Reviews

"We don't fall in love for happiness"

Essentially, it's a love story between a high school teacher and a host who cannot read or write properly because of his SLD. It begins from a fateful encounter to teacher classes and blossomed into love. But it's so much more. Manami, is a 35 year old woman who still lives with her family and patriarchy still runs her family so visibly. She teaches at another very conservative environment of a catholic school where she herself previously studied. It's like she's stuck from everywhere in her environment and she constantly feels suffocating but she doesn't attempt to run away from this environment because she's too scared to live life without constraints.

Scared of what SHE might do. She's not used to breathing freely. This story is then about her journey to finally take steps to be free. To see her progress and journey in that is an utter joy. Of course, this development happens because of the male lead character but his presence solely acts as a catalyst for her. It's a perfect portrayal of "I'll make myself a better person for you, because I love you".

She's brilliantly written as a character because of the nuances and her contradictory nature. In some instances, she's very brave and her pride is very dear to her but some instances she just shuts down. She's very self-aware of what she's feeling but at the same time refuses to admit them. She's like a human. Every single character in this show is what makes it so beloved to me.

Kaoru/Taiga is a host who did not complete his elementary school because he couldn't receive proper help with his SLD (specific learning disorder, specifically dyslexia in his case). He's a charming 23 year old young man who's competitive as he's aiming to be No. 1 but in reality it's just so he could pay for his distant (dare I say abusive) family.

He's your typical "playboy" "jokester" personality but in reality that's all a persona. He's actually a very sensitive person but he was never allowed to be one because men aren't allowed to be vulnerable. So he hides parts of himself in jokes and sometimes uses his manipulation skills to anger the person so he can just avoid talking about his emotions but still oh he feels SO DEEPLY.

After meeting, Manami he's finally facing a person so diligent and serious towards him (and literally everything) that he has not choice but to face himself. He finally meets someone who does consider him "stupid". Who sees him for all he is.

I loved him so much and the portrayal of growing with SLD was so perfect that I wrote to him as an example in my exam recently lol(rip my teacher).

Another thing I love about this show is that they both heal each other's inner child and that's just so....aftccjrtaratxyd.

It talks about many social issues such as patriarchy, class system (as both of the leads are from different backgrounds and I love how they portray that in their dynamic) and the taboo nature of a relationship. It addresses host culture with a deep critical analysis and views from both sides.

Over-all, definitely a favourite, the only thing i disliked was there definitely could've been another episode to wrap things up more beautiful and I needed more screentime for gay teacher 🥲 otherwise Masterpiece!

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Started well but turned into Love Triangle chaos -- First half suffered

A Disappointed first half.

Was expected something new kind the story presentation from this known storyline with engaging characters. Engaging characters are there but after 6 eps it turned out same love triangle and even the characters fell short but Kim Da Mi & Shin Ye-Eun somehow saves the drama. From the story we've seen too many a love story traingles between two best friends and a sacrifice. However 6 more episodes are left now kinda excited to watch what new turns the story takes, but even after first half now here if there will be a another love triangle then drama might just collapse under its own weight.

I did loved the characters design of Jeong Hee and Yeong Rye and female leads dorm setup is engaging and kinda relief from love triangle chaos. But one major flaw is the ML character missed the arc, like he's the centre of the drama between the female leads, he should have been given a strong arc to match the quality character design like Jeong Hee and Yeong Rye but instead his character is really poorly written like a glass being emptied of its juice. So, was expecting a decent character development on male lead character.

10/10 aspects

• Kim Da Mi & Shin Ye-Eun acting
• OST
• production design
• plot flow

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The veterans delivered!

I went into this drama for Jun Ji Hyun!
I would watch anything she's in and I was not disappointed.
Another selling point for this drama was the director, Kim Hee Won, whose notable works include; Little Women, Vincenzo, Soundtrack #1, and so on. I've come to expect greatness from her and she delivered yet another masterpiece.

