SunOh

"and if you gaze long into the abyss, the abyss also gazes into you."

Aku no Hana is a story about teenage angst and their solitude or defiance towards the world around them. It’s definitely not a film for everyone, but it expressed something I deeply relate to and that was cathartic for me. Anyone who dismisses it as merely weird or perverted is missing how profound it truly is. It touches on everything — from the struggles of adolescence and mental health to a subtle critique of a rigid, monotone society with the lack of mental health support, stigma, detached overworking parents, etc. It’s raw, powerful, and honest. The opening line even states it’s meant for those who have suffered through puberty, which sets the tone perfectly. Of course, Baudelaire's Les Fleurs du Mal is part of the film.

The symbolism is brilliant — I especially loved the “other side” theme. Nothing else could convey the feeling of wanting to escape an ordinary life so well. It’s probably this impactful because it condenses a massive, masterful manga into just two hours, making the experience intense and overwhelming in the best way. Honestly, this movie found me rather than the other way around.

Both actors were exceptional. Their chemistry was unforgettable, and I loved their bond because it was both destructive and liberating. It’s also straight-up Linkin Park-coded, especially with how much it reminded me of The Emptiness Machine. The fact that manga fans have embraced the movie speaks for itself. The creators knew it was too niche to realistically get a second part, so they put everything into adapting the entire story and worked incredibly hard to make it happen.

~ Link to watch and more under the review

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Romantic thriller about privileged teenagers — an intense work beyond appearances

Review with images and spoiler marks: https://www.reddit.com/user/_sunoh/comments/1ljwqtb/hierarchy_review_an_intense_work_beyond/

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Hierarchy is a drama that, behind an apparent classic structure — elite school, bullying, revenge — stands out precisely through its ability to go further, delivering a human, emotional, and above all, resolved story. And that is its strength.

The story doesn’t need a sequel because it is complete. Kang Ha gets the truth he seeks, and justice is served. No blind revenge, no spectacular payback, but a quest for meaning, understanding, and repair. The drama doesn't dwell on the brutality of bullying as often seen elsewhere, it chooses a more subtle, mature, realistic tone. And that makes all the difference.

Kang Ha, as a central figure, disrupts the established order through his academic excellence, courage and emotional intelligence. The way he prevents the sharing of the video, or his heartbreaking line to Ri An — “Learn to live with your guilt because I will never accept your apology” — gives the whole story its meaning: a life lesson, not a revenge tale.

Every line of dialogue matters, every word carries weight, and it’s in these exchanges that Hierarchy finds its full scope. The final episode is especially striking: intense, accomplished, and deeply moving.

Jae I herself embodies the ambivalence that makes the characters so human. Both victim and witness, stoic yet wounded, she perfectly illustrates the emotional complexity the drama aims to convey. Her performance, subtle and restrained, makes her a memorable character, just like Kang Ha, whose portrayal literally carries the drama. Moreover, all the main characters—and many others—add depth and nuance to the story.

Far from being a simple “aesthetic” drama, Hierarchy knows exactly where it’s going. It doesn’t seek consensus perfection — it seeks resonance. And it succeeds, because every episode is rich and layered, every emotion measured, every transformation believable. Even Ri An benefits from a complex and realistic character arc. And that’s precisely what makes this work memorable: nothing is black or white, and above all, everything is said.

The settings themselves play an equally interesting role. They depict a school of unreal beauty, which makes the contrast with the darkness of the drama all the more striking. It evokes certain dystopian films: a seemingly perfect world where the worst seeps into every crack. This visual dissonance is no accident — it reinforces the drama’s atmosphere and underlines its tensions.

It's easy to criticize the drama for a lack of originality, but that's a misreading. Hierarchy doesn’t overplay elitism or corruption — it deconstructs them with finesse. And above all, it highlights a powerful message: the importance of change, awareness, and education — even in the most closed environments.

All in all, Hierarchy is a short but impactful drama. Not because of its spectacular aspect, but because of its sensitivity, accuracy, and its ability to evoke emotion without relying on gimmicks. The drama doesn't aim to shock — it aims to heal, to bring growth, and it does it well.

The post-credits depict a symbolic scene of Kang Ha and the school hinting at a Season 2, but either way, the leads got reunited in Crushology 101 along with Kim Min Chul. (Another truly beautiful drama! Hierarchy was even referenced through a few parallels, like the end of Episode 1.)

P.S. There is also a cute post-credit scene in Episode 5, between He Ra and Woo Jin. More of my thoughts in the comment section (since I have a lot to write for now it's empty, but I'll definitely extend my tribute to the show on top of the edits I've made, including the words from the writer, actors and director that moved me)

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A nostalgic and fun fiction

Edit: After all, it seems it didn't do so bad on Disney. According to an official source, Season 2 was planned for 2026. I certainly don't believe it would happen this soon now, I just hope it happens.

Twelve is a tribute to a vintage, nostalgic style reminiscent of traditional series, fighting games, and especially Power Rangers, which originated from tokusatsu. The first season was meant to lay the groundwork for three more, which gives a lot of meaning to its structure as the Angels got back their powers.

The angels were meant to look like ordinary humans while still remaining unique. Their activites, the loss of the other angels (explaining why it's not as "colorful" as some expected), the tired father figure—Taesan, who has lost faith in humanity—the contrast between the Crow Ogwi (my favorite) and the Tiger Taesan, as well as the presence of the main villain, the priest. And most importantly, the Korean "Romeo & Juliet" between Ogwi and Mireu, or Zeref and Mavis (Fairy Tail).

Regarding the twelve zodiac signs, the characters are well thought-out (the symbolic of the healer Snake, the quiet geeky Rat, the solitary Dragon who is key to the story, the slightly goofy Monkey, the loyalty and sense of duty of the Dog and the Horse, the grumpy, hedonistic and protective Pig) and the human chosen for the angels highlights the more vicious aspects of humanity. From their first look, I found them perfect. I'll add a comment about their names in the comments.

To me, the acting, the music and the visuals were all strong points. However, the reception was disastrous, so I’ve almost lost hope. And to be honest, Disney didn't help at all because of the poor release (not available in many countries as usual, if it wasn't enough that it's too expensive). As for the TV ratings, Bon Appétit Your Majesty aired at the exact same time, and it's not surprising it quickly took the spot.

It’s a shame, because it would only have improved, and the drama deserved recognition. Critics may say it was slow and weak despite its touching subtext (like the old shopkeeper who acts as Taesan’s emotional support) but this drama isn’t meant to be watched superficially—the style simply didn’t find its audience. We all know KBS isn’t known for massive budgets, yet I personally find this drama beautiful.

In the end, I enjoyed the action and the story. It was a fun time and I got attached to these characters, so if you think this drama might resonate with you, give it a chance.

