Reviews

Forget the cheesiness and the cliches....
If you are into serious acting and are looking for a real good story this will exceed your expectations! A roller-coster ride of emotions and a series that takes medical drama to a whole new level! Also unlike majority of the dramas out there, but like good old wine this gets better with time.

Story~
The actual plot is simple enough (even more so if you are used to Korean Melodramas :p). But it's the storytelling that gives the show an entirely different dimension! This is the most well wriiten drama I have come accross! The crew worked hard on the material and it shows thoughout the drama.
Underneath the suspence and thrill this drama explores how people have both sides to them- the good and the bad. Every person has his or her own difficult circumstances and does their best to cope with it. In the process they fight their prejudices and beliefs, or succumb to them and fight the righteous....
One lie leads to another... evil breeds more evil... and over time there is no road back. During the course of this one track 'difficult journey' people tend to forget its purpose. .
When truth comes up against better opportunities or even the greater good it's truth that always fights a loosing battle..... or maybe not?

I felt this drama to have many layers to it and if you are patient enough you may find a Beautifully Different understanding of this.

Cast~
The series boasts an incredible cast and everyone seems to have their moment...
The entire series is quite heavily built upon the acting of the Dr. Lee Young Oh and Jang Hyuk just shattered the roof with his quality and showed why he is one of the best 'Actors' out there! With KDramas being mostly about preety faces these days, this series came to me as a huge relief!

It's interesting to see that the supporting and guest actors getting considerable screentime and even the debuters are surprisingly good actors! I intially felt the female lead to be a bit stagnant but she too turns up nicely as the series progresses.

Music~
Bernard Park's 'Dirt' is on repeat on my phone! :D
I am not a talented judge of music per say. This had the right music for the right scene.
However the Title Track always seemed to up your emotions for the scene! That felt Beautiful!

Re-watch Value~
Over the course of the last few weeks I have gone back and watched the previous episodes a lot. And will surely rewatch the entire series again.

Overall~
The story tends to speed up at the end but the crew managed to wrap it up Beautifully despite 'the unfortunate peril' (the true villain of the series - you know who)
Anyway, this for me is by far the best drama for me this year.
Highly recommened for patient, mature audience willing to try something different. I guarantee you that you wont be dissapointed.

Good Luck n God Bless!

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One of my favourite movies of 2023!

I usually don't write reviews, but for this one, I couldn't resist!

I went to watch this at the Japanese film festival in Toronto a couple of weeks ago, and I was very pleasantly surprised! As a fan of Snow Man and Meguro Ren, my expectations were honestly pretty high. Because of this, I was preparing myself to be a bit let down, but somehow, he's done it again!

STORY:

As soon as the movie was announced, I immediately went to read the manga. Seeing as the manga isn't completed yet, the movie did a great job with pacing and making sure the ending was both satisfying, yet ambiguous. They had to cut out a couple of details, such as Kaya's husband having feelings for Miyo and vice versa, but it didn't really hinder the story much, so I don't really mind it.

Throughout the movie, Kiyoka and Miyo have some really cute moments with each other, with patient Kiyoka slowly encouraging Miyo to come out of her shell, and Miyo learning to express herself. One of the best scenes in the movie is when Miyo was kidnapped and being tortured to give up Kiyoka; refusing to do so, and Kiyoka literally BURNING DOWN THE ENTIRE ESTATE TO FIND HER. It really shows how much their relationship developed. And although there wasn't a dramatic "I love you" confession scene, or a kiss, this is one of the rare times that I thought it wasn't necessary. While you could tell that the main genre wasn't romance, the movie did a good job balancing it with the action and historical elements.

If I had to have one "complaint", I would have enjoyed this as a drama! There is so much lore and questions left unanswered that a 12-16 episode drama would definitely have me hooked.

ACTING/CAST:

Since fantasy was a first for Meme, I was curious as to how he'd do. The result? Honestly, pretty good! He seemed to have completely immersed himself in the role, and he managed to play the cold but secretly warm-hearted Kiyoka pretty well! Seeing that the manga version of Kiyoka had more delicate and soft features, I was worried that the movie version would not provide that big of a "gap moe". Again, I was thankfully proven very wrong.

