When the Weather Is Fine (2020)

"Eating and sleeping well... Is that all there is to life?"

This is the therapy that I didn't know I desperately need.

Every morning is the beginning of another busy day in my city life, so hectic that it often feels like suffocation is no longer an option. Yet, When the Weather is Fine is like a timely letter to my subconsciousness, telling it that it's alright to miss a couple of breaths but not too many. Following Hae Won and Eun Seub's journey to self-discovery and self-healing has been heartwarming, endearing and even motivational at times, especially amidst the current uncertain and relentless worldly affairs.

Despite the slow progression, much slower than what I would normally prefer, this drama never fails to captivate me with its beautiful and soothing storytelling. What appears to be a purely coincidental and mundane encounter between two almost complete strangers at first gradually materialises into a fated serendipity. As Hae Won spends more time with Eun Seub in the rural Bookhyun Village, we as an audience begin to delve into their memories through a collection of nostalgic flashbacks, gaining a bit more insight into each of their dilemmas and how that has led them to their current circumstances.

It turns out that, for the impatient person that I am, I didn't mind the slow pace at all as it has given me the time to sympathise with the characters' underlying emotions and appreciate all of the poetic essence in the script. The settings and soundtracks are incredibly complementary to the storyline and characterisation. From the occasional pleasant acoustics to playful tunes, or the alternating warm and cold colour schemes, the drama is able to integrate its audience into a serene and cozy countryside lifestyle while still manages to retain some of its unique charms.

To say I'm in love with the casting would be much of an understatement. It is a rather pleasant surprise to see Park Min Young venturing into the slice-of-life scene after starring in popular rom-coms such as What's Wrong With Secretary Kim and Her Private Life. I feel like it has become a more apparent trend for Hallyu actors to take on indie projects and introduce more diversity to the international drama community, notably Lee Jong Suk in Romance is a Bonus Book and The Hymn of Death and Park Seo Joon in the recent Itawon Class. I must say this is a fairly defining role for Seo Kang Joon. I first got to know him as the defiant yet caring second male lead in Cheese in the Trap and then it was the robotic but humane male lead in Are You Human Too, both of which have left a fond impression on me. So coincidentally meeting him again in my new favourite drama certainly feels like a treat. As a couple, Park Min Young and Seo Kang Joon show a rather unlikely chemistry, probably due to the fact that Min Young is such a veteran and me used to recall her role in Sungkyunkwan Scandal, but still very fitting nevertheless. I also thought the supporting cast is very well-chosen, especially Eun Sub's sister Im Hwi and best friend Jang Woo.

I would highly recommend checking out the divine and enchanting OSTs: Like a Winter's Dream (Kwak Ji Eon), Doors of Time (Jungyup), All Day Long (Kyuhyun), Dear My Love (Byul), I See You (Giryeon) and Moody Night (Jeong Sang Keun).

Here are some of my favourite excerpts from the drama...

"Life has never bought me a drink.
On many winter nights, at a snack stall in a dead-end alley, I emptied out my pockets to buy life a drink.
But life has never bought me a single drink.
Whether it was a snowy day or a day when a stone lotus flower silently bloomed and fell."
A Drink by Jeong Ho Seung

"When loneliness meets loneliness and becomes coziness.
When sadness meets sadness and becomes happiness.
When a cool breeze collides against another cool breeze and becomes soft snow.
That's what warmth is."

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"When the Weather Is Fine" is listed as a slow-paced drama and a slow burn romance, but I want to be very clear that when they say slow they mean slooooooooow. I'm not usually a fan of stories that drag, but now that I completed the drama I see that this is one case where the pace actually adds to the storytelling. If you can handle it, keep watching and you will find yourself drawn into life in this small town during the winter and to spring, and all of it's quirky characters. You will also get to enjoy a love story with amazing chemistry. Once more of the story was revealed I went from boredom to an eagerness to see what would happen to these characters I grew to care about. That has a lot to do with the phenomenal cast.

