Lee Doo Na! (2023)

A cliche love story about your pick me ex-idol next door & the ordinary boy she falls for.

***DISCLAIMER: This is just my opinion, we don’t have to agree and I’m not here to argue with anyone. This review is kind of long so please bare with me.***

A/N: I went into this drama blind without reading the webtoon or having any preconceived ideas.

Tropes: grumpy/sunshine, friends to lovers, on and off / toxic relationship

General Overview:

I kind of liked this drama because it is really nostalgic and takes you back. The cinematography is beautiful and it seems like it was meant to be a documentary or memoir of sorts recounting Doona and Won Jun’s experiences and how they crossed paths and essentially changed the trajectory of each others lives forever.

An ordinary guy and a superstar girl – that’s a cliche if I’ve ever seen one. I found it kind of tricky getting into this drama because the first 2 episodes are slow and you’re not really sure what exactly is going on because theres not much context but as you keep on watching and bridge the gap between episodes 2 & 3 and really delve into episode 4 & 5 things start heating up and becoming more interesting. I like the relationship between Doona and Won Jun because it shows us what a new adult / young love is and how at times it can be messy especially when there’s a lot of miscommunication thrown into the mix.

Their love story is by no means perfect but it’s also realistic in the way that other people watching can definitely relate to it and look back on their own past relationships / first loves and be reminiscent of a similar time / experience in their lives. Even if you have never experienced something like there are a lot of important life lessons to be learned.

I honestly feel like this drama lacked depth and they could’ve done so much more to better capture the struggle between wanting to live a normal life with your love and choosing to chase/ follow your dreams and be an idol. The ending sucked big time but again, I had already predicted it would be a sad/open ending by episode 5.

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A More Detailed Review (spoilers ahead):

Doona opens with Doona submerging herself in a pool of water and seemingly sinking to the bottom of it and drowning… I believe this is a reflection of how she truly feels on the inside.

The drama follows Dream Sweet Doona, a kpop idol who has fallen from grace and has taken a hiatus from being an idol due to an on-stage accident in which she stated she could no longer sing. We see her smoking profusely in a lot of the shots... we're not sure what's going through her head. Doona appears forlorn and despondent, as if she is fighting to find her place in the world while being neglected by the individuals she most badly wants to hear from. The number one person is P (her agent), who does not respond to any of her texts or phone calls.

As the story progresses we see Doona meet Won Jun and a love/hate dynamic develops between them. She can’t believe Won Jun doesn’t know who she is and that he’s not a fan as she sees him sporting a sweet dream hoodie. Anyways a uncanny dynamic develops between them and Doona finds herself annoying him and asking him out to eat for the fun of it. Won Jun thinks she’s only teasing him and is not actually serious. They get into a spat one night as Won Jun says something that hurts her feelings and sends her over the edge.

From there they make up and you see them hanging out and Doona giving Won Jun advice on love as Won Jun still seems to have feelings for this girl (Jin Ju) from his past. It seems they were almost high school sweethearts and did like each other but in the end things did not work out. Now a year later, Jin Ju has re-entered his life and Won Jun wants to obviously be more just friends but they keep missing the timing. I think this is essential to the plot because Jin Ju is a symbol of the past… and past memories while Doona is a symbol of Won Jun’s present and future. Back then, Won Jun was weak timid and was not able to confess to the girl he liked and win her over. This past Won Jun seemingly no longer exists as he is intrigued by Doona. He enters unfamiliar territory when he is with her and so she seems enthralling and fun to hang around. Even though Jin Ju and Won Jun have all the history and memories, it shows you can only hold onto a person for so much and no more. This was demonstrated when Jin Ju finally starts showing interest in Won Jun and was able to confess her feelings, he had already mentally moved on and was now interested in pursuing Doona.

Insights:

Doona lacks emotional intelligence because she has never led a typical/normal life. She also has trouble controlling her emotions, which I believe is related to her lack of emotional awareness. As someone once said, you have to be good with yourself before you can be good for other people. I think Doona needs to take care of herself and prioritize her mental health. It was very saddening watching her go through these psychotic breaks and moments of weakness completely alone. If “being in a room of crowded people and still feeling alone” was a person, that would be Doona.

