This is not a love story
This is not a romance kdrama. This is a story of 4 people trying their best to find companionship in a world that is often too cold for them.To be fair, I can see why people don't like this. The plot is very slow, the characters are quite downbeat and it doesn't seem like there's any point to watching this. People like watching kdramas to see leads get their big happy ending. But this drama is definitely one where it's more about the journey than the destination.
The main 4 characters you'll be taking the journey with are very complex, nuanced and realistic. They make bad decisions because people make bad decisions. They hold back their words and feelings because very often, it is hard to be brave and outspoken with someone you like. They get into relationships for the wrong reasons because that's what happens in the real world too. No human or relationship is perfect, and this drama reflects that.
If you want to watch this drama, you have to accept that you will be frustrated. You will be annoyed at the leads. You will wish things happened a little faster. I had all these feelings. But you also grow to understand them. You can see why they make the decisions they do, even if you don't like it. But just like you can't judge the decisions of a friend, you can't judge these characters' decisions either. You just have to let them make their mistakes and hope that they get their happy ending.
The 4 main actors did a fantastic job. They bring every facet of their character to life so vividly. And they're the main reason I stuck with it to the end. This drama has flaws for sure. It is slow and can become quite repetitive. But I liked it all the same, because it really is like a window to 4 human lives, in all their complexity and contradictions.
You'll like this if you enjoy dramas like My Mister or My Liberation Notes (though it isn't on the same level as those). If you're a traditional rom-com enjoyer, this isn't for you. There are no big gestures, dramatic plot twists or majestic words here. It's just 4 people doing everything they can to find someone they can be at peace with. If you want to see that journey, then watch this.
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Boring
The male lead excellent the female lead to boring not what i expected i hated the way she was treated the male lead, terrible story line was a beat off. The second male lead was good the second female lead better then the first, the ending was a beat slow something was missing and the 4 years was a beat to match.Moon Ga young her act is always the same nothin more.................................................... my opinion the males lead safe the series. I thing the rating is going to be bad.
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New Yorker Drama Lover
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Very slow dreary slice of life
This drama moves incredibly slowly and seems to be centered around stereotypical kdrama misunderstandings and missed timing in romance. That could be fine if handled well, but the misunderstandings so far stretch through countless episode after episode, without resolution, while just adding ever new ones to the pile. After awhile you stop rooting for the 1st leads to resolve their misunderstandings and start to root for them hooking up with the second leads instead who look better together, meet cuter than the main leads do and who seem much better suited for each other.Spoiler alert! .............................. So now I have watched all episodes and my review numbers don't change but now will add some final thoughts. Most Kdramas I don't think much about afterwards, but this show is nothing if not memorable. The lives of the four main characters are changed forever by a single moment of hesitation by one lead.
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The most tortured non-romance ever!
It was like watching an endless train wreck. You keep watching thinking there has to be an upside to this story, but it never happens. You just get sucked further down a rabbit hole of a depressing storyline . Kudos to the principle male lead for excellently portraying the most heartsick, forlorn, long suffering character imaginable. This had to be exhausting for this actor to play this tortured role, but he really pulled it off. He was one of the few characters I liked and could emphasize with, aside from the young boyfriend that was used and discarded. I really grew to despise the character that was the female lead. I found her to be arrogant, heartless, deceptive and selfish. The clingy, privileged, wanna-be girlfriend was another irritating character. The soundtrack was the only redeeming factor in this drama.Vond je deze recentie nuttig?
Avoid
Might appear as realistic drama butGives you Depressing , negative, frustrating and toxic vibes thru out watching the drama……………….,…..
Should have called Misery Loves Company. The story is about a woman who makes everyone miserable and suffer around her. She makes the ML suffer for five years because he hesitated on the first date……….,,…….
I don’t usually write reviews but this one I just got deceived by the title, lead actors and Netflix banner………………
I think this is one series where viewers don’t feel sad even though the ending is ???
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Such a pity, this dram is like a whole "it could have been different"...
What can I say about this drama? it seemed interesting at first and you continue to watch it because you hope that maybe it'll get better but in reality you're wasting hours of your life watching this total nonsense.It was like the writers forced the story and the charachters to act as stupid as possible, in particular An Soo Young and the most infuriating thing is when they ask her why she did all of that, she answer with total nonsense phrases and no one asked wtf that meant...
