Perfect Male Lead, Undeserving Female Lead

My 4 categories are Acting/Cast, Writing, Direction/SFX/Music, Entertainment Value.

I held off writing this review because this drama disappointed me so much. I probably would have ranted a lot about the female lead. Now that I've calmed down, I'll try to keep this short.

Acting/Cast: The cast and acting were great. No complaints here. Watching the male lead (정해인) in particular made me think that he really is a top tier actor, as I compare him to some male leads I've seen in other dramas. 10/10

Writing: The first half of the drama was amazing. The way that the relationship was built and how it evolved. It was so cute. I usually stay away from age gap romances, but this one made me feel like it could actually work. I was becoming a believer. Their chemistry and the writing was making me believe in them and root for them when society would find their relationship weird and taboo. That is until about midway through, the female lead begins making a series of stupid decisions with no end in sight. Seriously, everything she did made things worse. It would have been better if she went into a coma for 5 years instead. It was almost as though she was intentionally trying to ruin everything (her life, her career, her relationships) and cause drama. I'll give an example (it's one of the early bad decisions & I'll try to be vague): She gets into a clearly dangerous situation with her ex, where she could have pressed charges against him. But instead, she continues to communicate with him like she's a naïve 14 year old girl and even GETS INTO HIS CAR (keep in mind this is a 35 year old woman with a boyfriend getting into her ex's car who has a recent history of emotional instability and violence). Then, after surviving an even scarier and more traumatizing situation that she had gotten herself into, she still acts like her ex is her friend and tries to shake his hand. It was so strange...I was bewildered by her behavior. This is why I think she may have been intentionally causing drama, because it just doesn't make sense. Maybe the writers were trying to emphasize how much of a doormat she is? But, it just gets worse from there. Her mental age continues to regress, all while trying to convince the audience that she's growing and becoming a better person. Meanwhile, the 25 year old male lead continues to be perfect. He's definitely the more mature person in the relationship to the point where the mental maturity of the two are greatly contrasted. The way she treats her boyfriend and her best friend...I couldn't believe it. She had become incredibly selfish and ended up completely thro- Ok I need to stop before I spoil anything. Let's just say, by the end, I wasn't rooting for her anymore. She didn't deserve such a perfect relationship with the male lead. 4/10

Direction/SFX/Music: I love the tone, the vibe, the camera work style of the drama. It had that charm that draws me back in and invades my thoughts. The OST is nice on it's own, but it was entirely in English which felt a bit strange. However, what really irked me was how repetitive and obnoxious the music became. The same loud English lyrics would replay over and over. 5.5/10

Entertainment Value: The first half was great. I was excited to watch the next episode. However, the female lead became progressively worse over time. It was frustrating to watch. Notice I haven't mentioned anything about the mom. That's because the female lead is the real problem. The mom was just there to cause a conflict for the leads to overcome. I get it. 3/10

Overall, I gave this drama a 5.5/10. The ultimate ending wasn't terrible. Yes, it was pretty unsatisfying how certain plot points ended, but watching the downward trend from midway through to the end of the drama was worse than the ending itself. What I'm trying to say is that relatively speaking, it ultimately ended on a high note in comparison to the events leading up to it. I know that's not saying much, but at least there's a tiny bit of light at the end of this tunnel.

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Intense Feelings of Hopelessness

My 4 categories are Acting/Cast, Writing, Direction/SFX/Music, Entertainment Value.

I'll preface this by saying I am not a K-pop fan. I didn't even know a K-pop star was starring in this drama until I got near the end of the drama. And now that I know the lead female is a rookie actress and considering this drama is her first time playing a main role, I am impressed. Also, I will say that my all-time favorite K-drama is White Christmas, which is also a hostage plot, so this type of story is right up my alley.

Acting/Cast: I'd say one of the best things about this drama is the casting of the spies. Perfect casting, especially the male lead spy. I couldn't imagine anyone else playing that character. He has this innocent look about him, but he can also have an intimidating presence, which is essential for the role. His ability to convey emotions through his eyes and facial expressions was vital to the role, as well. I think everyone inside the dorm (for the most part) had good acting. I didn't even have a problem with the rookie female lead's acting. Those outside of the dorm are another story. I think the worst thing about this drama is Park Sung Woong (박성웅). I hated every time he was on screen. His acting was over-the-top obnoxious. My brain's reaction to his presence would be to automatically start tuning him out. I actively had to fight against it. Him, as well as others on the outside of the dorm, really brought an unwanted cheesiness to the drama, which actually has a very serious plot that I think should have been taken more seriously. 7/10

Writing: For the most part, the story is pretty well written. The foundation that was built in the beginning was very solid except for the two important ANSP agent characters. I didn't care about them at all in the beginning. I didn't know exactly what to expect with this story, so once the hostage situation began, I was shocked and hooked. I think the writing begins to get shaky toward the end. I kept thinking "I wish the female lead had more of a role." She was great in the first half. She felt like a realistic, but strong female lead. She was trying to fight back, figure things out, even manipulate others to save her friends. The only thing potentially unrealistic about her behavior would be that if I were in her situation, I would be deathly terrified of the male lead. I wouldn't even have been able to look him in the eyes. I'd be way too traumatized and ashamed about the whole thing. However, toward the end, it's as though the female lead becomes more of a background character who looks sad all the time and is silently hating herself. I wouldn't have been surprised if she had tried to take herself out at some point...I think that would have been realistic. I mean, it's a deeply depressing and traumatizing situation for her specifically. Another reason I thought the writing got shaky toward the end was because of the excessive twists. I don't think it was necessary to put in twists toward the end; the main plot itself is engaging and complex enough and should have been fully embraced as it was. Also, toward the end, the intense feelings of hopelessness that I felt from the whole situation had increased too much to where I was almost unable to see any light at all at the end of the story. I think that's a bit more of a personal taste - I need a certain amount of hope to keep me on the edge of my seat and not lose interest. On a positive note, the political aspect of the drama became more interesting to me as the story went on (usually stuff like that bores me) and the two ANSP agents became much more likeable. I found the politics in this drama to be very thought-provoking. What kinds of events in real life have governments and media worked together on to cover up or spin to win elections? 9/10

