One Shot Scandal (2023)

Mostly strong, but fizzles from ep14 on

This is a very strong drama but had several flaws which really undermined the quality and – most damning of all – the writing of certain characters. Based on the experiences of children studying to prepare for college entrance, their teachers, and their parents. The romance is enjoyed by an elite maths teacher with an apparent inability to tolerate food, and the humble mother of one of his students: after he realises that the food from her side dish shop does not make him vomit he wants to know her better. Understandable.
Let me talk first about some of all the things that were good. Of course the acting was wonderful. It is beautifully shot in attractive locations. Characters are for the most part well rounded, and mostly the plot is character driven. The plot is engaging and charismatic, and some of the people are just lovely.
The pushy mum's are all witches though which is a bit lazy. Dads are almost universally invisible.
School work and pressures seem mostly realistic, and teachers are shown as genuinely caring – though the schools' administration and leaders are much less so.
The murder sub-plot was OK : well presented, and an interesting concept. We start to catch onto it though, and once that happens, the culprit and motive are fairly quickly identified, though the way it is resolved is rather sad.
The relationship between ML and FL is fine – I enjoyed it, but sadly the excellent writing of both characters was hugely undermined by the absymal styling for the FL. This was a major flaw and it persistently spoiled most of the drama.
It's by no means the case that a hot teacher like him could not have fallen for a frumpy, badly dressed, badly aged wee woman from a food shop, but I could not believe that, even with the responsibility of raising a child perhaps ten years younger than her, an elite athlete from a national team would have resented herself to the world like this - none of the other mums did that.
That was absolutely and damningly confirmed by the fact that once a certain part of the plot is reached, she tidies herself up, gets some decent clothes, sorts out her hair and looks hot!
Good for her, and at LAST, but pathetic styling. Shoddy. And don't blame the stylists - they are following Directors' demands.
And I think the other main failing here is that the drama could easily have ended a couple of episodes earlier.
The FL's sister turns up out of the blue. Expecting open arms. Despite the fact that ten years ago she abandoned her daughter with her "mum", and has never been in contact since. The reason for her appearing is never made fully clear, but when her daughter made a fuss saying she will return with her to Japan ... she promptly absconds again. So that worked!
I found this whole sub-plot entirely unnecessary. I make no apology for mentioning it here, because it is SO OBVIOUS from the very start. I expected it from the point at which she dumps the child in ep1.
The only reason I could see for these 2 redundant episodes was the chance to tie up the few remaining 'loose ends' for some of the characters – with better writing, that could have been done by ep14.
Overall, I expected to give this drama at least a 9 but it limps in at a mildly weak 7.5 /10 for me ... especially since waiting for new episodes was torture! Disappointing

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This Is How You Make A Show!

Not a SINGLE dull moment! Loved Crash Course In Romance from start to finish! The only flaw, so to speak, is that this is a mixed genre show with A LOT happening and that might not be appealing to everyone who love pure Romance or Rom Com dramas. But there is so much realism and amazing (as well as toxic) relationships and a wholesome storyline that you will be missing out on if you skip this drama.

What I loved:
The main plot revolves around a 30s-40s couple, their connection, their enemies to lovers journey, and their supportive nature towards each other. It's a couple that is perfect for each other. It's a bit of a slow burn romance.
The female lead's relationships:
- First with her sister's daughter who was abandoned and has been raising her in such a pure and loving way. And that upbringing has made her daughter a strong person.
- Secondly, with her brother who has Autism Spectrum Disorder. He works in the store along with her best friend. Again, it's such a supportive and understanding relationship. One can imagine how she would have had to also raise him after their mother passed early on.
- And thirdly, her friendship with her amazing and supportive best friend who runs a side dish store with her. Both are super-caring towards each other and this is a friendship we all wish we had. The best sismance!
We also see the daughter's friendships and how much they care for each other. But we also see insecurity because of the unusual family she has and has been judged in the past for.
The rivalry to bromance between the students was heart-warming.
The crazy competitive education system and how it drives students but especially their mothers bat-**** crazy.
The mystery element and the whole back story. It's a tragic one.

Normally I would write about what I disliked but I genuinely can't think of anything wrong with this show. I don't know what to criticise which is RARE. Maybe more romance would be my only expectation.

The show is a 10/10 for me! I would definitely rewatch and recommend to others!

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This show is INSANE

I absolutely love the writing. The plot is meticulous. Moments you don't pay attention to are brought back up and become relevant. There is never a dull moment.

The characters are so well written. The love story is realistic and really entertaining. Their chemistry is incredible. The young stars in this are also absolutely brilliant actors. The way they act their struggles is brilliant to watch.

The thing I love most about this drama is it takes tropes that at the start you really think will go a certain way, but it turns everything upside down until you don't know what to expect. Where you think the story is going, it will undoubtedly go a different way.

It also tackles issues that aren't very commonly tackled, like eating disorders in men, and other things I can't reveal because it will ruin the story.

