are back to where we were and she is back to being how she was, and again she is only existing for the ML and nothing more. Her brother, her debt, her joblessness, her defemation, her living situation, her plight over her father....all of it is nothing and means nothing and is not a hindrence, she just has to be with the guy who his treating her like utter trash..and to be honest shes back to acting like trash.
Joon Young is written in the most manipulative way to the audience. Voice overs of how he expects to wrot in hell and is ready for his punishment all while still not confessing his crimes and actively causing more and more damage to the FL. He stares right at her as he hurts her and then tells himself and the audience its fine, when he dies hell go to hell...and we are supposed to swoon. No bitch, we met you acting like an asshole in highschool, we watch you play with everyone around you and treat people like sh't. We know you robbed, betrayed and all but killed the Female lead we watched you seduce her knowing you were dying while not admitting to any of this or asking for forgiveness, and knowing that when you died in a couple months she would be left broken and in more pain. And then, once you have her, once shes head over heels and rotting in jail pinning down for you, you drop her cause its the noble thing and leave her chasing and bowing to your evey footstep and hurt her repeatedily to her face. But its all for a secret plan and you will take your punishment in hell so we should still like you and want a happy ending...um....hahahahhahaaa..f+ck that..Im not even remotely buying this nonsensical dreck or a truly toxic a+sshole.
Ji Tae's character just isn't working. He has the most complicated character model of everyone, but the writer wont take any time on him to flesh him out or delve into his turmoil and mental gymnastics. Hes simply the 2nd ML and thus is a used superficially. Torn between love, what is right, and his filial bonds, he has a whole lot to chew on. But his scenes are haphazzard, his direction aimless, and his issues given merely a surface level treatment. From scene to scene his mission and alignments switch and switch back. iS he trying to prove his love, win our FL back, be the victor or the triangle? Or is he trying to right the wrongs of the past, redeem himself, and give the fl a better life and hope? He has dramatically claimed to want to take everything away from his parents, but what does that mean. So far its been a failed meeting and a printout. He still hides that he knows the ML is dying, hides to his father that he has a dying son, hide from the FL all of the above and what he witnessed the ML do to the FL in the past. He wants hia father to always stay with his mother no matter what, but wants to be free to leave himself. And then he threatens the ML and wishes death upon him and that he will get the revenge...why not work together? Does he think removing his mother from a board seat is all the juatice required? Is that revenge for our FL? How pathetic...and its been 8 episodes of you saying you will fix it all and protect our FL, but nothing has changed at all except for her brother getting threatened and her being bribed...its all just nonesense going nowhere...he is just the 2nd ML spinning wheels with no true point to him and a waste of our audience time to fill 20 episodes...
Laslty the most annoying character, the manager, suddenly is the most noble character in the show........odd switch and out of blue...but hey considering everything, ill take the win...once less annoying character. Yay.
So, I wrote a comment, and then deleted it. Ya know I kept getting angry at the show, but it was still on its…
So instead of manning up and admitting his crimes or at leas his great betrayal yo the FL, he decides to drop her, ignore her, and again go back to treating her like crap, while he secretly tries to fiind out the truth.
What is the point? He is without her. If he had told her the truth she might have forgiven him. If he told her what he was doing they could have worked together. If he had to part ways with her then it could have been because he faced what he had done and could die with an honest heart.
But instead he chooses to keep the people who locked him up around, go on a solo mission, and "pretend" to be an ahole (pretend is yes in quotations cause its not a big change). And in the meantime nothing is resolved and our FL feals abandoned and hurt.
But, of course she still just hangs onto him and accepts the abandonment and abuse and remains unwavering in wanting him and hangs on to every moment she can have with him. Still knowing nothing and being hurt...ohh but her loyalty. Its real love...
And No Eul at this point is a waste of screen space, every episode my respect for her deteriorates more and more. She's ineffective in everything she does and at the end of the day her only point is to hang on to the whims of the guys.
Though I'm married, apparently I'll never know what love is. Because if its this, I never want it. Give me what I have over this bullsh**anyday.
So, I wrote a comment, and then deleted it. Ya know I kept getting angry at the show, but it was still on its beginning stages...however...
Now Im on episode 10...and Im sorry, maybe except fro the younger bro, I hate all the characters. While our FL,when not with any of the guys, is a character I like...all of her behavior and actions regarding the men is just pathetic, weak, annoying, and unrealastic. And it drags down all her other great qualities.
The men of this show are horrible people. Just flat out bastards that hide, lie, betray, abandon, hurt, and decide the life of the female lead without her input or knowledge. She is physcially damaged to the point of almost dying..surgeries and flatlining, and her life is made worse episode after episode by their actions.
At this point Ji Tae is the better of the 2 ootions, but not by much. As much as he claims to love the female lead he hides so much from her and thinks the money he provides at times makes up for what his family has done to her and her family. It doesnt. And I feel he will likely become a bad guy for some time or maybe just fully make the switch and we wont look back...but there are signs of it...and hes such a coward.
Our main lead, Im counting down to his death. He has been nothing but a complete ahole since he entered our FL life, he treats everyone like they are dirt, he uses everyone, and does whatever he wants and is not held accountable for any of it....
