A Potentially Great Drama Ruined by Its Ending

This drama starts off excellently, with a unique theme, an engaging narrator, and a solid foundation. The visuals are stunning, the cast delivers great performances, and the conflicts are well-presented.

It explores the many struggles faced by young adults in their late 20s while highlighting deeply rooted Asian culture. Despite being a 24-episode drama with a large cast of characters, every character is well-developed and brought to life.

This drama is emotionally draining for the audience because it portrays situations many people might have experienced. The female lead (FL) has a tough life—at home, school, work, and even in her love life. She endures mental abuse without realizing it. Unfortunately, by the end, she still doesn’t gain this awareness, making her easily forgive people who belittled her—even those who never apologized.

I’m not sure if Xiu Ya is just naturally indifferent or if she has genuinely forgotten what happened, but from a rational perspective, it’s hard to act normal toward people who made even breathing feel like a burden. As an Asian, I’m very familiar with the parenting culture in Asia. The drama portrays this culture so realistically that the mother, who unwittingly hurt her child, never feels remorse or apologizes, even by the end. And it’s true—most parents believe their actions are for their child’s benefit. So if the child gets hurt along the way, that’s just something they have to go through; it’s not the parent’s fault. People often say, “Parents only want what’s best for their children,” but if even we don’t always know what’s best for ourselves, how can someone else?

Shi Ye represents rebellion. Perhaps that’s why he was sidelined in the drama, even though he’s the male lead. This is the first time I’ve seen a male lead without any standout qualities or moments to shine. He never gets the spotlight in the story. Yet his character had so much potential for deeper exploration, which the writer completely squandered. While the other male characters were given numerous strong points, the male lead was left without a single one.

Of all the people close to Xiu Ya, only Shi Ye never told her to apologize. But in the end, why does it feel like Shi Ye’s presence in Xiu Ya’s life was nothing more than a passing breeze? Meanwhile, her ex-boyfriend’s character development is made ridiculously unrealistic.

Zheng Hao is kind; from the start, he just didn’t understand other people’s emotions. Someone like Zheng Hao can indeed become a better person once they start to understand different perspectives. However, in my opinion, people don’t change that quickly. His transformation into a “good” character feels unrealistic, especially since the drama otherwise strives for realism.

Honestly, I feel like it would’ve been better if none of the characters ended up in a relationship. Their thoughts are just too inconsistent. Xiu Ya never realizes what she truly needs, Zheng Hao changes for others, and Shi Ye struggles with low self-esteem after choosing his career path, without even realizing it.

The drama is good—the pacing and the conflicts raised are compelling. The actors genuinely feel like stand-up comedians. Although I didn’t fully understand some of the comedy routines, there were many that made me laugh.

But what’s the point of raising so many social issues if you can’t resolve them?

The reason I gave this drama an 7.5 is that it doesn’t offer closure.

I often watch and read stories with open endings, but none have ever disappointed me as much as this one. Other dramas with open endings still resolve their characters’ issues before leaving things open-ended. This one asks the viewers to resolve the characters’ problems themselves.

So what’s the takeaway from this drama? Frustration? Or a realization of how harsh the world is? Are they saying that even fiction can’t solve these conflicts?

The ending was terrible.

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Don't underestimate dramas that have many main characters

I didn't expect that I would finish forty episodes of this drama without missing any part. Because I watched this drama only because I wanted to see Xu Meng Jie. I didn't watch season 1, so I'm reviewing this drama from what I saw and I understand season 2 only. But to be honest, because season 2 was this good, I got curious and wanted to watch season 1 too. I'm also sad because this drama has ended, when watching this drama I deliberately didn't watch it in a marathon even though the episodes were complete, because I loved the four main characters in this drama too much, so I didn't want this drama to end quickly.

I was surprised by the quality of this drama, to be honest, I haven't watched many Chinese dramas, I mostly watch Korean dramas. Even the Chinese dramas that I watch mostly start from my school days, so the conflicts tend to be light and fun. When watching the drama, I only knew two actors, namely Xu Meng Jie and Guan Xiao Tong. When I found out that this drama has four female leads and four couples, to be honest, it made me step back a little from watching this drama. I just want to see Meng Jie, but I'm afraid that Meng Jie's screen time will only be a little because she is the fourth female lead in this drama. I also know Guan Xiao Tong not as an artist, but as another figure who is quite well-known in K-pop. But this is a lesson not to underestimate drama that has many main characters in one series. This drama is very fun, relaxing, has realistic conflicts, and gives me enough insight into life at the age of 25. I feel lucky that I found and watched this drama.

When watching this drama I fell in love with the story and characters played by Guan Xiao Tong a.k.a Liang Shuang. From the first episode to the last, in my opinion, Liang Shuang's story is the most dense and interesting. Even though I didn't watch season 1, I was hurt and cried when Liang Shuang decided to really broke up with her boyfriend. The scene when Liang Shuang was in the bathroom and crying just looking for a towel (?) really broke my heart. I feel that Liang Shuang and her lover are very match together, but being a match is not enough in this world. When her boyfriend returned, and they talked and imagined about their future if they continued together, I knew that their relationship was really over. They talked about many scenarios and all ended in separation.

