The acting was commendable and the chemistry between the leads was palpable. The second lead had just as good a chemistry with the female lead and the love between the men.....enviable. I also enjoyed the side stories of the asst. writer and director -cute and immature, but these types happen in real life. The sous chef and the other writer, to me, showed growth in their relationship. The parents are realistic in that there really are parents who act more childlike than their children, more dependent, more insecure, more afraid.
Yes there were parts that others will see as boring but it's how life is. There are times when you are searching for direction and nothing much seems to be happening. I guess i didn't get bored because I felt like I saw fragment of my reality in this drama. I will watch it again someday to savor the experience of the different temperatures of love.
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While it may have started off cute, sweet, and romantic, it quickly devolved into just hours of NOTHING. If you watched Doctors (same writer) and realized NOTHING really happened in that drama....this one was even worse. I love the main actress, but I hated her character in this show. Right now, having just finished it a few hours ago, I am irrationally angry with myself for not allowing myself to drop this drama earlier in the series. I am mad that I sat through 20 hours of meandering and didn't really have any satisfaction at the end.
I hated the way all the main females behaved and how they treated the men in their lives. The only decent female in the show was Soo Jung, the sommelier at Jung Seon's restaurant. Hyun Soo was a terrible character. I thought that Jung Seon had no strength. Hong Ah was a selfish brat. Kyung, while probably one of the cutest to me at first, just became irrationally stubborn in some of the later episodes. Jung Woo was just wronged by almost all of those he was closest to and treated well (save Jung Seon). The parents were not really good people. So, while the acting was decent for most of the cast....I didn't really like most of the characters.
The music was nice, so that is a plus.
I will never ever rewatch this. I could not give it zero stars.
Please do not waste your time on this mess. Not even for Kim Jae Wook's cheekbones which, quite frankly, could have been the sole reason I even finished this stupid show.
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The main thing I really liked about this drama is that it perfectly captures the magic of falling in love with someone - when even the most mundane moments in everyday life feel more special and and exciting. You feel it when you watch this drama. The first half of the drama treats viewers to lots of happy romantic heartwarming scenes. There's nothing really dramatic or extraordinary about it. There's not a lot of setup. You just get to see lots of scenes of them being nice to each other and enjoying each others company and in lots of dramas those scenes are so rare because there is so much conflict and setup usually. It's the opposite of that in this drama.
The lead characters are just regular people - not perfect. (Though Jung Seon is an unrealistically nice boyfriend- which is probably one of the main reasons I enjoyed watching their romance so much.) Both have their issues and make mistakes. Hyun Soo is prickly and indecisive. Jung Seon has insecurities. They are making their way through life and career challenges - nothing over the top.
The downside may be that there isn't a whole lot of conflict. It's about finding love, then overcoming the obstacles of everyday life or personality conflicts that get in the way. A lot of the conflict falls into stereotypes. There is the rich CEO, the jealous friend and the disapproving parents that get thrown in there to mess with the couple. But these stereotypes are all given more of a normal realistic twist than in most dramas, so conflicts resolve in a low key fashion as most things do in real life. Many people might find that boring and anti-climactic.
For a relatively simple story, the drama is stretched out too long into 40 episodes when it probably could have been told better in half that amount. Many scenes especially in the last half of the drama felt kind of like filler. But having said all this I personally wasn't bored. I enjoyed all the simple happy scenes. There is a dreamy, soft-focus vibe that permeates the whole drama that I found pleasant and relaxing, like sitting quietly and sipping hot cocoa.
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The focus of the plot was clear from the start (from the title, even) and they stayed true to it throughout! People from different backgrounds, with different personalities can perceive love differently and make personal choices that might not make sense to others. How can that perception change when you've found someone you want to be with, even though you're different? How much can we understand each other, what can we learn, how far should we compromise while we're still happy and true to ourselves and to our partner/friend/parent?
These are just some of the questions that I found this drama to be exploring and consequently made me ask myself, too. The performances of the actors also elevated it, with Yang Se Jong especially standing out for his charismatic portrayal of Jung Sun.
I am taking away some points because:
1) (trying not to spoil) A cliche that was used to get a certain result out of the leads felt too cheap, the writer could have done better
2) Some unfortunate elevator-style music choice
3) Poor directing approach at times, which made some scenes feel out of place/choppy
Overall, if you open your mind to a kind of story that might be about people different to you exploring love, you will enjoy this and still find plenty of relatable content and food for thought.
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When i first saw articles about the cast, i was really excited (because i trusted that the cast would make the drama interesting). Plus, the initial storyline sounded really promising. However as the story progresses, the plot became really lacklustre. It was slow paced and at the same time artistic. As someone who love fast-paced drama, this drama is really not for me. I even dropped this drama around episode 23 simply because the drama doesn't really interest me anymore. But i decided to continue this drama (a month later), just to see how it ends.
