Sweet Romance and Epic Story

L&R took me on a wild adventure and it has the sweetest romance. I went in with medium expectations - kind of high because of the ratings, kind of low because the premise seemed tropey. The storyline and world-building is what drew me in but the cast of characters is what kept my attention.

Story: seems kind of tropey and predictable but actually pretty well thought out with interesting twists. The pace is pretty fast in the beginning which kept me interested and pacing is pretty good. I personally had a really hard time grasping what "loss of six senses" meant (the physical senses? also emotionless? but why does it seem more like trouble understanding social norms?) so that was an initial roadblock for me. The world-building is awesome partly in due to the excellent production and CGI. It felt like being immersed in a video game at times. It's only after finishing the drama do I realize the ending really makes this drama. In an effort to increase suspense, the drama purposely withholds things until much later. It makes for a great twist but as someone who likes to fully immerse and understand the plot, it kind of felt more like a plot hole or that the story was not well-written until the twist is revealed. Rather than an unpredictable revelation, it was more like 'oh, why didn't you just say that sooner'? The mask thing would be the best example. Some of the conflicts were overly frustrating and repetitive, which prevented me from giving a higher rating. There a few scenes that are overly flashbacked (like, you might get bits of the flashback as the story progresses, then longer versions of those bits then the entire sequence so by the end it is shown 4-5 times). On the other hand, there a few scenes or plot points that are hinted at or built up that never fully get explored. One of the villain's endings was too abrupt and it felt like all of his other characteristics were taken away. I have mixed thoughts on what they did with the female lead's character toward the end. But the overall story is cohesive with a sound message.

Characters/Acting: While the story is the foundation of the drama, the characters are the heart. I liked our main leads, which are both acted very well. I probably would not have liked these leads if it were not for the actors. The naive/cutesy/stupid female lead trope is a hit or miss (mostly miss) for me but I really liked Xuan Ji. Like I've indicated in other posts, despite her naivety, she is charmingly straightforward, relatively calm and values proper communication. When she is aware there is a problem or misunderstanding, she tries her best to fix it, through words or actions. This is very consistent throughout the drama. And her physical strength is a nice bonus. And who does not love Si Feng and his sweet devotion to our female lead? I melted at the way he would stare at her. He pretty much tops the charts for selfless love and is always silently sacrificing himself for the female lead's sake. But is that really a good thing? Si Feng is the kind of boyfriend/husband that would (if he could get away with it) hide the fact you have kidney disease, secretly donate his kidney to you and sell all of his assets to pay for the medical bills. That's...romantic, but it's also a bit much. IMO, communication is an important part of a healthy relationship. My point is, Si Feng is written as the most flawless male lead and superficially, it looks like it is the female lead that is causing all of their conflict. But (imo) he is not blameless, even though the drama never addresses this. That aside, the romance is still very touching and that two actors have a lot of chemistry.

The supporting roles are also well-written and well-acted. I loved Ting Nu, Brother Liu and Purple Fox. You could tell they had many years of cultivation under their belt because they were often the voices of reason our leads needed. Brother Liu was essentially the group relationship counselor. Wu Zhi Qi is someone who is name-dropped a lot and does not appear until very late into the show but he is so worth the wait. His causal swagger and lazy, flirty demeanor that hides a sharp eye and keen insight are so swoon worthy. But my #1 spot has to go to Teng She, who is a scene stealer and basically carries the drama. This actor is such a comedic genius; he is able to control the level of humor a scene has and also influences the other character's vibe around him. Take Hao Chen for example, who is a very serious person. The same facial expressions or eye widening that come off as serious or angry become completely comedic under Teng She's influence. Adding to that, I cannot believe he was the drama I has finished just prior to starting L&R (Miss Gu Who is Silent) and I didn't even recognize him! That aside, he is very witty and his commentary almost breaks the 4th wall. He is such a loyal friend. I loved watching his friendship with Xuan Ji because of how they trusted and supported one another. He reminds me of a more platonic version of Tal Tal in Empress Ki.