This drama stars Park Min Young as Hae Won. Hae Won's POV is how we slowly (very slowly) get introduced to this town. She is cold, and super emo, so don't expect a completely lovable character, but I found her performance to be super realistic, and I empathized with her even when she frustrated me. I'm not surprised that she was so good (she's one of my favorites), but I am surprised that she had such great chemistry with Seo Kang Joon, who I initially thought was too young for her. They were perfectly matched from the very beginning, whether their scenes were awkward, cute, sexy, or intense. There is also a lot unsaid between them, and lots of staring , which would get old quick with lesser actors. I just loved how they played off of each other so well no matter the mood of the scene. Kang Joon also plays Eun Sub as mysterious so effortlessly but also showed awkward vulnerability in a way that made me fall in love with his character quickly and look forward to seeing him on screen, even if he was just making coffee (very slowly lol). This isn't your typical romance, but I think romance fans with patience will get the payoff of seeing a great love story between two loners struggling with their own complicated pasts. Warmth in this drama isn't just about the weather, it's about how they are able to warm each other emotionally, and that feeling between them is palpable. It also gets HOT at moments which I appreciate!

The rest of the cast truly is also amazing, and really makes the town feel 100% real. One good thing about the pace is that it gives time for the supporting cast to also be portrayed as complicated well-developed characters, whether I loved or hated them. So many of the supporting characters got me in the feels... Mom and Aunt in the matching sunglasses (my favorites), Eun Sub's parents and hilariously obnoxious little sister, The book editor, The frienemy, The book club, and goofy but reliable Lee Jang Woo... eventually I felt like I knew the whole town well, and along with the gorgeous shots of the scenery, it felt like a welcomed vacation from coronavirus quarantine. At times it was almost a PSA for social distancing (physically and mentally lol)!

As for the story, I do think it is well done, with great attention to detail when it comes to relationships, and even a bit of suspense, but I'd be lying if I said I wasn't struggling during the first episodes which mostly set the mood more than moving the story forward. It almost feels more like a stage play at some points. Still, it is definitely original and I had no idea where the story would lead, which was great, The music, while a perfect fit, also makes taking a nap during this drama very tempting. The Good Night Club confessional blog also felt a little much at times, although it does allow us to see more into Eun Sub's thoughts, especially about "Irene". For me, the pace picked up once Mom showed up, or at least there was much more focus on the overall story, and I no longer felt the urge to nap from then on. Not that the mood every really changes completely, the tone is moody and even calming throughout.

So, would I watch this again? I'm sure I will. I do think that now that I have connected to the characters and know what's going on, that the slow beginning would be more enjoyable the second time, and I'll no longer be confused by moments that didn't matter to me out of context. I still think some things could have been introduced or resolved in a way that dragged less, and maybe fewer flashbacks initially, but I still respect the overall pace because of the mood and atmosphere it helped to create.

Overall, I was uncertain at first, but this may be the perfect drama to watch while stuck at home. Don't expect a lot of action, a major villain, or even melodrama, because this story is driven by relationships and character development. I did love the themes of healing through emotional warmth and affection, struggles with forgiveness, or even the comfort in expressing themselves at the multigenerational bookclub. To me, this was a wonderful love story but it also explored all the different ways love can look, even when it seems like love is not there. I laughed, I cried, I felt butterflies and wanted to scream at the screen at moments, so I would never call this drama boring as a whole. I recommend giving this drama a chance. It won't appeal to everyone, but the slow but steady vibe definitely won me over!

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For the most part this drama was ok.

I really enjoy slice of life dramas as they usually a commentary or a reflection on life but I felt like it that didn't really happen in this drama.

What was weird about this drama was that it was slow paced and over done at the same time. Weird combo but they did it. Usually with slice of life, the drama is slow paced and progresses naturally with very little or no "action conflict" i.e. fight scenes and whatnot, which is what happened. But then on the flip side the drama had a lot to unpack. Childhood trauma for both Male and Female Leads, the long pining love romance but then betrayal love triangle for the FL, with family secrets, stigma against the ML and many, many, many subplots.

Somewhere along the way I lost the point of the show when the emerging subplots took over. It became all about the secondary characters and not about the leads and with so many people coming to the forefront I lost all relatability with the characters. So I guess that my biggest problem with the show is that I lost the connection I was developing in the beginning with the characters.

I liked the OSTs and the instrumentals as the helped set the tone in the first half of the series. The acting was good, especially with Seo Kang Joon and Moon Jung Hee. Their performances were really outstanding for this drama which was probably the main reason I watched till the end. The end however was unsatisfactory to me.