Thank god there is the underlying story that God makes him accountable and is taking his life...cause no one else does a damn thing. Hes hot and now rich sooo everyone just goes along with his astounding awfulness including the FL. And he still at this point halfway throught the series hasnt admitted to some massive wrong doings and just still focuses solely on himself and what he wants....
At this point, Im truly happy that he wont make it out alive...and I dont find this romantic at all, regardless of the music playing in the background...every kiss he steals or plants enrages me...she doesnt fully know the person shes kissing andnwhat hes done.
Oh and second male lead needs to shave that effing mustache its hard to watch, I also hate his trope character,…
Everyone in this show is a walking moron. Except maybe the 2nd male lead...and kinda the bad guy. If anyone had an IQ above a 70, this show would have been over by the 3rd episode. Ive made it to episode 9...and not without screaming at my screen and walking out of the room in utter frustration. Someone add 2+2 for me, somone make the effort....
Male lead super annoying. Cute ,deadly attractive, and boyish, which was fun for the first episode. Episode 2…
Oh and second male lead needs to shave that effing mustache its hard to watch, I also hate his trope character, he is an ahole who suddenly has the beginnings of a conscious because he likes a girl...naa man, you are an ahole...and btb if you have a good for over a month without paying for it, it does make you a theif or scammer. And why praise a coworker that you know stole a concept from another? I understand not causing a scene and making an enemy especially of the daughter to the upcomming chairman who you also know is not a good guy but stand idly by as he does his schemes, why cause your an ahole who isnt affected so just do you right (why the world is in the state it is), but to openly praise her for it in front of the coworker she stole it from and the others is a whole different thing...but i bought her shoes to make up for it.
Male lead super annoying. Cute ,deadly attractive, and boyish, which was fun for the first episode. Episode 2 was still cute. But now heading into to episode 5, I cant stand him. All he does use and abuse those around him, cause hardships, run through money, and feel sorry for himself. And everyone around him lets him do it with puppy eyes and a smile.
I get his old life was like this. But he cant remeber that life or who he was. And in this life, he has been hungry, homeless, beaten, thrown out of buildings, almost arrested, and treated like a beggar...and yet he still is arrogant, self centered, and expects everyone to serve him and make him happy while so far not learning a damn thing when it comes to life, the value of money, the harships of the world and those around him, nor has he taken the time to understand and care for those that are by his side.
Its not cute or funny anymore, but frustrating and annoying...and is making me hate the main character. There is nothing to like about him but his looks, and those are growing old fast because the rest of him is so lacking. At this point it is just willful ignorance, stupidity, and laziness...not that our main fenale lead is helping in anyway at all as she slaves away and keeps giving him more while allowing this behavior...Which makes me dislike her...
I want to have some fun with a show...this is my 5th in a row that has so much potential and a fun start that just devolves into frustration and annoyance.
This show, is soo loong. It runs on stupidity to keep the plot going. Everything is a stall for more episodes. Ive made it to episode 8...and I have already ffw through scenes and now keep my phone on me to surf tiktok, insta, and the internet so I'm occupied while its playing. If I check into the subtitles every 5 minutes or so, I still know everything going on.
The love story is simply in the way of the rest of the plot and the 2 main characters are in a self-induced bubble not paying attention to the rest of the story except maybe 1 or 2 lines an episode.
While I was prepared for silliness and an unrealistic story, I didn't know it would be at the expense of characters IQs and a slog fest. Which sucks. At the start I found this fun and I liked the set-up and most of the characters. I thought I was going to have a good time with this. But I'm just bored and starting to not like any of the characters, especially the female lead who spends most of her time just talking to herself outloud, even next to other characters and they have to pretend like they can't hear it.
Also, why isn't the best friend just honest about what he knows and is doing? A lot of drama, misunderstanding, and situations could and would be averted if he didnt do it all in secret alone. Of course that could be said about or Female lead as well...so its one of those type shows...
Stupid question: What the heck is the tag Non-MDL Remake?
MDL only covers basicaly Korea, China, Japan, Taiwan, Thailand and the Philippines conent. With the weird Netflix/Amazon Prime/Disney+ series being exceptions (But only as long as they are titles focused on these cultures). Woori (Which I haven't seen but was checking here if I wanted to watch) is a remake of an origianl show outside of these countries...
It is based on the American show Jane the Virgin which aired on The CW in the USA for 5 (i think) seasons. It was a show created to tell a Latin style telenovela but to a mixed race audience of the American people and featured the protaganists and her family as immigrant Catholics in a USA setting.
Thus, the show cannot be found on MDL nor any of the people who starred in it and a hyperlink cannot be given to connect you to that information. This is unlike a Korean remake of a Chinese program or Japanese of a Korean etc where both shows have information and can be researched here with hyperlinks.
And so there is a Non-MDL remake tag to refrence the original program which won't be found here.