Liang Shuang's character is very strong, truly a character that I really admire ((I have the same admiration for Liang Shuang as Xiao Ding admires Liang Shuang)). Liang Shuang really fell, she fell deeply in his relationship and career. I just couldn't imagine falling that far and getting back up in less than a year. It feels unrealistic but it's quite entertaining and gives the audience hope that anything can happen. So I was very happy that even when Liang Shuang finally gave up everything she had striven to become a businesswoman, I think that Liang Shuang is indeed a warrior to the end, so I fully understand her feelings and support her decision. Xiao Guo's character is also very well described regarding office life and the hardships of being in an office environment without connections and relying only on hard work.

Furthermore, I like the portrayal of the character played by Xu Meng Jie a.k.a Xiao Ding. Xiao Ding is an apt description of how most humans live in this world. In contrast to the ambitious Liang Shuang, Xiao Ding is the main character who lacks ambition and is full of imagination. In my opinion, from all the complications of Liang Shuang, Xiao Guo, and Da Bao's conflict, Xiao Ding's character is a breath of fresh air for the audience. The author maintains the consistency of Xiao Ding's character while still providing light conflicts to his character. I mean compared to other characters, Xiao Ding's conflicts tend to be simpler but fun to watch. Even at the end of the episode when Xiao Ding's outline was rejected, the character Xiao Ding alias himself was asked to be deleted by the editor because it was too ordinary. And this is true, Xiao Ding's character is indeed very ordinary, but therein lies his charm. This drama can embrace all kinds of people because of the differences of each main character. The character Xiao Ding is a character that is rarely portrayed in the drama world. I really like writers who can portray ordinary characters in extraordinary ways. Xiao Ding's insecurity due to his ordinary life must also be felt by many people in this world. Including me, so I was also very entertained by Xiao Ding's character.

OH yes, I also just realized that in this drama there is Zhou Yi Ran who also plays in the drama When I Fly Towards You a.k.a Zhang Lu Rang. To be honest, I don't like Zhou Yi Ran a.k.a Yin Shang in this drama. Yin Shang is paired with Da Bao, I think both of them are the image of an immature couple, especially Yin Shang. Zhou Yi Ran acted really well, even though I really like Zhang Lu Rang, but I really don't like Yin Shang. Da Bao is the princess in his family, but his family's sudden bankruptcy makes it difficult for him to adapt. I was happy when Da Bao got through her troubles. She's been working very hard. But I hope she can have a partner who is more mature than him because, in my opinion, Yin Shang is too childish and still often 'runs' from problems. Even around the end of the episode when Da Bao gets into trouble Yin Shang also suggests they run. I'm relieved that Da Bao didn't choose to leave and return in the end.

In this drama, we can see images of various kinds of relationships. I feel the relationships that have been quite stable are the couple Liang Shuang and Jiang Lan Zhou, and Xiao Guo and Qi Song. The two couples already have enough awareness as a couple, and I think their relationship will be fine. They also went through a lot of conflicts together before reaching the relationship, so I think that in the future they can continue to work on existing problems. Precisely a very risky relationship is with the couple Xiao Ding and Doctor Zhu, and Da Bao and Yin Shang. Da Bao and Yin Shang, as I said before, Yin Shang is the type of person who likes to run, I'm afraid that in the future he will run again if their relationship is in trouble. And Da Bao is actually still 'innocent', so I'm afraid she's easily hurt when she's in a relationship.

But for the couple Xiao Ding and Doctor Zhu, this is the most risky pair. Their relationship is described as light and sweet, the conflict that is given is also light. But that light conflict was enough to make a deep enough crack in their relationship. I'm afraid that in the future this couple will start to encounter even more problems, especially since this is Xiao Ding's first relationship. And I feel that season 3 really exists, and the main cast is still the same. Xiao Ding and Doctor Zhu's relationship was the one that was in the most danger. As narrated at the end of the episode "See you at 28" which means that it has entered the phase of the relationship to a further level, namely marriage. Until now there is still a dialogue that bothers me, namely the dialogue of Doctor Zhu's friends when they are fishing. Regarding Doctor Zhu's relationship with his ex which ended not long after meeting Doctor Zhu's parents. And this also quite bothers me because Doctor Zhu once told that his parents still haven't accepted the fact that he chose to become a veterinarian. I think that if season 3 really exists, then it is very likely that this problem will arise in the relationship between Xiao Ding and Doctor Zhu. I really hope that when season 3 comes around, they keep this couple together :(

And that's my review of this drama. I'm confused why this drama is not well-known in my country, because finding subtitles is very difficult. Luckily it was broadcast on Netflix, even though there are only English subtitles, but I'm happy because I can watch this drama with good video and audio quality. This drama is very good, I have watched a Korean drama with a theme like this drama for a while, but I didn't fit in and left it in episode 1. But this drama is not, I really feel close to all the characters in this drama. I hope this drama can be known more. I was amazed by the acting of all the main characters. This drama is one of the most memorable dramas in my heart. I hope you guys watch this drama too, that way you know that you are not alone in this world. We are always faced with all the problems in this world, but in the end, we always get through it somehow. This drama really has a lot of lessons to be learned. Thank you Xu Meng Jie for bringing me to watch such a beautiful drama.

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This is a good drama, but not the best drama

When I watch the first episode, this drama really interesting, i have a high expectation because KSH and SYJ is really exelent actor/actress, when i know it's about psychology and mental health, i became really excited, because one of my favorite drama is It's Okay That's Love and kill me heal me, which is have the similar genre.

