Reviews

A charming ghost romance buried under WAY too many subplots

Ok SO I'm gonna keep this brief because I genuinely do not have the words to describe what this drama did to me, but I'm gonna try anyway.

Idk if they put somehting in the Kdrama water or what but this show had the absolute audacity to give me a ghost seeing heiress solving murders with a stubborn prosecutor, complete with fun ghost mechanics, AND A genuinely interesting supernatural mythology… and then spend half the runtime making me watch people argue about corporate share percentages and board meetings. I ONLY HAVE TWO EYES AND TWELVE EPISODES!!

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GENERAL REMARKS:

• Initial Impressions

First things first, the premise is good. Ghost-seeing heiress, persistent prosecutor, accidental supernatural entanglement, murder cases solved through dead people's testimony. This should have been an easy home run. A layup. A gimme. And honestly, the show starts STRONG. Episode one gave me Yeo-ri finding a dead body in the woods, immediately getting into a physical altercation with Gang-uk because they each think the other is the murderer, and then casually chatting with the dead man's spirit afterwards. I was ON MY FEET. Then episode three gave us the fake relationship setup and I was fully gone. No thoughts. Head empty. Only these two!!

• Chemistry & leads

I LOVED the chemistry between Yeo-ri and Gang-uk, and I want to be very clear that these two actors are working HARD to sell a romance that the script keeps interrupting with increasingly unrelated nonsense. The glove rule!! The accidental kiss!! The fake dating turning devastatingly real!! Gang-uk lying about still seeing ghosts just so Yeo-ri would keep talking to him and immediately getting caught because she tests him on the spot!! The arcade and Han River montage where they actually get to spend time together like a normal couple?? THAT was the show I wanted to watch!! Park Eun-bin and Yang Se-jong are carrying this drama across a river of mediocre plotting and frankly deserve hazard pay!!

• Plot bloat & pacing

Unfortunately, the show has a severe case of "what if we also added THIS?" By episode seven, we're simultaneously dealing with the ghost-of-the-week procedural, a corporate succession battle, a 300-year-old Joseon cold case, a fake relationship, a money laundering scheme, a jealous grandmother and her shaman, an overseas business trip, a transfer threat, an art fraud case, corrupt prosecutors, a heart transplant mystery, an imprisoned ex-boyfriend being weaponised by the villain cousin, AND Min-hwan's increasingly obvious secret. THAT IS NOT A DRAMA. THAT IS A CURRICULUM!!

The biggest crime is what happens to the supernatural premise. The ghost-of-the-week format that makes the early episodes so charming basically disappears by the back half, and we're suddenly spending twenty minutes watching people discuss shareholder votes. BOARDROOM SCENES!! In my ghost romance!! Unacceptable!!

• The Joseon cold case

And the Joseon cold case with Dowon and Hwagyeongdang?? FASCINATING. Easily one of the most interesting supernatural storylines in the entire show. And what does the drama do with it? Resolves it in approximately two episodes and then basically never mentions it again!! Why introduce a 300-year-old mystery with that much emotional potential if you're going to toss it aside like yesterday's newspaper?!

• Villains & stakes

Min-hwan, meanwhile, is possibly the least surprising villain in the history of television. This man is suspicious from approximately episode two. He takes the necklace from the paramedic at the scene of his brother's death. He bribes shareholders. He manipulates prosecutors. He arranges Gang-uk's transfer. He buys out share transfers behind Yeo-ri's back. He lurks around her with the energy of someone who has definitely committed several crimes and is currently considering committing several more. The red flags weren't flags. They were a full parade. And somehow the show spends SIX EPISODES pretending he might be a genuine romantic rival before revealing his true nature in episode eleven. I was not shocked. I was waiting for everyone else to catch up!!

• The heart transplant & Ji-hwan arc

The heart transplant connection, however, is brilliant. Gang-uk has Ji-hwan's heart. Ji-hwan is Yeo-ri's dead friend whose death caused her to see ghosts. Min-hwan let Ji-hwan drown and has spent twelve years carrying that guilt into increasingly unhinged behaviour. THAT is the emotional spine of the drama. Grief, guilt, love, death, and the strange connection between the living and the dead are all right there. And the show somehow decides to cram most of it into the final stretch alongside approximately four other climaxes happening simultaneously!!