Am I the only one a bit disappointed with the main lead in episode 9? I didn't like that he stopped giving Hae-e…
I was going to post this same thing. I just finished episode 9 and these were my feelings. Every single time the main lead threatens to hold people accountable and fight for any injustice, he just gives up. His threats of leaving the school or the group have no water at this point. He can't use this in the future, because no-one will take him seriously. He has lost whatever power he claimed to have. I've seen this a lot in Korean shows set in schools. The "noble" teacher/professor/aid/tutor who honestly wants what is right and shouts and throws tantrums, threatens, and talks a big game to right the wrong and fight the injustice. But when it is time to put money to their mouth, they fold, given in, and end up hurting the very students that they claim they are so upset about. School 2017 is a perfect example of this, I hated the main male teacher. School 2021 was the exact opposite, and people don't like it as much, but that teacher went to the mat for the kids and the injustice and lost almost everything to do so.
I've fully agreed to all of your retorts to others comments as well. My views are 100% in-line with yours...I'd even go as far as to say at this point, I really don't like the main lead. I used to love him, but I feel he is just a mouth-piece claiming one thing and doing the other. The only people hurt by any of his actions are our female lead and her family. Multiple times. And now, as their world is basically torn apart, he cuts and runs. His assistant is even worse, but that I've already vomited in the discussion boards above. One wonders if he had a better person as his assistant backing his moves and supporting him and not happy about him making these decisions and pushing for him to stay with the school and study group, if maybe he wouldn't have easily folded.
But whatever....7 episodes to win me back. This script better work hard.
On episode 5. The female lead is a pathetic sad doormat. The show says shes fiesty and hard to handle. But that was jusst them saying it. All they show is her being a weak, used, pushover. Her life is ruined by the male lead and those around him and she claims everything she is doing is to show the world his duplicitness and awful character, but she does nothing. Ever. Being a reporter means nothing because she doesnt once investigate ANYTHING about him or try in any way. Hell she is living in a house his company owns for him and she still hasnt even gone upstairs...BECAUSE HE TOLD HER NOT TO. Its absurd.
And the main male lead is actually a duplicitous jerk. He is rude to her in private, has no remorse for anything he or anyone attached to him as done to her...and as stated above ruined her career and reputation. Hell he even hired a journalist to interview her only to write a smear campaign to publicly cripple her and then watched as his own fans bully, berate, and physically abuse her. Even the "reality" show that is supposed to show them battling it out..so far has been a puff piece to make her look awful and him a saint...with him even secretly duping her along with the producers....AND IM SUPPOSED TO LIKE HIM?!
Im supposed to want them to get together?
Its a misunderstanding?
Hell, i get he liked the 2nd female lead and she has some issues and he is protecting her...but at what cost? Everyone else can be ruined but her? I mean would he have felt bad if our main female lead, young reporter just getting started in life, that he has singlehandedly ruined had commited suicide? Because hiw turned up her life is right now, it would likely have sent a lot of others on that trek. Would he and the audience realize how much of a jerk, bully, and toxic man he is if she had done that? I mean i guess i have to give her some credit that she hasnt given up.
I dunno. This is rough as hell. And maybe i havent seen it yet, but everyone is berating the 2nd male lead as a horrible guy. Is he a good guy...no, but he so far hasnt done ANYTHING , and I mean anything, worse than what the main male lead has. I guess we are just supposed to like the ML cause hes the ML and not like SML cause hes painted as a villian...even though they both are equally deplorable...
Unfortunately I have to agree with most of the recent comments here. This, considering the cast, was very much…
Just a pain-point,
Did the sister ever understand that her brother died because he simply saw the king and does the king understand that he killed his (by the end of the show) first and only love's brother? The father knows, the main character knows, but no-one told her or him. So does she go on her life just knowing her brother was killed by a guard and nothing more...while simultaneously liking the king and rooting for him?
I get the main lead forgave the king for this and moved on, but does the King understand what was forgiven. And doesn't the father and sister have their own rites to decide if they forgive?
Also, the guard that struck the brother down, is alive in the end, our Hwarang buddy was only protecting the Queen while he recovered. What happened to him. Is he given absolution because he was following orders and does he still work for the King? Are we supposed to accept the fact that he spent the first handful of episodes killing people left and right, while also attempting to kill 2 of the 3 main leads for as simple a reason as seeing the kings face?
Considering the whole catalyst for this tale, the entire reasons for this story being given is for our main character to revenge who killed his only friend and the brother to his love, that in the end he forgives one and has nothing to do at all with the other...even after (in what is one of the utmost ridiculous scenes of the show) he barges through a recession and tries to attack this man causing him and his friends entire family to become property of the royal family....
It feels really really odd that these points aren't fully fleshed out and given any satisfying conclusion.
Unfortunately I have to agree with most of the recent comments here. This, considering the cast, was very much a bottom rung show. While, unlike most, I actually liked the first half more than the second, namely due to me not being invested enough in the plot or characters to care when the show finally made the switch to higher stakes in the later episodes. Thus, the goings on fall flat and empty. The ending is rushed and sudden considering the shows length and yes many a string remain loose and un-sewn into the tapestry in the end, from characters, to plot, to specific points of interest.