When I watch, i think i can learn something about psychology, yeah my bad. Because this drama not really much talk about psychology and mental health, i got disappointed. There's too much focus with romance. Yeah, i know, maybe there's many people who like it and enjoyed, but i got little bit disappointed because mental health not really talk in this drama.

I just can only watch for 15 episode, because i think there's nothing too much to see in episode 16.

I know this drama have a great responses, many people who liked this drama. I know, this is a good drama, because little bit talk about mental health and the actor/actress have really great acting skill. The music too, i really like the ost who sang by Suhyun - Akmu.

If you wanna watch this drama, it's okay, go watch it! Maybe you like it, right?
Because this is a good drama. But, not the best for korean drama :)

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So funny, but my tears are falling

I usually wouldn't want to watch a tragic drama like this, but after seeing a clip of it, I decided to give it a try. I'm so glad I watched it — it was truly the right decision.

It all starts with the very quirky character names, like Hae Jo, which in Korean sometimes sounds like a word for asking for help. Then there's Jae Mi, which sounds like the word for "funny" in Korean, Eo Heung, which sounds like the growl of a tiger, and the comedic highlight is in the name John Na.

This drama really showcases both the romantic comedy and dark comedy genres, making you shake your head as you watch. The most impressive part for me is that I could easily enjoy the presence of all the characters. There really are no "useless characters" in this drama, as each one has solidified their existence with a very unique personality.

It's an odd kind of love triangle, but it gets resolved in a satisfying way. And once again, Oh Jung Se is in a great drama. His character reminds me of Sang Tae (maybe because the writer is the same), but a wiser version (when he's not being a fool in love), similar to his role in Revenant.

I’ve never really connected with Woo Do Hwan’s dramas, but in this one, I was completely mesmerized by him. ((Even though I’m sure Hae Jo hardly ever showers, lol)). Hae Jo’s character really hits that frustration point for me. I thought, how could the writer torture a character this much? Of all the dramas I’ve watched, I feel like Hae Jo is the most unfortunate character (previously, it was Gu Sanyeong in Revenant).

But I think maybe Hae Jo is just someone who easily finds joy... (well, the smell of fried chicken is enough to make him follow a stranger). Even at the end, he feels like his life is more than enough. He says that the last moments of his life were really cool and fun. Even though he wishes he could live longer... well... sigh.

Maybe I also feel that Hae Jo’s life up until now is like a bonus, because if he had gone with his mother to see the stars back then, he probably would have died with her.

I’ve never doubted Lee Yoo Mi’s acting. The first time I saw her in a web drama, she already stood out compared to other actresses in web dramas. In this drama, her smile is so sweet, completely different from her role in All of Us Are Dead (ugh). She’s the cute and naive one — a perfect description for her character, Jo Jae Mi.

Unlike Hae Jo, who is so avoidant with everyone, probably because he’s afraid of being hurt again, Jae Mi is someone who never gives up, has no fear, and is naive. I feel like the word "give up" doesn’t exist in her vocabulary. She’s such a mentally strong character.

With all the bad luck she’s had, including early menopause, I’d say the writer was really too harsh on her, giving her a condition like that when all she wants is a family. But even so, she still manages to smile through it all. Her smile isn’t to hide sadness, but to express sincere and true happiness.

Jae Mi seems to say, "Okay, let’s try another way!"

What happens between Hae Jo and Jae Mi is definitely unfair to Eo Heung. But as a viewer, I also support them getting back together. Their relationship is so funny, but why is the writer so cruel to them? Eo Heung’s love for Jae Mi is truly sincere.

It’s been a while since I’ve seen Kim Min Suk in a K-drama. Even though his character here is somewhat similar to his roles in other dramas, this type of character is definitely the one that suits him best. His relationship with Hae Jo is one of love and hate. He always insults Hae Jo, but he’s the kind of person who would risk his life to help him.

Lee El always nails the role of a cool and quirky woman. Bong Suk really is a turning point for Hae Jo. Hae Jo would probably be dead or even become a criminal if he hadn’t met Bong Suk. Regardless of her job, Bong Suk truly sees Hae Jo as her child. The love from someone with no blood relation is immeasurable. This is so different from Jae Mi’s biological mother, who abandoned her for the second time.

I was initially suspicious of Hae Jo’s real mother, thinking she would immediately tell her husband and have Hae Jo abandoned. But it turns out she hid it (though stressed) and protected Hae Jo so that he wouldn’t be abandoned by his father, who at that time was overly concerned with his image. Even in the end, she still wanted to be with Hae Jo, which is why she invited him to go with her. Her position as a mother was really complicated, although the clinic is the one most at fault! How could they mix it up? — so stupid, ugh!

I like the resolution of this drama because the search for Hae Jo’s biological father only reaches a third party. So, the duration of the drama wasn’t wasted just searching for people. I think it’s because that’s not what’s really important. In the end, Hae Jo just wanted to meet his father again, no matter what, because his happiest memories were with that father — not his biological father, who only passed on misfortune to him.

I also like the open ending that doesn’t tell us whether Hae Jo truly dies at that moment or if he just faints like before. I think that’s the perfect ending. Whatever happens after that, the important thing is that Hae Jo’s bad memories have been replaced with beautiful ones.

Hae Jo is with the people he loves, and who love him back, in the end. This drama kind of shows that the saying "blood is thicker than water" isn’t always true.

