Soula
This review may contain spoilers
I can't go on enough about how much I adored this drama. The premise, an autistic older brother being taken care of by his younger brother and their connection to a troubled author, had me curious. Not only was the story beautiful, watching each character grow, mature, and *heal* but the actors were spectacular. I think that the drama would not have been nearly as fantastic without this cast - their dynamics and chemistry really perfected the scenes.
Seo Ye Ji was just as incredible as she has been in all the other dramas I've seen her in, but I was still very impressed by her wholehearted performance. Playing such an initially cold-hearted and stoic character is no easy feat that she pulled off perfectly.
Kim Soo Hyun made an exceptionally strong comeback with this drama being his first since coming back from the military. His acting brought tears to my eyes and induced goosebumps. He's also particularly beautiful, so win-win! :D
Oh Jung Se was also spectacular in his own right, though it was very odd to see him play such a unique character. Having 1st hand experience with autistic individuals, I can confidently say that he portrayed Moon Sang Tae masterfully. And he portrayed his growth in such a realistic and raw fashion - he too brought tears to my eyes numerous times.
Honestly, all the actors were absolute perfection, elevating this drama to the level of "masterpiece."
While the OST is really exquisite and the song placement is perfectly executed, the songs themselves are not my absolute, hands down, favorite ever. The songs are a bit eerie and sad, yet harmonious and calm (for the most part) - there's nothing objectively wrong with any of them, and the OST really is beautiful, but it's just not my 100% #1 favorite. Still exquisite though! ^-^
***SPOILER BELOW***
The only thing I do have a gripe about was how Ko Mun Young's mother survived that fall AND drowning to continue to terrorize Ko Mun Young 20 years later. I just have a really hard time buying this part of the plot. I think the writers were trying to mislead viewers to think the mother *couldn't* have survived for greater impact when we found out that indeed she did survive and she was right under their nose the whole time. But the medical and logical side of my brain is twitching at this plot device. :P
***END SPOILER****
Fortunately, the above-mentioned plot issue I have does not bring down the overall drama because everything else was so perfect. I will say though, be prepared for your mind to run wild with plot theories while watching the drama. There are so many clues, many of which are purposefully misleading where you'll drive yourself crazy trying to figure it all out. Now that all the episodes are released, do yourself a favor and go ahead and dedicate about 18.5 hours to binge watch the entire thing!
Overall, It's Okay to Not Be Okay is not your typical drama - it's super quirky and the character's and their lives are very unique to this story. But it has so many things that the average viewer can sympathize with and it just overall pulls at your heartstrings (and the chemistry is ON POINT) - not just the main characters, but the equally well-written side characters and their stories too. You can't help but be enthralled by their stories and it's quirkiness. The love story between Ko Mun Young and Moon Gang Tae that developed through their own healing was real and stunning. And watching Moon Sang Tae's metamorphosis, going from being child-like to a true older brother and adult (while keeping his character true to his autism) was magnificent. And witnessing them all become a healed family was extraordinary.
I have already watched this drama about 3 times (I rewatched each episode at least twice while it was airing because I just couldn't get enough) and I will most definitely be rewatching it again. If you're not sure about watching, give the first 2 episodes a try - I'm confident that that's all it'll take to suck you in. ^-^
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I would not recommend this movie to the average viewer. If you do not have an interest in culture, language, and/or history, you will likely find this movie boring and dry. But if you do have an interest in at least one of those things, you will walk away feeling inspired, even if creative liberties have been made.
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The story was decent, but not breathtaking. It was a nice story, but not exceptionally told. There was nothing necessarily wrong with it, but it would have been made that much better if the character's back stories had more depth (they're alluded to, but never really explained) and the side characters were given more distinguishing character and development.
The music was not memorable, but not unpleasant either.
The actors were well selected, but nothing exceptional. They fit their roles well and played their characters sufficiently.
I'm not sure if I'll ever rewatch it, but I liked it enough to perhaps watch again if someone really wanted to watch it together.