The Ji-hwan spirit realm sequence is genuinely beautiful, though, and I will give the show that completely. Yeo-ri surrounded by all the ghosts she helped over the years, Ji-hwan sending her back to the living world while he gets on the boat, and Gang-uk simultaneously learning that Ji-hwan was his donor?? I WAS SOBBING. That scene is the drama at its absolute best. Which honestly makes the rest of the plotting even more frustrating because you can SEE how good this could have been if the writers had trusted the central premise and simply removed half the unnecessary machinery surrounding it.

• Third-act breakup

And then we have the third-act breakup, which is the most pointless obstacle this show constructs in a drama full of pointless obstacles. Yeo-ri calls off the engagement because Gang-uk hid his heart surgery and because his grandmother scared her. Emotionally, I actually understand why she's upset!! But the execution is so rushed that it feels like the writers needed something to happen in episode ten, threw in a breakup, and then immediately remembered they had to reunite them. Less than two episodes later, it's basically over and neither character has meaningfully changed. That isn't storytelling. That's stalling. And I noticed EVERY SECOND OF IT!!

• Villains & Motivations

Gye-hee and her children as antagonists are so cartoonishly evil that they accidentally become comedy. Ha-ri coordinating with her imprisoned murderer boyfriend to destroy her own cousin is the kind of plotting that makes me tilt my head like a confused dog. These people don't have coherent motivations so much as a permanent instruction from the writers saying "be an obstacle for Yeo-ri." By the finale, when they're skulking around prison corridors and embarrassing themselves, I felt absolutely nothing. They were cardboard villains wearing designer clothes!!

• Finale highs & Lows

The finale does have some delicious moments, though. Min-hwan getting exposed at Ji-hwan's own memorial service that he organised himself?? DELICIOUS. Gang-uk showing up with the police right after Yeo-ri plays the damning video?? Extremely satisfying. Yeo-ri becoming Chairwoman and then walking outside Siena Hall holding Gang-uk's hand without gloves for the first time?? Sweet. Earned. I smiled!!

But I cannot let the condition resolution slide because WHAT WAS THAT?! The shaman explicitly says the only way Yeo-ri can stop seeing ghosts is to sacrifice her life. Yeo-ri almost dies. She survives. And then... she stops seeing ghosts. That's it. No explanation. No acknowledgment of the supernatural rules we've spent twelve episodes establishing. No thematic exploration of what losing this ability means for a woman whose entire identity has been shaped by it for twelve years. HELLO??? Did the shaman just make that up??

• Tone & ambition

And that's ultimately why Spooky in Love is so frustrating to me. It's simultaneously too ambitious and too safe. Too ambitious because it throws every possible subplot into twelve episodes and refuses to let any of them breathe. Too safe because after building up all these supposedly dangerous conflicts, it resolves almost everything neatly. Villains go to jail. Couple ends up together. Grandmother apologises. Yeo-ri gets the company. The supernatural condition disappears. Everyone goes home. Nothing that was built up as genuinely dangerous is allowed to have a lasting consequence.

Girl can literally see ghosts but somehow couldn't see the RED FLAGS standing directly in front of her for twelve episodes straight.

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FINAL THOGUHTS::

Overall, Spooky in Love was carried almost entirely by two compelling leads, fantastic chemistry, and a supernatural premise that deserved so much more than the generic corporate drama it eventually became.

There is a genuinely great drama buried somewhere in here. Unfortunately, it is buried underneath shareholder meetings, money laundering, succession battles, unnecessary angst, cartoon villains, and approximately seventeen subplots fighting for oxygen.

I watched all twelve episodes and I would like my hours back. We did not need all of this. We needed the ghosts.

With all that said, I give this drama a 6/10.

Goodbye!! 👻

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My thought

People seem so dumb for asking why they can’t have a long-distance relationship. Because the ML is toxic asf. Dude literally told her not to go so he could keep her like a pet and teach her when he has zero qualifications to teach anyone. Her dream has always been to become a director and he’s the one who copied her in the first place

After 15 years without any contact, he comes back and annoys the fuck out of the ML. She was fine without him 15 years ago. She had enough to live on—not like she was going to get rich anyway. She learned to walk again and even ate the food she hated when she was young. And the ML is shocked and jealous when he finds out that she used to date someone before. What a loser. He even got into a fight with her ex, who is also his senior/oppa. In South Korea, he’d get cancelled for that crappy attitude. Don’t even try to whitewash him when everyone around the FL hates him

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Interesting mix of crime thriller-horror-supernatural elements, but the good part ends there

Couldn't go on beyond episode 5, Tongtong notwithstanding. Even though the storyline was quite novel the loopholes were way too many.