A lot of the show runs on people purposefully not telling someone else something for no reason other than to create drama. People act irrationally and make bumbling stupid base level errors just to create reasons for the plot to move the characters. We learn very little of the people around the three main leads, and even they are kept at pretty simple illustrations. The love story, which honestly isn't as lacking as some make it out to be, rares its head at inopportune times cutting the tension and build up of certain stories and areas, making the viewer resent that they are dealing with childish frolicking along riverbeds while something large is hovering overhead, and there are far too many love stories in play. MOST, of the ill-fated points of the tale are largely the creations of the characters leaving the many sided fated die used in the first scene and carried through the show a lacking metaphor or symbol. It isn't luck or fate, it is people simply being dumb. I rolled my eyes and checked my phone countless times as scenes played out, just because I couldn't take how forced it was.
Ugh, why can't these shows hold it together to the end...I'm jumping on the bandwagon. Show was a lot of fun and…
1) I'm really happy that there was some LGBTQ+ representation here, BUT The gay characters were the victim (dead, kill o ff the gays) and a kid with 2 dads (Why because only an orphan and kid from a gay household would be gay?) Statistically children with gay parents, and even gay aunts and uncles, are less likely to be gay themselves. But, even more, people on here in the comments section were making the barista gay from the start...He was either gay or the killer, one or the other, and I didn't understand why, except that he had two gay dads.
If anything, up until the last episode there wasn't any signs of the Barista being gay except that he was enamored by a HERO that stood up for him and his family, and basically became his one friend in the world, who would take him partying and horseback riding with the elite of the school. A friend who was killed leaving him again alone and unprotected in the world.
But nope, he was the secret lover of the HERO, and that HERO stood up for him because he was a closeted gay guy himself. (So would a non-gay hero have bothered saving the guy?) But, this HERO became the BULLY as he was blackmailed over his sexuality. Cause being hated as a bully is better than being hated as gay. I guess.
So it was the gay son of two gay dads that had run off to the USA after the murder of his closeted bully boyfriend....It's like LGBTQ representation with a weird dose of homophobia...like gay characters in the 80s, and 90s in US shows and movies.
And why for the love of GOD was the Barista pointing fingers at everyone but Osung, when he knew Osung had been blackmailing and bullying Won Seok and he knew what a bad guy Osung was. He just sat there with a bunch of info up to the last 20 minutes of the show...because.....plot willed it so.
2) I thought the whole "other" person was simply Jae Boem remembering his past and hiding from the truths of what he had done. Then they had that driving lesson convo where he said he was part of a twin set too, and his bro died...and then I thought it was the whole twins living as the same person in secret thing but with different personalities...but no it ends up being a split personality (Associative Identity Disorder) trope mess that has been used about 1000 times over since Jackal and Hyde...it was my alter ego... eye roll...that also woke up and sneaked out of a hospital while I was in a coma and then went back.
And then our heroine, finally being able to do anything at all (why was there even the whole gun thing with her in the show really, it was just wasted) talks him into submission after he beats her unconscious.... and his story is done he confesses cause she liked him...handcuffs are shown and he is off the show for the remainder of the time...come on. I thought it would have been really unique if understanding he was manipulated by Osung and suffering a mental collapse after being almost killed, as well as the fact that part of him was a friend to her, that she would go visit him or write letters or something...but no. He is forgotten.
3) Osung, the culprit was the culprit...in what made the who-done-it just deflate. The guy the show points to in episode 2 is the guy who actually did it. But with a twist, cause he lied and manipulated a person to do the work for him, but it was still his orchestration. I see the fitting end of him falling off the roof and in a "coma" because everything started by him kicking someone off a roof and putting them into a coma. Full circle things ya know. He even lied about what happened on the roof to frame someone else and now everyone is lying about what they saw on the roof to save someone from having blame for putting him in a coma.
Now, we get he had the hots for stepsister...but is his character just a also insane...like sociopathic? Cause he was even holding a knife to her neck in the end... And what was with all those locked up Polaroids? It is never explained....they were just pictures of people hanging out...yet they are a secret prized possession? They weren't implicating at all about anything that happened here. And since he wasn't gay or secretly in-love with anyone in the photos....then....it was again...just a stupid plot device with no true meaning.
Everything else:
Why were Osung, Jae Boem, Won Seok, and Barista hanging out together? If Osung was blackmailing Won Seok over the gay relationship with the Barista (Which both Barsita and Won Seok were trying to hide) and that scheme was ruining the friendship between Osung and Jae Boem....to the point Jae Boem was forcing Osung to stop...why would there be photos of a whole secret life of the four of them hanging out in bliss-ed friendship?
Why did Soo Heon lie the whole time about everything yet ultimately have nothing to do with anything? He claimed he didn't know Won Seok. Yet, later its revealed he had a hand to hand beat down with him which is never explained. Won Seok was also publicly pretending to date one of his best friends and yet he had no clue who the guy was. And when ChanMi was being threatened he grabbed her and told her to leave the school and this place behind and stop looking into her brothers death because it was only going to get worse for her...why would he say that when in the end he knew nothing about anyone or who any culprit was and had no connection at that time to anything happening....again these seem to just be plot devices to make us suspect him until we no longer do, instead of there being any real reason for any of it.
