I decided to start this drama for two reasons: (1) my new addiction to Thai dramas and (2) my newest drama crush: Push (Puttichai Kasetsin). I'd heard of him and had been consciously avoiding him for a while as I foresaw that I would get sucked into his world like a black hole. And as soon as I caved, that's exactly what happened! This man is not only one of the most beautiful men on the planet, he is also an outstanding actor, that it almost seems unfair. I saw four of his dramas in a few short weeks. But it was this one that I hadn't been able to move on from that I felt inclined to write a review. What surprised me though was that I loved this drama because of Gypso Ariigantha Mahapreukpong just as much as Push. She is equally wonderful here that they're my favorite pairing to date.

As a further prelude, I want to say that as much as I love this drama, I almost dropped it at one point. Although I felt all kinds of emotions that I wanted to articulate, I didn't want to write a review at first because the overwhelming feeling at the end was disappointment. Only after watching it a second time was I able to better digest what I saw and felt enough love for the drama again to conduct this review. That's why objectively speaking, I would rate it an 8 but my heart says 9.5, so I settled for an 8.5 here.

I read some comments and reviews prior to my watch so I was prepared for what was ahead of me. I agree that the drama has a slow start as it takes some time in setting up the story. Wanneung (Gypso) is a struggling actress. At one point, Win (Push) describes it as such, that "she had nothing but her dream". And that pretty much sums her up as the story begins. There is nothing in her head except to be a Dara (famous actress), even though she appears to have no talent nor an agent or mentor to help her reach her goal. Her parents got so fed up with her pipe dream that they sold their house and went abroad, leaving Wanneung behind. Win, a former celebrity, turns out to be the new owner but she decides to stay anyway, unbeknownst to Win. Her behavior reminded me of news from years ago of a Japanese woman living secretly in some guy's apartment for months without his knowledge. I know that sounds creepy but thank goodness it's amusing here. Win thinks the house is haunted because of her sneakiness, until he catches her one day sleeping in his backyard. This scene is what sealed the deal for me. We are at episode 3 at this point and this first full, real interaction between the two of them had me in stitches. They play off each other so well; they are fantastic together that I knew I was in for a treat.

Wannueng's opportunity to stay comes in the form of snooping reporters waiting to accost Win at his house about his return to Thailand after having left the entertainment industry five years ago. Win lets Wanneung stay in exchange for helping lie to the reporters that the house is hers. And that's how the cohabitation hijinks begans. And boy, were they entertaining! They had me cracking up left and right. Also, Wanneung has no qualms about unintentionally getting into situations with Win skinship-wise because she thinks he's gay, to which Win doesn't bother to correct her; which, by the way, is funny at first but exasperating in the latter half with how confused he makes her. I don't know how she can believe him in the beginning though when the sexual tension is there on full display.

I know there were some who described Gypso as "overacting" as Wannueng. I thought she is somewhat like an anime character in the beginning. Perhaps that's what put some people off but I found that sort of wackiness entertaining rather than silly. It didn’t take long for me to like her; she is hilarious. And don't think for a second that Win is normal, lol. They are perfect for each other. He draws lines all over the house to signify "your side" and "my side." I laughed every time they are in the living room bickering and see how much couch space he has compared to her little spot at the end of the blue couch. And then seeing much later, from him happily removing those lines while waiting in anticipation for her to notice when she gets home, to her perfect, delightful reaction to it…like, I couldn't handle all that cuteness. Also, I loved the fact that although the comedy tones down as we settled in, it never disappears. The lighthearted banter between the two is consistent throughout the drama.

With respect to other characters, I didn't care for the second leads at all. I skipped most of their scenes. But I really liked Lukpit and Tom, who play Wanneung and Win's friends respectively. Lukpit is the perfect sidekick to Wanneung. He is probably the only other person who can handle Wanneung's quirkiness aside from Win. Tom is the voice of reason for Win. Honestly, I don't know what would have happened if Tom hadn't been patient enough to explain to Win how much of an idiot he is being when it comes to love.

The villain in the story is WanWan, who is Win's former manager. He ruined Win's career by tricking Win into appearing in a scandalous video five years ago. WanWan is the kind of person who will stab you in the back while you hugged him. He will destroy you in the most despicable way possible. I was disgusted by his actions that I skipped almost all of the scenes involving him and his scheming because I felt uncomfortable and I think that was intentional.

At this point, I want to expand on my disappointment with the show as I had mentioned earlier. Many criticized the female lead, however, my dissatisfaction was in the male lead's character. Wanneung may have been naive but at least she is honest. She wears her heart on her sleeves. And I can't fault her for misunderstanding when she is left in the dark for longer than necessary. Win, on the other hand, is frustratingly silent at times. And if there is a compelling reason, I'd have understood. But there really isn't a concrete logic to support his reluctance to open up to the person who obviously matters most to him. What is he afraid of? Half the problems they face could have been avoided if he'd been more honest. And how could he have let Wanneung stay under WanWan's management fully knowing what WanWan is capable of? I understand Win doesn't want to get in the way of Wanneung's rising status. But knowing her personality, she'd have done everything she could to get out of that contract if she knew the truth. There were times when I was swooning and then there were times when I wanted to smack Win upside the head for being so idiotic. I think this is just weak writing. I recognize that conflict is necessary to keep the story moving forward. But I would have kept watching even if there wasn't any ridiculous plot device to fill all 26 episodes. Their growing love is what had me watching. The closer they get, the more I adored them for the reasons I described that even if everything is peachy, I would have gladly watched it. The last episode, especially, felt like our feelings were being toyed with because we had to put up with so much BS before we get our rushed happy ending. I resented the writer for that.

Be that as it may, I want to end on a good note all things considered, so I want to talk about what Win does right. For him, it is that actions spoke louder than words. One of the first major steps he takes that illustrates his love for Wanneung is in accepting a big budget film role that he previously hadn't given much thought to just so he can support Wanneung in landing a role. This is a big deal because it also means that he'd be stepping back into the entertainment circle that had so cruelly treated him five years ago. He straight up tells the director he won't act in the movie if she doesn't get to as well. He has seen how much she wants to be an actress, how much she has been struggling and it pains him to see that things aren't working out for her. He wants to provide an opportunity for her to live up to her potential. He then offers to coach her on acting. His genuine care and guidance brings out the serious and talented side in her and it is just the support she needs to be able to fly on her own to stardom.

I can’t express enough on how much joy I felt in watching Win go from a grumpy housemate to a teasing friend to a nurturing mentor who loves Wanneung so much he doesn’t care who gets hurt in his efforts to keep her safe, including himself. Or the times he beams with happiness watching Wanneung’s reactions to all the little things he creates to make her happy. And Wanneung has the best reactions! Her astonished excitement and exclamations had me laughing; she is so endearing. Everything just felt so real between these two. These are the moments that made me love the drama so much and left me wanting more.

The music in the drama blended well with the story without being intrusive. The comedic scenes sound cheerful and fun. There is a recurring song sung by Gypso herself that is so, so sweet. I loved hearing it every time it comes on. Push sang for the drama as well. I didn’t like his song that much until it accompanies their time in Phuket and I was sold!

Let me end my long review to say all that may have just been me fangirling over these two. But in all seriousness, it’s a great romantic comedy. My recommendation is to watch this drama twice to enjoy it to its fullest. Trust me, it will be a better experience the second time around and one that will stay with you for a long time.