In this drama the only unchanging character is An Soo Young. I tried to understand her but for me the writing really lacked to makes us understand her reals means and her true fears.
For it was like hoping for something that it never happen in this drama, it was very dragghy, boring and too pessimistic for no real reason, because true problems are a real different thing.
I don't suggest you watching this drama, you'll only be disappointed!
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The Interest of Misunderstandings
Looks like it's about a huge hot steaming pile of misunderstandings between the love interests. I've only seen the ML in Mr. Sunshine and Narco Saints. He really shone in his role in Mr. Sunshine, my GF thought it is worth a try with this series because of that. At this point, I'm not sure what to make of this. It is slow for sure. By the first four episodes, the story should sink their claws into the viewers to keep them engaged. It kind of meanders and you don't really feel much between the ML and FL. Are we supposed to root for them? It goes straight to the ML having a crush on the FL, he timidly tries to go after her; some misunderstandings take place which shuts the whole thing down. Since their love story is supposed to be the main arc of this romance drama, it would be better if episodes were dedicated to the build up and process of him falling in love with her instead of through a flashback of how she was helpful to him when he started at the bank.The scene where she trips and falls into the SML arms accidentally, it felt like a good long while before she disengages herself from him. It was used as a plot device to add to the whole hot pile of misunderstandings. It could have been more realistic since people who aren't close to each other don't linger like that and it was not clear if she was attracted to the SML for her to pause like that. The trope of tripping and falling into the man's arms is so overused in the KDramas and CDramas. At least he didn't catch her by the waist and swung her around in slow motion while the love ballads are played in the background and the confetti falls.
The actors and actresses acted well in their parts and have good visuals but so far the story is missing some key ingredients.
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It's a story about love not a love story
I went in with an open mind. It was clear from the beginning it was more of a story of life than a romance. The main characters made some curious decisions. It was frustrating but as their stories unfold some clarity is provided.They portray the ML as serious and a deep thinker. I understand ppl make mistakes but he makes a lot. His relationship with his mother is the only redeeming quality he has imo. But it makes you wonder even more about the writing. If he loves his mother this much how can he continually throughout the show hurt women?
The FL is probably the highlight of the show but she's also frustrating. She's portrayed as intelligent and reserved borderline cold. Her choices also cause pain but they dive deeper into the reasons of her choices.
I can't stress this enough it's a STORY about love, not a Love story. I recommend this if you are interested in the highs and lows of love, like and pain.
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OVERRATED - FRUSTRATING - ANNOYING
This should be the most overrated dramas of 2023. Really frustrating leads who is surprisingly annoying..
The story:
It's a dumbass story where it portrays a pathetic male lead who is really in love with the female from the very beginning but somehow when he had a chance to date her he was lost in this frikin' imagination/doubt which was really childish.
The female lead is just a b***ch. This frustrating human is really damaged. She has no clue what she wants & she keeps on playing mind games with people around her. Especially the two male leads. She knows that the male lead really loves her yet she petends like she doesn’t.
Both of these losers got someone who strongly loves them but these dumbs don't know who they should love. The second leads are really the ones that deserves love but they are kind of off also. Especially the male one.
Genre:
It's not a romance genre. It should be cheating genre. Everone is cheating with someone else. Everyone is hiding something. Literally everyone.
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Rating: Frustrating/10
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Pity me please!
This must be the most frustrating series I have ever watched.I dont know how many times I wished to flip the table, chairs , tv and everything around me because of frustration.
The characters are walking on eggshells around each other the entire time and makes me want to pull out all of my hair.
The level of self pity and the need for sympathy by all of the characters is just depressing!
It would make a world of difference to everyone's lives if they'd stop walking on a tightrope and grow some balls and be honest to each other.
The only saving grace in the entire series thus far is the pilot ep. I'm not even a fan of cringey kdrama romcoms but I wanted that fluffy, cutsey and happy vibes back again but instead as the show went on it just got slower and depressing.
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A relationship black hole that sucks the joy out of everything it touches
This show is a melodrama build upon notions of love. Note that I didn't say a romantic melodrama because in a way, this show is the antithesis of romance.I watched 11 episodes before deciding to shelve it until it finishes its run. After reading final comments and reviews, I’ve decided to drop the show as it is actually worse than expected.
The setting of the drama is rather claustrophobic. It is a suburban bank branch with about 10 workers. The work environment is not particularly harmonious. There is a degree of workplace harassment and obvious office politicking. The employees have a propensity to gossip. Dating rumours springs up all the time. In this melting pot we find our leads.