Direction/SFX/Music: This drama definitely had a higher quality of production, which I really look for. I will drop a drama 20 minutes in if the production quality isn't doing it for me. There are a lot of guns, bombs, blood, I love the set and the time period. The OST is okay. It didn't stick out too much for me. The only complaint I have here is that sometimes the music didn't fit the situation, especially in the beginning. There's a gun fight and blood and chaos but romantic sounding music is playing. How is this romantic? 9.5/10

Entertainment Value: I was hooked for a majority of the drama. I stopped watching other dramas to binge watch this one. It was only toward the end (maybe episode 14) that I wasn't exactly excited about watching it...more scared to watch it I guess. 9.5/10

Overall, I gave this drama a 9/10. It's rare that I ever rate a drama this high. I think this one won't soon be forgotten. I wish there had been more of a sole focus on the dynamics inside of the dorm, such as relationships between the girls, and how their personal bonds helped them to survive. This person being an ANSP agent or that person being a northern spy or this person doing something bad in the past or that person having some past connection that I don't care about -- to me it was just a bunch of unnecessary Korean drama clichés that didn't really add much to the plot.

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Emotionally Heavy With Endearing Characters

My 4 categories are Acting/Cast, Writing, Direction/SFX/Music, Entertainment Value.

I saw that this drama had won awards, so I thought “why not?” I was in the mood to cry.

Acting/Cast: Park Bo Young (박보영) is hit or miss for me, but in this drama, she is a hit. Portraying mental health issues must be difficult, but I think everyone did a great job. I really liked the male lead (the surgeon). He was an interesting character with a quirky personality. I don’t think I’ve seen a male lead quite like him before, so I enjoyed watching his character. I also liked the patient that the female lead befriends - Kim Seo Wan played by Noh Jae Won (노재원). His acting was amazing; he felt like a real person, which is vital in allowing the audience to really be able to connect with him. Without him and his performance, I think this drama would have received much lower ratings. 10/10

Writing: I didn’t know what I was getting myself into. I thought this drama was going to be a formulaic show that focuses on a new patient each episode. Nope. This drama focuses on the female lead and her own mental health. I was thrown off. It was a pleasant surprise because I can’t stand those formulaic shows. It was strange though, because this drama goes from quirky and goofy to extremely dark…some of the most depressing stuff I’ve seen in a Korean drama. I wasn’t complaining since I tend to enjoy darker themes with a focus on psychological aspects such as depression and suicide. Since the writers went in that direction, I think the story line of the female lead’s best friend - Song Yu Chan played by Jang Dong Yoon (장동윤) – was too much. I think it was a waste of time and unnecessary to the main plot. The character itself is fine, it’s just his storyline that I thought was weak. Instead of wasting time on his storyline, I think that they should have given more attention to the female lead’s storyline. Her storyline felt unresolved and even rushed at times. I felt the pacing was off and that, as a viewer, I was getting emotionally whipped around way too much. I think that giving more time to the female lead would have helped slow down the pacing a bit. I don't like how her storyline felt incomplete, as well, and left me unsatisfied with the ending. However, I think this drama portrayed the psychology of a depressed person very well. I was pleasantly surprised by that. 5.5/10

Direction/SFX/Music: I see that viewers have been comparing this drama to It’s Okay to Not Be Okay. I didn’t see a resemblance. I found myself comparing this drama to The Atypical Family (which has a mental health plot disguised as a superhero plot.) It had a similar quirky vibe that feels somewhat fantastical. The music, in particular, reminded me of The Atypical Family, which gives this drama a sort of eerie vibe, too. I didn’t know what to make of the plot because of these things; I was getting mixed messages. However, the uncertainty kept me engaged. Was it going to suddenly turn dark? Will it turn into a fantasy? Will it turn into a thriller? I think this confusion actually helped me identify with the female lead more though. I also have to say that the CGI is this drama is pretty impressive. 6.5/10

Entertainment Value: I was highly entertained while watching. The strangeness of the drama, although confusing, was entertaining to me. I liked the characters. I liked the darkness of the plot. However, I can say I was disappointed by the ending. Actually, I didn’t even realize it had ended. I though it was going to have 16 episodes. At the end of the last episode, I thought it was just segueing into the next episode. Maybe they did it that way to leave it open for a season 2? At any rate, I wasn’t ready for the drama to end - the fault of which lies with problems regarding the drama’s writing (pacing issues and not enough time spent on the female lead’s story). Unfortunately, unsatisfying endings can do quite a bit of damage to the lasting memorability of a drama. 6.5/10

Overall, I gave this drama a 7/10. A pretty solid rating for me (anything 6 and above is in the recommended zone). Not a perfect drama, but highly entertaining. I cried A LOT watching this drama. It is extremely emotionally heavy, so I wouldn’t recommend it if you aren’t prepared to get really sad. Man…I almost felt like I was experiencing what the female lead was going through. I can’t say anything more because I don’t want to spoil it.

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Childhood Connection Trope Done Right

My 4 categories are Acting/Cast, Writing, Direction/SFX/Music, Entertainment Value.

I loved Eom Tae Gu’s (엄태구) character and acting in Save Me 2, so I was happy to see him again. I was watching this drama while watching Dreaming of A Freaking Fairytale (which has a similar zany, cartoonish vibe and even share the same second male lead) and I ended up liking this drama more.

Acting/Cast: A great cast of characters. They’re all very distinct from one another but are believable as a family. I enjoyed getting to know all of them. I liked the leads a lot as well as the second male lead. I think they were the strongest actors. 7.5/10

Writing: I wasn’t sure how to feel about this drama in the beginning. I typically don’t like over-the-top cartoony style comedy, but this drama ended up being really cute. I was so impressed by the character building and relationship building. It was refreshing to see such good character development in a rom-com. I’m a bit of a sucker for “enemies to lovers” romances though. I like what they did with the second male lead’s character. It was different from how I expected it to go. Yes, a lot of dumb, cliché things happen in this drama, but the overall plot is really sad yet beautiful if you think about it. I really like the childhood connection trope in this drama. I don’t think I’ve ever seen it written as well as this. It’s really meaningful to the story; it isn’t just throw in. Also, their childhood connection isn’t why they love each other – they actually fall in love with who each other are in the present before finding out about their past connection. I can say that I didn’t like the ending. My only explanation for how it ended is that they’re leaving it open for a second season. I don’t think it needs one though, so I wish they would have wrapped up the drama well. They leave two hinted side love stories just hanging there with pretty much zero development. The main love story is left unfinished, too, which is unsatisfying. I also think the male lead needs to care more about his own life since there’s so many people that rely on him. Please stop taking L’s for psychotic unrepentant criminals. Sorry, I don’t find it sweet or heroic at all. Something I don’t like about dramas that are too sweet or feel-good is that they try to give redemption arcs to antagonists even when it doesn’t make sense for them to have one. Sometimes you just got to let the villains villain. 6/10

