This review may contain spoilers
OH MY GOD PLEASE WATCH THIS DRAMA!!! IT’S SO SO GOOD THAT I’M HAVING A HARD TIME PUTTING INTO WORDS!!!Let me just start off with the fact that two of the first dramas I watched were I Really Really Like You and Playful Kiss, so seeing Lee Min Ki and Jung So Min in a drama again was exciting and nostalgic. I had high expectations for this show since the writer of this show also wrote Ho Goo’s Love (which, by the way, is a MUST watch) and I worried that the bar I’d set for the show would not be met, which would probably ruin my love for the actors and the writer. However, my worries were unnecessary, because THIS SHOW IS IN MY TOP FIVE NOW! I can’t even begin to tell you how much I adored this show (though I must, since this is a review after all)! My expectations weren’t just met, they were exceeded! The plot, the actors, the music, the CHARACTERS! Everything was just so, so perfect and genuine!
Story/Plot: Oh my god, where do I even begin? This show was just so layered and wonderful! It wasn’t a melodrama by any means, but contained so much depth. The plot contained three simple plotlines: cohabitation/contract marriage, rich man and poor woman, and a struggling long term relationship. Often, when stories try to cram too many plotlines into one show, there are too many loose bits and ends. But in this drama, every character was purposeful and important, adding texture and depth to the story and the themes, and there were no loose ends. Speaking of themes, this drama was very progressive and dealt with issues that usually aren’t dealt with in Korean dramas. It challenged traditional gender stereotypes, sexual harassment in the work place, and the traditional meaning of marriage, but all in a very thoughtful and eloquent way. Perhaps I’m making this show sound boring, like a class at school, but it’s difficult to explain how such a simple idea was so revolutionized through some VERY skilled writing. The whole show seemed deliberate, and not cliche at all, despite how the storyline seems on the surface. You’ll just have to see it for yourself! I promise that you’ll love every moment of it!
Characters/Cast: As I was saying earlier, the surface level plotline is very simple, but what really enhanced the story and made it so enjoyable were the ABSOLUTELY PERFECT characters! All of them were so realistic, and their thoughts were clear and coherent, and they weren’t there just to waste screentime. Starting with the main couple, Ji Ho and Se Hee were just so nice to watch. They had great chemistry and by this point, I just want LMK and JSM to date in real life! Ji Ho was really the star, because seeing such an intelligent main character in dramas is rare. She knew what she wanted and she approached it wholeheartedly, and overall, she was a very relatable character. Se Hee, on the other hand, encompasses a person’s more weary and cautious side, because he was afraid to be hurt and even more afraid of hurting others. The show focused on them and their character development rather than adding useless love triangles. On the topic of triangles, there were technically two, but both were short lived and ESSENTIAL to the story, because they brought out new sides in the main characters. What really stood out to me was how realistic the rivals were (if you could even call them that). I’d say that one of my favorite characters was the ex girlfriend, and I can’t say more without spoiling the story, but her arch was one that was worth watching. She was a realistic and admirable character, unlike the conniving ex girlfriends you usually see in dramas. The other two couples in the story were equally important, and their stories were full of substance and lessons worth watching. Soo Ji teaches us to follow our dreams and stand up for what’s right, against the face of adversity. Ho Rang and Won Seok teach us that there’s a difference between love and marriage, and that the bad things that happen are often unavoidable and we must move forward. I won’t go into the details, but the character development in all three couples is worth watching and then rewatching a couple more times! Every wonderful character in this story was played by a wonderful actor that truly did the characters justice, and I have no complaints at all with the perfect casting or the extremely convincing acting. (I might be a bit biased since I love Lee Min Ki, but the difference for someone who doesn’t love him already might be the difference between an 11/10 vs a 10/10 rating. Either way, it’s PERFECT!)
