Surprisingly good!

I have a fondness for male leads who aren’t human, so how could I resist a drama about a cute boy who’s actually a cicada?! I thought it would just be total goofiness, but despite the comical premise and plenty of silly scenes, there were many unexpectedly sensitive moments about loss, facing dying, embracing the little joys in life, and the impact we leave on those around us. Yet despite touching on subjects surrounding death, it was never dark or depressing. The ML was utterly adorable, the supporting characters were great, and I thoroughly enjoyed this gentle, wholesome, quirky story.

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Quite a letdown

I had high hopes for this since I love MLs that are "inhuman" or a supernatural being, but sadly it was kind of slow and unsatisfying. The ML was the high point: he was spunky and adorable and endearing, and I would’ve loved to see him in a better story. His angelic nature didn’t factor into the plot as much as I expected, as most of the time he was essentially a regular human guy - no wings, no powers or abilities - which defeats the whole point. (I disliked the trite secret backstory for the same reason; for me, it detracted from what made him unique.) My favorite parts were when he struggled with his divine nature versus what his heart wanted, as well as the rare occasions we got to see his beautiful wings in action! Everything else was difficult to care about: I loathed the 2ML, and the villains with their many board meetings were dull as ditchwater. As far as the FL, I could excuse some of her cold, hateful behavior due to trauma but it took her SO long to soften up or show any actual personality that I don’t know how the ML fell for her. The drama tried to portray them as epic star-crossed lovers but I wasn’t feeling it - they seemed to go from pleasant companions to "I'd die for you" in the blink of an eye. This drama could’ve been something special, which makes it all the more frustrating that it isn’t.

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Enjoyable, but a disappointing ending and unrealized potential - watch it for Kim Bum

I'll try to keep my review short and sweet and unspoilery. I watched this drama while airing and genuinely loved it at first, but toward the last third it started to fall apart. It's one of those dramas that you enjoy it while watching, but after the episode finishes and you think it all over, you're left with too many questions. Each of the abandoned little plot threads and inconsistencies might be minor and ignorable alone, but when you add it all up, it makes the story feel flimsy. The chemistry between the lead couple never really convinced me, I felt very much as if I was being told "they're star-crossed lovers!" without being organically shown. Multiple aspects of the last episode were confusing and upsetting, or felt forced and slapdash. The star of this drama is Kim Bum as Lee Rang, the misguided, damaged, emotionally tormented younger brother - it was an absolutely fantastic performance, and far more compelling than the actual lead. Lee Rang is a character I'll never forget.

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An unexpected gem

I thought this drama was just going to be a quick, funny watch, and though there was lots of humor there were also many unexpectedly emotional and moving moments. I think I understand the wide discrepancy in reviews: if you tend to appreciate messages like "everyone is beautiful, we're all goddesses," you might dislike the drama. But if, like me, you prefer acknowledging that not everyone is physically attractive but we all still have worth, positive attributes, and can be loved, you'll probably enjoy this! It can be startling to watch something where the female lead is called plain or ugly, or where the male lead doesn't gawk at her beauty or tell her how gorgeous she is, but I found it both refreshing and authentic that his feelings and attraction developed over time. I'm surprised by the reviews saying Se Gun didn't mature or grow - the whole point was that he used to focus solely on looks, chasing pretty women and never being satisfied, but in the end it was Nan Hee's personality and how she made him feel that he was drawn to, rather than his "dream girl" with the cold attitude. I liked how in the drama's climax, he encouraged her to find her own confidence rather than buttering her up with sappy compliments about how she's actually a dazzling beauty. Definitely spent an enjoyable afternoon watching this.

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Good classic drama fun

I wasn’t expecting much out of this but I ended up getting totally sucked in! The FL was lively and sweet and relatable and the ML was ungodly attractive. Other than the tame kisses, this was unexpectedly hot - the way he looked at her, their body language toward each other, how he always closed the space between them, lots of skinship and obvious attraction between them, etc. I see some reviews saying he was too controlling, and that’s fair, but I know I’m not alone in feeling it’s nice to indulge in a bit of good old-fashioned “dominant romance hero” in the safety of fiction! It might not have worked with a different actor, or if the drama was more serious than fluffy, but somehow Sung Hoon's portrayal made his possessiveness and assertive demeanor leave me a bit swoony rather than irritated. (My only confusion is that I assumed the first episode’s kidnapping would factor into the plot, but it’s never revisited? How do you just move on from that like it’s an ordinary occurrence? What prompted it in the first place? We will never know…)

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Didn't quite do it for me

I love dramas with unusual premises and this certainly fits the bill! But I really feel like it could've been better than it was. At times the tone felt all over the place and left me feeling a bit adrift, too. A drama doesn't necessarily have to slot neatly into one specific genre or "vibe," but it was jarring to veer back and forth between bittersweet melancholy and peppy humor. I legitimately had no idea if it would end happily or not, or how much the couple were really invested in each other, even up until the last twenty minutes. Likewise, the leads' connection to each other was solid in some scenes, and wishy-washy in others. I often felt like an outsider viewing a relationship from a distance, rather than feeling intimately drawn into their story. I'd venture to say this is less a straight-up romance than it is a study of human relationships and what we mean to each other, with the romance serving as a vehicle for that. Which is a perfectly valid story to tell, just be aware going in! (I try hard not to compare remakes with each other, but I will say I strongly preferred the 2017 version.)

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Makes you feel all the good things

This is one of those dramas where you're sad it's over, because you have to say goodbye to everyone you've grown so attached to! Yoon Shi Yoon is top notch and effortlessly charismatic, totally stealing the show as a free-spirited pop star from 1993. I cannot stress enough how funny and endearing he is. The unique and intriguing premise is bolstered by plenty of humor and heart, solid and multifaceted supporting characters, and catchy music. The story is spiced up by the time travel element while still hitting the feel-good beats from slice of life type dramas. I'll miss the rooftop friends!