Altogether, what made this drama likable was the pleasant romance between the two MCs. Their romance was a tad slow and rather surface-level in depth, but pleasant nonetheless. The ending was nice too.
What brings this story down is the lack of in-depth substance to the story. What brings this story up is that it stars a minority in society and tells their story pleasantly, however brief and general. It also had some comedic moments, which I always appreciate.
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Overall, the drama was decent, but would have likely scored higher from me if the ending made more logical scene. I had no issues with the angel concepts throughout the drama, but things became a bit religiously heavy for me with some consistency of rules and explanations missing, which made things confusing in the end.
For example, the ending... Don't get me wrong - I liked the ending, but it doesn't make logical sense to me... If God said _______ can't happen because those were His rules, but then granted ________ in the end (even though it was made abundantly clear that exceptions weren't made), I'm left confused, which takes away from the overall drama.
God's character was more of a general concept in the beginning of the drama, but near the end, he became a more concrete being who would smite those who go against His will. This definitely caused the drama to become heavier and more tragic. As His character became more concrete, I think the drama would have benefited from some explanations and/or clarifications to help justify his motives and goals, aiding in story cohesiveness and audience understanding. With these explanations missing, God's character became difficult to understand with no clear stand. Is He merciful or is He taking pity? Did He give up because they were so persistent? Or did Dan/Yeon Seo earn their ending? Or was it something else? While some might be comfortable with this ambiguity, I am not. Especially when there are such dire consequences for choices made. Writers explained why Dan didn't disappear and successfully "completed his mission," so why not be as thorough in the final ending?
Perhaps I am taking this story way too seriously, but it has left me pondering many things..
Anyways, I don't think I will recommend this drama....Not because it wasn't good, but because I personally struggle with understanding God's character here, which makes the overall message and moral difficult to decipher.
***Note: Please, Come Back Mister, is a drama which I personally believe was much more successful in delivering a story about heavenly beings protecting those living on Earth in a more clear, consistent, and balanced manner.
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You could skip this one if you're not drawn by the synopsis - you're not missing much
Kings2Hearts has been on my Plan To Watch list for a while. I was intrigued to watch it because it was a highly recommended drama, especially for Descendants of the Sun lovers, which I am. I liked quite a few things about this drama such as the story being about North and South Korea having peaceful negotiations between each other and the royalty plot concept for the main characters.I initially dropped this drama after a couple episodes in and didn't come back to it for months because I found Ha Ji Won's character to be very inconsistent. But since dropping this drama, I ended up watching quite a few dramas with Ha Ji Won and Lee Seung Gi and I was itching to see them in something else and kept coming back to this one. I pushed through the poor initial character writing of Ha Ji Won's character in the beginning of King2Hearts and found a pretty decent story with some nasty twists and a SUPER crazy (truly insane) villain.
Overall, I feel just so-so about this drama. I found certain things exceptionally enjoyable to watch, but I found other things uninteresting to me. Probably my favorite episode was when the Koreans are competing in the WOC competition - that was cool and pretty intense!
The romance between the 2 MC's was okay, but I wasn't swooning over them or anything. The side characters were also pretty decent and enjoyable to watch.
The only real negative to this drama I found was that it didn't *have* to be 20 episodes. I think they could have definitely shrunk down the plot to fit into 16 episodes and that would have removed a lot of the B.S. of the bad guys winning or plotting again and AGAIN. -.- I found it annoyingly redundant by the end (but the resolution was good, so I wasn't too annoyed anymore haha).
Something I'd also like to note - I've done a lot of research on North Korea and read a lot of defector testimonials/autobiographies out of my own interest and curiosity....the portrayal of North Korea is entirely unrealistic and romanticized in this drama, which is fine, since it's a piece of fiction, but it *was* something I noticed.
King2Hearts isn't a drama I would go out of my way to recommend and I won't be watching it again.... It just wasn't good enough to warrant that kind of admiration. It wasn't a waste of time and if you have a real hankering for Ha Ji Won or Lee Seung Gi, it'll definitely satisfy you.
