1
2
3GGG
Mexico
DISCLAIMER: (please read)
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As of episode 12, I've decided to drop the series. So keep in mind that the following review is based on my personal taste and those 12 episodes. As such, I encourage and advice everyone to read two or three more reviews before deciding whether you should give this series a shot. Something I hated or was disappointed by might be something you love and was surprised by. This review is subjective, after all.
PLOT: It dragged
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The story had potential (to go into a dark and rarely explored territory) which is why I stuck to it as long as I could. The problem is that said darkness it's buried deep underneath clichés, wooden dialogue, absurd sound effects, fluffy romance and sidequests (all support characters' scenes which add nothing of value fall into this). As much as I love comedy, I think this series could've benefited from taking out the forced --and often cringy-- humor in favor for leaning into the melodrama that was at its heart (the only thing I found interesting).
Keep in mind that the reception of this drama has people in two camps. Those who love it and find it hilarious, and those of us who feel like we're trapped in the twilight zone. After some reflection, I believe that if you like watching romance with some story to the side, then this might appeal to you. If, on the other hand, you are like me and you like to watch a story with romance on the side, then I would skip this one.
Episode 11 sums up my experience. The first half dove into the parts I found interesting, focusing on the narrative with a more serious tone. Unfortunately, the last half was weighted down by the standard dose of fluff, cheese and what I can only regard as silly humor (I must say that the "cartoony" sound effects broke me out of the series and often got on my nerves, though I know a lot of people loved them).
The series as a whole had mostly fluffy & nonsensical scenes which never really hooked me or left me wanting more. In the end, I had to muscle through most of the series, forcing myself to keep watching in hopes that it got better. By episode 12 I have given up hope and had decided to drop it.
MAIN CHARACTERS: Dull
-----------------------------------------------------------
Before I dive into the protagonists, I feel the need to make a note about the source material. Since this is a show based on a web series (which I'm unfamiliar with), I curved my expectations and set the bar very low. I intend no offense, but some web series tend to be beautifully drawn but present very superficial stories. Sadly, this show wasn't an exception and, despite my precautions, I was disappointed.
Kim Mi So (female lead): She's introduced as a strong protagonist. She's as perfect as her boss, with elegance and charm to match. Of course, she's also inexperienced with love, easily flustered, lovably clumsy and a bad liar. So after the first few episodes, she became ultimately boring. I kept waiting to be surprised, only to learn that what I saw was what I got. I truly believe that Kim Mi So would've benefitted if she'd been graced with a sharper wit, streets smart, a weird sense of humor... or something that made her stand out. She needed something to break that "perfect" character and give her an edge. Otherwise, you have a lead that falls flat, like eating an unremarkable dish. Sure you don't hate it and you might even finish it, but you won't remember what it tastes like either.
Lee Yeong Joon (male lead): As much as I like Park Seo Joon, his character was the most frustrating. It had less to do with his acting, and more to do with the source material. Lee Yeong Joon was riddled with traits that were so over the top, it was hard to take him seriously. When analyzed outside the story, he had the potential of becoming an interesting character because he's full of contradictions. He's a man who hides his insecurities behind a wall of arrogance. However, instead of using that contradiction as a base for character growth; his arrogant attitude was used to create cheap humor. There's also a lack of commitment from the writer to give him solid traits and stick with them. Case in point, he was introduced as a player, BUT he was never intimate with anyone. He's observant and smart, BUT he failed to see certain things when it mattered (ex. the flower thing). He's supposedly very smart, BUT he constantly misreads situations. He's bold & straightforward, BUT he can't be honest about his feelings. And on and on. One contradiction makes for an interesting character, but when you have so many, it's hard not to see the wishy-washiness of the writer.
