Crash Landing on You was the best kind of weekend drama to get addicted to. It's a rom-com about an officer from North Korea and a business mogul from South Korea, and as expected with a North vs South storyline there's also action and melodrama. I wanted to watch this drama because of Hyun Bin and Son Ye Jin, two actors who starred in two of the very first KDramas that got me addicted to KDramas in the first place, and they did not disappoint. This drama totally gave me an old school drama feeling that I miss sometimes. I was far from impressed by the beginning but as the drama went on I became more and more excited about each new episode. I do think the story was definitely flawed, but what I loved most were the memorable characters. This is the kind of escapism drama that is perfectly imperfect entertainment.

Obviously the chemistry between Son Ye Jin as Se Ri and Hyun Bin as Ri Jung Hyuk is one thing that this drama gets absolutely right. This is the kind of couple that makes you laugh and cry, and whether they are having cute banter or dodging bullets I was always rooting for them. Yes, their relationship is way over the top and even sappy at times, but it works so well. Captain Ri's straightfaced swag and Se Ri's extreme confidence played well off of each other, and I loved that Se Ri was a strong character and not just a victim passively waiting for a savior. They make a lot of corny moments work because they are just so good. Se Ri is also in the classic "chaebol" role while Jung Hyuk gets the makeover (a definite switch from the Hyun Bin I'm used to seeing in dramas), so even with a strong military theme, the women characters are just as strong.

Then we have the rest of the cast that is filled with great performances. Two surprising favorites were Seo Ji Hye as Seo Dan and Kim Jung Hyun as Goo Seung Jun. Seo Dan's bitter arrogance and Seung Jun's playboy charm were great, and I loved watching their characters' growth and their unexpected bond. At first, they just seemed like two annoying villainous characters but they soon became two of my favorites in the show. Then there are Captain Ri's fellow soldiers (#squadgoals) and neighbor wives (frenemies turned bffs) who are not only hilarious but were all characters I genuinely cared about. I also liked Seo Dan's aunt and uncle (who are so different from their roles in Parasite) and Se Ri and Jung Hyuk's moms. These characters had a lot of funny moments but also some touching moments that actually made me tear up quite a few times. The North Korean characters were definitely way more interesting than the South Korean characters, mainly Se Ri's family, who I thought were pretty cliché. Greedy siblings fighting over who will take over the family business is probably the most overused KDrama trope, and they weren't very interesting aside from helping to push that part of the story along. I also wasn't too fond of the main villain, who although he was effective he was very one-note.

The story did have a great pace and that's impressive since each episode is well over an hour. Most of the episodes balanced all the different genres well. The only two episodes that dragged for me were the first one, and the last one. I was honestly disappointed in the ending, even though it did do a good job of not leaving things unresolved. I felt like it took an unnecessary extra melodramatic turn then dragged out the endings with flashbacks and slow scenes that lost the show's momentum. Still, even with the slow ending, I still enjoyed the drama as a whole.

There's also a small musical element in this drama but it wasn't very strong. I honestly can't even remember the melody of Captain Ri's song. The rest of the music was over the top or just ok.

Would I watch this again? Maybe. As entertaining as it was anticipating new episodes each weekend, I'm not sure if the story is the kind I want to binge-watch again any time soon. I also think the plot loses all suspense which would make some parts of the story seem slower, especially with such long episodes. I would rather just rewatch parts that I like, but there aren't even specific scenes that I can think of wanting to see again. The characters would be my main reason for ever watching again.

Overall, this is a great classic-style drama. I was all in for the fish out of water/opposites-attract love story, and I liked the idea of being away from the comforts of the south and ending up finding real support and friendship in the north. If you are willing to embrace the tropes, the melodrama, the abundance of coincidences, obnoxious product placements, the cheap special fx, and silliness you will get to see an epic love story, beautiful scenery, some cool action scenes and cliffhangers, and more than a few moments likely to get you in the feels. This drama won't make my personal favorites list but I understand all of the high ratings. For Hyun Bin fans this is a must-watch. I am also rewatching King 2 Hearts now... don't worry that there's anything similar, there isn't, but I do like how both marry humor, action, and suspense with a great love story. Watching this drama made me want to watch that drama again (one of my old school favorites).

There really is a lot that makes Crash Landing on You worth watching. I related to the drama obsessed soldier big time while watching this. Don't let my lack of perfect 10s or 9s dissuade you, I was bored with a lot of the current on-air dramas I've been watching and this finally took me out of that slump. I'm glad I embraced the expected tropes and enjoyed the unpredictable ride.