A refreshing story with missed potential
This show had the potential to be great but missed its opportunity by a thin margin. 7.5/10
Let's start with the notable positives:
- Fairly realistic characters
I must say that the characters were really fleshed out. I especially liked Seok Ryu's backstory since it is similar to mine. I liked that they highlighted that always being hard working and "perfect" is not a good thing and anyone can fall down and take a break to recover. Moeum and Danho also had charming personalities and just shone on the screen. Even SeungHyo who is seemingly perfect has his immature and stubborn sides which made him seem more human.
- The casting was perfect
The casting couldn't be more perfect. The actors had great chemistry with each other and it seemed real. Especially the actor for Danho, I couldn't take my eyes off of him. What a great discovery !
- Complex family dynamics
They really showcased the different family dynamics well. Not all family seems the same as it does outside and all families have their own problems. I liked that the parents were not always likeable and had their own flaws which is how most parents are. The writer is definitely talented in writing fleshed out and real characters.
Now lets move onto the notable negatives
- The hot and cold pacing
The pacing felt choppy. Some major issues were solved very quickly while some minor issues were dragged out. Some incidents happened so out of the blue that it was obvious to be a plot device. Something in the plot direction just didn't feel consistent.
- The lack of romantic tension
I actually liked the second couple more since they had more romantic tension than the main couple. Even if they were childhood friends, some sort of tension is required for us to relate to what they're feeling. Maybe because the actors are too good, the image of them being childhood friends was etched too strong in my mind. Their interactions in the story after that weren't strong enough to change that image. They absolutely had chemistry but not enough tension to keep me on my toes.
- Repetition of the same plot with obvious tropes
Every few episodes had the same framework. Seok Ryu gets caught for something by her parents, they fight, SeungHyo supports her, they reunite..... the same thing happened like three times in only 16 episodes. Then there was the ex-boyfriend arc which is to be expected at this point. But I couldn't stand the characters always talking to themselves. It was like in every episode and was just awkward to see mid 30s characters talking to themselves. Plus the PPL of the products were too obvious and felt like watching an ad in the middle of the episode.
Overall thoughts:
I Don’t mind slice of life dramas, they're actually healing to watch. I actually understood from the first episode that we're gonna see more about each character's growth and a slow burn romance. But I didn't expect that the pacing to be this choppy and the plot to have cliched tropes. They could've made it more iconic like "When the camillia bloom", "Welcome to Samdalri" or "Hometown Cha cha" but something was missing and left me unsatisfied in some aspects. In the end, I enjoyed myself to some extent and taste is subjective so this might work well for other viewers.
Let's start with the notable positives:
- Fairly realistic characters
I must say that the characters were really fleshed out. I especially liked Seok Ryu's backstory since it is similar to mine. I liked that they highlighted that always being hard working and "perfect" is not a good thing and anyone can fall down and take a break to recover. Moeum and Danho also had charming personalities and just shone on the screen. Even SeungHyo who is seemingly perfect has his immature and stubborn sides which made him seem more human.
- The casting was perfect
The casting couldn't be more perfect. The actors had great chemistry with each other and it seemed real. Especially the actor for Danho, I couldn't take my eyes off of him. What a great discovery !
- Complex family dynamics
They really showcased the different family dynamics well. Not all family seems the same as it does outside and all families have their own problems. I liked that the parents were not always likeable and had their own flaws which is how most parents are. The writer is definitely talented in writing fleshed out and real characters.
Now lets move onto the notable negatives
- The hot and cold pacing
The pacing felt choppy. Some major issues were solved very quickly while some minor issues were dragged out. Some incidents happened so out of the blue that it was obvious to be a plot device. Something in the plot direction just didn't feel consistent.
- The lack of romantic tension
I actually liked the second couple more since they had more romantic tension than the main couple. Even if they were childhood friends, some sort of tension is required for us to relate to what they're feeling. Maybe because the actors are too good, the image of them being childhood friends was etched too strong in my mind. Their interactions in the story after that weren't strong enough to change that image. They absolutely had chemistry but not enough tension to keep me on my toes.
- Repetition of the same plot with obvious tropes
Every few episodes had the same framework. Seok Ryu gets caught for something by her parents, they fight, SeungHyo supports her, they reunite..... the same thing happened like three times in only 16 episodes. Then there was the ex-boyfriend arc which is to be expected at this point. But I couldn't stand the characters always talking to themselves. It was like in every episode and was just awkward to see mid 30s characters talking to themselves. Plus the PPL of the products were too obvious and felt like watching an ad in the middle of the episode.
Overall thoughts:
I Don’t mind slice of life dramas, they're actually healing to watch. I actually understood from the first episode that we're gonna see more about each character's growth and a slow burn romance. But I didn't expect that the pacing to be this choppy and the plot to have cliched tropes. They could've made it more iconic like "When the camillia bloom", "Welcome to Samdalri" or "Hometown Cha cha" but something was missing and left me unsatisfied in some aspects. In the end, I enjoyed myself to some extent and taste is subjective so this might work well for other viewers.
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