Not sure if I expressed my point of view well but I think the show is definitely one to watch and I would surely recommend.

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This drama started so wholesome then it turned bitter and heartbreaking. I was very interested in the main couple in the beginning, as episodes went by the domestic abuse storyline grew and overshadowed the main plot.
Patriarchy played a huge role in the way the abuse and the reaction (or lack of) to it was shown. Nobody seems to truly step back and say: you don't deserve to go to jail, you're both victims, his actions were inexcusable, and neither of you were responsible for the situation he created. Instead, it's played as if their intelligence and arrogance as intelligent, beautiful women is partially to blame for the situation.
Both sisters lived their lives as shells, not recovering and basically never speaking about it. They tried to punish themselves in their own ways, hurting Hae Won in the process. Essentially making her the third victim of her father, which I’m sure she would have been if he stayed alive long enough.
I feel like the show gives the abuser (a sort of) free pass, trying to present him as a ‘good’ father and socially likable, as if that makes what he did more okay? I needed a scene where he was vocally called out and branded as he was – a manipulator and an abuser, that scene never happened.
I wish I could end the review with a positive note, but I cannot. Society plays a crucial role (along with the law system) in situations like these. Women should be able to speak up and be heard, not blamed. Society as a whole needs to open the topic of domestic abuse and not bury its head in the sand.

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Victims of Domestic Abuse do not Watch!!

Let me preface this by saying that every single actor in this was on point. The writing was stellar, the characters had depth and flaws galore. They were so human and, at times, painfully so. I enjoyed the music and the pacing of the show was, as most others have commented on, slow but it was not to the point where it bored me. The complicated relationships between the sisters, the mothers and the dissection of family dynamics was very enjoyable to me as well as the romance aspect. There was a point though where I started caring less about the main character and growing more and more frustrated with her and her victim mentality. I really enjoy Park Min Young's acting and she played this character really, really well so this isn't a commentary on that. However the character arc and development of Hae Won was the most frustrating thing and in the end I can't say I felt good about how it ended or that I even liked her at all the way I did at the beginning. This has mostly to do with the ending episode and how she dealt with finding out the truth about her mother, aunt, and father. Also the way the show dealt with victims, sufferers of mental illness, and other subjects-- I was not about it. It almost seemed to glorify it in a way? Or twist it so it seemed like the victims fault. If you get to the end of this please, let me know what you think.

The following contains major spoilers and TW for mentions of domestic abuse.

I did like Hae Won's inability to forgive Kim Bo Young at first. I thought and still believe that it was justified. Kim Bo Young was in the wrong and should have apologized outright instead of saying it was just a 'mistake' it was truly a betrayal and the fact that the friend tried to turn it around as if she was the victim was ridiculous. That mistake was a monumental one which lead to Hae Won being made out to be a pariah in school. Hae Won was clearly depressed and needed therapy but I know that Korea and mental health is a touchy subject so I'll leave it at that. But Bo Young couldn't just apologize and own up to her mistake and on top of that we later come to find out that she believes herself to have been slighted by Hae Won...
However, the longer that conflict was drawn out I started to get a little... annoyed with the way these two resolved conflict in their interpersonal relationships. Hae Won especially began to seem cruel, cold, selfish, and unforgiving...unnecessarily so. A little hypocritical as well.

THE BIG ISSUE with Hae Won:
The way she dealt with finding out what happened between her father, mother, and aunt. I found myself thinking "guess she'd rather have been raised by her abusive father who killed her aunt (Shim Myung Yeo) and mother than the other way around." Was this fair of me to think? Probably not. I realize that she had been lied to, kept in the dark since that incident but when has she ever been forthright with her own secrets, trauma, and life? I never saw her have a conversation with anyone except Eun Sub about the way she was feeling or the things she was going through. So why does she get to expect that out of others? Her mother was so in the wrong, I get that, but she was a victim of domestic abuse and the drama, at least to me, tried to pin the blame on her. AS if she was at fault for being abused. "Why didn't you leave?" "I felt sorry for him." Anyone thinking that this means that she consented to being physical abused, please don't believe that anymore. This is how abuse works, it's insidious and it messes with your self views. A lot of abused people stay with their abuser for various reasons, that doesn't mean that the victim is not a victim anymore.
Further, the fact that, to my understanding, Korea would have locked up the Aunt for x amount of years for defending her own safety and the safety of a beloved sisters knocks me tf out. That man was swinging away at them, threatening them with violence and death and yet the mother was locked up for seven years and the sister felt guilty over killing the man. THEN add on top of all of that, after years and years of unresolved trauma and living in misery, when Hae Won finds out the truth instead of acting like a compassionate human being she basically tells her aunt that she's dead to her. For an accident. A mistake. Like a true mistake that disrupted all happiness for Shim Myung Yeo and she's been paying for it ever since but Hae Won takes that truth and does what with it? Acts like a total brat.

