Sunbae, Don't Put On That Lipstick (2021)

What Giving Up Everything For The Person You Love Looks Like

First off I just want to say that I really enjoyed this drama despite what others viewers had to say about the drama especially the FL.

I'm going to start with the ML, though he gave off stalker/creepy vibes in the first 3 episodes he got better and I found myself loving him in every other episode. After watching the last episode I really understood the type of person he was. He is the type who goes all in for love, even though he wasn't as pleasant in the first few episodes, but it all came from a good place. This is why it hurt me when he told his sister that he was afraid to wear his heart on his sleeve again when the FL said she wanted him back. After seeing that you don't always win in love no matter how hard you try, it was understandable why he was reluctant to be swayed by the FL again.

I didn't dislike FL, but I do wish that she had decided to win the ML back on her own instead of having the ML tell her to do so. I wanted her to really want him back that she sort of takes on the traits of the ML in the first few episodes. I wanted her to chase him without being told(by the ML)that she could chase him. I don't know, I just feel like the ML made it too easy for her in the end, but hey, they lived happily ever after THE END.

Also I understand why many people didn't like the FL. I was so frustrated when people were angry at her for choosing her job instead of choosing to be with the ML. For me, she didn't choose her job over him(because they remained together for like a year and a half before breaking up), but rather she didn't love the ML as much as he loved her and that was the reason why they fell apart. She could have put in more effort to see him when they began the long distance relationship. The ML was frustrated at her for bailing out so many times but he never gave up, he understood that the job was demanding and yet he never gave up. The FL should have done the same, she gave up instead of trying to find a balance between her job and her relationship. All the ML wanted was a bit of time with her which I felt she could have given.

As for the other characters such as the SML and SFL, I was really happy with how their story ended. They really grew a lot from the 1st episode to now, it's like having a child and seeing them grow up to be an amazing human being.

I was happy with the MLs sisters ending as well, they all got the endings they deserved. I also really love the FLs mother, she also came a long way but she did it. She knows her daughter doesn't deserve the ML and I was happy when she told them that.

Overall this was a great drama, the only person I still don't like is the SFLs old man. They didn't show him in the last two episodes but something tells me that his character stayed the exact same way, no growth, nothing, zero.

Would I rewatch it? Yes I would.

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This is an underrated K drama gem

She Would Never Know has my whole heart <3
The chemistry between the leads r superb ? and this drama is very realistic. Giving it 1000 /10 cuz I loved every second of it. This drama could have earned more ratings if this was on Netflix.
and Rowoon is killing it <3 I have watched all his dramas and this shows his best acting skills
he is sooo sooo good.
I love the fact that this story is very realistic without any unnecessary drama unlike others
cannot express how much I love this with words I don't think I'll get over this soon
It's an underrated gem
Highly recommended !!

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One time watch ensemble drama

I went into this drama expecting it to be more of a workplace romcom. The actual drama turned out to be much more than the romance between the main characters. It has family sentiments and more interesting secondary character arcs, which sometimes feel more interesting than the main arc!

The ML was great in looks, expressions and acting,
and he basically carried the romance. I didn't find the FL interesting, and at times actively disliked her for some of her decisions and lack of communication with her ex as well as her current love. She seemed to think only from her perspective and didn't try to get a proper closure or even explanation from her ex, although she spent 2 years in a relationship with him. For her own sake she should have had a proper talk with him instead of shutting him down and falling in love with her junior! Instead she had her pride hurt so much that she doesn't want to even hear his side.

I could understand the ML having feelings for the FL but nowhere does the drama show how or when the FL falls for the ML. He was there for her at a very vulnerable time but so would a friend or brother behave. So I didn't feel any sparks or chemistry in the main romance although the drama sprinkled a lot of cute scenes between the leads. Most of the time I watched it thinking the ML was too good for the FL.