I loved everything about this drama; the story, the setting, the themes, the cast, the director, the technical aspects, everything! The acting is the strongest aspect of this drama, I was thrilled by brilliance. And this is why talent level should always match up!

-Seo Munju (played by the goddess, Jun Ji Hyun) is a wonderfully written character. Her strength, resilience and power were never downplayed. She was shown in all of her glory and I loved it!
-Paik Sanho (Gang Dong Won, thank you for coming back to dramaland for this drama) complimented her perfectly! His devotion and dedication to her deserve a separate post. I love me a downbad man.
-Lim OK Seon was definitely the most intriguing character and Lee Mi Seok was amazing playing her. Her motivations were not cliché and were compelling. Women villains >>>>>
-Other characters of note; President Chae Kyung Sin (played by Kim Hae Sook), Yoon Un Hak (Yoo Jae Myung), Kang Hanna (Won Ji An), and several others. The supporting cast brought their A games. The cast was made up of veterans and they all delivered a masterclass in acting!

This drama gave us storytelling at its peak! And it's all thanks to the actors but also the genius that is Kim Hee Won as well as the screenwriter.
The screenwriter is none other than the brilliant, Jeong Seo Kyeong who wrote Mother and co-wrote the movies The Handmaiden and Decision to Leave.
The cinematography is also stunning and conveys the emotions of the drama perfectly.
This is a drama everyone should watch!

FYI:A woman-led, women-centric action spy thriller did that! And you should never forget it!

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This drama simmered so gently, I forgot it was on.

I have mixed feelings about this drama — the kind that makes you sigh dreamily because the main couple is genuinely sweet, then immediately sigh again out of frustration because the story itself feels like a slow descent into narrative purgatory. Zhang Ling He was the magnet that pulled me in; his face card could carry an entire dynasty, but sadly, not this drama. Xu Ruo Han was lovely too, more than holding her own. So let’s be clear: the leads were not the problem. The problem was everything happening around them — or rather, the lack thereof.

I love slow burn romance. Give me longing glances, emotional repression, even years of unresolved tension if it pays off in fire. But this wasn’t slow burn — it was just slow. Like wading through lukewarm bathwater, tepid and bland, with no heat in sight. The “romance” mostly consisted of walking, flower-staring, and meandering scenes that had the narrative commitment of a lost tourist. I needed toothpicks to keep my eyes open — and not in a binge-worthy, “I can’t stop watching” way, but in a “why am I still awake for this?” way.

And then there was the dreaded intoxicated first kiss. Can we retire this trope already? It wasn’t romantic, swoony, or even messy fun — just tired. They also tried to stir in angst with the ex-boyfriend and his one-dimensional outbursts, but it barely registered, except give Xi Fan the trauma-induced backstory she needed to see Su Ye in the first place, and later an excuse to run into Su Ye’s arms.

Oddly enough, I found myself liking Xi Fan’s parents. The resolution Xi Fan had with her parents was surprisingly healthy and mature — they were quick to recognize their shortcomings and have an honest heart-to-heart with their daughter, which was refreshing to see. For once, the elders weren’t the source of melodrama, and even Professor Yu — Dr. He’s grandfather — added a layer of warmth. But liking a handful of side characters isn’t enough to drag me through a drama that refuses to spark.

In the end, The Best Thing felt like a drama that wanted to be tender and introspective but ended up sleepy and safe. Sweet couple, yes. But sweetness without spice just leaves a bland aftertaste — and no amount of face card could make that worth finishing.

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oh the melodrama

Algorithms surfaced this while I was searching for something else. With English subtitles no less. Not in the MDL database and almost no information on letterboxd, so the best way to decide if it was worth the time was to just watch it =D

Was it worth it? There are better films. It's very melodramatic and feels like it belongs to an era far earlier than 2005. I was initially thinking 1950s, but now that I've seen a few from Film Archive Thailand's holdings, it's very different. What it most reminds me of in feel and tone is the 1959 Mae Nak Phra Khanong, although the only available version of that I've found has a very strange redub so perhaps the (unknown to me) redub date is a better comparison? It doesn't feel like anything I've seen from early 2000s Thailand so far, though I do have some leads for possible comparisons. Apologies for geeking out here. I enjoyed the sense of stepping back in time, not just in the content but in the very style of film-making.

