Reviews

sweet, warm, and realistic, just right, but not 10/10

In comparison to all other Chinese dramas I've watched, this drama offered an unmatched sense of realism. I felt like I was watching a natural love story unfold. Like I watched a real relationship develop from an outside friend's perspective: starting as a harmless one-sided crush on an older brother's friend and realizing a genuine affection and support for each other as they got older.

I think the key to this wasn't the acting, I felt like the acting itself was acceptable and good, but nothing jaw dropping. The main player to this real-feel was the story and writing. Having watched many Chinese dramas, I'm no stranger to the crazy schemes, plot holes, dramatic side characters, and unrealistic "has it all" leads. This drama still has a ML with a devastating and traumatic childhood, it still has a sort of crazy ex, still has a ML as a top new-face in the tech field, all of these are cliches, but this drama does it right. It adds just enough cliche to keep the viewers engaged and the story going, but never too much that it becomes unreal. The stories they presented us with, how the characters acted at their respective ages, and how the characters reacted to serious situations, were all very possible in the real world. We see the characters face adversity in their careers, family, finances, balancing the many parts of their lives, and etc. However, when we are shown these struggles, we don't see big schemes, dragged-on arcs, and the introduction of meaningless filler side-character stories. We get scenes about a character's emotions, conversations between the leads, and unspoken thoughts. This drama nailed showing, not telling. I think 95% of Chinese dramas fail at this. Things happen, but everything remains fairly calm. Just like in our real lives. I was able to appreciate how the leads built a relationship from support and trust only because I felt their problems were real. Their relationship, their conversations, their moments were all so entirely heart-warming because I felt touched for them.

The cinematography was also much higher quality than any other contemporary drama I've watched. Every scene felt intentional and just right for the moment.

My only qualm with this drama was the age-gap. True, a five-year age gap is really nothing. However, I will always have a problem with this part of the story because of one reason: the leads had an established brother-sister dynamic since the FL was young, to the point that the FL had the ML saved as older brother 2 on her phone. The drama doesn't emphasize much about the ML's change in perspective on the FL. It starts off as the ML seeing the FL as a naive little "kiddo", his words exactly. This is kinda set for a while, and as an audience we don't really know when he started seeing her as an adult. This distinction was never made clear. And I fear it's because he still partly saw her as a child even while he was pursuing her....this is where I think it's a little weird. Once they get into a relationship, they settle really well into it and I don't see their age gap as a problem anymore. It's the transition that was hazy. How can a grown man go from seeing a girl as a silly naive young kid to seeing her as a potential romantic interest that fast? The drama lacks here.

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Mostly Fun... But Oh That Ending

Full disclosure, I mostly watched this drama for Taec-yeon and I am also now reviewing this months after having finished so some details will be lost--
I enjoyed watching this drama for the most part (until about two-thirds in) so that's what saves the score from being lower. The cohabitation trope, the classic fantasy immortal man looking for his girl, the historical elements and mystery of the flashbacks slowly coming together, the SML and his mystery disease-- chef's kiss. FL being different than the average Kdrama girl and actually kinda liking SML. Mystery girl with the matching face. It had some unique elements that made me enjoy it beyond Taec-yeon's acting (and face).

Honestly, I don't remember the OST. It didn't end up on my playlists, so I guess it was probably average.

SOME SPOILERS COMING

I watched it as it was being released, and waited each week for the next episode. At some point, that excitement faded. The intrigue started getting clouded by annoyances: the SML becoming kinda obsessive, the side characters being useless and ruining things, the weird cat guy who was just kinda there to be mystical and weird and then ALL OF A SUDDEN drops this very important lore he failed to mention before, the cheesy vampire antagonist, and honestly just the whole "I want love that makes my heart beat" message felt shallow. Like that could've been a joke because ML is such a goofy romantic, and instead it's legit serious sometimes but it feels corny. Cool FL starts to catch the corniness too, but I suppose that's what happens when Taec-yeon catches you.
Also that one side character's hair...

