I generally try to be strict in my reviews and in my scores but omg, everyone is right, this is, indeed, a masterpiece, an absolute must watch! A wonderful light-hearted story about love and friendship, with a brilliant backround story, very nice music and amazing acting. But these things aren't what made this show good, it is the fact that they all blend so wonderfully together and the result is a masterpiece, really a masterpiece.
(i'm sorry for such a huge review, but i tried to be very thorough about it, it is worth it)
STORY
The show basically says that every person has some kind of psycological problem, and the main premise of the show is that no matter how bad you feel, or what problem you have, LOVE will make them go away if you let it. And not romantic love necessarilly but any kind of love, family, friendship ect.
This is probably the first thing i'll need to praise about this show. Usually in dramas we see only one side of someone's life. The family, or the marriage/romantic relationship or the friends. Here we see them all. The characters are so real because of it. We see the family and how important they are, how many problems they may cause to us, but no matter the problems family is always there, and just as they caused them, they can as easily take them away if we let them (i appreciated this because i face something similar in my life). The drama also shows how important friendship is. In most dramas, the main character has 1 best friend (if any at all), who sometimes is related to (a sibling or something). Here we have many interactions, the drama showcases how friends can help get over things, can help us heal, be there for us (i appreciated this because i do believe friendship is the MOST important part of someone's life). And lastly, love, true unconditional love, can set you free of anything, no matter how severely damaged you may be, love can heal you completely.
Next thing i have to praise is the backstory here, and most importantly the way the story is told. In most Kdramas we have the love story get unfolded in the first 10 episodes and some hints of the backstory, and then in episodes 13-15 we get huge revealings or a past event. I've been saying again and again in my other reviews how the plot is underdeveloped because of this simpre problem. It's okay, that's love sets itself apart from the other dramas. The backstory gets revealed a little at a time in every episode. We get enough to keep us wanting more, but also they don't spoil anything huge. Congrats to the writers for finally making what i was asking for so long happen. Amazing plot writing!
Another thing to praise here, and something that most dramas fail to do is to make me/us care about ALL the characters. It usually is the main couple/triangle that dramas make us care about. It's okay, that's love, firstly doesn't have a love triangle, and that's a good thing because the main couple has such AMAZING chemistry, a 2nd man/woman wouldn't have a chance in getting between them. Secondly, the cast here is kinda big, but i seriously wanted to know more about everyone! Everyone has some kind of problem, everyone wants help, everyone tries their best, and i really enjoyed all of the stories. Also the show made me feel like i was silently sitting there with them, as a member of their pack having fun and sharing my life. It felt wonderful. Not many shows have the ability to make you feel so close to the characters just by watching the show, and just in 16 episodes!! All the characters were amazing. Once again, TOP NOTCH writing, BRAVO!
Furthermore, the main character is a psychiatrist, so there are some cases about psycological problems coming and going through the episodes, and we see them through the female protagonist's work. All of them are amazing, but what i loved was that they didn't pay too much attention to them (a problem i had with other dramas), they show them enough to make each episode more interesting, and to make a point sometimes, but the show focuses on the characters and the relationships. I mean the main premise of the show doesn't get compromised by these separate cases. Yes, i will say it again, AMAZING WRITING!
Seriously, i have nothing bad to say about the plot here. It is simple, don't expect anything super extraordinary, even the backstory has been done before. What makes everything amazing is the reality of the characters, the way they react in front of their problems, and probably this is the most amazing part of the show!
ACTING
Seriously, EXQUISITE!
Jo In Sung, was wonderful, i could see the pain in his eyes through the show. He was funny when he was supposed to be, he was heartbreaking when he was supposed to be. He made me feel what he was feeling completely. Wonderful actor.
Gong Hyo Jin. This is my 2nd drama with her as the lead (the first was Master's sun where she didn't amaze me THAT much). I was amazed by her acting here, she was amazing, i loved her character a lot, she portrayed her problems very nicely. One thing i can say is that she needs to work on her crying, i had the same problem in Master's sun. Other than that, she was wonderful.
I won't say something about the whole cast, i will never finish writing this review. Everyone was very good, i have nothing bad to say, all the supporting cast did their best, and delivered in the best way possible, Song Dong Il and Lee Kwand Soo were hilarious and cute. Yank Ik Jun and Jin Kyung were heartbreaking. D.O's acting was top notch for an idol, congrats everyone.