Music: beautiful, exciting and epic. The pieces were really nice to listen to on their own and really added to the emotions of the scene.

Rewatch value: I don't typically re-watch dramas but I just finished it and am skimming though episode 1 again while writing this review, mostly to help recapture my initial thoughts on this drama. Actually, it might be a better watch the second time around since I'm not so busy trying to keep everyone straight and all those details at the beginning now make sense.

Bottom line: Xianxias generally have an expectation to be epic, with an intricate storyline, detailed world-building, varied cast of characters and passionate romance spanning lifetimes. But they can get predictable, because it is always the same types of characters and same conflict . This drama does not escape from the tropes but presents them from a fresh angle. That, plus the good actin and great production make this a worthwhile watch.

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Heartwarming, Cozy and Intelligent

Cozy, intelligent, heartwarming, whimsical - there are so many ways to describe this drama, which just goes to show much care and craft was put into it. I actually finished this drama awhile back, around the time it aired. Then I found some old notes about it on my computer and realized I never actually left a review.

The best of this drama is the characters. I love their dialogue and interactions. What the characters say and how they are saying them, feel clever, intricate and layered. I always appreciate a well-written and intelligent female lead and WYW really delivered. She will likely go down as one of my favorites. I loved the character chemistry and how the major relationships, romantic and friendship, turned out. This was due in large part of cast chemistry as well. The acting on everyone's parts (especially our FL) is phenomenal from tone and infliction down to subtle interactions. The comedy here was especially good in part because though minute movement and expressions landed so well.

The plot is good too. I really enjoyed the court cases although I have no idea how "accurate" they are. I appreciate the insight the show gives on how it's not always about "justice" and the moral grey zone that comes with large corporations. I did think the ending was a little rushed and the "main" storyline was a little sloppy.

Music was okay, nothing memorable sticking out but complemented the tone of the show. As for rewatch - I will still go back and watch clips from this show.

In conclusion, I highly recommend this show for a good time.

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Satisfying ending

It's a satisfying ending and the loose ends are tied up. It's fun to see how things that were set up in Season 1 run their course in Season 2 like dominos. Although the characters all deserve it and I'm glad everything turned out the way it did, I am also glad to see that revenge can have consequences, big or small.

The acting was great, even better than Season 1. After the leads, my favorite would probably be Yeom Hye Ran. Kim Jung Young was also another who did not show up a lot but stole the scene every time she did - I just loved her and her son's interactions.

The music add well to the vibe, as does the tone and color gradations. Overall, this was my intro back to dramas after a long slump and it gets the bar pretty high.

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Good at holding interest, even better visuals

This was my intro back to drama after quite a long hiatus and it set the bar pretty high. I went in with lowish expectations based on my experience of how 'revenge' dramas pan out in kdramas, especially when it's the FL pursuing the revenge. But so far, so good.

I like the way the story will weave between the past and present to uncover things gradually. The drama can take a slow, meandering pace in order to fully get things set up but its not unenjoyable. The story itself feels well thought out. It can be a bit dramatic at times but never veers too much into makjang territory. I do like how the characters have some depth in them; the antagonists, while evil, are not cartoonishly, 1D caricatures. The acting is very well done on everyone's part. Our FL really shines here and I am very much enjoying SHK's performance.

The drama has really good visuals and scenery. The music, while not really memorable on its own, does add well to the mood and vibe. Let's move on to Part 2!

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Something different

Being a collaborate Malaysian-Taiwanese production and set in Malaysia, this drama does seem different. It was nice seeing all the different clothing and the snippets of a multi-ethnic background (although very much snippets).