I was familiar with Imada Mio from Hana Nochi Hare, but that's about it. She definitely had a BIG transformation in both character and style from that drama to this, and it definitely shows her range as an actress. She looked really cute in the traditional clothing, and I found myself really believing she was Miyo, rather than an actress playing her.

MUSIC: (may be biased)

Having listened to Tapestry by Snow Man beforehand, I thought it was a great match for the overall "feel" of the movie. Unfortunately, it only played at the very end of the movie, but I was still very excited to hear Snow Man playing at an actual theatre in Canada for the first time. The other soundtracks for the movie were all fine for me; no complaints here.

REWATCH VALUE:

Yes. Just a yes. If a sequel does come out, you'll definitely catch me watching this again in preparation for it. Here's to hoping more Japanese films play internationally!

OVERALL: 9.8/10

TL;DR: Whether you know of Imada Mio and/or Meguro Ren or not, I whole-heartedly recommend you check this out. You won't regret it.

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I am not going to say that it's the best medical drama. But it's definitely one of them!

I solely started this drama because of Ji Sung. I can't say I dislike medical dramas but they aren't exactly my go-to genre. But like always, Ji Sung didn't let me down. I am so glad that I decided to watch this drama!

It's no breaking news that Ji Sung has acting chops. Well, that seems a bit of an understatement. Every character that he plays on screen, you can't help but fall in love with. With that much charisma he is surely one of the most lovable ahjussi on TV right now.

Lee Se Young has grown so much as an actress. Maybe her character didn't sit well with everyone, but she did grew a lot throughout the series. Though that girl's hair is a mess, that I cannot deny.

The chemistry between the leads! Woah!! I loved them!
This has a slow burn romance, but it's so worth it! The drama doesn't shy away from their age gap, but it's never creepy or uncomfortable. Their relationship begins simply as a mentor mentee, but gradually develops into more, and it's so beautifully portrayed!

This series has seriously one the best second lead, hands down. That is, of course, if he does actually qualify as a second lead. I really enjoyed watching Dr. Lee on-screen! Of course, one of the things I loved about him was the fact that any chance he got to leave the two leads alone, he did it. He is such a far cry from.other clueless second leads. Also his minor love line with Mi Rae was cute.

Aside from focusing on one big idea on which the series was based upon- euthanasia, it also focused on day to day dealings of the doctors. How they suffered with their patients, how they learned from their mistakes, how they worked together as a team. There might be a few medical moral dilemmas involved, yet again, euthanasia aside. But try to remember that its a work of fiction. You can't expect them to provide accuracy on everything.

Euthanasia is quite a sensitive topic. It's hard to pick right or wrong with it. That debate has been going on for quite some time, an I believe it will go on for longer. Everyone has their opinion on the subject, and it's hard to say which one is right. If it is even possible to say so. For the most part, I think they did a wonderful job with it. In the start, you get to hear both their sides. You get to see why one is against that and why one is for that.
What I wasn't satisfied with though, was the fact that later on in the show, the writer decided to include personal reasons behind their stances on euthanasia. While it did not completely negate the whole debate about the topic, it still lessened the effect, at least for me.

Maybe I am unjustified in feeling so, but I feel like Lee Kyu Thing's talent were a bit...Well, wasted to be honest. He deserves a better character. I feel like his character wasn't really that fleshed out. It makes me sad, because even though he did a really good job here, his character was just so underwhelming.

One more things that I was unsatisfied with was that the "ending" felt a bit, anticlimactic, shall I say? After building the tension up gradually with each episode, it wasn't really satisfying to watch how it eventually unfolded. It's like the writer realised the moral dilemma with the situation, and decided to bring in a third party to put all the blame upon.

Every drama has something's it does great, and something it does not. Doctor John is no exception to that. But what it does manage to create, is something that is heartbreaking and heartwarming at the same time. It manages to create a charming, captivating and engaging storyline, series and characters, which I loved following straight from episode one, right to the finale.
So give this a go, chances are, this series would pull you right in!

Happy Watching!!

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Starting All Over

As dramaland resets itself with the beginning of another year, viewers get the opportunity to kickstart 2022 with an awesome C-drama right here. Reset doesn’t come with much fanfare where at the beginning of its run, the availability of (good) subs was somewhat hampered by a lack of involvement from major OTT streaming platforms for international markets. Fortunately as the weeks went by and more viewers started watching it, the fanbase for the drama gradually grew, affording it the recognition that it deserves.