It's not long and it moves at a good clip. Lots of things happen even though there isn't all that much story or depth of characterisation. I like melodrama and learning new things, and found it entertaining, so all in all it was worth my time. Would it be worth yours? If you have a spare hour forty minutes and a curious mind, give it a go and find out =D

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A K-Drama Slump Killer

Oh, My God. I'm absolutely obsessed with Walking on Thin Ice! I went in because of Kim Young-kwang, but Lee Young-ae quickly won me over. The show itself is a certified banger. Seriously, if you're not watching, you're missing out on the best kind of chaotic thriller. I have rewatched the first four episodes twice already.

The Plot Is Full-Throttle from Episode One 🤯
Forget slow burns, this show throws you into the deep end. Kang Eun-soo is a regular mom/housewife whose life is completely collapsing, with a terminally ill husband, financial ruin, and about to be homeless. Then she stumbles on a massive bag of drugs (worth, like, a zillion won) and her whole Breaking Bad-style transformation begins. By the end of Episode 1, she's already connected to Lee Kyung (Kim Young-kwang, who is breathtakingly handsome), the hot art teacher who's secretly a high-end drug dealer and much, much more. I feel like there is a revenge plot twist coming, and I am here for it. The drama avoids the usual clichés; the stakes are sky-high, and I genuinely have no idea where it's going, which is such a relief!

The Leads Have Explosive Chemistry 🔥
You'd think a desperate housewife and a mysterious, double-life art teacher/drug dealer wouldn't work, but the dynamic between Lee Young-ae and Kim Young-kwang is fantastic. Lee Kyung (James) is quirky with a hint of danger, but Eun-soo doesn't just cower; she fights back. She uses her former bank sales skills to pitch a drug-selling business model! The shift from him trying to control her to her outsmarting him (hello, peppermint candy swap! 👋) in Episode 3 was brilliant. Their bickering partnership is what makes the suspense fun. I'm already shipping the chaos.

Eun-soo's Desperation is Too Real (and Annoying)
Okay, look, my only minor gripe is how absolutely reckless Eun-soo is, especially in the early episodes. Desperation is one thing, but making HUGE purchases and yelling the dealer's name in a crowded club? That's basic crime 101 failure! I agree with other viewers that she's constantly on the verge of getting caught by both of them. However, one must appreciate that her desperation is what makes her so bold, culminating in the shocking move at the end of Episode 3, where she turns herself in. Girl's got nerve! This plot reminds me of the American series Good Girls, three suburban mothers, best friends who turn to crime after a grocery store robbery to escape financial ruin. If you haven’t seen it, I highly recommend it.

Jang Tae-goo (Park Yong-woo) is the Human Bloodhound with Razor-Sharp Instincts Wrapped in a Cold Stare 🧊
Jang Tae-goo isn't some hot-headed cop running around yelling. He's the quiet one in the corner, and that makes him ten times scarier. Park Yong-woo plays him with this incredible, low-key intensity. He's the Ace Team Leader of the narcotics unit, nicknamed the "Psychic" because his gut feeling is apparently 99% accurate. And honestly, I believe it. He doesn't need a huge, flashy chase scene to be menacing; he needs to stare at a CCTV screen, and the tension skyrockets. He has this knack for cornering people with chillingly simple questions, which Park Yong-woo delivers with zero emotion. It maximizes his intimidating presence.

Overall Verdict
This is a high-quality, tightly written thriller that doesn't mess around. The acting is phenomenal across the board, the suspense is consistent, and the moral ambiguity is spicy. This one's going on the "must-watch while it airs" list. It’s a hexagonal, well-made drama that screams “must watch”.

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It's a cute drama if you like fluff, but it's annoying if you expected angst/misunderstandings.

