STORY: For me, this story was pretty original. I have never watched a drama that involves a webtoon coming to life. Honestly, I thought it was a very good storyline and most of it fit together. BUT it did seem as though the writers tried to make it a little too complex and struggled to bring that to life. There were some confusing parts and a few loopholes/empty spots in the plot making sense 100% of the time This is a drama you cannot overthink and try to rationalize. You just have to go with it and enjoy it, highly logical thinkers may have an issue with this and find it frustrating. I did not really have this problem but I know my friends did. There was also times where the show seemed to know that viewers may lose interest and they created unneeded problems; there were also moments of romance that did not quite fit the moment considering all the other occurring events at that time in the show. However, the production quality was simply amazing. That was one of the best parts. The cinematography and lighting fit everything, camera angles enhanced the experience a lot. The transitions between worlds and characters v. humans were fascinating and well done. For me, the only reason I am not giving the story a 10 is because of a few weak spots in the plot, some of the scenes that were written made it seem as though the writers were trying too hard to keep the attention of the audience or were trying to do exactly what the audience wanted - this occurred more towards the end of the show, and the ending was not quite what I hoped for, but much, much better than I expected. There was nothing super unsatisfying about the end, like what I have experienced with other shows. There was a balance of good and bad throughout the show, happy and sad, and I think the ending brought that fairly full circle.
ACTING/CAST: Holy crap. There were many actors in this cast and I loved all of them to an extent. I did not hate a single person, even the villains. I will break it down person by person, but I am not going into all of them. Han Hyo Joo (Oh Yeon Joo) is the main female. The only other thing I had seen her in, before W, was Postman to Heaven. I loved her in that movie and I loved her in this show. Her acting fit the character so well, subtle cues that added to a character that could easily be flat. From her interactions with other cast members to portraying different emotions, she did it all in a fairly realistic manner you can connect to- considering the subject matter of the show. For me, she alone deserves a 9 or 10. Now, Lee Jong Suk. I want to say he had a stellar performance, but it was not the best thing ever. I do not think that was him so much as it was the role itself. Kang Chul is, in general, a bit too perfect, a bit too flat. He was not written with the depth I was hoping, but I think Lee Jong Suk put forth as much as he could into the character. I would give him, maybe, an 8 on his own? The romance between Kang Chul and Oh Yeon Joo was a bit too perfect, withstanding all the problems a little too easily, but it was by no means the worst romance I have seen. It was not 100% natural, but I thought it was pretty good. BUT we must talk about Kim Eui Seong. Kim Eui Seong plays Oh Sung Moo (Oh Yeon Joo's father) and I loved his performance. He by far was one of the most complex characters, and Kim Eui Seong's acting throughout the show, no matter what was demanded of him, was simply amazing. I quickly figured out he is an actor I would watch in anything. He is so good at portraying emotion and interacting with his fellow cast. I assume this comes from his being older and having more roles under his belt, but I think he was my favorite in this show. By far, the best performance in the show. He alone would receive a 10/10. The reason I give the overall cast an 8 is because not everyone was a stand out in this show, but I think that was less about the actors and more about the character roles written. They seemed awfully flat and you could tell they were only there because they were needed to push the story at times. Do Yoon (Chul's best friend and bodyguard) was fairly good and I think pushed his character as much as he could considering how it was written, and Soo Hee (Chul's friend and secretary) was not as great as I was hoping. She was a letdown, but again I think I blame the writing.
MUSIC: I really enjoyed this soundtrack. The songs used in the show are pretty recognizable and some get stuck in your head. It was not a soundtrack you end up hating, at least not for me. I actually saved up money and bought the entire soundtrack, which I have only done with a few shows. The best song for me was Without You by N of Vixx and Yeoeun of Melody Day. However, not all the songs are great or memorable, you realize that it was how they were cut and used in the show that made them better, but it is by no means a letdown. I must also mention, the placement and editing of the songs for the show were very well done. They simply added to the moments of the show and made things happier or more heartbreaking depending on the scene in action.
REWATCH: I actually have watched this show twice, once by myself, once all the way with my friends. I also enjoy it if I need a dose of romance or action for the background while doing homework. Many would probably rewatch this show, it definitely has the potential to be rewatched, and it has a bit of everything to appeal to different audiences. I have watched it on my own and with multiple friend groups - all the way and random episodes. But I do think it is a show you have to be in the mood for, It is not something I watched religiously but in binges. This is a very binge-worthy show. But I struggled to watch it week to week while it was airing.
OVERALL: I would give this show a 9/10. It has great acting and a good storyline, but it is not perfect. Many dramas are not perfect, so I have learned not to nitpick but I Think this show did a fairly good job and considering it was much anticipated I did not find it to be disappointing at all. I think many will like this show and should give it a try, especially those who are new to dramaland or want a high production show (think high production like City Hunter or Descendants of the Sun).
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