Chan Mi, how were you our protagonist? You did nothing, honestly. You even had episodes which you were hardly in. I just don't understand how you believe everything at face value repeatedly when you know you are dealing with a whole group of people trying to hide a murder. You go to the police at times where its not beneficial, and then don't go to the police when you have actual evidence or someone is in a life threatening situation. You are supposed to be one hell of a shot, but you never use this in any meaningful way and your gun always ends up in your opponents hands...luckily for you, both times they decided to put it to their own heads instead of to yours. And yet still you figure it all out...or really everyone else figures it all out for you and you show up where you need to...but you get the credit....
The cops, do I even have to go here? They seemed smart, yet very very stupid. And lost to Chan Mi.....
Ugh, why can't these shows hold it together to the end...
I'm jumping on the bandwagon. Show was a lot of fun and engrossing up until the last stretch. Was really really vibing and liking it. The plot had been a strong who-done-it that kept ya guessing and made theories abound...Probably an 8.5 to 9 for me through episode 10 and I can even handle episode 11 with this rating.
But, the end falls into a tropey cliched mess with some really bad writing decisions, and how they resolved half the issues/questions and namely WHY it all happened is just ugh....whatever. Also, it got weirdly super cheesy and of course totally unbelievable in the final episode, which just...well, it just honestly sucks! to be juvenile about it.
Which made it fall and I'm giving it a: 7.5 = B, 3 3/4-Stars. Shows its flaws but remains strong, likely to be enjoyed. (Common)
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2 
While I can't say this is amazing, original, out-of-the-box incredible. I can say the first episode was sturdy, solid, and lay the foundations of what could be a pretty decent and enjoyable series, and that many times is good enough. Everything doesn't need to be amazing. At this point I'll just settle for good and enjoyable, as I was starting to give-up on Thai BL series. I hope this one brings me back into the fold.
Episode 20 has been ridiculous melodromatic over-the-top empty calories. The fallout from the main story was fully anti-climatic and boring, not to mention unrelalistic and absurd...
I liked how the ML lead called the FL out on her actions. How she is willing to allow her father's murder to be covered up since she knows the truth and sinply hoped it wouldnt be...cause the big bad would just grow a conscience after all that had transpired....its her decision so be it...she a grown woman and can do what she pleases. But if it wasnt a Kdrama, then all the work, the struggle, the pain, and the betrayal, and the truth would have never seen thr light of day and even her brother would be left knowing that his fathers death was unsolved and bad prevailed...and that those who commited these crimes and continued to do so, woulf continue crushing innocent people moving forward. ....but she knows so its okay.
Im emotionless for the final bit, which is all set up to create tears...but at this point...hahaha. Wahhahahaha. I dont give a damn about any of it. This was a below par watch and while not the worst thing I've seen...most definitely a 5 at best and thats for the production. The actors did do, for the most part, what was asked of them...but the story, the chracters, length of the drama, and final resolution are all flat and underwhelming.
I'm actually proud I finished it, it took me 5 days (normally a 1 to 2 day binge person) but I did it...and it wasn't worth it.
But then episode 16 happened and we are back to where we were and she is back to being how she was, and again she is only existing for the ML and nothing more. Her brother, her debt, her joblessness, her defemation, her living situation, her plight over her father....all of it is nothing and means nothing and is not a hindrence, she just has to be with the guy who his treating her like utter trash..and to be honest shes back to acting like trash.
Joon Young is written in the most manipulative way to the audience. Voice overs of how he expects to wrot in hell and is ready for his punishment all while still not confessing his crimes and actively causing more and more damage to the FL. He stares right at her as he hurts her and then tells himself and the audience its fine, when he dies hell go to hell...and we are supposed to swoon. No bitch, we met you acting like an asshole in highschool, we watch you play with everyone around you and treat people like sh't. We know you robbed, betrayed and all but killed the Female lead we watched you seduce her knowing you were dying while not admitting to any of this or asking for forgiveness, and knowing that when you died in a couple months she would be left broken and in more pain. And then, once you have her, once shes head over heels and rotting in jail pinning down for you, you drop her cause its the noble thing and leave her chasing and bowing to your evey footstep and hurt her repeatedily to her face. But its all for a secret plan and you will take your punishment in hell so we should still like you and want a happy ending...um....hahahahhahaaa..f+ck that..Im not even remotely buying this nonsensical dreck or a truly toxic a+sshole.