SPOILER WARNING

And then two thirds in you get a prediction of how things will end and I'm thinking "well this hasn't been the most unique drama ever, it's been full of tropes, so nah not happening they'll do the classic everybody lives except maybe a side character" and then it does happen. It's predictable in the worst way. The whole tone is just depressing after the revelation is dropped and then you just ride that wave thru a bunch of annoying "not telling you so I won't hurt you" tropes until the end. If you're gonna try to be a different Kdrama than the rest, be consistent. It just made his sacrifice feel like a noble idiot moment, she has no choice in it. Instead of character growth and them truly enjoying each other thru real communication (I know it's a Kdrama but still) it just feels like another grand gesture from him but this one goes horribly wrong. Questions left unanswered in other elements of the plot too. Ugh. Such a disappointment.

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weak hero class 1000/10

episode 2 pa lang, mixed emotions ka na bakla, and also the betrayal .. iba ang nagagawa ng galit. This teach us that don't trust easily, even if close friends pa natin sila,
we really can’t tell kung anong kayang gawin sayo ng isang tao they really can't control their own devil inside their own. And on the other hand, some friends are genuine and real. They would help you when you are in need, you needed to choose your friends carefully. I realized that, there’s nothing wrong about communicating your feelings to someone, mas mahirap pa if magkaroon ng mis-understanding kaya naging malala yung situation. Laking impact ng series na ‘to sakin, it might change my perspective about trusting people. From the 1st episode to the 8th episode (finale) it satisfied me a lot, kind of disappointed kasi bakit ngayon ko lang sya naisipan panoorin kahit na ik this movie way back 2022 pa. Park Ji Hoon deserves so much awards, and also pati production nila and lahat ng casts, ang galing nila umacting. seserve nila humakot ng award.

I’m looking forward sa s2 🤞🏻🤞🏻🤞🏻

i have so much range kay seok sa episode 5 & 6, would you let your friend dīe? paying someone to béat up your friend just because you’re jealous? I am not invalidating bum seok though, sana manlang sinabi niya yung mga nangyari sakanya sa past for sure maiintindihan nila ‘yan, i kind of understand him in some point, even in a tiniest change of how my friends treat me I kind of overthunk it a lot. Throughout all his life he was underestimated by everyone. Misunderstanding really hits diff

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Funny, Sad, Intruguing

First - this is the 2nd drama I have seen with Lee Jong Won, and he has impressed me! His eyes will stop your breath, as his mastery of conveying emotion through them is phenomenal.

Lee Ha Nee was also incredible. Her character was naive, and brave and hopeful. She mastered her character flawlessly.

The rest of the cast was also well chosen. There wasn’t any of the awkward chemistry that is sometimes seen when the villains are overly villainous, and the comedic inserts throughout the episodes made me laugh multiple times.

I felt horrible for the way widows were treated during that time period, and it was refreshing to see that the characters lived within the social boundaries but did not resign themselves to the expectations of seclusion and even ending their lives.

The story was well written and the overall production was amazingly executed. Thenonly thing that left me with a negative impression was the choice of some of the music. While the FL was a force to be reckoned with, the initial song was too abrasive as her character was more than that. Just my personal reaction though.

Tge other tiny disappointment was the ending. It did not end the way it was built up. Not badly, but it was a bit of a disappointment considering all the ML and FL experienced together.

Overall it was a good drama, and I enjoyed every episode. I probably wouldn’t watch it again anytime soon, but it would be a good one to watch again at some point.

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An incredibly good run that stumbles on its final steps

I’ll preface this review saying that you probably want to watch this series. I know people are usually turned off when they read that a show doesn’t deliver on the ending, but the truth is you can perfectly enjoy a trip even if the destination isn’t exactly the one you want. So don’t be afraid to give this one a try!

Now to the POSITIVES. I think that the premise of this BL is the cutest thing ever and reminded of a brazialian short-then-turned-into-a-movie called Eu não quero voltar sozinho, which was also very endearing. As per usual, I think it’s really rare to find truly good acting in the BL world and this is really
no exception to that rule, but do be aware that I’m quite demanding on that front and all the actors here did a pretty good job. Honorable mention to Mark in the role of Night, who I believe has the potential to be an astounding actor. He truly stole the show quite a few times, even though his character was secondary, and what I think helped is that his character was probably written the best among all of the cast. Jimmy, while not having the finest skills in terms of acting, also did a pretty good job and managed to portray Mhok in what I find to be quite a genuine way: emotional, witty, walking this fine line between macho and maturely silly but still believable. All the supporting cast was convincing and that makes the viewing experience worth in and of itself. Pretty sweet romance and and, all in all, an enjoyable story!