I would love, love someone to discuss this with me either in agreement or disagreement (respectfully) because I am completely blown away by how much this drama got me angry and upset by the end. What kind of commentary is that? What are we supposed to take away from this?

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Small town vibe

Likes: Seo Kang Joon's insane visuals. His sweet shyness. Kim Hwan Hee's hilarious cheerful spirit as his younger sister. Lee Jae Wook's comic timing

Dislikes: I didn't feel the sparks between the OTP nor did I really care for the story. The pace was too slow for me.

I think I'm just not a huge fan of these quiet type dramas like Something in the Rain or One Spring Night where the quietness fills the room. The pace is just too slow and I wind up getting bored. I only hung on because A) quite frankly, there wasn't much else to watch and B) Seo Kang Joon finally picked a role that he was suited for where I can finally indulge in watching his sweet shyness play out.

Unfortunately, I didn't really feel that cracklin chemistry between him and Park Min Young. It felt like acting. I usually only live for the OTP in dramas, but here I found myself more interested in Kim Hwan Hee's lively shenanigans or Lee Jae wook's funny situations. The drama has a small town vibe so if you don't mind things just sort of moseying along, then this might be up your alley.

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Short: This one is really slow paced, it's all about mood and feeling rather than action and drama. It's like sitting in front of a warm log fire and reading a nice book with a glass of wine. It's not going to be everyone's cup of tea, and it's a very different role for Park Min Young. It digs into the histories of some interesting characters and we watch them go through their lives briefly. I enjoyed it but sometimes, honestly found it difficult to stay attentive.

Detail:
Did I say it was slow? Like a glacier, and some times even slower than that. But it's not slow because it can't get to the point, or wants to just spread the story super thin. It's because the story is about the characters, the way they are handling wounds that might be new or decades old, how situations change and how the characters evolve around that.

I enjoyed it a lot, there's lots of nice slow tempo music which fits the pace and the views in the scenes are often stunning as it's set in Gangwon Province - not in the tree's like "Forest" but in a small village. We'll join in with a school reunion, with various activities the village people get together for, as well as following the various characters on their journey. Honestly i think I enjoyed this as much for the small slice of life it offers, a glimpse into a different pace and something that feels more traditionally Korean than some of the ones set in the busy hustle of the city.

There are some touching moments, and there are some downright comedic ones mostly thanks to Im Hui, who was absolutely the light in the show for me - she's a force to be reckoned with and her approach to life, her little outbursts and how she is with friends and family can be hilarious.

You need to be in the mood for something slow and relaxing for this one. If you find yourself in other dramas thinking "come on get on with it" - you're not going to enjoy this.

The only down for me is that I really didn't fully grasp the ending - I do tend to need *certain* things written in big neon lights for me to grasp them properly so while I was overall happy, I am largely just basing it on some assumptions of how I *think* they're trying to say things ended rather than actually knowing for sure. But that's ok, it's close enough :)

There's no reason this couldn't be watched over and over if you find yourself in the mood for the pace and story, if you have a lot on your mind and you want something that will just play in the background while your mind races away and not worry that you're missing things, it can be a good story to put on and hopefully calm your mind.

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I rarely ever write reviews of shows but I gotta write for this one.
Why? Because I saw a lot of poor reviews and it made me postpone watching this.

Let's get down to business now shall we?
This is a show for the patient ones. Those that are not seeking steamy fast paced romance. Those that want all the healing they could get. This show is the definition of forgiveness and healing. It balances out every emotion you could think of. Anger, sadness, pain, happiness, loneliness and just gives you general warmth.