As someone who’s always skeptical about Netflix originals (since some have been disappointing), I can confidently say that this is the best Netflix original drama I’ve ever watched in terms of plot and execution. The visuals and sound quality are top-notch (a trademark of Netflix). The story is quirky in a typical Netflix way, but it doesn’t make you furrow your brows. Instead, it makes you laugh, cry, and get angry. The emotional side of the story really hits, even with such a quirky plot.

The actors and actresses in this drama have amazing acting skills. Literally, every character is well-played. The plot is fun but not light, diving into different types of families, parents, and human nature.

This drama is both emotional and enjoyable to watch, to the point where I just watched it without taking the time to judge. I was completely immersed in the plot and emotions. Among the many great dramas that aired this year, I can confidently say that this is the best drama I’ve watched in 2024.

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The most relatable school drama

I found this drama by accident after buying an IQIYI membership, this drama had just finished and was in the top 1. Finally, I tried watching Chinese dramas, at that time I hadn't watched many Chinese dramas and watched Korean dramas more often.

The first impression that I felt while watching this drama was studying. Yep, this drama has 50% of the scene when the main character is studying. The two main actors in this drama are always studying, and that's quite relatable in my opinion because when I was at school studying was the activity we did most often. Even though I don't have a deskmate like Si Yue :'D

And yeah, because of this drama, I also like Chen Zhe Yuan and Rainbow Xu. And because of this drama, I watched the drama Twenty Your Life On Season 2 because I wanted to see Rainbow Xu. I like the acting of both of them which feels flowing. And, I feel the character development of the main character is very good. We can feel that we are growing together with the two main characters. Especially for Ding Xian's character, she is one of my favorite female characters in dramas.

Ding Xian was not born beautiful, smart, or rich. We can really relate to Ding Xian because she is like an ordinary student. She is very ordinary, not very good, but not bad. Ding Xian wasn't quiet, but she wasn't chatty either. Ding Xian wasn't friendly, but not too fierce either. Actually, everything in him is average. That's what made Ding Xian's character easily agitated at the start, apart from being from a small town, she was also insecure with himself which was very ordinary when she moved to a big city. When she was in his city she was a smart student, but when she moved she immediately became an ordinary person and even she was left behind.

Ding Xian's character really shows that hard work can be done by anyone. Whereas Si Yue's character shows Ding Xian that hard work is good, but we also have to work smart, that way all the time and effort we have put in is more effective and efficient. Actually, we must have met someone like Si Yue in the real world. A born intelligent person, he didn't need to study as hard as Ding Xian to reach his position. But I think that's where it's interesting, Ding Xian's jealous of Si Yue is a natural thing, but Ding Xian has a wide heart, the envy she has doesn't make him fall instead it makes him even more excited.

In my opinion, even though it looks like Ding Xian is totally obsessed with Si Yue to the point of following the major Si Yue wants. In fact, I think that if Ding Xian doesn't meet Si Yue, she won't be able to find his own way. Ding Xian doesn't follow Si Yue but tries to find her way while following Si Yue, the person she admires. It was interesting because Ding Xian's character development was really very good. Girls who only know to study, do not understand social life and withdraw. When she grew up Ding Xian developed into a much better human being. Ding Xian who always tries to be there for Si Yue. It was Ding Xian who became strong, so when she was in college it was Ding Xian who reached out her hand to help Si Yue. Of all things, nothing could beat Ding Xian's tenacity.

Si Yue is not a character I like, he has poor emotional control and likes to keep things to herself. But I like it when this story presents a problem for the 'perfect Si Yue', and that problem is related to financial problems which are very related to everyday life. We are mature by circumstances, maybe that is the right sentence to describe this drama.

While watching this drama I feel happy and also sad. I am sad to see Ding Xian has to repeat her third grade to reach her dream university. But I'm happy because, in the end, everything will be beautiful in its time. Ding Xian and Si Yue's struggles finally coincide with each other. They are both warrior characters.

Maybe this drama isn't the best Chinese drama I've ever watched, but this drama is a Chinese drama with a school theme that I like the most.

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A good drama with amazing chemistry

I watched this drama after seeing the clip clip on TikTok. I've wanted to watch Yang Yang's drama for a long time, it's just that nothing suits my taste yet.

In my opinion, the first episode is still quite general, but it is quite a 'hook' for me to continue watching the next episodes. From the start, this drama has determined that outer space will be its main focus. I feel that in this drama the topic of outer space is reviewed, not only as a sweetener for romance. At first, it was quite confusing because episodes 1-10, it was mostly filled with playing games, but in my opinion, it was quite interesting, our initial episode was given a fairly light flow. After entering dozens of episodes, this drama has just shown a plot that is starting to get serious but can still be enjoyed and doesn't make us think hard.

In my opinion, the flow of this drama is also quite neat, although in some parts it is sometimes a little slow. But for me, who is very new to the Yu Tu profession, the explanation given is quite an illustration, even though some terms are still not understandable. To be honest, I often watch Chinese dramas that tend to be light and start plots from high school. This is the second Chinese drama that I watched with a plot that didn't start in high school, and it was quite refreshing because the demeanor wasn't heavy either.