Given that Donna appeared to have been groomed from the age of 13 or 14 until her early 20s, my heart ached for her. Doona became codependent on her agent as he effectively made her into an idol. It's obvious that the agent did not view her as a real person, but rather as a product or item. He was a manipulative man who only valued her when she was complying with his wishes. Her agent was simply emotionally absent and only doing his job but Doona misinterpreted it for love and concern. In essence, he exploited her as a tool as Doona only piqued his interest when she brought in big bucks and advanced his career. The moment the flip switched in her head and she told him she could no longer handle the idol life he became very cold and distant. It just showed that his affection for her was conditional on her performing and acting a certain way.

It's clear that Doona is a complex individual who has led a very one-dimensional existence. She had a one-track mind because her life was always regimented and linear. Her walls and fences gradually started to come down when her celebrity faded and she had some alone time without others chasing her, revealing the shell of a girl who genuinely needed to repair her inner child. Her mom dropped her off and was too busy coning others out of their money, so only her grandmother took care of her. She did not regard Doona as her daughter or child, but rather as a paycheck. She seemed more liberated and at ease when she spent time with Won Jun. I feel like hanging out with Won Jun made Doona feel free and ordinary. In a way he came into her life as a blessing.

Likes:

I enjoyed the cinematography and the setting. It was a very cozy and fitting drama to watch in the fall!

I liked Se Jong’s performance as Won Jun. It was refreshing to see a very emotionally intelligent man grace the screen. He literally was such a green flag and gave off the impression of a man who was ready to open his heart to someone who didn't appear to deserve him. Se Jong portrayed his innocence and naivety to perfection. It was endearing, but it also demonstrates how males are capable of feeling emotions and having strong feelings for the person they love. I can understand why he was only able to see the best in Doona because love is blind and gives people rose-colored lenses.

The chemistry between Won Jun and Doona was off the charts, if that's what you were mainly watching for. Warning if you are currently single this drama will definitely make you feel even more so. I felt like a third wheel or like I was intruding when watching some of their scenes because it was a bit intense and caught me off guard.

I thought Ha Young’s portrayal of Jin Ju was endearing. Her character brought so much light even in darkness and was one of the best to come out of this drama. Ha Young is seriously so charming on screen and has one of the best smiles I’ve ever seen. Her story was so tragic and she smiled and pretended to be happy on the outside to conceal the fact that she was actually breaking inside. She has strict parents which I’m sure people on here can relate to however the emotional and physical abuse she faced daily was so uncalled for. I liked how Jin Ju handled it with grace and eventually left her home situation. I was lowkey rooting for her and Won Jun in the beginning because she seemed like the of ray of sunshine he needed in his life. To me their personalities seemed more compatible than Won Jun and Doona but they took too long to confess how they felt. Even though her and Won Jun did not work out I am glad they are still friends… and you never know they might have missed their timing now but they could always reconnect years from now.

I also enjoyed the performances of the supporting cast. I-Ra and Jung Hoon were cute and I am happy they got together in the end. The friendship dynamic between everyone was refreshing and I’m glad they still met up to hang out and drink together rather than the friendship being lost after everyone moved out of the building.

Dislikes:

I must admit that Suzy's performance was not the best and fell flat for me. I believe she could have put more effort into truly selling the role. She mostly just posed in the scenes and kept on smoking and sighing which got really repetitive. She seemed to be in unfamiliar territory and did not have a similar experience to channel when playing Doona (a pop star fallen from grace) This led me to believe that she had never really had a had first-hand experience with despair, mental health concerns, and depression / loneliness as an idol. This role was clearly daunting for her and it showed.

In the 3rd act conflict when Doona saw her ex (the agent) and dropped Won Jun’s hand not once but TWICE I was pissed. Like that was an immediate red flag! And then she legit got in the car with the ex and didn’t like that he wasn’t reassuring her and saying all the things she wanted to hear then she opened the door, threw herself out of the car and hurt her foot?! That was absolutely psychotic and batshit crazy. Then she wants to come crawling back to Won Jun and playing the victim?! LOL this was so toxic and messy but at the same time realistic portrayal of young (blind) love. But more seriously, in those moments I questioned if Doona actually had any care or sympathy for Won Jun or his feelings. She was saying one thing but her actions always consistently proved otherwise. I guess this is what people would call a contradictory character but to me it was apparent she needed to work on herself because her behavior was deplorable.

The miscommunication between the leads was absolutely unnecessary and they could have fixed their issues with a simple and honest conversation. When Won Jun asked her if she’s back bc her agent didn’t want her I was like damn! Get her again for me. Being the other person, who appears to be someone's fallback or backup plan in case they can't get the main person they're seeking, is a tragic situation. The exchange between Doona and Won Jun eloquently encapsulated how awful it is.