So it starts with both Li family and Du family setting up a forced-arrange marriage thingie for their daughters because the in-laws are so ready to "destroy" them, that the only way was selling their daughters (yea, thats how i saw the first 20 minutes of this drama).
Both the carriages left at the same time, and out of nowhere it started raining so they took shelter in some old abandoned temple, here's where the 2 female leads talk to know each, and exchange gifts given by their in-laws as a remembrance of their friendship.
Due to their maids rushing in, they wore the wrong veil which resulted in them going to the wrong home, Li Yuhu accepts this fact, and being fake Du BingYan..whereas real BingYan is drugged by YuHu's maids so that she doesn't go back to her parent's.

Qi TianLei - Fakes being sick so that he can avoid his family business, and to also expose his maternal cousin- Ke ShiZhao doing frauds in Qi business, murdering people, murdering QTL's 2 older brothers.
Yuan BuQu- an old disciple of yuhu's father is a general in army, his previous 2 wives died (1 due to childbirth and other cuz of illness)but somehow it was portraited as if he abused them.
Real DBY wakes up and decides to meet the general (who's at war, camp) to clear the confusion, and being fake male DuBin, and becomes assistant of master Liu RuoQian (he is common in both stories, QTL's master/doctor and YBQ's camp doctor)

Finally both the main male leads gotta know about this wrong carriage thing, YBQ accepts real BY cuz he fell for her, same goes for QTL and LYH. Now comes the part of QTL helping out LYH so that she doesn't expose herself infront of his family.

In the midst of this, they gotta know about Ke ShiZhao's wrongdoings and start tricking him.

On the other side, General YBQ won the war, and IN REWARD he gets to marry the princess, for which he, DBY, master start planning to make the emperor change his order.

Now comes the dumb, overly loved princess changming who dreams of marrying a brave guy. And through series of plotting, she meets general's assistant Sha PingWei (master liu's nephew) and they start liking e/o, she convinces her father to take back the previous mentioned order.

Ke ShiZhao's all wrongdoings have been presented infront of QTL's paternal grandmother, and which her help, they catch him red handed and hand him over to police (?) and LYH tells her real identity, also she is pregnant.

Queen grants an order that princess marry general, which again he and DBY decline and they are sent to prison. now master, his wife, QTL,LYH, SPW, Princess all join hands to pull the 2nd couple out of prison.
Again 1 whole episode of stupidity and its revealed Master Liu's senior was queen's love interest with whom she planned to elope but from her perspective he betrayed her and when in reality he died, and never got the chance to elope with her.
This reveal suddenly opens her eyes and she allows Priincess to marry SPW, and also 2nd lead couple got out of the prison.
Another formal marriage ceremony is planned for both the lead couples with no mis-match, (and its also revealed both the female leads were pregnant).
So at last total 5 couples were there, QTL-LYH, YBQ-DBY, Princess-SPW, YanShang (QTL's sister/step sister)-Ji JingTang (whose parents were framed and killed by KSZ), Master Liu- Shu DaNiang......and you may also include KSZ-XiaoQiao (grandmother's maid and his helping hand)


OVERALL- a good drama, i wish they had more emotions,cuz even though being revelations were made, past murders were discussed but as audience, we couldnt really feel those emotions.
But yea cute drama, with almost 0 misunderstandings, no fights between main leads, everything is cute in the end.

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Solid and Intense start, pointless middle and haphazard finish

OPENING:

Unfortunately, after a very strong start with the first 2 episodes, this drama went through a full-blown identity crisis and frivolous execution of the things that made the first 2 episodes great, things like anticipation, great chemistry between characters and emotional impact. The middle episodes (ep 3 to 8) has been largely a disappointment and pointless, while the last 4 were, let's call it "A lot of stretching".

This drama after episode 2, had trouble finding an identity. Dramas aren’t always bound by one singular genre, it’s usually a mix, where some characteristics are dominant and others, more or so peripheral. However, this drama just kept flirting with different genres and its focus got muddier with every new episode.

