This review may contain spoilers
Where do I even start? The whole drama from the plot to the cast was amazing. It has slice of life, some aspects of comedy, some romance and loyalty in friendships and families, corruption and so much more. I was so surprised that the screenwriter, Kwon Do-eun, made her debut with this drama. The plot was focused on women empowerment and the women who played the roles were so inspiring to watch in their own right. They didn't even play down the abilities of the women in story but instead elevated their characters with each episode. While there will be some aspects of men in power trying to abuse it, we also see women who do the same. There wasn't a hint of gender disparity, but more of how much manipulation of influence each character had, in setting the fate of their respective companies and relationships. The story plot was not draggy at all and kept its momentum til the end. It made me sad when I reached the final episode because I got so hooked to how the story was playing out but alas, where there is a beginning, there will be an end. It was refreshing to watch women take on dominant roles which set the course of societies perception of media and towards other people. We see roles of CEOs, Directors and any related leadership roles and how their values dictate what happens next. We have the power corrupted, the repentant and also those who will stick to justice til the end. These types of characters are intertwined with another which causes a lot of conflict which is necessary in seeing whether they will stick to their own values or be willing to change for the betterment of others. There is also mention of how the government will try to assert their dominance in infringing the rights of the internet users and how these companies choose to comply or deny to them. With the story based world wide portal companies, we see how two opposing companies instill their own company motto in running the the web and their justification on how much is shown to the world.
Each cast chosen for the characters were played out beautifully. Some notable mentions are Kwon Hae Hyo who did a great job to in showing what sticking to the side of justice and protecting his employees are like and also Yee Soo Jung who showed us the corrupted side of having influence. Her acting made me her character so much and I commend her for that.
For the romantic aspect, each character had different outlooks and expectations of how relationships should be. Some are hesitant, some want out and some are still learning along the way. While the way they approach their significant others sometimes frustrates me, I am aware that there are people like such in real life too.
The music played throughout the drama complimented the situations and didn't overpower it.
Overall, the drama has a consistent pace with interesting characters. It leaves you wanting more and you could watch this in one sitting if you dare to.
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As for the cast, it was great. Kim Kwon pulled off his role brilliantly. Dasom really changed my perspective of her and I finally watched her outside her idol persona.
Overall, a good drama and worth your time if you're looking for something short with a bit of substance.
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This review may contain spoilers
The drama is based on a novel which tells a true story of the author's youth and what she has gone through and the people she encountered, especially her husband.At first I was a bit hesitant to watch in case it was too draggy, but I'm so glad that I watched it cause the plot was amazing. It showed development of each character which were realistic to how people growing up would be. We have our main protagonist, Qiao Yi who is your average student but doesn't always excel in studies and you have Yan Mo a very aloof but top student. We see the unfolding of a relationship between two very unlikely pairings. The troupe of having a smart guy and dumb girl isn't new but usually its played off with so much exaggeration it can be quite annoying to watch the story further. However for this drama, I see that Yan Mo starts coming out of his stoic bubble and slowly helps Qiao Yi out in his own way. His efforts are sometimes questioned by Qiao Yi but he means well and she knows that. The fact that most of the scenes are flashbacks and they're talking based on the perspective after being married to one another also pushed me further to completing the series in one sitting. At least there's reassurance that they have their happy ending.
The prominent scene in the drama/ the prominent line from the novel was somewhere along the lines of
"How is the person you adored in high school doing now?" Which came from Qiao Yi when she was a TV writer and before she and Yan Mo made amends after separating in high school. This wasn't responded by Yan Mo until years later as they reminisced about their past with the absence of another. He finally answered with, " She became my wife and now she sleeps beside me". I combusted. It's not cheesy at all but gosh, it got me hooked to wanting to rewatch this drama. When watching them grow up, it was bittersweet when they didn't have one another but necessary because it allowed both of them to become comfortable with the thought of being with themselves but fate decided that they were even better when they are together.
Other characters had a lot of development and I really appreciated it. A lot of plots tend to forget that characters which aren't the main leads also play a role in contributing to the plot too. Hao Wu Yi is deadly loyal but still very childish. She tends to live in her own bubble but it's her way of coping with not wanting to grow up. Guan Chao is the typical eldest sibling who seems to berate Qiao Yi but is silently supporting and protecting her. Da Chuan is almost like a free spirit in a sense but works hard despite people having misconceptions about him. HWY and DC played a vital role in making sure QY would we supported and in return she supports them wholeheartedly and is loyal. Friends play a significant role in ensuring that you won't get left behind in the world and if it felt like you did, they'll walk along beside you in the journey.
The songs were great and represented different arcs of the drama so no questions for it.
As for the cast, Janice Wu and Zhang Yu Jian's chemistry felt so natural and their acting was suitable for the characters they played. Ma Li did a great job for her role and I was convinced by her acting. Quite surprised that this was her first main role ever.
I suggest everyone should also give a chance to read the novel, it's called " I Don't Like This World, But I Like You".