The initial episodes try to show the ML as protective but it felt like an intrusion into the FL's privacy almost to stalker levels at times. I couldn't accept how the FL allowed her junior to cross so many boundaries suddenly, like wiping the lipstick off her lips! Kdramas are usually so skilled at showing the gradual blossoming romance between the leads. I felt this drama didn't measure up to that expectation as the ML is already in love with the FL when the show begins and i didn't get to see the FL falling in love with the ML as well. It just felt like she lost her ex and decided to love the next protective male who had feelings for her. What she shared with the ML seemed more like a cute senior - junior camaradie and later he became a trusted confidant. She realised that the ML was going to ignore her completely if she didn't reciprocate his feelings and did not want to lose his company hence decided to have a relationship with him. Throughout the drama it feels like the ML actually loves the FL more.

Side characters were very interesting. Both sisters of the ML had interesting story lines. The elder sister's love story with the ML's boss was adorable. The other sister's story was even more interesting although I expected to get some closure on what happened to the chef by the last episode. The little girl was adorable and wise beyond her years. She was a breath of fresh air amidst the melancholy.

The ex ML and his SFL storyline was highly irksome and toxic for most of the episodes. I was glad how they closed it in the final part.

The FL's mom arc was added to create more depth to the FL but it made her seem more self centred than caring for most of the time. However it was an interesting dynamic among the mother-daughter and brought to life very realistically on the screen.

All in all this was a one time binge watch romance Melo (mostly watched at 1.25 speed). It has eye candy and pleasing aesthetics (it was bit of a mystery how the ML's house was quite posh when he was still working as junior position while the senior FL shared a middle class flat with a friend. One of his sisters is well off with her own business while the other is a housewife). The drama succeeds in getting you interested in the life of all these characters whether you personally like them or not. Watch it once without any expectations and it will feel like a decent watch.

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Sincerity Redefined!

Whatever the synopsis is like, let me tell you, the true essence of this drama draws on sincerity. People are hurt, betrayed and broken, but also healed by the very same people who broke them. I can tell you I didn't find many cliches in the plot; well written, a little too fast for my taste in the beginning but i also realised it was because they wanted to prioritise the story between the protagonists more. The acting was just fab, surprisingly i teared up in a side story where Chae Hyun Seung's sister proposes instead of the other way around. It makes me think back to the series FRIENDS (scene where Monica proposed to chandler) when there was priority given to love between them more than who proposed to whom. Karmic cliche scene in the end episodes but it was pretty realistic so i didn't mind. Oh by the way, the little girl cracked me up so hard so many times, she was simply so damn mature and dope af. All in all, a must watch!

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Does this kind of man really exist in real life?

Its one of those dramas that would make you wonder, “Does this kind of man really exist in real life?” It’s frustrating because you know want to end up with such guy but can’t. Hyun-seung is someone who’s really serious about relationships and love. He is so dedicated and loyal. At first I thought it would be strange to end up with a girl who has a toxic past but Hyun-seung persevered and fought for his love which made me love him too. Song-ah is kind of ok. I think her character is more realistic than Hyun-seung because she knows what she wants. I also like the other couples’ stories, some of them were realistic and some of them was just there for some swoon and cute. So it’s a nice drama to watch altho it’s just another Korean romance drama but good to watch still. It’s not exceptional but It’s always a good idea to get some romance out of dramas if you can’t in real life

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charming rom-com

It definitely was a cute rom-com. I randomly found this through a Netflix recommendation so I didn't have any expectations going into it, but it kept me entertained.

What I'm a little disappointed in is that Song-ah was never held accountable for her actions and walked all over Hyun-seung. After the breakup, we didn't see anything about how the main leads were dealing with it; instead, we were rushed to a happy ending with Hyung-seung still being madly in love with Song-ah.

I was pleasantly surprised by the side stories, they were really well thought out.

Overall, I enjoyed the drama and recommend it to anyone who wants an easy watch rom-com.