Basically, WATCH THIS SHOW. The final two episodes are on this weekend and I can't wait!

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Beautiful execution, but some loose ends

It's really hard to execute equal amounts of romance, drama and comedy in one show, but Crash course in romance has managed to master this balance reasonably well.
I would argue that the title is misleading, as this show is so much more than just romance, to the point that I believe the romance would rank quite low in terms of the priority within the story. However, the romance aspect was not lacking in any way, its just that it was not a major part of the plot, even though it was quite enjoyable.
The casting of this show was perfect, and everyone did justice to their roles quite well. I remember Jeong Yeon Nam from it's okay not to be okay, and here too she portrayed her obsessive character wonderfully. Oh Eui SHik shined as Nam Jae woo, even though his romance with Kim Young Joo came out of nowhere. The best was Ji Dong hui and his character was quite fascinating and wonderfully done by the actor.
Now for some aspects I really enjoyed in this drama
1. The friendship between Sun jae and Geon Hoo.
Typical of many dramas, here too we had a love triangle. As someone who has come to having two guys fall for a girl, it was refreshing to see the friendship between the two boys bloom. They both liked Hae-e and while there was a sense of competition with none of them backing out, it was nice to see that it did not affect their friendship deep down. I would more such non-toxic portrayals in the future too. Also the Sua and Geon hoo angle toward the end was quite cute.
2. Dong-hui's true face.
Having watched a lot of thriller dramas, it was quite surprising how late into the drama I started doubting Mr. Ji as the one behind the metal ball attacks. Portraying him as a sweet person who really wants the best for Chi-yeol, it did not even cross my mind that he could be capable of ruthlessly killing people off. But it once it was revealed, everything he had said previously that I had merely brushed off made more sense to me. I loved the plot twist, even though a part of me really wanted him to be a good person.
3. The pressure of the education system
This story managed to highlight all aspects of the korean education system, and showed how parents, students and teachers alike are affected by this system. They also portray the consequences of fame, and how it can make or break a person's career. Seeing the mother's fight against each other in an effort to put their children in an advantegeous position was very reminiscent of sky castle and done well.

Loose Ends
1. Dong Hui's arc was cut too soon. For all the suspense surrounding the identity of the killer, I felt that the reveal to chiyeol and subsequent confrontation was too short. Felt a little underwhelming the way they dealt with the ending.

2. Hae-ee's mom leaving
It was frankly quite irritating to see Hae-ee birth mom return. But what was more irritating was the fact that Hae-ee made some stupid decisions in an effort to try and make it up to her aunt for raising her. Instead of properly showing her gratitude, she ended up pushing her aunt away, making everyone in the house sad. Haee mom leaving was the best thing she ever did in her life. But what bothered me is that we didnt get a conversation between aunt and niece in the aftermath of the mom leaving. I would have loved some family bonding time, but it was skipped over.

Overall a great watch, and I highly recommend it to anyone interested in a fun, interesting watch.

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A crash course to craziness!

A first look at the casts and if you are a fan of Korean movies and dramas, the first names you will notice is the acclaimed actress Jeon Do-yeon. A 4 times Best actress winner at the Baeksang Arts Awards, you are pretty much guaranteed a drama with good acting. Or course, Jung Kyung-ho is no slouch in the acting department either.

However, as the show progresses, what really caught me was the acting of the students, in particular the young and beautiful Roh Yoon-seo. Boy can this girl act. It's funny how i first saw her in 20th century girl where I thought she was really good, but due to her being the 2nd lead, she didn't have too much screen time so I sort of forgot about her. Then as I watched this show, I went back and watched her previous drama (which also happened to be a mega hit, Our Blues) and she really blew me away there with her acting as a pregnant teen student.

Coming back to this drama, it's not an exaggeration to say that the actors/actresses acting as students really carried quite a portion of this drama.

Funny scenes aside, with a focus on the overbearing parents and a dog-eats-dog world of high school life, this show really sheds serious light on how an uncompromising and competition-focused education system can bring not only honor and pride to successful students, but also massive pressure and heartache to students and parents alike.

At times, this show really makes you feel for the students. That is all thanks to the brilliant acting from the young casts.

Of course, as per the title of the drama, there's a healthy dose of romance and comedy involved, as well as some darker theme (serial killer, anyone?).

Plot-wise, I won't call this the best storyline or anything. In fact, I would say that there are quite a few major and glaring plotholes as well as some unresolved plot (guess the writer just forgot about it along the way). However, what is lack story wise, it definitely made up acting wise.

I would say this is definitely worth a watch, simply for the great acting by all the casts involved. Mark my words, Roh Yoon-seo is certainly a name for the future. I hope she will reach the heights of Jeon Do-yeon. (sorry if this turned into a Roh Yoon-seo worshipping post lol).

