Her own family ignored her cause her mother wanted it that way. Her so called senpai trapped her in a Stockholm Syndrome and took advantage of her.
No one cared to help her out and she finally started to be strong enough to break free herself.
It's what all abuse victims suffer from, the feeling that they're not enough and no one gives a $hit about them.
I doubt any k-drama would even gave a story like this cause they're all virgins and the hero is their first love.
From what I've seen in reactions about this drama, Koreans are right. No one wants to see the reality of someone who tried to escape an abusive relationship. Really a pity...
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Lots of Actions, Frustrating Relationships
Recently, there have been multiple historical dramas set during the reign of Emperor Tang Taizong (626 – 649): “The Long Ballad” is set when Li Shimin (Emperor Tang Taizong) came to power whereas “Weaving a Tale of Love” is set at the end of Li Shimin’s reign and the beginning reign of his son, Li Zhi (Emperor Tang Gaozong). This drama is set in between those two periods with events that lead to the abdication of the first crown prince and the coronation of Li Zhi as the crown prince.Fu Rou (Li Yi Tong) is the daughter of a wealthy businessman. She is intelligent, well-bred and strategic with a mind that can instantly come up with win-win solutions. When Sheng Chu Mu (Xu Kai) meets her, he falls head over toes in love with her. Sheng Chu Mu’s father is a general serving the Emperor, and Sheng Chu Mu is pampered and spoilt by his mother and older sister who is married to Prince Han, making him a good-for-nothing flamboyant playboy. To get Fu Rou’s love, he vows to better himself, both academically and martially (military). What takes normally years to accomplish, Sheng Chu Mu turbocharges his accomplishments in weeks, if not days, for Sheng Chu Mu is not a normal person - he’s a genius. How he accomplishes his academic and martial prowess is similar to Gump in “Forest Gump”; it is really hilarious, cute and cartoonish. By the middle of the drama, he loses his youthful tomfoorlery and the drama turns rather serious and dark with outrageous actions and events.
Both Fu Rou and Sheng Chu Mu love their families and siblings, especially the latter. He has adorable relationships with his parents and his siblings. Their dynamics are really funny and enjoyable to watch. As Sheng Chu Mu, Xu Kai brings out his adorable charisma. He is egoistic and at the same time, self-deprecates. He is playful, shameless and babyish, but when the situation is dire, he instantly becomes the fearsome and formidable general; he’s the hero who saves the day. Though unrealistic, his scenes are hilarious and I really enjoy watching them.
Li Yi Tong is a natural beauty. Her Fu Rou character is stoic and calm, and she always sticks to the book. I can’t say I like the Fu Rou character very much because I find her too inflexible though this is necessary to maintain law and order in the palace, and to safeguard herself and those she cares. At times, I find it stressful watching Fu Rou for her saintly endurance of mistreatment. Multiple times Sheng Chu Mu and Fu Rou break up and then make up, only to break up again. It is really frustrating for the viewers.
Overall acting by the whole cast is fabulous. Each actor has totally immersed himself/herself into his/her character and it shows in their acting. Every minute emotion and expression is captured. Most characters are black and white except perhaps one or two who are greyish and the actors have brought all the personalities out on the screen.
Everyone seems to be in love. Apart from our main couple, we have Han Wang or Prince of Han (Liu En Shang) and his wife (Sheng Chu Mu’s sister), Princess Xin Nan and Sheng Chu Ling (Kris Fan), the Crown Prince and his wife, the Emperor and the Empress, and so on (you get what I mean). And quite a few lose their virginity before marriage. My favorite female character is perhaps Lu Ying Ying (He Rui Xian). She comes from a powerful and corrupt family with murderous father and brother, and yet she is kind, strong and truthful. Her only fault is for being born to a power-crazy father who has no mercy for others. Multiple times she is thrown into disarray yet she takes it in stride with dignity. Her ending, including the endings for some very well loved characters, is sad and undeserving. Most other characters end either with rewards for their good deeds or retribution for their misdeeds. Having said that, despite all the misdeeds by our antagonists, their punishments are not shown explicitly to satisfy the viewers, and are just skimmed over with.