BL-Needle Score: 8. High BL-ness

The drama is novel in its crime thriller-horror-supernatural elements, but the good part ends there......I had waited to see Tongtong as a BL-drama lead ever since his act as the super handsome, uber-supportive bro in Khun Chai (To Sir, With Love), and was very pumped about this show.....but as I sat through the first few episodes of Nour, it disappointed me...

Among other things, the script seemed half-hearted with zero homework done on how real world scenarios would look like for a crime thriller....for example, how police interrogations would actually look like (instead of one investigating officer borderline trying to mock-flirt another in front of the suspect), how an investigating officer who is stringent about doing it alone (Ken) is expected to behave-handle the evidence he gathered (instead of keeping it neatly stacked on his office table that is) and the kind of thorough knowledge and understanding Ken is expected to have about humans and their evolving technology for someone who had lived through 200 years without dying (instead of not knowing how to use a smartphone, he did not time travel, you dodos) ...sigh.... the list is endless....and even though I sat through the few episodes to find a saving grace for this Tongtong starer that I had so waited for, I could find none....

I just wish Tongtong lands a lead role in a BL-drama with a more thought-through script in the coming days :((

Verdict: Watch only if you have nothing better to watch

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It could've been better. But its not

It started somewhat ok. The premise is not great, but done correctly, you might enjoy it at least. And so, I gave it a go. I liked the way they felt like real people, not just actors. But it got bad pretty fast.

Visuals. Meh. Maybe 2-3 decent stuff in regards of the cinematography (and a couple more of some nice landscapes), but nothing stands out really. In fact I could even say that has a lot of sh**y shots. Ok-ish effects ( but not always the same) for the ghosts appearing/disappearing.
Audio. Again, meh sound design. A couple of decent songs here and there, but overall it is full with sh***y "quirky" sound effects because "comedy". Same for the OP. Because ghostly/spooky/comedy. Uuuuuu...
The editing is all over the place, a lot of "dead" moments, or fast jumping from one scene to the next, so the pacing also keeps changing. The soft magic system (at least thats how I call it), or in this case, the supernatural one, is meh at best with its arbitrary rules. I can accept it, sure, but those rules were sht. Overall, I'd say mid production value.

Now the good parts. The casting is meh. Weirdly, great chemistry between ML and his colleagues, not so great with the FL. Its not bad, but it really doesn't feel natural, just two people doing their jobs. In terms of acting, the most noticeable (/amazing) is the FL. Here and there, some good acting from the rest of the cast. But it doesn't really matter how good or not an actor is, if his/her lines are not good.
So... Lets see. Not even 5 minutes in and it is already bringing up a lot of questions. From the dumb introduction, to her "disappearing" in no way possible and then made into another "comedic" moment. So, we can get a taste of the sh**y writing pretty early on. Lucky us. The dialogue is boring and/or sometimes, expository. Next, the story. Sometimes it is ok-ish and you can enjoy it at least. But most of the times, oh boy. And now I'm talking about the logic behind their actions. Having ghosts in it, that doesn't matter. Hypothetical, something happens. The rest of the cast starts acting in ways that are not normal, or logical. They act only how the writer (and the director) wishes them to, so that the plot moves forward. "Events" are created purely for the drama that should make us wonder whats going to happen next. Or how I like to call this, "cheap tricks". Smoke and mirrors. You get the idea.
** For example. I'm sure you came across at least one movie when there's a piece of dialogue such as "Let me get it straight: you think person X is/does this and that, and you wanna blackmail him/her? Wow... Good luck". While not the same, something like that happens in this k-drama. A so-called proof about a secret is made to be a big deal and used as leverage. You must understand, it is treated like something big, lots of stuff happening, the episode even ends with a cliffhanger. Not even a good one, because what happens next it is exactly what I was thinking it should happen (to be fair, that actress plays the role of a person not exactly bright, but thats the problem, the fault still remains in the sht writing). All for some time padding. Because stuff is needed to happen until the drama has left an X number of episodes and the ending can be set in motion. Anyway **

