If he's bravery, I must be fear

Every once in a while, a story or show comes along that far and above exceeds the genre and expectations. Not Me perfectly encapsulated that.

The idea of twins and swapping roles has been around for ages (Parent Trap, anyone?), but to see it used in this context and as a BL was completely original and different. Then you take this brilliant idea for twins and you add issues around social justice, ones that two years after airing are still so prevalent around the world. Next, give yourself actors with undeniable chemistry and a cast that fits together seamlessly, and then you add a script worthy of awards. That's where you get Not Me.

Off and Gun have a casual intimacy to them that came across beautifully with their characters. It's the reason why for many they are a top couple, and hopefully will continue to be for years to come. Not only that, but the support roles all served a purpose. Too often there are characters thrown in just because, but that was not the case here. The side relationship involving Yok in particular felt very moving, and it took yet another angle to look at society, the demands it puts on us, and our roles as cogs within the machine -- and what you might do to disrupt that machine.

While not entirely unpredictable, I still found it enjoyable. I saw things coming, but it didn't deter from the overall message or heart of the show, one that has me continuing to think and grateful that a show was brave enough to put spotlight on what others make an effort to hide.

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I'm not crying; you're crying.

I had the chance to watch this during its initial airing, but after seeing the first 10 minutes it was an instant-no for me. Years later, I circled back and saw how beloved the drama was. For me, the topics approached in the drama, particularly in that opening scene, are especially sensitive.

I am glad I gave it another go and pushed past that initial gut response. First off, it hits one of my favorite tropes (which isn't done often, and when it is done, it's not usually done well)--reincarnation. I thought they handled that beautifully, pairing in the layers with family. It aligned the elements of food to have a common thread (hah), but I do wish some of the other scenes had a more fluid alignment (like mirroring the past, but different).

I've commented in other reviews I don't usually care much for music in dramas, but this one was actually pretty good and did add to the scenes usually (though the doom song, as I call it, did feel overused at some points).

I think my biggest gripe with the story is actually the interaction with Dean and Pharm in the last episode. It felt unnecessary to me and that they could've handled Pharm's concerns differently. I also got annoyed with Pharm's reactions to intimacy. It often felt dub-con-y, even though it isn't meant to be at all.

Outside of those things, the acting was really great and they did emotional scenes beautifully. It may have been cool to see the families come together, but I can live without that.

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