First, could Jung Gyu Woon be any more adorable? I mean, seriously, that is one good looking guy. Even Kim Min Joon (whose MDL picture just does NOT do him justice!) is ridiculously cute in this show. I felt like they could have done more with both characters, especially Kim Min Joon's. His character was just kind of thrown in whenever it was convenient for the writers, and his storyline felt incomplete.
I also did like the lead actress quite a bit too, though the script did not really do her justice. All in all, it was an interesting look into humanity, and how money can change a person's morality and make them do things they never would have before coming into a large sum of money. But what that has to do with a town of romance, I can't tell you. I did like the relationship between the maids, and how they were all so willing to fight for each other. Well, at least til the money got involved, in which case they just wanted to fight with each other.
When everything is said and done, this drama is not wholly irredeemable, but it definitely could have been cut in half and been a much more watchable experience. 20 episodes just seemed to drag on and on and on and on and...well you get the point.
Was this review helpful to you?
"But Romance Town doesn't have a plot!" Well, there is a plot, but it without a doubt became a secondary concern for the writer. What the writer brought to the forefront was a thoughtful (albeit at times heavy-handed) and quirky character study, and it was this slice-of-life aspect that grabbed me. The characters became so real that I found myself accurately predicting their every move, not because the plot itself was predictable, but because I came to know these characters so well in and out that guessing their next move was like friends finishing the other's sentence. More wonderful still is the grayness within each character: there is no absolute evil or good, and as a result I found myself sympathizing with even the most unlikeable resident of the street. Overall, the world of this show felt organic, with events progressing naturally based on the characters' authentic reactions as opposed to being driven by artificial plot devices.
Admittedly, the plot could have been tighter. At 20 episodes, the show is perhaps four episodes too long. There were plot points that went nowhere, towing along certain characters in its wake. Gun Woo and Soon Geum's relationship, despite being the main one, fell on the dull side, and a last minute pairing felt too sudden, but I let it slide since it was a couple I had been rooting for. Some episodes seem to just drag on (ironically enough, given the title of this drama, those were the episodes that dealt directly with romance), while others had me yanking my hair, gasping aloud, and craving more.
Despite the above complaints, I thoroughly enjoyed journeying through the world of Romance Town with the maids as my guides. We were gifted with a glimpse into their lives, friendships and loves, and I'm not ashamed to say that I miss them already.
Was this review helpful to you?
Was this review helpful to you?
Was this review helpful to you?
This review may contain spoilers
While its very difficult to describe without going into specifics (Don't worry I won't post spoilers!) This drama was physically painful to watch, and this is coming from someone who watched Playful Kiss in its entirety. The lead guy loses your empathy by episode 6, and I personally think its because the writers weren't sure what his motivations were. The lead girl is honestly pathetic, very weak even in the parts that were supposed to show her independence.The only saving grace in this show were the other ahjumma maids, who were great for some laughs. Other than that I honestly couldn't make it past episode 7 because I thought the lead characters were horrible people and frankly I couldn't care less about them.
Was this review helpful to you?
Was this review helpful to you?
Was this review helpful to you?
Was this review helpful to you?
The Ups: The 1st episode is solid. It is funny, charming, and tricks you into believing this might be a fresh romantic comedy. Second, the cast is well chosen and as a whole have a genuine chemistry. You really feel like they all live on the outrageous 1st street. The standout of course is Kim Min Joon. He really made me fall for him in this. Now I want to see more of his dramas.
The downs: The plot for most of the series. The romance is dull. The ending is blah. Too many eps.
Overall this drama had potential but it really is a mess. I would only recommend this to anyone who has extreme patience. Good luck!
Was this review helpful to you?
