A pleasant surprise

Midway through this drama I didn't think I would be able to like the two main characters together because of the built relationship between the ghost and the ML. However, the chemistry between the ML and FL towards the end was still amazing. I liked the fact that it didn't really have a love-triangle, other than the ghost.. and though that third party did frustrate me midway through watching it, it was done really well.
I wasn't expecting the murder mystery storyline, but it was a nice surprise.. a thrilling storyline with the added twist of spirit possession. Park Boyoung's acting never disappoints, same goes for Jo Jungsuk.

Overall, this drama was a breath of fresh air, very different from most dramas I've watched. Although, gives off a very similar vibe as Abyss, another drama featuring Park Boyoung... and it happens to be one of my favorite dramas as well.

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This drama is marketed wrongly.

I hate open endings in my romantic comedy dramas.

But, this drama is not a romantic comedy like it is marketed as. As someone who never read the webtoon and only watched the trailer beforehand, I was expecting a mostly lighthearted and fun drama with perhaps a hint of "the dark side of kpop". This was not lighthearted at ALL. I even wish the romance part of it wasn't this prominent, especially later on. Certain themes like Doona's depression was just completely overlooked and we didn't actually see her overcome this, which she apparently did "off-camera". Open endings like this, for a drama that is melo like this, is completely fine by me.

Things I liked about this drama;
* The cinematography, it is beautifully shot. Every scene, every location. It feels very much like an indie hong kong movie, but with japanese and korean aesthetic.
* The acting. Suzy has done it again, she is soo good. Doona's apathy and lack of care in the beginning was very well portrayed, it made me curious about her. Even Yang Se Jong's acting, although people are not convinced by it, I am. His character itself isn't very well-written imo, but he acts the part well. The innocent, yet mature guy, who also is selfish in his own way.
* The OST, especially BIG Naughty's "Daylight" is beautiful and embraces the atmosphere of the drama.

Things I did not like;
* I don't know if the webtoon was created by a male writer, but it felt very catered to a male audience. At first, I thought, "Oh, it's refreshing to see the female lead being the initiator and the male lead being the 'innocent puppy' for once." But as the drama progressed, more and more "harem" stereotypes started emerging. Thankfully though, it subdued towards the end, but with that.. the male lead also got more subdued.
* The pacing of this drama was completely off. We have the first 4 or 5 episodes decently paced, where we explore all these themes equally; Doona's life after leaving the limelight, her trauma that shaped her, and her relationship with Won Joon. The last four episodes however, focuses mostly on her relationship with Won Joon, a little bit about her return to the entertainment industry, and a lot about Won Joon dealing with that change. It does not show at all, Doona's struggle returning to the industry regarding why she left in the first place, nor anything about her "overcoming" or dealing with her depression.
This all leads to my final point, which is that... this drama does not primarily focus on Lee Doona, but on the ML Lee Won Joon. This is about him, meeting this girl that is an ex-idol, dealing with his past relationship whilst also falling for this girl who has "a lot in her baggage".. a complicated past AND present, and him dealing with the aftermath of their relationship.

Hence, why I believe this drama (whether intentionally or not) has been marketed wrongly. It is not a romantic comedy, it falls more on the "melo" and "life" genres. Additionally, I don't think Doona is the proper main character of this drama, but rather the focus is much more on Won Joon and his struggle of dating someone that apparently is "from a completely different world".

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