The OST was well-placed, but nothing terribly remarkable.
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To start, I wasn't really a fan of Kim Min Joon for the first half of the series- he was arrogant and rude and that made his scenes with the other characters unpleasant to watch for me. Even after finding out why Min Joon was the way he was, it didn't make it any less uncomfortable/infuriating to watch him treat others so harshly.
The other thing that bothered me was how the bad guys seemed to literally be getting away with everything every single time the Mad Dog team tried to catch them, which got old. I don't feel that the amount of times the bad guys got away made logical sense. Due to the bad guys getting away every time, it made the story drag much more than I think it should have.
Mad Dog is one of those dramas that if I didn't watch all of the episodes back-to-back, I probably wouldn't have finished watching the drama. What *did* keep me interested were the small moments of comedy within the Mad Dog team.
Would I recommend this drama? Meh. I don't think it was bad and it *did* have it's enjoyable moments - if you're intrigued by what you see in clips, I think it's worth satisfying that curiosity for you. The actors are really fantastic and the soundtrack and the plot are enjoyable enough. If your curiosity is not stirred by the clips you see, I would say that you are not missing too terribly much so it wouldn't be a big deal if you skipped this drama. I liked the drama overall, I didn't love it, but it was worth the watch to satiate my curiosity.
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The OST is wonderfully catchy - I've been listening to it's soundtrack DAYS later. I've also discovered new actors that I thoroughly enjoy and would like to see again in other dramas, specifically Yoon Shi Yoon, Kim Min Jae (*love* his dimples!) and Cha Eun Woo.
This drama is very light with no real bad guys. I think the reason why I enjoyed it as much as I did is because it constantly had me laughing with the character's antics and incorporated comic-relief noises that simply made *me* feel lighthearted while watching. It's not the plot itself that's wonderful, but instead, the atmosphere the characters and *their* stories create. That's what hooked me and kept me watching happily till the end.
UPDATE: Rewatched 1/2021 - I *still* adore the main couple pairing (swooned often! Haha!), but this time around, I really came to appreciate the side characters more. The familial relationships created between Gwang Jae and Lee Soon Tae (President Soondae hehe) especially was really precious. When I first watched TBH, I remembered not really caring for the romance and relationship between Gwang Jae and Bo Hee, but watching it again now, everything leading up to them adopting Mal Sook was sweeter. Also, I *completely* forgot why Hyun Jae disappeared in the past (1994) (I'm getting old! ;D)! Yoon Shi Yoon really *is* a good actor - the way he depicted his 1994-self compared to his 1993-self was really good - I could *feel* the change in feelings and emotion between both selves. Even Lee Se Young was spectacular in demonstrating her heartbreak before the resolution to the drama. Anyways, the point in this update is: I wasn't sure if I'd like this drama as a rewatch and I needed to confirm if it's really one of my favorites, hence the rewatch. TBH truly is a drama that makes you all school-girly with loads of giggles and sweet relationships. I still 100% recommend after 2.5 years, even if the time travel and celebrity occupations aren't your preferred tropes.
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This review may contain spoilers
Do you love the shell or the mind? My answer by the end...Love. Is. Love.
Shin Hye Sun is what drew me into watching this drama in the first place - I've loved her in everything I've seen her in. The beginning of Mr. Queen was pretty rough for me. The first couple of episodes were sincerely awkward and over-the-top silly to watch. I've watched a number of historicals, most of which I enjoyed, and so watching this felt like satire. But slowly (VERY slowly), I came to appreciate the beauty in this story; it took until about half way through the drama for me to no longer feel bored and start genuinely enjoying the story and character dynamics.Shin Hye Sun really is what carries this drama. Her acting is impeccable - I could feel all her emotion in just her facial expressions. And the way she impersonates a man was spot-on!
