Too Many Cooks/Troupes Spoil The Broth!!

For me, this drama "almost" lived up to its hype. The premise was strong and beautifully executed. The visuals in the drama were so scenic and beautiful making me want to visit Germany! The characters in the story had flaws and it was reasoned well.

But from episode 13, the messy and lazy writing sank the ship. Too many unnecessary troupes were introduced in the later stage of drama where we should have been resolving issues from the previous episodes. Hyun Woo getting into an accident in the penultimate episode and the antagonist arc stretched till the last episode was nail in the coffin for people like me who have been religiously following the drama from its teaser and were waiting for the "Rom" in the said Romcom!!
For the last episode, too many questions and drama were left to unfold leading to a rushed and unsatisfactory ending. It was sort of bittersweet for me. I understand death is a natural phenomenon but showing in the last few minutes instead of them living a healthy life together is a grudge I am willing to hold with the writer for a long long time.

Acting was exceptional. Even If I nitpick I can't find faults. Despite how shambled the writing was, their acting made it convincing. All the aegyos made me laugh. Hyun Woo crying and breaking down when Hae In was hurt made my hurt heart. Hae In from being cold-hearted and emotionless at times made me angry but once her story was out you couldn't help but sympathize. The one kiss (Germany) gave me butterflies.
I wish they work together again in a drama where the script does them justice to their commitment till the very end! The other supporting characters also did a great job!

The OST's are one of the best that I have heard. It matched the story and theme perfectly! The placement of the OST in the drama is done well making them more enjoyable and memorable.

Overall this was a 8.5-9 for me from episodes 1-12 but so many NEEDLESS twists/turns in the last few episodes led it to 7. If it wasn't for the extraordinary acting of leads and the great and intriguing premise I would have rated this somewhere between 6-6.5!

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Can we truly start anew when our love is deep rooted in our memories?

The drama centres around love ,memory and the complexities of relationships. The story revolves around the bond between Ritsu and Fumiya which is hindered by an accident that leaves Ritsu with temporary amnesia.

Both the characters felt less developed and confused more often than not. Fumiya's decision to hide their past in hopes of rekindling their romance and still keep and create boundaries constantly while living with Ritsu made it hard to side with him. Didn't he want to start over?
Ritsu character, on the other hand, was very hazy and nebulous. His whole journey of rediscovering himself was hard to empathise with because we only know him from the few fragments of the past presented.

Though the characters were flawed, it was still a visually stunning journey. I liked how dedicated Ritsu was to his profession and how Fumiya supported him. The cinematography was good capturing the push and pull of longing and nostalgia. The acting was believable throughout.

Overall, it was a heartfelt exploration of how fragile love can be and how honesty is important in any relationship. While the character's motivation was questionable, it is still a touching story (undercooked but touching)

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A love story with familiar chords, strumming through clichés!

The drama follows the journey of Neil, a former popular singer grappling with personal trauma and Sea, a fan who aspires to become a musician like his idol. While the series does try to delve deep into themes of love, healing and the transformative power of music, the over-reliance on clichés made the story very predictable.

The premise is interesting - Neil's journey from grief to rediscovery of his passion again after meeting Sea. The chemistry between the leads is palpable and there’s a certain comforting dynamic when they are together on screen.
While the romance between them was nice , the story was pretty forgettable and the development of their relationship feels rushed, lacking a gradual build-up. However Michael’s performance as Sea shines through. He was so expressive especially with his eyes! This is a classic case of poor writing saved by decent acting.

Also Neil's wig at the start of the episode!!!! It was HORRENDOUS and I am glad it didn't stick around for long and they got rid of it.

The second couple, Reese and Orca had an engaging story but their storyline was overshadowed by the main couple and hence was left underdeveloped. Their chemistry was solid and the bilingual dialogue flowed surprisingly well. I wish they had focused a little more on them, it could have added real weight to the story instead of just being mere background figures.

Musically, the series does have some nice OSTs, yet I found the characters struggling to play genuine musicians especially when they were playing instruments. This story was about the transformative journey through and with music and honestly, the lack of authenticity sort of diminished the impact for me.
Also, several times I felt the key scenes intended to be climatic or emotional just fell flat. It made it difficult to connect with the characters's pain or joy. The artistic touch to pull this through was missing or was more like touch and go.

Overall, this attempted to be an exploration of love and music together but was hindered by clichés and uneven character development. Recommended as a one-time watch for the chemistry between the leads, but be prepared for predictability along the way.

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Finally completed it ! But at what cost *sigh*

Well I started this drama with alot of expectations and sadly it just couldn't deliver for me. I dropped it after 21 episodes.

The main issue for me here was the story. The writing was extremely lazy - plot holes , slow pacing of the story and how the character arc went. I do love a slow burn romance but this seemed rushed and slow at the time like I know it doesn't make sense but from leads meeting to their interactions and their journey to love was just not organic.