My Verdict
This is a historical fantasy with a superman who saves the kingdom and the world. A lot of the actions by the leads are over exaggerated. It is intriguing and funny, and the pace is fast. Apart from the Emperor and his princes, most of the characters are fictional and the events are not based on historical records. The writing for the endings of many supporting cast is quite lazy, with many being dropped off like flies – they are dead, and some don’t even have endings, leaving viewers wondering what has happened to these characters. The editing of some episodes are also choppy and incoherent.
Despite these short-comings, this drama is still very entertaining, and I have really enjoyed the Sheng Chu Mu character as he reminds me of "Forrest Gump" which is one of my favorite movies. As long as viewers do not take this drama seriously, it is rather a fun watch.
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Kento is in this but no, this is not your typical shoujo manga movie, sorry.
This movie does not shy away from showing you the toxicities and struggles of being in an unhealthy relationship. This kind of film is one of the many reasons why I've always liked jdramas. It's the lack of fear of tackling serious and heavy subjects.The couple has its up and down moments and has you questioning whether these two are suited to stay together or not. They could be having a joyful time walking together or playing games together but also get into uncomfortable quarrells at any second. Nagata's character is written to look pathetic as he is extremely insecure, egoistic and short-tempered and seemingly is merely using Saki. Him being with the vigorous and kind Saki starts to change her life for the worst as she seemingly changes as a person, her aspirations and pretty much everything. The movie then does makes you care and sympathize for these two. The chemistry between the two and the story is great and realistic.
Yamazaki Kento's character here is very much different from the usual roles he takes. He should leave the shoujo manga roles to the idols because him taking these more mature roles have really showcased his talents as an actor. I'm not even the biggest fan of him and I'm impressed by his great acting here. He also looks different and mature with the long messy hair and facial hair that he has in this movie. Mayu is no exception, she played the kind and strong Saki really well.
I can't recall if I ever heard any music here but I don't think it's the kind of movie that needs music anyway, the tone of the movie and the story was that appealing and intriguing that it didn't need any music tbh. Rewatch value is low for me, not to say that it wasn't good, I just think I've seen everything already and don't think I need to watch it again.
The ending was nothing short of spectacular.
Highly recommended.
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This review may contain spoilers
Revenge, corruption and longing
Compelled to write my first review because I wanted something to counterbalance some of the low reviews this drama has been getting… Melancholia is seemingly a forbidden romance between a teacher and a high school math prodigy, but the romance is actually more of a one sided longing, the teacher has no reciprocal feelings until many years pass and they reunite. The romance is there but in the background to their fight to reveal the corruption behind the elite school where they become the targets of a scandal to shield the higher ups who are behind all sorts of shady dealings. The scandal is eerily similar to the college admissions scandal from the US - wealthy (but not ultra rich) professionals obsessed with finding a back door to an Ivy for their entitled spoiled teens. Whereas the ultra rich can legally buy their kids spot anywhere (ie donate a building), these just “regular” rich strivers need to spend their money on ways to cheat the system.If you liked Secret Love Affair, consider watching this one - SLA had more steamy scenes whereas Melancholia is mostly emotional longing. Though there is a very sweet (satisfying though small) payoff at the very end. The chaebol villains in SLA bored me but the villain in Melancholia is EXCELLENT. She is awful but so charismatic - Jin Kyung is perfect. Lee Do Hyun is totally believable as a lonely teen who gravitates towards his teacher, the only person who actually makes an effort to help him find his passion for math/life again after a tragedy. The physicality of him as a teen vs. him as a man is on point - there is no mistaking him as a boy after the time skip. I am sad that it seems underrated - it’s definitely worth watching
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The movie is about Kang Do, a brutal being works for the loan sharks and a middle aged woman claim to be his mother. Most of the movie takes place in Myeongdong district in Seul, the poorest one. Apparently if you expect a korean to film outside Gangnam, it's mainly Kim Ki duk or, Park Chan Wok. The movie itself a painful journey, a journey you are glad that you take and you wont take again. Don't take me wrong, i love everything about the movie, from Michelangelo inspired poster to grusome mutilation, but I am quite sure I wont re watch it.
There's nothing much to say about it anyway. It is the first Korean film to win the top prize at three major international film festivals — Venice, Cannes and Berlin. If it suits your taste watch it, if don't, stay the heck away from it.
