This is a series that finally looks through the looking glass from the other side. Instead of having one or more characters coming from wealthy, prominent families, we have four people in their late 20s struggling to make ends meet, just like most of us. What makes this series work so well is that you can relate to the characters.

If you want to get anywhere in life, risks are necessary. Vulnerability is necessary. Those who play it safe never truly get anywhere, and this series is about fulfilling your dreams and taking that big first step outside your comfort zone that just might lead to something great. Complacency and settling are the only true enemies to success. If you have a dream, you have to go for it and let nobody stand in your way. Teddy Roosevelt once said, “far better is it to dare mighty things, to win glorious triumphs, even though checked by failure than to rank with those poor spirits who neither enjoy much nor suffer much, because they live in a grey twilight that knows not victory nor defeat.” This series emulates this truth.

Ko Dong Man is a disgraced MMA fighter, who finds himself doing odd-jobs just to make ends meet. Of course, he hates his jobs, but perhaps not as much as he hates his abusive boss. Still, he knows that he’s not doing what he loves: being an MMA fighter. And he finally decides to go back to it. His best friend is childhood friend, Choi Ae Ra whose loves for Ko Dong Man is only matched by her overbearing, temperamental demeanor. She often acts more like a mother than a friend. Choi Ae Ra is a woman who is also stuck in a rut, working a thankless job at a department store. Her dream is to become an announcer.

Kim Joo Man and Baek Seol Hee are in a six-year relationship and are basically living together as well as working at the same company. However, they aren’t married yet as Joo Man believes that he needs to be able to provide a better life for Seol Hee, even though it’s apparent that Seol Hee doesn’t care about that. Joo Man and Seol Hee share a sweet relationship that has, perhaps, gone a little stale. This leads Joo Man to make some unwise decisions when a female co-worker shows interest in him. Unable to see the situation for what it actually is, he falls into the traps laid out for him by the co-worker.

All four characters find themselves navigating the pitfalls of jobs and romance as they struggle to eke something out of the dreams that each of them has for themselves. Is it possible? Isn’t it safer to just continue to work in a meaningless occupation where neither passion nor fulfillment exist? You might be surprised how many people actually believe that it’s better to play it safe. I’ve even heard parents tell their children this.

There is only one Adrian Balboa. I’m talking about Rocky Balboa’s wife who hated the fact that Rocky was a boxer and routinely got hurt. However, after going through her own fears, she understands that she hasn’t the right to stand in the way of her husband’s passion and dreams. Nobody has that right.

Choi Ae Ra is a woman who loves Ko Dong Man, but she hates the fact that he is an MMA fighter. It’s understandable. How can someone stand by and watch someone they care about continuously get hurt? She can barely watch the fights that he’s in, and most of the time, she is paralyzed with fear that she’s left in tears. It’s not for everyone. However, Choi Ae Ra makes the mistake of giving Ko Dong Man an ultimatum: give up fighting or lose her. This is an unfair and completely selfish demand. If a person can’t handle being around someone else due to their job (military, policeman, etc.) then that person has every right to step out of that world, but don’t ask that person to give up being who they are. I was thrilled when Ko Dong Man refused to give in to her ultimatum and stuck with his dream. After all, he’d already quit on his dream once. Understandably, he can’t do it again.

The cast is first-rate, with Park Seo Joon (Ko Dong Man) and Song Ha Yoon (Seol Hee) being the standouts for me. This is the fourth time I’ve seen Park Seo Joon, and he brings his boyish charm and great sense of humor to his roles. This one is no exception as he virtually steals every scene he’s in. We laugh and cry with him. Song Ha Yoon is the same for me. As much as I like Kim Ji Won, Song Ha Yoon has a veritable sweetness and childlike vulnerability that is captivating. When she is crushed due to Joo Man’s betrayal, she makes us feel it. She is also the more mature of the two female leads.

The series is quite light without any serious drama or any ridiculous love-triangles. We do have Park Hye Ran who keeps trying to get her ex-boyfriend, Ko Dong Man back, but after already been burned once by her, he shows absolutely no interest in her at all. I was relieved. I nearly cringed and said, “Oh, no! Not another love-triangle!” As much as I like K-dramas, they do tend to milk the “love triangle” a bit too much.

I was also pleased with the more mature approach to the relationships. After six years together, it makes perfect sense the Joo Man and Seol Hee are living together. And while we have just a few awkward moments between Ko Dong Man and Choi Ae Ra, it also made sense that they would have a desire to spend the night together. “We’ve known each other for 20 years! How much slower do we have to go?” they ask. It added charm and realism to their situation, which always felt natural rather than awkward. I also tend to cringe in dramas where any act of intimacy (even just hugging or kissing) is treated like a crime is about to be committed. I will say that the scene where Ko Dong Man and Choi Ae Ra accidentally fall asleep in the hotel room together was absolutely hilarious!

I absolutely love how expressive Korean actors and actresses are, especially when you get really good ones like these four performers. You feel everything they feel, and there is no shame in the expression. We see just how crushed Joo Man is when he breaks down in tears after realizing that his naivety has disastrous consequences, or Choi Ae Ra’s reaction to Ko Dong Man getting seriously hurt in his fights. I love how these actors are able to tap into those emotional wells as it makes it all so real and poignant.

If you’re looking for something light and fun as well as something that you’ll likely relate to, you really can’t go wrong with this fun and delightful series!