RECOMMENT/REWATCH
If everything that i've written thus far haven't sold the show to you, then nothing will. 10/10 recommend, must watch. It isn't heavy as a show, it is easy to watch, funny, but still emotional and it has to be and truthful. Really great, a must watch.
I would easily rewatch this, mostly to see the amazing love story development, since we don't see the usual "i love you but we can't be together, because i have a past, and i like someone else, oh and life is messy, and lets have 5835775074543753 conversations about how we love each other and then break each other's hearts". Here we talk about love and we go straight to it!!
EPISODES
About the episodes, i feel the need to say the first episode is kinda confusing, or at least it was for me. I didn't understand much of what was happening in the first episode, if that happens to you don't let that stop you, the 2nd one sets everything straight. The first episode introduces many characters and situations all at once and it kind of ends up confusing.
Episodes 2-6 are AMAZING. Funny, light hearted, easy to watch, but still shocking because of the back story revealings i told you earlier, yes you won't expect what happens believe me!
Episodes 7-11 are a bit slower, but they go straight ahead to the love relationship part. Something not seen in other dramas (again) we get to see their relationship as a couple. How they work with each other, and get to know each other, and learn to ignore the bad things, and love them instead. Usually dramas end up with the main couple being together, but this drama starts with that!
Episodes 12-16. Get ready to cry especially in 13-14-15. Here's my favourite part of the show, the story picks up again here, it goes faster. The end was great, in the final episode some unnecessary things happen but it is still fun and the i finished it with a HUGE smile on my face and some wonderful messages that i will treasure forever.
OVERALL
Sorry that this was too long, but seriously it is worth it. The 2nd best kdrama i have ever watched. Amazing in every way. Not so much because of plot, but because of all the amazing little things that ended up making this show THIS perfect! What i appreciated probably the most was that its structure was different than the usual kdramas (you know how kdramas have some certain points you expect to always watch, like a love triangle, and 2nd characters being kind of ignored), it was refreshing watching something that has a different development. This show taught me a lot, and the most important thing i was taught was TO LOVE MYSELF and accept him no matter what! I'll treasure that! The writers deserve awards! I will miss it greatly, it needs an american remake!
(i'm sorry for such a huge review, but i tried to be very thorough about it, it is worth it)
STORY
The show basically says that every person has some kind of psycological problem, and the main premise of the show is that no matter how bad you feel, or what problem you have, LOVE will make them go away if you let it. And not romantic love necessarilly but any kind of love, family, friendship ect.
This is probably the first thing i'll need to praise about this show. Usually in dramas we see only one side of someone's life. The family, or the marriage/romantic relationship or the friends. Here we see them all. The characters are so real because of it. We see the family and how important they are, how many problems they may cause to us, but no matter the problems family is always there, and just as they caused them, they can as easily take them away if we let them (i appreciated this because i face something similar in my life). The drama also shows how important friendship is. In most dramas, the main character has 1 best friend (if any at all), who sometimes is related to (a sibling or something). Here we have many interactions, the drama showcases how friends can help get over things, can help us heal, be there for us (i appreciated this because i do believe friendship is the MOST important part of someone's life). And lastly, love, true unconditional love, can set you free of anything, no matter how severely damaged you may be, love can heal you completely.
Next thing i have to praise is the backstory here, and most importantly the way the story is told. In most Kdramas we have the love story get unfolded in the first 10 episodes and some hints of the backstory, and then in episodes 13-15 we get huge revealings or a past event. I've been saying again and again in my other reviews how the plot is underdeveloped because of this simpre problem. It's okay, that's love sets itself apart from the other dramas. The backstory gets revealed a little at a time in every episode. We get enough to keep us wanting more, but also they don't spoil anything huge. Congrats to the writers for finally making what i was asking for so long happen. Amazing plot writing!