Reset is a “time-loop” drama in the mould of Groundhog Day, Deja Vu, Happy Death Day and Source Code. The protagonists, a college girl and a young game designer, mysteriously find themselves reliving a bus explosion each day. Why this is happening to them and, more importantly, how they free themselves of this catastrophic cycle are central to the narrative.

This drama is produced by Dongyang Noon Sunshine Film and Television Co., or more popularly and affectionately known as Daylight Entertainment which is famed for producing top quality dramas such as Nirvana in Fire, Battle of Changsha, The Story of Minglan and The Bond, among many others. It is co-directed by Sun Mo Long (Candle in the Tomb and Mining Town), Liu Hongyuan, and Lao Suan. The screenplay is adapted from the novel "Kai Duan" (开端) by Qi Dao Jun (祈祷君) who was also involved in the screenwriting process, alongside Qiu Yujie, Lao Suan, and Huang Kaiwen.

Principal photography took place from June to August 2021 in Xiamen. Reset is considered a short format production running at only 15 episodes of 42 minutes each. To date, viewership on Tencent Video platform for mainland China has exceeded 400 million views (at the time of writing), making it the most watched domestic production for the beginning of 2022.

What I Loved

The innovative concept of time loop in a contemporary C-drama setting. I don’t think this has been done before in a Chinese production, which usually focuses on time travels or alternate world fantasies as far as speculative fiction is concerned. The way this premise is established and conveyed via a rather absorbing and engaging approach to the storytelling is a major boon as well because my initial fears of confusion arising from inconsistent or illogical plot holes proved to be unfounded, for the most part. The parameters of when and how the time loop occurs are clearly defined for the viewers’ understanding as the story unfolds.

Along with the suspense and mystery of the overarching plot, the entire story has much depth to it with a balance of youth themes, slice-of-life human drama and even hints of a budding romance imbued into the development of the characterization and side stories. All of these elements are carefully laid out over the course of an eventful 15 episodes, where the second half in particular is filled with many surprising twists and turns.

The two leads may be central to the plot but the drama also carefully takes its time to explore the various side characters, namely the other passengers onboard the ill-fated bus ride and the police detectives assigned to the investigation. Most of these characters are realistically depicted as being extremely layered and fully fleshed out as the mystery gradually unravels.

The characters truly do come alive thanks in no small part to the superb performances of the cast. Bai Jing Ting delivers as the fresh-faced game designer Xiao He Yun, as he utterly embodies the conflicting emotions of someone who wants nothing to do with this calamity yet cannot extricate himself completely from caring about a total stranger. Zhao Jin Mai plays college girl Li Shi Qing in a somewhat more subdued role compared to her co-lead but no less convincing as a naive youngster inadvertently caught up in an incomprehensible and extreme situation.

To be perfectly honest, at the beginning I wasn’t really expecting romance in this drama. However, seeing both Bai Jing Ting and Zhao Jin Mai living dangerously throughout in attempting to survive this distressing time loop has sufficiently shifted my mindset to unequivocally root for them as a romantic couple. In addition to both their characters being adorably sweet and innocent, as well as the unintended comic relief and minor frustration at times from witnessing their numerous futile attempts at unravelling the mystery, the emotional connection they share that is borne of hardship and tragedy genuinely does tug at the heartstrings.

Of the supporting cast, as usual Liu Yi Jun impresses with his immense experience and mastery of his craft. Despite the limited screen presence, his character of police detective Zhang Cheng displays the necessary nuances that befits the characterisation and brings a touch of class to the drama. Likewise Liu Tao’s surprising appearance here as police inspector Du Ju, who elevates the cast list with some star power albeit while wearing a rather unsightly wig. That said, I would have loved to see more complexity from her character aside from delivering her now iconic line, “Perform drug test!”.

Special mention goes to the strong performances in the portrayal of certain other side characters who I shall not name to avoid spoiling the story. It's worth mentioning that You Jing Rou makes a rather brief but quite impactful appearance in the supporting role of Liu Yao.

This drama features music composed and arranged by South Korean composer Kim Hyun Do for 2 of the 3 tracks listed in the soundtrack. My personal favourite is the emotional theme song, the English-language love ballad My Only, performed exclusively by Zhou Shen.