Just to clarify, this review contains major spoilers. I don’t think I can really convey my issues and frustrations with this drama after such a good start without giving away any spoiler. So, if you don’t like spoilers, my suggestion is to not read any further.



THE REVIEW:


• Episode 1-2 (Electric premise)

The opening act was really solid, intense and emotionally impactful. The premise—a poor FL marrying the rich old terminal Chaebol company chairman to get out of her shitty life, which is marked by intense financial struggles and a really horrendous family member, the mother to be precise, who is pretty much willing to sell her daughter if need be. The rich man, through this marriage, trying to execute a lethal game of revenge against his psychopathic stepdaughter, who had killed his own biological daughter in order to remove any chance of potential dispute over inheritance—established stakes as high as they come in the story. However, the terminal patient took his own life, not being able to deal with the pain during the last stage of the disease, trusting that the FL will faithfully execute the next steps of the revenge plan.

The point of this plot was, basically, a three-month countdown to a shareholder meeting to declare a new chairwoman or chairman of the company, and until then, the FL is supposed to survive in the remote village away from Seoul, with the gamble that the evil stepdaughter will send the assassin that she had used to kill the Chairman’s biological daughter, to kill the FL too. That way they will be able to get to the step daughter, hopefully putting her to jail and take the one thing she values the most, the company. Losing this company which her mother's family initially owned will be like the death of her.

The early 2 episodes were intense, emotionally resonant, and established the rich, high-stakes atmosphere that promised a relentless thriller, with romance along the way with the ML in the village. We were contemplating what would happen in the next 5-6 episodes, how intense the cat and mouse game will be and how will the chemistry between the ML and FL develop.


• Episode 3-8 (Marked by Myriad of plot-holes and identity crisis and lack of chemistry)

The plot structure began to crumble almost immediately upon the FL's arrival in the remote village. A critical flaw was the speed with which key plot points were resolved, which was such a contrast to the early 2 episodes, where they were slowly building up the foundation. The FL’s carefully crafted cover was blown by the nosy school principal by Episode 3, and by the end of episode 5, the ML also figured out the identity. These reveals, which should have been mid-series turning points used to heighten tension, were rushed through, immediately bleeding the mystery and suspense out of the plot.

Not to mention how the ML actually found out about the identity, all through one scar on the wrist of the FL. Like, does he have a photographic or eidetic memory or something? The way he made 2 and 2 together, was really over the top and really unnecessary. I just don’t understand why would the giveaway of her identity will be so easy, considering the initial plot. It’s not like this dude actually had even seen her face, yet, he figured her out just like that with the help of a scar and how she looks “from the back”.

On top of that, the other girl, let’s call her the 2nd FL, was introduced to the FL’s village life with, just forceful writing. Just think about it. The rich chairman used to spy on her housekeepers with hidden cameras to see if they were doing something problematic on the command of her stepdaughter, who obviously had a spy in the house. Okay, understandable. Now, after the chairman died, out of the 3 housekeepers, 2 were removed initially, 1 remained to take care of the house, who supposedly has some kind of psychological issue. Anyway, how she found out about that secret room from where the chairman used to spy on the housekeepers and as a result, found out where the FL was hiding, was full of plot-holes. After his death, his lawyer used to go to the chairman’s office-room, from there with the moving of a pen at the table, the secret door would open and he would go in. I guess his for doing this was to have a safe place to plan things and also spy on the remaining housekeeper, considering the possibility that the chairman's will is somewhere in the house.

Now, first of all, why is that pen so out in the open on the table? Did no housekeeper ever go to that room to clean, and accidentally touch that pen or something, when it’s so out in the open? I mean, such an important room, but the entering method is so out in the open? Like, couldn’t the process of that door opening have been something a bit more intricate and exclusive so that others can’t find it out so easily?

Anyway, let’s give that part the benefit of the doubt. However, if you are a lawyer who is trying to execute an intricate, dangerous and high-stake revenge plot, wouldn’t you be at least careful enough to actually LOCK the door of the office-room before you get into the secret room from there?

