Maybe it's because of my current mood, having had a really difficult year so far, but this has been the only drama that has been able to completely hold my interest until the end in a while. I had no expectations when I started watching. I wasn't even sure about what genre it was... mystery? romance? melodrama? All I knew is that from the very beginning it caught my interest, and kept me curious about what would happen between these two almost strangers with seemingly nothing in common.

First, I have to say that I was so impressed by UI in this role. There is no sign of a pop persona or cuteness. As Lee Ji An she is equal parts tragic, and bad@ss! Her poker face kept me guessing. Her tears broke my heart. Whether she was the villain or the hero in this story didn't matter to me. She really was a great and intriguing character. She's a survivor, with a huge and understandable chip on her shoulder, and UI did an amazing job.

Ui is matched with Lee Sun Kyun as Park Dong Hoon, who I've been a fan of since Coffee Prince. He is the "Ahjussi" obviously, and perfectly cast as an underdog character who you can't help but root for and crush on. In this role I am reminded of his charm while playing totally realistic and down to earth characters. I will admit he was my main reason for being curious about this drama in the first place, and he didn't disappoint.

The story mainly revolves around the relationship between Park Dong Hoon and Lee Ji An, but do not expect a traditional romance. I was actually afraid that the drama would take that turn, but instead it was truly a story about connecting with someone in a much deeper way. There are suspenseful actions that bring them together initially, and there is great, although often awkward, chemistry between them. By the end it's more about the ways they were able to affect each other's lives, a theme with all of the characters actually, and the quest for personal happiness.

Speaking of the rest of the characters, the entire cast is amazing. As much as I loved Dong Hoon's brothers, and loved to hate the loan shark, and the CEO, I really can't think of one weak character in the entire drama! Even the smallest roles were great! It would be easy to just see these characters as depressing, but it actually became comforting watching how they came together for each other. I also like that the characters were all imperfect, which made them all very relatable, including some of the most villainous characters. Each individual supporting character's story was interesting on it's own, which is a nice bonus to the story overall.

Eventually all the initial suspense in the story does give way to a more melodramatic feel, but the story stays strong until the end. It also feels like the story changes along with the characters, and since this is a character driven drama, it works well!

Would I watch this again? Definitely. Some of the initial intrigue would be gone, but there's enough substance to make the story worth rewatching. I also really enjoyed the soundtrack, and thought it matched the mood of the drama well.

Overall, despite it's often generally somber mood, I really enjoyed this drama a lot. This was a different kind of escapism for me. The kind that made me a little more grateful for the good, and the bad, the grief, the disappointments, the achievements, and the relationships we make in life along the way. I felt very empowered by the grandmother's words in the last episode, and that alone would make me recommend this drama. I also really loved the ending scene. I cried a lot during the last episode, which is a warning for those who don't want to be in their feelings watching a drama, but the tears actually felt healing. If you are looking for a drama with substance, I highly recommend this one. It may not be the genre I normally seek out, but it was exactly the drama I needed to see.