Music: This review is already long enough, so I’ll be brief. I downloaded the whole soundtrack! So cute and perfectly suited for this drama! >v<
Rewatch Value: Usually I don’t even mention the rewatch value since I rarely rewatch dramas regardless of how good they are, but I have to mention it this time! I finished episode 14 two days before episode 15 came out, and I started to rewatch my favorite episodes while I waited! I just wanted to relive all the cute moments, and I can’t wait to finish the show so that I can rewatch and relive everything a few months from now! The show is really refreshing and light, despite the heavy progressive reform oriented subplots, and it seems to be very timeless. It’s worth watching at any age, but I feel like it gets better and better as you get older and experience dilemmas faced by the characters. The value for me is a solid 10/10, since I’m already itching to rewatch it!
Overall: As you’re probably aware by now, because of all the gushing I’ve been doing, I LOVE THIS SHOW! I can’t recommend it highly enough! Everything was flawless, and I don’t say that very often. Please give this beautiful show a chance, because I know you won’t regret it! <3 In fact, you’ll be missing out if you don’t!
Maybe this show will be part of your room 19 ;))
Edit (Contains a hint of a soft spoiler): I've been reading a lot of comments saying that Ji Ho was selfish in the last two episodes, and I just wanted to say that I completely disagree - Ji Ho was trying to understand her own feelings and see whether or not her feelings were long lasting, and she gave Se Hee a chance to do so as well. While this might have hurt Se Hee in the short term, it let both of them be sure about whether or not they want to be together for the long term, so that they aren't hurt once they're in a truly serious and committed relationship.
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Now I'm actually getting to the analysis. As for the story line, Itazura no Kiss was one of the first anime I ever watched and I've always loved the plot. The makers of the show didn't mess with the plot too much, and whatever they added only made the drama better. It really is a sweet and heartwarming love story. As for the casting, I think it was perfect. Joe Cheng portrayed both the cold blooded and loving sides of Zhi Shu very well. It's rather annoying when people cast extremely attractive actors and actresses to play roles of people who are supposed to be average, so I appreciated that the artists didn't make Ariel Lin too attractive. Of course, she's a very beautiful woman, but the way they did her hair and clothes fit Xiang Qin's character. I can't really think of any role that seemed off, to be honest. Overall, they did a good job with casting, and the actors and actresses portrayed their characters very well.
This was my first Taiwanese drama, and I had trouble with dissecting and analyzing the language. I had to pay attention to the subtitles and the words were kind of like a background buzz. The music came off as really strange at first. However, as I continued to watch, I began to get used to the repetitive words and phrases, and I actually listened to the opening songs. I didn't like them at first since the language was so new to me, but they definitely fit the show. They were also pretty old, considering this show was made in 2005, so that explains a bit of my distaste. And now, after I've watched the entire series, I can say with conviction that the music was perfect for this drama.
And lastly, I'm definitely rewatching this drama. I just finished it, yet I already wanna go back and restart from episode 1. Now that I'm done, I feel all empty and sad ; - ;. I need to quickly find something new to watch before I get all disappointed that it ended. I'm going to wait until I forget about the plot before rewatching it, but it's hard to hold back.
Overall, from everything I wrote above and just how lengthy it all was, you can tell that I absolutely love this show. It was perfect in every single way. Others might not agree with me, but oh well. Out of all the dramas I've watched, this is easily one of my favorites!
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This story follows the lives of four women at different stages of their relationships. Let me warn you again, the plot was NOT original, but that was my only complaint, if you can even call it a complaint. However, the simple story line was well directed with the right amount of fan service and comedy. It was funny, but not over the top, and the characters were lovable. There were also little to no plot holes (and honestly, if there had been even one, I would've ranked it down one or two points. The plot was so simple that a plot hole would've been the stupidest thing. But there honestly weren't any, thank god.) There was no overarching nemesis or evil - the evil was ones self. Because of this, the characters were a bit annoying at times, but aren't we all? It's about learning from your mistakes so you can be happier in the future. Nobody comes out of the womb knowing what's right all the time. That was the whole point of the show, anyway. My personal favorite couple was Da Jeong and her husband. Their romance was the sweetest, because they were together for so long but still managed to survive and thrive. She was also the most mature, which I admired. Since this show was so big on character development, it would've been disappointing if the characters didn't develop well. Thankfully, they all met a peaceful resolution, which was definitely worth the few slow moments. I especially loved Mi Mo's development. She irked me at the beginning, because she didn't think things through. I liked her more and more as the story progressed, and while she won't ever be my favorite character, she's definitely relatable. Another aspect to look forward to was the sweet father and son relationship between Song Soo Hyuk and Min Woo. They definitely made me smile~
The acting was spot on in ever category. I have nothing else to add lol. The music was also great~ (I downloaded the song by Hong Dae Kwang)
I will not be rewatching this, honestly. It was sweet but I was never sitting at the edge of my seat. It was more like a ferris wheel than a roller coaster ride (which isn't a bad thing, mind you!)