Direction/SFX/Music: This drama has a very cartoonish style. To put it in perspective, the main villain purposely acts and looks like the 90s cartoon version of Batman’s Joker. He even says “Why so serious?” if anyone had still been wondering who he’s doing a parody of. The drama also has a vintage feel, as if I were watching something from 2016 or earlier. The pacing was a little slow in the beginning, as well. I actually thought I would end up dropping this drama because of all these reasons; it’s not the type of drama I usually watch. However, the exceptional writing saved it. The music is decent. There is one song in particular that I really like – See The Moon by LeeZe. 4.5/10

Entertainment Value: It was a little slow in the beginning. I actually thought I would end up dropping it. Although, once I accepted the style and saw what they were doing with the story, it became a very enjoyable watch. It wasn’t too light or too heavy. I liked watching all of the characters, especially the leads. By the end, however, I started getting bored because the ending was looking like it was going to be a pretty cliché one, unfortunately. For the most part, I had fun. That playground scene in the earlier part of the drama was hilarious, by the way. Give me more of that. 6/10

Overall, I gave this drama a 6/10. On my scale, a rating of 6 and above is in the ‘would recommend’ zone. Very cute with great leads and a sweet story, but the ending disappointed me.

I made a short music video for this drama that captures what I really liked about the plot. It’s on YouTube and it’s called “My Sweet Mobster | End Of Beginning” and my channel name is The Enablers (@theenablers3846).

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Decent Action, Underwhelming Plot

My 4 categories are Acting/Cast, Writing, Direction/SFX/Music, Entertainment Value.

I decided to watch this drama because I was in the mood for something darker and this one is only 8 episodes. So why not? I’m kind of also trying to get a sense of Han So Hee’s (한소희) acting ability because I haven’t liked anything I’ve seen her in so far.

Acting/Cast: The acting is fine, but the casting of the female lead could have been better. She’s supposedly 5’5” but she seems even smaller in the drama. It makes no sense for her to be able to take on all these dudes at once. There’s a scene where she’s picked up and thrown into a wall like a ragdoll. She looked so tiny...I can suspend some amount of belief but this is ridiculous. I think Guem Hae Na (금해나), who plays Min Hye in A Shop For Killers, would have been perfect for this role. She’s awesome at action, whereas Han So Hee (한소희) had a few kicks and hits in there that lacked any power behind them at all. Then, the sound effects added in just made it cringey. I could see Claudia Kim (김수현) from The Atypical Family and Gyeongseong Creature as a potentially better option, too. Anyway, it was a pleasant surprise to see Ahn Bo Hyun (안보현) in this drama. I liked his character and I felt the drama got significantly better once he came into the picture. The major gang member characters had good acting, but Park Hee soon’s (박희순) character came across as too overly dramatic for me. 4.5/10

Writing: The plot is pretty lame. A lot of holes, basic, predictable. Just unintelligent writing all around. And the ending came across as lazy and uninspired. The plot became interesting for a second when the female lead’s identity gets revealed but unfortunately it doesn’t last long. They should have exposed her earlier on in the drama (at least to her partner) and played around with themes of “going by the book” versus vigilantism mixed with elements of understanding, love, and the struggle of saving a traumatized soul. But...a plot like that would have taken a lot more thought to write; it’d have to be heavy in psychology, character development, character growth, and dialogue that really hits. Another issue I had with this drama (surprisingly) was all the blood. How can someone get stabbed, cut, and shot so much and not pass out from blood loss? Especially for a girl as small as her. Don’t get me wrong, I appreciate seeing fight scenes with a female character that gets visually messed up (swelling, bloody, scars, stitches, messy hair, etc.) - but realistically, she wouldn’t be able to keep going day after day losing more and more blood like that. 1.5/10

Direction/SFX/Music: No huge issues in this area except a couple times where some sound effects sounded cheesy. However, comparing the action in this drama with the action in The Worst of Evil, there's a clear difference in quality (with The Worst of Evil taking the prize here). The music was fine, not memorable though. I think this drama would have done much better as a movie, since the plot is severely lacking. I think as a movie, all of the holes in the plot may not have been as obvious. 5.5/10

Entertainment Value: They really got the cliffhangers down in this drama. Good cliffhangers are important; do not underestimate their power. I can binge watch a terrible drama easily as long as there’s good cliffhangers. A lot of action, too, so that always helps with keeping me entertained. And a hint of a romance (that probably should have stayed at ‘just a hint’). Nevertheless, I got through this drama very quickly and was highly entertained despite all of the plot issues. However, I don’t think this drama will be very memorable to me in the long run. 7/10

Overall, I gave this drama a 4.5/10. I found myself comparing this drama to The Worst of Evil. I liked the plot of My Name better in the sense that it wasn’t as depressing. However, the action in The Worst of Evil is so much better and the writing is technically better (with more of a focus on psychological aspects). If you want to watch this just because it’s a girl kicking ass, then ok I get it. But because of the casting choice, it doesn’t seem believable here. I would recommend A Shop for Killers for that.

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Conflicts Aren’t Great but Enjoyed Light, Positive Vibes

My 4 categories are Acting/Cast, Writing, Direction/SFX/Music, Entertainment Value.

I picked this drama up because I like the lead actors. Actually, I don’t like Ji Chang Wook (지창욱) in any roles other than action, but I decided to give it another shot. This seemed like it could be a cute romance, but in order for it to work, the chemistry needs to be on point.

