John Smith

The ML is a highly trained member of the Chinese Special Forces with even more elite training from around the world. If he did not figure out she likes him a few episodes ago, he should be demoted. I think this is part of the long dance of a 40 episode drama. Once the romantic tension explodes, then all the tropes come into play to stretch out the romance. We are a third of the way through the drama and I wonder what will be the catalyst for one to "blink first" and admit their feelings. I thought it might have been when she rushed to volunteer to go to the flood site with something happening between them, but they did get more intimate nonetheless. Supposedly a new character (the cousin I think) is being introduced to stay with them. Maybe that will push them to confront their feelings.

I think the SML (JJ) is much worse of a character than the SFL (In Hyung). The conflict always seems to between either JJ and Hoo Joon or JJ and In Hyung. JJ also seems to even make Geun Young uncomfortable as well. The common thread is JJ. I think it is safe to say JJ feels abandoned 100%. I never got that vibe from In Hyung. It seems to me that JJ keeps In Hyung on a short leash and purposely keeps her from anything that might make her famous because he is afraid of her abandoning him as well. He also has family issues but so does Hoo Joon. I may be a little biased because I only see JJ as the aimless younger brother in My Horrible Boss, the crappy boyfriend in Suspicious Partner, or the guy who wears the same clothes in WWWSK. No way he should be a CEO.

Just because someone is beautiful, talented, and famous does not mean you are entitled to know or share everything about that person. Her issue is more about everyone else's issue concerning boundaries and privacy. Perhaps being a celebrity might tilt the scales as far as private versus public compared to the average person, but it should not break it.

I have noticed one thing about Chinese dramas in general is that the day and night seem to hold no meaning. They leave work during the day only to get home at night. Or leave lunch to drop someone off and it is night. It has happened so often that I do not even mind now. I just write it off as set or scheduling delays.

Very strong feelings.

Congratulations on your first article. Knowing it is your first article, I have to say that I admire your bravery for putting your thoughts and words out there for everyone to comment on. It is much, much easier to comment on an article than to write one.

I personally enjoyed the drama. It was a really good dark comedy with a dash of just about everything else thrown in for good measure. I am not sure if the drama is a game changer, but I think Vincenzo got more out of their big budget than The King: Eternal Monarch did (Kim Go Eun was amazing though) and I hope future big budget dramas can improve on that. With all the streaming services and their willingness to spend money, I have to think that Korean dramas will seek to consciously cater to a more global audience. I hope there will always be a place for the good, quality Korean dramas that I have enjoyed watching too.

I watch more Chinese dramas than Korean ones, and a few I have recently seen follow the same sort of plot.

I am still waiting for the perfect drama, but I know what you mean. I am enjoying the drama, but the whole concept feels a bit dated, even for something filmed in 2018. I also think this would be better suited for one of those fluffy 24 episode Chinese romantic comedies than a Korean production.

I am just glad it aired. It also gives me some hope that other dramas that have yet to see the light of day might have a chance. I know every situation is different, but I am a hopeful fan of being able to choose the dramas I want to watch, or not watch.

One of the most used tropes is the we both like each other but neither is willing to admit it. Of course, viewers get to see the stolen glances and inner feelings. It can be frustrating, but I wonder who will crack first.

If that is your way of saying you cannot wait until the next episodes, I agree. The drama is pretty good. And you are welcome.

I think it has something to do with the SML father and what eventually led to the situation that he and his mother is in right now, and having to leave the FL. That is what I have inferred so far. The ML was in some sort of military/police action and the photo is one the SML has. Of course, you are never supposed to show your face or get your photo taken during those kind of ops, the ML seemed to be the only one you can recognize.

Both male leads started their military service in 2019 and got discharged relatively recently. If part of a drama's popularity is having the stars available to promote, it would make since to wait as well.

I know this was filmed earlier and aired later, but part of me is waiting for Geun Young to turn into Dan Ah and give Hoo Joon a taste of his own medicine.

She has tended to pick roles that are not romantic comedies. That genre has the greatest chance of weak FL/strong FL who become weak in front of ML/other tropes that tend to not allow an actress to showcase her true abilities. I enjoy romantic comedies, but I do not believe those are the best vehicles for an actress to show her true range.

Lee Yo Won is definitely an exception. Her role in Ms. Temper & Nam Jung Gi was also a strong, independent woman (FL) and never required her to be less for the ML to be more. Her fire encouraged the ML to become better.

I think there is still confusion about what is SLS (Second Lead Syndrome), but from the comment section of various drama pages, it seems more towards personally liking them better. Which actually makes total sense. With a two hour movie, it might be easy to question anyone's choices, but with a 16, 24, or 30+ episode drama, there is plenty of time to see why the FL made her choice and most of the time she has been aware of the second lead for years. Being a viewer, we are seeing things with fresh eyes, and get to see scenes that other characters might not be aware of. I do not get SLS, so I am still confused by it, but everyone has reasons for the choices they make. Be it the characters or the viewers.

In dramas, when there are are two males vying for the affections of the female lead, one is the flawed male lead and the other usually is the lovelorn friend (or some version of a nice guy), and when it is two females vying for the affections of the male lead, one is the female lead and the other usually is a not so nice character. If SLS exists (I view it more as a personal preference than some sort of empathetic choice), it seems much more likely with a second male than second female.

From watching a lot of dramas that have a "nice guy", once you look past their fluffy shell, they seem to be creepy, cowardly, and controlling. The drama tends to gloss over these instances with either self-realization, or the appearance of a love interest for him.

There is no doubt that most romantic dramas write the females (especially the FL) as passive and/or lacking to the males. Does FL really mean female lead? It should be female led. They are constantly being led by everyone throughout the drama. Dramas have gotten better over time, but these type of characters are still popular and quite easy to find. I thought the Chinese drama Begin Again was really good in part because of the role reversal between the leads. It was a strong female lead and a nice male lead.

I do not get SLS, but I find it interesting that others might. At least it seems like a discussion that would not lead to total war. To me, I would define SLS as the viewer choosing the second lead vs simply wanting a main lead to choose the second lead. That has just not happened for me.

I have been out of commission, but thanks for the comment. It has been over a month since it aired and I have yet to come across a Chinese drama that has impressed me like You Are My Hero. I did start watching The Long Ballad and thought it might be a contender, but stopped watching it and never felt the need to finish it. It just seemed like it was heading for angst and all those tropes associated with a longer drama.

I have been out of commission, but thanks for the comment. It has been over a month since it aired and I have yet to come across a Chinese drama that has impressed me like You Are My Hero. I did start watching The Long Ballad and thought it might be a contender, but stopped watching it and never felt the need to finish it. It just seemed like it was heading for angst and all those tropes associated with a longer drama.