Overall, I liked this show. It was like a vitamin amongst all the angsty melo and action dramas I've been watching recently~ You may have to a skip around a bit when it gets slow, but the ending is worth it~
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P.S: The music was soooo goood! So warm and cozy! ^^~ In fact, I downloaded some of the songs~ (Thank You by K.Will, Without You by Jubi and SunnyHill)
Watch this drama! You won't regret it!
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I LOVE IT! Literally can’t recommend it enough!
Guys, please, do yourselves a favor and WATCH THIS DRAMA! Even if the gag comedy in the beginning makes you think it won’t be good, pleaaase give it a chance! This is literally one of the most perfectly paced, well-written, witty, and entertaining dramas I’ve watched in a LONG time! The cast of characters is amazing, all with neatly fleshed out stories and personalities that come together to create an absolute BANGER of a show! God bless the writers for creating this masterpiece!Disclaimer: I’m writing this after ep 14, so I’ll update this after finishing, but I just had to write this all down while it’s fresh in my brain!
When I started this drama, the slapstick comedy made me actually laugh out loud (and I need more of that in my life) so I stuck around and kept watching. When the mystery part came in, I didn’t have any expectations, and just wanted more hilarity. I thought it would be a fun show where I could turn my brain off for a couple hours each week. Boy, was I wrong… This show is BRILLIANT! It kept me at the edge of my seat, and had me guess and second-guess myself all day! This is the most well done mystery I’ve watched in a LONG time, and a billion time better than all mystery K-drama I’ve watched (and better than most rom-com K-dramas too honestly). And while I was watching, this drama really brought people together, because we were all in the comments section theorizing about this mind-bending show. K-dramas normally help me relax and tune out, even the action-packed ones, but this drama made my head spin. I was losing sleep because I wanted so badly to solve the puzzle! And the writers put in such brilliant clues throughout the show that really made me think!
Some notes;
- They had to use butt-touching as the trope because it would be a lot easier to solve the mystery if she just had to touch their hand or face (which wouldn’t be much of a drama, now would it?)
- The writers said this is a “com-rom”, not a “rom-com”, so if you want a typical gushy, over the top, romantic k-drama, this is not the one for you. That being said, I preferred the romance in this show because it felt so much more authentic.
- The music!! Oh my god, the music and soundtrack of this show was just PERFECT!
- There is not a single character that is neglected in this show. Most K-dramas feel slow for me, with too many fillers and irrelevant moments. On the other hand, this show felt way longer than it was because of how jam-packed it was with amazing, fleshed out characters with their own special story.
- This show switched between nonsensical hilarity and DARK mystery in the snap of a finger, so if you can’t stand whiplash, I would say maybe give it a pass (though if you go in with that expectation, you might be able to get past it and actually really enjoy it :))
- Watch it!!! (Pretty please <3)
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As I've stated above, the story was pure genius. This plot sat at the fine line between innocent and edgy - it was cute and sexy and thrilling and angsty and dear lord, Song Joong Ki - and it was executed wonderfully. This show was a melodrama done RIGHT. The characters contained substance and were interesting to watch. The ending was my favorite part, because it wrapped the show up nicely, somehow managing to give the characters, even the antagonists, a happy ending. Speaking of antagonists, it was sometimes difficult to distinguish who the good guy was, which made the show all the more entertaining. Instead of outlining good and bad as black and white, the characters were all shades of gray (no 50 Shades jokes, please.) This really enhanced the plot, because humans are complicated, and they're not always either good or bad. I have no complaints about the plot.