Quote from Ma Dong Seok:

“In Twelve, besides myself, the angels who appear in the form of the twelve zodiac signs each display actions that reflect their own characteristics. They all have distinct traits. Rather than carrying the burden of the action alone, I tried to harmonize everything and find balance with them, so I ask for your generous support.”

The actor also revealed the effort invested in creating this K-drama:

“Even a simple story is difficult in its own way, but building the universe of a more complex narrative is even harder. I spent months staying up late working on it, to the point that my hair was falling out in clumps. The diverse and interesting character stories, along with the action, are the drama’s strengths.”

A small detail: The drama even had merchandise, you can find the drama's account on Twitter if you type Twelve Drama.

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A Misunderstood Adaptation

"The live action version of Attack on Titan has aspects that are different from the original work, like the story and setting, but the youth that is trapped in the walls, longing for freedom, is vividly sung." - Haruma Miura (rest in peace)

1. This looks amazing for the budget and time this was made in, it's not an Hollywood blockbuster and they put in a lot of work (hybrid filming, meaning tokusatsu mixed with special effects). The titans are portrayed as they should, creepy and horrifying. That in itself works better in live action, imo, as it does overall if you like the more grounded feel. I understand why people could make fun of them in the trailer but while watching the movie I was not laughing, and if that's how you see it then it's literally the same in the anime, in fact they're even worse. Some of them are meant to look more silly than the others but in live-action it felt more serious. I think they're very well made (the aura of the Colossal Titan was insane, Eren's Titan too) and if it wasn't for TitanGoji's videos I wouldn't know about the history behind this LA, the crew and actors being fans of the source material and the fans defending it. Because beneath all the mockery and low reputation, they also existed.

2. The author himself asked for the differences, he literally worked with them. Of course, he did not dictate to them what to do, it's the opposite, as he rejected (even though he liked) their first proposal, saying that "Please do as you like, Machiyama-san. It doesn't matter if it's an original work that only shares the Titans in common."

3. This is closer to Chapter 0, the author's first trial and there were things that appeared later in the manga.

4. Brilliant details such as the movies being adapted as a novel inspired by Dante's Inferno, the implied bisexuality of Kirishima's character in the white room scene (Matrix reference) with Eren being a parallel to Satan tempting Adam and Eve (White Room Explained: https://youtu.be/5CQ3b8iR6Ag). Even if Levi is the cooler guy, Kirishima is meaningful in the story, because he's useful to Eren's character arc. (Explanation for Levi's removal at 32:20 on the first part of the video mentioned below, basically they needed someone who confronts and stands against the main protagonist (Eren), whether physically or mentally and Levi shouldn't have to carry the burden of that role, but they added a tinge of Levi's presence in him.)

The town, the more advanced technology due to the movie happening in modern Japan, the details of the clothes and locations, the aspect of classism, the tower of Babel mentioned as the very center (government) in the making of the map, the throwbacks to Japanese history and tragedy (discussed in the second video), the oppression and control by the Empire of Japan...

5. The music itself was amazing and the whole movie was artistic with beautiful landscapes and gritty sets. And of course that final shot.

6. While there can be different takes, the characters are essentially the same. While Levi isn't there, you might be shocked because he was considered as the main character until Isayama decided to make them write a different story (20:00). Since at that time the anime was already telling the manga's story, it wouldn't have been a creative choice. More shocking yet, the author suggested to make Jean the protagonist.

7. I want to thank Miura for his brilliant portrayal of Eren. It was really disheartening to find out after I looked up his name when I finished Part 1 because I liked him from the beginning. Miura's words about his love for the director and it being a powerful film literally moved the director to tears. Besides, Eren was a rebellious kid who wanted freedom and saw the terror in front of his eyes, seeking revenge. Is that not somehow similar to the original Eren? Maybe he was more ordinary, more fearful. But I think that's a plus in a live-action.

8. Attack on Titan (itself inspired by tokusatsu like Godzilla) was the first tokusatsu film production of this scale, which marked the history of Japanese cinema and also premiered in Hollywood. Obviously, the majority of the Attack on Titan fandom is constituted of Western fans. (Last part of the video about the reception at 33:30) The Hollywood screenings themselves made it worse with defective subtitles that either got fixed or not which provoked refunds, memes, and a recap on their YouTube channel for the second part.

9. About the melodramatic aspect that can seem over-the-top at times, this is the essence of Japanese cinema and theatre.

10. Part 2 gives you the final reveal about the apocalypse, ending with a meaningful conclusion.

TitanGoji's latest videos on the movie: (https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLsiDKUgsnosJqpQbtq452u0WjNTt-Tlaq) I sincerely recommend to look them up if you care about Attack on Titan, since they do a wonderful job on talking about the production in-depth and comparing to the source material. "What Happened?" is the first part and "The Live-Action Attack on Titan is Better Than You Remember" is the second part, focusing more on the movie itself, the story, the characters. It honestly made me emotional watching them.

In conclusion, just give it a fair chance. I wasn't convinced myself when I started the movie, but it grew on me by the end of Part 1, and looking back I now love the whole movie even more. I started it with some prejudice and I lacked connection with the characters, but that changed later when I got more attached to Eren, and Part 1 set up Part 2 so well that I changed my mind.

// Details of my earlier points

The official novelizations published by Kodansha are based on the film screenplays by Tomohiro Machiyama and Yusuke Watanabe—they are not adaptations of the manga.

What's particularly interesting is the chapter structure.
The first novel (Attack on Titan) contains chapter titles such as:
辺獄 (Limbo)
地獄の門 (The Gate of Hell)
ディーテの市 (City of Dis)
遅悔者 (Late Repentant)
コキュートス (Cocytus)
ジュデッカ (Judecca)
These are all locations or concepts directly associated with Dante's Inferno.

The second novel (End of the World) continues the pattern with chapters including:
ミーノスの審判 (The Judgment of Minos)
エデンの真実 (The Truth of Eden)
アケローン川の畔 (On the Banks of the Acheron)
悪魔と聖女 (The Devil and the Saint)
Again, Minos and the River Acheron are unmistakable references to Inferno.

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A poignant and philosophical take on the end of the world

"Together today, tomorrow, till the end."

The Fool of the End was such a powerful title, but I'm not surprised they changed it in English. The screentime of Yoo Ah In that was removed did not appear significant to me. The protagonist was also Ahn Eun Jin, not him.

It’s definitely not a drama for everyone, but it reminded me of recent real-world events like the covid lockdown, Korea’s sudden martial law, and, on a more personal level, the sense of community my grandma shares at the church. The timelines were handled well (so I was quite confused about the criticism, because the drama was giving you clear hints like showing the date and changing the color, also context clues), and it was satisfying to learn about each character and connect everything together. I loved the unsettling but also calm atmosphere despite the chaos, how it kept my mind engaged, and how it moved me. It can sometimes feel ambiguous and require thinking or patience, but in a very good way. What Goodbye Earth offers is a deeply human story with a portrayal of hope and despair.