Acting/Cast: I was pleasantly surprised by the cast. There were some actors that I was very happy to see again and some actors I’ve seen for the first time. I think everyone did great acting-wise (except for the female lead’s dad). However, like I mentioned before, the chemistry is the most important aspect here. All of the friend groups had good chemistry as well as the side romances, but I’m not sure the two leads quite got there -- at least not as more than friends. Maybe it’s because they were so overly cutesy with each other or maybe it’s because there weren’t any - even remotely - steamy scenes between them. I just wasn’t completely sold on them. Especially, after that ending with the choice that the male lead made. Careers were obviously way more important to everyone over love, which is strange for a “romance”. 7.5/10

Writing: I like the plot and the side stories. I like the characters. However, there’s some details that bothered me. The useless love triangle is one of those things. Literally, it was only there to motivate the male lead to make a move. They really built up this second male lead like he was going to be a huge threat, but no, just another poor victim of second male lead abuse. I think he was an interesting and unique character, too, so it’s such a shame. Another issue I had with this drama is the forced conflicts (apart from the love triangle). The initial conflict that sets the plot in motion is fine, but later on, things happen that make it feel unrealistic. There’s also another conflict between the male lead’s father and the female lead that just feels annoying and childish. I wanted to just skip over all of that nonsense. Then, the “plot twist” at the end with the foreigner seemed so pointless… I was like ‘Why??’ Blink and you’ll miss it. Fortunately, this drama has good side stories and likeable characters all around. 4/10

Direction/SFX/Music: The ending was so cliché that it didn’t feel consistent with the male lead’s personality. The pacing was decent despite using so-so conflicts to push the story along. The OST isn’t really my cup of tea, but I did add two of the songs to my playlist. Beautiful Day by Gemini (제미나이, 아름다운 날) is really pretty and of course the drama’s theme song: DK (도겸) (Seventeen) - Short Hair (단발머리). 6/10

Entertainment Value: It was an easy, light watch. Nothing very exciting to make me want to binge watch this drama, but also nothing so irritating that it would make me want to drop it. The second half is when I started feeling a bit of a drag (episode 9) and episode 10 or 11 is when more conflicts are forced in which began to annoy me. The ending was cliché, too. Although one of the side love stories was solidified, which was a pleasant surprise. 4/10

Overall, I gave this drama a 5.5/10. It makes me wish I had a rabid posse of male friends. It almost made me want to start taking photos...I hate taking photos.

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Clever Writing, Movie Quality From Start To Finish

My 4 categories are Acting/Cast, Writing, Direction/SFX/Music, Entertainment Value.

(This is a review for Part 1 and 2 together)
I watched this for Park So Dam (박소담). It’s been so long since I’ve seen her and she’s so cute. However, in this drama, she’s playing a character that’s not so cute. I was curious to see how she’d do. I wasn’t disappointed.

Acting/Cast: Great and unexpected cast. I was so happy seeing all the familiar faces and they all performed exceptionally in their roles. In particular, I think Kim Jae Wook’s (김재욱) character was so well done that he could have a drama or movie of his own. He was like every iteration of the Joker rolled into one. The styling, the suave body language, the confidently demented personality, the high-paying hobby with a horrifying secret—he was very much his own mini movie. I think the main actor, Seo In Guk (서인국) overacted at times, but it could have been more of a directing choice. 9.5/10

Writing: The writing was extremely well done. The story had a movie quality to it due to how neatly everything was laid out and then wrapped back up. I had no idea what to expect when going into this. Except, I knew it was going to have a body swapping theme, which I usually don’t like. I thought it would be another cliché plot. Not at all. There is no sugar-coating with this drama. It doesn’t pull any punches. Be advised- this drama is not for the faint of heart. There is a ton of gore…shocking gore, too. That’s something I also don’t normally like, but I think the shock value added something much needed to the idea behind this drama – the fear of death--or the reverence of death. I don’t want to say too much because I don’t want to give anything away...but this drama is about suicide. Suicide is a sensitive topic that is difficult to address. It’s a subject that I am very familiar with, so I tend to be particularly critical regarding how it is approached. I felt like this drama portrayed the internal struggle of a suicidal person fairly well. Towards the end of the drama, my cynicism caused me to think that “this would only be an effective message for those who have at least one good parent in their life or a significant other that truly loves them. What about the people that have nobody? What’s their reason to live?” Despite my negativity, after watching this drama, I immediately typed up my reaction or my ultimate take-away from the story: “Watching all of these people die so suddenly...so easily…and watching them fight for their lives…made me think that the time we have alive can be seen as a gift or an opportunity. We really have a short, temporary life that can end at any moment. So why cut it even shorter? It'll be over before we know it anyway. ‘It's ok if we fail, as long as we don't give up.’ (a quote from the drama)” I need to mention the ending here. A little predictable…ok maybe more than a little, but not bad. This feels so out-of-character for me to say, but I think that an open ending would have worked really well for this story. Wow, this is the one time I’ve actually wanted an open ending. 8/10

Direction/SFX/Music: Watching this drama felt like watching a long blockbuster movie. Not only because of the writing, but also because of the high production value. Immediately, we see stunts, action, explosions, blood, and all out insanity. I was shocked. Why was I under the impression that this was going to be a romance? At times, I even thought it was too much--too over-the-top. Just think if this drama had a badass OST... I mean even Bad and Crazy had one awesome song that made the drama super memorable even though I didn’t really like the drama. Same thing with Tale of the Nine-Tailed. This drama just needs that one badass song to really make it unforgettable. 6.5/10

Entertainment Value: I waited for this drama to finish airing before watching it. I knew it would be binge-worthy. It does slow down quite a bit in the end, but I wasn’t complaining. I needed a break from all the insanity anyway. Sometimes, it was a bit tough to watch. I don’t like gore. I had to look away a lot. It also has a very depressing theme. I’m glad I was able to get through it quickly. I feel when I’m watching a drama, it’s sort of like a part of me is in that world until the drama’s over. So, I’m glad I wasn’t in that world for very long. 8.5/10

Overall, I gave this drama an 8/10. There’s a lot of violence and gore. It feels over-the-top at times. The topic of suicide is really tough to navigate, but I like the fearlessly aggressive approach, even if I don’t necessarily agree with everything. I don’t like it when drama creators are too afraid of the audience to do anything risky. It could have really used a badass OST though…

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Strong Foundation But Still Managed To Lose Its Footing

My 4 categories are Acting/Cast, Writing, Direction/SFX/Music, Entertainment Value.