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é uma ótima comédia romântica

eu amei muito assistir, ele foi um dorama que me prendeu, mas nos dois últimos episódios me decepcionei bastante, fiquei muito decepcionada, primeiro pq o dong-hui não deveria ter se matado, ele devia ter sofrido antes daquilo acontecer, segundo a Nam hae-e devia ter pedido desculpas pra tia dela, so voltaram a se falar ficou meio sem graça, tambem que tipo de romance é esse plmd, ja iam se casar e não se beijaram decepcionada, e a Nam Hae-e demorou ficar com o Sung-Jae, e o outro menino devia ficar com a amiga da hae-e não com aquela outra, teve muita coisa incompleta nesse dorama

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Mostly A Crash, Very Little Romance

I tuned in to watch a mature, adult couple fall in love. I was ready for some cringey tropes because come on, that's what it's all about, man. It's all about experiencing pure, unadulterated, cringey love.
But, the story does too much OVER AND OVER.
When I started this and realized that it was going for a romance + work + hardships of life + serial killer vibes, I honestly thought of Strong Woman Do Bong Soon. Leaving the fantasy plotline aside, the plots outline is similar, wherein they're trying to do a lighthearted comedy with dark elements. I was very intrigued on how they were going to manage it.
One word: Not well.
They had too many balls up in the air. Parental pressure, college/studies pressure, a love story between two over 40 folx, a serial killer who's basically an obsessed fan/looking for a place to channel psychopathic vibes, and high school romance.
I understand what they were trying to do, I think a 20 ep show would have done better. This was far too much, too soon, too badly written.

I couldn't understand why he would propose so soon. I couldn't understand why Hae Yi would ever choose to end up with her long time best friend, and don't get me started on Yeong Ju and Hae Won? Because are you absolutely kidding me.
It's a mess, with a to-die-for cast.

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A drama that could put smiles on your lips but tears in your eyes at the same time

Crash Course in Romance is a light and heartwarming romantic comedy-drama. If you're familiar with Korean school-themed dramas, then you would know it will include those desperate mothers who worry nothing about their children but their education. 

They would move heaven and earth to push their children to the top levels. Yeah, sound typical right? But the first thing that kept me watching this because of the male lead, Jung Kyung-Ho. His charismatic character as a star mathematician made you forget that he isn't a real teacher.

Those who don't know Jung Kyung-Ho as an actor probably thought that Choi Chi-Yeol is a real teacher because of how great his acting is. I searched through the internet and apparently, he did train himself to be a real mathematician only for this drama.  Imagine how much time and effort he gave to give such a great performance and gained that professional level of acting, watching this as a viewer is really satisfying, his teaching method is so convincing.

As for the female lead, although many complained about her age and her fashion sense whatsoever, well they have their right to complain but we have subjective views about it. But be honest with yourself, I admire Jeon Do Yeon's because of her great acting and her professionalism, I didn't realize she was way older than Jung Kyung-Ho in this drama because she always looked fresh and younger than her real age.

Nam Heung Seon and Choi Chi-Yeol have great chemistry and their romance is natural. Although they bickered here and there, I think that is what a normal couple does when in a relationship.

For murderer cases in this drama, if you're observant enough, you'd know there's something off with the main culprit in this drama. On the outside, he looks naturally warm but when the first Chi-Yeol's female stalker was shot from afar with a metal ball in the second episode, I KNEW, it was him. I was sure.

And the ending, I have never felt so satisfied with the ending until this one. Although it's too good to be true, the pure relationship between Nam Heung Seon and Nam Hae-e could make you cry. It's so satisfying to watch and everyone has a great conclusion about their paths.

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RESEÑA <3

¡AME ESTE DRAMA!
Me enseñó a que hay que luchar para conseguir lo que te propones por muy duro que sea el camino.
Tanto los personajes como cada una de sus historias, al fin y al cabo, te acaban conmoviendo. La historia principal es encantadora, dulce y muy familiar. El personaje de Nam Haeng-seon, es pura lucha por el futuro, un personaje fuerte, pero demasiado agradable.
Hay una historia que me entristeció un poco por como acabó todo y terminé llorando.
La serie en si, es especial.
Los episodios se hacen muy cortos de ver, y no puedes parar de verlos. Nada más terminar uno, quieres empezar el siguiente.
El OST me gustó.

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Lovely drama

This will probably rank as one of my favs for 2023.

While I was initially skeptic about the ML and FL's chemistry, after watching this, I believe both suited their roles very much.
This is my first time to see the FL (can't wait for her next project Kill Bok Soon), but I loved how she portrayed and gave justice to her character. The fact that she can make the viewer feel her sincere love and affection for her niece, is a testament to her acting skills.

Beyond the romance angle of the story, the FL's relationship with her niece is the best part of the whole drama. It reminds me so much of my relationship with my nieces. Roh Yeon Soo has been one of my fav young actresses after seeing her in Our Blues. It helps that she looks like my niece :)

The ending was also very fitting. Unlike some dramas which just gives you an ending open to interpretation, this one was unpretentious. It ended just like how it should be. No feeling of dissatisfaction at all.

Hope there would be dramas like this coming out soon....

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