Another thing to praise here, and something that most dramas fail to do is to make me/us care about ALL the characters. It usually is the main couple/triangle that dramas make us care about. It's okay, that's love, firstly doesn't have a love triangle, and that's a good thing because the main couple has such AMAZING chemistry, a 2nd man/woman wouldn't have a chance in getting between them. Secondly, the cast here is kinda big, but i seriously wanted to know more about everyone! Everyone has some kind of problem, everyone wants help, everyone tries their best, and i really enjoyed all of the stories. Also the show made me feel like i was silently sitting there with them, as a member of their pack having fun and sharing my life. It felt wonderful. Not many shows have the ability to make you feel so close to the characters just by watching the show, and just in 16 episodes!! All the characters were amazing. Once again, TOP NOTCH writing, BRAVO!
Furthermore, the main character is a psychiatrist, so there are some cases about psycological problems coming and going through the episodes, and we see them through the female protagonist's work. All of them are amazing, but what i loved was that they didn't pay too much attention to them (a problem i had with other dramas), they show them enough to make each episode more interesting, and to make a point sometimes, but the show focuses on the characters and the relationships. I mean the main premise of the show doesn't get compromised by these separate cases. Yes, i will say it again, AMAZING WRITING!
Seriously, i have nothing bad to say about the plot here. It is simple, don't expect anything super extraordinary, even the backstory has been done before. What makes everything amazing is the reality of the characters, the way they react in front of their problems, and probably this is the most amazing part of the show!
ACTING
Seriously, EXQUISITE!
Jo In Sung, was wonderful, i could see the pain in his eyes through the show. He was funny when he was supposed to be, he was heartbreaking when he was supposed to be. He made me feel what he was feeling completely. Wonderful actor.
Gong Hyo Jin. This is my 2nd drama with her as the lead (the first was Master's sun where she didn't amaze me THAT much). I was amazed by her acting here, she was amazing, i loved her character a lot, she portrayed her problems very nicely. One thing i can say is that she needs to work on her crying, i had the same problem in Master's sun. Other than that, she was wonderful.
I won't say something about the whole cast, i will never finish writing this review. Everyone was very good, i have nothing bad to say, all the supporting cast did their best, and delivered in the best way possible, Song Dong Il and Lee Kwand Soo were hilarious and cute. Yank Ik Jun and Jin Kyung were heartbreaking. D.O's acting was top notch for an idol, congrats everyone.
RECOMMENT/REWATCH
If everything that i've written thus far haven't sold the show to you, then nothing will. 10/10 recommend, must watch. It isn't heavy as a show, it is easy to watch, funny, but still emotional and it has to be and truthful. Really great, a must watch.
I would easily rewatch this, mostly to see the amazing love story development, since we don't see the usual "i love you but we can't be together, because i have a past, and i like someone else, oh and life is messy, and lets have 5835775074543753 conversations about how we love each other and then break each other's hearts". Here we talk about love and we go straight to it!!
EPISODES
About the episodes, i feel the need to say the first episode is kinda confusing, or at least it was for me. I didn't understand much of what was happening in the first episode, if that happens to you don't let that stop you, the 2nd one sets everything straight. The first episode introduces many characters and situations all at once and it kind of ends up confusing.
Episodes 2-6 are AMAZING. Funny, light hearted, easy to watch, but still shocking because of the back story revealings i told you earlier, yes you won't expect what happens believe me!
Episodes 7-11 are a bit slower, but they go straight ahead to the love relationship part. Something not seen in other dramas (again) we get to see their relationship as a couple. How they work with each other, and get to know each other, and learn to ignore the bad things, and love them instead. Usually dramas end up with the main couple being together, but this drama starts with that!
Episodes 12-16. Get ready to cry especially in 13-14-15. Here's my favourite part of the show, the story picks up again here, it goes faster. The end was great, in the final episode some unnecessary things happen but it is still fun and the i finished it with a HUGE smile on my face and some wonderful messages that i will treasure forever.
OVERALL
Sorry that this was too long, but seriously it is worth it. The 2nd best kdrama i have ever watched. Amazing in every way. Not so much because of plot, but because of all the amazing little things that ended up making this show THIS perfect! What i appreciated probably the most was that its structure was different than the usual kdramas (you know how kdramas have some certain points you expect to always watch, like a love triangle, and 2nd characters being kind of ignored), it was refreshing watching something that has a different development. This show taught me a lot, and the most important thing i was taught was TO LOVE MYSELF and accept him no matter what! I'll treasure that! The writers deserve awards! I will miss it greatly, it needs an american remake!
Was this review helpful to you?