Appearances matter

I think this drama proves that when it comes to looks we can all be quite shallow, so suspend beliefs and prejudices and enjoy.

Handsome male lead dates girls purely on their looks and in a very short time (average 2 months) realises their personality is not attractive enough to continue so drops them.
Our FL has never measured up to society's standards of good looking and in her youth was bullied and teased (she assumes) for her looks so has low confidence in this area.
Set the scene for the beautiful ML to be the model for her art class and she becomes in lust for him.

The fantasy of her wearing a ring that cloaks her real appearance allows her the chance to experience an adorable guy being devoted to her. The fact that no one else can see her transformation is the twist. She luckily stays true to her own personality, probably, because she realises this is a temporary transformation and not likely to last. ML finds that her unaffected personality is very attractive and falls deeply in love.

I liked the tension of when she is exposed but not the execution. The 2FL is also given some sympathy as her backstory is revealed.
The ML is also shown as vulnerable due to his relationship to his mother. The FL is the luckiest because she has very loving parents who are good role models for love.
The story is entertaining and as a fantasy drama it works well.

Read More

Kpop exploitation explored.

NB If you choose this drama because it has a comedy genre I think this is misleading. This is not a fluffy romance. It explores the very unhealthy actions of the victim rescuer dynamic.

This drama highlights what happens when a young girl, who due to earlier neglect by her money grasping mother, decides to become an idol. She is groomed by her manager and eventually becomes a money making product. Along the way she begins to experience crippling anxiety. This is conveniently ignored by her manager until during a concert she collapses. He then bundles her off to live in an apartment that is part of a shared household.

An insight Doona gets later in the story is that the managers deliberate ghosting of her during this mental breakdown is to force her to suffer loneliness and isolation and drive her back under his control.

FL Doona is an emotional red flag mess.
she has no close friends, anger issues, abandonment issues and severe anxiety and depression. She acts out aggression in very inappropriate ways (using glass bottles as a weapon) and has never experienced love.
ML Won Joon enters the story as a student studying for his engineering degree who moves into the share house to be closer to college. He has left behind his single parent mother and a chronically ill younger sister. He has also had an unrequited love with a former childhood female Jin Joo whom he perceived to be out of his league due to her families wealth.

The story depicts the initial misunderstandings and then eventual curiosity and attraction between the two leads. Both actors represent their characters excellently.

The ending is left open for us to choose what happens next and this is very suitable after all the angst each character has faced in this relationship.

One thing I felt was that these two people needed to meet to help each of them to grow and heal. Both show more maturity and better boundaries in the end.

Read More