The story was pretty interesting, mostly because it was, as stated above, something different. Being only 6 episodes, it is easy to binge and does not drag a lot. It was pretty good mix of genres of family, mystery and comedy with a side of romance. However, there were a couple areas that were not as fleshed out and left to viewer interpretation. The acting was pretty good too. It was mostly new faces for me although I know the actors themselves were not new. I liked the main cast and the female lead. Although the female lead was written in a slightly air-headed manner, the actress did a good job keeping her grounded. I think some of the most memorable scenes are in episode 5, where Yan Hong converses with both her mother and Tian Bai.

My only gripe with the drama is how modern it feels, from the hairstyles, speech, social interactions, background music and even the outfits. Granted, I have never been to Malaysia and I looked it up that the country has a pretty high economic ranking. However, if I had not been told that it was set in 1890, I would have assumed it was taking place in modern times in a more non-Westernized area or at most 30 years ago due to the lack of cell phones. The super-modern and at times electro/house music, although fun to listen to, did not help. It does not detract a whole lot though because the overall look of the drama is very pretty. The twist at the end, although logical, was also underwhelming.

It does not have a crazy amount of suspense so overall a pretty decent re-watch. In conclusion, for something that feels a little different, looks nice, is well-written and pretty short, I have zero regrets moving from my Plan to Watch to Completed List.

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Instant Classic

The thing about this drama is that it isn't groundbreaking or revolutionary. It really is a standard Kdrama rom-comedy/drama with more comedy > drama and the reason why I kept putting this off. Despite this, this show is high quality.

The show does have tropes and cliches but it uses them to enrich the story, not be the story itself. This is either by playing them straight and expanding upon them or subverting them, all to create more organic content. The humor is excellent with a lot of tongue-in-cheek lamp shading and breaking the fourth wall.

Kudos to the writers for writing two excellent female leads. Most dramas fall into the trap of making the 2nd FL a foil to highlight the first one but these two are actually quite similar. Both are rich, classy and confident with a don't-mess-with-me attitude and it was interesting to see their differences played out through the detailed writing and visual production, although not in a demeaning way. I absolutely loved Yoon Se-ri and admittedly, it personally took me some time to warm up to Seo Dan but very likeable she does become. All of the other characters are also so endearing and even characters that start out mildly irritating (for me, Pyo Chu Si) become lovable by the end.

The good writing comes hand in hand with the amazing acting. The leads, off course, did an amazing job and had stellar chemistry that helped carry the very sweet romance. The rest of the cast did great too. It was so fun hearing the NK accent and I wonder how much the actors had to practice for that. I really liked the actor who played Man Bok, his range from serious to comedic was great.

The visual production, prop, setting was all excellent and really helped with the immersive world-building, especially the NK village setting. It was nice getting to see the different portrayal of NK other than what it always heard on the news. It makes me wonder what Koreans think about the division, especially since there are people that might remember a time before the country was split.

Overall, this show is that it is what Kdramas do best while putting the best effort in. IMO, it is one the modern classics (similar to the same older dramas the show refers to) that will be remembered in years to come.

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Fluffy and laidback with excellent music

This is simple, fluffy drama with low-tension, something to kick back to at the end of a long day or a lazy weekend. It gives Love O2O vibes; even beyond the similar gaming, campus life, silent/snarky/computer-genius male lead elements, something about the writing and production felt like I was watching a spin-off.

Despite the gaming and entertainment industry tags, this show is pretty relaxed. I think all the turtlenecks, fuzzy sweaters and large coats add to the cozy feeling. In fact, this drama barely feels like its premise. It does not feel like popular, famous person falls for non-celebrity and really does not feel like older female/younger male. Our female lead, certainly, does not really like a big celebrity. This is probably because she is pretty down-to-earth and 65% of the time she was lounging at home in pajamas. Our two leads feel very equal and the relationship is very wholesome with lots of sugary, fluffy moments. The acting is decent and chemistry they have is very cute and helps carry the entire show. That aside, I do really appreciate that ample time is spent on her career and goals outside of the romance. Main leads aside, the second couple had a pretty cute romance to. The actress for the second female lead has this subtle enigmatic vibe to her; I think she would do really well in a serious slice of life or mystery drama.