The FL is smart and capable but only has a high school diploma. She came from a poor family and has a tragic backstory. Possibly suffering from PTSD after her brother's untimely death. The ML is a bit bumbling and was trained by the FL and yet he was promoted ahead of her by deem of his college degree. They worked together for several years before the ML finally decided to confess to the FL but she rejected him because of her inferiority complex and it is her way to avoid being rejected later.
Into this already sad state of affair is airdropped the rich and entitled SFL who was a classmate of the ML. If this is not enough, they added a SML who is working part-time at the bank as a security guard while he tries to pass the police entrance exam. He is struggling financially and surviving hand to mouth while support his parents. You can imagine his outlook on life. It definitely does not involve rainbows and unicorns. This square shaped cauldron is fast boiling over.
The writer-nim gave this witches' brew a good stir and we ended up with two tenuous and unfulfilling entanglements and a two-timing third (up to end of ep.10). The relationship between the ML and the SFL is a cat and mouse game of desire, greed and loathing. The SFL showers the ML with expensive gifts and the promise of a fast track up the corporate ladder. The ML is on a rebound and the honeytrap is hard to ignore. Nevertheless, his pride is hurt and he knows that he is hitting above his weight.
On the other hand, the FL reluctantly accepted the SML because she needs someone to distract her from the ML. On top of that, she sees the SML being in a worse position than her and for once, she can help him and claim the moral high ground. In both relationships, love or its facsimile, is overshadowed by a plethora of mixed feelings and twisted rationales. Needless to say there is constant foreboding as we watch on with tenterhooks.
By now, the show has created a pressure cooker where all those flawed characters are forced to live and work. Is this realistic? I'm not convinced. It is overbearing and distorted. There are tendrils of reality but the weightiness is too much for such a small space so it collapsed into a black hole. It sucks all the joy from the characters and much of the viewing pleasures.
We are confronted with situations where lies, disdain, trepidation and regrets sour and poison relationships at every turn. This is angsty, frustrating as well as unrewarding for the viewers. The writer-nim baits us into shipping the CP's only to offer up heartbreaks instead. Cobbe could have used this show as case study for schadenfreude.
It is a real struggle to keep watching by the end of ep.11. The dread is palpable. I'd return to the show in a heartbeat if there is even a hint of a happy ending or a satisfying but sad conclusion to the OTP's love line. Alas, from what I learn from feedbacks, the writer-nim double downed on the tortuous plot and littered the rest of the narrative with sad, broken and disillusioned people. I gather the show is unsatisfying and ambiguous to the bitter end. I suppose when you are in a graveyard spiral, you can't expect a soft landing.
The sad fact is that both the production and acting from most of the cast are good, especially the ML. He got put through the spin cycle and have to slog through a range of heighten emotions. The FL is not wooden, but she has distilled the essence of self preservation into her pose. Not much chance of second lead syndrome, no sir.
In the end, the script is the main culprit. Too much is never enough for our writer-nim so we ended up with this tsunami of relationship woes that spreads and consuming all before it. Love, desire, longing and fulfilment are cornerstones of a romance drama and this show is largely an antithesis of that.
To those who has finished this show, Salut! Thank you for taking one for the team. Peace out.
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Give me my time back
I should have known from episode 1 that this series was not for me. I love fairy tales, happily ever afters, empowering, concrete endings and etc but I can also enjoy a decent bitter sweet series but this one was one of the worst experiences for me in the supposed romantic genre. In all fairness, just because the word love is in the title should not grant automatic permission to be placed in the romance genre. Whew!!! This was a depressing toxic mess.We have a male and female lead who clearly like each other but they never get together. Why? The FL got issues…….
Just because she’s calm and quiet doesn’t redeem her at all.
ML like female lead, very evident. She goes through great lengths to push him away, only to slightly give hope again. So what you’ll view is a man in love with a woman getting disregarded, then given hope, then being hurt and pushed away. No dating. Just a guy falling in love with someone who got emotional issues. Never really getting accepted.
From the female standpoint she didn’t do anything g wrong by not being with a guy.
From a viewers standpoint we watch a sincere mans ‘ affections get trampled. The end.
There’s no healthy love here. There’s no dating. This is one of those experiences someone has gone through that you remember but it’s certainly not something you’d want to watch.
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