Ji Tae's character just isn't working. He has the most complicated character model of everyone, but the writer wont take any time on him to flesh him out or delve into his turmoil and mental gymnastics. Hes simply the 2nd ML and thus is a used superficially. Torn between love, what is right, and his filial bonds, he has a whole lot to chew on. But his scenes are haphazzard, his direction aimless, and his issues given merely a surface level treatment. From scene to scene his mission and alignments switch and switch back. iS he trying to prove his love, win our FL back, be the victor or the triangle? Or is he trying to right the wrongs of the past, redeem himself, and give the fl a better life and hope? He has dramatically claimed to want to take everything away from his parents, but what does that mean. So far its been a failed meeting and a printout. He still hides that he knows the ML is dying, hides to his father that he has a dying son, hide from the FL all of the above and what he witnessed the ML do to the FL in the past. He wants hia father to always stay with his mother no matter what, but wants to be free to leave himself. And then he threatens the ML and wishes death upon him and that he will get the revenge...why not work together? Does he think removing his mother from a board seat is all the juatice required? Is that revenge for our FL? How pathetic...and its been 8 episodes of you saying you will fix it all and protect our FL, but nothing has changed at all except for her brother getting threatened and her being bribed...its all just nonesense going nowhere...he is just the 2nd ML spinning wheels with no true point to him and a waste of our audience time to fill 20 episodes...
Laslty the most annoying character, the manager, suddenly is the most noble character in the show........odd switch and out of blue...but hey considering everything, ill take the win...once less annoying character. Yay.
What is the point? He is without her. If he had told her the truth she might have forgiven him. If he told her what he was doing they could have worked together. If he had to part ways with her then it could have been because he faced what he had done and could die with an honest heart.
But instead he chooses to keep the people who locked him up around, go on a solo mission, and "pretend" to be an ahole (pretend is yes in quotations cause its not a big change). And in the meantime nothing is resolved and our FL feals abandoned and hurt.
But, of course she still just hangs onto him and accepts the abandonment and abuse and remains unwavering in wanting him and hangs on to every moment she can have with him. Still knowing nothing and being hurt...ohh but her loyalty. Its real love...
And No Eul at this point is a waste of screen space, every episode my respect for her deteriorates more and more. She's ineffective in everything she does and at the end of the day her only point is to hang on to the whims of the guys.
Though I'm married, apparently I'll never know what love is. Because if its this, I never want it. Give me what I have over this bullsh**anyday.
Now Im on episode 10...and Im sorry, maybe except fro the younger bro, I hate all the characters. While our FL,when not with any of the guys, is a character I like...all of her behavior and actions regarding the men is just pathetic, weak, annoying, and unrealastic. And it drags down all her other great qualities.
The men of this show are horrible people. Just flat out bastards that hide, lie, betray, abandon, hurt, and decide the life of the female lead without her input or knowledge. She is physcially damaged to the point of almost dying..surgeries and flatlining, and her life is made worse episode after episode by their actions.
At this point Ji Tae is the better of the 2 ootions, but not by much. As much as he claims to love the female lead he hides so much from her and thinks the money he provides at times makes up for what his family has done to her and her family. It doesnt. And I feel he will likely become a bad guy for some time or maybe just fully make the switch and we wont look back...but there are signs of it...and hes such a coward.
Our main lead, Im counting down to his death. He has been nothing but a complete ahole since he entered our FL life, he treats everyone like they are dirt, he uses everyone, and does whatever he wants and is not held accountable for any of it....
Thank god there is the underlying story that God makes him accountable and is taking his life...cause no one else does a damn thing. Hes hot and now rich sooo everyone just goes along with his astounding awfulness including the FL. And he still at this point halfway throught the series hasnt admitted to some massive wrong doings and just still focuses solely on himself and what he wants....
At this point, Im truly happy that he wont make it out alive...and I dont find this romantic at all, regardless of the music playing in the background...every kiss he steals or plants enrages me...she doesnt fully know the person shes kissing andnwhat hes done.
Suzy, stop screaming all the time.
I get his old life was like this. But he cant remeber that life or who he was. And in this life, he has been hungry, homeless, beaten, thrown out of buildings, almost arrested, and treated like a beggar...and yet he still is arrogant, self centered, and expects everyone to serve him and make him happy while so far not learning a damn thing when it comes to life, the value of money, the harships of the world and those around him, nor has he taken the time to understand and care for those that are by his side.
Its not cute or funny anymore, but frustrating and annoying...and is making me hate the main character. There is nothing to like about him but his looks, and those are growing old fast because the rest of him is so lacking. At this point it is just willful ignorance, stupidity, and laziness...not that our main fenale lead is helping in anyway at all as she slaves away and keeps giving him more while allowing this behavior...Which makes me dislike her...
I want to have some fun with a show...this is my 5th in a row that has so much potential and a fun start that just devolves into frustration and annoyance.
The love story is simply in the way of the rest of the plot and the 2 main characters are in a self-induced bubble not paying attention to the rest of the story except maybe 1 or 2 lines an episode.
While I was prepared for silliness and an unrealistic story, I didn't know it would be at the expense of characters IQs and a slog fest. Which sucks. At the start I found this fun and I liked the set-up and most of the characters. I thought I was going to have a good time with this. But I'm just bored and starting to not like any of the characters, especially the female lead who spends most of her time just talking to herself outloud, even next to other characters and they have to pretend like they can't hear it.
Also, why isn't the best friend just honest about what he knows and is doing? A lot of drama, misunderstanding, and situations could and would be averted if he didnt do it all in secret alone. Of course that could be said about or Female lead as well...so its one of those type shows...