Is this Romance?: Hell Yes. There's tons of romance in this. Beware though, it is not a romantic drama. This is a slice of life.

Why should I watch this?: The scenery, the ost's, the production, the actors, the story, EVERYTHING.

To All those that said this show is slow, I won't say it's not, but what I will say is, the pacing is perfect for the gem it is.

SPOILERS:
While watching this show, when Hae Won found out about the truth behind her fathers death, I discovered a lot of people called her selfish for leaving and going back to Seoul and for disregarding her family's feelings.

I saw it as the opposite. I saw a woman who was hurt by her family. A woman who went through so much hurt that could have been avoided if only her family communicated. A woman who needed time to accept that her family was messed up. To me Hae Won's reaction was spot on. I would leave too. I would be mad at everyone including myself. I would need space to reevaluate everything just as she did. Remember she had a hard childhood because her mum was a "criminal." Something she didn't have to go through. That being said, I commend her for leaving to sort out her feelings.

As for Eun Seob....I've never been a Seo Kang Joon fan, until now. I fell in love with Eun Seob as a character and Seo Kang Joon depicted the character so beautifully. A hurt child who never expresses himself but always wants too.

As for the supporting characters, I ABSOLUTELY ADORED IM HUI AND JANG WU. They were real comic relief.

THE OSTS: Beautiful

OVERALL? Watch this and decide by yourself. Don't follow any one's review. I personally will be re-watching this sometime later.

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Slow and atmospheric... in good and bad ways

I feel like I can say that I loved and disliked this show.

As other reviewers have all said, this is a very slow drama, but I didn't find it boring. I loved the atmosphere, the snowy countryside, the tight-knit community and heartwarming relationships. I liked how understated it was. I got invested in the characters' lives and wanted everything to work out.

However, I didn't find the story to be as coherent and consistent as I hoped. Too many plot points ended up dissolving in the evocative mood of the show. There's a lot of people smiling or gazing at each other over music, or a combination of music and vague voice-over commentary... but not enough story and not nearly enough dialogue. Yes, looks can convey a whole lot, but I also need to see some actual communication between the characters, otherwise it all gets very abstract and wishy-washy.
I also have to say that the very heavy themes that are touched on in this drama are just this: touched on. And they don't really mesh well with the otherwise cute and charming atmosphere of this country village.

In summary, I felt like this drama tried to be too many things at once and ended up losing its way. But I did think it was pretty, charming and touching at times. In the end, although I enjoyed watching it, I can't rate it any higher than a 6.

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A slow, melancholic drama with some gratifying moments scattered throughout.

When the Weather is Fine is simply not my preference. There are a number of ways you could describe the pacing of this drama and the events that transpire in each episode but personally, I struggle to find a word that is less harsh than boring. Maybe uneventful? The overarching past story-line was interesting, but the drama mostly revolves around the day to day lives of characters who are damaged, scarred, & pained because of past events. A majority of the characters i.e. the main cast, are individuals who have become tired and depressed, living in a trance, they are unable or simply unwilling to communicate with each other. There are triumphs, there are moments that I smiled and grinned about, but I would say those moments are not heavily prevalent; which I understand considering the past, but it just didn't appeal to me.

The reason I chose to watch this KDrama in the first place was Seo Kang Joon, so maybe I should've considered other factors. But I also love a good romance, so that drew me in as well. Seo Kang Joon plays Im Eun Sub who is quiet and thoughtful. He is not good at expressing his emotions and does not share his feelings and moods easily. He is a man of few words who has a caring nature but can come across cold because of his lack of outward emotion. At times he seems quite warm, and at other times his character's actions or lack thereof, makes him seem distant and closed-off. There were many moments where I was thinking, does he even like Hae Won? as he seemed so cool and reserved. (Ironic as she ends up having the exact same doubts at one point.) Park Min Young plays Mok Hae Won, who was a hard character for me to like at the beginning. She, like Eun Sub, was very quiet and withdrawn but she seemed to have no relationships or prospects. Eventually she starts to warm up as her life becomes less miserable, and you begin to see that there is life in her. She can at times be quite bold and open, but it is also evident that she has a justified bitterness to her. Her relationships with her family are distant and unsatisfying to watch. It takes time to understand their characters however and that might be why I felt it hard to enjoy the Drama until episode 7 or so. Their romance was slow going, but they did have some really sweet moments together and I did root for them. Seo Kang Joon & Park Min Young did a great job, I genuinely thought they performed well, but I just didn't fall in love with the characters that they played.