The story is full of cliche events, plot devices and plot contrivances. There might even be some plot holes, I remember there were some issues at some point, but I won't bother watching it again. So, stuff "just" happens and this moves the plot forward. The cast "just" happens to react in a certain way that moves the plot forward. Cheap tricks that bind with the plot. Like I said, sht writing. Based on the usual tropes and cliches, I figured out/guessed the plot-twists happening in ep 10/11/12/whatever (like I said, sht pacing, so I can't remember in which episodes the events took place) from the "beginning". The writer: "Oh, yeah! In the end, it all comes together perfectly". Me: "You're joking, right?"
Character development. Pfff.. Hahahahaha. Funny. Oh, right, before I forget this part again. The romance is ok. Enjoyable, if you will. Even without charisma, it is still enjoyable (but not good), yes. Comedy. That part is sht. And because it is mostly interwoven with the other aspects of the drama (like the romance), it muddles those aspects too. Its not "ghostbusters 2016" levels of cringe, but it definitely isn't ok. There were maybe only 5 good scenes (for example they carrying him drunk, with the car and the grandma stuff), the rest just meh.

I'll end it here. So, a mid-tier story at most, that functions mostly on "it just so happens that..." premises. Full of cliche stuff and so very predictable. The romance can be enjoyable at times, the comedy is meh at best. The FL does a lot of heavy-lifting, the ML is meh, but I'm sure other people will think he was fantastic. I guess I just don't get that way of acting he and one of his colleagues displayed. The other cast did more or less (maybe less) a decent job. The "bad person's" role and acting were low tier (I really don't get it why the writer did it like that). The production elements were meh. The supernatural thing was more like a crutch, used only for the sake of creating drama. And not even efficiently or constantly. In the first episodes it is over-saturated, then it happens only when the plot needs a push forward (and not as a logical action/response), then it goes on pause until the characters need it again. From all of these, you can see where this is going.
It gets a rating of meh. Sorry, a ...5 (question mark?). Barely. Yeah, no, fk it. It gets a rating of 4 (barely). Some good acting (or fantastic), some romance (but not the "wow" kind), some meh production elements. Pathetic plot-twists, not really good "villains". Oh, and the 10-20 min ending was also meh (deff not satisfying). No rewatch value. If you like someone from the cast, watch some of their other (and better) works instead.

Have a lovely evening.

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I Went in for Nostalgia - and Left with a Broken heart!

I went into 20th Century Girl completely blind, and honestly? That was both the best and worst decision I could’ve made. The first half felt like a warm hug—nostalgic, beautifully shot, and full of that awkward, exciting energy of first love. The colour grading alone deserves a mention and award too; it bathes everything in this golden, dreamy haze that makes you feel like you're flipping through an old photo album. I found myself smiling, rooting for the main character, and genuinely falling in love with the 90s aesthetics and the sweet chemistry between the leads. It felt safe, familiar, and heartwarming—like a comfort movie you'd revisit on a rainy day.

And then the ending happened. Completely out of nowhere, it ripped the rug from under me. I sat there staring at the screen, tears rolling down, utterly shattered—because I never saw it coming. That’s what broke me the most: the unexpectedness of it all. I usually brace myself for sad endings, but this one caught me completely off guard, and it hit harder because of it. The final scene, the recorder, the quiet realization—it stayed with me long after the credits rolled. It’s not a perfect movie, but it doesn't need to be. It’s beautiful, heartbreaking, and honest in a way that feels painfully human. I gave it an 8.5/10, and I stand by that—because it earned every tear I shed. Note: Arguably one of the best movie i ever seen in terms of using Colour grading at insane level; simply Beautiful. 💔😭👏🏻🌊

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Finally, A Thai Crime/Romance BL Actually Worth Watching!

This show blew my mind!!! 🔥

I wasn’t even expecting to enjoy it when I decided to watch but guess who is hooked now?!! If you said me, you are absolutely right!!!

This BL series feels like a dream come true because I’ve always prayed for an ACTUAL Thai BL series like this one ever since we got Spare Me Your Mercy (which if you watched, you know errrr, it’s not so much of BL, I mean it is, but like it really isn’t)

So this one?!!! First two episodes really hit the spot for me. I have nothing but great things to say about this series. It’s definitely worth watching.

