Dragoste Urbană (2020)

The characters in this show are all flawed, but it's done in a way I find endearing.

The FL is selfish, but in a more complex way than that simply being it. She keeps everything she truly feels close to her chest, she doesn't want to burden others with her mistakes and her issues. This decision leads to her making more selfish decisions out of fear and avoidance of emotional vulnerability.

The ML is possessive, but in a way, the audience can find it endearing. This endearing feeling people have about his clingy and possessive acts leads them to demonize the FL in a way that I find unfair. He's flawed too and in a way I find uncomfortable. He can't simply live without her like for him life doesn't mean anything without her. To him, she is everything no matter how harsh or mean she is.

The side leads are equally interesting and definitely deserved more screen time. They try to explore ideas but just scratch the surface on a lot of them. Misunderstanding and Miscommunication are common themes as well as the desire to know if you are loved.

The plot itself is quite boring, all of its mundane or cliche but what makes the show interesting is the editing and the talking heads. To see how these characters lie to each other but then lie to themselves/camera, then to see how they communicate honestly about relationships to each other through the 'documentarian' is quite interesting and funny. The talking heads highlight the individual character's personalities with some answers being long intricate, others blunt, and some avoid answering entirely.

Some unignorable flaws are being unbelievable of some parts of the plot and the weird sidetracked ending. However, these flaws should make this title have THIS low of a rating. Lots of people's complaints are about the toxicity of the FL, which I don't find valid as we aren't rating how much we morally agree with a character (which I don't btw) it's about the show and story overall.

Finally, I should mention how this show could not have been pulled off by subpar actors. These actors carried this mishmash of a plot and eccentric directing style. The main leads had such range in what they needed to pull off and they did it superbly.

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Refreshing and realistic love stories

TL;DR
If you like a realistic love story between adults who have relatable baggage, you'll love this. Not to mention the eye candy and chemistry between the ML and FL.

I'll explain why:
It's been a few days since I've completed and I can't get the story out of my head! That's how emotionally invested I was. I wasn't sure what to expect from this drama at first, but I'm so glad I watched it. It's very relatable for people in their late twenties to mid-thirties, where you've had some experiences with love, but also understand that EVERYONE comes with baggage in a relationship. Lots of people seem to be hating on the FL—even though the ghosting is wrong, her fears are completely relatable (also given what she went through in her past). Some may say she is selfish, but her actions are based on her deep-seated fears and insecurities. I found myself crying a lot along with the FL as she worked through her insecurities and fears. Ji Chang Wook was perfect as usual in his role as the handsome and hopeless romantic (who also has his fair share of issues, even if they're less obvious). You can't help but root for him and feel his heartbreak as he pined away for the FL. I really felt his pain and confusion as he tried to figure out what the heck happened with their relationship when their connection was so magical and one-of-a-kind. Also, I thought his and Kim Ji Won's chemistry was amazing and only got better as the flashbacks progressed.

This drama is very realistic with no unnecessary love triangles, an evil person trying to break them up/harm one of the leads, overly controlling parents, an outlandishly rich CEO, etc. The interview format was interesting, although at some parts felt a little rocky as the interviewer started playing a role in the characters' stories and helping their relationships along (this wasn't a big deal for me and worked well in the end).

The side characters did a great job at adding some comic relief and I absolutely adore the friendship between the FL and her two besties. The only side plots that gave me question marks were the actress in the last episode and Minho's story. I wanted more of the FL and ML in the last episode even though their story wrapped up nicely by Ep 16.

I'll definitely be coming back to this drama at some point, especially when I need some encouragement and faith in relationships and self-love.

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So underrated, worths more!

This is the 2nd kdrama I've watched where Ji Chang Wook is the main character and I loved it as well. It was so full of intense feelings. He can reflect all the pain/happiness etc so good and the rest of the cast had the same energy (+their chemistry) which was ideal.

As for the plot, firstly this type of documentary/interview was so unique compared to other dramas. All this "everyone's possible to be connected" scenario is so realistic. You never know who you'll meet or if your paths will cross each others again. The uncompleted (summer) love is the second realistic case. Ppl suppress their feelings often, are feared to express or trust their heart and sometimes the timing is so wrong.

The ring situation reminds me of a very personal experience and it broke my heart. I knew exactly how she felt and why she had it saved.

As for the other two couples the first one is based on a slow burn/"waiting for you till the right moment" which is so innocent and cute (I'm so jealous over that) and the second couple broke up bc the fem character doesn't believe in a boy/girl friendship. Which is sad. There are genuine friendships out there between both genders and ppl still don't believe in them. The couple clearly didn't communicate it correctly to understand each other's side and perhaps try to solve this situation or any other possible prob rather than break up.

Overall, it was an enjoyable series. Perhaps it could've been a little more short but its still really good and more ppl should recognize its value. This isnt the rating it deserves!!!

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LOVE! A Must Watch!

What can I say? This drama was AMAZING! I loved the different perspectives the writer brings for each character.

The writer brought a fresh perspective to romance and got into the messiness that happens within real action ships.