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A disaster movie, yet using emotional + vivid suggestive power in the tradition of anti-war-movies
"Pandora" is a disaster movie.I don't really consider myself a fan of this genre, which focuses on mass panic and adrenaline.
However, I consider this KMovie particularly valuable.
In this case I think the makers have succeeded in doing something similar to what anti-war movies try to achieve: deterrence by vividly conveying the threatening horror. In respect to the scenario of a nuclear catastrophe the movie applies emotional and vivid suggestive power, at the same time making people think and possibly question the sense and usefulness of highly dangerous nuclear power plants.
In view of the consecutive radical change of South Korea's nuclear policy six months after "Pandora" was released, one could say: the project was worth it. (It would probably be too daring to talk about causality, but it could be considered a noticeable correlation...)
The 2016 KMovie picks up on the 2011 Fukushima nuclear disaster and, against this background, develops a story that is comparable by South Korean standards. South Korea is the country with the highest population density in the immediate vicinity of its nuclear power plants. However, due to its insular position, a realistic evacuation plan in the event of a disaster is a major problem. With the movie "Pandora" the lid of the legendary box is shaken. In this case, a nuclear power plant on the East Coast suffers earthquake damage and radiation leaks, similar to Fukushima 5 years earlier. The film fictionally exercises the processes in the event of such a catastrophe (or a comparable one) and comes full circle with a deliberately touching scene in which Kim Nam-gil makes an emphatic plea against nuclear power in his usual impressively passionate way.
Regarding such critically oriented material, the production obviously had difficulties with its financing - in South Korea the lobby of the nuclear industry is as powerful as anywhere else. Nevertheless, the ambitious project could be realized through crowdfunding.
------------------------ SIDE NOTE: --- Sobering facts/outlook on nuclear power plants in South Korea ---
"Pandora" was released in December 2016.
In early summer 2017, as one of the existing South Korean nuclear reactors was actually scheduled to be shut down, President Moon Jae-in announced that the country's nuclear-focused energy policy would be stopped and that the country would instead steer towards a nuclear-free era. Accordingly, plans to build new reactors or extend the life of existing ones have been abandoned. A sign of hope?
However, by the autumn of the same year already, the government's political commitment was no longer valid. The nuclear lobby has actually been able to exert such pressure (the President's faction not having a majority in Parliament....) and prevail that new power plants were going to be built again.
South Korea's nuclear companies make a lot of money by exporting their self-developed reactors. The companies want reference projects in their own country... it is as simple as that...
As far as the people are concerned: According to a survey by the polling institute Realmeter in 2018, 61 percent of adult South Koreans still firmly support their president’s original nuclear phase-out course. Another 10 percent tend to do so. Yet, the lobby as so often has more to say...
... To date, South Korea covers a third of its electricity needs with 24 nuclear reactors.
... There are always earthquakes on the peninsula...
------------------------
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The Changing Times
Fascinating, riveting, inspiring, and poignant. In my humble opinion, Our Times truly is a remarkably compelling and vividly presented drama that is very much deserving of attention and praise. It isn’t without flaws but it is still a worthwhile viewing experience as far as C-dramas are concerned. With a douban score of 8.3 at the time of writing, the rating certainly reflects the growing acclaim for this drama.Production Details
Brought to us by the production team of the popular drama Hikaru no Go, notably Liu Chang and Zhuo Yue Pao Mo who serve as main director and screenwriter respectively. Both of them specialise in slice-of-life, coming-of-age and friendship dramas including their collaboration on Somewhere Only We Know. In addition, Liu Chang helmed Dear Missy while Zhuo Yue Pao Mo had written the script for the highly rated My Huckleberry Friends, among others. This drama is co-director Ma Yiming’s directorial debut while five other screenwriters are involved namely Xu Yitian, Nan Difu, Hu Liping, Wang Shumin and Chen Xiao.
The screenplay is adapted from the novel Our Times (我们的时代) which was recently published in 2019. Written by Wang Qiang (王强), reportedly a leading figure for business novels in China, Our Times is a trilogy that focuses on chasing dreams, and the ups and downs of the new generation of entrepreneurs who ride the IT Internet wave from 1990 to 2018.
