Let me start by saying that I watched the first episode eons ago and didn't pick this back up until a couple weeks ago when I just could not ignore all the stellar reviews this drama has been receiving.

Am I glad I picked it back up? Yes, although I can't agree that every episode is a masterpiece.

Obviously this drama is beautiful and it has a unique spin of nostalgia in it and anyone who watches it I'm sure can attest to that. Easily my most favorite parts of this drama were those that took place in the past. Sometimes I found myself just waiting for the flashbacks to happen because I knew I would love them. It was exciting seeing the past unfold and inspiring seeing a group of friends so passionately and fearlessly fighting for their independence.

Unfortunately here's the flip side of loving the past story line so much. No matter how hard I tried, I could not make myself love the present story line nearly as much. There was so much more weight and meaning in the past story line that just wasn't there in the present. Although that may have been the point in order to give the watcher a break and/or to show how much times have changed, the balance just felt off for me. I couldn't engage in the present until much later on in the episode progression. For one, I really just disliked Se Ju as a character for a solid chunk of the first episodes. He was sporadically angry in a way that was annoying when I think it was supposed to be funny. Jeon Seol I felt really disconnected to for quite a while (although in the end I loved her) and Yoo Jin Oh was just a catalyst for Se Ju's emotional outbursts. I do feel that things went uphill at a certain point, I just wish it would've went uphill sooner and faster than it seemed to.

Although I came to love and care about each of the main cast, Yoo Jin Oh I rooted for the most. His character's journey I found the most special. His battle between his emotions and obligations brought tears to my eyes and had me questioning my own strength. I commend Yoo Ah In, Im Soo Jung and Go Kyung Pyo's acting but I was specifically impressed with Kwak Shi Yang. I had no idea he was so capable.

The music, oh my god, the music! Every track is so purely breathtaking. The most emotional scenes are perfectly topped with some of the best tracks I've heard. The music added so much to Chicago Typewriter and it just wouldn't have been the same without that aspect.

I'm still unsure if 8.5 is the right rating for Chicago Typewriter because I was so torn in loving some moments and finding others to be pretty lack luster. I just feel like the present time story paled immensely to the past which made it boring for me at times. I will agree that Chicago Typewriter is well done and deserves a watch but these are just my own conflicting thoughts on why I couldn't give it a 10.