I really had high hopes for this one. I love Rowoon (로운); I think he's a great actor. I saw some short clips of this drama that highlighted his portrayal of a quirky character in an unfortunate but comical situation. It seemed very charming. So despite my dislike for the female lead, I decided to give this drama a shot...

Acting/Cast: This is going to sound so harsh...honestly, the only positive in this category is Rowoon (로운), the male lead...and even he struggled. I don't know if it's his fault or the writing or the direction or all of the above, but he couldn't hold the character. It was such a unique character, too, with an extremely distinct personality and it just...fizzled away as the drama progressed. I would catch glimpses of his former self here and there but it only served as a depressing reminder of what once was. Jo Ba Ah (조보아), who played the female lead, wasn't any better. I had really disliked her after watching her ruin Tale of the Nine-Tailed with her horrible acting. At least she had improved in this drama. I was surprised that she wasn't the reason this drama failed. The villains - all three of them - are lame. The side characters tried so hard to be likeable and they just couldn't pull it off. Oh, I almost forgot about that poor 2nd male lead... a K-drama pet peeve of mine -- disrespected 2nd male leads. 1/10

Writing: I'm so sick of the "we loved each other in a past life" trope. It's so over done. It's seriously becoming another huge K-drama pet peeve of mine. The writing and plot started out strong. It was an interesting premise with a dark, ominous undertone. Unfortunately, this all goes away pretty early on in the drama and it just becomes a boring, typical romance...with a stalker cliche. I think it fizzles out around episode 8 or 9. Ugh...the beginning was so good...I'm so disappointed... 4/10

Direction/SFX/Music: This drama does have good cinematography and production quality. This is definitely the strongest category. The OST is decent. Direction though, I did not agree with. Going from unique, quirky, cute, with some creepy and even adult vibes to a cookie-cutter romance. I forgot the ending. It's only been a few days and I already forgot. That's how unimpressed I was. 6/10

Entertainment Value: Getting through the 1st episode wasn't quick for me. I don't know if it was the drama or me. However, after the 1st episode, I really got into the story. I was excited to watch it. I really loved the male lead's character and the dynamic between the 2 leads. I thought the plot itself was very engaging. Then, I reached the 2nd half of the drama and as I continued watching to the end, I experienced all the hope within me slowly shrivel up and die. 4/10

Now I'm sad.
Overall, I gave this drama a 4/10 due to the complete disregard for the solid foundation that had been established in the beginning of the drama.

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Learning to Shine as Ourselves

My 4 categories are Acting/Cast, Writing, Direction/SFX/Music, Entertainment Value.

A charming drama with a great message. I'm so glad I didn't pass this one up.

Acting/Cast: This drama has a great cast with acting that feels very natural. My favorite is probably Choi Hyun Wook (최현욱) and his portrayal of his character, Ha Yi Chan. I loved watching him on screen. He is such a strong and unique male lead - he's pure, joyful, passionate, tough, caring, and childlike. I keep thinking of that scene where he randomly starts spinning around and yells "TORNADO" for no reason. His character was such a breath of fresh air - no angst, all fun. His chemistry with Yoon Cheong Ah seemed so organic and the way his relationship with Ha Eun Gyeol developed felt realistic and heartwarming. I would say Choi Hyun Wook is this drama's MVP with Seol In Ah coming in at second. The entire cast just seemed like they were really enjoying their time while filming this drama and watching them have fun made it so much more fun for me. However, I would say the weakest link in this area would be Ryeoun (려운) who plays the male lead, Ha Eun Gyeol. While his character was written well, his acting was noticeably weaker than the other lead actors. He didn't have that effortless, natural feel to his acting that I felt while watching the others. Fortunately, this did not hurt his chemistry with Ha Yi Chan. 8/10

Writing: The characters are extremely well written and developed. The plot is interesting. Because it wasn’t predictable, it kept me engaged. I don’t think I’ve seen a drama with a plot and characters quite like this one. The story had a good progression of events and good pacing. There are only a couple issues I could point out in this area: One is towards the end of the drama - there is a scene that shows what had happened in the original timeline of events, but it feels a little jarring and I had no idea what was going on at first. I thought I had skipped an episode. The other issue is the ending itself – it went in a direction I did not expect, which isn’t necessarily a bad thing, but I felt it was like an alternate or fake reality because it seemed like too much of a change and more on the unrealistic/idealistic side. 9/10

Direction/SFX/Music: This is definitely a well-produced drama. The special effects were good, the music was good, the art was good, the styling, even the name of the band. Like I mentioned above, there was a scene toward the end that felt jarring. I would have shot it differently, like with a filter and effects to indicate that it was a different timeline of events. There was also another scene toward the end that involved a bad case of staring that I felt didn’t fit or feel authentic to the situation. However, these are just minor gripes. 9.5/10

Entertainment Value: A binge-worthy drama for sure. The fantasy aspect gives it a bit of mystery and the characters are so well written and acted that I just wanted to keep watching them. The fun vibe of this drama also makes for a fairly stressless watch. The ending though, caught me off-guard (like I mentioned before) and caused me to feel some kind of disconnection with the story. 8/10

Overall, I gave this drama an 8.5/10 due to my issues with the acting of the main male lead and the ending. This drama has a wonderful message about family, friendship, life, and self-acceptance. It’s very encouraging and healing while being entertaining. Also, I love the sign language aspect of this drama and how integral it is to the plot. I really like the direction they went with it.

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Subtlety is Key in This Drama's Synergy

My 4 categories are Acting/Cast, Writing, Direction/SFX/Music, Entertainment Value.

Surprisingly, the many different interplaying facets within this drama work extremely well together and make for a highly enjoyable watch.