The drama focused on the perspective of ordinary people whose lives suddenly became extraordinary, and on what the catastrophe meant to the protagonist. The universe, the storytelling, the introduction, it was fascinating to watch. Hae Chan, one of the kids, narrating the story to the audience as if you just opened a book? Perfect. I've read that the first episode was bad, but I couldn't disagree more. I got chills right away and was more hooked than with most dramas. This is way more than a "slice-of-life", and it is a thriller, people only say otherwise because of genre stereotypes. Anyone looking for raw intensity and complexity should definitely give it a chance. Despite the vast cast of characters, that was handled well as I felt closer to them along the way. Besides, I also loved the female villain when she appeared, she had a great presence.

The directing was amazing, and in terms of cinematography, it was the best (the color grading!). From the start, I loved how the lyrics matched the ending scene of episode one, and how the flashbacks used black and white frames along with other cool effects. The soundtrack was also a masterpiece, including the final track, and the performances were incredibly raw and compelling. By the way, Revolution by Hwang Sang Jun and Pre-holiday is not just an OST, it's an hymn.

As stated in the opening, Goodbye Earth is the adaptation of a Japanese omnibus novel, which is a first. On top of all this, the drama was also progressive in more than one way, and I salute the screenwriter for that.

One flaw for me was the fact that I didn't understand In Ha's military storyline. Maybe it was just me and hopefully I understand it better upon a rewatch.

Side note: When this drama was released, people also rated it 1/10 without watching it and boycotted it because of the Yoo Ah In issue. That doesn’t make any sense because if you wanted to support Yoo Ah In, you would watch the drama and see what you think of it without any judgment. Ah In did great, and I believe he himself cares a lot about this drama, especially from the Instagram post he did in the church. Sadly, the drama was already delayed by a year and the director said that he didn't want to cut anything first, so he only appeased the tensions. I also hate the mistreatment of artists in Korea, including fake scandals. And to be honest, most people should be able to see that little to nothing was removed. I even wondered if he lied.

I'll comment about the ending below.

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The trilogy of a tragedy about humanity

"When we were kids, we played just for fun, and our mothers would call us in for dinner. But now, we’re all alone." - Sang Woo

"I did this so that we can start a new life, a happy life." - Myung Gi

I watched all 22 episodes of Squid Game in a few days, and it probably helped that I experienced all three seasons back to back. In my opinion, the ending is perfect—there is no other right way.

The first most memorable character for me was Sang Woo. His last scene, especially his final exchange with Gi Hun, really moved me. But my favorite became Myung Gi. His story with Jun Hee was touching, and he's a tragic villain who shows how an environment like the games can push someone who's already far from perfect to a point of no return. He was a victim from the beginning and a sadly genuine character who couldn't make up for his mistakes. Especially when he killed Thanos, something seemed to have snapped inside him.

The crypto investment was also an important way to reflect more modern issues. Sang Woo was an anti-villain, and Gi Hun wasn't that morally bright either, even before he killed Dae Ho. He literally sacrificed the Xs for the rebellion, although it was understandable in a life-or-death situation. I loved Gi Hun's own fall because he's the one who said, "You don't know what this place does to people. It changes them." His villain arc is great irony. And to me, Myung Gi's arc is even more tragic as the only time he should have listened to someone (unlike the Dalmatian coin and Nam Gyu), which is Gi Hun, he didn't and referred to him as one of the people who ruined his life because he trusted them, going as far as to try convincing himself the baby is not his to make an unbearable choice. He was overwhelmed with jealousy, grief, guilt, regret, greed, shame and fear literally all at the same time. In the end, Myung Gi is what Squid Game is about, a person who becomes a monster without really being one. An ordinary, solitary, unwise person. Here's the real tragedy. The truth is that he was still a good person, and Gi Hun clearly saw the sadness in his eyes, holding onto him until the very end. It wasn't about survival anymore. It was about how he wished he could go back. His character arc literally went from protecting Jun Hee to his own survival after he lost his love, showing the tragedy of a failed redemption.

I loved all the dark psychology, tragedy, and contradictions between the characters. To me, Squid Game is a beautiful ode to humanity and history: the votes, the rebellion, the diversity of the cast, the setting that gives Korean and universal childhood games a completely different meaning, the nightmarish atmosphere, and a story that stays grounded in reality, combining fear, greed stemming from a strong desire to live a better life in a world that's also hell, and survival. Honestly, the way the personalities from both seasons completed each other was perfect.

Season 2 was almost too joyful to be true. Of course it wasn't "necessary", but it's a real shame without it and the director obviously had plans. Season 1 literally ends with Gi Hun turning back at the airport and confronting them on the phone. Personally, I would've never watched the show if it had stopped there and the new seasons were clearly my favorites. While Season 1 was sufficient on its own, it did not give me characters to like as much as I did with Season 2, the games and everything else worked better on me. I also think many people misinterpret the ending of Season 3. A VIP in Season 1 already says, “This year, the Korean games were spectacular”, so Squid Game USA wasn’t some last-minute addition. I also saw Gi Hun's red hair as foreshadowing for In Ho's "red pill" speech in Season 2, especially since Gi Hun later wears the red player shirt.

As for Jun Ho, people forget the island isn't supposed to be easy to find, his final search only lasted a few days, and he was deliberately misled by the captain. The real horror is that the games keep continuing, the dread and despair were perfectly conveyed in the final games. Since the main setting can become suffocating, the scenes in the sea helped. He wasn't useless either: his character is crucial to the plot, he saved Gyeong Seok, and he had an internal conflict towards his brother. His betrayal storyline with the captain also worked as a parallel to Gi Hun and In Ho's story.

Lastly, the most tragically beautiful thing for me was the parallel between the deaths of Gi Hun and Sang Woo, and Myung Gi and Jun Hee.

P.S. I don't support the idea of an American Squid Game, and I'm glad it was cancelled. The ending just being the fact that the games are still around somewhere else is perfect. Continuing from this type of haunting ending is a terrible choice. We saw everything we had to see.

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Why Omniscient Reader: The Prophecy Represents My Childhood Dream

I know many fans hated it, and I understand their frustration, but some people did like it... (Most fans seem to be against it, but not all of them either.) Anyway, it's probably never getting a sequel, so I prefer not to hope for one. But what matters is that I loved the movie, especially because in terms of visuals, it's the most impressive one for me. And as a fan of Sword Art Online, this was the closest I could get to a live-action.

I really liked the universe, both in its seriousness and its quirkiness—the whole concept of scenarios, rewards and powers/skill level-ups mixed with divine intervention, social commentary, cosmology (the constellations) and Korean mythology/folklore (the Dokkaebis and of course the dangerous yet lovely Bihyung), the video-game-like visuals/angles, and the characters. Especially Dokja, since he was pretty emotional and relatable to me and exactly the kind of character I like. I actually teared up at some point between all the action.