ANTAGONIST: Stale
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Lee Sung Yeon (ML's brother & semi-2ML): He's the closest thing to an antagonist we get and, like the leads, he suffers from lack of depth. He's a paper character and never really comes alive. I wasn't able to either hate or love him and the writing made sure of that. He was introduced as a likable character, sweet and observant. Then, in record time, he was unraveled before our very eyes. We were told how to feel about him, rather than make the reveal of his story more impactful by giving us time to relate to him first. So the only thing I felt towards him was a sort of tired indifference.
SUPPORT CHARACTERS: Painfully shallow
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This is a series that got bogged down by having so many two-dimensional support characters who added nothing of value to the story. Chances are that if you skip all of their scenes (most of them which are aimless repetitions of their actions), you won't really miss anything...
PORTRAYAL OF ROMANCE: Fluff with an extra dose of cheese
-----------------------------------------------------------
This romance started on the wrong foot but at least it did move away from a toxic relationship into a more fluffy one. The thing that didn't work for me, aside from the extra dose of cheese, was that the characters felt and acted like kids. This could've been less ridiculous if both characters had been younger. As it stands, watching them made me feel awkward (I also had to fight second-hand embarrassment during most scenes).
Keep in mind, if you like fluffy romance, you might really enjoy this series.
OVERALL: Based on the 12 episodes I watched, I hesitate to recommend it unless you have a high tolerance for fluff.
-----------------------------------------------------------
If the series was edited to take out the parts that were a waste of time, it might've been something wonderful. This could've been a good eight-episode story, but by extending it without having good material, it became mediocre. Though I tried to hold on, it became increasingly difficult with each episode to keep my mind from wandering. Now that I've watched more than half the series, I feel like I can make a proper assessment, which is that I doubt it'll get better and I'm unwilling to put more time into it.
Again, the potential was there but the story fell into the wrong genre. This should've been a romantic melodrama with comedy sprinkled in, not a rom-com with a side of melodrama.
I frankly do not recommend this drama if you are expecting a strong, impactful or memorable story, complex characters that grow as the series progresses and/or something refreshingly new. If, however, you are searching for fluffy romance with lots of scenes dedicated to their courtship, then this might shoot to the top of your list.
-----------------------------------------------------------
As of episode 12, I've decided to drop the series. So keep in mind that the following review is based on my personal taste and those 12 episodes. As such, I encourage and advice everyone to read two or three more reviews before deciding whether you should give this series a shot. Something I hated or was disappointed by might be something you love and was surprised by. This review is subjective, after all.
PLOT: It dragged
-----------------------------------------------------------
The story had potential (to go into a dark and rarely explored territory) which is why I stuck to it as long as I could. The problem is that said darkness it's buried deep underneath clichés, wooden dialogue, absurd sound effects, fluffy romance and sidequests (all support characters' scenes which add nothing of value fall into this). As much as I love comedy, I think this series could've benefited from taking out the forced --and often cringy-- humor in favor for leaning into the melodrama that was at its heart (the only thing I found interesting).
Keep in mind that the reception of this drama has people in two camps. Those who love it and find it hilarious, and those of us who feel like we're trapped in the twilight zone. After some reflection, I believe that if you like watching romance with some story to the side, then this might appeal to you. If, on the other hand, you are like me and you like to watch a story with romance on the side, then I would skip this one.
Episode 11 sums up my experience. The first half dove into the parts I found interesting, focusing on the narrative with a more serious tone. Unfortunately, the last half was weighted down by the standard dose of fluff, cheese and what I can only regard as silly humor (I must say that the "cartoony" sound effects broke me out of the series and often got on my nerves, though I know a lot of people loved them).
The series as a whole had mostly fluffy & nonsensical scenes which never really hooked me or left me wanting more. In the end, I had to muscle through most of the series, forcing myself to keep watching in hopes that it got better. By episode 12 I have given up hope and had decided to drop it.
MAIN CHARACTERS: Dull
-----------------------------------------------------------
Before I dive into the protagonists, I feel the need to make a note about the source material. Since this is a show based on a web series (which I'm unfamiliar with), I curved my expectations and set the bar very low. I intend no offense, but some web series tend to be beautifully drawn but present very superficial stories. Sadly, this show wasn't an exception and, despite my precautions, I was disappointed.