Acting/Cast: The acting was probably the strongest aspect of this drama. The male lead (played by Yoon Gye Sang 윤계상) quickly became a likeable and endearing character for me. The acting of the cop (played by Park Sung Hoon 박성훈) also stood out, which didn't surprise me because I had recently seen his exceptional acting ability in The Glory. As for the child actress (Yuna 유나), her acting felt very believable given the circumstances of her character. The cast had great chemistry together, as well. This was especially important for this father-like kidnapper and daughter-like victim plot. It was fun watching the interactions between the "kidnapper" and the "victim" with their opposite and exaggerated personalities. 10/10

Writing: The plot is right up my alley - a little bit sci-fi, a little bit hostage situationy. It's not just another cliché filled rom-com with an emotionless male lead, so, personally, it's a breath of fresh air. The writing balances out the different themes in this drama extremely well. The plot itself is very dark, involving child abuse, but the writers manage to keep a lightness about it that doesn't feel as though they are minimizing the seriousness of the plot. They were able to do this through humor sprinkled throughout the drama - just enough to break the tension and to keep things from getting too dark. It made for more of a fun but dangerous action hero adventure vibe rather than a terrifying and hopeless vibe. The corrupt police in cahoots with the villain cliché (or completely incompetent police cliché) is something that I have been sick of and this drama unfortunately has that. However, the writers kept my frustration at bay by writing in a good cop character that isn't undermined at every turn, as well as a team of good competent cops backing him. I really liked how the ending was handled by the writers. I was worried about it since the beginning of the drama, but I think they were very fair with all of the characters' fates. The court scene at the end packed quite a punch as well, which is something that was missing from Mother (a drama with a similar but darker themed plot). I felt satisfied after completing this drama as opposed to how I felt after I had completed Mother. Another thing that I was worried about was the possibility of the highly intelligent child character coming across as irritating, condescending, obnoxious, and just overall unlikeable. However, she was written extremely well; she seemed like a typical kid while also coming across as intelligent and dignified. The writers and her actor did well portraying these different facets of her character. Now for the negatives: The mystery aspect of the plot is barely there; it's pretty predictable. Instead, the real focus of the drama is the relationship between the two main characters, the importance of love and family, and healing from childhood trauma. This is not necessarily a bad thing, but because the mystery is weak, the villains are as well. I mean if you think about it, the real big baddie is disposed of in the very beginning. Another complaint I have is that I feel as though some subtlety was beginning to be lost towards the end in regards to the portrayal of the unusual relationship between the "kidnapper" and "victim". The interaction between them became a little overdramatized when in the presence of the cop character, which made it begin to feel a little cheesy. 7.5/10

Direction/SFX/Music: No major complaints here. This is definitely a well-produced drama. I can say that the music didn't stand out to me personally. I thought it neither improved nor hurt the drama. A strong, distinctive OST would have made this drama even more memorable. 8/10

Entertainment Value: I began watching this when it was still airing, so I couldn't binge it. If I could, I would have. Watching the relationship develop between the two main characters was fun and the humor was great (and unexpected). There was a nice small twist in there that I really liked as well. The mystery is pretty obvious though and doesn't add any suspense to the drama. Also, the lack of a really intimidating villain doesn't do any favors for the entertainment value either. 9/10

Overall, I gave this drama an 8.5/10. It was a very entertaining and unique drama with great acting. I wish that one of the villains (I won't say who) had more of a character arch/ redemption arch because I thought he was an interesting character that could have had some complexity to him. I think they kind of did him dirty.

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Great Story, Weak Female Lead

My 4 categories are Acting/Cast, Writing, Direction/SFX/Music, Entertainment Value.

Its unpredictability due to its unconventionality saved this drama. As I watched this drama, I negatively assumed a lot about how the plot would unfold, which caused me to lose interest at times. Thankfully, I was wrong.

Acting/Cast: I decided to watch this because I know the two male leads are good actors. They did well, as expected. There were some side characters that also did well. In particular, the casting for the umbrella murderer was perfect - very crazy and scary facial expressions. My main issue in this category is the female lead. The only drama I had seen her in before was Bridal Mask, wherein she also played a damsel in distress. Simply put, her acting skills were just not up to par with the males leads'. She would often go into these monologues where it seemed as though she would change her voice, as if she were trying to lull me to sleep. It annoyed me every time; It was grating on my ears. This could be more of a directing issue though. Her two uncles were over-the-top with their acting. They literally acted like cartoon characters. Actually, most of the characters felt more like manga characters than actual, realistic people. That comic book type vibe is a legitimate directing style, but it's not for me. I prefer watching more realistic characters on screen. 4/10

Writing: For me, the plot saved this drama. It didn't go where I expected it to. It ended up being very different to what I've seen before in Korean dramas. I like how the redemption arcs played out. However, the terrible female lead really dragged it down. I can't even say that it would have been better with a different female lead because the character itself was so poorly written. She was simply a damsel in distress. She was constantly confused, constantly fainting, giving random unsolicited opinions, and doing stupid things. Just because a girl has a weak heart, doesn't mean she needs to have a weak personality, too. She was an extremely one dimensional character. Even after finishing the drama, I still don't know who she is and why these guys are so in love with her. She may just be a Mary Sue. On a positive note, however, the other characters were well done (aside from some minor side characters) and I liked the ending. It showed that all the seemingly random things the female lead would say was actually meaningful to the story, even though the way she would say it made me cringe. 8/10

Direction/SFX/Music: The music annoyed me. I take notes when I watch dramas and I wrote "this music needs to CHILL". It was loud, repetitive, and sometimes didn't really fit the scene. This makes me think the issues I had with the lead female's voice was a directing issue as well. It was as if she had too much gain? The mic was too close to her? I'm not sure. Like I've stated previously, the characters also had more of a manga style to them, which I'm personally not a fan of. Also, I got secondhand embarrassment watching prosecutor Kim Soo Hyuk miming in public for such a long period of time (pretending to be hit, shot, stabbed to death). I was thinking "is anyone seeing this?" I get it, it's part of the story, but why did it have to go on for so long? Flashbacks are part of the story, too, but it wastes so much time. 1/10

Entertainment Value: The beginning was great. Very fast-paced. A lot happened in just the first 2 episodes. I feel the first half of the drama was better that the 2nd half in this regard. I would lose a bit of interest here and there when I would get too frustrated with the female lead or when I was worried the plot was going in a cliché direction. 5.5/10

Overall, I gave this drama a 4.5/10. For me, a weak female lead can do a lot of damage to a drama.
By the way, does Jang Ki Yong play a main role in anything where he's not the son of a murderer?

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At Least It's an Ending

My 4 categories are Acting/Cast, Writing, Direction/SFX/Music, Entertainment Value.

I loved the previous seasons. This has been my crack drama - even this season. This review and rating will reflect this season only and not the drama as a whole.