There was at least something to be said about the tragedy of bullying, his reason for hating the ending, and his bond with the others at the end as they begin to rewrite the ending. I also liked what started between Dokja and Jonghyuk when they smiled to each other at the end, especially since Jonghyuk was the apathetic guy.

Will I read the manhwa? Most likely, once it's over. And the anime as well. But I don't think I would hate this movie, though I'm curious to know what I'll think.

Also, hot take, I guess, but I saw what the characters look like in both the novel and the manhwa, and I'm not really sure what's wrong with the casting choices because they seem pretty fitting to me. And as for differences like using guns, I love snipers, so yeah. (The only other character who used guns was Jonghyuk because he could swap between weapons.) I mostly played gun characters in MMOs on top of other games and I like support types too (Sangah).

Whether it was a creative choice or something they did to make filming easier, who knows. This was planned as a 5-parts movie adaptation of a big novel, but I was suspicious as whether this was possible from the get-go. I also read that Jisoo is a bad actress, but that just seems like idol hate to me because she wasn't bad at all. In fact, the whole cast acted very well, including the kid. Jisoo's role was short since she appeared pretty late, yet that's exactly what made her impactful. Her storyline and the parallels between the characters of Dokja, Jihye and Hyeonseong were very enjoyable to me, as it created a strong theme of guilt, redemption and friendship.

And Dokja making Heewon's character more important was such a nice detail, I loved the scene where she had her "entrance on stage" with the Statue of Justice behind her. Then the teamwork in the final boss fight and the otherworldly scenery genuinely gave me goosebumps, I was never so excited watching a movie and I really wish I could have seen it at the cinema.

In the end, it was a chaotic, emotional, enjoyable experience. Even if the next part never happens, it was a memorable experience on its own. Of course, it would be more memorable if it were developped further as this movie had a lot of action and surely far weaker storytelling than the original that's considered a masterpiece, and massively disappointing as an adaptation for tons of people, but I wanted to share my opinion as I found beauty in it. I'd say it's an "embrace the magic" kind of movie.

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A Misunderstood Adaptation

"The live action version of Attack on Titan has aspects that are different from the original work, like the story and setting, but the youth that is trapped in the walls, longing for freedom, is vividly sung." - Haruma Miura (rest in peace)

1. This looks amazing for the budget and time this was made in, it's not an Hollywood blockbuster and they put in a lot of work (hybrid filming, meaning tokusatsu mixed with special effects). The titans are portrayed as they should, creepy and horrifying. That in itself works better in live action, imo, as it does overall if you like the more grounded feel. I understand why people could make fun of them in the trailer but while watching the movie I was not laughing, and if that's how you see it then it's literally the same in the anime, in fact they're even worse. Some of them are meant to look more silly than the others but in live-action it felt more serious. I think they're very well made (the aura of the Colossal Titan was insane, Eren's Titan too) and if it wasn't for TitanGoji's videos I wouldn't know about the history behind this LA, the crew and actors being fans of the source material and the fans defending it. Because beneath all the mockery and low reputation, they also existed.

2. The author himself asked for the differences, he literally worked with them. Of course, he did not dictate to them what to do, it's the opposite, as he rejected (even though he liked) their first proposal, saying that "Please do as you like, Machiyama-san. It doesn't matter if it's an original work that only shares the Titans in common."

3. This is closer to Chapter 0, the author's first trial and there were things that appeared later in the manga.

4. Brilliant details such as the movies being adapted as a novel inspired by Dante's Inferno, the implied bisexuality of Kirishima's character in the white room scene (Matrix reference) with Eren being a parallel to Satan tempting Adam and Eve (White Room Explained: https://youtu.be/5CQ3b8iR6Ag). Even if Levi is the cooler guy, Kirishima is meaningful in the story, because he's useful to Eren's character arc. (Explanation for Levi's removal at 32:20 on the first part of the video mentioned below, basically they needed someone who confronts and stands against the main protagonist (Eren), whether physically or mentally and Levi shouldn't have to carry the burden of that role, but they added a tinge of Levi's presence in him.)

The town, the more advanced technology due to the movie happening in modern Japan, the details of the clothes and locations, the aspect of classism, the tower of Babel mentioned as the very center (government) in the making of the map, the throwbacks to Japanese history and tragedy (discussed in the second video), the oppression and control by the Empire of Japan...

5. The music itself was amazing and the whole movie was artistic with beautiful landscapes and gritty sets. And of course that final shot.

6. While there can be different takes, the characters are essentially the same. While Levi isn't there, you might be shocked because he was considered as the main character until Isayama decided to make them write a different story (20:00). Since at that time the anime was already telling the manga's story, it wouldn't have been a creative choice. More shocking yet, the author suggested to make Jean the protagonist.

7. I want to thank Miura for his brilliant portrayal of Eren. It was really disheartening to find out after I looked up his name when I finished Part 1 because I liked him from the beginning. Miura's words about his love for the director and it being a powerful film literally moved the director to tears. Besides, Eren was a rebellious kid who wanted freedom and saw the terror in front of his eyes, seeking revenge. Is that not somehow similar to the original Eren? Maybe he was more ordinary, more fearful. But I think that's a plus in a live-action.

8. Attack on Titan (itself inspired by tokusatsu like Godzilla) was the first tokusatsu film production of this scale, which marked the history of Japanese cinema and also premiered in Hollywood. Obviously, the majority of the Attack on Titan fandom is constituted of Western fans. (Last part of the video about the reception at 33:30) The Hollywood screenings themselves made it worse with defective subtitles that either got fixed or not which provoked refunds, memes, and a recap on their YouTube channel for the second part.

9. About the melodramatic aspect that can seem over-the-top at times, this is the essence of Japanese cinema and theatre.

10. Part 2 gives you the final reveal about the apocalypse, ending with a meaningful conclusion.

TitanGoji's latest videos on the movie: (https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLsiDKUgsnosJqpQbtq452u0WjNTt-Tlaq) I sincerely recommend to look them up if you care about Attack on Titan, since they do a wonderful job on talking about the production in-depth and comparing to the source material. "What Happened?" is the first part and "The Live-Action Attack on Titan is Better Than You Remember" is the second part, focusing more on the movie itself, the story, the characters. It honestly made me emotional watching them.

In conclusion, just give it a fair chance. I wasn't convinced myself when I started the movie, but it grew on me by the end of Part 1, and looking back I now love the whole movie even more. I started it with some prejudice and I lacked connection with the characters, but that changed later when I got more attached to Eren, and Part 1 set up Part 2 so well that I changed my mind.

// Details of my earlier points

The official novelizations published by Kodansha are based on the film screenplays by Tomohiro Machiyama and Yusuke Watanabe—they are not adaptations of the manga.

What's particularly interesting is the chapter structure.
The first novel (Attack on Titan) contains chapter titles such as:
辺獄 (Limbo)
地獄の門 (The Gate of Hell)
ディーテの市 (City of Dis)
遅悔者 (Late Repentant)
コキュートス (Cocytus)
ジュデッカ (Judecca)
These are all locations or concepts directly associated with Dante's Inferno.