Kim Jung Hyun unfortunately just didn't do it for me. I've never really had an opinion about him either way in all the dramas I've seen him in (so far, I've liked him best as Alberto in Crash Landing On You), but in this one, I just don't think he was the right fit. He doesn't have the presence for the type of character he was trying to embody, which was a pity. But by the end of the drama, I had simply come to terms with his lacking qualities in portraying his character and just enjoyed the drama for what it was.
Plot-wise, I found the second half of the drama much more interesting and entertaining to watch than the first half (which, honestly, was terribly boring for me). And I'll be completely honest: It took a little while, but I really came to terms with the odd romantic dynamic between the King and Jang Bong Hwan...and liked it and rooted for them!
Mr. Queen sincerely challenged the way I perceive romantic love; it was something I had to acknowledge about myself and then push past the initial discomfort so I could see the beauty of this love. The portrayal and development of their romance was really so well done on the writer's part, where it had nothing to do with gender, that I couldn't deny their love. Do you simply love the shell? Do you actually love the mind regardless of the shell? Is it both? And what I came to realize is that there's no real right answer. Love. Is. Love. *Sigh*
So yes, I am one of the people who just wasn't satisfied with the ending.
If the story was not going to turn out having a romantic ending for Jang Bong Hwan, why have him feel those romantic feelings toward the King? I don't agree that So Yong's spirit inside the Queen's body made Jang Bong Hwan feel romantic feelings for the King. I just don't think it was that simple. Jang Bong Hwan came to care for the King as a person while seeing him struggle and looking past the mask he wore in front of the court. You see this breakthrough in the first half of the drama while the King struggles with maintaining his façade in the palace.
To be clear: I'm okay with Jang Bong Hwan going back to present day. I mean, come on, if So Yong's spirit is still in there, she deserves to live too. I'm totally for that. BUT, why doesn't Jang Bong Hwan get a romantic ending too? It felt like Jang Bong Hwan did all the hard work in getting the King to fall in love with the Queen, his feelings getting tangled up along the way, but he doesn't get to reap the rewards. And honestly, the King loved the Queen BECAUSE of Jang Bong Hwan. I'm not sure if he would have been drawn to her had Jang Bong Hwan not been impacting her behavior. It's even implied that the King noticed that things were different....the dramatic irony is that Kim Byung In didn't notice the change in the Queen...with the King noticing it, you'd expect him to then long for what was missing, right?
Also, you've seen it so many times in dramas - why didn't they do some form of reincarnation of the King in present day as a woman so Jang Bong Hwan gets his romantic happily ever after??? They've done it so many times before. Such a wasted opportunity.
Due to these points, I am having trouble feeling satisfaction with the ending of this drama. I understand that due to social taboos in South Korea, the writers felt pressure to be more conservative in representing sexuality, but it just feels supremely unfair to Jang Bong Hwan. I truly believe based on their dynamics, inner monologues, and interactions, he romantically loved the King, not just So Yong's affections coming through and imprinting on him. His feelings developed and grew over time in a reasonable fashion. Even though Mr. Queen is not nearly as tragic, this ending reminds me of the lacking ending from Scarlet Heart. *sigh*
The OST was really great! "Here I Am" by Jo Hyun Ah was my absolute favorite in the entire drama. I absolutely adored her voice and the melody. *applause*
I don't think I would be able to rewatch this and I personally didn't enjoy it enough to warrant recommending it to others. Shin Hye Sun was amazing, but...the story, the comedy, and the unsatisfactory ending are enough for me to just feel meh about it.
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Intense movie - might hit a bit too close to home, but rewatch-worthy
I really liked this movie. It's been on my list forever and with the current COVID-19 climate, as morbid as it sounds, it seemed like a rather fitting time to watch it. What had me the most intrigued was the FMC's daughter, Mi Reu - her role in the story dynamics had me curious as to how the story played out. And man I was NOT disappointed!The story was a good pace and the intensity was real. The atrocities that occurred during this fictitious outbreak had me feeling so grateful that modern-day Earth nations handled COVID so civilly. While watching the events in the story unfold - the push and pull between medical staff and government officials and military - I experienced a range of emotions from disgusted to enraged to delighted to worried to grateful, etc. The scenes and pacing were well balanced and kept me thoroughly emotionally engaged.
