This drama is a bit more mature than the fluff that is most kdramas. I really loved that they can have conversations that young adults would be having even though it's still super PG and the characters respond quite juvenile-ishly. At least we've got some mature content like drinking games, talking about sex, even dick sizes, and getting up to more naughty shenanigans which I loved. It's unusual for a drama to portray how horny the male lead is. There are some weird sound effects but one of the most original ones was when Jang Mi threatens Ki Tae and in the background there's a lion's growl and when they cut the camera to Ki Tae's face he's swallowing and there's a puppy whimper in the background. So weird but funny! This drama is super modern. There's a kiss between the heroine and the secondary male lead. Unheard of! But also really hot. The skinship was out of this world for a Korean drama. So much touching! They have some awesome hugs too. Haha. I rarely can watch a drama without skipping large sections towards the end. But this one, the characters are always engaging and fun to watch. I like how the drama plays around with relationships and how they really make fun of that whole, “I'm so cool” thing where everyone is nonchalant about exes and triangles. They even congratulate each other on it, “You were so confident around Se Ah. You were so cool around Yeo Reum.” I like how the drama fleshed out that they were just hiding their feelings from each other. “We talked less than when we were in the fake relationship.” I wasn't expecting that kind of levity, and it really added some depth to the rom-com. I don't think I have ever enjoyed awkward as much as I enjoyed it this one. I think it's because they don't just pour it in bucket loads on the poor heroine but every character has to endure the most terribly awkward situations. I was cackling and soaking it all up. Se Ah She had to be the cool girl to hold onto Ki Tae as a friend and she has no sense whatsoever. She can't see that Ki Tae is both disgusted and terrified of her. Hyun Hee Hyun Hee is the BFF and she's pretty cool. She's supportive, a little sassy, and also has a lot of common sense and dignity. She really gets the short end of the stick the poor girl. I was really rooting for her HEA. And she has some tricks up her sleeves. Sometimes she seems so pitiful and helpless and then she pulls herself up by her bootstraps. Hyun Hee is pretty badass. Yeo Reum I have never felt more conflicted about a character and I never got tired of watching his handsome self strut around on the screen. Honestly, for the 16 hours of watching this drama, I was always ridiculously happy whenever he made an appearance. And that smile...! Gah. Even Ki Tae says, “his killer smile”. Hahaha. Such a hottie. He has the most beautiful facial expressions too. He's not your usual secondary male lead. He is also not perfect at all, which is refreshing because then I don't feel like the heroine is missing out too much by passing him by. Jang Mi - “I'm trying to find myself.” Yeo Reum - “You're weird.” “What?” Yeo Reum points at her. “You're right there. What more are you looking for?” He was adorable for five minutes. He became an asshole really quickly when he was mean to Jang Mi just because she was a being a flirt. Who gives him the right to punish her? Dickhead. It's weird how he ended up being more important that I thought. I was disappointed that Jang Mi hadn't learned her lessons when it came to him. In situations where there are two males in a stand-off I like how the Koreans use the term, “Don't be so scary” when they mean don't be so dramatic. Yeo Reum knows a lot about stand-offs and relationships. Yeo Reum thinks most of the games the crowd he finds himself in as funny. He's younger than all of them and of quite a different mindset so he does enjoy adding fuel to the fire. Yeo Reum is the epitome of the bad boy. He drives me nuts but he's so cute when he wants to be. I felt like a pickle forgiving him. But he and Jang Mi are also so couply together. I wish we had more chance to see him being genuine before his interest in Jang Mi became more of a power play. Most of the time I thought he was real sleazy but then he'd smile. Gah! I'm such a pushover. Bottom line though is I do not like him. He's bad news, petty and conceited. It's because he's handsome and he knows it. I hate that. He only likes her when it's easy or amuses him. That's disgusting...right? But he's the kind of guy that will never show it when he's hurting. And he does hurt. But similar to Se Ah, he only thinks of himself and is really really stupid when it comes to real relationships. They're so good at being cool they don't realise that there's more to love than being right or making all the cards fall into place. Jang Mi I like her enthusiasm for life. Her facial expressions are so cute and she dances to herself. Also, I'm always really impressed by a heroine who can piggyback her love interest. It's so hilarious. I love how modern she is. She so casually throws out to the traditional mother in law that “Who cares who works in the kitchen? They should help each other out.” Mother in law - “You made a doctor peel chestnuts?” Damn straight. Jang Mi throws herself wholeheartedly