Besides the couple chemistry, the other thing that carried the show is the music. This drama probably has the best OSTs from any modern c-drama ever and they are so catchy, no matter how many times they are repeated. Since it's a pretty laid-back drama, it would be a decent re-watch.

In conclusion, this is a great pick for a no-stress, sugary-sweet romance with a devoted coupled and amazing music.

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Great characters with mediocre story, my perfect rating would be between 8 and 8.5

Well, my suggested rating is 8.5 so I will go with that but if I could, I would like to give this drama something like an 8.2, which co-incidentally happens to its actual current rating. The beginning starts off absolutely amazing and while the middle and ends are not horrible, they finish off into something mediocre just due to plot pacing.

Characters: Now, to start off with, the characters are great and basically the highlight of this drama. This is in part due to the superb acting on everyone's part. I believe this drama wanted to convey the struggles of various women at the hands of the patriarchal system and unintended negligence of males and they did it quite well. There was one of the Xu family concubines who my heart just completely broke for and the only scene which brought me to tears. Despite her actually being in the wrong, I hated everyone for doing this to her.

The female lead was amazing. Calm and competent female leads are my absolute favorite but they are sadly few and far between. While it may seem like Shiyi is letting people walk over her one, in her position there are certain things she cannot do and two, she focuses on what is really important. I also appreciate how it is not easy for her and we see how she has to work very hard to obtain success. While I dearly wish there were more of these types of female leads, I know part of the reason why Shiyi is so great is due to Seven Tan's amazing acting; she really brought this character to life. The male lead was also pretty good and I like how his character gets some development too. I appreciate the second male lead because his character had an interesting conflict and he knew when to back off.

The plot is what brings that drama down. I believe the drama wanted to express too many ideas, some of which contradicted each other and it showed. For example, it wanted to show how conservative and rigid this era was but also resolved certain conflicts by completely ignoring this. For example, ***SPOILER*** women should not be seen in public, especially concubines. But there is a soup kitchen arc where are all seen standing on stage in front of a large crowd. There are also scenes where Luo Furen is furious at Shiyi for not making it official with the Marquis then furious when she does. Certain plot points (like Zhun) popped in and out based on convenience. The multiple they-knew-all-along conflict resolution scenes got a bit stale towards the end. Finally, it was a little exhausting having conflict after conflict with no room to breathe.

The music was nice, it added a nice auditory aesthetic but all the fade-to-black transitions and somewhat choppy editing ruined some of the visual aesthetic. I think it would be an okay re-watch. Overall, the plot could use some consistency but the themes were well conveyed and the characters stayed very consistent with appropriate development which still make a good drama worth watching.

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Amazingly Addictive

I have become a big fan of sleep as of late and I have, in a situation where I am a bit tired and can choose between staying up or shut eye, I always chose rest or sleep. So it's been a while where I have chosen to stay up, especially to watch a drama but this drama was worth staying up for. It's quite addictive, and it's easy to click to the next episode without even realizing.

Story: Although ghost stories and exorcisms are nothing new, this drama takes a fresh angle by incorporating the real estate market and shedding light to SK's real estate problem. It ties in well to the episodic cases and the main storyline. The episodic cases are interesting and enough depth is given to these short-appearing characters. I really liked how all the spirts did not talk or have expressions. Unlike other dramas that have ghosts acting just like humans, this non-expression state honed in the point that these spirits are not human; they are a remnant of something that once was and something that needs to go. I also really appreciated the female lead's relationships with her mother and her secretary/aunt. It was so relatable for her to be so independent yet also dependent on her mother, something I think a lot of adults or young adults can relate to with their parents.

