I maybe the first one to give this a lower score but in all honesty as much as I want to give it a 10, I couldn't. I give this a solid 8.

This had all the recipe that I look for in a drama. it is dark, moody, raw and sad.I got hyped when I found out that it was the same director as MISAENG and SIGNAL and especially when I checked that it beat SIGNAL as the top rated drama here in MDL. But it wasn't depressing enough for me. Yes there were scenes that made me tear up but it was just like a scratch, I want it to be skin deep just like what MISAENG, DEAR MY FRIENDS and LIVE did where scene after scene it kept piercing my heart all the way through. Although that wake scene at the last episode made me cried buckets of tears, that's what I've been missing throughout the drama, give me more of that emotional-punch-to-your-soul scenes.

The major hold back in this drama for me is the love story of his brother and that actress, to me it was lackluster and took too much screen time, it was like my tears are about to fall from the leads'scenes and then it gets cut by their lousy romance story. it was well acted though but TBH it was unnecessary to highlight their story in which I wished that they could've put the spotlight more on Jang Ki Yong's story.

Jang Ki Yong's character's story was the big miss. To me his story is much more interesting than the two brothers honestly. his inner conflicts within himself is so captivating to watch. The way his character developed and gradually finding out why he is living that way was not stretched enough. I wanted more from him.

But man what a departure this is for IU from her previous roles. I think this type of character suits her personality more that's why she was able to pull off a stunning performance. And can we talk about Mr. ahjussi for a moment, why does he always get cheated on by his wives? first on MY WIFE IS HAVING AN AFFAIR THIS WEEK and now this, poor thing.

p.s. that OST is golden! I would recommend y'all to listen to every song, it just breaks my heart.

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The title, promo photos and the teaser videos are all misleading! I was excited at first because I thought wow this would be a breath of fresh air from all the usual kdramas out there however I was totally disappointed as soon as I got into it. I really thought it was going to be this dark, moody, sexy, you know kinda like that fifty shades of grey vibe but it was surprisingly lighter and turned into a typical drama as it progresses. I say what a waste of great talent though, the 3 leads except for joy were great and really trying their hardest to put some sense into their characters despite the terrible writing. Now I understand why it was rated the lowest series in MBC drama history.

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There's nothing really special about this drama. Everything you've seen from any other legal drama is also here. I think the pacing of this drama was just too fast, everything got revealed before the tenth episode that the rest of the remaining episodes fell flat (although there are tons of plotholes from the pilot EP already).
The saving grace for this drama is the excellent acting. Lee Joon gi and Seo ye ji are both great actors and what great chemistry they have but TBH Lee hye young was the star in this for me, she carried out the villainess character all throughout very well.
I would recommend it to any newbies who wants to take a break from rom-coms

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I anticipated this drama to come out ever since the news of it came out last year. I really had the highest expectation not only because of its high ratings but they already started filming this last year which makes it somewhat of a post production drama. I have to be honest, this drama did not lived up to the hype. With that amount of preparation I thought I was going to see epicness ala WESTWORLD. You take the robot element out of it and you're just left with another chaebol drama with cheesy romance on the side.

pros
1. I can always rely on KBS dramas to give me stunning sceneries as they love to film abroad all the time(too bad it was only for one episode)

2. Kong Seung yeon. I love a strong girl. I'm so glad that she's not a damsel in distress and not afraid to get down and dirty. love her since circle

3. Kim won hae. I mean it is KWH, the chameleon, whatever role he chooses to play he always slays it.

cons
1. everything happened too suddenly. I mean what's the rush? the meeting of the two nam shins, the reunion of the mother and son, the switch up and his fake identity getting busted.I wished they could've built up the tension a few episodes more. the storyline didn't got a chance to fully developed. it was all half baked

2. how I wish we got even just an entire episode getting to know more Nam shin 3, on how he lives his life in seclusion and how he deals with everyday life

3. I was disappointed that the plot revolved around the greed for power once again. This wasn't the drama I had in mind all this time. it's already so tiring to see the same plot over and over again even some of the actors are playing the same roles

4. I wanted SKJ to act more robotic as nam shin 3, I mean he's a robot after all. To me Chae Soo-bin (Aji-3) was more convincing as a robot (sorry I just have to compare them both)

5. how can a robot harbor such human emotions and how can a robot swim in water without malfunctioning?