The second novel (End of the World) continues the pattern with chapters including:
ミーノスの審判 (The Judgment of Minos)
エデンの真実 (The Truth of Eden)
アケローン川の畔 (On the Banks of the Acheron)
悪魔と聖女 (The Devil and the Saint)
Again, Minos and the River Acheron are unmistakable references to Inferno.

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Colorful spin-off

I loved it — the couple, particularly Ong Seong Wu (I love his jackets!), and just about everything else. The scenes in Mongolia, the secretive and wealthy environment (along with the Penthouse-like OSTs), the way it plays with capitalism (Geum Ju literally telling Nam Soon she'd teach her capitalism after getting scammed was perfect lol), the female empowerment through the mother, the grandma (who both had their own backstories), and Nam Soon herself, the great comedy, like the lazy brother (he was so funny and reminded me of the sloth in Zootopia), and the way it makes fun of misogyny.

This drama feels much closer to a superhero comic than a typical K-drama like Strong Girl Bong Soon. It wasn't trying to simply repeat Bong Soon; it took the concept somewhere else. Sci-fi, fantasy, action, crime, drama, romance, comedy, family — you got everything.

There were so many little moments I loved, like Nam Soon looking at Hee Sik dancing from afar thanks to her super vision (iconic scene), the rain falling above him with the rainbow, when he disguised himself as a woman, Nam Soon holding Hee Sik... Nam Soon keeping a picture of Eun Woo in her journal in Mongolia and saying she wants to date a good-hearted Korean guy, and then fate happening in such a fun way, was great too.

I also liked the open-minded take on old couples, contemporary issues, vulnerable people (the brother's wish to lose weight), the part about scams targetted at the elderly while using the identity of family members (including deepfakes), family relationships (some more complicated than others), adoptive parents and finding your biological family again, teamwork, and all the side characters: the homeless couple (who had a fate of irony), Mr. Bread and his OST, the semi-villain Hwa Ja who impersonated the real daughter, the detectives.

I liked how it was a big fight revolving around drugs and the Russian mafia, while Nam Soon had even bigger superpowers, as well as the "link" they had within their family. The production quality was high, the ending was great (a satisfying conclusion, then surprise), and Season 2 might even come out according to news.

About Shi Oh, I know Pavel is the big villain behind the drug operation, but Shi Oh had escaped Pavel in the past. If his implicit motive for becoming a CEO was that he feared being kidnapped by Pavel, it doesn't make sense because he grew up without them. And if he simply wanted power while taking the risk of getting involved with them, that doesn't make much sense either (and, like I said, Pavel finding him again isn't logical). But sure. We're not actually shown that he was forced to get involved with Pavel, by the way. And it's not that I'm unable to empathize with him; his last scene was sad for me too. (It was also exciting when he went full villain.) If he really was a victim, then his story is a bit different from what's actually shown, and despite any distrust he might have had, he could have sought help from Geum Ju.

His story is more about the irony that becoming a powerful figure ultimately made him a victim of Pavel again, and how he could have been a normal person if he'd had a different past (exactly what the leads say at the end). He still made his own choices until the end, including threatening Nam Soon's Mongolian family with death, threatening Nam Soon herself, and threatening a girl who was trying to redeem herself purely for his own satisfaction, even though she posed no danger to him. Yet when a REAL polarizing character comes along, rather than just a villain in what's supposed to be a comic-style drama (which doesn't mean it can't have deeper meanings), people direct all the hate in the world at them.

In the end, Shi Oh gets toxic supporters because of an incredibly immature approach towards fiction, obsessed by the actor's looks, turning into cyberbullies for his sake, writing paragraphs of ridiculous defense, shipping him with the girl and being mysoginistic, etc.

The leads themselves empathized with him, his last moment was tragic (his last words and Binbin), but that's also what makes the show good, and why in the end, Geum Ju is still pursuing Pavel after what she discovered. People implying that the leads/police should let that happen makes absolutely no sense (including when people close to them are dying lol).

I'll never forgive the haters for insulting the leads, saying the male lead is ugly and hating on them, even the whole cast and the fans of the drama. The k-drama community went downhill SO bad, especially on MDL. I was watching the drama with other people and we were disgusted at these behaviors to say the least. I had myself posted a review and it did well but I quit MDL afterwards anyway, not that we can do much here thanks to the downvotes and lack of filters. The few fans who dared to speak up would get bullied in the comment section, literal psychos lmao and most of them were obviously teenagers. Some even said, "Who cares about an old couple? I skip their scenes, only watching for the villain" — which is exactly the kind of superficiality the drama was calling out.

While the villain was a good casting choice because of his intimidating look, it's absolutely untrue that he carried the drama. Everyone did. It's an ensemble cast, unlike the prequel.

I've also seen people say, "There are too many characters/storylines, so we can't get attached to them except for the villain." Shi Oh barely had any screen time in the first episodes and not that much afterwards either as there were many characters, clear evidence they weren't paying attention. Even the music and acting would be rated a 1 by some because "everything was annoying and cringe except Shi Oh."

About the music: it had K-pop songs because that was exactly what the drama needed.

The prequel focused more on the rom-com/CEO romance. Hee Sik and Nam Soon had great chemistry too; it was just different. There was the typical love triangle, a popular male lead who acted all cutesy, and a more conventional K-drama structure.

And while the girl was childlike there too, people complain about Nam Soon even though you actually see how she grew up and understand her personality. Then they complain about Hee Sik because he's "boring" ??? Which he's not, but with that I would never be their friends for sure.

The romance here was more mature, if anything. I loved his acting throughout the drama. He always improves, and I think he showed his range especially well here. I was glad he got a role in a big drama like this. It was popular in Korea too — JTBC is a paid channel, and it got high ratings.

Important contrast between the two: Bong Soon struggles to accept her strength and feels that her mother values her mainly because of it, while also believing her mother loves her brother more. Nam Soon, on the other hand, is openly proud of her strength and is immediately loved and welcomed by her family after being missing for so long — instead, her brother is the one who feels left out. He became a victim of the drug, but he was saved. Meanwhile, Hee Sik lost his brother in the past, then his team mate due to the drug and almost Nam Soon.

One last thing: the romance isn't bad simply because Hee Sik got attached to her quickly. He was hot-blooded, hardworking as a policeman, had a good heart, and I loved how they got entangled. Their relationship was so cute, especially how she found her dream thanks to him.

By the way, you can watch it without having seen the prequel, although Bong Soon and Min Hyuk do have a cameo, and Nam Soon is Bong Soon's distant cousin.

P.S. There was a Parasite and Nevertheless reference too, which was awesome.

