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Only for people who can digest slow tragic sad stories!
The younger version of both main leads were excellent and definitely deserves a shout out! The story was dragged on, there were a lot of extra unnecessary scenes, specially the constantly replaying memories and flashbacks.Perhaps it's my own personal preference, but tragedy + melodrama in my opinion is a really bad combo. Since the outcome will most likely be 70% of the whole show involving a lot of sad and crying moments, that's what this is!
In simple terms, you can easily watch the whole series in 2x Speed and comfortably watch it without missing anything, that's how slow the whole direction was done.
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You will love everybody in this series except for that stupid writer and his psychopath dad but again when you see a love story like this, it does not matter anymore but only thing that can happen is you finding yourself falling head over heals for the main leads.
What are you waiting for jus freaking watch it and fall in love.....
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Left me with a sense of indifference
I was expecting to love this drama, I like the main leads and I love the premise of the story plus everyone seems to praise this show and the main leads chemistry, however I ended up just being indifferent to it all, which really sucks. When you hate a show at least you have that strong emotion of annoyance or whatever towards the show, indifference is worse because it just makes you not care about it.(I watched the version divided into 16 episodes and not 32)
I really enjoyed the beginning, the first 5 episodes in particular were extremely good and I was really shocked that I could enjoy a show that much even when the two main leads had barely no interactions at all. In general I really enjoyed what took place in 2006 and 2015, I liked the characters andI liked the relationships.
However the first and probably main problem that I had with the show is the main couple. I know people loved their relationship but I simply wasn’t invested in it at all, we get a little glimpse of them starting to like each other when they were younger (and even then we didn’t get too much of them actually falling for each other) and then in 2018 they were already in love (in like?) with each other, we didn’t get to see them falling in love again, we didn’t get to see them rediscover each other after having spent 12 years apart, we didn’t get to see them fall in love with each other again regardless of how different they might be from their 16 year old selves. This is the same problem that I had with Tale of the nine tailed, where, because they were in love before, they must be in love now too. While it’s true that my favourite part of kdramas is the getting to know each other and falling in love, the getting together stages, I can enjoy shows where they are already together, for example I loved Flower of evil, I just simply didn’t enjoy the way their relationship was developed in the show, there’s no particular reason why, I simply didn’t get involved or attached to their relationship.
That’s not to say that there weren’t any good moments or nice scenes between them, I just simply didn’t care because I wasn’t invested in their relationship: they weren't a cute butterfly in the stomach kind of couple, they weren’t a badass power couple, they weren’t a hot couple and honestly they weren’t melodramatic enough to be a heartbreaking, soul crushing, tear jerking couple.
Regarding the “masterful plot” that people talk about: I thought it was boring, I’m sorry. There wasn’t any mystery or anything really that kept me hooked, things just happened and I went along with it. I never really felt the tension or suspense or anything really.
Here’s a list of some of the things that I enjoyed the most:
Dojin and his mum relationship
Dojin and hi sister relationship
Dojin and his his brother relationship
Hyunmoo and his mother relationship
Hyunmoo and his sister relationship
Hyunmoo story
Kiyong acting
Joonho acting
Kiyong in a police uniform
That scene during Dojin graduation
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Overall: Don't recommend it unless you're into serial killer + don't mind rewatching the first episode flashback multiple times in the same episode throughout every episode. Lastly, the episodes were too short, there's no need for this show to be 32 episodes. Could have been done in 12-16 episodes with better storytelling.
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The mature kdrama romance-thriller you've been looking for
Let me make it clear that I am NOT your average kdrama viewer for the following reasons:1. I FAST FORWARD A LOT because I have little patience for scene fillers where 20+ seconds is spent with the actor(s) gazing wistfully at the distance. I need action to happen FAST...
2. I am always looking for MATURE, STRONG LEADS especially where the female leads are concerned... and
3. I do not watch what everyone else is watching simply because I think I'm looking for different stories: MORE SUBSTANCE, LESS CRINGE. (I really disliked Her Private Life, couldn't stand the FL in Something in the Rain, and for that reason, I will never watch CLOY), and lastly,
4. I think that kdramas take too long to begin and then rush to end -- I mean, hello, what the hell kind of ending was that in Cheese in the Trap??!
Having said that, if you are similar to me, and you like watching kdramas with romance AND suspense, then
WATCH THIS DRAMA NOW.
It's a 16-episode NOT 32 episode story that is solidly written and executed. Enough time is given to the flashbacks and present day so I never felt confused. The actors are so well-cast, they transform into the characters , so much so that I found myself getting more and more invested in them as the story went on. Aside from the ML being exceptional, Heo Joon Ho nailed it as the psychopath; every scene he was in crackled with electricity, as did his accomplice, played by Hong Seung Bum. The FL was strong and compassionate, certainly someone I could root for.
The pace of the story is terrific, and the ending is tied up neatly. I am a chronic kdrama-dropper, but not with this story. I hope i could find more stories like this one.
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So far this show has been very slow paced - it feels like the episodes up until episode 8 or 10 were just the set up; but for this same reason the characters are richly developed, and by the time the present day story kicks off we have well and truly fallen for the characters.