6. okay let's say he was a state-of-the-art, high end and one of a kind robot then why does everyone around him acts so carelessly? his mother is an AI genius but for sure is pretty dumb when it comes to other stuffs. His identity is supposed to be top secret and he's supposed to be this fragile/precious thing however they just let him wander around freely and going on dates

7. It lacked depth and originality.The pilot episode gave me that feels but with each episode I find myself face palming more often because it's slowly turning into one of those medicore dramas

8. this was a sci-fi drama but I only got a little out of it. the first episode showed promise, I was intrigued and excited because it gave me the EX MACHINA and some BICENTENNIAL MAN vibes but the following episodes wasn't able to sustain the moment. CIRCLE and DUEL were both underrated but were far more amazing sci-fi kdrama that'll leave you at the edge of your seat every single time

This was by far the biggest disappoinment kdrama for me because with others I can already tell whether it will work or flop but with this I expected epic proportions, for a kdrama at least.

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Honestly I decided to watch this because of its high ratings and gave it a shot. It's not groundbreaking but I get why it appealed to many viewers because it had all the ingredients of a perfect family drama, it had something for everyone. The writers took a common soap opera plot and added fantasy spin to it which made it unique

pros
1. Kim Myung Min. His character might be one of the most complex and hardest to portray so far from all the kdramas I saw because of the dual personality. I can really feel his confusions and frustrations

2. Kim Hyun Joon. As much as I love Ra Mi Ran, to me KHJ is the star in this drama. She made me believed in everything she's fighting for. Great acting especially her nuances and subtleness speak so loudly.
TBH I was rooting for her the entire time

3. the OST. touching and emotional songs that really complimented every scenes

4. the supporting casts. This is probably the first time where I think collectively, the supporting and minor casts (with the exception of a few) were much more interesting than the leads. Their stories were fun that made the lead's storyline seemed like a filler. From the bank employees to the mother and daughter tandem were all entertaining

5. the kids. In connection with #4, the special recognition goes to them. I really enjoyed the kid actor's parts. their silly little adventures gave the drama a much needed shed of light (they reminded me of stranger things)

6. the splash of fantasy. Kai did a good job(great improvement from ANDANTE). And I must say that the way the writers incorporated the fantasy scenes were smart, it was not overdone

7. great ending. it got me choked up a bit

cons
1. the lead's personal lives. I'm talking about their "jobs" that practically eats up 50% of each episode. It was just lackluster from KHJ's job at the mall to RMR's insurance job and even the bank fizzled out towards the end

2. the detective. He also gets a lot of screen time and he was really annoying TBH. When you already know half of the truth from the start, there's no point in his quest for justice. the thrill is already gone

3. the mall CEO. the weakest character for me, the writers even tried to build him his own back story but this is to me is a definition of a filler character. Sorry but even the fling he had with KHJ wasn't exciting either

4. the slow pacing. I love me some slow burn, slice of life melodrama but if you don't have the right amount of feels to fill in the gaps then it would just be a yawn fest

5. the whole illegal loan and murder on the side thing. I don't know how many times we've already seen this plot in every drama out there.To me this was just a lot BS with this greed for promotion and power, kinda reminded me of MY LOVE FROM THE STAR where you get a lovely fantasy plot and then the whole crime/detective scenes were sucking the whole fun out. Writers please just let this plot take a rest for a while, thanks

In the end I have to give this 7 stars, if not for the whole illegal loan BS shenanigans, this would've been an 8/10.

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HALLELUJAH!!!
just when I was giving up hope on the train wreck of kdramas recently (I have dropped every single kdrama that has come out lately except for MOTHER and MISTY) along came this exceptional drama.
First of all, I just want to give big props to TVN for always producing quality dramas, one that rivals dramas from the US.
This drama reminded me mostly of MISAENG, a slice of life drama that truly depicts the working struggles of people.
I Know a drama would be epic if it touches every single fiber of my body and this drama did. I can't count on how many buckets of tears I shed for this.
The ensemble is superb, reminding me of DEAR MY FRIENDS, wherein there's no character left behind, everyone contributed to the storyline which makes every scene worth watching. Lee kwang Soo is the star for me in this, he's just raw and believable.
The soundtrack is amazing. every song is touching and emotional. I love it when kdramas use Western music, it adds magic to the scenes.
HIGHLY RECOMMENDED! it's definitely in my top three of all time best kdramas.

p.s. this drama had the best pilot episode I have ever watched in all series including the western dramas next to GOBLIN, it was like watching a full length movie almost.