I was irritated by the agent's attempt to minimize Won Jun's significance. He pretended to be concerned about Doona's welfare, but his true motivation was to use her as a means of generating income for himself. He presents himself as superior to everyone else and shows pretends like he has no concern for those so-called "kids." Mind you he's in their business 25/8 and suggested they break up immediately. In my opinion, the agent acts like a whiny boy who gets upset when he doesn't get his way in a situation.

9 episodes seemed too short but also too long because if you think about it this drama could’ve easily just been a 2 hour movie lmao… there’s so much unnecessary dragging out of the plot.

As I reviewed my episode ratings, I realized that I only ever gave one episode an 8/10, while the others received ratings between 4/10 & 6/10. IMHO, this drama suffers from a severe lack of depth and overcompensates by focusing too much on ridiculous relationship drama. It does far more showing than actually telling. Then again, there is only so much they could fit into 9 episodes. Realistically speaking this drama only needed to be about 5 or 6 episodes long, after that it became tedious and started to drag on.

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Quotes I liked:

"Of course we won’t always know everyones story entirely because we all have a version of ourselves that we want to hide from the world."

“You once said to me that you and I come from two completely different worlds. That you never could’ve imagined we would ever cross paths. So to find ourselves sitting side by side was purely by chance. Or maybe even an act of destiny.”

“You may be right that we met by chance. But I’m still happy you were the one I met.”

“It’s not the people who were never there to begin with. But it’s when you lose the people that were always there from the start. That’s enough to drive you really insane.”

“You’re selfish and unstable and you hurt me without even thinking twice about it.”

“You came and totally flipped my world upside down! But still I’m feeling crazy because I want to be the one that you want.”

“Blaming the winner when you lose is really only going to make you look a lot more pathetic. It’s a bad look.”

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Final Thoughts:

Overall this drama is the definition of a friends to lovers, toxic love story with miscommunication at the forefront. It was comforting and nostalgic in the way that sometimes you need a soft drama which you can relax and watch without focusing too much on a heavily plot driven story.

Doona is champagne problems coded. She is a bloody disaster waiting to happen. I believe most people only like this drama because of the “steamy” or “hot” kissing scenes, which to me is viewing this drama through a one dimensional lens. Chemistry alone is not enough to sell me on this drama or make me give it a high rating, if that was the case for all dramas what would be the point of watching and rating? Exactly. Additionally, ML also had chemistry with SFL but majority don’t care about that or don’t want to recognize it simply because toxicity sells.

Should people should watch it or not? I have no idea, it depends on your taste and if you enjoy cliche and predictable dramas or not. It seems like a drama for persons who enjoyed Nevertheless. As I said it's difficult getting into the drama because of the slow pace and I'm not sure how many people would actually stick around to see their relationship "progress." Their relationship is chaotic and toxic so if you do decide to watch brace yourself!

Would I rewatch this? Absolutely not. Once was enough for me, I don’t think I could put myself through all this drama again. These miscommunications could’ve been fixed with a simple conversation but no, the writers just wanted to drag out the plot and make it seem deeper than it actually is.

In my opinion, people encounter stories like these on a daily basis, but most of them romanticize the toxicity and fail to highlight the difficulties that come with relationships and the desire to be wanted or chosen in the same capacity / way that you pour love and care into your partner.

What was frustrating while watching was the fact that both characters had their short comings but Won Jun was willing to overlook all that and give Doona a chance but she was not emotionally available / mature and just carelessly played with his feelings because what she needed at the time was therapy not his attention and comfort. Even though Doona knew they wouldn't last in the long run, she effectively used Won Jun as a place holder in her life. Doona is a real emotional wreck, and I was annoyed to death the entire time I was watching.

Nevertheless, even though the plot is superficial and shallow, I also believe there are many valuable things that both younger and older individuals may learn. First and foremost this should serve as a warning or guideline for people who attracted to emotionally unavailable, toxic individuals and manipulative individuals. It's common to overlook signs and view your partner positively / want to see the “best” in them due to love or fear of loneliness or abandonment. However, it is crucial to recognize these patterns to avoid getting caught in harmful cycles. Doona and Won Jun both lack secure attachment, I believe she leans towards dismissive avoidant where he leans towards anxious attachment. That, coupled with Dona’s BPD, abandonment issues, her constant mind games and breadcrumming can be exhausting. In my opinion, what they both need is professional help.