The only thing I liked about this drama was the male lead and his acting. It is what made me push till 21 episodes ngl. That 8.0 in acting is just for him to be honest. The female lead kind of infuriated me at times. I just couldn't relate to her not being honest with male lead about something life threatening , assuming things and having the clueless same expression in almost every scene. The writing for her part was way worse than the whole story.

The chemistry between the leads looked a little forced to me. I kinda liked the story of second leads better than the main's.
Usually when stories don't work for me, its the acting / chemistry that saves the day! But this drama literally was 'NO' for me in both the departments.

Edit : 26 Dec 2024 : I finally managed to complete the show in mission to clean my ropped list and the rating remains the same. It did not get better on any fronts but I was glad it atleast didn't get any worse.
I WILL NOT recommend this!

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A man who had overflowing oceans of love but was clueless of tides and still survived !

Love in the big city is a bold exploration from South Korea of love, identity and complexities of being queer in a society that often makes you feel at odds with itself. The series takes us through the turbulent journey of Go Yeong, depicting his struggles, with family and societal pressure and yearning for love that sometimes feels both profound and frustrating.

Go Yeong's journey is a mosaic of heartache, never-ending longing and resilience to push through. If you go with the expectations of neat resolutions and everything black and white from this drama, you will be disappointed. His growth is portrayed with a certain nuance and realism, unfolding slowly and frustratingly over time.
The pressure he faces doesn't magically vanish overnight and the show captures the tension beautifully. It portrays the burden of his mother's denial regarding his sexuality and the struggles that stem from it. Sadly we live in a society where acceptance is such a luxury rather than a given.

His journey left a bittersweet taste in my mouth that felt earned and true to life. Yeong was a man who was loved throughout, sometimes too deeply to make him drown and others or sometimes with superficial pleasures to make him realise that the chaotic, mundane affectionate bond he left behind now lingers like a soft ache, a reminder of what love actually once was.

The series addresses heavy themes but it also highlights that joy can exist even in the darkest of times. Yeong's camaraderie with his gay friends brought such a vibrant color to this gloomy tale. Their scenes together drinking and dancing was a good counterbalance from the serious moments.

Found family trope is one of my favourites and his friendship with Mi Ae captured it beautifully. Honestly, I want what these two had, to choose to stand with each other through thick and thin with unwavering support, providing a safe harbour to each other amidst their daily exhausting grinds. Their bond is a gentle reminder that home is where the heart is and family is where you feel understood and accepted.
Though their friendship was not the sole focus of the story , it was beautiful until it lasted and the way they portrayed how both of them outgrew that bond was heartwrenching but so realistic!

Although it does have pacing issues here and there but its realistic depiction of the struggles and messy portrayal of love makes me want to overlook the flaws.

Overall, this stands out as an impactful drama where the MC is not a perfect man. It's messy but executed in a way where you want to sometimes knock some sense into him and sometimes just wrap your hands around him and tell him, it's going to be okay. It's not just a love story or your typical BL drama.
Recommended if you are looking for a thoughtful and emotional exploration of an imperfect character in a perfectly imperfect world.

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A Muder mystery plot that couldn't even kill time!!

We already have 'a serial killer/murder mystery in a romcom' curse in Korean drama and now BLs too? *sigh*

The series tries to be everything—murder mystery, bilingual love story, and fitness BL—but manages to fail at all of them. It clearly had big ambitions, though the execution couldn’t quite match the hype. An example of aiming high and missing the mark.

The bilingual aspect between Thai and Korean didn’t bother me at all. It actually felt natural, as if it made sense that people in Korea would understand Thai, and vice versa. xD
But even with this cultural fluidity, the romance itself here was where things stumbled. The pacing in the early episodes was painfully slow, making it hard to stay invested. When the MC finally started dating, it felt so anticlimactic and lacklustre, it was almost forgettable. The transition from that awkward tension to a full-blown relationship wasn’t compelling enough.
While there was clear chemistry between the leads, their connection often felt fragmented. Jay seemed uncertain for much of the series, completely oblivious to Seung Hun’s feelings and attraction. When he finally came around and acknowledged those feelings later on, it felt abrupt and hard to fully buy into. The shift in his character felt uneven, making it difficult to settle into their relationship.

Now coming to the murder mystery plot, definitely started as an interesting one, but unfortunately, the drama didn’t quite nail it. The whole serial killer subplot felt more like a gimmick than something that was well-developed or meaningful. It came off as a mere plot device, underused and not at all engaging. I didn't care most of the time in the series who died and why. And how the mystery was solved was boring.

Overall, it’s a one-time watch with uneven pacing and a forgettable romance. I’d recommend it as a light background watch or a palate cleanser if you're watching something heavier.

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