Devakali
U.S.A.
Why so much hate for this drama?!
I’m not sure why I watched this one, considering how awful so many of the reviews here make it seem. But I’m glad I did.
The relationships in this drama are more complex than the usual fare. Maybe that’s why so many viewers thought badly about them. This was a problem for Nevertheless, too.
So many reviews say the ending was awful, and… I’m not sure what drama they watched. In the last two episodes, I kept thinking, “Okay, the terrible ending is going to start here, right? Nope. Here, then? No… huh.”
I’m not going to post any spoilers but there’s a happy ending—well, there’s always that one second male lead who has to be lonely in the end (>cough< Baek In-ho, Yoon JiHoo >cough<), but otherwise, it was good.
This drama portrays what deep betrayal can do to a person (I also like Lovestruck in the City in this regard). The reviewers complaining that the decisions characters made were selfish or nonsensical must be lucky folks who have never been betrayed by a good friend or lover. It messes you up! It makes you distrust!
There *are* three very selfish characters, only one of which sees the error of their ways… but the leads are self-preserving, not self-serving. Many people made mistakes in 2003 in this film, but nearly all of them were trying to do the best they could with only part of the story. That happens, especially in many peoples 20s! If anything, I’d say the healing quality of this drama hasn’t gotten the attention it deserves.
Is it perfect? Nope. There’s an over the top action side story that felt unnecessary, and —& I don’t think this is a spoiler— how can having to poop become blackmail fodder? It wasn’t laugh out loud funny and what romance there was wasn’t heart fluttering—but it was complicated and the attempts at mending these relationships required leaps of faith that I thought were handled well. I loved it whenever the suitors had to work together & especially loved Ha-nee’s conversations with her various father candidates.
Standouts elements include the Cranberries cover, the daughter and halmoeni, the the depiction of a messy breakup and it’s fallout.
Things other reviewers were worried about, but I didn’t mind, include the lack of deep dive into the “movie industry,” the FL turning down help over and over—she didn’t ask to be rescued!— and Dae-o’s whining. Anyone who carries a burden for 14 years will take some time to shift their worldview.
Things that *did* drive me nuts: “Guido Orefice” (COME ON), the last time jump, the other teacher (that guy, seriously), one ruthless character who wasn’t ever punished, the release party for a major film looking more like a lame office birthday party, and there really should’ve been more kissing.
I’m not sure if I’d rewatch it, because there are so many in my rewatch pile already, but I wasn’t mad about watching it once.
The relationships in this drama are more complex than the usual fare. Maybe that’s why so many viewers thought badly about them. This was a problem for Nevertheless, too.
So many reviews say the ending was awful, and… I’m not sure what drama they watched. In the last two episodes, I kept thinking, “Okay, the terrible ending is going to start here, right? Nope. Here, then? No… huh.”
I’m not going to post any spoilers but there’s a happy ending—well, there’s always that one second male lead who has to be lonely in the end (>cough< Baek In-ho, Yoon JiHoo >cough<), but otherwise, it was good.
This drama portrays what deep betrayal can do to a person (I also like Lovestruck in the City in this regard). The reviewers complaining that the decisions characters made were selfish or nonsensical must be lucky folks who have never been betrayed by a good friend or lover. It messes you up! It makes you distrust!
There *are* three very selfish characters, only one of which sees the error of their ways… but the leads are self-preserving, not self-serving. Many people made mistakes in 2003 in this film, but nearly all of them were trying to do the best they could with only part of the story. That happens, especially in many peoples 20s! If anything, I’d say the healing quality of this drama hasn’t gotten the attention it deserves.
Is it perfect? Nope. There’s an over the top action side story that felt unnecessary, and —& I don’t think this is a spoiler— how can having to poop become blackmail fodder? It wasn’t laugh out loud funny and what romance there was wasn’t heart fluttering—but it was complicated and the attempts at mending these relationships required leaps of faith that I thought were handled well. I loved it whenever the suitors had to work together & especially loved Ha-nee’s conversations with her various father candidates.
Standouts elements include the Cranberries cover, the daughter and halmoeni, the the depiction of a messy breakup and it’s fallout.
Things other reviewers were worried about, but I didn’t mind, include the lack of deep dive into the “movie industry,” the FL turning down help over and over—she didn’t ask to be rescued!— and Dae-o’s whining. Anyone who carries a burden for 14 years will take some time to shift their worldview.
Things that *did* drive me nuts: “Guido Orefice” (COME ON), the last time jump, the other teacher (that guy, seriously), one ruthless character who wasn’t ever punished, the release party for a major film looking more like a lame office birthday party, and there really should’ve been more kissing.
I’m not sure if I’d rewatch it, because there are so many in my rewatch pile already, but I wasn’t mad about watching it once.
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