I think the most interesting thing about this drama is that the conflicts raised are common conflicts that often occur in the real world but are not discussed too often in dramas. Yu Tu becomes insecure when he is with Jing Jing. In fact, from the start, we have shown that Yu Tu is quite insecure about his job. He takes pride in his work, he also loves his job. But the demands from the environment make him feel less valuable, this is because he doesn't have enough income according to society's standards, and also doesn't have enough time. And this is also a strong reason why Yu Tu rejects Jing Jing for the second time. I think this is one of the toughest conflicts that happen in the real world, and I like the way Yu Tu is finally able to fight his insecurities without trying to bring Jing Jing down to his class.

The problems that Yu Tu and Jing Jing face are real problems that often occur in the real world, especially for couples who are both pursuing careers. Even though it seems difficult to have the same ending as this drama if it happened in real life, I think this drama can be a reference and lesson for adults in starting a relationship. As Yu Tu said, a relationship will not work if one party feels that they are always making sacrifices.

I think the relationship between the two in this drama depicts the relationship between two adults. Both Yu Tu and Jing Jing both understood each other's preoccupations. Both of them always try to support each other. They do this not because they sacrifice themselves to maintain a difficult relationship, but because they want their partner to be a better person.

I like it because the two main characters in this drama are consistent until the end of the drama but still have developments. Like Yu Tu's character who was often insecure from the start, actually, until the end, Yu Tu was also often insecure, but Yu Tu at the end was far more optimistic about the world and himself. Likewise, Jing Jing from the beginning was indeed quite a confident person, and until the end, Jing Jing was always a light for the people around her.

And there's something I like about this drama, which is when they talk about how smart people in class weren't as rich as normal people in school. This drama shows that the definition of success cannot only be measured by money. Sometimes there are achievements that not everyone can understand but you want to achieve them. Because like the title of this drama, that's your Glory. Until the end, Yu Tu's income will never be greater than Jing Jing's, but Yu Tu's pride as a spaceman will never be lost because of that.

And one more thing that is very special and I like this drama. The chemistry between Yang Yang and Dilraba is truly insane. I feel like the two of them are a couple because both of them act very naturally and well. This is both very good and 'bad'. It's very good because I enjoyed this drama from beginning to end, but it's very bad. I haven't been able to enjoy another Yang Yang and Dilraba's dramas because I still think about Yu Tu and Jing Jing.

I feel that Yu Tu is one of the most 'green flag' characters in Chinese dramas. I feel that Yu Tu has pretty good emotional control, he is also the type of person who thinks before he acts. Yu Tu was polite and always asked permission first whenever he wanted to do something. Yu Tu is a good colleague and has high empathy. When watching this drama, I want to have Yu Tu in the real world :') but I'm sure I won't be able to become Jing Jing in the real world. Jing Jing is an extraordinary woman. Jing Jing is truly a sincere and courageous person. Jing Jing is very bright both intellectually and emotionally. I think Yu Tu's world is much brighter after meeting Jing Jing. Jing Jing is light for Yu Tu. And they are both perfect for each other.

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Nice but yeah

This drama just so so. It's really nice to watch it when i got nothing to watch. Actually in the beginning this drama is so interesting, but when it come to episode 5, the drama became too slow and like making me ask about what the lead female do?

And actually what made me unable to give this drama a higher rating because at first I thought this drama would be about badminton. But in this drama they only practice and rarely compete. I'm just disappointed, because it can be more fun and interesting if they compete often.

I know romance is good, but in this drama too much romance and yeah... I like the chemistry, but I want more plot covered in this drama.

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Interesting story but bad ending

The drama is very enjoyable, but when in episode 16 everything is very messy, the consistency of the character that was built from episodes 1 to 15 is broken. I suggest if you want to watch this drama, stop at episode 15.

I personally still don't like the character of Na Hee Do's mother, even though that have been told the reason for her mother's behavior like that. But I never saw her mother regret all the things she did to Hee Do. All that her mother asks is always Hee Do to understand her position. Very selfish in my opinion.

Actually i really love Hee Do character when she was eighteen. Very bright and optimist. I know became adult is hard, but actually it doesn't change people so much like Hee Do, maybe it does change, but it doesn't show the change as clearly as Hee Do. Adult Hee Do it's really dark and like have no soul in her body. I don't know, I'm just like, after she got adult, she never been happy again in her life.

People always say this drama is very realistic, but actually I didn't find that in this drama. The adults I know, they can act like they forgot the past and move on with their lives. while Hee Do is like an adult who is still stuck at the age of twenty-one. And it feels like the younger Hee Do is dead from it.

I just hope that Na Hee Do grows up to be brighter than that, because that's what life is for. People come and go. That way we can take lessons in life that not everything we want will go according to plan. And we know that we must always be ready to overcome it all.

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Too Many Messages That Want to be Conveyed.

From what I know, when we create a story, we should include messages that readers can take away after reading it. But we shouldn't tell readers what they should take from our story.

This drama explicitly teaches viewers what message they should take away after watching it.

That's what makes this drama quite awkward to watch as the final episodes approach. They want to convey so many messages and lessons that the flow of the story becomes rushed in their attempt to deliver these messages.

Honestly, the acting and chemistry of the cast were quite good in episodes 1 to 8. But as the end approached, the performances of the main characters JSM and JHI felt very awkward and forced. It even seemed like it wasn’t well written. They appeared to be acting, presenting disjointed scenes that seemed created just to convey specific messages.

