Well-crafted and beautifully acted

This is so much more than the basic "opposites attract" plot would indicate. Park Gyu Young is masterful as Dali, a refined, quiet, old-fashioned scholarly type (after a memorable turn as a crazy young editor in Romance Is a Bonus Book and a secondary character in several other dramas). Kim Min-Jae is heart-meltingly adorable as the gruff, but sweet and decent, Mr. Jin. You just want to hug him all the time. What a great OTP, so different from each other and yet they understand each other well. They are each a mix of naive, astute, resilient, and kind; and they get such a charge out of each other that it’s a joy to watch. Another reviewer here calls them "straightforward," and that's precisely true, and so refreshing.

The writers keep us on our toes by having the characters repeatedly confound our expectations and transcend the conventions. The secondary characters are archetypes (goofy assistant, loyal thugs/chefs, terrible relatives, interfering exes), but still are richly portrayed and invested with humanity.The tropes are there, but get turned on their head. There is melodrama, but it isn’t dragged out. Clues are planted, but pay off in unexpected ways. The writers are particularly tricky toward the end! This was so enjoyable. I’ll watch it again soon to enjoy the craft now that I’ve seen how it turns out. Also, a shout-out to Dali’s lovely clothing.

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