So many plot holes

I thought this started off well, though I’m going to say I found PHS miscast. I never fully bought him as a detective, especially a “bad cop” type.
That is not to say his acting was bad. I just didn’t think he was right for the role.
This may also have to do with not being a PHS obsessive as a lot of fans of this drama seem to be. Actually I didn’t recognize him at first because he put on a fair amount of weight and his face looks very different.

I initially fell in love with Sae Bom’s character, then got kind of annoyed when she made rather silly decisions early on and the show did that typical thing that kdramas and to a certain extent most tv shows do now where female characters are never taken to task for their poor decision-making. She got back on track as the show went on, though.

I took issue with the general attitude both protagonists had with the infected. They were cops, not doctors, so it seemed weird to me how self-righteous and ready to protect the zompires they were from the get-go. I could have understood it after more exposure to them, but from the start it didn’t make sense that they were so ready to protect them at all costs.

The illness makes no sense whatsoever. A drug can give it to you? And then you can spread it to someone else? Really? At certain points you have characters plotting to use the situation as an excuse to get rid of other characters. But when does anybody actually die from this thing? People get bitten and everyone just becomes a zompire. Except when the plot requires otherwise. Why even worry all that much if eventually they’ll all be the same and there will be nobody left for them to feed on? You’re telling me Dong Hyun, who was surrounded by at least a dozen of them, didn’t even die but just came out infected from presumably getting attacked by all of them at the same time?

Finally I get what they were going with regarding the residents (btw even with the excuse they gave, there should have been a lot more residents in that building), but too much time was spent on them and I just wanted more SB/YH relationship exploration. It still turned out pretty satisfying overall, but I went in excited about the contract marriage aspect and then I eventually got very bored of the residents. Why did we spend so much time on the old lady only for her to not appear at all as the show went on?
They were often stupid to an absurd level. Yes, in crises the ugly, and often short-sighted side of people comes out, but these people went beyond that. Who sides with a serial killer against the two people who have shown themselves most capable of handling disaster? I was close to dropping it, but by episode 10 I found myself interested again. Even with only 12 episodes this show sorta dragged.

Still, it had great acting, was wildly funny at certain points, had two likable leads even if they did annoy me, and overall was pretty entertaining. I just don’t think it’s a masterpiece by any means, as I’ve seen a few people claim.

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I cannot believe this drama is so hyped

Sometimes there are beloved dramas that do nothing for me, but I can understand why they’re so famous. For example I dropped Goblin for a number of reasons, but I can see why it’s considered a classic.
But this? This drama is so ordinary! The story is ordinary! The romance is ordinary! I never managed to feel anything for our romantic pairing. Hyun Bin frankly plays a character that might as well be named Captain Cardboard. He’s just total wish fulfillment and inconsistently written depending on what the writer needs. The same goes for Se-ri. Together they managed to never feel like they were anything besides friends. When they gave each other rings it just felt awkward. And yes part of that is the lack of skinship and the poor quality of what little skinship they have.

There was one point when there was a serious scene involving the villain where I actually said “wow this show is ridiculous”. Lots of dramas are ridiculous at times, but they’re more fun than this. Even fast-forwarding through the episodes wasn’t enough to keep me from giving up on it in the end.

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It may not make much sense, but it was a fun ride!

Sometimes when doing reviews it’s tough to decide how to rate something because there are times when enjoyment and objective quality don’t line up.
For example, I LOVE Devilish Joy, but I feel the need to put a disclaimer out if I recommend it to anyone, because objectively it’s not a very good drama. The plot is a mess of cliches and the villains are often cartoonish. Still I love it on the strength of the romance and main couple. I don’t care that it’s not some cinematic masterpiece— I thoroughly enjoyed it. On the flip side there are dramas that are well-made like The Red Sleeve (though honestly that drama had some very silly side plots), with masterful acting from the male lead, that I just don’t love. Yeah I guess I can recommend it, but very half-heartedly.

All that to say that Branding In Seongsu is kind of a mess. They throw so many things in there, and many of them make no sense. But it was charming and fun, and I genuinely looked forward to new episodes. The acting got better as it went along. Lomon in particular managed to make various twists land well, and Kim Ji Eun’s character at first seemed impossible to believe could ever be redeemable, but in the end she managed to gradually soften up in a believable way.

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An inexplicably controversial drama

Before I watched this drama, I knew nothing about it other than people’s comments on it. I read that it was badly written, that the ML was terrible, that this drama was a complete disappointment, and of course, that the second ML should have gotten the girl.

So imagine my surprise upon watching and finding a wonderful ML with flaws and virtues, and who felt like a real person. He was sensitive, insecure, kind, and he actually grew as the drama went along.