Storyline:
The writer wanted to portray, a realistic drama that unravels problems faced by couples. The writer focused more on bringing out the emotions instead of making the drama interesting for the viewers. Maybe it is time for the writer to start incorporating what the viewers want into what she wants to portray in her writing. Overall, this drama will suit people who loves slowpaced and deep romance dramas.
Acting:
This drama is a classic case of Good Cast but bad plot. From what i have seen, the cast really tried their best to portay their characters and there were chemistry between them. As a new actor, Yang Se Jong acted better than my expectations.
Music:
I really love how timely the music is and how it suits the scene.
Rewatch Value:
ZERO. I will never rewatch this. Yes i admit that the main couple is cute and there were a lot of fluffy romance scenes in the drama (I LOVE ROMANCE) but i don't think i could endure rewatching this drama. I will probably end up throwing my laptop out of the window from frustration.
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Where this drama missed the mark was in all the obstacles it threw at this precious lead couple. This just led to a lot of unnecessary mellodrama. There are issues with their friends, family, money and on and on. This setup got sooooo repetitive. I wish this drama had a way of focusing more on the couple. Overall, a sweet drama but your pretty standard fare.
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This review may contain spoilers
It's a love-hate relationship with this drama. Love:
I loved the first 10 episodes — it was beautifully shot and absolutely adore Hyun Soo and Jung Sun's interactions. Their short-lived meet-cute moments were enjoyable and they were really connecting with each other. I love the acting performances from Seo Hyun Jin and Yang Se Jong in the first 10 too.
In the earlier episodes, it was understandable of Hyun Soo's choice—that she's too overwhelmed with everything bad that suddenly happened to her that she gave up on love. I felt the heartbreak for Jung Sun, but I thought that it was a necessary break-up since both aren't ready and were too young.
... it's what happened after 5 years later that ruin the love I had for this show...
Hate:
After episode 10+, I started to realise I can't understand all these characters' behaviour and actions anymore. It was much easier to understand Jung Sun's because he's the only one remain unchanged, but everyone else were out of character. I even tried to reason with myself that in real life, no woman would not be moved by Jung Woo, but then I thought there's really no need for us viewers to watch the woman hurt the man's heart the second time in a 20 episodes drama. And then there's the case of the writer contradicting herself by first telling us viewers Hyun Soo had always loved Jung Sun only to later have her confessed she does have some feelings for Jung Woo (confirmed in the published script). The last few episodes were particularly frustrating to watch because of Hyun Soo's treatment and confusing behaviour towards Jung Sun and Jung Woo.
It was hard to like Hyun Soo in the later episodes. She further disappoints the viewers when the story showed us a big contrast of how Jung Sun was selflessly happy for her success, but when he finally earned his, she couldn't be happy for him because she was too busy wallowing in what she can't get from Jung Sun in their (less than 3 months) relationship. She also selfishly (or naively) being ignorant that she's the main reason the two boys had a fall out and Jung Woo went rogue on Jung Sun.
I really don't want to get into Hong Ah and Jung Woo, but just let it be known that these two characters' behaviours are also beyond incomprehensible.
Conclusion:
Is it worth watching? Each to our own. This is a show that could swing either way — one will have to watch it to find out. Personally, I enjoy the instrumental OST and the casts' performance, but story wise I hope in the future no actor/actress I like would work with Writer Ha Myung Hee; she's a character assassin.
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The storyline did drag out in a few episodes but generally, you wanted to keep on watching because of the character development and romantic storyline. There are moments where you would clench your chest and teeth because something you didn't want to happen just did but that's what made this drama watchable. It found the correct balance of melodrama and normalcy as there wasn't too many dramatic moments which would leave you cringing.
If you want something to cry and laugh too then I would highly recommend but don't get too attached like I did because now I literally cry every time I hear the OST or Ailee's song.
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The problem of this drama is not with the actors or the chemistry or the story-line but the only trouble was this drama was filled with pretentious and fake characters and situations. The biggest selling point that could have been good and luxurious food, turned out to be watery bland soup which turns cold very soon. The story starts losing its charm after a while and you are only left with drinking water.
Genre : Comedy, Romance, Melodrama
Story : A strong writer meets a charming young prodigy chef at a running group and they fall in love. The "temperature of love" stays hot till a few episodes and then goes cold and i don't mean icy cold, i mean the luke warm water that is boring to drink and you get tired of it after a while. Hong Ah is a rival writer who is in love with the chef but Won Joon is a wanna be chef who is in platonic love with Hong Ah. The rest of the characters are mostly pointless and worthless. Even an actor like Kim Jae Wook couldn't save this drama. There are internal struggles and character developments but the whole setting isn't as effective as to save the theme. Both the professions of a restaurant chef and a writer lack passion and look amateur-ish and aren't as fun to watch. The story on a genral topic isn't new in the drama world and mostly consists of predictable scenes and dialogues.
Actors :
Seo Hyun Jin is someone i personally dislike as an actor. I don't know if she really tries or just goes along with herself but there are points when she's bright in situations that have to be dealt with tragedy and her expressions are useless at romantic scenes. She tries hard to sound matured but she fails miserably and her dialogues of utmost deep romance sound like jokes.