The Narrative
Our Times is set in China of the early 1990s against the backdrop of burgeoning economic growth and rapid IT development. The story spans the better part of the decade across multiple locations including Beijing, Shanghai, Guangzhou, Foshan and Hong Kong (along with Illinois in the US). It focuses on the points of view of four main characters - university classmates and tech researchers Xiao Chuang and Pei Qin Hua, as well as their respective love interests Xie Hang and Tan Yuan. Combining slice-of-life with romance, bromance and light melodrama mainly within the workplace setting, the drama explores relationship dynamics between families, friends, lovers and co-workers as well as themes of office politics, industrial relations, the virtues of self-sacrifice, redemption and the courage to evolve in the pursuit of aspirations and happiness amidst the vicissitudes of life.
The storytelling is progressively paced and satisfyingly engaging with hardly a dull moment or substantial fillers. I particularly enjoy the seamless fusion of certain lighthearted instances along with subtle hints of levity as well as introspective and bittersweet scenes interspersed throughout with predominantly heartwarming undertones.
For a premise of this nature, there is no lack of angst and dramatics which is to be expected where the majority of these arcs are rather promptly and neatly resolved. My main issues with this drama stem from the script or adaptation of the source novel for certain sequences of events and the consistency of the characterization for specific characters. Without giving too much away, I’m not a fan of the noble idiocy trope and the associated extreme self-sacrificial acts of altruism in lieu of open and sincere communication to resolve issues… BUT, it’s quite a relief that the resulting grievances turn out to be somewhat short lived and do not detract from what has largely been an engrossing viewing experience.
It’s worth mentioning that elements of patriotism and nationalistic vibes in the plot are quite noticeable as far as locally-produced PCs versus international imports are concerned, but I think the historical representation is quite balanced to accurately reflect the growing trends of computing technology as well as the political sentiments in the era.
A couple of interesting facets to the plot - it’s not purely about computer designs and programming because a substantial proportion of the entrepreneurial efforts is focused on the marketing and sales aspects. Furthermore, the technology referred therein isn’t just about mainframes and personal computers but also emerging entertainment gadgets such as the LD and VCD technology. The transition of “old tech” to the technology that we are acquainted with, especially for viewers familiar with the era, is depicted with the perfect dose of realism.
The Production Quality and Technical Aspects
This is a well-made production in terms of the overall values, quality, and technical execution. The direction is generally commendable, despite discernible “contrived moments of acting” at certain points. The editing, scene transitions and sequencing of the narrative progression appear cohesive and relatively seamless. In terms of the cinematography, I appreciate the decent camerawork as well as the warm palettes and degree of colour grading applied which provides a cinematic feel to the production. Also on the subject of visual language, I quite like the inclusion of 90s stock footage in certain filler frames or B-reels throughout, which provides viewers with a sense of the atmospherics.
The art direction is superb through the use of authentic set designs and props that enhance the realism of the depiction. From the very first moment of this drama, I was hit by the wave of nostalgia arising from the overwhelming 90s pop culture references. From Sally Yeh and George Lam Cantonese songs to posters of a very young Chow Yun Fat, Andy Lau and countless others plastered all over the walls. The influence of Hong Kong in those days is made abundantly clear in this production. Other references to the time period include the huge mobile phones (aka “tai ko tai”), VHS player and video entertainment outlets, the cassette tape player and, of course, the computers themselves - the classic 486 PCs complete with the large monitors or Visual Display Units. The costuming aspect is quite realistic in general. For the character of Xiao Chuang, however, his dressing comes across as somewhat peculiar for a person with his background but it does reflect his flamboyant demeanour and swagger.
Cast and Characters
As the story unfolds and we learn more about each of the main characters, I find myself utterly immersed and invested in their characterization and growth through the multitudes of varying circumstances and events that they experience. In particular the two male leads, Xiao Chuang and Pei Qing Hua. Despite being infuriating at times to a certain extent, towards the conclusion of the story the maturity and wisdom that they eventually attain provide a palpable sense of redemption and achievement. Tan Yuan is interestingly written yet extremely believable and is my favourite female character in the drama. Xie Hang, on the other hand, feels a little inconsistent in places through her actions and behaviour. Nonetheless, each of the four characters possesses its own distinctive qualities and characteristics that combine well to fit the overall development of the story.