It is based on the American show Jane the Virgin which aired on The CW in the USA for 5 (i think) seasons. It was a show created to tell a Latin style telenovela but to a mixed race audience of the American people and featured the protaganists and her family as immigrant Catholics in a USA setting.
Thus, the show cannot be found on MDL nor any of the people who starred in it and a hyperlink cannot be given to connect you to that information. This is unlike a Korean remake of a Chinese program or Japanese of a Korean etc where both shows have information and can be researched here with hyperlinks.
And so there is a Non-MDL remake tag to refrence the original program which won't be found here.
I've fully agreed to all of your retorts to others comments as well. My views are 100% in-line with yours...I'd even go as far as to say at this point, I really don't like the main lead. I used to love him, but I feel he is just a mouth-piece claiming one thing and doing the other. The only people hurt by any of his actions are our female lead and her family. Multiple times. And now, as their world is basically torn apart, he cuts and runs. His assistant is even worse, but that I've already vomited in the discussion boards above. One wonders if he had a better person as his assistant backing his moves and supporting him and not happy about him making these decisions and pushing for him to stay with the school and study group, if maybe he wouldn't have easily folded.
But whatever....7 episodes to win me back. This script better work hard.
And the main male lead is actually a duplicitous jerk. He is rude to her in private, has no remorse for anything he or anyone attached to him as done to her...and as stated above ruined her career and reputation. Hell he even hired a journalist to interview her only to write a smear campaign to publicly cripple her and then watched as his own fans bully, berate, and physically abuse her. Even the "reality" show that is supposed to show them battling it out..so far has been a puff piece to make her look awful and him a saint...with him even secretly duping her along with the producers....AND IM SUPPOSED TO LIKE HIM?!
Im supposed to want them to get together?
Its a misunderstanding?
Hell, i get he liked the 2nd female lead and she has some issues and he is protecting her...but at what cost? Everyone else can be ruined but her? I mean would he have felt bad if our main female lead, young reporter just getting started in life, that he has singlehandedly ruined had commited suicide? Because hiw turned up her life is right now, it would likely have sent a lot of others on that trek. Would he and the audience realize how much of a jerk, bully, and toxic man he is if she had done that? I mean i guess i have to give her some credit that she hasnt given up.
I dunno. This is rough as hell. And maybe i havent seen it yet, but everyone is berating the 2nd male lead as a horrible guy. Is he a good guy...no, but he so far hasnt done ANYTHING , and I mean anything, worse than what the main male lead has. I guess we are just supposed to like the ML cause hes the ML and not like SML cause hes painted as a villian...even though they both are equally deplorable...
Did the sister ever understand that her brother died because he simply saw the king and does the king understand that he killed his (by the end of the show) first and only love's brother? The father knows, the main character knows, but no-one told her or him. So does she go on her life just knowing her brother was killed by a guard and nothing more...while simultaneously liking the king and rooting for him?
I get the main lead forgave the king for this and moved on, but does the King understand what was forgiven. And doesn't the father and sister have their own rites to decide if they forgive?
Also, the guard that struck the brother down, is alive in the end, our Hwarang buddy was only protecting the Queen while he recovered. What happened to him. Is he given absolution because he was following orders and does he still work for the King? Are we supposed to accept the fact that he spent the first handful of episodes killing people left and right, while also attempting to kill 2 of the 3 main leads for as simple a reason as seeing the kings face?
Considering the whole catalyst for this tale, the entire reasons for this story being given is for our main character to revenge who killed his only friend and the brother to his love, that in the end he forgives one and has nothing to do at all with the other...even after (in what is one of the utmost ridiculous scenes of the show) he barges through a recession and tries to attack this man causing him and his friends entire family to become property of the royal family....
It feels really really odd that these points aren't fully fleshed out and given any satisfying conclusion.
A lot of the show runs on people purposefully not telling someone else something for no reason other than to create drama. People act irrationally and make bumbling stupid base level errors just to create reasons for the plot to move the characters. We learn very little of the people around the three main leads, and even they are kept at pretty simple illustrations. The love story, which honestly isn't as lacking as some make it out to be, rares its head at inopportune times cutting the tension and build up of certain stories and areas, making the viewer resent that they are dealing with childish frolicking along riverbeds while something large is hovering overhead, and there are far too many love stories in play. MOST, of the ill-fated points of the tale are largely the creations of the characters leaving the many sided fated die used in the first scene and carried through the show a lacking metaphor or symbol. It isn't luck or fate, it is people simply being dumb. I rolled my eyes and checked my phone countless times as scenes played out, just because I couldn't take how forced it was.
The gay characters were the victim (dead, kill o ff the gays) and a kid with 2 dads (Why because only an orphan and kid from a gay household would be gay?)
Statistically children with gay parents, and even gay aunts and uncles, are less likely to be gay themselves. But, even more, people on here in the comments section were making the barista gay from the start...He was either gay or the killer, one or the other, and I didn't understand why, except that he had two gay dads.
If anything, up until the last episode there wasn't any signs of the Barista being gay except that he was enamored by a HERO that stood up for him and his family, and basically became his one friend in the world, who would take him partying and horseback riding with the elite of the school. A friend who was killed leaving him again alone and unprotected in the world.
