Sadly, after getting past episode three I realized this wouldn't be making it onto my favorites list. Don't get me wrong, I still cried a lot while watching this series. There were also some sweet moments that made my heart flutter. I think unfortunately the writers didn't develop the plot enough or at least in a way that would've made more sense and benefited the characters better.

If the whole series was centered more around their young love as teenagers and the struggles that both of them were facing, I think it would have been better. Those first three episodes were everything. One of my favorite and most impactful moments for me personally was when Dohoe started opening his heart to Juyeong more so he told him he'd be home late, then to find out it's because he travelled to get him the garlic ice cream he had been talking about. While on the way home having his peers beat him up. When Juyeong ran into him on the street and saw that he was beaten but hid the fact that Juyeong had also been beaten that day by Dohoe's dad. He still managed to give him the ice cream. That moment was super special to me and put a lot of emphasis on how strong their feelings for each other were becoming and how much they cared for each other.

After the first three episodes it personally wasn't as interesting to me. I felt like having a 12 year time skip was a very bold and ridiculous move. Albeit, one that could have worked if they had done it better. However, we got the time skip and it felt like neither of the leads grew as people. They went from teenagers to being in their 30's and we got almost nothing in between of what either of them had done the past decade. When they were finally reunited it ended up being pretty lackluster for me because of how we knew nothing of what their 20's entailed, their whole youth was omitted. There wasn't any dormant feelings that were sparked from seeing each other again, it was more so like these are the same two people you watched as teenagers in love and supposed to believe now they are adults who have held onto those same feelings for 12 years without ever seeing or contacting each other. Apparently neither of them had ever dated anyone else or experienced any relationships outside of the one they had with each other, at least that is what we are to believe since it wasn't information we were given. Which again, makes it very unrealistic and unnatural. There wasn't any growth or passion. It ultimately ended up being two adults wanting things to be exactly the same as it was when they were teenagers to now, even though they haven't been in each other's lives all this time. Due to this it felt like their characters had no development. During the middle portion of this series I ended up even hating Dohoe. Though I knew his actions were stemming from the past childhood trauma he had faced, the series made it feel like you should be hating him and not feeling sorry for him. Not finding out until towards the last few episodes of why Dohoe acted the way he did didn't help. I think the weird fraud sub-plot was unnecessary too because his story from the beginning could have done so much on its own if it had been built upon and stood alone. The weird semi - love triangle moment was also strange and felt a little unnecessary because we didn't really have any development with Hyeonho.

The last two episodes where they are together again and no longer fighting with each other and finally communicating, though happy, still ended up feeling a little off due to a lot of the critics previously mentioned.

Regardless, even though this review may seem like I didn't like the series at all, that is not the case. I definitely did enjoy it but I know I would've enjoyed it more if the characters could've developed a little better. The first three episodes were so strong.

I will also say the moment when Dohoe and Juyeong are in the car and are holding hands and Dohoe tells him "Thank you for being my family"... instant tears. I also enjoyed the way the series ended with them trying to rebuild themselves but also getting to be together again. Ending it with Dohoe seeing the old messages of Juyeong's from when they were teenagers and tearing up over them, another moment for me to sob.

No series will ever be perfect and I think even with all the critics it had a lot of profound moments. Even though it didn't make it to my favorites list, I still didn't end up feeling like I wasted time watching it nor do I think this will be one to easily forget.