My second time seeing Wu Lei this year after The Long Ballad, he has certainly come a long way since Nirvana in Fire. I wouldn’t exactly call this his breakout role but it does feel that way. Such an exceptional portrayal of Xiao Chuang where his versatility in range truly ran me through the gamut of emotions. I honestly think his performance is the strongest among the cast largely because of his significant and dramatic character arc. As for Neo Hou, he showcases a hugely different side to his portrayal in Psych-Hunter and Lost Tomb 2 where he plays a complete boy scout here - pure, idealistic and noble to a fault - and he absolutely slays this role. Earnestly believable and endearing as Pei Qing Hua, he embodies the role effortlessly indeed. Wu Lei and Neo Hou together make this one of the best bromance partnerships in C-dramas.
My first time seeing both Julia Xiang and Mao Xiao Hui, where their performances are indeed worthy of praise. Julia’s portrayal of Tan Yuan is realistic and relatable where I can’t help but to root for her throughout. Her bubbly personality is the complete opposite of Neo Hou’s down-to-earth Pei Qing Hua but somehow this opposites attract type of relationship culminates in a convincing and organic chemistry that builds up naturally over the course of the story. Xiao Hui’s Xie Hang is the most understated yet nuanced of the female leads. There are so many layers to her character that she delicately brings to life in a slow-burn manner. As one of the two OTPs, Wu Lei and Xiao Hui share some of the most moving moments in the drama amidst the trials and tribulations that they both face.
As for the supporting cast, the veterans comprising Wang Xin Jun, Gai Hai Peng and Wen Zheng Rong deserve mention for playing Tan Qi Zhang, Lin Yi Min and Luo Li Hua respectively. Leewei, as Lydia (Xie Hang’s mentor at Interflow), delivers a powerful interpretation of an intriguing character despite her limited screen time. Wang Meng Li’s investigative journalist Shu Zhi Hong is another interesting characterization that probably deserves a side story or spin-off of her own.
Music
Fei Peng serves as music producer while Japanese composer Akiyama Sayuri composed two ending themes for the production, which are my favourites out of the total of five OSTs including the remake of Sally Yeh’s original, Walk Back to the Wind. Full listing as follows:
呼啸的风 Howling Wind by 侯明昊 Hou Ming Hao (Ending theme)
毫不保留 Without Reservations by 余佳运 Yu Jiayun (Ending theme)
潇洒走一回 Walk Back to the Wind by 孟佳 Meng Jia
一盏灯 A Light by 王栎鑫 Wang Lixin
燃烧的时代 The Burning Era by 袁野 Yuan Ye
谁能明白我 Who Can Understand Me by 林子祥 George Lam
Final Thoughts
Our Times presents an unforgettable journey of discovery by its captivating characters that is filled with beautiful romance and compelling camaraderie, while granting viewers a profound insight into the giddying heights of technological transformation and socio-economic transition in modern China back in the 1990s.
In case you’re wondering about the ending, there will definitely be a second season. The final episode ends on a cliffhanger so stay tuned for the sequel to wrap things up and, hopefully, give our four main characters a fitting closure. All things considered, it has been an incredibly absorbing and insightful viewing experience indeed and I absolutely recommend giving this drama a watch.
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I fell in love with the main leads & felt their love developing. I loved the parents & grandparents. I also loved how meddlesome the mother & brother were.
The oST was so so. I would re-watch this one. You should not miss it.
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“You’ll lose the one in your hand, trying to catch the one on the run.”
I actually…the more I think on it…genuinely liked this movie. Jinyoung acted his socks off, and for this, I think his future in acting will be rewarding and he’ll develop quite the repertoire. He isn’t just a pretty face.While I liked this movie, it is dark for a Korean movie (if you’re used to watching their romance comedies and typical melodramas). But if you’ve seen your fair share of revenge flicks, and a good mix of British/American independent movies, you’re strong enough to watch “A Christmas Carol”.
The ending is satisfying enough to leave you pondering about your own life. What do you take for granted? How important is the goal you’re so dead set on completing? Do you want to become those who’ve hurt you?
