Using my personal rating system of "loved," "liked," "meh," & "nah," this is a “loved”.

What I liked:
I have watched this at least three times. Its one of my favorite KDramas ever. The main reason is that the FL is in the same profession as me (except that I hated being a foodservice dietitian and that is her primary area of practice). Well, to be truthful, the main reason is Sung-Hoon (thank you for showing him in swim trunks!!!) but having the same profession as the FL (and to have it accurately portrayed) was a big reason for me, too. Minor additional point of similarity with the FL: I love the scene where she introduces his dinner but gets distracted by his arms and instead announces she’s serving him “vein pasta” that night—because forearms and hands are a major attraction point for me, too.

Other things I liked: the comic relief of the personal assistant; the chemistry between the ML/FL; the SML (and yes, I had SMLS but not too bad since he had plenty of opportunities to confess before she met the ML again; I had watched 100 Days My Prince before this so was happy to see Kim Jae Young again—seriously, that boy needs to do more costume dramas!). I loved the mother and felt bad for her that she could not connect with her daughter. I get the impression that Korean society is very conservative about sex and her sexual liberation was brave. I liked that she did not apologize for who she was and the decisions she’d made in her life. It was just sad that they so negatively affected her daughter.

I love that in the end, the ML chose the FL, chose to stop being a chaebol and go it on his own rather than be under his father’s thumb—while at the same time maintaining a father/son relationship.

Things I did not like so much:
I did get frustrated with the FL’s need to keep secrets (her half-brother), her vulnerability to what others thought about her, and her dislike of herself for having had a one-night stand. She lied to both herself and the ML (though it does all work out in the end). On the other hand, given the bullying she experienced in high school as the result of her mother’s line of work plus the tendency (at least in Kdramaland) Korean society to hold children at fault for the ‘sins’ of their parents, I can see why she was so on edge all the time.

I did not like the jealous girl trope. First of all, if someone has barely noticed you for twelve years, that sounds like a personal problem. You need to get some self-esteem and move on. And why do these characters always think that as soon as they get rid of the FL the ML will magically fall in love with them!? Its lazy, tropey writing and I wish they could have come up with something better.

Minor point: The ML’s dad did a good job acting but there is no way someone who looks like him fathered someone who looks like Sung-Hoon. C’mon.

And I got tired of the “she’s not good enough for you” argument as well. That may be a cultural difference I’m not used to or don’t understand, but why people treated the FL like dirt because of who she was dating was so ridiculous to me.

Final thoughts: This is a favorite for me, personally, but I know its not everyone’s cup of tea. I recommend it, of course, but you do you. :)