I mean, there’s another person beside you in the house. If you get into the office-room and then just disappear, wouldn’t that be suspicious to the other person? If you had locked the office-room to begin with, the other person would not know what you are doing inside and would think you are there. But he didn’t lock the room and just casually went inside the secret room and our 2nd FL just found out about it really casually.

Not to mention, inside the secret room, why did the lawyer had the file of Bu Se Mi (our FL), her new name and her new identity and pictures of where she is supposed to be hiding? Like, you know where she is, you are the one who made the plan and decided where she would live for the next 3 months, you don’t need to keep any copy of those documents, you can simply get rid of them, you should get rid of them, actually. But he just kept those documents lying there. And the 2nd FL just went about finding out her whereabouts so freaking casually. I know that they wanted the 2nd FL to be the friend of the FL, so it was inevitable that she would figure out where FL is living. However, the way the writers went about it is just ridiculously convenient.

The mother also found out about the FL’s whereabout really just quite nonchalantly, and really the point of the story, which is basically a woman hiding in the shadows, was pretty quickly dissipated, and not through intricate plot-magic, but through very convenient plotlines.

Another thing that bothered me is how it just kept going back and forth from one genre to another without any central focus, it just lost its initial identity. Without the foundational tension of the secret cover, the drama struggled to find a solid blend of genres. The middle episodes became a baffling blend of conflicting genres:

• Thriller: Reduced to over-the-top, almost makjang-style villain antics that lacked realism. The stepdaughter who is the villain, just kept doing unreal things. She is a professor, I don’t know how she got that much power to just casually blackmail the other powerful shareholders by kidnapping and beating their children in front of them, as if she is on a different level to that of those other super rich shareholders. Like, this part is super-makjang. Whereas, the lawyer of the late chairman couldn’t fire the 2 spies of the stepdaughter in the chairman's house and eventually had to take them in due to “Labor Laws”. Like talk about intense contrast between makjang and realism in one show.

• Family Drama and Romance: Lacked emotional impact, feeling boring and inconsequential. The ML’s life as a single dad didn’t show much substance and his character just felt like “We just need a ML for the romance plot, and any will do” from the writers’ POV. He didn’t have any real characteristics that really made me go, “Yeah, this is what this drama needs”. Not to mention, the way the ML decided to help out the FL out of nowhere, it all felt very sudden and forced. There was no real chemistry, any amount that was there was forced. The ML’s life as a single dad wasn’t really explored in a way where we could relate to him, like his character lacked any depth, and it really didn’t make any sense as to why he is helping out the FL out of nowhere. This just made his existence quite unnecessary. The writers basically slept on the ML’s character.

• Comedy: Felt forced and jarringly out of place given the initial deadly stakes. Humor can be a strong weapon for intense dramas like this if were used at the right junctures. However, they just kept introducing unnecessary characters and plots for this, and it just didn’t take. Every aspect of the comedy element felt forceful after episode 2.

This lack of focus left the core story muddled and the narrative completely flat. We were no longer on the edge of our seats anticipating what would happen; we were simply waiting for the inevitable end of the episodes. I had trouble feeling any of the initial emotions and tensions that I had felt in the first 2 episodes. The characters were bland and the ML had no noteworthy quality. It just felt like the drama was reborn into something else, something of no real substance.

The biggest casualty of this structural decline was the emotional core. The village life, meant to be a quiet respite or a new field of danger, felt boring and lacked any genuine emotional weight. Furthermore, the handling of the romance was severely mismanaged. Despite being an evident theme, the chemistry between the leads was frustratingly subpar, and the development of their relationship felt unconvincing. The intensity of the first two episodes was replaced by a sense of apathy and boredom; the drama simply stopped making us feel anything. There was no real mystery, anticipation, emotional depth explored in the last 5-6 episodes. There was hardly any character development or anything of real substance. I had hopes from the Female Villain’s character, that what she would do, how she would go about her evil plan. But her character was made to be a makjang-style villain without any legible constriction of realism.