So what exactly went wrong? The WRITING. More specifically, the fact that I believe the scriptwriters were too confident in their skills and at some point decided they wanted to overkill it. Up until episode 8-9, maybe 10, I was still quite on board and thought the plot to be solid, even though they did take some unnecessary detours along the way. Like, let’s not kid ourselves: did the heart of this story really need more than 12 hours? I’m inclined to say no. Personally, I’m a big advocate of short and sweet and usually dislike longer narratives since they tend to have fillers and usually end up being a little bit messy, which is exactly what happened in a few instances with this show. There were times where I was ready for Mhok and Day’s story to end, and I was only at episode… six? I really can’t believe they truly needed 12 one-hour episodes, and what probably happened is that that’s what the producers told them they had to do on some business grounds, which I can get behind if done well. Soap operas can be enjoyable, too! But I guess if you binge them, then it becomes a bit repetitive and tiring and you want a change of tune. The danger with doing too much is that, in the end, it’s the characters themselves that suffer these “external needs” for the runtime to be longer, and that’s what happened in the final episodes. The whole thing with Mhok dealing with the dilemma of maybe going to work abroad or staying put because he’s in a relationship was badly handled in my opinion, mainly by the character of Day himself. I understand that, in his situation, I’d be upset too if I felt like my boyfriend was giving up on an opportunity because of me, but to infer that Mhok was refusing so go because he felt pity for him was actually distasteful, ‘cause that’s not it at all. I can understand that he’s young and pretty much a rich spoiled kid, so of course he’d handle a few issues immaturely, but I don’t know, that kind of behavior and lack of understanding of why Mhok was so afraid of leaving, also considering the sensitive topic of the trauma he has from his sister committing suicide, it kinda pissed me off that he reacted that way. I have this love-hate relationship with Day’s character, where I do understand he’s living in pretty awful circumstances, but there were instances where he was acting on such selfish and self-absorbed basis that I just found him childish. That’s confirmed by the way he treated his own brother, whom he did have good reason to resent, but again, he lacked the maturity to recognize that the accident was… well, an accident, and by that time he forgave him conveniently only when Night was helping him in a big way, even going against his mother and lying to her to protect him. I know, it seems like I’m speeding on my hate-wagon for Day, but I swear that I’m blaming this on the writing and not on the character itself, which I’m sure would have been lovely if they had given him a little bit more thought. Choosing to give him his sight back in the final episodes almost completely ruins the whole message and effort of the story in my opinion, but in the end I’m glad to have watched it knowing that, even when you lose something, you always find something back eventually.

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WILLIAMEST IS THAMEPO

First of all, wow! We all didn't expect ep1 this good, it's so good that you just want to watch the entire episodes now. People are also surprised that William is just 19 and it is his first acting gig, in shorter words it's his acting debut. He set his acting debut so high, coz HE CAN ACT!!! As for est, i don't have enough words how good he is, this is his first lead role and his killing it!

Let's jump to ep1, the storytelling, i love it! The introduction to every characters, it's giving fanfiction i love it so much. It's not too much, you can bear it! What I love about it is that, their acting, like damn that confrontation scene where they need to let out every single frustrations they have. po, he was being left by his ex, not acknowledging the things he did for his ex — leaving him questioning his worth.

thame, who's about to leave and carrying a pain too. I'm sure he's hurt in so many aspects, the group is his family, and you'll understand where his coming from when he throws his line to po.

Overall, you can always watch the ep1 while waiting for the next eps. i have so high expectations in the next eps! I'M LOOKING FORWARD TO IT!

and, just a simple fact if u don't know, they kept thamepo for 4-5 years, and they started to work on it when they saw william's potential as thame in the survival show, project alpha. and as for est, when the director saw him, she knew that he's po. DESTINY BROUGHT THEM TOGETHER!