My Only by Zhou Shen
Wake Up by Wang Xiaokun
Rebound by Chen Hui

Final Thoughts

Reset turned out to be a pleasant surprise indeed. It may not have the bearings of a big budget epic or colossal production headlined by an extensive cast list of star names. But it does the basics very well with a great script and storytelling approach, convincing acting with relatable characters and a hugely satisfying closure. I think this drama exceeded many viewers' expectations in the end, including mine.

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The reason I am giving this a 10 even though my other scores are a little lower might not make sense but I can not help it. In a sea of dramas with a certain premise we have all come to expect, this one is different.

It is about two people who have been friends all their lives. They turn to each other for comfort, for friendship and fun. They have seen each other at their best and worst. They yell, they fight, they comfort and criticize. They are REAL with each other. And slowly they begin to realize that this is not just a friendship. And once they realize that...What do they do with that knowledge? Go for it? Risk their friendship? Admit how they feel to the other person and most importantly, to themselves?

There is no grouchy, in denial chaebol hero. There is no plucky misunderstood girl who is downtrodden but so cheerful in the midst of her unfortunate circumstances. There is no backstabbing b*tch or scheming inlaws. They are just two people slowly but surely waking up and realizing that just maybe, the person they truly are meant to be with might have been there under foot all their lives. The writers make it so fun for the audience to watch it happening. The actors have great chemistry!

Give it a try. The music is a bit lacking. (I have a tendancy to be hard on music scores in my reviews. After the excellent OST of Coffee Prince and Soulmate I tend to be picky!) But I adore this drama...ADORE IT. Warm and sweet and surprisingly passionate. When you watch and realize it is not as quiet as you thought it is such a treat.

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Nothing happened

Honestly I wish I could have given this a bigger score. I really do. But nothing happened.

I originally watched this hoping for something to happen with Leon and Pob -- it was their relationship that was left unresolved, and it was this that I had the most hopes for (big mistake). We got maybe 5 minutes of screentime total for these two (we got to see more of Leon than Pob, but in regards to them talking/thinking about their relationship, it was like 5 minutes), and they never interacted with each other. Pob finally comes back to Thailand (on the same plane as Leo and Fiat, no less, but none of them ever find that out) and he and Leon get so many of those coincidental almost-see-each-other-but-don't moments. At the end, they decide to leave it up to fate if they're ever going to see each other again. (Which is so ridiculous in my opinion. You gotta put effort into a relationship if you want it to work, guys. Come on.)

As for Leo and Fiat, we got the most screentime from them (of course), but apart from fluff and some sexy moments, nothing happened plot-wise. They came back from London and hung out with their friends. That's kinda it. Cute, but not much else.

And while the video itself is an hour and a half, the last 20-ish minutes are just BTS pictures and videos. Just a warning, because I kept thinking we'd get more resolution and then we didn't.

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School dramas are definitely my favorite kind, but this one was special.
Mostly centered on the rise and fall of an unfixable friendship, it doesn't stretch out the same one plot for sixteen episodes risking to make it lame and repetitive. Different stories are told, just like different stories happen in one high school class. Each of these plots lead back to friendship in the end, but none of them is like the previous one, as they all touch a second different topic, reminding us we're never the only ones who suffer although not everyone has to face the same kind of hardship we're going through.
This drama is original, true, bitter, at times shocking, but also inspiring, hopeful and fun like the age of its protagonists.
I appreciate the complete absence of romance, not because i don't enjoy it but because it's a nice change in kdramas standards.
At times it seems ridiculous the ability this school has to find a reason to expell someone every other day, but nevertheless the screenplay keeps the suspence up until the very last minute.
And there's no reason to deny or hide it: the bromance will kill you over and over again.
This drama is a jewel.

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The blurred line between right and wrong

This one took months to write because I wanted to use big words (I know...) and I watched the show 3 times before submitting.

Prepare for a binge-watch session like no other, as Awaken sets a new standard for action-thrillers. This drama delivers heart-pounding suspense and electrifying action that's sure to keep you on the edge of your seat from start to finish. This series has solidified its place as a must-watch for anyone seeking entertainment that lingers in the mind long after the credits fade.

Story:
Is it murder or suicide? It's hard to tell when it comes to the mysterious case this show throws us into. Seems like another one of those detective shows, but do not be fooled. As the story progresses, things escalate and you find yourself watching something entirely different. Buckle up, because the action-thriller show that is about to hit your screen is an absolute rollercoaster ride.

