quirky and unpredicatble

I had 0 expectations when I started this drama, and the first episode alone had me floored.
I know a lot of people might compare it to Goblin, and as far as I know that drama writer was involved in this project as well. It does have a similar feel, but the story and characters are all new.

The story is very interesting, and unfolds slowly episode by episode. I couldn't really guess what's gonna happen next. It has some weak moments as the diety characters are bit juvenile, but at the same time this is a lighter drama so I don't mind. The whole destiny making aspect is well-executed and serves a s acore of the story. There are many twists and turns too, and there are no filler episodes either.

The cast is full of rookies, actors who still hasn't had that one hit work. Some you might know from webdramas, some have played minor characters in bigger projects. I'd say the casting is spot on, and acting is overall good. Male lead might come off as "wooden" but at the same time his character is on more... colder side? So it makes sense. Everyone in this drama has time to shine and their characters get enough screentime too.

Music in this drama works well to set the mood, I really enjoyed it. I like most of the songs, the OST is really good. Overall the production value of this project seems to be pretty high for a shorter drama. The cinematography is well-thought out and art design too is very pleasing.

I'd say this is a perfect short drama to watch during a lazy weekend. The story requires bit more focus but overall it's still a more light type of story. There are no villains or anything like that. The main villain is fate, I guess. I see this drama as an exploration of what a story really is and can a destiny play out on it's own? It's surely a drama that won't bore you.

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okay follow up

I liked the first season enough to look forward to One Fine Week 2. How the writers will approach "star dating a normie"?

One things I liked about first season was bit of twists and turns narrative that kept you guessing. But in second season they changed it up and things weren't up to debate much. It starts on a similar note, but as plot progresses, it kinda loses the spark.
The variety show setup is repeated, albeit the setting is changed and it does affect the story a bit. Idols are filmed 24/7 instead of having a crew around, which at the end of season starts to generate plot holes. What will they do with the footage of idols openly beefing or main characters being together?
The narrative highlighting struggles of being an idol is continued, but served more as a plot device than focus of the story. Yes, it's an important part still, but I felt like it happened in the background and real focus was the romance.

There are new characters. As much as I liked the acting of Woohee and Lee Ki Taek, they were just kinda there. Woohee especially, she was the helpful friend but that's it. Lee Ki Taek did a good job, I liked him in In Seoul and seeing him again was nice. His character was more developed, even though he lowkey felt into the second male lead cliche. He was more like School 2015 Gong Taekwang or Heirs Youngdo, the type of less approachable guy who magically opens up to female lead.
The two villains are bit cartoonish to me. Most of the time I wanted to skip their scenes but knew I needed context if their schemes come to life.
One thing is sure, I did felt the flustration from male lead. His relationship took a hit because of his idol status, and he didn't know what to so. However the chemistry the couple had last season was barely there? Maybe that was the point, as they were supposed to be exhaused by circumstances.

The pace picks up at the end, but in general I felt the story could be told in 6-8 episodes instead of 10. It lags a bit, and when a new episode dropped, I kept finding myself forgetting the plot of last episode. I just wasn't as engrossed in the story to remember every little detail or refresh the page to see if new episode is up.
As a stand alone webdrama, it's average. As a follow up, it's bit disappointing. It's not bad, but it kinda misses the mark. If you liked first season, give it a watch and see for yourself.

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perfect execution

As much as the story isn't anything new, the way it is acted and presented stands out. Drama is short, cute and fluffy, but also has steamy moments when you feel like a peeping tom.
Female lead is supposed to be cute and honestly the actresses nailed it. Her portrayal of a sweet cunning lady is very likeable and natural. Male lead is also good at his part, and makes it work. They both have good chemistry and are pleasure to watch.
I liked the slice of life feel this drama has, and the pace was very good too. It's just 7 episodes with smaller arcs in each one. Shorter episodes but they are all packed with plot developements and don't have much filler.
This drama is a very good example of how you can tell a stale cliched sorry in a way it still feels fresh like a can of sparking water.