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This wasn't the drama I was expecting. A lot of viewers refer to this as a melodrama but to me it's more of a crime and suspense series. I have TBH and again I'm probably the first one to give this a low rating but the whole thing was just a huge YAWN. I was mislead by the title and the early reviews once again but having said that, amidst the corny plotline lies a huge miss by the writers right from the very beginning that could've turned the whole thing 180° and make it more original. . .

pros
1. JKY's silent acting. he has definitely grown a lot as an actor in a short period of time, no wonder he got the lead role this time

2. JKY's stare. his eyes speaks a thousand words even when he's not talking. I always find his gaze to be engaging

3. cinematography. the mood and feel of the drama is great especially the lighting. I have never seen a police station with such pretty lighting before

4. directing. the camera panning is good. just the way the director frames the scenes especially that vending machine scene where JKH just rested his head on to it

5. im glad I skipped through till the end because that last scene touched me. I finally got to know why it's called come and hug me

cons
1. Jin Ki Joo. loved her in MISTY but here she's the weakest link. Her whole story line felt like I was watching an entire separate drama (the ones like the cheesy daytime weekend dramas). We come from this dark and bloody scene that already got me hyped up and then suddenly it cuts to her scene sitting pretty in her pretty dress and makeup with her damsel in distress demeanor which really throws me off

2. I was not convinced that JKY is really playing a cop

3. the never ending flashbacks

4. I never thought I would mention this but JKY's younger sister's acting so cringy! it was so bad y'all

5. The first half of the series was just a total mess. I felt like watching two completely different dramas

6. I was not feeling the chemistry between the two leads

7. I was really hoping for a twist but it never happened and I'm not gonna spoil it but for those who already finished this would know what I'm talking about

8. Am I the only one who thinks that the star here is Mr. Heo Joon Ho? he is the only reason why I didn't dropped this drama because I was really intrigued and captivated by his character. This is what I'm talking about what the writers could've done differently, instead of the usual two lovers as the lead, I wished that they turned HJH's character into the protagonist, that would definitely give us a whole new drama! Can you imagine a drama about the makings of a psychopath serial killer? kinda like a Hannibal-ish drama. SIGH.

9. the last episode was a huge let down. it just turned up that those build up from all the episodes were all for nothing

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Rom-coms are the melting pot of cliches and this drama is no exception. Rom-coms are the ones who introduced me to the world of kdrama however I found myself dropping every rom-coms lately regardless of its popularity. I believe unless the writers put a spin on this genre, it will just end up being forgettable.

pros:
1. Hwang Bo Ra. This girl is a gem. Really funny and endearing without even trying. I loved her in THE MIRACLE WE MET and in here as well

2. Chansung and pyo ye-jin . they're the only reason why I watched the show, everything else I skipped. they had much more going on than the leads

cons:
1. the cliches. the cliches. the cliches. Why does every rich chaebol have to be single, good looking, cold, anti social and always the "youngest" to be a CEO? (thank God PSJ is a decent actor because not even his face could save his character)

2. this was just a whole lump of cheese that makes me cringe to death

3. PSJ's obsession with the girl is off-putting TBH. he was on the verge of becoming a stalker

4. no feels. rom-coms usually is accompanied with heartfelt feels that will make you cry whether its the family or friends but this drama only made me feel sleepy

5. this drama is shallow and superficial. no proper character build up

6. PSJ brother. he was supposed to be the antagonist and bring tension to the drama but he's character is not interesting enough

7.the story development is just too fast. Usually the leads will start to fall in love near the end of the series but to do it at the very first episode to me was just the wrong move

Anyone who's a sucker for rom-coms would definitely love this but personally I don't find anything special about this show. Yes there's no need for every drama to have depth and be lightly written instead however with all the amazing dramas written and produced for the last three years it will always going to be compared to the greats. There's no used in relying on the same old tricks anymore, you (the writers especially) gotta give the viewers something new. BECAUSE THIS IS MY FIRST LIFE did it. I AM NOT A ROBOT did it and these are proofs that rom-coms nowadays can be more than just a one trick pony plotline