Characters:
The characters in Awaken are three-dimensional gems that shine brighter with each episode. From the brilliant and mysterious lead Do Jung Woo, who adds a touch of humor amidst the chaos, to the brooding yet brilliant FBI agent grappling with her dark past - each character evolves realistically as they face moral dilemmas and personal challenges.

Acting:
The performances in this drama are nothing short of exceptional. The cast effortlessly brings their characters to life, infusing every line with emotion and depth. Each actor's portrayal contributes to the show's gripping atmosphere. Not even a single drop of disappointment here.

Writing and Dialogue:
Now believe it or not, there is not a single show without loopholes, not even this one. Perfect writing doesn't exist, but this one is pretty close to it. The writing is razor-sharp with dialogues that keep you engaged. The pacing is expertly handled, combining heart-stopping action sequences with moments of quiet introspection that give insight into the characters' motivations. Twists and turns are seamlessly integrated, creating a narrative that leaves you craving more after every episode.

Cinematography:
The camera work amplifies the tension, capturing the energy of chase scenes and the raw emotion in the characters' expressions. The use of light and shadow enhances the show's gloomy atmosphere, immersing viewers deeper into its world.
The haunting soundtrack adds an extra layer of intensity to key moments, heightening the emotional impact.
(No, literally. I can still hear "set me free", even though weeks passed since I last watched it.)

Message:
Beneath the adrenaline-fueled action lies a harsh message: where's the line between right and wrong? It's blurred. Can you see it? Awaken doesn't shy away from exploring complex topics, giving viewers food for thought long after the credits roll.

Viewer Experience:
As a viewer, I was gripped by a sense of exhilaration that's hard to put into words. The heart-racing action, the intricate plot twists, and the genuine emotional connections between characters create an experience that is deeply moving.

Final Verdict:
Awaken is a triumph in the action-thriller genre. With its compelling characters, relentless pacing, and thought-provoking themes, it delivers a viewing experience that's not to be missed. If you're a fan of adrenaline-pumping suspense and intelligently crafted storytelling, this series deserves a top spot on your watchlist.
Beware: You'll probably lose a lot of tears.

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This drama is very complicated in every aspect. It caught me off guard because it's too heavy for a high school drama compared to the high school korean dramas I have watched. Nevertheless, I like it because it brings focus to sensitive issues that adults consider trivial--such as dealing with the first love. Adults usually trivialize the feeling of loneliness of an unrequited first love but this j-drama reminds the viewers the uncertainty and awkwardness of first love. More than the love line, this drama shows the youth a great lesson about finding yourself first before anything and that it's okay not to have your life figured out yet.

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Have you ever loved someone so much and irrationally so optimistic that someday you will be with him and to be near him every single day, and you really try hard to make it come true? Well this drama is all about it.

I was so much enjoyed watching this drama, the plot is nothing new, it’s about to pursue your first love to become yours.

It’s nice, funny, and you won’t find someone really cunning in this drama.
Every episode ends well, you will excited to watch how the story goes on.
I love watching how good the chemistry between the casts Takeru and Mone.
I am also impressed with the relationship of doctors, nurses and patients in Japan as well as their technology in medic.
You will love to see the cities of Tokyo and Osaka in this drama.

Nurse Sakura is a hopeless romantic.
From the beginning she declares to the whole world that she loves doctor Tendo.
She may looks naive and irrationally in love to him, but her love towards him is pure, strong and sincere.
She works so hard to become a good nurse. She is clumsy, kindhearted to patients, and cheerful. She likes to fantasize dating with doctor Tendo, and like a Warrior - she never gives up on her love to him. She remains optimistic that someday he will love her even he seems ignorant and cold to her.

The two opposite characters of this couple are the main attraction of this romantic drama.
Since a million years he knew that she doesn’t suit him, she is not as smart as him, but still he starts falling for her.
It’s so sweet to see how doctor Tendo's love for nurse Sakura develops slowly and in the end he loves her as much as she loves him.

Believe me, you will not regret watching this drama. Highly recommended!