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profound

This is one of those slow, slice of life japanese movies. It's a genre not everyone likes, while I personally am always looking forward to watching this kind of movies. Hence I might be tad bit biased.

The movie is about a teenage girl who gets confused about her life. Her family is going through changes and her crush on boy next door seems hopeless. She suddenly befriends a strange grandma, and that causes her to rethink her whole life.

There's not a single thing I didn't like about this movie. It's paced very well, the story unfolds slowly but you can tell it was well thought-out. The fantasy element surprisingly fits the whole mood of this movie.
While the story doesn't seem like anything new, the execution makes it stand out. Stories about teenagers often seem juvenile and disconnected from reality, but this movies successfully manages to combine both hopefullness of youth and uncertanity of adulthood.
One thing I think is worth noting is how this story seems to be 'in the middle'. By that I mean the movie shows only portion of characters' lives, they don't seem to be like paper dolls created just to tell this story. Their life is happening pre and post the story being told in this movie. We aren't shown "everything" and have to guess, which adds to this aspect.

I'd say give it a watch if you are in a mood for a mellow slice of life story. I didn't expect to like it so much, it probably will become one of my comfort movies.

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keeps you guessing

This is one of those webdramas that gives you something to look forward every week. As much 'one episode per week' webdramas can be flustrating, this is one of those that made the wait worth it.
I would even go as far to say it's a very underrated gem among the sea of webdramas.

The story isn't something very new, even the 2008 setting was done before. However the less cookie-cutter approach was what I enjoyed. There are conflicts, twists, family issues and all that. Sometimes the pace is bit slower, but it picks up especially at the end - the last episode? Excellent. This drama really keeps you at the edge of your seat sometimes, the moment you think 'oh i have it figured out'... the story takes another turn.

Acting is mostly okay. The cast seems to be all rookies, so it's expected there will be some rough moments. However female lead really shines and was perfectly casted. Honestly if her character wasn't so well-acted, it could be annoying to watch. Also the actor who played Jihan was a stand-out. He nailed playing a misunderstood student, who just wants to feel accepted. I'm looking forward to watch him in more projects.

2008 wasn't that long ago, but the world has changed a lot. A lot of details in this drama are spot on, even costumes and makeup makes sense. They say good art design is invisible, you start to notice it when it's less stellar. Here the 2008 setting is believeable and seamless. You can tell the budget wasn't super high, but the crew did a great job. Sometimes I forgot it's a new drama and not something shot 10 years ago.

Overall, it's a drama worth watching. It's surprisingly engrossing, and Probably half (if not more) webdramas are set in school, which can be offputing. This one stands out to me because to me it's slightly more rooted in reality. Waves of 2008 nostalgia are a nice bonus.

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interesting and well-executed

This webdrama stood out to me because not only it imagines possible future but also shows less sugar coated version of teen life. A lot of webdramas take place in school setting, however the story can be a hit or miss. Here the school setting is crucial to the story, and it's not just a background.

The story was surprisingly full of twists and turns, and I couldn't really predict the direction it would go. It's almost as if the channel 찐엔딩 wants to make less obvious stories their trademark? All their past webdramas would leave the viewer scratching their head.

All main characters were well-fleshed out and had their own obstacles to go through. I liked the acting, I have no complaints. Both leads had good chemistry and that worked well to make their characters' dynamics believeable. Heejae is not a typical webdrama character to me, I liked that she had obvious flaws. Sidae's character was similar to what the actor played before but at the same time, he does a great job each time so I don't mind. Heejae's mom is a very polarizing character, at one hand she is very hard on her daughter, but at the same time she has her reasons.

I really liked the music. Shin Jihoon is a very underrated singer, and I'm glad to hear her music so prominently featured. The songs really suited this webdrama and elevated the mood.
Another notable thing is cinematography. There is no oversaturation or weird filter, everything looks realistic. The colour grading is well-done, everything is cohesive. The school rooms seem to be cold, but the little corner our leads make is warm. I liked this attention to detail.


Overall, this is a webdrama worth watching. To me, the story was engrossing enough that I couldn't wait for new episode every week. It's not fast paced so it might not be for everyone, but I still enjoyed it a lot. It's not easy to imagine the future and make it believeable. I command the cast and crew for making such thought provoking webdrama.