Although you provide support to those you love by putting a roof over their head, actually showing them affection and support matters. Also, you must think about society, and who it’s left behind. Sometimes it’s even simply best to leave the bad guys getting their just deserts by fate and bad karma alone. No need to carry it out on your own and with force. There’s a favorite quote of mine that says something about choosing to forgive because it’s best for one’s peace of mind. And I consider this sentiment along with the idea that sometimes it’s best not knowing. It’ll drive you crazy.
Having said that, I must mention that I’m an identical twin, and this movie did hit home for me. There was one scene in particular that actually made me cry because I’d hate to see my twin sister in a pretty terrible situation due to the fact that she couldn’t share with me what was hurting her. Sometimes I hurt my sister’s feelings, and lash out at her due to stress. I’m so goal driven, but I hardly stop to take care of myself. So, how he pushed away his brother made me look at myself. Never take your loved ones for granted.
If you’re simply a fan of Park Jinyoung, or like a revenge flick…you’re in a for a big surprise. At first you may feel tricked, but in the end you will realize it was worth it. This movie will stay with me for quite sometime. And maybe my sister will one day stop asking me, “Why are you still going on about the movie? I thought you said it was too dark? I don’t want to see it.”
Therefore, I believe it’s a great watch if you’re a fan of movies that are different and make you think. Rewatch value depends on the individual. But the older I get I believe I just might re-watch this in the following years. Whether to see how far Park Jinyoung has come in his acting, or to remember why this movie has stayed with me for all these years.
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Cherry Magic! Thirty Years of Virginity Can Make You a Wizard?!
32 people found this review helpful
A Love So Beautiful & Pure!!! Must WATCH!
How can two grown-ass men falling in love makes my heart thump thump so badly! No other bls made me feel things that CM made me. If ITSAY is the best coming of an age love story then CM is the best young adult love story. This is not only a love story. But a story about being kind, gentle, being confident, not giving in to the societal pressures, trusting others, and more importantly trusting ourselves. Overcoming our fear and difficulties no matter how many times we fail. Each and every character feels human and none of the characters feels unrealistic. Trust me when I say this that you will be able to relate with each and every character because that's how human they felt.This is a simple drama where two different men came to touch the heart of each other through their kindness. That's it! No unnecessary drama, no love triangle, no one hates no one, no one is cheating, girl character is being respected and no fujoshi (which is what, unfortunately, many fans love) maybe that's why this will not be as popular as other dramas but this is what I loved about CM. This is such a feel-good drama. This is so so much fun to watch how these two dorks fall in love with each other through that process it is so easy for us watchers to fall in love with them as well. I wish guys like Kurosawa existed in real life than none of us girls had to go through so many heartbreaks and disappointments.
Rewatch Value of this drama is 100/10
Acting is PERFECT!
Chemistry is ON POINT!
So guys give this drama a go and trust me you will not be disappointed!
I think, no , CM is the bestest BL production in Japan's BL history!
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The chemistry is very strong, the value of the drama brought upon is very strong and the acting is very realistic and believe. It will make you mesmerized in the character and the story. Even tough the plot is very heartbreaking but it carried itself with light hearted and have funny moments too.
One beautiful piece. Among my top favorite.
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Overall, after watching the final episode and not realising it was actually the final episode (changed from listed 75 eps to 74) I have to say I wasn't too happy with the ending but the drama is for sure extremely well made and in my top 5 dramas of all time. If you're looking for a drama with more depth, a little romance and a smart, independent heroine I definitely recommend this one!
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I was inspired to watch Our Happy Time because of Kang Dong Won, recently I became interested in his movies.
What can I say, the story, cast and music are all great. I'm listening it right now, maybe it's not good because it makes me wanna cry more and more...
When I saw the title I though it will be just a silly love story. And after watching this movie I felt so betrayed. I wasn't ready for this kind of emotions that this movie put me through. How to love and forgive how to cherish life and enjoy someones company, how to smile and cry - this movie is all about that and much more. I highly recommend re-watching this movie over and over again.