I really liked the dynamics between the two MCs, Ji Goo and In Hae. In Hae seemed like a pain in the ass at first, but she was alright - she was just trying to do her job and care for her daughter, no more, no less. Ji Goo is simply a good man - he does the right thing because he knows it's right, not because anyone is looking. I loved that about him. He took care of Mi Reu (In Hae's daughter) simply because he grew attached to her and knew he *could* help, even if it put him in danger. The relationship he developed with Mi Reu had my chest tight with worry in anticipation for how the story ended. >.<
The ending was great! I didn't see the story taking all it's turns and twists (issues with containing the disease, issues with preventing the spread of the disease, issues with curing the disease, issues between governments over international risk, etc.), but by the end, I was very satisfied! That one scene were Mi Reu protects her mom and Ji Goo holds them had me crying, goosebumps all over my flesh. It was fantastic and the build of emotions was beautifully executed.
Overall, I would recommend this movie. It's definitely serious and has a lot of things that are a bit hard to watch (the politics alone are enough to send anyone into a fit of rage), but the movie as a whole was really well paced and satisfying. Be sure to watch the epilogue - it brings everything full circle - had me smiling ear to ear! :D
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Ryan Ding and Zhao Lu Si had exceptional chemistry and their acting was phenomenal! AND their voice actors were very well selected, which was a HUGE plus for me (many times, voice actors can be very distracting and awkward, taking away from the overall drama for me).
The balance of romance, comedy, and political intrigue was so well executed that I just wanted to watch more and more until I finished the story. I found myself rewinding many episodes just to watch a scene all over again because it was either HILARIOUS or pulled at my heartstrings. My heart really ached at times, especially when it came to QianQian and Han Shuo realizing their feelings for each other through misunderstandings and heartbreak. The tension built up between them and then the betrayals/tragedy of their romance had me eating the story up while crying! XP
The ending (last 4 episodes) wasn't as good as the rest of the drama - the story somewhat slowed down... BUT I really loved how Chen Xiao Qian and her story evolved. She started in her story with all the knowledge to get along just fine in her fictional world, but as she forced her own survival as Chen QianQian, she changed the story so much so that by the end, she couldn't predict or ensure any ending based on her plans because things had changed too much for her to control. I really enjoyed watching this realistic development. And while things got a little boring and not as intense in episodes 22/23, I think it really gave Xiao Qian a greater sense of where her imperfections lie in her world-building of her story, so when she woke up, she knew how to further perfect her story.
The ending was life. I was so happy that things turned out that way because I don't think I would have been able to handle a true tragedy. AND the ending isn't too much for this genre, so it was a very happy, fitting ending. Some people are dissatisfied with their shortness of the ending, and while I wouldn't have complained to get a bit more of their happily-ever-ever, what was given was enough to satisfy me, so I'm happy. :D
I would recommend this to anyone. Really. If you like comedy and romance and don't mind historicals, this is a must watch. And even if you're not a huge fan of historicals, really, this drama is still fantastic. I can't rave enough about it! The Romance of Tiger and Rose is very much a character driven story: watching Han Shuo and QianQian fall in love, going from enemies-lovers and how their romance changes everything was such a wonderful experience that I can't help but want others to experience too! I will be watching again for sure!