Acting/Cast: One of the major aspects of this drama that had made it so great in the past was its amazing cast. The two leads, the two other leads, and all the side characters had been phenomenal. The acting of the two main leads were undoubtedly top-notch. Watching them as their families are slaughtered and as they're dragged away into slavery was heart-wrenching, but captivating as I rooted for Eun Seom and Tan Ya, on the edge of my seat, to find a way to save everyone. Without their amazing performances (Kim Ji Won 김지원 & Song Joong Ki 송중기), this drama could have easily flopped before it even really began. When I heard that both of these lead actors were being replaced, although the story was already established, I was afraid that it wouldn't be the same without them. Then, when I saw the actors that were taking their places, my heart sank. The female lead was being replaced by one of the worst lead actresses in Korean dramas (actually...she may be the worst in my opinion) and the male lead was being replaced by an actor I've only seen one other time (Moon Lovers). But, I knew just the change in the female lead could single-handedly ruin this season (having seen Shin Se Kyeong (신세경) in many dramas and never liking her performances but continuing to watch her dramas anyway). On top of that, one of my favorite characters was also being replaced - Nun Byeol. Way to kick me while I'm down. At least Yang Cha made it back. That being said, the change in the leads wasn't quite as bad as I thought it was going to be, but that's not saying much since my expectations were basically at nothing. Lee Joon Gi (이준기) was decent as Saya, not as convincing as Eun Seom, but overall he was alright. As for Shin Se Kyeong (신세경) - it wasn't her worst performance; I could tell she gave a little bit of effort, but not enough to warrant too many close up shots of her facial expressions. A comparison could be made between how her scenes were shot versus how Ta Gon's scenes were shot. However, the casting, to my surprise, was not the biggest problem this season… 4.5/10

Writing: While watching, I felt as though the writers were trying to write out the characters whose actors had been replaced because they knew their performances would not nearly be up to par. So, they made Ta Gon and Tae Al Ha the leads this season. Saya’s character in particular changed a lot from the previous seasons. He used to have this alluring, mysterious aura about him. He had been in isolation for most of his life with the intelligence of an Igutu, giving him this innocent vibe which also felt very dangerous at the same time. Sadly, in this season, Saya didn’t feel like a threat at all. He no longer seemed cunning and conniving (which is where he needed to excel in order to compensate for his lack of physical strength and skill). I even thought that he seemed pathetic, which is such a disservice to a once uniquely captivating character. The same thing with Nun Byeol – the previous season had built her up as an amazing swordsman Neanthal sleeper cell badass, but then her actress was changed so the writers said “nevermind” and basically wrote her into a nothing burger. Yang Cha (another favorite of mine) previously had this unique and interesting relationship with Tan Ya - being her protector and the only one who really knows her, as well as the only person he can genuinely communicate with. Unfortunately, this season, the writers immediately threw away this engaging dynamic. In return, they gave him more of a storyline, but it felt cheap or cheesy... They should have just left him alone and let him stay a badass. Overall, the writing had a completely different vibe from previous seasons. It wasn’t dark at all and not as serious. It was even “comical” at times (or at least tried to be), which just felt strange and out-of-place. I would say that the writing started off decently and then worsened as the drama progressed, becoming more predictable and boring. It felt lazy and rushed as if they just wanted to give the audience some sort of conclusion to the story. 2.5/10

Direction/SFX/Music: Not only did the writing have a completely different vibe from previous seasons, but the directing did as well. And just as the writing was, the direction, the special effects, and overall cinematography felt cheap and cheesy. Instead of a dark, gritty, and intense atmosphere, it now had a bright and light-hearted feel. The special effects were so terrible that the only explanation is that the budget for the season must have been drastically reduced. Right away, there’s a scene where Eun Seom jumps into the air and freezes to shoot an arrow. There’s another action scene toward the end that does this same corny freezing in the air technique. They are also apparently unable to fill in crowds with green screens or CGI. There were multiple shots that were laughable, especially in context with the dialogue – characters talking as if there are a multitude of people and then the camara angle showing a crowd of around 50 people at best. The music is definitely one of the stronger aspects this season. 3.5/10

Entertainment Value: Despite all of the disappointment, I still really enjoyed this season. It still had that crack drama vibe for me. Maybe it's because I'm so attached to the characters and invested in their world. I hate how this drama gets me rooting for child murderers. It did in the previous seasons and I still found myself rooting for them this season. I think even the characters in the drama forget that Ta Gon and his people are all child murderers. But, I think that's a testament to how well the character and world building was done from the beginning until now. 8.5/10

Overall, I gave this season a 5 out of 10 stars. It probably deserves an even lower rating objectively speaking, but I still really enjoyed this season. (In order, I had given the previous 3 seasons or parts a 6.5, a 9, and an 8.5.) Although inadequate in many ways, at least this season was able to provide some closure to this epic tale.

A special thanks to the Momo tribe.

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Accidently Developed An Obsession

My 4 categories are Acting/Cast, Writing, Direction/SFX/Music, Entertainment Value.

I was excited for this one. Lee Dong Wook (이동욱) is one of my favorite Korean actors because of his ability to play all kinds of characters. I loved his role as a villain in Strangers From Hell. In A Shop For Killers, he's playing a darker role too, although not exactly a villain.

Acting/Cast: I love the cast and their acting. I think Ji An, the main character, has become one of my all time favorite K-drama characters. Min Hye is badass, too. I also like Brother, Pasin, and of course Jin Man. The only casting I didn't like was Ji An's childhood friend. I'm glad he didn't have much screen time. 9/10

Writing: I love the plot and the characters. I like the way that the story unfolded using the "잘 들어 정지안" (Listen well, Jeong Ji An) pattern. It gave the drama a certain kind of charm. I normally hate flashbacks, but these flashbacks were done in a way that felt artistic -at least the Ji An flashbacks did. There was a portion of the drama that had long flashbacks that I felt were unnecessary. They were scenes that the audience had already experienced, but more detail was being added in. I didn't need the extra detail. I liked the mysterious vibe that the scenes originally had. It was as though we were in the same boat with Ji An not knowing what the hell was going on and we were uncovering the mystery with her. But, because of these 'retracing our steps' scenes, I felt like I was watching the same scenes twice and I got bored. 8/10