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Smart Heroic!!

This has been out for years now. But I just happened to finish watching. It's a good drama that I enjoy. No wonder why scores are quite high on it.

Plot
I love how much male lead is smart and planned everything, so his friend can be crowd king for the good of people, as well as to get those bad people who wronged him before. The development of his friend character from straight rightuous into adjusting it for the good.
The drama focuses a lot on game of politics yet characters'bonds and emotional sentimental feelings are also there, which is why its a delight. And yes theres enough fighting and wuxia(martial arts) scenes to enjoy. Romance is not main focus at all but its still included. A mature romance!
The only thing is that, it ended with ML having to be hero till end. It annoys me as I actually wanted him to live in peace after all. For that reason I deducted 1 score. But then I still don't call it bad ending.

Pacing and Cinematography
The pacing is perfect for me. Lol for some reason I got into the drama with ease, I like the way the characters are introduced, it doesnt give me much confusion as some other of this genre type drama did.
Cinematography is natural or it gives natural feelings. It relaxed my eyes. I love how its so different from CGI usage these days. But the drama is S+ production of the time for sure.

All in all, I give it 9/10. A Grade.

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the best thing i've ever watched in my life

Gridknight Fight is an electrifying spectacle of style, precision, and heroism! This stunning combat sequence showcases Gridknight’s unparalleled agility, relentless determination, and tactical brilliance. The dynamic choreography and explosive energy captivate viewers, making every move awe-inspiring and exhilarating. Gridknight exudes charisma and resilience, embodying both power and grace as he battles with unwavering resolve. The fluid animation, combined with his fierce tenacity, solidifies this fight as an unforgettable masterpiece of courage and visual artistry.

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I LOVE THIS SO MUCH ☹️?

if gusto mong umiyak go mo na ‘to. this is so heartwarming but heartbreaking also
bakla, first to third episode pinaiyak ako if want mo humagulgol, ito na yon. better days kdrama ver emz. mag tatay sila na naglilinis ng gamit ng mga patay. pinaka heartbreaking yung first episode dalawa na agad yung patay tapos tatay nya pa yung isa. ang daming learnings dito, yung clues ng mga patay nakikita nila, kung ano gustong sabihin ng mga patay nakukuha nila parang may mga clues na naiwan sa gamit ng mga patay tapos naiso-solve nila. it somehow amaze me. you must appreciate someone before it's too late talaga. i super duper love the ep 3, as someone na mau soft spot sa mga elderly, this episode literally crushed my heart. imagine, your mom di3d tapos gusto mo lang kunin yung pera nya at pinabayaan mo lang nung nagkasakit, yung perang naiwan pala ng mom mo is pambili nung pinangako nyang suit para sana sayo :( ang sakit lang. itong series ata na to ang pinaka fav ko same with better days eh. i would yap about this all day long. I CAN’T EVEN WATCH THE EP 7 dun banda sa pinag away sila, i just really can’t. parang bumabalik yung sa weak hero class ueueueueueu di ko kaya. EPISODE 10 IS SUPER DUPER HEARTHBREAKING, sakit na ng ulo ko kakaiyak for 50 mins 😭 ang sakit na ewan, if i woke up with a swollen eyes, this is the reason. daming pina-realize sakin nito, huwag talagang mag tanim ng sama ng loob sa isang tao. sa ep 10, yung scene ni lee jehoon tsaka about sa kuya nya. super sakit, hindi na sila nagkita after ilang years, hanggang sa wala na na deds nañang yung kuya nya, tapos every year cinecelebrate bday ni jehoon, sakit. 10 episodes iiyakan mo talaga, GUYS I LOVE THIS SO MUCH, TO WHOEVER MADE THE SCRIPT, THE DIRECTORS AND THE CASTS. GUYS, KUDOS !!! galing grabe, seson 2 please !!! i would yap about this everyday. ito pinakamahabang explanation kasi super duper love the series 💞💞💞

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Not So Good, Not So Bad

“Bad Guy My Boss” started off as an interesting and provocative watch, however, as it progressed, it became quite monotonous and resulted in a tedious show that lost me as the audience. While the story of a situation-ship between a boss and their subordinate is titillating, and the progression of the relationship dynamic can be interesting, the way in which the show tackles the relationship and the characters was subpar, and with little to no character growth, the story seemed to be stuck on the first half of the series, and the relationships did not grow organically, but the growth was moved by outside factors pertaining to the business, instead of internal factors affecting the relationship.