In terms of acting, everyone did a pretty good job but Jang Nara absolutely nailed it. I really wish there more female characters like Hong Ji Ah (despite the increase of strong-willed female leads, I do find most of these intelligent and aloof roles go to the male characters) but it was Jang Nara that made her such a great character. Her tone of voice, her enunciation of her certain words, her gait and her facial expressions, like the slight narrowing of her eyes, were all so on point. In a less experienced actress's hands, Hong Ji Ah may have come off as pretentious or rude. I very much appreciate that Hong Ji Ah is given struggles and has to make important decisions - aka she is an active character.

The music was good and added some nice quirk. The production was well-done too and I liked the homey street area set location. While the drama does have some interesting twists, there are no major crazy shockers that take away the enjoyment of a re-watch. Overall, recommends hands down, especially if you want something with solid writing, a very interesting and well-written female lead and/or spooky themes. Spoilers below:





***SPOILERS***

So why not a higher rating if I loved this so much?

First, the villain character, Do Hak Sung, felt so one-note that he felt less like a character and almost more like a concept or plot device. Second, Kim Tae Jin and the ML's uncle Oh Sung Shik. I know the drama was trying to create two somewhat morally grey but ultimately sympathetic characters with these two but I could not come to like either. You can do bad things but there are some bad things (even minor bad things) you cannot do for audience to like you and the drama failed on that, for me.

Kim Tae Jin was supposed to be what I guess was a down-on-his-luck thug that served as comedic relief and ultimately comes around but I personally am still very upset at the problems he caused. Irl, he would be the type where I would maybe forgive but never call a friend. And Oh Sung Shik chose to put himself or his family over others twice. And when given a chance to try to repent aka confess, he eschews that again, to his own detriment. I know that he was doing it all for this family and it really Do Hak Sung's fault but this is where I come back to Do Hak Sung feeling less like a character and more like a plot device. To me, Oh Sung Shik's actions are equivalent to being forced into unforeseen circumstances (like a natural disaster) and choosing to sacrifice others over yourself. I don't hate him and I cannot condemn him but I don't have much good feelings toward him either.

But overall minor stuff in an otherwise amazing drama!

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Simple concept, absolutely beautiful execution

Falling Into Your Smile is a cute, simplistic but extremely well made romcom. It is a treat to watch, especially for those sweet, aww-worthy moments.

The story is very well-balanced between romance and gaming. Although there are quite a few e-sports dramas now, having a female gamer gives it a fresh angle and the prejudice and struggles Tong Yao goes through sound very true-to-life, especially hearing about Chine's netizen culture. The romance moments are so sweet. There are quite a few blink-and-you-might-miss-it-moments and flirty verbal moments that I think are much cuter than the obvious staring into each others eyes for 5 minutes while the music plays scenes.

I liked our leads well enough. I appreciated how importance is placed on Tong Yao skills as e-gamer and dedication. The actress is really good at playing cute, which I've found through extensive drama watching is not as easy as it looks. I really liked all other the characters as well, whose interactions were very fun to watch. It's nice how enough development is given to the numerous side characters so it is possible to find personal favorites and they are not all clones. I like how a lot is put on the teamwork aspect and it not just one person carrying the team. I also liked how the e-sports community felt like...well, a nice, tight-knit community. Members were friends across teams, people supported one another, competitions were fair and everyone vaguely knew or knew of each other. It kind of reminds me when people 'reminisce' about previous Kpop eras when groups collaborated more often, even across different companies, and fandoms weren't so crazy (side note: this is per numerous online comments, I cannot say how accurate it is on then vs now).

The production was pretty good, but at times felt overproduced. The acting was very good but it sometimes felt like there was so much skin filtering or smoothening or something that facial expressions looked stiff. The worse was then people would comment on how someone's face would look so red or with dark circles and all you see is this perfectly made-up and glamourized look. Like, if you are going to have a bunch of people comment on how someone is embarrassed and beet-red, at least make her look a little flushed or something.