Among all the characters, the second couple had stronger character development. Their arcs flowed well, and their story is what kept me engaged in finishing this drama. Honestly, the character with the weakest writing in this drama is Seok Ryu. His character seems not fully developed, making me, as someone who has watched JSM since "Playful Kiss," feel that his acting here is quite poor. It lacks naturalness, is overly exaggerated, and looks like acting. He has always succeeded in portraying characters well in previous dramas. JHI’s acting also felt very awkward; I've seen her perform several times, but here, her performance is the weakest compared to her previous dramas.

And the most disappointing thing is that, despite having four main characters in this drama, the first couple and second couple do not have a strong enough bond to portray a 'friendship' among the four of them. This is very different from watching dramas like "Fight My Way" or "Because This Is My First Life."

For this drama, I genuinely regret the writers and director for creating something like this. Both are quite well-known for producing quality dramas, so my expectations were high. Additionally, the genre doesn't fit the drama. I couldn’t find the romantic comedy elements in this show. Romance might be seen at the end of the episodes, but where's the comedy? This drama should have been labeled as a slice of life.

This drama actually has the potential to be good. The side character stories are well-crafted and not boring to watch. The issue lies in the main characters' stories, which are the most tedious, even though they are the core of the drama. That's what makes this drama less engaging.

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I Can’t Stop Smiling.

I never planned to watch this drama. In fact, I only found out about it when episode 1 aired. But from the first episode, it was already so interesting that I decided to give it a try. And I couldn’t stop smiling throughout the entire episode.

If you liked the drama Weightlifting Fairy Kim Bok Joo, there’s a good chance you’ll enjoy this one too, because it has a similar vibe. The female lead is strong, even stronger than the male lead. That doesn’t mean the male lead is weak—they just have their own way of protecting the people they care about.

The storyline of this drama is well-organized and neatly packaged. With only twelve episodes, all the conflicts are resolved. Similar to Weightlifting Fairy Kim Bok Joo, this drama often breaks the cliché scenes typically found in dramas.

In my opinion, this drama was even intentional from the beginning in breaking stereotypes that exist in our society. For example, the idea that men must always be masculine and aren’t allowed to cry, or that women always need men to protect them. In this drama, Min Ju cries a lot because he’s sensitive. However, this doesn’t take away his masculinity at all—in fact, it adds to his charm.

Similarly, Young Ju’s character always tries to solve her problems on her own. She doesn’t need the male lead to save her. She’s the kind of person who will save herself no matter what. While portrayals of strong female characters like Young Ju are becoming more common in dramas, I think Min Ju’s character is quite new and something I haven’t seen in other dramas.

The relationship between the two leads is so sweet! I love that this drama doesn’t drag things out and wraps everything up in just 12 episodes. But because of that, I’m sad that next week I won’t get to see this adorable couple anymore.

The PTSD experienced by Chan Hwi’s character reminds me of the movie Shutter Island. In that film, it shows how many war veterans suffer from post-traumatic stress like this. I love that this drama explores that topic.

What I also appreciate is that even though this drama highlights the theme of “independent women,” the writer manages not to belittle men. In this drama, we can see that women and men actually complement each other, not compete.

For me, episode 8 is the best episode of this drama. The emotions take you on a rollercoaster in a single episode. I absolutely loved the voice note from Young Ju’s grandmother—it freed Young Ju from her feelings of guilt and, at the same time, freed her grandmother from her own guilt. That voice note liberated them both.

I also liked how the main leads’ relationship transitioned into romance without any over-the-top love-bombing scenes. Instead, they gave us small, sweet interactions that were enough to make me grin from ear to ear while watching.

The resolution for Young Ju’s career conflict was also great, in my opinion. Young Ju is so competent that if she continued working at Jisang, she’d definitely get promoted. But maybe that’s not what Young Ju wants. She’s spent almost her entire life living for others, and finally, she starts living for herself. It’s also reassuring to know that Min Ju is by her side.

I absolutely love all the characters in this drama, including the people in the village of Bae Gok. They aren’t just comedic relief but also drive the plot forward. Their characters are so fresh—not just drama clowns.

Two couples in one drama, and both of them have solid stories. The first couple shines so brightly, but the second couple also gets their moment. I’m beyond satisfied with this drama. Finally, in 2024, I got to watch a rom-com drama that’s truly filled with rom-com moments :) Lately, I’ve been falling for clickbait dramas (if you know what I mean).

This drama is so sweet that I can’t review it in as much detail as I usually do because I was too busy smiling while watching it. Honestly, I think you should just watch it yourself to understand what I mean, lol.

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The best drama in 2023

Watching this drama reminds me of the drama Pinocchio, even though it's a different genre, the plot of this drama has similar stages. This drama really has a very neat plot and minimal plot holes. With 12 episodes of this drama, it manages to present the plot in each episode very well. The story given in each episode has a very consistent quality and is not one-sided. This drama is very intense and gets more intense and gripping with each new episode.

The acting of the actors also deserves thumbs up. We have succeeded in getting into the story of each actor so that when these actors are in danger or even die, feelings of pain and sadness really feel as if we have known them for a long time. This drama is a horror genre, but I often cry when I'm watching this drama.

The message of this drama, which I think is very good. We can know that even though ghosts are evil, we can also see that humans can be even more evil than ghosts. Where greed is the real ghost. Greed is a trait that eats away at the human heart and turns it into a breathing ghost. This drama is very extraordinary depicting human greed for worldly things. Where all the problems in this drama are not born because of ghosts, but because of human greed. This drama also shows how dangerous it is if we can't love ourselves. How dangerous it is when we become people who hurt ourselves, blame, and hate ourselves. At least, among the many bad things and bad people in this world, don't let us become one of them. If the world is mean to us, at least we have to be good to ourselves.