Read the complete article here-

https://theblxpress.wordpress.com/2024/12/17/bad-guy-my-boss-series-review-ep-4-to-12/

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A Beautiful Farewell to Daeho.

I honestly loved this season so much more than the first! I know not everyone might agree, but this one just hit differently for me. Season 1 set the foundation with its incredible world-building, intense character development, and gripping story.

In this season, the chemistry between Wook and Bu Yeong had its own charm. Their moments together were sweet, and seeing how Wook stood by her while being the strongest made their bond even more special. The way their relationship unfolded added a nice balance of warmth and emotion to the story. The sweet, emotional scenes had me hooked, and the pacing felt just right this time.

And yes, Go Youn Jung. What can I even say? I freakin love her! She’s absolutely stunning, her expressions, her presence, everything about her was mesmerizing. But let me be clear: Jung So Min was amazing too! She brought so much depth to her character in Season 1, and her performance is unforgettable.

The ending this time felt satisfying and well-rounded. It gave me closure while leaving me with a smile. but now I’m left with post-series emptiness—it’s like I don’t know what to do with myself after such an emotional journey. Overall, Season 2 brought all the magic, romance, and emotions I could’ve hoped for!

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Cute, Bubbly with a dash of Suspense! Love it!

I have watched a lot of BLs and there are only a few that I try to watch at a slower pace just hoping they won't end soon.
THIS one bl kdrama has been added to that list! Loved everything about the show! The amount of fluff, cuteness, comedy and omg I couldn’t stop laughing at the main lead regretting his decision to date a 19 yr old kid, and said kid bringing him a sunflower on their first movie date! Lol Can it get any cuter?!!
Myungha being so relectunt to accept his feelings and the intial 2-3 episodes had me laughing so much omg!

There is nothing that I can complain about within the series. Honestly it had everything needed for a nice drama - good acting, nice story and suspense, good pacing and overloaded with cuteness but not the kind that would make you cringe.
Rewatch value: 10/10 !
It's definitely going to be my go-to comfort drama when all the cdramas break my heart with their sad endings!

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I Spy ~ U Spy ~ They'll All Die ~ If We Try ✈ No S2 Yet? I Might Cry °Excellent°

This story begins with a crash: An airplane crash. Cha Gal-geon lost his nephew/ward - his son, really (CG was raising the kid) to this tragedy. CG travels with other mourners to Morocco, the site of the impact. As soon as he lands there, he recognizes a man that appeared in a video that his nephew had sent him from the plane, prior to the crash. If this man had been on the plane, he would/SHOULD be dead, not walking around Morocco.

Go Hae-ri works at the South Korean Embassy in Morocco. She's actually a fledgling intelligence officer, and is assigned to the crew assisting the mourners. She meets Cha Gal-geon and they eventually work together to bring the baddies down.

V stars the wildly popular Bae Suzy (Start-Up-8, While You Were Sleeping-7.3, Anna: Extended Version-8.1) as Go Hae Ri / "Elsa”. Lee Seung Gi (A Korean Odyssey-7.2, Mouse) is our action hero, Cha Dal Geon. Superstar director, Yu In-Sik (Dr. Romantic series, Extraordinary Attorney Woo), is at the helm, and scriptwriters Jang Young-Cheol and Jung Kyung-Soon seem to work together on most projects. They're responsible for Empress Ki, History of the Salaryman, Big Mouth and other hits. This group hasn't failed their audience yet, and they didn't fail us here. However, one would think that 16+ hours would be enough, but more and more baddies surface. The show is not complete. Season 2 has not been announced yet, but they are looking into it, and they know the fans want it.