Imagine my surprise at finding a second ML who was also very real, with virtues and flaws, but certainly not the absolute saint that I’d been led to believe sacrificed everything for the sake of the FL. Perhaps I am immune to Kim Seon Ho’s charms because he likewise has a devoted fan base for his role in Hometown Cha Cha Cha for what I thought was a truly unlikable character. But I did like him here. He was funny, petty, harsh, selfish, and still a good person with a sense of right and wrong. He just wasn’t the angel that I believed based on all I read before I watched. He helped the FL, but often at the request of her grandma rather than because he was pining for the FL. And his actions weren’t some sort of great sacrifice.

As I was watching I read some of the comments for episodes when the show aired and I was just baffled. I felt like I was watching a different show altogether reading the absolute vitriol reserved for the ML. Nothing NDS did could ever be good enough, or viewed favorably. And really it all was due to the fact that he wasn’t HJP. That’s all it was. It’s comical to think that HJP exhibited so many qualities that are constantly criticized in other male leads, but they’re excused completely here. One has to laugh at the power of framing. HJP is essentially given the type of introduction you’ve seen a thousand times in dramas. So he manages to cement himself as the lead in many people’s minds. But he’s not. And it’s quite clear he’s not. I do not understand how anyone could ever be interested in him getting the girl when the girl never shows any interest in him whatsoever. Their interactions are devoid of any romance and there’s always this distance between them. It is very much the relationship between a mentor and student. He has many opportunities to declare his feelings, and he never takes them. Yes, it’s part of the characterization, and that’s part of the lesson. If you don’t make a move, you don’t get the girl. But I never believed he was in love with SDM. It made no sense that he should be all that shaken by her given their distant interactions. Did he like her? Sure. But love? Not by a long shot. And then perhaps after a time skip I can believe he was fully in love with her, but once again, HE DID NOTHING. He has three years and no rival, and he did nothing— nor did SDM’s feelings for him change. So I’m truly baffled at the rabid investment and anger over this pairing.

But that aside, this drama sadly did fumble. For the first 12 or so episodes I was completely invested in this drama. I thought both the romance and the main plot of them trying to succeed with their start-up were very entertaining. But by the end this drama started feeling like it was heavily padded. The episodes felt longer than they needed to be, and the number of episodes felt like too many. I found myself skipping through scenes of characters being sad that felt like they went on forever. The kdrama sin of multiple flashbacks kept being committed. And then, after all the angst, the resolution to the romance felt unfulfilling. I know a lot of people complain that the romance was unnecessary and they wanted more of the start-up storyline, but again, I feel like I was watching a different show. I grew tired of getting business and marketing lessons. I was frustrated watching the leads suffering due to stupid misunderstandings and not actually talking, and when they finally resolved things, it felt unsatisfying because so little time was devoted to it with the whole car plot.

Had this show not gotten dull towards the end, it would have easily been at least a 9, but the last few episodes really did dampen what started off so bright.

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It’s a fun drama, but I’m not sure why it was such a sensation

This drama is fun enough. You get all the kdrama tropes and bad guys get their comeuppance. I enjoy Park Min Young and tend to tune in for her dramas because if nothing else she usually brings her A game when it comes to creating chemistry with her male co-stars. I also like Song Ha Yoon and was interested in seeing her play a baddie, and she definitely delivered!
However I just don’t get the hype overall for this show. Neither the writing nor plot are particularly fresh, the characters aren’t all that interesting, and even the romance is kind of lukewarm.

For a while I felt this show was spinning its wheels and that 12 episodes would have sufficed. I turned to my mom and said, “they’re really taking a while to get to it” and she agreed that not much was happening because so much time was spent on the corporate stuff that wasn’t very interesting. And I felt this even more when they brought in a ridiculous antagonist towards the end that was completely unnecessary except that they wanted more drama.

I also said that they were taking a very long time to give us any real romance if they intended to have that happen. And sure enough when it finally comes it’s just a bit sudden in that it was “oh she’s now imagining she sees him and wants him around”. Before that it really did not feel romantic between them. And that actually made sense given FL’s situation and focus, so I thought they could have skipped the romance in this one.

But I even forgave the tepid romance due to that first kiss, which was fantastic. The problem is that after that they went right to boring kdrama tropes where the FL acts like a nun and is scandalized by skinship. Romance went right back to dry and dull, particularly after a rather silly decision FL makes.

I was happy to see Na In Woo get a lead role, but this character was just ok. He got better as the drama went along, but he’s written like a typical webtoon/ web novel male character, which I’ve expressed before is making romcoms rather boring. Of course progressive/feminist types on Reddit eat this up citing how ML is a forest of green flags, and so on, because there’s no longer room for actually interesting male characters that aren’t just hopelessly devoted and cheerleading girlboss female leads.
While I’m on that subject, one thing this drama gets right is appropriate punishment for the antagonists, including the female one. I read a review here complaining about how dare the FL pass on her abusive ex to another woman and had to laugh. Oh no, not women facing the consequences of their actions! Not in this feminist timeline!
As the drama showed, none of these people were forced to behave as they did. They made their choices. They could have stopped at any point. They brought all their misfortune on themselves, and women don’t get a pass.