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pros:
-thank god lee sang yoon and lee sung kyung are great actors (although am I the only one who always see Kim bok joo in everything LSK does now?)
-good chemistry tho
-secretary park is funny. a breath of fresh air
-finally at the last episode, this show delivered its true potential to what could've been a magical drama but it was just too little too late to save the entire thing

cons:
-very kdrama circa 2010
-the first meeting was so forced and very cringe worthy
-didnt cared about his business and his family problems, it was the same chaebol BS
-the whole musical thing TBH is just a filler
-cho jae yoo doesn't fit the role (it's obvious he's not the first choice for the role)
-how can someone fall in love so easily, c'mon man, we're not even near the second half of the series yet(rom coms' magic is all about the beginning stage, the tug of war, the push and pull, the love-hate relationship between the two leads, once they started dating that's when the thrill begins to dwell and fade because it's just all kissing, hugging and sleeping after that
-the supporting characters don't have much weight on them that's why they're not interesting
-I was really hoping for a plot twist at the end but it just turned out to be one of those predictable happy endings

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Too many psychos not enough fresh ideas

Everyones been praising this drama to be one of the best kdrama thriller/suspense and as for someone like me who have watched almost every kdrama out there, it only takes one episode to determine whether or not a drama is worth watching and boy this one is surely drop-worthy.

Idk why I dragged myself upto ep 14 for something predictable and a been-there-done-that plot.

At this point, screenwriters almost needs to add or mix up another genre to the police/psycho/suspense/thriller to make it interesting (ex: tunnel, duel, life on mars).

And dont get me started on the editing.

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I thought CROSS would run away by being my favorite medical drama of the year but this one threw a hard jab and won (so far).it's definitely not your typical medical drama. There were less operation room BS but more on the business politic issues. Right from the bat I could sense a STRANGER (secret forest) vibes written all over it and turns out it was in fact written by the same writer. Highly recommended. One of the best made drama this year, if not of all time.

pros
1. high quality drama. one of those well crafted series that rivals some of Hollywood's finest shows

2. great tension build up. most writers suffer from filler syndrome but this one had enough juicy topics to keep the thrill rolling

3. great character build up as well especially with Cho Seung Woo's character, I love how each episode kept on shedding layers of his personality

4. Yum hye ran. I always love characters with sense of humor especially in a serious drama like this. just when things start to feel dull we can always rely on her to give us a good laugh

5. I liked the equal amount of exposure shown between work and their personal stories although I much prefer watching their lives outside of the hospital

6. there's no clear villain in this series, which I love. as the show progress, you will find yourself siding with different characters because all of them have valid reasons for what they're fighting for. I truly believe that the true antagonist here is the people's greed for power/authority
7. this had one of the few best endings in a drama I've seen so far

8. that underwater scene was purely magical it got me in a trance. it was heartbreaking but beautiful as well that it got me teared up

cons
1. the business politics bored me TBH especially when they're talking about numbers and other technical stuffs (which happened a lot throughout the series)

2. I'm all for melodrama and melancholia but a lot of times I felt like the writer tried way too hard to milk some tears out of the viewers

3. I don't like how Lee Kyu hyung's character was portrayed in the show. he doesn't need to be looked down on. it's one thing to get pitied on because of having a physical incapability but the guy has serious self pity issues as well. I wished the writer made him look strong and confident, that would've sent a much better message to everyone like him

4. I'm not gonna lie, although I'd complimented the great tension build up of the show, somehow the second half of the series felt dragged and became too seemingly slow for an already slow-paced drama

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Pity me please!

This must be the most frustrating series I have ever watched.

I dont know how many times I wished to flip the table, chairs , tv and everything around me because of frustration.

The characters are walking on eggshells around each other the entire time and makes me want to pull out all of my hair.

The level of self pity and the need for sympathy by all of the characters is just depressing!

It would make a world of difference to everyone's lives if they'd stop walking on a tightrope and grow some balls and be honest to each other.

The only saving grace in the entire series thus far is the pilot ep. I'm not even a fan of cringey kdrama romcoms but I wanted that fluffy, cutsey and happy vibes back again but instead as the show went on it just got slower and depressing.

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This was a hard one for me to drop because I really fell in love with the first season. I had a lot of great expectations especially knowing that a lot of the previous cast are reprising their roles but sadly this season it fell flat for me.
One of the major reasons why I felt like this season did not live up to the previous one was the change in Seol ok's character. The charm of the first season relied on the unique plot which is a housewife turned investigator. That was such a clever and fresh take on an investigative drama in which drew me in the first place. However in this season all of that were gone, she was divorced and chased her dream of becoming a police officer. Her bright and loveable aura faded and became this dull and boring cliche character. And also I did not like what they did to her HAIR, I mean it was her signature bob that added to her quirky personality.

