First 10 for me.

One suggestion to those who are going to watch this... BINGE IT all in one go. Its made to be binged.

Out of all the K,C,J dramas I have watched, this is the only one that 'had' to be given 10/10. This drama was really different from the other dramas. The plot progression was not too fast where we felt things rushed nor was it too slow that made one feel like director is really trying to squeeze out everything. It was just right! The brotherly affection between two ML's was so mature and real. Not the usual run off the mill where one is always the jester and other is way too superior.

The twist in plot midway, was so gradual but shocking because we don't see it coming yet it felt completely plausible and natural. The plot, its really simple. Few people come together in adversity forms friendship. And then shit happens. But the way it was written and directed, really made us feel the emotions which are seldomly felt while watching 'kcj'-dramas. The unsaid glances between the ML's, unsaid respect and love for each other... it works like a charm. Watching this really makes one aspire to have that kind of friendship. Hats off to the writers for writing it.

These young actors really are very promising, talentwise. Not just another good-looking useless 'oppas' now-a-days in vogue.

And unlike other korean mini-series, where acting sucks, story sucks, production sucks, direction sucks.. I mean everything sucks, this mini-series do the opposite. The production is top notch without any compromises. Cinematography, sets, action, acting everything is on point.

Its really a gem!!

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Good drama at start, however ruined due to long 21 episodes.

After watching reply 1997, I immediately, on the same day dived into this drama, its successor. At start I was intrigued and interested. However as the drama progressed, I became disillusioned. I realized, a strong desire to make the writer of this drama to stand under noon sun, with his arms raised to punish for destroying the plot that held so much potential, had risen in me. Also, I don't know, whether to blame the writer, director or the actor Yoo Yoon Seok for making the baseball player so creepy, pathetic and slimy bastard. I had realized prior that Yoo Yoon Seok is not able to carry 'down-to-earth modest' type guy from his Hospital Playlist 1 & 2 performance. He comes across as pretentious and fake.


The main thing, which I think ruined this drama were:
1. Long 21 episodes which are of more than an hour duration. The writer it seems didn't had enough material to make it work. It could have been possible, if they had focused more on the individual lives of the boarding house residents, instead of dwelling just on the love angle. I mean come on guys, you had college as a canvas to draw out so many stories and emotions. No college life was shown. Most of the time the college kids never seem to study or do anything remotely related to college.

2. Half baked love triangle and creepy and stalker type behavior of second ML.

3. Protracted 'who's the husband' tool which lost its significance somewhere in between.

I think, korean drama writers have a problem. They start out very promising premise, and then get entangled in ticking of the must have scene plots that they lose focus of what's required and what's not.

The things I liked about this drama are:
1. FL -ML's delicate and loyal bond which could have been done better. They could have avoided the whole one lead going for 1-2 year out of country plot. It was really not required and to be frank was kind of off-putting.

2. As always, the best part of reply series is the bond of Sung Dong Il and Lee Il Hwa as husband and wife.

3. Nostalgic feel.

All in all, its ok drama. Give it a try.

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Most satisfying watch of recent times.

Where do I start from? This drama.. this drama.. is a work of art. Art at its highest level.

The sad story of betrayal from the past as its inspirations kept me hooked from the start. The weight of deceit and betrayal that the charachters carried was felt by us.
The pacing of the show is so well crafted and awe inspiring. Most of the time there are charchters talking and strategising. But it never becomes boring. There is never a dull moment. It is one of the few dramas that I didn't had to fast forward due to boring or cringey crap they put in.
The thing I liked most about this drama was subtlety and layering of the narrative, plot, character. The directors were successful in flaring up the tension and holding it still and then giving it an appropriate outcome. It was so satisfying to watch the triumph of the good. What Who rules the world lacked was this. The machinations, the loyalties, the clashes of filial duties and not going over the top.
Though few characters were not suited to the roles or may be they weren't written well, but they are few in number. The male lead has to be given thumbs up. His mannerisms, his talk, his eyes, his smile, his grimace, everything was on the point.
I at the start of drama hoped for lost love storyline, but as I went in, it didn't matter. There is no big romance or wooing stuff.
The writing is so tight and precise, its simply mind blowing.
As usual with cdramas, the set and dressing was top notch.
The directors did a mighty good job. The end though we knew was coming, was satisfying though made us sad.
This is a drama which while telling a story teaches so many small things of life. I would recommend this drama to everyone to watch atleast once in his/her lifetime.

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Dark-cold yet heart warming and flawed at the same time.

To be clear it is not much of a review but just kind of notes on the drama.

I have always liked Seo In Guk and Jung So Min because I think they give that vibe of being without malice. So this drama was on my watchlist for a long time.

After watching the drama there are many mixed feelings although on the scale, it is still on positive side.

What I liked in this drama?
1. Ending- After that scene in 15th episode, we become pretty sure, the story is going to end with either of the one lead dying. I felt Seo In Guk would be killed at the end for redeeming his arc. So it came as a surprise to watch both the leads killed off. Its been a long time after old kdrama- 'I am sorry, I love you' that I got to watch the pair dying together. I am sucker for those kind of endings. Although the end was fitting but the manner in which it was done was really hurried and irrational. It made no sense for the character of the secretary to be so cold and inhuman and be such a faithful dog nor to pop up at that time at that place.