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The side stories were intriguing and kepte hooked to know more. I really loved MLs elder sisters. And, the second couple's story also had some development in terms of maturity and more depth.
But, coming to the 1st couple story in drama.... I have a lot to say. Since I just completed the drama, my thoughts are random and just flowing. Their story was clichéd and boring. There were many repetitive scenes from a lot of dramas with similar story lines, nothing new or maybe it didn't seem like they owned it.
Moreover, I didn't like the fl specially. The whole breakup scene in epi 15 was so not necessary. She broke up with him because he was 'too nice '!!!!! Seriously why!!!? If she thought she was not being good enough for this relationship, she should have put in some efforts instead of just breaking it off. He endured soo much for her, was this the right thing to do?
Also, I didn't like her approach towards her mother in the earlier episodes. Her mother behaved the way she did because she wanted to protect her daughter from the harsh truth of her father (though her own unacceptance was also a reason), so instead of behaving like that, leaving her mother all alone, she would have told her from the beginning that she knows the truth about her father. Then maybe her mother would not have to pretend but she chose not to confront her mother and at the end blamed everything on her.
Similarly, during her first break up I didn't like the way they both (1st ml and fl) did not tell BM Lee the real reason for her being so put off instead they decided to just pretend. Although I didn't like the way he was playing with the life of two girls for his own selfish needs, but I did not the fls approach then. And, when she was clear of the mess of that relationship she did not even bother to care about that other girl even when Lee left, she never even gave a minimum thought about what was happening there. She was just happy in her own bubble.

P.S. I wrote the incidents in random fashion, but in the order that it happened, it made me feel like the FL cared only for her happiness and nothing about the others around her, not even the ML. Oh, and about the Europe thing, I don't think choosing career was wrong on her side but she could have easily tried managing the relationship as well, for that she need not leave everything and come back to Korea. LONG DISTANCES DO WORK

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Messy Writing and Bad Production Ruined Potential

LIKES:
Music/OST
It was good, they even had Say Something by A Great Big World (and it was perfect for the scene unfolding). Also the music never overpowered the actor/actress voices, which means great editing.
PRODUCTION
Cinematography and colour palate were good, same with the lighting for night time scenes.
ACTING
Kang Ha Eun (Daughter of Yun Seung), she was a great character, well written and perfectly executed by actress Park So Yi. Also Actress Lee Joo Bin was good in the role of Lee Hyo Joo.
WRITING
The characters at work, actually were ‘working’ and not just focused on their personal lives.
The close family relationship of ML, two sister, was nice to see and how they were supportive of each other.

DISLIKES:
PRODUCTION
Shaky camera syndrome; they didn’t use a film stabilizer. If it was intentional, it didn’t add to the drama of the moment, just made it harder to watch.

DIRECTING
Somehow the FL comes across as annoying, the further into the series you get. Maybe it’s how they have her reacting to situations, not sure what it is. Maybe it’s because she’s supposed to be the more mature older boss and comes across as such.

WRITING
Homophobia very apparent with one of the storylines of the supporting characters. Considering this is a show from 2021, that was very disappointing. Later they tried to seem supportive, but it came across very fake.
Having the age gap being just 1 yr between the ABM Yoon Song Ah and Chae Hyun Seung was silly and didn’t pull off the “older female boss and younger male crushing on her” vibe.
Over the top, red flag, narcissistic sociopathic 2ML Lee Jae Shin character, made me fast forward his parts, as the series continued past 6 episodes.
The story itself was a mess in terms of execution and content. This made the pacing seem imbalanced, relying heavily on the usual trope and cliches.
Supporting Character Song Ah’s mother and Lee Jae Shin’s father, were over the top and annoying. They didn’t add anything to the characters of Song Ah or Jae Shin.
Also in the last five episodes, all the other couple storylines were more interesting than the FL & ML and the ending felt very thrown together just to achieve a “happy ending.”

OVERALL:
I won’t watch it again, but I will look for more dramas of the actors/actresses which I believe performed well. I wouldn’t recommend this, unless you are a fan of one of the actors/actresses.

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The bottom half of this review 'does' contain spoilers.

This has been one of my favourite dramas for the year. The characters, for the most part, were super cute with good development of the main players and a great storyline that was well-paced. (No boring, draggy bits at all.) Featuring three other relationships along with the main leads it was romantic, funny and also very emotional in parts. The emotional parts especially, I thought were well done. There was no ‘roller-coaster’ ride that had you laughing one minute and sobbing your heart out the next; it was more, under-stated poignancy that really tugged the heart-strings.