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The other thing that really ruined this drama for me was the insta-love. Bleh. This drama is definitely insta-love, to my dismay. There's no build up in emotions, interactions, or getting-to-know-you experiences that would have realistically led up to the extreme "love" the 2 MMCs feel for each other. It was very off putting. I'm still kind of scratching my head as to why they love each other. I, as the viewer, get it since I know them from watching their independent interactions, but in the short time THEY interacted with each other, I don't get why *they* developed such strong feelings for each other. This was probably the weakest point in the drama for me because their love story was supposed to transcend all the universes. Their romance wasn't even a convincing or well-written insta-love...I've truly seen better insta-love plots. *sigh*
What made this drama worth watching though was the performance of Woo Do Hwan, which is not surprising AT ALL. :D He was as wonderful as I thought he would be - he convincingly played 2 different roles where there was no doubt in my mind *who* he was when his face appears on scene. He was so convincing in both roles and he constantly had me cracking up for either character he played. I hope that TK:EM will be his big break so he can finally get more main roles!
Kim Kyung Nam was a huge surprise! He did a wonderful job portraying such a torn character - he was mysterious and moody (just how I like em ;P), and when he finally started crying near the end when his mother embraced him, his distress was palpable. I look forward to his future dramas - hopefully a lead role! :D
Unfortunately, I cannot say that all the other actors did as a wonderful job as WDH or even KKN. Lee Min Ho was okay - he's always been "just okay" to me. He's handsome and can easily make people swoon, and he has the right face for a king, and he strutted the *king* feel very well, but what I didn't buy was his romance/chemistry with Kim Go Eun. I've never been a huge fan of KGE either...she's not bad, but by the end of the drama she replaced good acting with tears. NON STOP tears. 0.0 By the end of TK:EM, I was soooo over her crying literally every scene. So, suffice to say, I'm still not a KGE fan. Bleh.
The OST was also really good, which I'm pleased to report! Good tones, great artists - their voices complimented the emotion of the scenes very well! The swell and timing in the instrumentals were also very well placed and selected!
Overall, I'm very disappointed in TK:EM. My high hopes for this intended epic drama are rather devastated. If I hadn't been watching it as it aired, I likely would have dropped it rather than try to get through all 16 episodes back to back. I hate to be this person, but the only reason why I would bring up this drama in conversation would be to gush about Woo Do Hwan. If you are a WDH fan, you definitely do NOT want to miss out on his spectacular performance here. Aside from WDH, I think this TK:EM would be okay to skip. *shrugs* It had it's exciting moments and interesting plot, but overall, it was evident that the writers did not handle nor execute such a complicated plot.
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Episodes 1 through 4 were pretty boring with building the setting and introducing characters. BUT, I did get sucked into the drama by about episode 8.
What I'm most disappointed about is how this drama is referred to as one of the best bromances of all dramas, but I just don't see it. I mean, yes, once the 2 MMC's, Chief Kim and Director/Prosecutor Seo ally they have a bromance, but it only starts after episode 17...out of 20 episodes!!! I was *most* interested in watching their dynamics, but Director Seo was a straight up bastard for more than 3/4 of the drama, and while his character is redeemed and I'm satisfied with his character development, the BROMANCE of this drama is severely lacking literally in duration. And I get that the writers needed to build their relationship and dynamics to have a good bromance, but jeez this just took too long. Chief Kim and Director Seo were who I was here for and 4 episodes just wasn't enough for me. *sigh* I will admit though, once the bromance officially started at episode 17, the way Director Seo loses his temper whenever Chief Kim tried to be romantic toward him just cracked me up. I rewatched those scenes at least 3 times before moving on. XD
While on the topic of Director Seo, who was originally Prosecutor Seo: his backstory is pretty weak. Him going from a very successful, ruthless prosecutor to a corrupt Director of a huge conglomerate just doesn't satisfy me as a viewer. The reasoning he changes career paths is because he wants to use his law knowledge to outsmart the law and make it big in the business world....it's just such a flimsy motivation. It lacks sincere backstory....
Now that I think about it, Chief Kim's backstory is pretty flimsy too. We see his childhood and father in some brief flashbacks that imply their impacts on his conning profession, but they're not well flushed out. Hmm..