Now, I’ll say that compared to ep 3 to 7, episode 8 was somewhat more “back on track”, considering the assassin was introduced and made his move, which is the gamble they FL and the Chairman took. But, again, the way everything went about really just didn’t do justice to the initial plot and just took the air out of the show’s initial promise.


• Episode 8 to 12 (Filled with convenient plotlines and desperation)

After wasting time and potential in the middle episodes, the last 4, didn't have much to offer, other than desperate attempt to make sense of everything it did wrong in the middle in a short period of time, which resulted in rushed plot and a lot of "Convenient" happenstances. The fact that the Chairman was alive, the fact that they had to go that route, just made it understandable that the writers had no real creativity to explore. The romance, I mean, was there any romance? I didn't feel it. It just felt like, "Man, just have them kiss each other at the end and we are all good on the romance side". There was so real buildup to it, no real charm in their relationship, nothing. No real emotional impact, no real chemistry between the leads.

The Villains actions were over the top. Her being a professor and without any real power in the company, having that much power to do all the things like controlling the media, controlling the prosecution and legal teams, just didn't make any sense in the middle episodes, and it made even less sense at the end. If they wanted to make a generic Makjang, then they should have done that, instead they just opted for all sorts of contradictions and "Anything Goes" method. At some point if felt like super makjang, at another point it felt like "Why isn't anything happening?". The villain's character could have been so much better, yet she was just made out to be someone with a lot of "Plot Armor" for everything just because she had money.

I just couldn't feel anything, other than boredom and the constant fear of seeing another convenient plotline for things to make sense forcefully. This drama just kept missing the beats on all important junctures, and just felt like it had no real understanding what viewers actually like. Overall, a very disappointing and hollow drama.

I could write at length about the issues and problems in these last 4 episodes, but I am at my limit and honestly feel it's not really worth it. I'll just say that if the middle episodes are poor, you will have trouble catching your breath in the later episodes to make sense of everything to the viewers, and the finish will be subpar, maybe even disastrous.


CONCLUSION:


In my initial review, I had written that at the time I was hoping the writers had a predetermined plot for the entirety of the show and not just had decided to keep plastering band-aids to a zig-zagging and pointless storyline and use the infamous model called “We’ll figure things out as we go”. However, I think, that’s exactly what they have done. It all just felt like a hodgepodge of story without any real conviction and any real plan for the middle to the end of the drama. And as I had thought, after wasting the middle episodes, this drama failed to clutch it up with the later episodes, which was very much expected.

Now, is this drama absolutely horrible? No. It has its moments, especially, the acting by JYB as the Female Lead. She is a great actress despite the drama being subpar. She has made the best out of this character with her great acting talent. The cinematography and the overall production quality is really good, the technical skills brought to the table is really solid. However, it has become a run-of-the-mill generic rom-com thriller, which is not what we were promised with the great first 2 episodes. And that’s such a waste considering we have JYB as the main character, I just feel so frustrated about the fact that her talent and great acting was wasted with this flat storyline in the middle. And unfortunately, for the most part, writing and directing is what makes or break a drama.

My suggestion is, if you wanna watch it for JYB and her great acting, go ahead. But otherwise, you can skip it and you won't be missing out anything substantive.

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First Impressions

Ms. Incognito: My First Impressions—I Am Obsessed! 🔥
Okay, seriously, if you aren't watching Ms. Incognito yet, what are you even doing? I went in expecting a decent, run-of-the-mill K-drama, but nope. It immediately grabbed me by the throat and yanked me onto this wild, chaotic train. I am officially hooked! 🎣

The Vibe? Vincenzo Met a Chaebol Melodrama 💅
The plot is pure, delicious craziness. You've got this poor-but-badass bodyguard, Kim Young-ran (Jeon Yeo-been), who marries a dying chairman on a contract. Classic, right? Except she has to go completely incognito for three months as a sweet-as-pie kindergarten teacher to survive the inheritance battle. The whiplash is real. The first couple of episodes are a high-octane thriller with some seriously sleek cinematography and action. They did not hold back on the suspense.