Direction/SFX/Music: The best thing about the drama... This is how I accidentally developed an obsession. The camera work, the production value, the weapons, the choreography, the MUSIC - it's all so good. It was a bit reminiscent of John Wick (and John Wick is one of the greatest things to exist in the world of artful cinematography). I finally got all the songs I wanted from this drama on my mp3 player. I haven't been this into a soundtrack since...maybe Strangers From Hell? Well, the Doona! soundtrack was pretty good, too. By the way, the music played during the gas mask scene is called Minhye Action. I was looking for that one for a while. 10/10

Entertainment Value: This obsession really snuck up on me. I didn't think I was enjoying it that much. It was because of those repeated scenes that I mentioned earlier. I just wanted to get back to the action with everyone at the house. Don't keep me holding my breath. After the drama ended, I couldn't get it out of my head. I liked it more and more as time passed. This is the same thing that happened to me years back with Strong Woman Do Bong Soon. I gave it a 6 or a 7 upon finishing the drama, but I missed it so much once it was gone that I ended up putting that drama in my top 10 and increasing its score to 9.5. Anyway, I'm not usually one for sequels, but this drama needs one. I actually think that not having a second season will hurt this drama in the long run (unless the second season is terrible of course...Sweet Home...Strong Girl...send help. 8/10

Overall, I ended up increasing this drama's score from a 7.5 to a 9/10.
See, this is why I don't write reviews immediately after completing a drama. I have to give it some time to sink in so I can sort out my feelings.

By the way, I made 3 YouTube Shorts related to this drama - one features Ji An, one features Jin Man, and one features Min Hye. The titles are "Ji An | A Shop For Killers | Little Girl Gone", "Jin Man | A Shop For Killers | YUNGBLUD", "Min Hye | A Shop For Killers | Black Betty" and my channel name is The Enablers (@theenablers3846).

murthehelp

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Great Acting, But For What?

My 4 categories are Acting/Cast, Writing, Direction/SFX/Music, Entertainment Value.

Although I don’t really like crime dramas, I decided to watch this one because I like both of the male lead actors. I particularly love seeing Ji Chang Wook (지창욱) in action roles. He’s amazing at it and it’s been a long time since I’d seen him do action.

Acting/Cast: Ji Chang Wook (지창욱) did not disappoint. His fighting sequences were not only exciting, but his acting was too real. I could feel all of his emotions throughout the entire drama. I think this could be the best performance that I’ve seen from him. Everyone else did great for the most part. The female lead’s acting was probably on the weaker side as well as the side character cops. 9.5/10

Writing: The psychological aspect of this drama was well written. However, that’s about it. The actual plot was not very interesting and didn’t make much sense realistically. The female lead really didn’t have much of a role. She was just the driving force behind the motivation for male leads. All she had to do was exist. After finishing this drama, I felt confused as to what the purpose of the drama was. What’s the message? You must become evil to win against evil? Or that you shouldn’t do that? Or that we are the choices we make? If it’s that last one, then, I feel like the heroes are almost worse than the gangsters. The heroes had done something that was so completely heartless and shameful even by the gangsters’ standards. Maybe the mixed messages are intentional. Maybe the characters in the drama are just as confused as I am. 2/10

Direction/SFX/Music: Since this is a genre that I’m not particularly interested in, I didn’t think it would be able to keep my attention. However, the fight scenes would force me to bring my full attention back the screen. This drama definitely has a high production quality. The pacing is good. The OST didn’t stand out to me. 7/10

Entertainment Value: The action scenes were great. That's the only thing that kept me watching. However, the plot just feels pointless to me. I could predict what was going to happen a lot, too. I'm also not a fan of tragedies. This drama reminded me of Heartless City. Except, in Heartless City, the characters grew on me as I watched. The opposite happened for me with The Worst of Evil. 4/10

Overall, I gave this drama a 5.5/10. It might just be due to my own personal tastes - I don't usually like crime dramas nor tragedies. Amazing acting from Ji Chang Wook (지창욱) though.

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Surprisingly Cute and Wholesome

My 4 categories are Acting/Cast, Writing, Direction/SFX/Music, Entertainment Value.

I picked this drama up while waiting for more episodes of The Judge From Hell to air. They’re pretty similar in style and both involve supernatural concepts such as demons. Actually, Kim Ah Young (김아영) who plays Gremory in The Judge From Hell is also in this drama. I usually try to avoid watching similar dramas simultaneously so that I won’t get confused...woops...

Acting/Cast: I had my doubts, especially in the very beginning, but they all did great. They created charming and memorable characters. They leads were both well done and likable. They also had chemistry together. The male lead’s strong, quirky personality remained consistent throughout the entire drama. I’m highly impressed. Usually, when you have a lead with an over-the-top personality, they fizzle out half-way through and become very basic. I think the cast and the acting was by far the best thing about this drama. I have to give a shout out to Ye Ji Won (예지원) as well; she did a great job. She only had a small role in this drama, but I really liked her character. 10/10

Writing: The acting and the characters really made this drama because the plot is pretty ridiculous. But, I can say that this plot still makes more sense than The Judge From Hell. The character development in My Heavenly Idol was well done. This drama really is like a family healing drama except it’s a k-pop idol group healing drama. It’s actually pretty sweet and wholesome. It’s funny as well. It pokes fun at the whole k-pop idol industry without being too offensive for fans. This drama also doesn’t drag; there’s always something crazy going on from beginning to end. Speaking of the end...it was well done. Fantasy dramas can be really hit or miss with endings and I think they pulled it off nicely. The lowest score will be in the writing category, but it's only because of the craziness of the plot. I think the character writing was very well done. 3.5/10

Direction/SFX/Music: The music isn’t my style. I prefer The Judge From Hell’s soundtrack much more than this one. The special effects are well done. The pacing is good. 5.5/10

Entertainment Value: Entertaining from beginning to end. I watched this at the same time as The Judge From Hell and I found this drama to be much more entertaining. Some may find this drama too cutesy or too crazy or even too religious/sacrilegious, but for me, it worked. 7/10

Overall, I gave this drama a 6/10. A 6 or higher is in my recommended zone. I was so surprised at how much I liked this drama. Great characters and never a dull moment.

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