A legendary Makjang to me.

If you enjoy Makjang's, this drama is for you. It rips your heart out over and over again while warming it and making you feel content. You are constantly on edge, wanting it to go one way but also another way. It ended unexpectedly well. The drama tells the story of a mother who would do anything for her child and it's very admirable. She isn't perfect and struggles to make the wrong choices but in the end, it all pays off well. If you enjoy melodramas where the characters morals are constantly put to the test, this is definitely the drama to watch. The cast are all-round amazing actors who have been in the industry for a while and you can truly see it when the show goes on.

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I didn’t have any expectations.

When I went into this show, it was purely for the good cast and interesting poster. As the show progressed I was instantly hooked which was surprising since I’m a 2-3 episodes before getting hooked kind of person.

The story perfectly captures many different personalities without straying away from how they originally were. Even when more is revealed, those with the fake personalities kept it up until the end and that’s what makes it even more amazing.

The storyline never lacked, in fact it actually got way more interesting in the end and to be completely honest I think having 14 episodes definitely helped. 12 is too little but 16 is a little too much, however, 14 perfectly tells the story and allows for the pace to remain at a great pace without filler episodes or going to fast to keep up.

It’s not going to be my favourite kdrama or even in my top 10 but that’s purely on taste. No matter what taste I have in dramas, this most likely has the potential to be one of your favourite if you give it a chance.

My only issue was with the main character (Haneul) not because she wasn’t good, she was great as always, I just felt her story was too plain and didn’t have time to thrive unlike the other female leads. I also felt like they’d introduced one other female character with hopes of a storyline but that didn’t quite remain consistent.

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I was completely wrong

This drama was all the rage, even when it came out due to an all-round amazing cast. I was really critical about it and didn't want to watch it due to the hype and honestly I was STUPID! One of the best dramas I ever watched, it's in my top ten for sure! It ripped my heart out, placed it back in and tugged it again one last time. I was a complete wreck watching this. Everything about it from the storyline to the cast to the ost's, it was truly perfection. To this day I still wish for a season 2, it ticked all the boxes for a great drama and ticked the box for a potential season 2, however, sadly we don't usually get those with kdramas often.

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All it takes is an open mind...

If I were to recommend this to someone, I wouldn't be ashamed despite the concept being porn. This is because of how great this story is built.

Being based on a true story instantly makes it 10x more intriguing as you're thrown into this new world of sex through the point of view of many different people with Toru Muranishi starting off as a total newbie just like us. We are introduced to many terms, how sex is viewed and the people involved in the porn industry.

With Kaoru Kuroki, we discover how a porn star (one of the most revolutionary) came to be. Her background, how she discovered this was what she wanted to do and how she revolutionised it by defining sexuality, impacting the generations to come. What was considered taboo, had been advocated for by the brave and beautiful Miss Kaoru Kuroki. From women displaying body hair to talking about women's sexual liberation.

From another character's point of view (Toshi), we see the Yakuza side of things and how many dangerous gangs were involved in the industry, their treatment of those within and their control over it.

Through each of these characters, we get a look into the Japanese 80's porn industry scene from many different angles, whether glamourized, unfiltered or ruthless. Along with the change of times, this helps to create a wider perspective as the world is ever-changing and so are we as people.

If you enjoy nitty gritty stories, based loosely on real-life people and exploring a topic through different POV's, then this is for you. Despite certain elements, it really is a total gem of a show. For each glamourization, there is a horrific side shown which balances the scales allowing you to form your own opinion on the industry and how it evolved as well as the names within it. Personally, I think Kaoru Kuroki was ahead of her time and is more than just an 'adult film star'.

To anyone who is considering watching this, please do go in with an open mind and without any prejudices. Only then can you truly understand this amazing show.

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Similar to Personal Taste

A man and a woman's life becomes intertwined through a series of crazy events and they develop a hatred (they don't hate each other they just get annoyed by each other a lot) then he moves in with her family under a false identity to hide that he is a chaebol who is being forced by his family (mainly his evil stepmother + stepbrother) to gain their own advantages and take over the fathers company. Overall if Personal Taste was a day drama, it would be this but with more plot-twists. Some characters can be very annoying, however, it's mainly just the antagonist characters as usual so you can just learn to ignore their childish and cruel ways. Also just like any day drama, there is birth secrets, cheating, lies, manipulation and many other cliche tropes but in a way it's still very refreshing and I've enjoyed it thoroughly.

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Unexpectedly enjoyed

After being recommended by a close friend with no other information on what it's about other than it being 'a classic' for her, i decided to watch the first one. In the beginning, I truthfully was not feeling it. Just your average bad boy with a heart and naive rich girl wanting to take a trip to the dark side I guess... Fortunately, it does improve. In the short time of an hour and a half, we see her interacting with not only the main male but the side characters too, giving us enjoyable interactions we look forward to seeing once more and others not so much. By the end, you're biting your nails wondering what is going to happen in the last few minutes and it does not disappoint. This definitely set the standard for the rest of the trilogy, especially their endings... I would be lying if I said the ending wasn't the most impressionable part and by far the best. This movie leaves you thinking back days after, which ultimately led to me finishing the trilogy a day later.

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Fun for everyone!

Though this drama is very heavy on clichés, it has perfected them. Purposely going for clichés, the writers have achieved a fun, lighthearted show that viewers can enjoy. At times it can be annoying e.g. not recognising the FL but it’s still fun since it helps to provide fun awakes moments in the plot. As I write the word fun for the thousandth time in this review, I’m sure you get the gist. There’s no other way to describe it. One of the best drama's of the year for sure.

The highlight of the drama is most certainly the second leads, who provide a less cliché experience for viewers, balancing the show out well. They’re most certainly a fan favourite. If you’re considering watching, it’s an easy drama to follow along overall and I’m certain you will like it.

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