On a brighter note, another messages that can be taken from this drama is to cease the moment, learn to be emotionally intelligent, go after what / who you want before it’s too late. Some people believe Won Jun and Doona ended up together but I believe they met each other at a time in their lives where they both needed each other. Simply put, not everything is meant to last forever and if you ever want to find happiness, you have to learn to be okay with that.

IMO, this drama was is not that great and pretty forgettable for me. After assessing everything I settled on a 6/10.

Once again, this is just my opinion, you can watch it & see for yourself!


Thanks for reading and happy watching!

˚ʚ♡ɞ˚

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"What's It Like to Date a Walking Red Flag"

That's what this title should be called...

I watched the animated version, (The Girl Downstairs) and now having watched the live version, my opinion hasn't changed. I was very surprised when I heard that they were making a live version of this because IMO, it really wasn't worth it. While the storyline vastly differed from each other (webtoon vs live action), the main characters were the same. This is probably one of the shallowest k-drama I've ever watched. Usually, you might see some immature ones like you find with some high school genres but this one certainly had no real, true depth.

The FL was a huge, walking, waving RED FLAG right from the beginning. She had no charming traits to her at all. A smoker, a drinker and basically a hothead. She obviously had some serious mental issues and was very unlikeable. The only reason you can think of why the ML falls for her is because of the physical attraction and all the moves she was pulling on him. After finding out the reason why the SFL, Jin-ju, left him in the first place, you sympathize with her and honestly, I was baffled as to why he never chose her. Jin-ju was way better than Doona. You only get glimpses of Doona's life and whatever the ML read about her online but she never once really opens up about herself at all. She just expects the ML to put up with her closed off attitude and he embarrassingly does.

Halfway through this, I was getting sick of watching the ML just get used and abused by the FL. He was constantly apologizing to her and putting up with her tantrums, mood swings and silent treatment for no good reason. He put up with so much of her BS that you lose respect for him early on. By the time EP7 came around, the minute she got into the Manager's car, I basically threw my hands up and gave up on both of them. The ML remains a pushover the entire time. It never stopped right from beginning to end and there was absolutely NO character growth from the FL at all. Four years go by and yet she remained self-centered, obsessive, whiny, and demanding til the very end. She never seeks any professional help. She could've used some serious therapy. In all honesty, it would've been good to see her talking to a therapist or doing some kind of work on herself like meditation. At least then it would've shown some self-reflection or inner work and it would've shown the audience that there's professional help and some options available to those who need it. That even "idols" could use some help.

In regards to the side characters, they contributed almost nothing to the story. The writer just couldn't write anyone having a real, heartfelt conversation. Like why did the FL's mother even bother making an appearance and nevermind the ML's family or best friend? All the side characters were just fillers. All the non-verbal communication was just irritating and frustrating to watch. I didn't even care about all the intimate scenes because I didn't care much for the ML and FL and especially the side characters. At least the side characters showed some changes and personal growth and I didn't even care for them.

It was really strategic and lucky that Netflix dropped all episodes at once as I think it would've been a lot different and worst if we had to wait for 1 or 2 episodes weekly. Overall, a hard pass on this one.

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Doona: Lost Potential & Mixed Signals

"Doona!" began with a premise that promised an intriguing dynamic between its main characters - Doo Na, a former member of the girl group Dream Sweet, and Won Jun, a college student unaware of her celebrity status. Their initial misunderstandings had the potential to craft a compelling narrative about identity, fame, and genuine connections.

However, as the episodes progressed, the series seemed to lose its way. The first episode depicts Lee Doo-Na (brilliantly portrayed by Bae Suzy) in a prolonged state of introspection, seemingly detached from Won Jun (played by Yang Se-Jong). This sense of detachment quickly shifts in the following episode, making Doo Na's motivations perplexing. A subtle indication of her character's emotional volatility could have been appreciated, but the stark contrast between episodes feels inconsistent.

A significant subplot that added to my confusion was Doo Na's complex relationship with an older character, her manager P. This relationship, seemingly oscillating between paternal and romantic feelings, could have been a deep dive into Doo Na's psyche. Instead, it felt like an underdeveloped plot device that only muddied the waters. The series tried to touch upon Doo Na's inner turmoil and her need for validation, but the execution often felt superficial, making her actions seem capricious rather than profound.

Throughout the nine episodes, there were moments that felt drawn out, such as prolonged smoking scenes and introspective silences. While such scenes can be artistically valuable, in "Doona!" they often felt like fillers, detracting from the overall pacing. The dialogues, though meant to be meaningful, often fell short, leaving me craving more depth and clarity.