I could relate to with the first ML because I have experienced being ghosted with no explanation. It does makes you a bit crazy especially when you loved that person. I had to accept it and find my own closure.

I definitely can understand how the First FL feels.

The acting was PHENOMENAL. The chemistry between the cast mates was so good! I enjoyed the highs and lows of the emotions with the characters. They are all flawed and that’s okay! Love is not perfection! It’s messy, bitter and sweet!

I would definitely rewatch this drama. The music was great! I really enjoyed it. I would recommend for the ppl reading the reviews to watch this drama for yourself!

It’s a different take and very refreshing than your typical drama!

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Luckily, only 30min/episode

I've watched a couple a k-dramas over the last weeks and apparently I've forgot to say something about them.
So, about this one. I've watched this drama 2 days ago. Thank (insert deity here) you get 30 min per episode. It went by in no time.
I'll start by saying it's something like a reality show, so that sucks. Even if the acting and the chemistry and the jokes were mostly fine, or even good, by making the actors look into the camera and say things, you get a low level drama.
Yes, the acting was good. The Main Lead Actor is very skillful, his range is quite good. I've seen him before (as did most of you, I'm sure) and he delivers, as usual. Maybe even more. The other actors were also good.
The cinematography and mixing are good to excellent. They did a good job. The director had some interesting ideas. Good ones. The soundtrack had a couple on decent, catchy songs. Most of them you'll enjoy.
The only downside of this drama is the story. The writer did a meh job. You need a whole season to get to some conclusion, because the Main Female Lead is made dumb just to get the story going. But as there are only 30min/episode, you get to the end in about 9 hours or so.
And that's it. You can watch it for the visuals and some nice acting. Have a lovely evening.

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Everything in this series works!

"Lovestruck in the City" is a rarity of a romantic comedy -- one that's actually funny. I was still laughing about the drunken palm blast even while writing this review.

PROS
1. Kim Ji Won is the reason I picked up this series and she really showcased her chops playing two very different aspects of a single character. I wanted to spend a week at the beach with one of them and hug the other. The candle lighting scene was so raw I felt all the feels. Her realistic portrayal of a woman who feels so much, yet shows a flat, cold front when overwhelmed rang true.
2. So Ju Yeon was pitch perfect and may have impressed me so much simply because I adored how she presented her character - a woman who is who she wants to be and makes no apologies, nor tolerates disrespect.
3. Ryu Kyung Soo did a marvelous job making a low key, taciturn character multi-dimensional. I was really rooting for his character and...
4. Han Ji Eun's shallow-at-first-glance, yet terrifying teacher character had the most interesting and surprising character journey of the series. Han Ji Eun took a tough, intimidating persona and made her 90% of why the comedy worked, and still delivered one of the most touching scenes of the show.
5. Kim Min Sook brought gravity to a character that could easily have been relegated to comic relief otherwise.
6. Park Jae Won wasn't my favorite character, his tenacity bordered on obsession, but Ji Chang Wook put all his emotions on the line to make it work.
7. Breaking the fourth wall - well, almost: by using a reality show interview style we got a view inside the heads of the characters and their perceptions of the story. It was fascinating to contrast what they claimed was their persona versus what they showed us through the action.
8. The scriptwriter crafted an original, nuanced, touching, and witty show that held enough turns to keep it interesting for 17 episodes. It's really, really hard to tell so many stories and be fair to all the characters; this is the most successful effort I've seen.
9. The director gave the cast room to develop their characters. The result of that is why my rating is so high. Also, that long shot of Oh Sun Young after her final meeting with Kang Gun was a heart punch.

CONS
1. Unlike some other reviewers I wasn't bothered by a pop-up romance in the 17th episode. It had been teased in the 16th, so it wasn't a total surprise, plus it showcased a previously underutilized character. What did bother me was the zero backgrounding of who these two characters were to each other and what was behind their familiarity.
2. Obviously the two leads are going to get together in the end, but it felt abrupt when it happened, a 180 from where the FL's character was previously. Maybe I just needed a little more transition on how the FL's character leapt to that point from her adamant push back until then. Perhaps even one brief shot showing her reluctance crumble.

So many things worked so well in this series that it deserves an 8+ rating overall and I'm baffled by the lower scores. I enjoyed every episode and would definitely rewatch the series.

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Uniquely entertaining and a MUST watch!

I have NEVER done a review. I usually rate a drama. So I am really sorry if my review is not helpful, lol! I took the chance to leave a review for this one because HONESTLY, do not let the rating keep you from watching this drama (currently a 7.9). It is such an interesting story, and I agree with other reviews that you have to be open-minded to enjoy the format fully. The reason I watched it was because the first review I read, stated " First and FOREMOST, the plot summary does no justice to what a beautiful, refreshing drama this is.
Lemme explain why 1. Don’t judge the rating...2. This is one of the most REFRESHING Korean dramas I’ve seen in a while."

