All those people who have ever loved someone deeply and from far, at least once this one is for you

First things first, be warned that if you are looking for a light,fluffy watch this drama is really not for you.The reason i gave it a 9.5 though it's not particularly stellar in any aspect is simple.I keep going back to it again and again,which means it captured my heart. I had read a review which said the story is not about like/dislike but about watching it at the right time. I totally agree with that. A lot of the story is based on their campus life.I'll list all the things i loved about this show ,which made me watch it 4 times already and i'll probably keep watching it again and again.
THINGS I LOVED:
1) The female lead is absolutely amazing. Her love is deep, pure ,selfless,persevering(come on she loved the guy for years) and yet she is not a blind love struck fool whose self respect and life takes a backseat to her love for the male lead. She is more often than not sorted, has her own opinions on everything and a tons of self respect.It's honestly very refreshing.

2)The writers definitely were not joking around when the named the show.Throughout the show you see various side plots all revolving around the same concept in different ways.

3)The side characters have their own stories and are not just there for the personal growth of the main leads or just for the plot development. As mentioned above you'll see their own unrequited love and how it affects their life.

4) I find every frame aesthetic and it somehow seems to fit right into the tone of the show. Same with the music .

5)The leads are not perfect yet they're close to reality . The male lead is one of those popular guys. But he's not a cold snobby jerk. At the same time he's not perfect either.That just makes him more appealing.

6)Overall the whole thing just tugs at your heartstrings and leaves you with a nostalgic feel when you finish it.

SOME CONS:
1)There comes a time in the show where the male lead's life turns upside down. I kinda felt like there wasn't a need for the extreme hardships that were thrown his way even considering that hardships are necessary for growth. It just didn't seem to fit with the plot.

2) His ex man. She is the typical conniving ex-girlfriend and for a show that's not really typical it's kinda annoying yet in a way necessary for the main leads relationship.

3)Her love for the male lead, It's admirable,selfless and awe inspiring . But why on the world didn't she simply move on.That is something i didn't really get. But i'm not really complaining as the plot builds around that.

I'm sure there are probably more things i didn't cover or forgot to mention.
LONG STORY SHORT .
IF YOU ARE IN THE MOOD FOR A SERIOUS SHOW WITH CHARACTERS AND SCENES THAT DO NOT MAKE YOU CRINGE, GO FOR IT.(seriously guys. there's almost no cringe content)
YOU WON'T REGRET IT.

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So going in i guess i wasn't expecting anything.I watched this drama without knowing what all the hype was about. I won't make this review super long.Just the main points.
STORY:It was a refreshing break from the usual rom-coms and a pretty impressive story i would say. Though some elements of the story may seem unrealistic (like come on how convenient that a ex-convict with little education ends up finding a bad-ass genius who willingly helps him) , it's a show after all i guess. I did find what happens in the last few episodes wholly unnecessary though i guess the makers decided to wrap up the very long revenge saga in this way. I do wish it had been done better but we can't have everything.

CHARACTERS: I actually love the characters. There are the good ones ,the straight out villains,the struggling with conscience villains and the gray characters that belong nowhere,much like in reality. I did feel like some of the characters had potential to be much more(Yes I'm talking about Kim Da Mi) . But overall they did a pretty good job of showing the struggles and development of most of the characters.

MUSIC: If the osts aren't wholesome and true to the theme of the drama i don't know what is. I honestly still listen to the playlist to this day. It's my go to when i want to give up and need to push myself. I love the music. The ending song being sung by V is just another unexpected sweet addition to an already spectacular playlist.

So a lot of people had problem with the romance track in this drama. But i personally liked it. For the most part atleast. You guys have to remember that romance is not the main theme. So obviously there wasn't much of it. A lot of people said that the good story was ruined by needless romance but one of the things i actually admired about this drama was the fact that it didn't let romance interfere with the characters goals. Ambition always took the front seat and the romance was mostly bonding. Overall i would say it's a good watch.

As to rewatch value, I will definitely go back to watch the revenge sequence if not the whole drama whenever i want to get all fired up

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