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A pleasant but ultimately unsatisfying adaptation

This Kdrama version of a well-known Cdrama is a retelling for tweens that softens the male lead's character while over-infantalizing the female lead. In this remake we have a series that could easily be rebroadcast on Nickelodeon or the Disney Channel. Whether or not you like it might depend on which male lead you prefer -- the Kdrama's or the Cdrama's -- or whether you can tolerate the Kdrama female lead's lack of maturity as she gets older and enters into adult life.

While from the beginning the Kdrama version of 'A Love So Beautiful' has a male lead, Heon, who is quite likeable, his counterpart in the Cdrama starts off as very hard to love, and who must face and acknowledge his own deepest flaws if he has any chance of prevailing in the end. The Cdrama scene where this acknowledgement finally happens is one of the most powerful in the entire series, and is all the more moving because we know how far the male lead, Jiang Chen, has had to come in order to get there.

Because the Kdrama's Heon starts off so nice, there is little distance for his character to travel as he faces his own shortcomings -- shortcomings which, of course, are minor in comparison. Unlike the Cdrama's Jiang Chen, Heon is not troubled by abandonment issues that have caused him to develop an almost impervious layer of emotional armor. Instead, Heon comes off more like a guy who's just a little too shy and needs to come out of his shell.

I know many viewers will prefer this non-threatening kind of male lead, and who am I to say they're wrong. However, in making Heon so comfortable from the start there is much less of a reason for him to strive to better himself. Nor does he help us to understand the reason for his unwavering dependence to Sol Yi. Heon is a character who, after all, we're meant to believe can't live without Sol Yi. Unfortunately, because Heon's eventual redemption in the Kdrama is less necessary than in the Cdrama, it's also less impactful, and deprives the Kdrama of an essential emotional turning point. We never really learn who Heon is or why Sol Yi's love has meant so much to him.

As for Sol Yi, there are two issues: (1) she is perky and over-animated to the point of constantly maxing-out my Cringe-o-Meter, and (2) from the get-go the actress who is cast in the role looks too mature to play a high-schooler. This impression is made even worse by the way the director has Sol Yi constantly exploding with child-like exuberance, squealing with delight at little provocation.

If this is the woman that Heon can't live without, I wish the series would make more of an effort to show us why. As it is, his approach to Sol Yi has a brotherly vibe that it never quite shakes off. In fact, toward the end when he kisses her on the lips it feels uncomfortably close to watching someone kiss his own sister.

Kim Yo Han, who plays Heon, is a K-Pop idol. He does a serviceable job in his acting debut and is cute enough to inspire the fantasies of viewers who wish they could have their own Heon in their lives. Enjoyment of fictional media -- be it books, movies, or drama series -- usually involves some degree of identification with the characters, so with such a handsome and cuddly leading male I can understand why in some corners the Kdrama version of 'A Love So Beautiful' would have a lot of appeal.

The other actors cast in the major roles fit the toned-down nature of the series very well, and are worthy counterparts to the characters in the Cdrama version.

The Korean remake of 'A Love So Beautiful' is worth a look if you want something fluffy to fill your time between other, better-scripted and better-directed dramas. While I have to admit that I was disappointed by it, I can see where it will provide some pleasant companionship for viewers who are more romantically inclined.

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PLOT: Slow paced, ambitious & thought-provoking.
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This drama (as well as its source material) depicts a love story wrapped around a social critique of the often cruel role "beauty standards" play in women's daily life. Meeting those beauty standards has become a source of stress for women worldwide, but in South Korea --as this drama suggests-- not being part of the "ideal beauty" results in a harsher treatment from society. This drama also emphasizes that the expectation to look a certain way affect everyone in different ways -- with no one --regardless of whether they are considered naturally beautiful or not-- being spared.

In that respect, Mi-Rae (our female lead) isn't the shallow person the summary might imply. It takes just the first episode to understand how she became a victim of society's expectations. She didn't undergo surgery to become beautiful, she just wanted people to accept her as a "person," which is incredibly heartbreaking.

The issue that arises afterward, one which she hadn't anticipated, was that people would still judge, reject and critique her. And that's where the story takes off. We not only follow Mi Rae as she gains confidence, but also other interesting characters who'd been suffering because (or for) their looks.

