There is going to be nothing objective or moderate about this review. I have never been so angry at a drama in my life. The writers owe me recompense for enduring this ending.
This was one of the best dramas I've ever seen until the end of episode 12. The acting was amazing. The concept wasn't new but the execution was excellent. There was so much complexity wrapped up in the premise that I couldn't wait to see where it led. I was wondering why nobody raved about this little gem! Then episode 13 and 14 weren't great but I figured they were suffering from the episode 14 kdrama slump and would bring it home for the final two. I couldn't have been more wrong. This has the worst ending of any drama I've ever seen with the possible exception of Black. The disappointment is greater because it was originally so good.
I won't spoil it for anybody contemplating it. But, for me, I really did waste 16 hours of my life. Watching 16 hours of a bad drama is better than watching 12 hours of an amazing one, 2 hours of a moderately good one and 2 hours of the worst bullshit I've ever seen.
There are a lot of really interesting confronting moral issues in this drama that the writers simply decided to blow by off screen because they couldn't handle it. The ending will have you wanting to tear your hair out it's so bad. I've never been so angry at a drama before. Never.
This was my first Hong Sisters drama and I now realise this is their modus operandi: complex moral quandaries and narrative conflict that they then ignore and tell you got resolved offscreen. This is why I will never watch one of their shows again.
BTW, Gong Yoo was amazing. But if I was Shin, I'd sue.