Lee Jang Woo & Ji Eun Sil were polar opposites of Im Eun Sub & Mok Hae Won. Their relationship is something that the writers tease you with the whooole Drama as they don't get much focus, but they were definitely a highlight point for me. I loved Eun Sil's straightforward cheery disposition and Jang Woo's awkward foolishly in love persona.

Im Hwi is another character that, because she is young and untouched by the hardships that the main characters dealt with, is quite refreshing. At first I found her obnoxious and immature, but I started liking her more and more as the episodes went on. Her carefree, honest, crazy and outspoken demeanor was just what I needed and I think my favorite relationship throughout the whole Drama was the relationship she shares with her non-biological brother, Eun Sub. Eun Sub shows such kindness and generosity to his sister and Im Hwi with her blunt honesty is so healing to Eun Sub and you could see how, without even knowing, Im Hwi reaches the coldest, most frozen parts of his heart. My favorite scene of the entire Drama stars these two. I think Eun Sub's relationship with his whole family is special to see, they fought for him and he remained loyal.

I had a hard time settling on a rating for this one since I didn't really get into it until about half way through and then the last couple episodes tapered off for me as well. There were some scenes in this drama that I loved, scenes that made me cry because they felt so real, scenes that I went back and searched up on Youtube just to rewatch, but I need more than "some" scenes in a 16 episode Drama.

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Too slow, too fast, or just right?

I both loved and loathed this show while watching it. As many others have said, it is a slow-paced, slice-of-life drama. The atmosphere of this show is really wonderful, with a great OST, lots of slow, lingering shots of nature and montages of people happily going about their daily lives in a small, country town. It is genuinely pleasant to watch, and I loved that aspect of the show.

The atmosphere fits in well with the slowness of the plot. The female lead is returning to her hometown, and you slowly get to know her and her troubled past in the first few episodes while you enjoy the atmosphere and get to know the area. It takes a while, but I did enjoy getting to know Mok Hae Won this way, with bits of her past interspersed with her present as she readjusts to country life. During this part of the show, the male lead is somewhat mysterious, with the viewer mostly learning about his feelings through his actions and the blog posts read at the end of each episode - you only know what Mok Hae Won knows.

This changes around the mid-point of the show, where they shift to show us more about Lim Eun Seob. This is one of the parts I didn't love - the show gave us a lot of time with Hae Won and her feelings, but it felt like they rushed Eun Seob's history in some ways. We solved most of his mysteries in the course of two or three episodes, between Hae Won's confession and the couple officially getting together. Honestly, this was the first drama where I was surprised when the couple kissed - I didn't feel like the show had adequately shown us Eun Seob's feelings and explained his change of heart after he initially rejects Hae Won.

I generally enjoyed most of the episodes from 10 - 14, as the leads were mostly happy together and we got to know the side characters. There were one or two episodes in this part which felt pointless upon reflection, but overall not terrible. Hwi and Jang Woo are the best.

Things went south again for the ending. The last two episodes just weren't very good, plot-wise, at least for the leads. The side plot characters felt like they all had their appropriately wrapped up endings, but I did not get the same feeling from the main couple. Their central "issue" as a couple was around their future - would Mok Hae Won stay or go back to Seoul? Would Eun Seob mysteriously run off again? Especially with Jang Woo's speech about finding happiness in simplicity and the overall atmosphere of the show, it felt like the point of the show was for the couple (esp Hae Won) to officially come to the resolution that their simple happiness was with each other in this small town. In the end, I didn't quite get the sense that they had done that. I'm pretty sure that's what happened, but it felt rushed. For once, I wished that the show had slowed down to show me a bit more. Somehow, in an incredibly slow show, the writers didn't have time to fully resolve the story of the main characters.

Basically - sometimes this show was too fast, sometimes it was too slow, and occasionally it was just right.

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