It's worth noting, however, that the pacing of this show is slow compared to other rom-com dramas. I'd say it's a stretch to tag it with comedy, since the comedic moments, despite how successfully they are implemented, are few and far between. That's not to say the show is weighted down by an overload of melodrama, because it's not. Instead, this show can be described as a sliced of life focused on self-reflection which, if you're open to it, will get you emotionally invested in the characters. Be forewarned, many of the male characters in this show (and some of the female ones) will definitely rile you up on more than one occasion.

If I have one critique apart from the wardrobe, it would be the disbalance in the portrayal of the male characters. Except for a few gems, all the male characters were written like jerks and that can be off-putting. Some balanced between jerks and good guys could've helped the show feel less toxic.

MAIN CHARACTERS: Interesting & lovable
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Kang Mi Rae (female lead played by Im Soo Hyang): She's a character who's suffered all her childhood because her looks didn't meet her peer's standards. She grew up as an introvert, keeping away from people, looking at other people's lives from afar and wishing she was allowed to have fun. Her frustration drove her to seek solace under the knife and, though she now had an acceptable face in society's eyes, her insides were still bruised and broken. Mi Rae is a complex and balanced character. If push comes to shove she'll fight, but mostly she tries to fly under the radar. She's smart and almost a natural when it comes to creating perfumes, but she struggles with an inferiority complex and doesn't like standing in the limelight. Though the actress looks quite old for the role, it is worth noting that the character was conceived by the webtoon artist as having an "older girl" look, so it stays true to the original intent.

Do Kyung Suk (male lead played by Cha Eun Woo): He exists on the opposite side of the spectrum from Kang Mi Rae but also grows up feeling lonely. He's a handsome, smart, strong, kind and very straightforward guy whose isolation came as a result of presenting a front of "perfection" and "hating" anything to do with beauty (for reasons later explained). As a result, he's socially awkward, brutally honest and a harsh judge. Though, to his credit, he's a character whose pride doesn't get in the way of realizing when he's made a mistake and make amends. Though some viewers didn't like his acting, personally I found his stoic way of delivering lines grew on me more and more as the show progressed.

Yeon Woo Young (second male lead played by Kwank Dong Yeon): He's such a good character that he ends up giving Kyung Suk a run for his money. He's kind, honest, selfless and very mature. Though his character is a bit imbalanced (as in he has more strengths than flaws), he's still a lovable man who, despite his good points, doesn't come off as being "too perfect". He's a character who helps those around him without expecting anything in return, even when he's financially struggling. Overall, his charming personality earned him fans within and outside the show.

ANTAGONIST: Complex and pitiful
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Hyeon Soo Ah (second female lead played by Jo Woo Ri): She's someone stuck between Mi Rae and Kyung Suk in the spectrum of society's judgment. Though she's considered a natural beauty, she's not a stranger to suffering. Her struggles come from forcing herself to live in service of what other people expect of her. She's a character who's not only dishonest with other people, but with herself as well. Though she earned quite a bit of hate, I personally found her character very pitiful. The drama ended up brushing over her backstory, so if you're curious you can always check out the webtoon to get a better understanding of her motivations.

PORTRAYAL OF ROMANCE: Slow paced, healthy & nurturing
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I mentioned before that the show is slow-paced and this is true for the romance as well. However, that pacing allows the progression of classmates to friends to lovers to feel very natural and endearing. There's a lot of cute scenes between the leads without making it cheesy, which is a plus for me.

Some highlights of the romance:
-Their relationship is always healthy.
-Both characters are new at romance, so they take their time to find their ground and, though they stumble, they do it together.
-Both learn from each other, creating a very balanced relationship.
-They learn to communicate what they want and need so the other person can understand, making their relationship not only refreshingly endearing but also nurturing.

OVERALL: Highly Recommended (and the webtoon as well)
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This is an interesting slice of life that follows a group of characters trying to find their place in the world and build the courage to live by their standards, rather than society's judgment. Though it's slow-paced, the plot is interesting and the mood is often lightened up by warm moments of affection between the leads, their families and their friends.

Keep in mind, I saw this as it was coming out. So binge watching it might give you a different experience because the plot moves slowly and the acting can sometimes come off looking/sounding very wooden. However, this is doubtlessly a memorable show that'll give you food for thought.

If you're able and willing, I'd also encourage you to read the webtoon. There's a lot of insight to be gained that will help you get a better viewing experience. There are scenes, especially at the beginning of the drama, that'll make more sense if you know the context the webtoon provides.

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