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Thoroughly enjoyable!

I wasn’t sure about watching this due to the top reviews being low, but I loved season one and had withdrawals after I finished so I decided to give this a go. I’m so happy I did! I think season one was so good that it’s hard to live up to, but season two is great and I fully enjoyed it. I even got a little teary at the end, realizing there was no more for me to watch! Consider this its own story rather than a “sequel,” since the events and characters of season one aren’t addressed aside from some repeated plot points/jokes. Joon-ki is as charming and spirited as ever and though I missed the old gang at first, the new cast quickly grew on me, Woo-sik in particular. His reactions and expressions are so funny that sometimes I’d rewind just to watch the subtle changes of his face. There are a number of scenarios so hilarious I want to shake the hand of whichever clever writer came up with them, and I say that as someone who's picky about comedy! I will say there's more toilet humor than necessary - strange they kept falling back on that, since many of the other set-ups were so creative - but hey, you win some you lose some. All in all, while this season wasn’t quite as stellar as the first, it still gave me almost everything I’d missed: the humor, the warmth, that cozy comfortable feeling of the guesthouse and the found family there. I'll be rewatching both seasons!

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My Absolute Boyfriend had me absolute-ly hooked!

This drama never dragged, and I was always focused and excited for what would happen next. A drama about a “love robot” could’ve been downright goofy, but it strikes a good balance between laughs and hijinks versus tension and deeper emotion. If the ML doesn't charm you, you must be dead inside: he's sweet and earnest and sincere, but also intense and passionate where it counts. His deadpan humor was gold, and when he turned serious I deeply cared about his struggles and feelings. The FL is cute and relatable, and the 2ML can be difficult and flawed but with a good overall character arc. The supporting cast is great, they’re funny and feel like unique individuals rather than blurring together as mere padding for the leads’ story. Likewise, the villain is unique and creepy in a good way. I have my quibbles with the ending - would've been 9 stars if not for that - but I'm not going to let the last 10 minutes erase my enjoyment of the previous 20 hours!

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Super cute

I heard this got bad ratings, but as a cat lover, I couldn’t resist a drama about a cat who can turn into a handsome guy… and I’m glad I gave it a chance for myself! It was cute and sweet and fun, and the unique concept prevented it from feeling insipid as well as giving the couple a genuine obstacle. I'm not sure why it did so poorly; it's not a groundbreaking drama but there's nothing really wrong with it. There were a few plot-holey things and the FL could be a bit frustrating, and it dragged somewhat toward the end, but regardless I found myself smiling a lot and enjoying all the cat-like moments from the ML. I also appreciated the message about not taking your loved ones for granted.

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I didn’t have super high expectations but I ended up enjoying this a lot! There are some plot elements and character dynamics that felt original and different, and almost all the leads bring something to the table: there’s the brash but good-hearted one, the serious one with deep restrained feelings, the sassy playful one with a past, the one who was torn from his life and figuratively thrown in the deep end and is struggling to stay afloat while the sharks circle around… (Can you tell I found that last character especially compelling?) There were a lot of fluffy moments, but also ones with surprising nuance and shades of moral gray. It’s not what I’d call an outstanding drama, it has its missteps and questionable writing choices, but it’s a solid and fun experience that never dragged and hit some familiar beats as well as some creative ones.

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Imperfect but I still loved it!

I heard mixed things about this and hadn’t planned on watching it, but I’m so glad I gave it a chance. It’s not perfect but I feel most its criticisms are too harsh; and besides, for me, lackluster execution of a show/movie/etc can be forgiven if there are compelling characters, relationships, and dynamics - and this has all that in spades. Usually with a large cast there are characters you don’t care about, but not here; there are many different personalities and relationships and I was invested in them all. I’m often indifferent to the second lead but I loved him, as his own character with a wonderful arc, without getting second lead syndrome - which is a difficult balance to achieve. I smiled, I cried, I raised a brow at some of the creative missteps but quickly forgot about them in my excitement to see what happened next. I found the ending very satisfying.

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Gorgeous drama

What a beautiful drama, in every way. Whenever fictional characters readily sacrifice all for their leader, I never really understood, somehow it just seemed so far-fetched... but this king? I get it. He's just so GOOD. Pure-hearted and upright, sweet-natured but bold when necessary, truly passionate about doing the right thing and unwilling to compromise on it. Excellent performance from Yeo Jin Goo. The supporting cast is also top notch, particularly the Chief Secretary and Eunuch Jo. The cinematography and orchestral score were gorgeous. (And I just have to say, certain shots and moments reminded me of Man in the Iron Mask, which was a bonus since I loved that movie!) Would've been 10 stars if not for the last few minutes, which felt a bit deflating and vague and didn't make much sense.

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Such a fun ride!

I was in a drama slump but this picked me right up and I blew through it in two days. I’m fond of dramas with unusual premises, and what could be more unusual than a career woman keeping a younger man as a pet?! Naturally such a situation led to many humorous mishaps and unique scenarios. Momo was charming and endearing without crossing the line into obnoxiously childish, Sumire was relatable and multifaceted, and both characters felt nuanced. The attachment between them felt so genuine and heartfelt, and their chemistry was electric. The drama wonderfully pulled off the transition from platonic affection to sexual tension. From other reviews, I’d expected this to be pretty PG, but was pleasantly surprised by multiple bold and steamy moments to never let the viewers forget that Momo may be a cute, playful “pet,” but he’s still very much a man! I rarely rewatch dramas but I could definitely see myself watching this again. (I’ll also mention that after I finished, I watched the 2003 original, and I prefer this one.)

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