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The plot talks about minor characters wanting to forge their own faith away from what has been set in stone for them. However, we see the price the characters pay when they decide to put fate in their own hands. The beginning started off great but the middle portion started to drag a little but I gave a bit more understanding to the plot and reasoning of the character. I wished that they would have explained Jin Mi Chae's character more since he played a vital role in pushing the characters and honestly, he deserves some justice.We clearly see a lot of the repercussions that came about changes which sometimes makes your heart hurt from watching the drama. When you try to change your misfortune, someone else will takeover that misfortune.Slowly, we see character act beyond the writer's intention and some make the choice to stay in character while some choose to make changes true to their hearts. The story definitely focuses more on the life of the characters rather than their roles as students so don't expect too much from an education viewpoint.
The cast selection was great and they played their roles perfectly despite some of them being rookies.
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The drama has a beautiful plot and has enough of angst to keep you on your toes. It's not all sunshine and sometimes you need the bad moments to appreciate the good ones that come about. Though it would've been nicer if the angst was thought out a bit more? Just an opinion. It touches a bit of infidelity, both direct and indirect. It also shows how someone's first love transcends time and despite the situation they had, some first loves would not end badly and that was something I appreciate watching. There may not be a right time to meet the love one but when you make time and commit to it, it won't be in vain.The main protagonist Ha No Ra starts off being very timid but as life gets thrown in her way, she slowly finds herself again and starts learning to live for herself instead of slaving away for the sake of others. It also shows that, it was never too late to start again even when age tends to be an obstacle from achieving things. It may have deterred her from the beginning, but what is life without its challenges? It definitely built her character and made me enjoy the drama even more. The people around her were relatively supportive and it helped to add substance to how the people she knew and choices she made, in the end of the day, was what made her to be who she is in the end. It also showed that, despite sacrificing her youth and identity for people who couldn't appreciate her, as long as you are willing to take a step forward, you can learn to make a name for yourself again.
What struck me too was that, when things end, another door opens. But are will you be willing to move forward and step into the door? It got me thinking a bit, how things that end aren't always bad.
For the acting, it was superb. Choi Ji Woo and Lee Sang Yoon's chemistry was amazing. This is also my first time watching Son Naeun act and I thought she did it quite well. Her character wasn't the most outstanding but it still played a part in pushing the story forward.
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As for the cast, I've seen some people saying Soohyang is too old for the role but that's exactly the point. She was suppose to look old for her age group due to the results of the procedure. It was suppose to make people question her presence. It was quite a good move to cast a mature looking person if anything. For the acting however, I wasn't sure if it was intentional for her to be quite awkward but still a bit bearable. Cha Eun Woo's acting was average (maybe just for this drama?) and having Kwak Dongyeon as his teacher was quite funny given that both of them are the same age in real life.
Nonetheless, it's still bearable to watch but whether I will rewatch it is a different question.
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I started watching it cause it was one of the main roles Kim Ji In has gotten and wasn't disappointed. If you're looking for something quick to watch then this is it! Since it's quite short it does leave a lot of questions in the plot and could've been written better but I found it okay as it is. Kinda hoped the ending was it a bit more conclusive tho!Asides from the plot, Kim Ji In portrayed the character quite nicely. Albeit some parts a bit too cringey for me but that's just my take of that part. Was quite surprised at Jaemin's acting, it wasn't too bad but his character was quite predictable in a sense especially since the title sort of gives everything away.
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The drama gives us 3 different women who has taken on different set of life choices but have not yet chosen to live for themselves. They are so busy thinking about what is going to happen in the future, they start to realise that the present won't seize itself. Each of them meet different sorts of guys which come into their lives whether willingly or not and makes them realise that they have so much more to live for in the present that they initially thought. There are some necessary scenes where the couple must be apart but only because they need to learn about themselves and what do they want in the end of the day. Despite the hardships, these 3 women could still rely on another for support.Everyone gets the ending they deserve here so it's very satisfying to watch. The characters that each people portrayed were executed well and I found myself not taking an intermission with this drama. It always has an element to look forward to, whether it is a good or bad development.
An excerpt from Ji-Ho and See-Hee - "just because you lived yesterday, doesn't mean you know everything about today", was something that struck me. The characters they played aren't very young and have gone through a portion of their lives before. The difference was that they lived different lives from another, so how they perceived living was not the same. Ji-Ho was too busy to live and See-Hee thinks he has done enough and gets protective from going outside his comfort zone yet putting these two together you get some conflict of values but it's what they needed. Soo Ji has lived in detachment while being self sufficient, meets Sang Goo who would never take that away from her despite it frustrating him. Ho Rang and Woo Seok always had one another, learns to live without the other and sees if that really was the best choice after all. All these couples encounter phases which are the contrast to their current situations and it helps them live better for their days ahead.
This drama is worth the watch and it left me thinking about what I want to do about my present without constantly worrying about the future that has yet to come.
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