I was really saddened by Sanyeong's character who suffered from the past, and how hard she lived all this time. How spacious her heart is to care for her mother who has severe trauma when she also has trauma. When she had been living not for himself, and when she wanted to live for himself suddenly she was diagnosed with a disease. I feel like I want to hug Sanyeong, wants me to tell him that all this time she has lived very well. I hope in the future she can walk on the flower path.

Actually, I'm one of Hongsae Sanyeong's team compared to Haesang Sanyeong. I don't know what the writer made, but for me from the beginning of the episode, I felt that Haesang was not someone who pursues worldly things. This is proven at the end of the episode by donating all of his family's assets to the community. So I think Haesang is not the typical person who wants to have a romance genre in his life. Not to mention that during my drama marathon, I avoided all spoilers, so I didn't know that this drama was divided into two teams. But my honest opinion looking at Haesang and Sanyeong, they both feel more like two unfortunate people who met each other. They both could feel feelings of sadness for each other that others couldn't easily feel. But the two don't depend on each other, more like when you fall, you will be relieved when you see other people also fall, then you laugh together. Well, at least we're not ashamed to be alone. That's how they both look to me.

Haesang is such a pitiful character, he is forced to pay for his entire extended family's sins. He seems to be forced to take responsibility for a sin he did not commit. But I think Haesang lives up to it. And another reason why I can't see Haesang and Sanyeong's relationship as romantic is that they both met because of a 'ghost' in common. Every time they met they only talked about ghosts, Haesang wasn't interested in Gu Sanyeong, but she was attracted by the evil spirit that clung to her body. Likewise, Sanyeong is not interested in Yeom Haesang, but he needs Haesang's help to get rid of the evil spirit from his body. From the beginning of the conversation, the two of them never discussed themselves with each other, they weren't too curious about each other's lives unless they had something to do with ghosts. So I feel their relationship is more like partners in crime. And that's interesting, I feel like this kind of platonic relationship must exist in the real world.

This is a little different from Hongsae, from the past, like Hongsae, he was amazed by Sanyeong, with her hardworking nature. Hongsae, who at first didn't really know Sanyeong, was able to distinguish the real Sanyeong and not at the end of the episode. We know that all this time apart from chasing evil spirits, Hongsae has also been paying attention to Sanyeong. Although I don't know if Sanyeong also feels the same way. But at the end of the episode, it can be seen that the two of them are talking about themselves, not about ghosts.

I think this is one of the hints that the two of them have started to open up to each other. When they started talking about themselves. I feel that Hongsae is interested in Sanyeong, but he appreciates Sanyeong who is still going through a hard time. I don't know what Sanyeong's feelings for Hongsae are like, but I can realize that Hongsae likes Sanyeong secretly. He doesn't need to have Sanyeong, he just wants to be someone who can take care of Sanyeong. I think this is a very interesting thing, where I can see pure love in dramas in the Horror genre. Hongsae knows that what Sanyeong needs right now isn't a lover, but serenity, so he always tries to be beside Sanyeong.

I feel this drama has a bittersweet ending. I'm sad for the character who died, but I'm also sad for the reason the spirit became an evil spirit. I can't explain how I felt when I finished watching this drama, I was relieved and happy but at the same time, I was also very sad and felt like crying. The writer really wrote this drama very well. I'm happy because the writer made this drama end with an open ending. Even though it's an open ending, all the problems in this drama have been resolved properly, so there's nothing that stands in the way of this drama. Everything is done, then we are left to our own imagination.

In my opinion, this is the best drama in 2023, the drama plot is very neat and has consistent quality in each episode. Minimal plot holes combine horror and mystery very well and are not too imaginative. It has a good story message, the story is also presented in a very interesting and not boring way. The acting of the actors is extraordinary and the feelings can be conveyed well to the audience.

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My dream scenario

A fun, light, and sweet drama. This drama has a plot that I wish could happen in my own life, or in a story that I will write. This drama really gives a picture of human happiness. Actually, it may sound very unrealistic, but for some reason, especially for this drama, I abandoned the reality aspect and focused on enjoying the drama.

I like the female lead who is portrayed as an independent and strong woman but not shy to smile, laugh and be happy. Zai Zai doesn't need a suit to look dignified, only with her soft cardigan she can still be seen as a dignified woman. While watching the first episode I was very amused and embarrassed by the clichéd story, but in episode 3, I started to fall in love with Zai Zai's character. Zai Zai's very sweet and lovely character touched not only Lu Rang's heart but also mine.

I think the development of the two main characters in this drama is very good. They really complement each other. Other characters like Guran and Jiang Jia are also quite entertaining. To be honest I also like the story of Guan Fang and his grandmother, it's very touching and I like the dialogue from Guan Fang's grandmother to Guan Fang who says that Guan Fang doesn't need to be the main character to be noticed.

While watching this drama, I felt that it would be nice if I could meet someone like Zhang Lu Rang, but at that moment I realized that I must be able to become Su Zai Zai for that. To be honest I really admire Zai Zai, and hope to be like him one day.