On edit: Two things I've learned: there is a spin-off manhwa, Strong Girl Geum Ju (about Nam Soon's mother), and the drama actually surpassed Strong Girl Bong Soon in the TV ratings. Imagine calling it a flop when it was thriving on Netflix and on TV.

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"coming like a storm into your town, you can't catch me now"

I love the character of Tang as an outcast of society, and the thematic of the characters in general. Their names, their stories, how they relate to each other. The dynamic between Tang and Nam Gam made me think of the line "coming like a storm into your town, you can't catch me now" of Olivia Rodrigo's Hunger Games OST.

The directing was very creative, and I’m not surprised to see it’s the same person who was behind Strangers from Hell.

A Killer Paradox isn’t your typical thriller. It’s a dark comedy, and it’s great at that. I was fully captivated from how the first episode ended, with the shot of Tang walking in the street, depressed, standing out from the others, almost looking like it could end there, until the quiet finish of the last scene with the beautiful Korean ballad ‘Ordinary Person’ by Lucid Fall.

I have to admit that I mostly loved it for Tang so I wasn't that into the last episodes but I understood the shift as the story had to unfold and there was no point continuing as a generic vigilante story because it isn't, there was meaning beyond that, especially with Tang's final choice that was his own and only his own. Loved Roh Bin and Tang's duo as the dark superheros. Song Chon was kinda annoying but I understand his necessity in the story. I liked the detective to some extent, charismatic actor.

About the ending: The moment where Tang shovels the snow in front of his house so his mother notices him made me sad, even if all I wanted was for him to get away. I almost cried when Tang tells Roh Bin he’s scared at the end of Episode 6. It’s as if he found a goal in his life, and the end is a new beginning.

About 6 months later since I reposted the review: The more the months pass the more I miss this, I feel like I can't forget Tang because of the ending, and I keep thinking of him when I hear can't catch me now. His gifted power/curse was so meaningful. I loved how ordinary and relatable he was, yet he didn't truly belong anywhere. His own choice at the end made me so proud. I don't know, I feel so sad... He's truly everywhere now. I love endings that haunt me 😭

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A melancholic rom-com

To begin with, Lee Soo is one of the best male leads ever written. Fairy-tale metaphors, landscapes, discovering Seoul through teamwork and different jobs (photography and calligraphy), stages of life and love, quotes, missed opportunities, family relationships — there are lots of things to appreciate. In the end, Lee Soo stayed patient and worked on himself, but that never means he has to change his whole personality, and I hate when people think that way. At that point in the story, it was an issue about the distance between them that lasted too long, and the female lead's own character, which are all realistic problems. He's not bad, and people also tend to ignore the lonely cocoon he created for himself. What he lacked was self-love, and his vision of relationships was shaped by his divorced parents. His biggest mistake and regret was to not understand his own heart, it was not that he was literally unable to date. So yes, his behavior could be a little childish, immature. His actions could contradict his words. I like such characters, because this is not what real toxicity is, this is simply being human. And I liked the romance, because they are both difficult yet adorable. I remember being on the ML's side even when he was in the wrong and feeling frustrated, which made the drama even better.

There is also a complex SFL, a great contrast with the SML (a simple, kind CEO character whose job has to do with literature), his own backstory, and his relationship with the FL being a sort of contract. The drama is also about creating new opportunities despite being too late, with both halves divided by a romantic role reversal. It offers a fresh take on familiar tropes, while also giving us a third couple and an overall "group of friends" story.

The best part was the ML’s story because of how real it is. I got attached to him sooner than I thought, and I liked the way he cared about Woo Yeon (her name literally means "destiny") and supported her dreams. I also loved how The Little Mermaid was referenced through him. Ong Seong Wu has been one of my favorites ever since this drama, and I love the OST titles here. He even did a song for his character, and it is so emotional. The OSTs were always perfectly placed throughout the drama.

"I don't take photos of people."

This was the beginning of his story. He actually inspired me to take photos on my trip at the time I started watching the drama. Overall, this is a slow-burn character study, so it's important to be patient with it.

The moment I fell in love with this drama was at the end of Episode 6, when my disappointment turned into fascination, and I silently cried because of Lee Soo. Afterwards, he really became the star of the drama. What I initially thought was a ridiculous cliché was actually just so beautifully done.

P.S. Ong Seong Wu actually likes photography, so of course he took the role.

One interesting thing to note is how the audience sided with the SML, who was the one to convince Woo Yeon to pursue the relationship. And, of course, a simple, green-flag, stereotypical character like this is much easier to digest than the leads.

Quotes :

"But life is a series of exchanges. No one can control them. The only thing that should have been different is not what happened. It's this feeling that I became aware of far too late."

"A missed opportunity turns into regret. If there are no more opportunities to miss, I will make sure to create them myself."

"In a world of misunderstandings, it's dangerous to make assumptions about others. So you should ask the question yourself. You should hear the answer directly."

"Love must touch someone's inner confidence. Then, love will not be dragged away by the other person, but will draw the other person towards you."
— From a book's quote at the end

And then there is Lee Soo's father telling him:

"(When couples break up) A man becomes friends when feelings remain, but a woman becomes friends when they have no feelings left."

And when Lee Soo asked his divorced mother to consider getting back together with his father:

"Son, do you know what is the most important thing in a long-term relationship? The memories. Your dad and I had good memories, but we have more painful ones. I have no confidence in overcoming those bad memories."

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A romantic story about life beautifully told in a slow-breathed and melodic narrative

Now, We Are Breaking Up is a melodrama with a makjang intrigue, both mature and modern, which creates an interesting contrast to the more traditional storyline. The focus on the women is really good, and the friendships along with the work scenes add dynamism to the drama. I also really liked Sehun's storyline, he was cool.

While the drama may not be conventionally entertaining, it captivates in an impressive way. Why? Because it's poetic and relatable, because of its mature and philosophical dialogue, quotations from designers and drawings of scenes, that one picture of Paris, its title meaning so much more, its cast/OST/cinematography, its setting, the opening, and the leads being the first to speak French so well in dramas.

It's not a drama focused on cheesy lines, butterflies, or surface-level moments. The chemistry here reflects how professional adults with such personalities genuinely connect with each other.

Even though it's slow-paced, if you want to watch something adult, melancholic and classy, you can have a great time with this drama. And some of the tracks were so good that I still listen to them, like Tangle Destiny, Tempest and 10 Years Ago.

To end on a good note, I'll share my opinion on the ending in the comments. What I can say is that even though it's a melodrama, it leaves you with a warm feeling.

Favorite scene (love the juxtaposition with the narration and flashback while he's climbing) : https://www.reddit.com/user/_sunoh/comments/1ph4gcy/now_we_are_breaking_up_episode_12/

P.S. Song Hye Kyo also said that she was happy for choosing this script at this time of her life, and I love that the actors became close friends (the 6).

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Falling in love, falling apart

I really liked this. It portrays reality well—how a relationship can fade over time. The story captures the growing distance between them, along with her struggles at work, in a subtle and believable way. That one confrontation between them is particularly well written, with sharp dialogue, strong performances, and a palpable sense of tension.