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This review may contain spoilers
A Heartwarming Journey
I went into this drama unsure about it, even questioning if it was worth my time. In the first half, I was seriously ready to tell the female lead, "Girl... divorce!". But by the end, I was completely invested in their story. The drama turned into a surprisingly heartwarming and emotionally satisfying journey, and I ended up loving it more than I ever expected.Plot Summary: At the beginning, the female lead is frustrated with her marriage. She lives with a meddling mother-in-law and feels like her relationship with her husband is stagnant. The male lead is close to being a "mama’s boy" who does not stand up for his wife, and their marriage is strained because of his mother's interference. The couple seems to be at a breaking point.
At its core, the drama explores the realistic challenges of marriage—the little frustrations, the miscommunications, and the changes that come with being in a long-term relationship. The female lead deals with a meddling mother-in-law and a husband who has trouble standing up to his family. It’s a candid look at how marriage can be full of ups and downs, and the idea that it’s not all hell or heaven—it's somewhere in between.
The male lead’s character development was one of the biggest highlights. He starts off as a passive figure, just going along with whatever his mother says, but by the end, he undergoes a meaningful transformation. He learns to stand up for his wife, becoming more self-aware and emotionally mature. His growth was something that really made the show feel rewarding.
I also loved the moments of humor and lightheartedness sprinkled throughout the drama. One particularly memorable scene had the leads involved in a dare-or-truth game, which led to some hilarious moments. There were moments when they were silly and playful, but also when they shared genuine emotional exchanges, making the balance between the two feel just right.
And that plot twist at the end? Emotional and satisfying! It added a whole new layer to the relationship and made everything come full circle in a way that was so heartwarming. I went from being skeptical to falling in love with their journey.
The final moments were what really solidified the show’s place in my heart. It was with a line about how "Prince and Princesses don’t always end up together happily ever after"—but it was real and grounded, showing how far they had come. Instead of a fairytale ending, it embraced the imperfections and unpredictability of life while still leaving us with hope.
Final Thoughts: Despite my initial doubts, this drama completely turned things around. It’s a perfect mix of humor, emotional growth, and real-world struggles in a marriage. I went from being ready to drop it to feeling connected to these characters by the end. If you’re looking for a drama that doesn’t just focus on grand gestures, but on genuine development and heartfelt moments, this is definitely worth a watch.
I’m giving it a solid 8.5/10—a fun, emotional, and surprisingly heartwarming journey!
Some moments i liked(SPOILER):
The Dating App Twist: The female lead downloads a dating app for work and matches with a man, not knowing he is her husband. She is upfront with him about being married, so they just chat as friends. However, unbeknownst to her, her husband saw the app on her phone and decided to match with her to understand her better. This twist was a huge revelation, and the emotional development that follows was a turning point for both characters.
Male Lead’s Growth: One of the most rewarding aspects of this drama was watching the male lead’s growth. At first, he simply obeys his mother, but as the drama progresses, he begins to stand up for his wife. His decision to match with the female lead on the dating app is a key moment. He realizes how much his wife needs emotional support, and this sparks his change. His slow but meaningful transformation was incredibly satisfying and heartwarming.
Mother-In-Law Dynamics: The relationship between the mother-in-law and daughter-in-law starts off tense and antagonistic, but it evolves over time. The mother-in-law, while overbearing, isn't portrayed as a villain—her actions are more a result of her generational perspective. The emotional development between the two women added complexity to the narrative and showcased the importance of understanding different viewpoints in family dynamics.
Key Moments:
Red Nails: One hilarious moment was when the female lead made her husband get red nails as part of a dare-or-truth game. It was a quirky moment that highlighted their growing connection and the playful side of their relationship.
The Bike Ride in the Rain: The final scene is a beautiful and emotional culmination of the couple's journey. They end up riding bikes in the rain, just like the grandma did earlier in the drama. The leads reflect on the realities of relationships with the line: “So prince and princess end up together living happily ever after? No, how can that be possible, even the North Pole is melting, how can anything last forever?” It’s a perfect nod to the imperfection of life and relationships, showing how they’ve grown to embrace each other’s flaws and cherish the small moments together.
Ending: The final twist shows how far the couple has come. The male lead’s growth and understanding of his wife’s needs come to a head in the final episodes. It’s a satisfying and heartwarming conclusion where they choose each other despite the challenges and imperfections, signaling that while "happily ever after" might be an unrealistic expectation, their love has evolved into something real and beautiful.
P.S. I realistically would've preferred if they divorced to be honest.
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