3
Zogitt
Australia
I won the sucker bet
Based on the past performances of the two leads, I was willing to offer odds that the show will be good. I wish I finish the Show before I mortgage my house.
Still, on paper, I should be on a safe bet. It seems to be a standard BFF to lover trope with good looking leads and nice chemistry. It is a win-win formula for sure.
The problem is that the main plot went nowhere fast. The FL was lost in a sea of self-doubt and the ML is an island with a sign that reads “No Trespassers”. This is after all the flashbacks, almost kiss and daydreams. Even at this point, the plot is still viable, but it needs a firm hand on the tiller. What we got instead is a show within a show, a reality dating show, no less.
Now I’m starting to worry. If the dating show is framed as a satire or spoof, then it could be a lot of fun and there will be opportunities for the leads to interact and break down the barrier. However, for that to work, the new characters in the dating show have to be larger than life to kickstart the plot. What we got was a half-hearted attempt at an exposé which swings between banality and earnest. We are greeted by a mix of new secondary characters that are mostly cliché roles designed to fit right into their designated subplots. This meanders around for too many episodes before the Show finally calls it quits. It is frustrating that most of the introduced subplots lead nowhere and largely faded away as soon as the dating show wraps. The token antagonist stirred up some angst but escaped scot free. The Show doesn’t really need an ensemble cast. It is largely a distraction and suck the oxygen from the main OTP plot.
It is not all bad news though. The 2FL (Kang Chae Ri) is a revelation. Her character is thorny throughout the show and is borderline psychotic, but she is so much more alive than the FL. It is hard to like her character, but she is a scene stealer. This is almost the opposite of the FL. While the FL has great visuals, and her acting is solid as ever, her character is a wet mop. She spends the bulk of the Show running away from her feelings and tries to melt into the background.
Acting is decent on the whole, but the writing is a mess. By the time the leads are a couple, we are hanging on for dear life. The HEA ending and some nice developments of the side couples is small compensation for an overall disappointing show.
OST is serviceable but there is little reason for a rewatch.
Still, on paper, I should be on a safe bet. It seems to be a standard BFF to lover trope with good looking leads and nice chemistry. It is a win-win formula for sure.
The problem is that the main plot went nowhere fast. The FL was lost in a sea of self-doubt and the ML is an island with a sign that reads “No Trespassers”. This is after all the flashbacks, almost kiss and daydreams. Even at this point, the plot is still viable, but it needs a firm hand on the tiller. What we got instead is a show within a show, a reality dating show, no less.
Now I’m starting to worry. If the dating show is framed as a satire or spoof, then it could be a lot of fun and there will be opportunities for the leads to interact and break down the barrier. However, for that to work, the new characters in the dating show have to be larger than life to kickstart the plot. What we got was a half-hearted attempt at an exposé which swings between banality and earnest. We are greeted by a mix of new secondary characters that are mostly cliché roles designed to fit right into their designated subplots. This meanders around for too many episodes before the Show finally calls it quits. It is frustrating that most of the introduced subplots lead nowhere and largely faded away as soon as the dating show wraps. The token antagonist stirred up some angst but escaped scot free. The Show doesn’t really need an ensemble cast. It is largely a distraction and suck the oxygen from the main OTP plot.
It is not all bad news though. The 2FL (Kang Chae Ri) is a revelation. Her character is thorny throughout the show and is borderline psychotic, but she is so much more alive than the FL. It is hard to like her character, but she is a scene stealer. This is almost the opposite of the FL. While the FL has great visuals, and her acting is solid as ever, her character is a wet mop. She spends the bulk of the Show running away from her feelings and tries to melt into the background.
Acting is decent on the whole, but the writing is a mess. By the time the leads are a couple, we are hanging on for dear life. The HEA ending and some nice developments of the side couples is small compensation for an overall disappointing show.
OST is serviceable but there is little reason for a rewatch.
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