into anything she undertakes. I like that she gets excited over little things and that she's appreciative of the smallest positives. I like how happy she is. She finds the good things to smile about. Of course, Jang Mi has to undergo some character development. Jang Mi - “Stop being clingy. I want a cool relationship!” Ki Tae - “You, of all people, are saying that?” Hoon Dong Hoon Dong is supposed to be a ridiculous character. And he is. Really childish, a mama's boy, spoiled, self-centred, playboy, etc. He does grow. Of course he does. Ki Tae Ki Tae is a neat freak. I love that moment when Jang Mi first visits his house and starts touching everything. He's so particular. Throughout the show he has to do a lot of running. He has great form. He also uses his eyes very effectively to convey his contempt. It's so fun to annoy him! His eyebrows are perfect too. I actually like how much he whispers. He is a master at it. I get so convinced when he lowers his voice. He's such a stern character, it's fun to see him start smiling as he looks over his photographic evidence of his and Jang Mi's relationship. I like that he's always been the detached guy and finally he has to admit he has feelings for the klutz girl even before she feels that way about him. Ha! Particularly what he does in Episode 11 is really epic for him. I love how he practices in the mirror. And he only gets cuter from there on out. I love the way he says her name with such elation and hope. He's absolutely adorable when he's in love. “You wanted a cool relationship. This is just too cool.” I loved seeing him evolve and how caring and considerate his transformation left him. Romance Even if you were the last guy on earth... “You and I have to act like a couple. My mum is meticulous.” “What about my revenge?” “Especially for your revenge. You're worth every penny.” The Plot Jang Mi - “Your family stalks you?” Ki Tae - “It's a family full of love.” The way he tries to convince her to be his fake girlfriend is hilarious and she rebuffs him beautifully and confidently. It doesn't take much though and soon the two are in league with each other. And Ki Tae finds she's even more perfect than ever. I think it's fun to have the Asian spin on the epitome of the worst possible partner for your child. Jang Mi plays it perfectly. I think it's hilarious that the less conservative members of the family although shocked are quite nice. Grandma approves! This kind of story, especially with Asian families, it's so cruel to play this kind of game because the parents are soooo invested in their kids. Their kid getting married is what they live for, how can you play around with that? It's too sad. I eventually got really pissed by how silly and emotionally tied up they got into the situation. I really came to hate the manipulations and cruelty of Bong Hyang (mother in law from hell). The drama makes excuses for her. The other characters refrain from scheming out of mercy and not wanting to be evil. But she! She believes in what she does 100% doesn't hold back and really hurts the people around her in the name of duty and honour. Mother in law Such an annoying and manipulative witch. But this is Kdrama and of course she has to do something that makes me want to hi-five her. She also gets her act together a little more, which is great towards the end of the drama. Usually I require a little more comeuppance for all the trouble she caused, but I couldn't begrudge her pure happiness. Fashion Stubbies with a formal coat? Weird. Ki Tae's fashion...I love it. Although in Episode 8...yuck! Ki Tae also wears shorts which I have not seen Kdrama men wear. I was wondering where the calves were. Haha. Elder treatment Jang Mi is probably the first to speak back to an elder. Such a modern woman. They also try and scare the parents off by tricking them into thinking Jang Mi is a rapscallion. Ki Tae is a modern man as well and doesn't mind bodily moving his mother which, you have to admit, is not very deferentially Asian of him. I love it. It reminds me of my own brother's relationship with our mother who, yes, can be meddling but it portrays the family closeness. On a random note, I thought I've seen it all with these subservient deference to the elder but for the future mother in law to turn up at the girl's workplace just to ask her to push the grocery trolley? WTF? So yes, there are super weird moments like that but there's this one moment when the grandma says this line about her late husband deserving a particular treatment and oh my gosh! The sacrilege! I was cackling with glee. I think what's important is that the elders have to learn things too and they need to have character development and I love that Bong Hyang gets told off. I do like that even after having an argument, the Korean respect demands that there is some level of acknowledgment in the power relationship. That they can see past the feelings and still offer honour because it's so ingrained in them. Music I loved the music. It was really cute and I liked that that dramatic music wasn't overdone like some of the dramas I've seen. The Ending The staying power of the drama is really good I think. It kept me laughing right up till the end and I was engaged and always rooting for the characters.