In conclusion, while "Doona!" had the potential to be a nuanced exploration of fame, identity, and relationships, it felt disjointed and, at times, directionless. The series tried to tackle complex emotions but often skirted around them, making the narrative feel somewhat hollow. I had high hopes but was left with a sense of unfulfilled potential.

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Careful diving into this drama, you might hurt yourself from its shallowness.

Started with a promising premise. All humans, regardless of how famous, smart, or well-off, need love and healthy relationships. Instead of seeing true growth from our leads, we get an ill-advised relationship that was doomed to fail because the deep-rooted issues were never addressed.
Filmed with soft tones and moody vibes, you couldn't escape the shallow interactions and conversations between most of the characters, especially the FL and ML. Doona's persona (looks and vibes) appeared cartoonish, with just enough emotion and doe-eyed stares to take you along for the ride. She insists on wearing crop tops because, you know, when you abandon the K-pop industry, you want to be sure you still look the part and don't get me started on the creepy groomer vibes from the person she's obsessed with.
She meets a seemingly well-grounded, sincere guy who really wants to be her friend and help. Unfortunately, the way it's written, his mind's intellect, and his heart's good nature were no match for the urges in his pants. She needed therapy, not a boyfriend. We get the ending we did because it actually makes sense!

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Feels very realistic and like a movie

Everything was done at a very high professional level and it felt like a movie I just hate how they didn't end up together. As soon as Doona's manager kept coming back after abandoning Doona I just knew her relationship was over and it was gonna be a bad ending. I mean she was able to become a popular singer again but her romantic relationship was over they also gave you an opening ending as well which I hate. I really wanted Won Jun and Doona to have a happy ending but they don't.... you would think after a while of being apart when Doona and Won Jun meet up again they would get back together but they leave you on a cliffhanger after they reconnect so you don't know if they are friends, get back together or their meetup was just a once off after they said they missed one another. Which is a shame cuz the whole series is good but the ending makes me hate the drama entirely and don't recommend it if you are like me and want to see them be together.

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A drama with a very toxic relationship

Honestly, Doona went so viral! that by default I ended up watching it. The first two chapters were really slow and boring. I'm one of those people who, although the chapters can be slow and boring, I have to finish watching it.

After watching Donna! I had a good time of reflection to put together the ideas I had in mind.

I can understand Donna to some extent. It is very exhausting to be an idol and when you need time to rest your mind, everyone abandons you when you no longer generate income. Clearly Donna's childhood was taken away from her and she became very emotionally codependent on her manager, which made her very mentally destabilized when he abandoned her. Because he didn't want her, he just used her until she stopped generating income.

She meets an ordinary boy who doesn't even recognize her because he wasn't her fan. Which bothers Doona.
A toxic friendship/lovers dynamic is created between them.

I don't think Doona loved him, like Won Jun loved her. He was willing to change anything that bothered Doona in order to be with her but Doona was not. And that's because Doona lacks emotional responsibility. She just played with him and his feelings, so she wouldn't feel so alone.
But he really didn't care at all what Won Jun felt or how he hurt him. He only cared about his own needs.

Doona is like the main character of Nevertheless, but in a female version. She is a big red flag that you should avoid if you don't want to get hurt. You know that kind of person who is only with you and plays with you and your feelings, but without really committing to the relationship. It's like being on a seesaw with her, you don't know when she'll get off the game and leave you alone.

I really felt bad for Won Jun, on many occasions. You could see his determination to make things work somehow but he never really got it because of how capricious Doona was.

The chemistry is palpable, but Suzy (who doesn't really stand out for her acting) didn't know how to handle the complexity of Doona's character.

I haven't really read the webtoon, I just watched the drama. I don't know if it's because I needed more chapters or what but in the end I felt empty.

I don't think (and I hope for Won Jun's mental well-being) that they will stay together. They were just two people who met through life circumstances. You know? You don't always have to stay with that person. And even more so with a person who does not know how to manage and take responsibility for their actions or feelings. That can be very destructive for you.

I'm enjoy the drama? Not really. The only thing I liked is the cinematography, Doona's look and the performance of the actor who played Won Jun.

I recommend it? I don't know, if you enjoyed the turbulent relationship of the protagonists of Nevertheless, I can say watch it. If, on the other hand, you don't like this type of relationship, then I recommend that you don't watch it.