The female lead comes across as almost sociopathic—not in a purely villainous sense, but in her detached curiosity about human nature, which makes her fascinating to watch. The second male lead is genuinely endearing, and the drama weaves in understated societal themes, as you’d expect from a J-drama.

In the end, the characters reflect on their mistakes, revisit how they met, and remember why they fell in love in the first place. The climax, underscored by classical music, is especially striking. The final scene then settles into a quieter note, as they exchange a simple “good morning” and look at each other with a mixture of regret and affection. It all comes together for a deeply satisfying conclusion.

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Dark human truth, deepfakes, dystopian interconnectedness, fake news.

Warning: Heavy spoilers.

"Maybe if we had a better childhood, things would have turned out differently. Others have happy memories to remember, but we don't."

The true meaning of the title is beautiful: Can you escape your sins?

I love stories that aren't truly about revenge, so this one spoke to me. Season 1 was agressive from the start, and yet so fun and refreshing. Season 2 was the real deal. I came for the villain protagonists and I was not disappointed. This was a story of broken people and survivors who went through hell and redeemed themselves.

How Ra Hee's plan failed but she prayed to God for the Five to redeem themselves and said she knew her fate was already written, like when she prayed to give her a second chance when she fell down on the snow. The tree scene where she reunites everyone means everything (the metaphor of planting a seed). Plus the fireflies making this moment even more magical. They started to question Ra Hee and themselves until they all found each other at the same place. But of course it wasn't that easy and they were still doing mistakes, until Myeong Ji's death and her last words happened.

My favorite scene was perhaps Ra Hee and Do Hyeok exchanging a look when she saved him before dying.

And Ra Hee's story... After they made a pact with the devil, she became what she hated, a subordinate, to the man who betrayed her at that. And that's why she looked empty compared to Season 1. It lasted for a while until the only thing that could break her happened, aka seeing the moment of Da Mi's death. My favorite scene was perhaps Ra Hee and Do Hyeok exchanging a look when she saved him before dying.

Hwang Jung Eum did one hell of a job. The scene where she repeatedly slaps herself, saying she doesn't deserve to punish, she's not human, she doesn't deserve to cry. And the first episode was the first time I genuinely cried and felt anxious. Just brilliant.

Of course, Season 2 had a different vibe from Season 1, but I loved both. Naturally, Season 1 was pure adrenaline, Season 2 more emotions.

The fake news theme: It's a critic of provocative Korean media, headlines, youtubers and k-netizens (going along and writing malicious comments). I wish reality could be like the end of Season 2 where a law was created against them.

About the deepfakes, that was also close to reality by now, with AI getting stronger than ever.

Even K's story was very tied to the theme of "being fake." I loved the plot twist, his story and his character in Season 1. I liked the bromance with Do Hyeok, and the betrayal made it even better. It was cool how K didn't know that Lee Hwi So was scared of water because of trauma in prison. I loved Do Hyeok as the actual protagonist and how focused the drama was on the Seven. K's mask, his laugh and his inimaginable schemes were fun, but he wasn't a completely cartoonish villain either, his story showed his insecurity and frustration and you could see his pained expression when he ordered to kill his real father as he called him "Son." Uhm Ki Joon was able to show a great range here both as the protagonist and as the bigger evil. Kim Do Hoon's acting when he killed his mother (with a biblical painting at that, his mother's favorite) and his tearful eyes behind the window was awesome.

The plot twist having me shocked is part of why I liked it. K was really fun to watch when he kicked them down the stairs after torturing them in the amusement park. The ending of episode 12 with the Six teaming up against Matthew and Ki Tak jumping off the cliff with him and into the water before verifying his identity was especially great.

The switched at birth twist was also peak makjang (Do Hyeok being the biological son). There was a flashback in high school where K saw Do Hyeok with his mother as he learned about Do Hyeok's true identity, Do Hyeok had a genius mind and was good in everything while he was pushing himself until his nose bled. After K killed his mother, his father was going to send him to some island so he was forced to replace Lee Hwi So with him, but while he wasn't really happy with his new face he did like being respected and his true goal was Seongchan Group.

As for the new villain's twist, I personally found him scary. He had no sad backstory like K, just cold. Honestly, with K's new hair (he just wanted to be more like himself than Matthew) he looked a little pitiful in front of Chan Sung who was taller than him. I hated him when he was keeping Mo Ne's mom captive. (Btw, it was really important to not end the episodes too quickly because there were scenes like Ra Hee saving Mo Ne's mom and also the scene where she listens to Da Mi's video and chooses the name Medusa.) Again, Mo Ne was seriously unlucky. And to say this is pretty close to reality for women getting with abusive men... I was relieved and anxious when she stabbed him until Do Hyeok and Ki Tak came.

Do Hyeok and Mo Ne's romance was everything to me tbh. I was sad and scared for her when she left Do Hyeok after the campfire with the others. It was beautiful when Do Hyeok was saving Mo Ne's mother as the fire brought back his trauma, and she hugged him.

I liked everything from Ra Hee and Ki Tak's relationship and backstory, Jin Mo and Paeng Hee's story, the kids, Jin Mo and Myeong Ji's romance (the bonding between them in Season 2, the hatred, revenge and tragedy), even Cheol Woo and Ju Ran's romance, Ju Ran's mistake due to Ra Hee's revenge, Cheol Woo hating her and then reconciling. Considering how serious Myeong Ji's character got, the only "comic relief" characters left in the main cast were Cheol Woo and Ju Ran. But because of that, it made sense that Cheol Woo would meet a tragic end. As a cop, he also redeemed himself by trying to protect the others. Well, I think that was implied because all we saw was K shooting aimlessly as he lost his mind.

The ending: Symbolic and well thought-out for everyone. Also poetic and spiritual. K's parallel to Ra Hee with the shot in the leg and burned down to the ground by Do Hyeok was amazing as well.

I also loved the start of Season 1 with Da Mi's appearance as a ghost (white dress and long hair) which makes you wonder if she's going to return from the dead. Then my favorite arc of Season 1: the divine punishment on the deserted island. The paradise illusion with the food and drinks on the ship, the fruits on the island, the unicorn, and then the disillusion that reveals it's a trap from hell. The illusion of water, brutally killing a monster only to realize those were real people after waking up (and the centipede), thinking it's Da Mi's curse, getting hit by a wave, fighting and leaving on the boat as the Seven's reunion.

And how could I not mention the Mission Impossible reference with the BGM during the mirror scene at the end of Season 1? Well, it wasn't even the only reference to fictional stories since there was also the Skull Island (possibly), or The Ring when Da Mi came out of Mo Ne's TV, and Marvel was also mentioned. Which I find funny because The Escape of the Seven is basically the end of a makjang trilogy (The Last Empress and The Penthouse). The Seven Deadly Sins are an obvious connection, and Salem’s Seven is a funny one, as they’re a group of super-villains from Marvel.