That comment made me want to watch it, and I AM SO GLAD I DID. Refreshing is the word to describe this gem! It really is. The plot, the format, the characters, and just everything are refreshing. I honestly have not gotten butterflies from any drama recently, but the first steamy interaction between the FL and ML absolutely gave me butterflies! I loved it all!! Everyone's stories were, in a sense, realistic as in, not that it can actually happen in real life but that they, themselves, were very realistic. I think the way they acted (i.e.being frustrated with the situation regarding their partner or getting mad for their best friend) really felt like "down to earth," and I loved it. I also personally loved all the actors in the main cast (so I might be biased), Lol! BUT PLEASE PLEASE give this a chance. At least try the first three episodes to get used to the format and then enjoy it for its beauty!

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To be honest

To be honest, These stories individually are not much. We have heard these kind of stories countless times or even better stories altogether.
But what makes this Drama worth your time is it's storytelling. The way the characters are presented and their tales are told is very unique to say the least, nobody has done it like this ever.
Cinematography should be praised as well. All the shots edited together feels more like a book that a drama. It's like I am imagining the story while reading the book and surprisingly the shots exactly matches our imagination.
Screenplay is commendabe. Every shot is Shot to perfection. I would recommend watching the drama in higher pixel value to experience the full adventure.
To say the least, this drama is worth your time and It has the ability to stay in your mind for a long time.

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It started well but ended up as a mess!

Things I liked-
1. JCW was enough for me to watch the drama.

2. The sparkled fling between the leads. Though I love slow-burn romance this quick one also seemed interesting and enjoyable. I guess the quick romance is quite unlike in Kdrama and some reviewers I found complained about this. However, I enjoyed the quick start here. They set the plot from the very beginning where both the leads met, so I didn’t find it hasty. Some complained that they slept together too soon. So let me tell you, yes, that's called one one-night stand and if things are mutual then why not enjoy this as a viewer? To me, it was not weird, but rather quite realistic. Being single young adults things like that might happen when you are with a person you have a fling and the whole atmosphere is in the perfect mood. So yeah I didn’t mind it. Also love after sex is not uncommon.

3. Beautiful cinematography! Loved it. How they managed the past with vintage color grading was also cool. Though at the beginning it made me think whether it was in the 90s or something, I gradually liked that. OST! Perfect

4. Couples cute moments!! Absolutely loved their surfing moments in episode 3 and enjoying the rain and yes of course the pretended short marriage time in episode 4. Their chemistry seems real, although things were a little bit complicated then.

5. I liked the character Kyung Joon. Though he didn't get much space but among all the insane personalities he seemed rational and practical. I think I was able to connect to this character most. he deserved more.


Things I did not like much-

1. FL is the red flag! Like they said multiple times in this drama, She Is A Terrible Woman! Yes she is. If I ever ranked the worst FL in dramas, definitely she will make it in the top 3. Her character is super annoying and disturbing! I understand that She was devastated, heartbroken, cheated by BF, and suddenly unemployed. She was escaping from reality but after she met the ML she had her opportunity to start fresh. But NO, she acted like a clueless teenager, became melodramatic, and again decided to run away. Her behavior irritated me. Her reasons are absurd and definitely, she is not my favorite type. She was an OVER Thinking type which I don’t prefer personally. They show us her reasons- but her insecurity is unbearable. She decided to break up just on the first day they got together, still kept things going, and never discussed it with the ML even when they got to know each other and grew feelings for him, she stuck to her insecurity and came up with the absurd way to break up which is disappearing without any single clue! She knew she was wrong but never ever admitted her fault! That's disgusting man.

2. Though it was a fun watch, it lacked the depth and intensity of the characters and their backstory. Even though the episode runtime is relatively short It was a pretty long drama of 17 episodes. So why not put some effort into story building? But there was nothing at all! Like why the ML was so deeply in love with her? We watched many sweet moments but it would be good if we got to see more interaction, like real interactions not just kisses and skinship

3. Things were good up to episode 5 after that they kept dragging. Episodes 6 and 7 were Super boring, you can skip them if you wish, nothing significant actually happens. After that some events take place but it could be shorter. I had to watch at 1.5x speed.

4. After ML finds out the real identity of the FL he tries to make things up but FL continuously refuses him and at this time the show turns into a comedy show! They tried to make things funny, and added humour too. But why? This was a serious issue man! What the FL did made the ML emotionally devastated. He suffered a lot, became alcoholic while finding the right answer. Just put yourself in his shoes. It’s a torture. Then how come they make all these things light after they met each other! That is when the drama lost its charm to me.

5. Till episode 4 there were no significant updates on the other couple's relationship (oh right except that they also shared beds, lol). But they had their own story which we didn’t get to enjoy.

6. Rin Yi and Kyung Joon had their own story where despite having 7 long years of relationship they had untold stories. Their apparently perfect relationship had other sides I would like to see more but it remained just as a side one till the very end. That's disappointing.

7. In the last episode which I believe is the most critical one, rather than warping up the mess they created they just started a new story of Dong Sik and Hae na! What was that!!!

over all, the format was unique though can't say I liked it much. Did I enjoy it? yes, not a bad drama as a one time watch. Will I rewatch it? No, cause there was nothing to enjoy again and again. Not even JCW's kisses!

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