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fluffy and light

As much as this drama got promoted, I wasn't expeciting anything groundbreaking. The premise is simple and school setting is nothing new.

The story hits all the expected spots and is well-paced. However it ends up being a victim to common webdrama tropes and cliche. The leads' acting was decent enough to overlook how cheesy this whole thing is. At the same time it's a shame such well-produced drama with actual budget is just another forgettable fare.
The story it bit juvenile, there isn't really much of character developement. Apart from second male lead everyone retains their high school attitude and carries it into their adult life. The 'current time' plot seemed to be underdeveloped, as if it was an afterthought.
The male lead did a good job acting, and I was looking forward to see him after his role in 'Single & Ready to Mingle'. Female lead's acting is okay, especially given it's her first acting I don't have much complaints. The chemistry between them was bit lacking though.

OST is full of known names. The songs are actually good and suit the webdrama. The sheer amount of songs made it seem like it was OST for 16eps drama. The music is one big plus this drama has, even though the whole "school band" theme is somewhat under-developed.

Overall, it's a barely average drama. It might cheer you up on a rainy day but won't change your life. It's an easy watch with a decent production value, but overall it's nothing to write home about.

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somewhat realistic workplace story

Workplace webdramas are tricky. Usually they either focus on romance or the comedic elements too much, but this one stands out to me. It focuses on how one can become disillusioned and disappointed by reality of working everyday. Even if you land your dream job, it's never easy.
This webdrama excels in many areas. Story, pacing, music and acting are all good. Another bonus is leads having good chemistry. Even the PPL isn't that jarring, as it fits well into the story.
It's good watch for anyone in their 20s, just starting their career. It's easy to get discouraged when you first face the hardships of entering workforce. This drama cheered me up and I hope it does the same for you :)

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interesting take on relationships

This webdrama has 4 episodes focused on female lead and her quest to find a boyfriend who treats her the way she wants to be treated.
The format of each episode is focused on flashbacks and mock interviews. The interviews give each character a chance to explain their motivation and reason why they did what they did. It isn't anything new, but makes this webdrama stand out among similar cliched love stories. You don't have to guess what caused the character to do something you don't get.
What I liked was showing the same female character progress while meeting new partners, but along the way her outlook was more of the same. She was looking for a partner who matches her, and wasn't willing to change herself much. Somewhat her repeating "why I always date the wrong guys" might seem overplayed and be a blame shifting mechanism, but it made the story more realistic to me. People can adjust their behaviour, but their core personality stays more or less the same. She maybe felt into a trap of trying to fix others before checking herself?
Acting from female lead is very good, one of the best portrayals I ever seen in a webdrama. She especially shines in the interview part of the episodes. Her character has that somewhat unlikeable type of complexity. Often female characters who don't act reasonable and are emotional (like we all are in real life) are considered flustrating. The thing is everyone has meh quirks and female characters who are written to have none are simply unrealistic. Let women have flaws.
The three actors did a great job, especially in episodes 3 and 4. Their characters had a chance to develope as the story progressed and it was good to watch.
Overall, it's a good webdrama. Short, grabs your attention, leaves you with decent conclusion and makes you ponder over your own relationships. The key word for this drama? Importance of communication.

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student falls in love with a tutor

Short webdrama about a girl who has a crush on her tutor, and how it develops.
It's not bad but also nothing special. The story follows typical route, and while ending is satisfying, it's predictable. The female lead's personality isn't everyone's cup of tea, especially at the beginning. It gets better while sadly that's the only character who isn't cookie cutter 2d type. Male lead, as charming as he is, is somewhat restricted by how 2d the writing is.
Good things about this drama are acting and music. It's a cute and fluffy drama to watch when you are feeling sad or bored, however it won't change your life or anything.

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naive but compelling

This is one of those typical motivational japanese. A new hire is a total noob in her job but as story progresses, she gets better and finds her strenghts. It does seem at least tiny bit inspired by movies like 'Devil Wears Prada'.