Overall, this is a simple and sweet romcom that stays in romcom territory. I was debating between an 8 vs 8.5 since it's not a grand masterpiece but ended up choosing 8.5 because it achieves what it tries to do. This is a great watch when you in the mood for something light and fluffy but still well made or something to relax to after a long day.

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Well-Crafted Melodrama

The key to this drama is managing expectations. While this drama has noir, mystery and thriller themes, at it's core it is a melodrama. It's not a bad thing; South Korea is excellent at crafting melodramas and probably my favorite genre of Kdramas. But since this a melo, not a crime drama, things like civilians openly conducting investigations along with the police or classic logic fails are par for the course. It's more about the drama, the story and the characters than accuracy or depth. Keep that in mind and the ride will go much smoother.

The absolute BEST part of this show is the acting. The leads absolutely nailed it. The glances, the facial expressions, the small movements, everything was on point. Certain scenes might not have packed the same punch if it was not for those two. They have brilliant what I call non-kissing chemistry - they can give the couple vibe just by being next to each other. The support characters also did a very good job and all the characters came to life.

Story: The story, for the most part was pretty solid. It starts off a little slow but builds up to a delicious and addictive flow. The writing for the last third was not as strong, but the story finished off to a respectable end. There was some shortcoming in the story-writing minutia and some personal things that frustrated me but overall, everything made sense in a satisfactory way. I will half a point off just because the show was initially presented to be very dark and thrilling with the theme of exploring morally grey characters but did not really go in that direction.

The highlight for this show for me was MCW's Cha Ji Won; she carried the show for me. From a story perspective, I appreciate her role as a active character whose actions directly affected the story line. As a character, I loved how she thought through things to make informed decisions and her strong love for her husband. I admired her perseverance, her compassion and her no-bullshit moments. LJG's Do Hyun Su/Baek Hee Sung was also very good and it interesting to see the character development he goes through. Something that really frustrated me was that he had a very subtle paternalistic side when it came to the females in this life which lead to him keeping secrets or not properly communicating with them. I honestly couldn't tell if this was done on purpose to show the background he grew up in or if it was the writer's bias seeping in. It is subtle and not directly related to the plot but did affect me enough to 1) notice it and 2) dampen my enjoyment.

The Baek couple was also interesting. They were not how they seemed at first and ended up being the greyest characters in the show. I wish we got to spend more time with the police team. Their interactions so natural with no forced team dynamics. I really liked Chief Lee despite his short screen time. He was so low-key I would initially have a hard time remembering he is the chief but he is the kind of leader I would dream of having. He knows when to push, when to let things go and how to keep his team together.

The music was amazing and really enriched the emotions of certain scenes. The lighting, camerawork and was also top-notch and another reason why this drama excelled. It has pretty good re-watch value.

Overall, this drama is a visual and auditory treat to watch with great characters and good plot. Go in expecting a very good Kdrama melodrama to come out satisfied.

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An Excellent Gem

There are so many good things to say about this drama! It may not have the highest budget but it has a lot of brains and heart which more than make up for it.

Plot: it's been a while (or ever) since I've seen a drama with such good pacing. The plot never slows down and keeps going right until the end. No time is wasted on silly, unnecessary drama. I blink and the episode is over. One mystery leads right into another. All the clues fit together and even link back up to previous ones and more importantly, it all make logical sense (aside from a coupleee of nit picky things). While the answer often require some deep deduction, the rationale is sound.

Characters: I really appreciate the fact that everyone in our main crew of 4 (technically 6?) has their strengths and weaknesses and they all have to work together, each with their own chance to shine. I also appreciate that despite the fast pace, each character gets to have his or her own personality and they more or less act like normal people. I like how while the main male lead is smart and clearly the brains of the group, he does not overshadow everyone.

And finally, a drama writer that knows the difference between being naïve and stupid. I feel like a lot of drama writers tend to struggle with this distinction, which is why many of these naive/sweet/innocent female leads in drama tend to come across as dumb. No such problem here! Our main female lead, despite being a little unworldly and cute as a button, is an expert in her field and stays that way until the very end of the show. What she knows and does not know aligns very well with her character setting.