Kim Mi So (female lead): She's introduced as a strong protagonist. She's as perfect as her boss, with elegance and charm to match. Of course, she's also inexperienced with love, easily flustered, lovably clumsy and a bad liar. So after the first few episodes, she became ultimately boring. I kept waiting to be surprised, only to learn that what I saw was what I got. I truly believe that Kim Mi So would've benefitted if she'd been graced with a sharper wit, streets smart, a weird sense of humor... or something that made her stand out. She needed something to break that "perfect" character and give her an edge. Otherwise, you have a lead that falls flat, like eating an unremarkable dish. Sure you don't hate it and you might even finish it, but you won't remember what it tastes like either.
Lee Yeong Joon (male lead): As much as I like Park Seo Joon, his character was the most frustrating. It had less to do with his acting, and more to do with the source material. Lee Yeong Joon was riddled with traits that were so over the top, it was hard to take him seriously. When analyzed outside the story, he had the potential of becoming an interesting character because he's full of contradictions. He's a man who hides his insecurities behind a wall of arrogance. However, instead of using that contradiction as a base for character growth; his arrogant attitude was used to create cheap humor. There's also a lack of commitment from the writer to give him solid traits and stick with them. Case in point, he was introduced as a player, BUT he was never intimate with anyone. He's observant and smart, BUT he failed to see certain things when it mattered (ex. the flower thing). He's supposedly very smart, BUT he constantly misreads situations. He's bold & straightforward, BUT he can't be honest about his feelings. And on and on. One contradiction makes for an interesting character, but when you have so many, it's hard not to see the wishy-washiness of the writer.
ANTAGONIST: Stale
-----------------------------------------------------------
Lee Sung Yeon (ML's brother & semi-2ML): He's the closest thing to an antagonist we get and, like the leads, he suffers from lack of depth. He's a paper character and never really comes alive. I wasn't able to either hate or love him and the writing made sure of that. He was introduced as a likable character, sweet and observant. Then, in record time, he was unraveled before our very eyes. We were told how to feel about him, rather than make the reveal of his story more impactful by giving us time to relate to him first. So the only thing I felt towards him was a sort of tired indifference.
SUPPORT CHARACTERS: Painfully shallow
-----------------------------------------------------------
This is a series that got bogged down by having so many two-dimensional support characters who added nothing of value to the story. Chances are that if you skip all of their scenes (most of them which are aimless repetitions of their actions), you won't really miss anything...
PORTRAYAL OF ROMANCE: Fluff with an extra dose of cheese
-----------------------------------------------------------
This romance started on the wrong foot but at least it did move away from a toxic relationship into a more fluffy one. The thing that didn't work for me, aside from the extra dose of cheese, was that the characters felt and acted like kids. This could've been less ridiculous if both characters had been younger. As it stands, watching them made me feel awkward (I also had to fight second-hand embarrassment during most scenes).
Keep in mind, if you like fluffy romance, you might really enjoy this series.
OVERALL: Based on the 12 episodes I watched, I hesitate to recommend it unless you have a high tolerance for fluff.
-----------------------------------------------------------
If the series was edited to take out the parts that were a waste of time, it might've been something wonderful. This could've been a good eight-episode story, but by extending it without having good material, it became mediocre. Though I tried to hold on, it became increasingly difficult with each episode to keep my mind from wandering. Now that I've watched more than half the series, I feel like I can make a proper assessment, which is that I doubt it'll get better and I'm unwilling to put more time into it.
Again, the potential was there but the story fell into the wrong genre. This should've been a romantic melodrama with comedy sprinkled in, not a rom-com with a side of melodrama.
I frankly do not recommend this drama if you are expecting a strong, impactful or memorable story, complex characters that grow as the series progresses and/or something refreshingly new. If, however, you are searching for fluffy romance with lots of scenes dedicated to their courtship, then this might shoot to the top of your list.
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