It is also my opinion, you can see for yourself if this drama is for you or not.

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The contradiction between the message and the actual execution

The only reason I watched this was because of the stunningly beautiful actress.. It is available on Netflix.

The series is basically a tribute to her beauty, because there is no serious plot, no significant or human dialogues, and certainly no chemistry. The actor is completely out of her league. This could have worked if at least he had an interesting personality, but there was nothing about him, including his appearance, that was worth the heart or moved me. He acts okay, he is overall handsome, but there was nothing that made him attractive enough in a series that mainly does close-ups of beauty and faces.

We certainly got to see every possible angle of the beautiful actress's face, but at the same time, there was really nothing to see when they showed the others.
I was also very, very surprised by her blatant dress style. It wasn't like this in Korean dramas a few years ago. I was very surprised, a lot has changed, and it's a bit hard to digest.

It even contradicted the whole message of the series, where she suffers from being looked at for her body, takes slimming pills, and in the end, they focus on her body.

Another annoying thing was the cigarettes. It was censored until today inSK drama. Suddenly, we see the long continuous advertisement for cigarettes, and it causes more nausea, as if to connect beauty with the stench of this disgusting product.

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Too much “aesthetics” for me

The photography is undeniably beautiful, but they went overboard with the sheer number of completely silent scenes. You can count on your fingers the moments when the soundtrack fills a dialogue-less scene. They went too far in the name of "aesthetics," and sometimes I wondered if I was watching a mediocre alternative indie short film.

About Doona: this is your typical "not like other girls" story, and it's getting a bit old.

Personally, I found her to be an insufferable character - she doesn't elicit any empathy. She's traumatized, selfish, clueless, and has the emotional intelligence of a rock. She refuses to explain herself, making it hard for the viewer to understand her journey and empathize with her story.

Wonjoon ends up being a pitiful character, letting himself be dragged along by Doona even though it's clear she's incapable of relating to others. He takes too long to question her, and when he finally does, he doesn't do it right.

The only thing that made sense to me was the ending. Even then, it was one of the weakest stories of the year.

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Pretentious !

Not one of the best for me . Fortunately it only has 9 episodes so it made it easier to watch .
It is a bit of a cliché , young bright student leaves his town to come to Seoul to study and falls for a type of " femme fatale " girl who happens to live in the same house .
She has problems and issues , she smokes a lot . He thinks he can help and so they fall for each other . He discovers "love " or rather " sexual attraction " , She distracts him a lot and I wonder when he ever found the time to study ! There was little chemistry between the lead actors . He is sullen , she is exhausted most of the time !
His ex-girlfriend is a nice friendly girl who has feelings for him but he rejects her .
The story goes back and forth , not all the issues are resolved , and whether they are still together at the end or not does not bother me . I am glad not to have to see any of them again .

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Such a Disappointment……

Ranted in the comments, making it into a review. After reading the Webtoon since its very beginning, I’ve been waiting for a drama adaptation for years. Although the ending may not be everyone’s cup of tea, the rest of the story and plot had such good potential for one of the best rom-coms/slice of life’s this year. Completely ruined the drama with Ira being Joon’s childhood friend, and just not including so many important and memorable scenes like the school festival or Kook Su Jin fanboying over Doona at the shared house. No dream trip to Hawaii either? Wasted cast too, Suzy was the perfect actress for this role, her acting has improved so much over the years and gets dealt a terrible script and story. Ending was terrible too, just let Joon and Ira end up together, why leave it open-ended? Satisfies no one. Only positives are the cinematography and OSTs, great work there.

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Bizarre Script and Editing Suppress Excellent Performances

Doona really missed the mark.

Like many Kdramas, the beginning is interesting and draws you in. This is a story about two unlikely lovers: the male lead, a struggling, earnest student/tutor working hard to secure his future who happens to cohabitate in the same house as the female lead, a former Kpop idol who acts brash but hides her vulnerability . For the veteran watcher, this appears to be a healing-love story that you've seen before, but smart, ethereal cinematography and powerful performances by Suzy, Yang Se Je Jong, and the supporting cast make it a special experience.

But unfortunately, a truly bizarre final episode manages to subvert all of the hard work put into Episodes 1-8. I won't spoil it for the curious reader who wants to experience the Kdrama for themselves, but for me, the ending was not earned by the story's progression: characters acted in ways that weren't true to their personalities, and for me, it seemed like the showrunners were trying to put into a double twist-of-fate, but for me, it backfired and just became weird.

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