Yang Se Jong has done a good job in making his character an passively emotionless machine and i am convinced. (yes, i am being sarcastic.)
Kim Jae Wook, What do i say about this man, i have been love with this man as an amazing actor and i have followed most of his dramas and he has never disappointed me once. But i could see his struggle and hard work clearly in this drama. His brilliance had me craving to see him more but sadly there wasn't much to his character than a sad man who has everything but is still miserable.
Other characters that could've been worked more on were Cho Bo Ah as Hong Ah who plays a really strong writer and Ji Il Joo as Kim Joon Ha and Lee Cho Hee as Hwang Bo Kyung.
Will I watch it again? Not till i am insomniac or forced to watch with a gun by my head and even then i'd probably fall asleep.
Will i recommend it to anyone? not if i like that person and yes if i want him/her to get rid of his/her addiction of dramas.
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Story: The Story is about two people who fall in Love, break up and meet again after a few years, when they are a little older. The story begins promising but in my opinion Ha Myunghees dramas doesn‘t have to be more than 16 (32) Episodes. The Script doesn‘t suit the episode count. Honestly, the beginning was promising and I liked the storyline, because there were to people who fall in Love, break up and meet again after a few years. But...there are (other than the break up) not many conflicts… I mean where are the parents, who I want to hate? Where are the enemies?
Sadly I have to say, that you don‘t need to watch this drama for the story (But you could like it, if you liked Doctors). I watched this drama after a the first half only because of the Actors.
Actors: That brings me to the people who did their best...and they did it amazing. I wouldn‘t rate this drama with 9.5 if it wasn‘t for the Actors. Yes, the Story was...loooong and fast told, but the Actors did amazing jobs.
First of all Seo Hyunjin. ToL was my first drama with her in the first lead role. I was excited, because I heart very good tings about her acting after she acted in „Romantic Doctor, Teacher Kim“ and „Another Oh Hayoung“. SHJ played a woman at the end of her twentys (later in her 30s) who works very hard as an assistant writer who really tries to win a contest. Because of her Job she fights with her younger sister, with whom she lives under a roof. Hyunjin did a very good job. Her character Lee Hyunsoo is tough, has energy, but hasn‘t much interest in Love. In my Opinion Hyunjin is a very good Actress and now I will watch her other dramas too. She was one of the reasons, why I rated this drama so high.
The Second (or first) reason is Yang Sejong. Yes I was sceptical when I heart, that he would play the first male Lead Role. Why? Because I saw his Acting in Duel and it was so amazing, that I thought he can‘t top it. Okay, honestly I can‘t compare his roles whith one another. But he did it. He was amazing, even though it was his first Lead role in a romantic drama. Sejong plays On Jungsun a young chef in his twentys who grew up in Francem where he was interesten in the french cuisine. At the beginning of the drama he works as a chef in a restaurant, where his boss is a ‚friend‘ of him. Jungsun doesn‘t have any experiences in Love but he learns very fast what it means to love another person woth all he have. Sejong really is an amzing actor and he wirks very hard. I hope his talent will be recognized, because I am very sad, that his dramas have low ratings…
The Second Male Lead was played by Kim Jaewook. I like his Acting very much because of „Who are you“ where he played a Ghost. Jaewook did an amazing job, but his role was… I think it was a very complacted role. He played Park Jungwoo, a successfull CEO of his own Company who is interested in Hyunsoo and in Jungsun because of his cooking. So he becomes hin investor and one of the most important people of Jungsun (and Hyunsoo, too). Without knowing that his two friedns have known each other for years he loves Hyunsoo since he knows her. He loves Jungsun, too, like a brother, but not enough to give up his love of his Life. Jaewooks acting impressed me very much. But his character wasn‘t mean enough. If it weren‘t for Sejong, I would have rooted for Jungwoo, because he was so...tragical.
Jo Boah played the best friend of Hyunsoo who is rich but jealous when others are recognized and she doesn‘t. Boah played her role well, even though I think she seems to be younger that she really is. The opposite from Sejong who could be older than he really is. Boah role was Ji Hong ah who is in love with Jungsun, but sometimes I thought she only thought she loves him because Hyunsoo live him, too. I hope you know, what I mean.
The people around Jungsun (Shim Heesub, Cha Inha, Lee Kangmin, Block Bs P.O and Chae Soojung acted very well, too. Ji Iljoo who plays the junior of Kim Jaewooks character and Lee Chohee who plays the other best friend of Hyunsoo were very cute when they were together.
The Chemistry between the Actors were very good, even though the first two episodes were a little bit awkward. I hope Sejong and Hyun will be play a couple again but with a better script, ecause they are very good Actors and it would be nice to see them again. Maybe in a really sad melodrama^^.
Music: The Music was amazing. I love the OST. The whole OST.
All in all I want to say that you don‘t need to watch it, if you don‘t care for the Actors. But If you love the Actory you should try it, because the Acting and music rescues the whole Drama...
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Lots of kilig moments and Happy ending xa.
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