I’m too curious (so much that I can’t even wait for next Wednesday) to see how the story unfolds, especially after what happened at the end of the second episode.

Now you have two options, either join the watch train now, or wait for it to marinate and watch it later. BECAUSE this is a must-watch for sure!

Also, just to add it’s not perfect, just like every other Thai BL, but good effort here (even though one thing that kinda stood out as a flaw would be the cinematography quality but errrr it’s not a big deal)

(As usual, I’ll edit as I watch)

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About

The most anticipated drama of the year turned out to be the ultimate disappointment. The constant, repetitive break-up and patch-up loop between the leads made zero sense and dragged on for 12 episodes. It honestly feels like a half-hearted project made just for the sake of churning out content.

Great cast, solid music, and promising build-up, but the execution completely fell flat. Huge letdown after waiting for so long."
​"All that hype since the title announcement just for the third act to collapse. The actors and music deserved a far better script."
​"Had all the right ingredients—acting, background score, supporting cast—yet the payoff was nonexistent. Disappointing

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"Her complexity was celebrated; his dignity was optional."

I'd like to keep it short, I've been hearing nice things about this drama and it just happened that it had Tian Jianci and I happened to be interested in Landi Li after watching "Bloom Life" so I thought I would give it a try, first half, not a doubt, great, the story also good, but in 2nd half, I lost it... The FL, faked her other personas death (2 of them were girls which ML falls for, and 3rd a guy ) I understand that it was not her fault that he fell for her personas, they both had misunderstandings about each other in past but Ml feels utterly heartbroken for each of the personalities and when he actually figures out it's been one single person doing this to him, the one who he hated in childhood but now started to see her in a new light... Imagine how would that be, at the least he could do was fake his death so she felt the same how he felt when he thougt they all died cuz of him... But to make Our ML "kind" they just make him forgive her, wooow, and to top it of they make him jealous in next episode and even he confesses and she rejects him(beating him) they make him a total laughingstock, I mean why ? I remember watching "Everyone loves me" there, Ml reject FL in public and she does the same idk why? Just why tbh that was acceptable for me cuz at least she didn't feel somebody died cuz of her and 3 times at that

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Totally irresponsible birth mother at the center of a complex plot

I enjoyed the plot complexities however I didn't think the writer properly addressed the fact that the birth mother was irresponsible and created havoc by having a child and keeping that critical information from the father. She was too easily given a pass. I also read that single mothers in Japan in 2024 are very rare and usually exist at the poverty level. That fact is true of single mothers in most societies. I found it to be unrealistic that the father character and his partner of 3 years were unable to communicate more truthfully and were not able to openly express affection for each other.

The extent that several male characters were supportive of women and child rearing was refreshing to see especially in a paternalistic society which is prevalent in most developed countries. The male lead was an example of role reversal and may influence thinking on the subject of gender roles in
societies.
The acting of the ML was refreshing spot on!

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Your Dear Daddy hooks you from the very first episode. While the storyline relies on familiar tropes, the fresh backdrop of tea plantations makes it a refreshing departure from standard office romances. The breathtaking scenery elevates the entire mood, giving the narrative a vibrant, picturesque setting.

The cast delivers exceptional performances across the board. The main leads, Nuea (Saithan) and Fluke (Sila), share effortless chemistry, with Fluke convincingly conveying how deeply in love he was through every look and gesture. Meanwhile, the side couple, Mok (Caesar) and Saengla (Defei Chan), adds a sweet, tender dynamic that brings balance to the overall story.

Beyond the visual appeal of the cast and stunning visuals, the show handles its emotional beats well. However, it falls slightly short on background depth regarding Saithan. While his grief over a past loss is clear, diving deeper into his family estrangement would have added extra resonance to his journey.

Verdict: An engaging, visually beautiful drama filled with charming romance, compelling acting, and a scenic change of pace that keeps you invested from start to finish.

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Payback? More Like Play It Back!

The chemistry. Let me say it again: THE CHEMISTRY. Folks, they had me up against a wall. For the first few minutes of the show, I genuinely thought Sun was the Top simply because he had all the markings of one. He was tall, built, and a total badass. That was until the actual Top came into the picture and completely dwarfed our MC. They really got me there.