V is exciting and well scripted. It has action, intrigue, displays of the worst and best of humanity, and the unfulfilled promise of some romance. It's difficult to tell a thrilling tale without being a little outlandish. They didn't get so crazy that it gets in the way. The plot progresses without too many bumps in the road, yet it is still quite intricate. The action and fight scenes are good. Like most action thrillers, they should have been in ICU or dead several times over, yet they manage to keep going. It's the usual trope for the genre. Why fight it anymore?

The only lasting disappointment you are likely to experience after fighting villains and corruption with Vagabond, is that you'll have to wait for season 2. The wait will be a minimum of 15 mos but a maximum of....well, never. I hope they never do /that/ to us!

IMHO...
🎬8 🤔6 🎭7.5 ⚡8 💓5 🦋5

Suggested Age 12& up

In order of ~lite&trite~ to ~heavy&serious~ you may also like:

Love to Hate You 8.9;
Crash Landing On You 9.1;
Oh My Ghost 10;
It's Okay Not To Be Okay 9;
Love Struck in the City 7.3;
Hospital Playlist 9;
When the Camellia Blooms 8;
My Mister 9.5

Action/Sci-fi/fantasy:
K2 8;
Private Lives 8.1;
Descendants Of The Sun 8.3;
Uncanny counter season 1 only - S1-8.4 S2-4;
Sisyphus 8;
Tunnel 8.1;
Signal 8.6;
D.P. 8.4;
The Cursed 8.3;
Flower of Evil 8.9;
The Man from Nowhere 8.9;
Black 9;
Squid Game 8.4;
Kingdom 8.3;
Sweet Home 8.4

Update May 2024 - Vagabond is filming a second season in the Philippines! No details on a release date.

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yall need to read this because this serie is so romanticized and is SO QUESTIONABLE

Well, where do I start? The story between Ae and Pete was pretty good tbh, but also kinda toxic and red flag, Ae was always jealous asf, he was aggressive, that scene of him pushing Pete to the lockers WAS SO RED FLAG, also, Pete talking about what was happening between Tin and Can and Ae literally had sex with him just because he didn´t like Pete talking or thinking about other men? but overall they were okay, cute story, kinda red flag but it was okay.

Tin and Can had the best story for me, Tin´s background was really good and watching his personal growth was really special to me, from hating poor people and being homophobic to falling in love with a poor boy was so funny tbh, buy they were cute, Tin learnt how to trust on Can, they personalities really matched each other, they were so cute, kind of red flag too, because Tin charging all the money with kisses even tho Can DID NOT WANTED IT was soooo fucked up but, at least at the very end, Can starts to kiss Tin, their end really broke my heart, because watching Tin trust in Can just to end up being hurt AGAIN, i won´t watch season 2, but i already know that they ended up together so yay !!!!

WHY I DON´T SEE PEOPLE TALKING ABOUT TRUM AND TAR, THEY WERE LITERALLY STEPBROTHERS????? that story was sooooo fucked up, it was so weird and uncomfortable to watch, also, trum almost raping tar?? even tho, tar already had a history of being raped? that story was so weird and horrible tbh, skipped almost all their story

Techno and Kengkla omg, that was literally stalking and harassment, Kengkla broke Techno´s motorcycle ON PURPOSE, and also RAPED HIM and then blame techno??? the fuck was that? SOOOO fucked up, who the fuck thought that was a good idea, after having a character that was struggling and dealing with his raping trauma, JUST TO RAPE ANOTHER CHARACTER AND ACTING LIKE IT WAS NOTHING??

This serie is very messy and questionable, all the 4 stories were really questionable, ae and pete were savable, also tin and can, even tho their relationships were kinda red flag and toxic but okei, but trum and tar, techno and kengkla WERE HORRIBLE, who tf thought their putting rape and a romance between STEPBROTHERS was good?

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A heartwarming drama

Well, there's nothing special about this drama. But it's sweet and adorable; both the male and female leads are good characters. Their motivations were very interesting to watch. The drama talks about marriage, and it does a good job showing an interesting discussion of what a marriage should be and more. The real problem is some unnecessary storylines.

I think if it were a movie, it would be better and less boring in some parts. I watched the episodes when they launched weekly, and that was probably the best way to watch this, because the chance of being bored if you do a marathon is very high. That's it, a solid 7/10 drama.

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