Overall, this drama did keep me interested and was a breezy watch, but it’s not some masterpiece by any stretch. I think a lot of hype comes from being a first drama for many (much like the also overrated Crash Landing On You), and because it appeals to all the female viewers who love these bland ML’s and romances (no ~problematic~ aspects) being cranked out one after another of late.

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Deeply disappointing drama

This drama was fun enough at first, when dealing with the curse and getting to a point where our leads fall for each other, but the second half was a slog.
The only saving grace of this show is that closet kiss. I was absolutely not expecting Cha Eun Woo to kiss like that! One of the best kisses I’ve ever seen in a kdrama. Though I need to point out that Park Gyu Young was phoning it in for her kisses in this drama. She had our ML do all the work, which is disappointing if you’ve seen her work in Dali And Cocky Prince.

Anyway, the major problem for me with this drama is that both leads aren’t that interesting. By the second half I had a hard time caring about them despite how much drama was thrown their way. The past life stuff was not interesting to me. The antagonist’s plan felt half-baked.
Part of this is frankly due to the nature of the source material. A lot of webtoons imo feature these idealized, wish-fulfillment romances that don’t make for great television. They also often get heavy-handed with a certain progressive bent so as to have characters that are completely “unproblematic”. It’s boring. And while I enjoy a sweet romance, these stories tend to have the substance of cotton candy. The leads are two nice people who only have eyes for each other. That’s nice, but it doesn’t make for very compelling TV, particularly if you’ve watched a bunch of other kdramas with similarly inoffensive characters. They get together and proceed to have the standard by-the-numbers fluffy kdrama romance where two adults act like teenagers who are scandalized simply by the thought of spending time alone with the person they’re with.

Maybe I’m over fluffy romcoms for a bit, but I was watching The Story of Park’s Marriage Contract and while that drama had its problems with some characterization issues and plot, in the end I found it far more enjoyable despite also being a fairly fluffy watch purely on the strength of the leads, who were simply more dynamic.

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Fun and Quirky

I was drawn to this drama for the supernatural element and the aesthetic.
I rather liked the world-building and was left wanting to see more of this world, so I’m glad there will be a second season.

NJH is not a favorite of mine and I think she was fairly weak here. She’s pretty bland. I also didn’t care for her character that much. Yes, the witch should tell people what the consequences will be in order for their wishes to come true, but I found the ending confirming her viewpoint that the price was too high unsatisfying. The whole point is that we all make choices and that sometimes things come with a high price. The drama basically ended with the notion that we should get something for nothing. I guess that should satisfy a previous reviewer who felt if one has the power to grant wishes, there should be no cost, but it didn’t satisfy me. I also worry about how a second season will go with a witch who is essentially a fairy godmother.

I know it was apparently controversial, but I was not put off by the age difference in the potential romance and thought Gil Young was one of the better parts of this drama. I only wished Jung Jin would have shown more interest in him. He radiates warmth and his devotion to her is swoon-worthy. On her end, she’s not exactly a high-flying career woman, so I did not feel as if they were all that far apart.

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I swear people will give anything that’s sad and flashy a high rating

I feel like I’m reading The Emperor’s New Clothes whenever I read glowing reviews for this drama. Oh, the director is a famous movie director who doesn’t typically make those silly dramas for the plebs! It must be good!
Yes the leads are tremendous actors. But their characters and the story they’re in are crap.
I finally gave up after episode 7, when I realized the intrigue suggested early on wasn’t actually producing anything of interest. I never for one second thought anything would happen in that motel, but it was nothing to the point of providing no real development either.
And I know from reading recaps of later episodes that still 11 episodes in people weren’t clear on what exactly happened with the FL.

There were some comments on Dramabeans about episodes and they sum up issues with this drama perfectly. For example:

“ I don't mind slow pace but I don't like 10 minutes of decent moments between the leads and 50 minutes of random tedious secondary characters. If the plot is only about BJ and KJ becoming friends there is not much development, it's been 7 eps and they don't even really like each other.
What is the plot? Get two sad, mildly interesting people and have them become sort of friends while having a ton of boring filler characters annoy them?”

And also this:

“That leads to one more reason this drama has become questionable, after this week, the eps are seeming more like sadness porn than any intimate construction about a relationship between two troubled people. This is what ep 1 promised, but instead we get about 50 min per episode of repetitive boring secondary characters in random sad moments. We don't need more of the MIL being selfish, the husband trying to be nice but distant at the same time, the ex-girlfriend being sorry for herself, the girl that tags along showing interest in KJ and ignoring Just while Just basically ignores everything but her. Those are the same scenes being replayed over and over but not adding anything to the plot.”

The show was a meandering, pointless mess. It is certainly not on the level of My Mister, which truly is a masterpiece.

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