Apart from the chemistry, the story itself was too good. It was dark, gritty, and so well written. Every episode kept me hooked, and I loved that it didn't shy away from the heavier themes. It wasn't dark just for the sake of it either, it actually had substance, and the plot kept me invested from beginning to end.

Payback is one of those BLs that proves you can have insane chemistry and a genuinely compelling story. I came for the romance and stayed for everything it was.

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Lighthearted and predictable but in a good way

My rating is a 9/10

Let me start by saying I didn't read the webtoon, I did not watch the series and I have no plans to watch or read more than just this one movie. Why? Well, I heard that the subsequent seasons are sort of like the ever after part of Cinderella and I prefer to stop at happy. I don't need to see the soap opera. And I think, based on other reviews I have read, that if you what this all by itself, and enjoy light easy romance then you might like it Dig deep, watch the others and you might like it less.

I really enjoyed Best Mistake 1. This is exactly the kind of light, fluffy teenage romance that I can sit down and enjoy without needing it to be complicated. It is predictable, but honestly, that isn't a criticism when you're a serious fan of romantic tropes. Sometimes you know exactly where a story is going, and you still have a great time getting there.

I especially liked the premise. Yeon Doo (female lead) picks a random boy's picture to use as her fake boyfriend in an attempt to get someone who won't leave her alone to back off. Unfortunately for her, she happens to choose Hyun Ho (male lead), one of the most popular and intimidating boys at school. He is understandably furious when he discovers what she has done, but what starts as an annoyance gradually turns into something neither of them expected.

I loved Hyun Ho. He has that classic tough-on-the-outside, soft-and-warm-on-the-inside personality, and I thought it worked particularly well here. I also liked that it took him some time to realize that his feelings for Yeon Doo were becoming genuine. It made the romance feel more natural than if he had immediately decided he was in love with her simply because she was the female lead.

I also really liked Joo Ho (second male lead). He was cute, sweet, and believable enough as an alternative that I could genuinely see Yeon Doo ending up with him if Hyun Ho weren't around. That's what I want from a second male lead. I don't necessarily need to want him to win, but I want to understand why the female lead could choose him. He accomplished that.

I thought the drama also handled the teenage relationship appropriately. By the end, Yeon Doo and Hyun Ho are together in a way that feels like two teenagers actually being together—holding hands, kissing, going on dates, and enjoying one another's company. It doesn't turn into some overly sexualized version of teenage romance, which I appreciated.

There is also just enough drama to keep things moving without turning this into something heavy. The school setting, friendships, misunderstandings, jealousy, academic pressure, and romantic rivalry all fit nicely into the story without overwhelming the central relationship.

Other viewers have similarly described the first season as cute, light, and enjoyable, with several noting that the youthful romance and familiar school-drama tropes are a big part of its appeal. Some reviewers did find the pacing and love triangle underdeveloped, but those weren't major problems for me.

Overall, this was just a fun watch. It doesn't pretend to be something profound, and it doesn't need to be. If you like school romances, fake-dating situations, bad-boy-with-a-soft-heart characters, second-lead competition, and predictable romantic tropes, this is exactly the kind of drama that can be a lot of fun.

Spoilers

I loved the basic setup of Yeon Doo choosing Hyun Ho's picture as her fake boyfriend. It is such a ridiculous teenage solution to her problem, which is exactly why it works. Of all the pictures she could have chosen, she somehow picks the picture of the school's intimidating troublemaker. And then she has to deal with the fact that the person she pretended was her boyfriend actually knows about it.

Hyun Ho's initial reaction was completely understandable. He didn't ask to be involved in her scheme, and suddenly everyone at school thinks he is dating her. But I really liked watching his attitude toward her change gradually.

He didn't just see her picture and suddenly fall head over heels. At first, he was irritated by her. Then he became curious about her. Then he started caring about her. Eventually, he realized that he actually liked her. That progression made his feelings much more enjoyable to watch.

And I really loved the way Hyun Ho's tough exterior slowly gave way around Yeon Doo. He could be intimidating and rough with everyone else, but there was clearly a much softer person underneath. Especially when it came to her. That is one of my favorite romantic tropes when it is done well—the guy who looks like trouble but is actually incredibly protective and caring toward the person he loves.