But nope, he was the secret lover of the HERO, and that HERO stood up for him because he was a closeted gay guy himself. (So would a non-gay hero have bothered saving the guy?) But, this HERO became the BULLY as he was blackmailed over his sexuality. Cause being hated as a bully is better than being hated as gay. I guess.
So it was the gay son of two gay dads that had run off to the USA after the murder of his closeted bully boyfriend....It's like LGBTQ representation with a weird dose of homophobia...like gay characters in the 80s, and 90s in US shows and movies.
And why for the love of GOD was the Barista pointing fingers at everyone but Osung, when he knew Osung had been blackmailing and bullying Won Seok and he knew what a bad guy Osung was. He just sat there with a bunch of info up to the last 20 minutes of the show...because.....plot willed it so.
2) I thought the whole "other" person was simply Jae Boem remembering his past and hiding from the truths of what he had done. Then they had that driving lesson convo where he said he was part of a twin set too, and his bro died...and then I thought it was the whole twins living as the same person in secret thing but with different personalities...but no it ends up being a split personality (Associative Identity Disorder) trope mess that has been used about 1000 times over since Jackal and Hyde...it was my alter ego... eye roll...that also woke up and sneaked out of a hospital while I was in a coma and then went back.
And then our heroine, finally being able to do anything at all (why was there even the whole gun thing with her in the show really, it was just wasted) talks him into submission after he beats her unconscious.... and his story is done he confesses cause she liked him...handcuffs are shown and he is off the show for the remainder of the time...come on. I thought it would have been really unique if understanding he was manipulated by Osung and suffering a mental collapse after being almost killed, as well as the fact that part of him was a friend to her, that she would go visit him or write letters or something...but no. He is forgotten.
3) Osung, the culprit was the culprit...in what made the who-done-it just deflate. The guy the show points to in episode 2 is the guy who actually did it. But with a twist, cause he lied and manipulated a person to do the work for him, but it was still his orchestration. I see the fitting end of him falling off the roof and in a "coma" because everything started by him kicking someone off a roof and putting them into a coma. Full circle things ya know. He even lied about what happened on the roof to frame someone else and now everyone is lying about what they saw on the roof to save someone from having blame for putting him in a coma.
Now, we get he had the hots for stepsister...but is his character just a also insane...like sociopathic? Cause he was even holding a knife to her neck in the end... And what was with all those locked up Polaroids? It is never explained....they were just pictures of people hanging out...yet they are a secret prized possession? They weren't implicating at all about anything that happened here. And since he wasn't gay or secretly in-love with anyone in the photos....then....it was again...just a stupid plot device with no true meaning.
Everything else:
Why were Osung, Jae Boem, Won Seok, and Barista hanging out together? If Osung was blackmailing Won Seok over the gay relationship with the Barista (Which both Barsita and Won Seok were trying to hide) and that scheme was ruining the friendship between Osung and Jae Boem....to the point Jae Boem was forcing Osung to stop...why would there be photos of a whole secret life of the four of them hanging out in bliss-ed friendship?
Why did Soo Heon lie the whole time about everything yet ultimately have nothing to do with anything? He claimed he didn't know Won Seok. Yet, later its revealed he had a hand to hand beat down with him which is never explained. Won Seok was also publicly pretending to date one of his best friends and yet he had no clue who the guy was. And when ChanMi was being threatened he grabbed her and told her to leave the school and this place behind and stop looking into her brothers death because it was only going to get worse for her...why would he say that when in the end he knew nothing about anyone or who any culprit was and had no connection at that time to anything happening....again these seem to just be plot devices to make us suspect him until we no longer do, instead of there being any real reason for any of it.
Chan Mi, how were you our protagonist? You did nothing, honestly. You even had episodes which you were hardly in. I just don't understand how you believe everything at face value repeatedly when you know you are dealing with a whole group of people trying to hide a murder. You go to the police at times where its not beneficial, and then don't go to the police when you have actual evidence or someone is in a life threatening situation. You are supposed to be one hell of a shot, but you never use this in any meaningful way and your gun always ends up in your opponents hands...luckily for you, both times they decided to put it to their own heads instead of to yours. And yet still you figure it all out...or really everyone else figures it all out for you and you show up where you need to...but you get the credit....
The cops, do I even have to go here? They seemed smart, yet very very stupid. And lost to Chan Mi.....
I'm jumping on the bandwagon. Show was a lot of fun and engrossing up until the last stretch. Was really really vibing and liking it. The plot had been a strong who-done-it that kept ya guessing and made theories abound...Probably an 8.5 to 9 for me through episode 10 and I can even handle episode 11 with this rating.
But, the end falls into a tropey cliched mess with some really bad writing decisions, and how they resolved half the issues/questions and namely WHY it all happened is just ugh....whatever. Also, it got weirdly super cheesy and of course totally unbelievable in the final episode, which just...well, it just honestly sucks! to be juvenile about it.
Which made it fall and I'm giving it a:
7.5 = B, 3 3/4-Stars. Shows its flaws but remains strong, likely to be enjoyed. (Common)
Some spoilery things in the attached post.