2. The lead pair- their chemistry was instant and so good. It has been a long time since I got to watch such a genuine chemistry between the couples. I think, one can watch this drama solely for the chemistry between the couple. Seo In Guk as a empty sociopath and Jung So Min as a warmhearted counterpart were perfect and complimented each other nicely. In most of the dramas when the lead couple enter in a relationship, I end up skipping their dating scenes. But not in this one. Strangely, in this one, you could feel their pure-innocent love for each other. You could also feel the healing of Kim Moo Young. And hence I ended up watching those scenes. Rare for me!

3. Start- The start hooks you right up. Seo In Guk's mysterious persoanlity meeting innocent and cute Jing Kang; you can see the impending romance. Although its a meet-cute kind, you can feel its going to be trouble.

4. Pacing - its evenly paced, I felt it kinda of stretched at the end. The scenes of crying and thinking were stretched for too long for me.

5. Music- Music is complimentary. It enhances the mood. It makes the scenes of people crying or sighing watchable.

6. Relatively less cliches- The biggest win for the drama is, the female lead is not stupid. She is not air headed and pretending to be smart. Her warmth and caring nature feels genuine. Jung So Min is a really talented actress.

What I didn't like?
1. The writing of other characters was not on par with that of main leads. The chemistry between Park Sung Woong and Jung Young Nam was terrible. Although I liked Jung Young Nam in other projects, I kind of felt irritated by her as you are irritated when a mosquito buzzes near your ear. Her character really was useless in story telling. She is not meant for light fun kind of roles. She is better in psychotic-dark kind of roles. Kwon Soo Hyun as Uhm Cho Roon was really bad. Even Kim Ji Hyun as Kang Se Ran the self identifying psychopath was really boring and one could see the actor was not up to the task. Seo Eun Soo as Baek Seung Ah was a nice surprise. The role of clueless girl just experiencing the taste of adrenaline rush, suited her nicely.

2. Story choices- use of 'people hiding things' was used too much. It went on till the last episode. Due to this, you feel real irritation for the characters of Park Sung Woong and Jung Young Nam.


After saying all of this, it would make sense if I give it a 7-7.5 star. But why I am giving it 9? Its mostly for the main leads and genuine chemistry they had. Seeing those two people being toyed by fate and misunderstood by others- still able to smile and have such love and understanding for each other was heartbreaking. Add to that the magnetic dark aura Seo In Guk brings to the character keeps you riveted.
Also it reminded me of old school-ill fated kdramas like- I'm sorry, I love you, Stairway to Heaven, Winter Sonata, Beautiful Days etc.

All in all, it felt fulfilling to watch this.

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Very satisfying: but could have been more satisfying.

Few days ago, I was talking with my friend, how now-a-days, movies which could make you feel relaxed and satisfied were not being made. I really like those movies, where not much is happening but still something is happening, which shows you people just going on with life.
This was that kind of a movie. There was no over romanticisation of village life. Didn't try to show how good village life is, or how good the people living simple life are. 'It is what it is' - was the mood of the movie. Just eat, work, roam in nature, watch seasons change, eat again... wow. Just looking at it was so comforting.
Ryu Joon Yeol is fastly becoming my favorite actor. He never missed a beat. Kim Tae Ri is good. She is the main focus of movie, so she gets a good screen time. But Ryu Joon Yeol steals the show. And the way he does is so simple. Jin Ki Joo is okay. She doesn't get much space.

The only complaint was, 'the after' thing. The movie stops at the door. I was really left wanting for the closure. It could have been really really more satisfying. But we don't often get what we wish for.

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Good start but somewhere along the way fizzled out.

The start of this show was great. A young baby faced cutiepie Shengnan and manly Lu Jin had great instant chemistry from the start. But along the way the story telling lost its momentum and the show faded into being a run-of-the-mill boring cacophony.
The second couple also seemed meh and not worth to be emotionally invested. The last act of family discord and brothers fighting actually took show in wholly unsatisfying kind of mode.
The scenes of food being prepared were the best scenes in this drama. Never a cooking drama was so yummy and delicious. But by 12-13th episodes there were no food scenes to be seen anymore. It felt like the drama lost an important cast member.
So all in all it left me unsatisfied and irritated. The blame lies squarely on shoddy screenwriting. I mean you have two such charismatic actors and yet you managed to make it boring.

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Trying a little hard to be too modest.

The things I liked about this:
1. Lee Ik Jun (Jo Jung Suk)
2. Lee Ik Jun, his child and his quirkiness.
3. Few genuine comedy moments which where mostly by Lee Ik Jun.
4, Couplings of Ik Jun n Song Hwa and Ik Sun n Jun Wan.

The things I hated about this:
1. Actors trying to be too modest.
2. Supporting staff pretending to be too nice and too innocent which actually came off as stupid.
3. Long stretches of unwanted cases.


But what I truly hate is the restriction of MyDramaList's writing a review which has to have minimum 500 characters which I don't have. I don't have anything more to write here for the drama. I think this add up to 500 charcaters.

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