Over-all it was a very well-balanced drama that I have enjoyed, for the most part. I have to keep reminding myself of this fact so I don’t let the ‘venom’ of my disappointment over-whelm me, or my rating, in the next part of my review.

I do highly recommend this drama and I don’t usually do spoilers at all, let alone the type of spoilers to come. Please stop reading if you haven’t seen this drama yet as, fair warning, they’re not just hints but actual, bona fide, spoilers.

****SPOILERS****

So she freaking dumped him on episode 15. After everything he did to show his love, sincerity and commitment; that was his reward. Gut-wrenching heartbreak! Ugh! Actually they didn’t show the ‘gut-wrenching’ heartbreak which was just as well. I don’t need my own heart broken in pursuit of a good drama and in fact, I avoid those dramas at all costs. Life’s shitty enough without watching dramas that hammer it home. It was enough to know, it happened.

Of course she wins him back in the last episode and I vindictively enjoyed the part where she slept with him as a part of that process. He should get something for his troubles right? Yea I know ... but I basically lost all respect and trust in her character.

So what’s my problem if they got a happy ending (and him an especially happy ending)?

It was unnecessary. They had three other good arcs to wrap up but they got short-shifted to a hurried conclusion in favour of this last minute arc of her dumping him.

Conclusion: This drama was a 10 that dropped the baton just before the finish line. Of course we all wish every drama we watched was a 10 but they’re actually few and far between. What’s particularly frustrating with this one is ... it was sooooooo close!

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Nothing exceptional but it was GOOD

Yes, I did come from Ro Woon but trust me, everything in this drama won my heart.

Firstly, the story line was great. It wasn't fully predictable, although it did hint at some things that only sharp-minded people (like me keke) would get. The character development was great although some characters did give me mixed signals. The only thing that kept me motivated to watch the drama were the side relationships though. The main relationship was very predictable so I just focused my attention elsewhere. The ending was satifying; not to the fullest, but the best I've had in a while. If you check out my activity on MDL, you will see the dramas that I have most recently reviewed.

As for the characters, this is where I have a lot to say. Won Jin Ah's acting was good. It wasn't spectacular but it wasn't an utter fail as well. As for RoWoon, I would give the same feedback I as I said previously for JinAh. Although many viewers say that the chemistry between them is iffy, I think the chemistry is not bad. But then again, I didn't really pay attention to the main couple after a certain amount of episodes when I could predict the ending. Everyone else was perfect for their roles. The characters Lee Jae Shin, Lee Hyo Joo, and Lee Jae Woon always gave me mixed signals. I think this was part of the screenwriting, so I thoroughly enjoyed it like that and think they did a great job of portraying the characters. One of my two favourite characters and actor/actress is Chae Yun Seung/Ha Yoon Kyung. Her character was such a cute and heart breaking one--wherefore, YoonKyung played it perfectly. This is the character that made me bawl the most, so I think that plays a factor in my choosing her as my favourite. My second favourite is her daughter, Kang Ha Eun/Park So Yi--and for almost the exact reasons.

Only good enough dramas can make me cry (not that I don't cry easily), but this one certainly had me bawling more than a few times. Overall, I would RECCOMEND it.

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Hit The Spot

I wouldn't put this series in my top 10 or even top 20, but it did deliver a couple of episodes of what I'm looking for in a Kdrama. I've suffered through too many "real life" type of endings and enjoyed this one where the ML and FL end up together. As is now my norm I watch all episodes at 1.5 speed and managed to watch the last 9 episodes in one lazy day. While I know on one level that I'm watching actors, I still experience joyful emotions when the leads are in love and things are going well. In my 44th year of marriage I'll admit that my wife and I rarely share the kind of looks and emotions that are presented in this new made-for-tv relationships. So to relive those emotions vicariously is very enjoyable and the main reason I liked this series. I liked the symmetry of having the roles reversed at the end and the FL seeking to convince the ML to be in a relationship for a change. There were plenty of things I could complain about, not the least of which was the 3 year gap in the action while the FL was in Europe. It's like everyone goes into suspended animation and then we pick up the story again. I can't imagine many couples in the USA agreeing to try a remote relationship for a couple of years. Overall, this series just made me happy at the end.

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