The romance and chemistry between our main leads was so sweet. I loved the trust and open communication. Their chemistry was so sweet and the group chemistry as a whole was amazing. I also really appreciated the camaraderie between the two female leads. While deep friendships between females do exist, oftentimes "the best friend" is a side character whose purpose if to be the FL's best friend. Or, especially in historical dramas, she is a servant or someone under the female lead's care. It was nice to see a friendship between two females on equal grounds where both have their own development.

Acting: The actors are all pretty new but they did a very good job and displayed the emotions they needed to display. I will admit the the FL tended to carry a deer-in-headlights look a few times more than needed, but unsure if this was her or what she was instructed to do.

Music: added to the watching experience nicely. I really liked the how they recapped the previous episode and kept changing the intros. Not a big fan of the second intro though.

Rewatch: While this is rewatchable, because it is a mystery drama, it just will not carry the same punch.

Overall: tldr, this drama shines with a well-paced mystery story where the clues fit together and sequence of events (for the most part) make sense, great characters with quality teamwork, multiple intelligent female (and male) leads and cute romances.

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Palate Cleansing Millennial Coming of Age Story

So my headline probably seems like an incoherent jumble of words. Let me break them down:

Palate Cleansing: If you been watching a lot of shows that are filled with too much drama, this is a nice palate cleanser drama that removes those residual dregs. This is especially true if you do not watch many Jdoramas and have gotten too used to the story structures and plot devices from the dramas of other countries. Like Nagi itself, this drama provides a nice reset. Its themes of slow-living, mindfulness, personal discovery and community and the story used to discuss these themes feel like a breath of fresh air. Other nice things about this drama
- The story is well-told and circular in conclusion
- Good pacing with little to no drag
- Each character has his or her own story and almost no 1D villains. I say almost because there is one character who is stereotypical mean, gossipy coworker but the concept is so familiar that she becomes a necessary plot device.
- It's one of those happy, everyone-gets-along kind of stories

Millennial: Nagi, at 28 years old in 2019, is by definition a millennial and the challenges she and other characters go through represent what a lot of millennials are dealing with - unemployment, housing, mental health, parental expectations and Adulting. Which brings me to my last point

Coming of Age Story: given that Nagi has already been an adult for 8 years and is pretty responsible/self-sufficient, this one may seem off. But part of coming into adulthood is finding yourself and your values and passions and dealing with the people and society around you, which is Nagi's journey throughout this story. And Nagi is a millennial and most millennial's define becoming an adult around ago 30. So, yes, I would call this a coming of age = transitioning into adulthood story.

Aside from that, this is very heartwarming and entertaining slice-of-life. Nagi is a great character you really want to cheer on. Shinji is someone that more or less grows on you. I love the rest of the cast of characters and their diverse backgrounds and how they all come together and support one another. The acting is fantastic, particularly our main cast. The production is well-done too with quite meaningful use of specific above head shots and camera angles. The music is also used very well to reflect certain moods. There are these scenes where the music is quirky and upbeat and creates this positive and slightly zany vibe and the music is brought to a screeching halt and it's just so impactful.

Overall, this drama is about accepting yourself and truly observing and learning about the people and world around you to find your values in life.

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Friendship, gaming and reaching your dreams

There are a lot of aspects this drama does well and a lot of ways this drama is refreshingly unique. But there a few things I was not particularly satisfied with, namely the romance.

First off, this drama focuses more on the leads' e-sports dreams (more on the male lead's though) and friendship/bromance, with less attention being given to the lead's romance (or the female lead's journey). In terms of the first two aspects, the drama does a pretty good job. We see the ups and downs the leads face to reach their goals and how they overcome their obstacles. It sort of fits the song "Remember the Name" by Fort Minor very well. Watching the friendship and bromance among the male lead and the various team members we encounters was also fun.