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Hair may be messy, but the flow remains neat

I think this drama deserves to get a 2-digit rating and is in first place in the OTT rankings. Here's why:

The actors' acting is extraordinary. Honestly, this is the first time I've seen Chun Woo Hee and Claudia Kim's acting, but their acting is really wow. Moreover, Chun Woo Hee... there is a reason why she is a Chungmoro. The quality of her acting is above the average Korean actress I have ever seen. And Claudia Kim, I know she's played in Fantastic Beasts, but I've never actually seen her act. But when I look at it, wow... so far, of the many Korean dramas that have the theme of body transformation, the depiction of people with large bodies is the most similar to that depicted by Claudia Kim. And I was amazed by the stylist who paid attention to the details of the transformation from the neck to the fingers.

As for Park So Yi, I've been attracted to her acting since watching See You In My 19th Life. And her acting is really that good and cool... if she consistently stays in good projects like this, maybe she can follow in Kim Hyang Gi's footsteps.

Lastly, Jang Ki Young's acting. One word, WAH. I watched quite a lot of Jang Ki Young's dramas, from Come and Hug Me, until the last time I saw him briefly in the drama Now, We Are Breaking Up. His acting is really good and satisfying in this drama. The best compared to his previous dramas. Maybe it's also because, in the end, he didn't get the role of a cool guy or a little talker, here he stepped out of the character he usually plays, really friendly hahaha.
And what amazed me the most, in episode 12, was his acting was crying, wow... I didn't know he could act that well. Until the veins on his face pop out too. This time Jang Ki Young can finally shine in his drama. If I remember correctly, Jang Ki Young has often been a male lead, but usually, the female lead or other actors are highlighted. But now he has finally succeeded in really giving off his aura in this drama.

This drama can highlight all the existing characters and doesn't make us feel like we're wasting time when scenes other than the main character appear. Even the excited Loveline between I Na and Joon Woo is one of the most eagerly awaited scenes in this drama. Da Hae's family all have strong characters and are really wow. All the actors here managed to attract the audience's attention even though they didn't have much screen time.

What makes this drama deserve more popularity than it is now is the plot. This drama only has 12 episodes, and it was the right decision to make this drama only 12 episodes. Just like when I reviewed Revenant, this drama also has a neat plot and very few plot holes. Each episode is reviewed interestingly and even though there are a lot of back-and-forth scenes, it's not confusing at all because it's made that clear.

I'm a fan of stories on the topic of parallel worlds. If you research it more, it's not just superpowers or ordinary time travel, but it also has parallel worlds. Like Doraemon who came to Nobita so that he could be successful like in the future where Doraemon was there and it came true, this drama also makes Gwiju in the present go back to the past so that the future where Da Hae is there comes true. And that wowed me. Moreover, the ending of this drama is unpredictable. The ending is not forced but makes good use of ideas and genre.

The production quality, the filters they use, and the soundtrack they use make us feel like we are in the drama when we watch it. Our focus is really on this drama. I'm one of those people who is often skeptical about Korean dramas that have the fantasy genre because so far the only Korean drama in the fantasy genre that has a satisfying ending for me is Moving. But it seems like this drama is the second Korean fantasy drama I am very satisfied with the ending.

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Dramatic but not dramatic

Welcome to Samdalri is Ji Changwook's drama that I watched again after only managing to finish his drama entitled The K2.
This drama doesn't seem to be very popular internationally compared to other dramas that also air in the same slot. This drama has a vibe like a mixture of the dramas Hi Bye Mama, When the Camellia Blooms, and Hometown Cha-cha-cha with conflicts that are much lighter than those three dramas.

All the characters in this drama are interesting and have their own characteristics. My favorite character is Cha Ha-Yul, the daughter of Cho Hae-dal, namely Sam-Dal's younger sister.
In my opinion, the plot of this drama cannot be called slow, because actually every episode always reviews and resolves problems, so every episode is worth watching or even needs to be watched to better understand the plot.
It is true that perhaps the nature of this drama which tends to be relaxed and not dramatic might make us a little bored, but in my opinion, this is not something that can reduce the point of this drama.

I like the development of each character which doesn't develop significantly, but looks like it will continue to develop in the future.

This drama is like a comfort zone when you don't want to think about very complicated things, theories, and secrets.
I also like the resolution of Bang Eun-Ju's conflict which is not made dramatic. This drama from the start always focused everything on Sam-dal's character, they didn't want the audience's focus to run to Bang Eun-ju when she finally got her karma.
Actually, this drama has many messages that can be taken away. But I don't think I need to explain it because everyone has their own perception.

In terms of flow, I think it's pretty good, but not so great that I can rate it more than 8.5. But this drama is really enjoyable and I always look forward to it every week. This drama feels like a friend, watching it makes us feel calm and comfortable.
I really appreciate all the actresses and actors who play in this drama, after a long time I finally really saw a drama where all the actors acted very well, especially the Hanyeo ladies who always entertained every scene they appeared in. Maybe because in this drama there are not many newcomer actors, and newcomer actors such as Cha Ha-yul and Gong Ji-chan also play very well. This drama also attracts the idol, Kang Mina. But Kang Mina's acting is one of the idols with good acting, so it doesn't matter what her real profession is, in this drama Kang Mi-na is Cho Hae-dal.

This drama doesn't seem like an interesting drama to rewatch because the conflict is simple but relatable. I think it will take a while to remember the plot of this drama because it is packaged in the easiest way to digest.
Apart from that, this drama is a good drama and I highly recommend it to be watched with friends, family, and all your favorite people.

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