Acting and cast: Song Joong Ki. Need I say more? This man was the embodiment of sexy and cute in this drama and I totally fell for him. But bias aside, his acting was on point. Before watching this show, I'd only seen Moon Chae Won as the second lead in "Take Care of the Young Lady", but she definitely shined in this show. The chemistry between the two was equally undeniable. The casting as a whole was perfect, and the side characters and antagonists were really great. Just remembering this show gives me chills of excitement!
The music wasn't memorable, but since it was a melodrama that strayed to a darker side, this point didn't really bother me. I feel like any upbeat or catchy music would have actually decreased the shows value, since the music would have clashed with the atmosphere of the show, making it seem like just another romantic drama.
Overall, I just loved everything about this show! It was definitely one of the more mature and well-made dramas I've watched. This show made me fall in love with both of the leads, and I highly recommend it. Fair warning, though: if you're a binge watcher and you're currently busy, I would not recommend starting this drama right now, because once you start, you won't be able to stop!
Update: It's been about a year since I watched this drama, and if I had the time, I would definitely rewatch it. (Perhaps just for Song Joong Ki ;3)
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The plot. I don't know where to begin. It was just so mundane, boring, average, all the other synonyms. The love stories were just... terrible. I mean, honestly. I feel like they picked cliches out of a hat and squeezed it into one show: rich person x poor person, arrogance x naivety, etc. I liked where they were going with the 'love isn't all pure and clean' thing, but it was just so poorly executed. Some of the main problems presented in this show were so absolutely petty, and overall the show was just a dragging mess. This show could have been 10 episodes, and you wouldn't have missed anything. I wish they had gone more in depth with the side characters, because the ending only presented solutions and happy endings for the leads and the side characters' stories' were left unfinished. Not to mention the 'happy ending' was super cringe worthy. Basically, this show could've been so good, but everything that could've gone wrong went wrong.
With actors like Uee and Sung Joon, I expected fireworks and excitement. All I got was cringe worth glances and little to no chemistry. Seriously. Considering that the show was irritatingly romance focused, the romance was barely there! The second leads had more chemistry, but their story was too basic and boring. I feel like they combined two boring couples and expected something great, but boring + boring = more boring. I'm surprised that I finished this show, to be honest, because nothing. NOTHING. Appealed to me.
The music was the one good point for me, because it was light and upbeat and I really liked it. But that's not enough to make up for all the other flaws.
Considering that I was yawning through the first time watching it, I definitely will not be rewatching this drama.
Overall, it was just boring and average. I mean, it wasn't total crap - I sat it out and finished it - but it was pretty darn close. I still don't understand how the romance wasn't present with such an attractive cast.
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The plot, at it's base, was very good. I really loved the "clothes don't matter, it's how you wear them" theme, and I think that the ending tied things up nicely. However, the beginning was rather slow and awkwardly comical, even though I think that was the point that the writers were trying to make. They were making light of Ki Myung's awful experiences, which kind of made me press my lips together even when I wanted to laugh. The relationships between the "good" characters were very admirable, especially between Ki Myung, Kim Nam Jeong and Chang Joo. The antagonists were antagonists 'til the very end. It wasn't groundbreaking, but it was good.
Acting was, of course, wonderful. I mean, Joo Won is my favorite, so my views may be slightly biased. I'm surprised that this movie wasn't better than it was for me, but that probably had more to do with writing and directing than casting. I actually didn't recognize Sulli at first, which was a good thing, since I wasn't a fan of her acting in "To the Beautiful You". Her acting has improved dramatically, and when I realized it was Sulli, I couldn't believe it. I hope she gets some good roles in the future, because I may have disliked her even more because of her meek role in "To the Beautiful You", which wasn't exactly my favorite drama. (I dropped it. I couldn't handle the forced romance and cheesy acting.) Anyway, the acting was a plus.
Music wasn't memorable, and I'm not sure I'll be rewatching this in the future. I may watch parts of it, but not fully. It was much too slow in the beginning, even though I really liked the plot and theme. I would definitely recommend watching this movie, especially on a lazy day~ <3
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