At first we see some clips of the present, but is mostly the backstory, in a slight chronological disarray. Aside from understanding the events that shape the characters lives, we get to know the characters well, even before anything has happened, and later on, (thanks the impressive synchrony of the actors, who not only resemble each other to a great degree physically, but in the mannerisms and expressions of their characters, creating the most uncanny portrayal of characters played by multiple actors I have ever seen) we see how they are effected by their lives, and also those parts of them that have stayed the same. Because of the slow pacing the introduction is very immersive, taking the time to explore details in the environment. There is actually quite a dense amount of information in the show, rather than having episodes full of fluff, but the show is quite thorough, and the character building is a major time consuming factor. Character building is important obviously, and is the key point of this drama, but it doesn't advance the plot much, which is why some may find it slow, especially in airing. I imagine in binging this however you wouldn't even notice the time going by, because as I said before, it's incredibly immersive, so you'll probably be completely absorbed in the flow.
Because the characters act so dependably like themselves in any given moment (rather than being directed by the story, and acting around the next plot point) the things we love about them are reinforced over and over again, and it creates a greater sympathy between the characters and the viewers, because, although in some ways some might say as people they are "too good to be true", with his righteousness and her optimism, they feel so much more real than many characters are written to be. As we know the characters so well, any changes or uncharacteristic actions are extremely apparent, and I look forward to any character development in this show.
A great deal of the credit for these incredible characters must go to the writers, who ensured their steady and reliable nature, but equally this result would not be possible without the collaboration of all four lead actors who work so well together (on that note can we give a hand to the casting dept.)
The story (so far) is relatively simple, unfortunate, and uncommon but believable. It's not revolutionary (boy meets girl, tragedy strikes, a decade later how are they dealing with the consequences when they meet again?), but it's not worn out either (I'm sorry for liking you back, the old man's a _psychopath_, and he might kill you / that's okay, I'll make it big on tv so call me / living life as a badass detective / famous now, but I'm traumatized, also you never called) - but even if it were, the important part is that it's well written enough to be irrelevant. We have the cliche of boy meets girl, but it's a romance, so I'm going to discount that one, as it's kind of like bolognese without tomatoes otherwise; aside from that, the characters are genuinely interesting and likable people from unique families leading everyday lives, and events are largely, if not entirely caused by other people in those lives - there is nothing cliche enough in this to make it predictable, honestly, it's hard to even say how the romance will work out, or if this is destined to end like some kind of greek tragedy. I think more than anything, so far this drama has been about two people living their very hardest, in spite of anything and everything that happens to and around them, and from here will be about how they will struggle to overcome the conflict of their unforgettable past and their unending feelings. There is a crime, and a degree of mystery and suspense, but while people get injured (as of yet) there's nothing particularly graphic.
The soundtrack is good, although the tracks are already recognisable; it reminds me of films like Black Beauty, A Place Among the Pines or A Series of Unfortunate Events. As for the rewatch value, I can't wait until next week to see our beloved Na Moo and Nak Won again, so I'm about to rewatch what's presently released again right now! (Look, just watch it already, 10/10 you won't regret it, and there's nothing else quite like it.)
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Some may hate this type of story but I totally love this, probably because of how they have executed it and the great acting by the young protagonists then the adult protagonists. I also like the pace of the story and how it emotionally squeezes my heart during every episodes.
At first I opted to watch this because the premise kind'a sounds like Just Between Lovers - and I super love JBL!!! But after watching the first few episodes I know that they are different but also kind'a the same (especially the young male protagonist as it was both played by Nam Da-Reum who also played the young Lee Jung Suk in While Your Were Sleeping).
I like how the character develops and how the friendship blossoms between the 2 young actors. The chemistry is quite unexplainable - I can't put into words the feeling this series brought me. It makes me wanna cry, wanna love, wanna sad and wanna smile.
I hope everyone gives this series an opportunity...
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This review may contain spoilers
Strong start but falls flat
I expected the drama to be a story of overcoming past trauma and finding forgiveness. Instead, I got an angsty melodrama with repetitive plotlines and bland characters. The first 12 episodes are engaging with a solid plot and story telling. The flashbacks are on point giving a background of Namu and Nakwon's unusual love story and their inability to forget each other. It is touching, compelling, and heartbreaking. The childhood actors give dynamic performances and show fundamental differences between happy and care-free Nakwon and disturbed and introverted Namu. I also liked how the flashbacks did not give a play-by-play of every childhood interaction and only showed relevant moments leading up to the murder.Adult Namu and Nakwon are entirely different from their childhood selves. Neither of them have any spark, personality, or agency. Nakwon is a made up doll living a life guided by anyone other than herself, including her agent and brother. Namu's entire existence is reduced to pining after Nakwon and staring at her pictures. They simply exist to run circles around each other and create angst. When they do meet, their scenes are repetitive with the same prolonged staring and recycled lines. It's completely frustrating to watch two people who still have lingering feelings for each other unable to sit down and have an adult conversation about where they are in life and how they feel. Jang Ki Yong has one facial expression in every scene devoid of any emotion. Jin Ki Joo is a little bit more versatile but her performance is nothing special either.
At the beginning, the plot is interesting and runs at a comfortable pace, but it falls completely flat later on with repetitive scenes, conversations, and the recycled serial killer/stalker trope. The acting is subpar, the pacing is draggy, and the plot development is as exciting as watching the paint dry.
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