This drama presents a more sugarcoated version of reality. It might cheer you up after a hard day at work, but at the same time you can't help but notice how idealistic it is. Good workplace dramas are hard to pull off. Here I could surely notice the scriptwriters attempts to make it work. Ultimately the somewhat unrealistic portrayal of how it is to work at fashion magazine hindered all efforts to make this one a standout. I might sound cynical and jaded, however I still enjoyed this drama for what it's worth. I guess while watching you just gotta switch off that part of brain that would notice stuff like that?

One thing I liked at the start were the cliffhanger endings, but at one point they became tiring. Some plots in my opinion were dragged for a bit too long while others were underdeveloped. Romance did play a major part in terms of storyline, but the drama itself mostly focused on workplace stuff. As adorable the main couple was, I felt ultimately parts of their story felt bit cliche. However fluffy the love line was, it was bit weighted down by uneven pacing and 'misunderstandings'.

Cast did a good job acting out their characters, no one really stood out negatively. Everyone matched their characters and brought them to life successfully. While sometimes the motovations behind certain actions/decisions were unclear, you can't really blame the actors for script's flaws. Nanao sure embodied her role perfectly.

The theme song, Luvbias, is a major highlight. It suits the drama very much and compliments the story.

It's a cute, well-produced drama. Despite the bit delusional approach, I enjoyed watching it and I sure will remember it fondly.

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break ups galore

I was excited to watch a follow up to a good webdrama, and this one didn't disappoint.
The format changed as in each episode features different couple, but the mock interview aspect was kept.
What ties the stories together is each realtionship had a memorando left. In each case the female lead wanted to get rid of it and what motivated them to do so. Modern relationships aren't easy to navigate and this drama portrays it well.
The thing is some episodes are tad bit more well-written than others, and there are some flustrating moments. Still, that somewhat adds to the slice of life feel. Different aspects of relationships are explored, as well a different scenarios and types of behaviours.
Acting is good, especially episode 4 and 1.
It's good drama to watch when you are in mood for short break from reality. You can watch one episode at time as they are all separate stories too.

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short and sweet

Very cute webdrama about census workers, funded partially by government agencies (from my understanding). It starts with female lead fondly looks back at her first steps in both love and workfield, and turns into a bit of will-they-or-won't-they.
It's one of those condensed stories that leave you wanting more. At the same time amount and lenght of episodes seems just right, there are no filler scenes. Both leads are very good at making you like their characters, have good chemistry and overall are well-casted. I know them from other webdramas but here I could see another side of them.
The story is bit cliche, however it does have this nice slice of life feel that makes me overlook the flaws. The clumsiness of young love is spot on and you can't help but root for the leads to finally get together. Definitely I will remember this webdrama fondly and might go back to rewatch it. It's just 4 episodes after all :)

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cute hoarding house webdrama

A typical youth webdrama about college students.
Well-acted, with good production value and steady peace that keeps you immersed in the story.
One thing that stands out to me the most is the male lead acting in second half of the series. The actor tends to juggle between adult/high schooler roles but this in-between role made me realise how skilled he became at portraying the character in a way we wanna root for him wholeheartedily.
Watching it as it aired, I read in passing some theories about second male lead. His story definitely sets apart this webdrama from others, as it has more adulty theme (not the R type!). I liked that, seeing it unfold made the watching experience even more fun and it's great to see a character developement. Often times in webdramas things are rushed due to their format, and things are suddenly revealed with zero buildup.
Overall, it's a nicely paced drama. It's not super realistic or original, yet has a nice fresh feel that doesn't give you cringe toothache.

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Subway ad

6 episodes long webdrama about young love... that is actually just a Subway ad in disguise. If you can't get enough Subway PPL from just kdramas, this one is for you!
Story is somewhat typical for webdramas, nothing special. It's not bad but not super good either.
It has a bunch of known faces who starred in some popular webdramas, and their acting is basically on the same level as in their previous roles.
If this webdrama was supposed to make me crave Subway, then it didn't work. Save your time and skip it, unless you need a fluff smooth brain content to cheer you up.

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