First I will look at this drama subjectively by itself even though I am familiar with the story. If you go into this never having seen this story you would just find an average drama. Nothing that stands out but nothing that really make you hate it either. The production is fine, the visuals are nice, the actors did an okay job with the script, and the OST was okay. But honestly none of it was really memorable except that one scene that will break your heart every single time. One of the biggest problems is that the characters were not given time to develop. Aya was such a weak character and you never got a chance to see her grow since this was cut so short. Its length also plays heavily on my ability as a viewer to feel invested or connected to the characters. If you are looking for something short to just pass the time then this could fit the bill though you may end it feeling dissatisfied.

This is the fourth version of this story that I have seen and it is the weakest. The length played a heavy role in that. By the intro and outtro you can tell that they had intended or possibly even shot the full show with the same ending as all the other versions but then decided to stop airing the show so it was condensed and the last episode rewritten. Because of this you end on a sour note with no real feeling of closure since the misunderstanding isn't completely explained. Aya was a weaker character in this version and her interactions with both male leads felt forced and awkward because there was no time to create a believable relationship with either one. For the same reason it was also hard to believe Kei's change in feelings because it was like a switch for the purpose of moving the story forward but as a viewer it did not feel genuine since all the interactions up until the abrupt change of heart did not give you enough of a sense of depth in his relationship with Aya.

I watched this out of curiosity since I had seen the 3 previous versions but I would not have if I was not familiar with the story previously.