Another thing is the change in cast. Although a few of the important cast returned, the new members really did not do anything, even with the addition of my fave Kim RAE WON. I missed captain Hong, the grocery store lady and even the group of ahjummas, their chemistry I'm solving the cases was very entertaining to watch.

if they're planning to have a third season I suggest that they bring the fun back from what it was in the first season.

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This is a strong 7/10.

pros:
-fresh take on legal kdrama (maybe because it was an American series remake)
-no interrogation room because we all know those scenes are just full of BS
-no CEOs/politicians plotting and scheming shenanigans
-no killings
-PHS's face(those close ups of his face is just distracting in a good way)
-PHS departure from his previous roles( I was not a fan of his previous dramas TBH especially strong woman however this role is a complete 180)
-chae geun sik, probabbly the most likeable villain since Lee Junho in chief Kim
-ms. Hong (TBH, she and atty. chae are the only ones brightening up the dull and grey office)
-there's not much interfering characters which I liked because you can only focus on the main leads and supporting actors

cons:
-the job interview scene on ep 1 felt too scripted, it did not gave me that "AHA" magic moment.
-no character build up for the characters
-I'm lost most of the time on what they're talking about (it gets too technical at times)
-the cases are too normal for a drama. don't get me wrong, I'm all for realistic dramas however for a legal drama that can get too boring, cases needs to be exaggerated a bit.
-it felt like they compressed every suits US episodes into 16 episodes, to me it felt rushed and the pilot episode felt like it was in episode 8 already
-chae geun sik have a better bromance with Kang seok than go yeon woo
-PHS sloppy suits, for a show called suits, c'mon I was expecting a bit more dressed up (I don't remember suits US cast to be that sloppy)
-this is for people with a long attention span, but for someone like me who gets bored easily, I ended up skipping most of the scenes

PS:
I can see Kim Soo hyun playing the role of go yeon woo much effectively (if he's not in the military)

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Really loved it! A heart warming legal drama that'll make you laugh and cry at the same time. I mean let's be honest, legal dramas are often dark, a pain in the head and a snooze fest but this one is quite an exception. The wit and humor were such a pure delight that made everything enjoyable to watch. Highly recommend, this drama to me felt like a mixture of MISAENG and CHIEF KIM.

pros
1. L's inner monologues

2. Go Ara. a lot of viewers always complain about her acting but to me I find it very natural and charming. loved her since BLACK

3. the instant chemistry between the leads. Right from the start you can see sparks already without it being forced. it's been a while since I shipped the main leads. they look cute together

4. I also shipped the second lead's love line (which I rarely do). rom-coms are full of second lead romances but I think a lot of them are just unnecessary fillers to keep the drama long

5. clever dialogues between L and Ara. their not just blurting out nonsense just for the sake of but really actual arguments that makes you even think for a second

6. the OST. I've said this once about LIVE's OST as well that when kdramas use an English song, it creates magic

7. Sung dong il. everything that this man touches turns into gold. every drama that he's in is a sure hit

8. to me this drama humanizes court judges. it really digs deep from their work to their daily lives (gosh I only found out through this drama that judges pay are so low)

9. the supporting characters were not just displays. From their co-workers to the imu's in the market all packed with their own quirky personalities, they were all fun to watch

10. I just want to bring up the fact that how amazing they look as high schoolers! I mean dramas often cast younger actors to play in the flashbacks but here they played it themselves, how the hell can they both look convincingly good as teenagers? daebak

11. every episode is like a buffet. there's so much happening in every episode that a lot of times an hour felt like 90 mins or so but I personally don't mind if with each episode its filling me with all the feels I need

12. great writing. I love how each cases reflects the character's personal lives which makes them more dynamic and I also love how the writers add depth to simple cases

13. love that last few moment at the end, what a clever twist! it was like a nice wink to sum up the whole series

cons
1. Judge Park's over righteousness. she's not called miss Hammurabi for nothing but it can get annoying at times that sometimes you just want to shake her (I don't know if it's really a con because Go Ara really played the part well)

2. Min Yong Joon. I never really understood what his intentions are

3. the last three episodes felt too slow and a bit boring TBH. It was just missing the fun which made the whole series unique

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