This review may contain spoilers
The small alleyways with flickering lights, the lone chair under the streetlight, the sloping hill overlooking the sunset, the quiet overpass atop the busy traffic, the studio filled with music, the plants on the window sill, the reflection of the leaves on the ceiling, all the way to the steps to Hawon's home; all of these instances feel so real, feel so embedded in my mind as if I have walked them myself. It feels like I have healed during the walks between these places and the time spent with these characters and that's what this drama was about: healing. Although there were elements of romance and angst, to me, the main point of this drama was the healing and growth of these characters. Too often, I see dramas with insane or "interesting" plotlines that leave little time towards the actual characterization and development of the characters and I am so glad I got to experience this drama as a breath of fresh air. The story was slow at times, yes, but that is the point, growth for people doesn't happen overnight so why must we act like it does? Why must our stories be fast paced and unauthentic? Admitting grief and facing it takes time and acceptance and this drama helped portray that beautifully.
The acting was great, the scene when Jung Haein showed Hawon crying in the cafe broke me because it was such a simple situation but it felt so real because I can honestly say I have times like that, when the small things not the big just set you off in explainable ways. The characters were mostly all mature, most faced situations in an adult like, reasonable manner which just made me like them all that much. I'm glad there was no unexplained animosity, and I was glad the characters were in touch with their feelings. I am glad Seowoo quickly realized she liked Hawon and I liked that Hawon's character realistically showed that feelings are ambiguous: they don't just exist in black and white. There are times you know you're not in love yet, you have a lot to overcome personally, but another person is still important to you and I am so glad he communicated that directly to Seowoo. People like the homestay family also grew on me, and their stories also touched me deeply. The feelings of these characters were handled so sensitively, I am truly grateful to have seen them all grow.
Obviously there were some aspects that felt rushed, but that's not the blame of anyone in the cast, the director, or the writers because that's just the way it turned out. I wish they had focused a bit more on Seowoo and Jisoo's mental health, because those aspects were touched upon but never fully built upon. But, in a way I also appreciate that because in a way, they normalized having mental health problems such as depression, as well as its treatment such as medication, without making it into a big thing which sometimes portrays it in an even worse manner. The only aspect that didn't fully sell me was Soonho's part, but to others her part might have felt more meaningful. But, once again, I am so glad to have watched this, and definitely the tears were all worth it. So far, my fav drama of 2020 and one of my favs of all time.
The acting was great, the scene when Jung Haein showed Hawon crying in the cafe broke me because it was such a simple situation but it felt so real because I can honestly say I have times like that, when the small things not the big just set you off in explainable ways. The characters were mostly all mature, most faced situations in an adult like, reasonable manner which just made me like them all that much. I'm glad there was no unexplained animosity, and I was glad the characters were in touch with their feelings. I am glad Seowoo quickly realized she liked Hawon and I liked that Hawon's character realistically showed that feelings are ambiguous: they don't just exist in black and white. There are times you know you're not in love yet, you have a lot to overcome personally, but another person is still important to you and I am so glad he communicated that directly to Seowoo. People like the homestay family also grew on me, and their stories also touched me deeply. The feelings of these characters were handled so sensitively, I am truly grateful to have seen them all grow.
Obviously there were some aspects that felt rushed, but that's not the blame of anyone in the cast, the director, or the writers because that's just the way it turned out. I wish they had focused a bit more on Seowoo and Jisoo's mental health, because those aspects were touched upon but never fully built upon. But, in a way I also appreciate that because in a way, they normalized having mental health problems such as depression, as well as its treatment such as medication, without making it into a big thing which sometimes portrays it in an even worse manner. The only aspect that didn't fully sell me was Soonho's part, but to others her part might have felt more meaningful. But, once again, I am so glad to have watched this, and definitely the tears were all worth it. So far, my fav drama of 2020 and one of my favs of all time.
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