I actually preferred Hyun Ho's blonde hair. I know the black hair was part of his character development, and I understand why they changed it. But aesthetically, I thought he looked better blonde. I also understand that, culturally, bleaching or dramatically dyeing your hair when you're an ordinary student can signal rebellion in a way that is somewhat comparable to how tattoos once carried a stronger rebellious association in American culture. So the hair change made sense for the character even if I personally preferred the original look.

Joo Ho was also exactly what I want from a second male lead. He wasn't so wonderful that I was desperately hoping Yeon Doo would dump Hyun Ho, but he was genuinely likable. I could see why she would like him. If Hyun Ho weren't in the picture, Joo Ho would have been a very believable choice for her.

That is what makes a good second male lead for me. He should be a legitimate possibility rather than someone the audience immediately dismisses because obviously the female lead could never choose him. Joo Ho gave the romance that extra little bit of tension without making me unhappy about the eventual outcome.

One of my favorite storylines involved Yeon Doo's wish for Hyun Ho. Instead of asking him to do something romantic for her, she wanted him to do something that would actually benefit himself—improve his grades.

I thought that was really sweet because it showed that she wasn't just trying to change him into the kind of boyfriend she wanted. She genuinely wanted something good for him.

And the situation that followed was also very believable. Hyun Ho goes from being a student who normally gets terrible grades to suddenly getting a 100, so naturally the teacher suspects that he cheated. I actually liked that. It would have been completely unrealistic for the teacher to simply say, "Congratulations!" when his performance changed that dramatically overnight.

But then Yeon Doo gets the opportunity to stand up for him, and I thought that was one of the sweetest moments between them. She wasn't just defending her boyfriend because she wanted to protect him. She believed in him and wanted other people to recognize that he was capable of more than the reputation he had developed.

That also ties into what I liked about their relationship overall. They weren't simply attracted to each other. They gradually started seeing qualities in each other that other people overlooked.

Hyun Ho wasn't just the scary, rebellious guy everyone assumed he was. Yeon Doo wasn't just the quiet, studious girl who needed to be protected. They each got to see more of the person underneath the reputation.

I also really liked where they ended up. The story doesn't suddenly turn them into some overly mature adult couple. They're teenagers. They're dating. They hold hands, they kiss, they go on dates, and they're happy to be together. That's enough.

I actually appreciate that more than some American teen movies that seem determined to make teenage relationships much more sexually explicit than necessary. This felt appropriately youthful and innocent while still allowing the romance to be satisfying.

And yes, it was predictable. I knew where this was going. I knew Yeon Doo and Hyun Ho were going to end up together. I knew Hyun Ho was going to fall for her. I knew Joo Ho wasn't ultimately going to win.

I didn't care.

If you enjoy romantic tropes, predictability isn't automatically a flaw. Sometimes the fun is watching the story hit all the beats you came for. Best Mistake 1 does that very well.

There are certainly places where the story could have had more depth, and I understand why some reviewers found the love triangle underdeveloped or thought the pacing could have been better. But those weren't deal-breakers for me. This was never something I was watching because I wanted a complicated examination of teenage psychology. I wanted a cute romance, and it delivered exactly that.

For me, Best Mistake 1 was light, sweet, predictable, and fun. Sometimes that is exactly what I want.

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A Grounded Take on Complex Heavy Themes and Unresolved Conflicts

This story addressed several complex issues; abortion and suicide being the most complicated. The issue of the controlling mothers, passive fathers and vindictive friend is also complex.

I think the narrative was excellent in that it tackled abortion in a realistic way treating it as one of many aspects of women's healthcare.

The suicide of the father of the FL was interesting but wasn’t addressed thoroughly. His circumstances were dire-he was depressed and sadly his judgement was impaired so was his ability to reason and find hope. The business practices of the corporation were portrayed as irresponsible thus contributing to the father's financial losses, subsequent indebtedness and depression. In the end the Chair rejected her responsibility.

The controlling manipulative mothers, passive father figures and the rejected vindictive female classmate of the ML were clearly depicted. I would like to have seen that some of the deceptions were exposed with consequences for the vindictive and controlling behavior. These negative behaviors were presented however they were not addressed directly.

I would describe this show as a drama with romance as a minor theme.

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