The Island arc, Season 1's finale, Season 2's underground prison arc, those were all unforgettable. Even if logic took a backseat to spectacle, it didn’t break my immersion, quite the opposite.

Season 2 even had video game vibes with Medusa's hacking abilities and that one Watch Dogs-coded scene (incredible directing) or K literally playing with Do Hyeok in the car (Ra Hee having to risk everything to save them and rightly getting mad for being so naive).

Lastly, the opening is very symbolic as you get to watch it and analyze it every episode but it's a shame that just like with Penthouse, Viki only showed one version of the opening, without the one where young K appears. It is SO underrated and deserves a Netflix release, but alas, it's not for everyone (much less than Penthouse) and since it was taken by Viu my hopes aren't too high.

Overall, The Escape of the Seven offers an immersive makjang experience with a futuristic, surreal vibe and at the same time a story ingrained in reality.

Season 1's opening:
The first statues: Anonymous commenters.
The nail holding Da Mi's bobble: K's hand. (see the tattoo on his nail)
Ra Hee: Greed, spikes growing, but also a foreshadowing of her amputation.
Mo Ne's dress: Childbirth.
Do Hyeok's fire: His family's tragedy.
Jin Mo looking at Do Hyeok with a knife behind his back: He was behind the fire.
The snake on Jin Mo's arm: K.
The others are simple.

Season 2's opening is more biblical. The snake biting the apple (the original sin). Ra Hee being the last one to break, becoming the shield of Medusa that Do Hyeok is holding and turning K into stone.

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Underdogs, antihero protagonist, messy romance.

The first episode is a very good introduction to the characters, and the story starts surprisingly fast-paced, unfolding through chaotic events. The scenes in America are also incredibly entertaining and funny, and the beginning made me truly excited about the drama. Ga Young's initial situation also gave huge Cinderella vibes, which I loved.

At the center of the story is Young Gul. Basically, he's a loser at the beginning, and then he meets Ga Young, who inspires him. But his ambition is ultimately much more morbid than a straightforward underdog story: it leads him towards his demise. His development was one of the main things that interested me, particularly the psychology behind it. Yoo Ah In is also an exceptional actor here, and this is my favorite role of his.

Ga Young is a far better character than you could expect based on the hearsay surrounding her. She's bold, passionate and talented, but she's also someone who can stay quiet and become defensive. I don't think her quietness makes her poorly written; it's part of her personality.

Her relationship with Young Gul is particularly important to understanding her. She started everything with him and was alone before, and when you see their story in the first episodes, you realize how deep their relationship is—especially from her side. Young Gul is somewhat full of himself and takes a long time to realize that he has feelings for her, while he's attracted to another girl and slowly losing Ga Young to Jae Hyuk. So I can't blame Ga Young for falling in love with someone who doesn't return her feelings in the way she wants.

Another good part of the criticism summed up for you: by all means, never hold the men accountable, blame the woman, and also trash on the actress playing an introverted character, all the while praising the actors. At least Koreans know Shin Sae Kyeong is a good actress who delivers her lines well. Plus, she has a genuinely impressive ability to cry silently.

I also liked that not only she can make the first step herself, she does eventually leave him and is capable of confronting him (to be fair she's like this from the beginning, before she meets him). You can understand a lot of what she's feeling from her eyes and subtle expressions, and that's part of why I found her more compelling than the reputation of the drama might lead you to expect. One thing she does is completely uncommon to k-drama female leads (a role given to male leads) especially considering the dynamic of the relationship. I always found a boyish charm to Shin Sae Kyeong and I love that she said she's attracted to atypical female characters.

And I'll keep saying it: Ga Young is a very good character and my personal favorite. Is she your modern girlboss? No. But she's not a static character. She has her own agency, emotions, ambition, and contradictions. And most importantly, crying doesn't make someone weak.

The love triangle was actually one of my favorite parts. It makes sense that Ga Young would start looking towards Jae Hyuk, especially as he genuinely falls in love with her. He also helps her at the beginning when she's trying her best to regain a place she unfairly lost. In fact, at some point I started shipping Ga Young with Jae Hyuk myself. On the other hand, Ga Young and Young Gul both ended up helping each other in Korea and New York, and I loved the storyline of Ga Young taking the risk to host him as he was researched by the police. This drama as a whole is surprisingly unique through its situations and interactions. It really has that raw and gritty feel of old dramas, and all the dramatic encounters between the characters got me thrilled.

Jae Hyuk has his own storyline as well. He struggles with his position in the fashion company, as well as with his father's expectations. He has a somewhat jerkish and childish personality, and his feelings for Ga Young put him through an internal conflict. Meanwhile, the second female lead is Jae Hyuk's girlfriend. She struggles because she lacks talent, while Young Gul is attracted to her.

Yet another detail is how the drama subverts some expectations and tropes, even if it doesn't always do things in a way that will work for everyone. And most importantly, if you like modern and straightforward romance, don't bother. But if you like different and layered dramas, go for it.

The production side was another reason I enjoyed it. The OST is amazing, and I really liked the cinematography, some good shots. In particular, I noticed the contrasting colors at the beginning and how they gradually softened with time. Combined with the New York setting and the atmosphere of the early episodes, it gave the drama a visual identity that I found very appealing.

As for comic relief, the drama had its fair share thanks to the side characters, specifically the factory's ahjummas who liked to gossip about our main characters.

And then there's the ending. I know it's a major reason many people disliked the drama, but I personally didn't regret watching it because of the ending. It's open to interpretation, so you can choose how you understand it, but I liked the meaning (as there were two symbolic meanings which were related). I also appreciated the foreshadowing surrounding it. For me, the ending didn't erase the enjoyment I got from the rest of the drama. Instead, it was a powerful and fitting ending, even if it's a dark tale. Definitely one of the most shocking and artistic endings ever seen in a k-drama.

One thing that came to mind was the impact capitalism can have on people. Class conflict is an obvious theme throughout the drama, reflected in the disgust between the two men and their constant clashes. There’s also the blind obsession with revenge and greed, even extending to the psychology of wanting to live one floor above someone else while coming from a poor and chaotic background.

In the end, you have to be willing to enjoy its old-fashioned melodrama, character interactions, back-and-forth, and the increasingly troubled psychology of its main character. But personally, I found it genuinely fun. I liked the characters, I was invested in the romance, I thought the psychology of Young Gul was particularly interesting, and I loved the beginning in America, the OST and the cinematography. The female lead was likeable, the second lead became someone I actually wanted to see with her, and Yoo Ah In's performance was excellent.

Honestly don't care about the rating, many people like it, I recommended it to friends too, and you shouldn't rely on the bad reputation it has. Even in Korea, I've seen many positive comments and it had over 10% ratings.

(Check out the comment section of my review for more including about the ending)

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