The Cast Is Doing the Lord's Work 🙏
Jeon Yeo-been is a whole mood. She's smart, she's tough, and you absolutely root for her. Seeing her pivot from a hardened bodyguard to a simple kindergarten teacher is just a chef's kiss. I get the sense that she will be carrying this show on her back, and I'm living for it.

But let's talk about the villain, Ga Sun-young (Jang Yoon-ju). She is a magnificent piece of work—vicious, obsessive, and honestly terrifying. She's the kind of villain you love to hate.

And then there's Jin Young as the cute strawberry farmer. He's clearly the eventual love interest; everyone who's watched the first two episodes knows this, and I can't wait to see what unfolds here. I'm calling it now: he's got some secret badass backstory, too. Strawberry farmer? Please. That man is an ex-special forces op hiding in plain sight, lol.

Final Verdict (So Far)
It's got crime, it's got high-stakes drama, and it's got Jeon Yeo-been being a total powerhouse. If they can maintain this pace, it will be an all-time favorite. Seriously, cancel your plans, grab your snacks, and get watching. You won't regret it. 10/10 opening episodes!

My final verdict, now that I have finished the drama, is that yes, I initially found it gripping. The premise and the lead actress's ability to portray the characters' duality were hooking. But something changed when Yeo-been moved to that small town. She was supposed to lie low, but everything she did made her stand out even more. From the way she dressed to the way she talked, I mean, it defeated the purpose. The transition from the tense, thrilling first few episodes was awkward, turning into a cheap small-town comedy/romance, which was disappointing, with strange character mannerisms and plot inconsistencies emerging as the show progressed. I found myself losing interest, and by the time the show ended, it became predictable.

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Sweet romance between go getter FL and fox ML (he's a magical creature)

I was drawn to this drama because the translated title implies fox husband. I enjoy fantasy dramas so I watched it. I liked this drama very much.

What I liked:
1. Fantasy - I loved the fox arc. The appearance of his tail and his powers were delight to watch, especially that opening scene.
2. ML characterisation - I loved that he wanted to cook & do housekeeping. He was loyal, protective and loving towards FL.
3. FL characterisation - Smart & go-getter. I also liked that she was kind - that's what attracted ML.
4. Romance - I liked how their relationship progressed. There was a good balance of sweet, tender and spicy moments.
5. Supporting characters - I liked ML's secretary Fu.

What I disliked:
1. Antagonists - Sister was incompetent, greedy with nasty personality. I couldn't believe she wouldn't mind harming her sister just to accomplish her goal. She had too much screentime. I also disliked FL's grandfather for his biased judgement. The fox princess was another annoying character.
2. Hidden identity - I wish ML had come clean about his fox identity sooner. I also wished that they had formed partnership to bring down Rou Xue.

Favourite scene
The opening scene

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Happy 10 years of Nirvana in Fire!

I recently decided to rewatch this out of the blue, only to discover how fitting it is as this drama turns 10 years old this year.

I still cannot wrap my head around how absolutely amazing this drama is. I first watched it almost 10 years ago (2017), it became my favorite C-drama back then and this rewatch solidifies that it still is now.

The story may be quite the slow-burn but it was all worth it. Hu Ge as Mei Changsu/Lin Shu is just such an admirable and charismatic character, he keeps you glued to the screen the entire time, not only because of how well-acted he is but well written as well. Of course, that's not to say the rest of the cast isn't as good: That is one of the aspects of this that I love the most. Everyone did so well in their own respective roles, and just combined with the immaculate script, cinematography, performances, music and just the entire production is absolutely marvelous.

I grew so attached between the brotherhood of Jingyan and Lin Shu, and it really shines as the story progresses. I cheer everytime their enemies come falling down, I am angry every time they are wronged, I cry when they are sad and I laugh with the little banter betwen them. I absolutely enjoyed every evil scheme, and every little substory other characters had and even the little hits of romance tugged my heartstrings.

I honestly don't think I can pick on anything about this drama because it's just perfect through and through. And it's nice to see it's still being appreciated today.

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