dreamcity
This review may contain spoilers
Worthwatching. Great Acting and Interesting Storyline, but Lacking Some Closure
I understand why so many koreans didn't want this drama to happen, given the innacuracy about the spies and the ANSP. I suggest to whoever wants to watch this to get informed about this period of korean history first, or at least of what's wrong with the drama. This was the reason I wasn't sure about watching it, but I'm glad I did.
The acting was excellent, I've liked Haein since Were You Were Sleeping (I literally only finished watching that one because of him, and he wasn't even the lead), and I love seeing him play such a different role here, (now I plan on watching DP just to see him being a badass lol). Most of the supporting cast are very well-known and acclaimed actors and they also did amazing here. I was very nervous about Jisoo, as this was her first drama and she was playing the female lead, but she did honestly great. In the first few episodes I found some of her expressions a little cringeworthy, I'm not gonna lie, but I found all of the actors' expressions like that at the time so it might have been the director's fault? I don't know. But she gets better throughout the show, she nails the dramatic scenes, and I wish we had seen more depth to her character. Her chemistry with Haein was off the charts too, I want to see them together in a light-hearted show in the future. Oh, and special mention to Yoo Inna, whose character and acting was the best on the show along Haein's.
Now to the story. During the first few episodes, I found the politics parts completely uncomprehensible. I couldn't understand who was plotting against who, who were trying to catch the north koreans and who were in control, plus whatever the gossipy ladies were doing and who they were married to. During these episodes, the Youngro and college girls' storyline was what kept me going, it was very entertaining. The scenes where she meets Suho at the group date and then runs into him at the music shop are very cute (when he's making gestures so she picks the paper plane, my heart!!). I wish we could've gotten more of all of this before we got to the hiding Suho part. Still, the episodes where the girls hid him and the open house part were also super entertaining and cute. What I found super annoying was how every 5 seconds someone would get themselves in a situation where they were about to get caught doing something, only for them not to get caught. This literally happens like 10 times during the first 3 eps.
When the hostage situation happened, I finally started understanding the politics part, and Youngro and the girls started losing leadership. The main plotline became about 'how are we getting out of this' and the South-North schemes, instead of the romance (which I wouldn't have minded if this wasn't advertised as a romance). I really liked how they managed to spark the
romance up again after he literally held her at gun-point, hostage and threatened her life several times. It somehow felt natural, so props to the writers for that (it would've felt even more natural if they had known each other more before all of that, though).
I actually liked the ending, I expected things to go like that, I just wished we had gotten news about Dr. Kang, and specially closure on Youngro and her relationship with her roomates. They went through so much together only for them to never speak to her again? Did she ever get to explain she didn't support or speak to her dad? Her brother and the love of her life died and her father is in prison, at least they could've shown she had friends again. I also felt like there was more to Seolhee's character and family and it never got explained.
One thing I really liked was that I didn't know who I was rooting for (other than the college girls) until the last few episodes, Kangmoo and Hanna? The Spies? The ANSP? (no never) Ms. Pi? did I like Bunok or not? (answer was no). It was fun to switch sides every few minutes.
In the end, I really enjoyed the drama. I just wish the leads would have dated or gotten to know each other better before the conflict happens, most of the romance was due to Jisoo and Haein's amazing chemistry and acting rather than how their scenes were written. I also wish they had excluded the whole wives' sub-plot, the actresses were good (and funny, specially the last few eps) but it was so unnecessary.
The acting was excellent, I've liked Haein since Were You Were Sleeping (I literally only finished watching that one because of him, and he wasn't even the lead), and I love seeing him play such a different role here, (now I plan on watching DP just to see him being a badass lol). Most of the supporting cast are very well-known and acclaimed actors and they also did amazing here. I was very nervous about Jisoo, as this was her first drama and she was playing the female lead, but she did honestly great. In the first few episodes I found some of her expressions a little cringeworthy, I'm not gonna lie, but I found all of the actors' expressions like that at the time so it might have been the director's fault? I don't know. But she gets better throughout the show, she nails the dramatic scenes, and I wish we had seen more depth to her character. Her chemistry with Haein was off the charts too, I want to see them together in a light-hearted show in the future. Oh, and special mention to Yoo Inna, whose character and acting was the best on the show along Haein's.
Now to the story. During the first few episodes, I found the politics parts completely uncomprehensible. I couldn't understand who was plotting against who, who were trying to catch the north koreans and who were in control, plus whatever the gossipy ladies were doing and who they were married to. During these episodes, the Youngro and college girls' storyline was what kept me going, it was very entertaining. The scenes where she meets Suho at the group date and then runs into him at the music shop are very cute (when he's making gestures so she picks the paper plane, my heart!!). I wish we could've gotten more of all of this before we got to the hiding Suho part. Still, the episodes where the girls hid him and the open house part were also super entertaining and cute. What I found super annoying was how every 5 seconds someone would get themselves in a situation where they were about to get caught doing something, only for them not to get caught. This literally happens like 10 times during the first 3 eps.
When the hostage situation happened, I finally started understanding the politics part, and Youngro and the girls started losing leadership. The main plotline became about 'how are we getting out of this' and the South-North schemes, instead of the romance (which I wouldn't have minded if this wasn't advertised as a romance). I really liked how they managed to spark the
romance up again after he literally held her at gun-point, hostage and threatened her life several times. It somehow felt natural, so props to the writers for that (it would've felt even more natural if they had known each other more before all of that, though).
I actually liked the ending, I expected things to go like that, I just wished we had gotten news about Dr. Kang, and specially closure on Youngro and her relationship with her roomates. They went through so much together only for them to never speak to her again? Did she ever get to explain she didn't support or speak to her dad? Her brother and the love of her life died and her father is in prison, at least they could've shown she had friends again. I also felt like there was more to Seolhee's character and family and it never got explained.
One thing I really liked was that I didn't know who I was rooting for (other than the college girls) until the last few episodes, Kangmoo and Hanna? The Spies? The ANSP? (no never) Ms. Pi? did I like Bunok or not? (answer was no). It was fun to switch sides every few minutes.
In the end, I really enjoyed the drama. I just wish the leads would have dated or gotten to know each other better before the conflict happens, most of the romance was due to Jisoo and Haein's amazing chemistry and acting rather than how their scenes were written. I also wish they had excluded the whole wives' sub-plot, the actresses were good (and funny, specially the last few eps) but it was so unnecessary.
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