What I *did* really love is the CEO's son, Myeong Seok. His character growth was so well portrayed; he truly grew up for the better by the end of the story. And he was such a sweet guy by the end of the last episode. I adored watching him going from this spoiled, unloved child to being productive and developing friendships and loyalties after being recognized for his contributions.
The OST is also pretty great! I really liked the theme song, "Must Be The Money" by DinDin - whenever it started up, I always knew they were getting down to business :D. I also enjoyed "Will You Love Me" by Gilgu Binggu & Kim So Hee - a very nice romantic melody. "Dreaming" by Seo Young Eun was perfect for the more melancholy scenes. And my absolute favorite was the instrumental piece, "Here Comes The Chief Kim" - the rhythm, instruments, and pensive tune just resonate with me.
The ending was also truly satisfying and wrapped up all the loose ends. We get a "1 year later" epilogue and each character has their conclusion nice and neat. I like that Director Seo is happy and I like the implied romance left there for him.
So, in conclusion, like I said already, I won't be rewatching this and I likely won't recommend it to anyone because even though I generally liked it, overall it's just meh, despite what the raving reviews imply. If you are considering this drama because of the bromance, I would encourage you to reconsider. This drama is more about how you change as a person when you begin to care for those around you. The two MMC's both changed, for the better, during the duration of this drama because they developed attachments to those around them, wanted to protect them, and in the end, took down the bad guys. In this regard, even though it takes 20 episodes, it was a good story.
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1st reason season 2 is better than season 1: Dr. Kim's character seems so much more fleshed out and balanced. His character is more consistent and makes more logical sense. While he's always teaching others, his methods are agreeable, even if they are still blunt. Also, unlike in season 1, Dr. Kim is now obviously compassionate and a selfless individual with extremely high morals, even if we do not know exactly what he is thinking. I really liked him this season. The writers and actor executed Dr. Kim in a much better, well-rounded fashion that really emphasized the morals of the drama so much better.
2nd reason season 2 is better than season 1: The 2 new doctor's transferred to Doldam hospital, Seo Woo Jin and Cha Eun Jae were soooo much better characters than the 2 doctor's from season 1. There was nothing really wrong with the doctors from season 1, but I could much better associate and sympathize with the doctors from season 2 in regards to their backgrounds and stories. I also enjoyed Seo Woo Jin and Cha Eun Jae's dynamics as a romantic couple much better than the 2 doctors from season 1.
Now, I would like to mention that there is a difference in how season 1 and season 2 were handled, that made the flow and feel a bit different. In season 1, each episode was essentially 1 day where the doctors were experiencing a specific patient and their respective struggles for that day, with each patient wrapping up by the end of the episode. In season 2, 1 patient and/or incident might span 3 or 4 episodes, which results in less focus on the patients and more shared focus on the hospital politics and doctor dynamics/experience. Due to this difference in execution, I didn't feel as much intense emotion with season 2 that I had with season 1. With season 1, the intensity in each episode had me crying almost every single episode with how each patient's story turned out (1 particular one ingrained in my memory was the father who wanted to murder the male patient because he raped his wife and young daughter causing numerous horrific health complications on top of the mental trauma). In contrast, season 2, due to the patient's stories spanning more episodes, I didn't find myself as emotional toward the character's and their stories, which definitely dropped the intensity for me. With that said though, this made room for politics and character dynamics to be explored more.
The ending was seriously satisfying! In the last 30 minutes of the drama, I was seriously wondering how they were going to end the story and omg it was definitely satisfying! I was like, "YESSSS! He [the ex-director from season 1] finally can't bother them anymore!" Totally worth taking the chance on season 2!
The OST was also really good as a whole. I liked all of it - the instrumental and vocal. And again, I also liked it more than the season 1 OST.
I think the directors did a really good job learning from their shortcomings from season 1 and making a really strong, satisfying, and enjoyable season 2. After watching and enjoying season 2 so much, I think I might eventually watch both seasons again, together back-to-back to experience them in one go and see if my perspective of them (especially season 1) changes.
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