This drama respects and challenges it's female lead, Qiu Ying. For one, she works really hard - she starts at the bottom and her success is due to her determination and effort. People do not automatically like her. She does not have some insane underlying talent or is constantly protected by the male characters. While she does get help from others, she puts in effort to get that help. In fact, there is a scene where a character is discussing with Qiu Ying's career rival that she (the rival) is in fact just as talented as Qiu Ying but the difference is that Qiu Ying just works harder. Next, she is not dense when it comes to love. She has to experience the struggles of liking someone, supporting them and pursing a relationship. The male lead does not fall for her because she's cute or she's the first person to treat him a certain way. To add to that, her love rival is not the typical evil second female lead but actually a real character with her own struggles and a connection to the male lead. In fact, the second female lead gets the 'character background' advantage that drama writers usually reserve for female leads. Due to all of the above, Qiu Ying is a character who has to prove she is the female lead through her actions not because her character is 'set up' to win. A lot of her actions revolve around the male lead, but she can exist as her own character.

The male lead also also has his fair share of struggles. Although he is very talented, his role in the team is the background tactician. When the team wins, the credit and stardom goes to the player that makes the killer moves and when the team loses, it's his fault for not having a good strategy. He is also someone that has goals, works hard, does the right thing and is a very loyal team member and friend. The big flaw he had was prioritizing relationships. As stated earlier, the one aspect I felt was lacking was the romance and that was due to the male lead. I really appreciate the attempt to make it organic and not fall on clichés or coincidence and while it was not bad, all the credit here goes to the female lead. I actually though the second (the best friend's) romance, although not given as much screen time, was cuter, more balanced and more fulfilling.

The acting was pretty good. Pei Xi seemed a little stiff, not sure if it was the actor himself or the way he was told to play that character. The production was glaringly low-budget and the product placement was part comical and part exacerbating. The music is decent. Overall, it was not my favorite drama but a decent watch and deserves credit for it's organic character set-up, particularly for the female lead.

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A Beautiful Melo

I really liked this drama. I was debating between an 8.5 or a 9. My overall suggested the site calculates for you is an 8.5 but I gave it a 9 because I basically binged this. This drama was really engaging. Of course, it was not perfect. It definitely had it's plot holes, required some suspension of disbelief from a medical and legal perspective and despite being a suspense, was predictable to some extent. But these flaws could be overlooked because the drama was so enjoyable and had that addictive factor.

The characters were well-written and cast did a really good job. I think Lee Yoo Ri is a great actress; even though she is given a fair amount of tragic-melo-revenge roles, she makes each role fresh. I'm glad they gave the female lead character good depth and showed the effects of her traumatic past. Granted, humans deal with trauma in different ways but too often I see dramas where the female lead has this tragic backstory but she never seems to have any mental consequences and always cheerful. I felt her emotions and motivations. There were a few times I teared up with her and I was always rooting for her happiness.

Lee Il Hwa did a really good job too; she got my blood boiling but she was horribly captivating the way only a charismatic actress can be. And I was dumbfounded when I realized I didn't even recognize her from a drama I had watched recently. I liked Yeon Jung Hoon well enough, he played his character very well. Go Na Hee was adorable and full of life; I loved her squeals of excitement. The only problem I had was Im Ju Eun. It's not even her fault but she has these (gorgeous) huge eyes that were emphasized even more with bold eye makeup. I kept noticing how she would widen her eyes all the time which made it look like she was constantly giving the death glare. Plus, I felt like her character was not the best written and somewhat inconsistent when it came to her goals and motivation. But I digress.

The music had this haunting quality that fit the mood of the drama very well. I don't usually rewatch dramas but I could see myself watching it again. If this dramas was dragged out to a 50-episdoe weekend drama (which for some reason I though it was initially), I would definably watch every episode. All-in-all, 100% recommend.

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