Lovely, Classy, Unexpected
I really, really like this one. When I first started watching it I couldn't even get through the first episode, but something convinced me to give it another shot and I'm so glad I did.
Once you get past the first episode, awkward and uncomfortable as it may be, you suddenly find yourself knee-deep in a compelling, well-written story with interesting and likeable characters that touches on some more mature topics which it handles quite deftly.
The show's strongest point are its characters. They all have interesting and realistic character arcs and grow significantly over the course of the series. The strong focus on friendship as well as relationships is especially wonderful.
What's also rare is the way the show centers its female characters. They both have agency, they both have their own very distinct personalities, they don't serve as mere plot-devices to further the main relationship, and the depictions of male-female friendships are just amazing.
The story also does a good job of exploring the realities of being a young woman and the constant looming threat of predatory men without ever getting too violent or reveling in the characters suffering. There is also nothing of the "damsel-in-distress" archetype about Yu Na's character even when she does ask for help, and this also makes that particular plot thread work much better than it might have done in a different show.
Another aspect of the series that I loved was its grounded and direct approach to queer characters and queer issues.
Ro Ah's relationship with his friend, for instance, is unique in that they are both queer, but while they both know that Nam Jun is romantically interested in Ro Ah, Ro Ah doesn't reciprocate these feelings and they simply stay friends and even live together with very few problems.
Ro Ah draws very clear boundaries and is incredibly direct about his wants and needs regarding their relationship and when Nam Jun oversteps those bounds, Ro Ah takes a very firm stand in how unacceptable such behaviour is.
I have never seen this sort of dynamic depicted in a queer drama before (unless the end-goal is for the two characters to end up together, of course) and I was very pleasantly surprised by it.
The characters also directly address the concept of coming out rather than just alluding to it which I have also not seen before and which I absolutely loved.
All in all there is a lot to love about this little series and I encourage you to give it a shot. If you can get past there first episode you will find a show full of realistic and charming characters, that knows how to inject subtle humour and genuine emotion into an interesting and somewhat unique storyline. It's an underrated gem of a show and if you let it, I think it might just charm you as thoroughly is it did me.
Once you get past the first episode, awkward and uncomfortable as it may be, you suddenly find yourself knee-deep in a compelling, well-written story with interesting and likeable characters that touches on some more mature topics which it handles quite deftly.
The show's strongest point are its characters. They all have interesting and realistic character arcs and grow significantly over the course of the series. The strong focus on friendship as well as relationships is especially wonderful.
What's also rare is the way the show centers its female characters. They both have agency, they both have their own very distinct personalities, they don't serve as mere plot-devices to further the main relationship, and the depictions of male-female friendships are just amazing.
The story also does a good job of exploring the realities of being a young woman and the constant looming threat of predatory men without ever getting too violent or reveling in the characters suffering. There is also nothing of the "damsel-in-distress" archetype about Yu Na's character even when she does ask for help, and this also makes that particular plot thread work much better than it might have done in a different show.
Another aspect of the series that I loved was its grounded and direct approach to queer characters and queer issues.
Ro Ah's relationship with his friend, for instance, is unique in that they are both queer, but while they both know that Nam Jun is romantically interested in Ro Ah, Ro Ah doesn't reciprocate these feelings and they simply stay friends and even live together with very few problems.
Ro Ah draws very clear boundaries and is incredibly direct about his wants and needs regarding their relationship and when Nam Jun oversteps those bounds, Ro Ah takes a very firm stand in how unacceptable such behaviour is.
I have never seen this sort of dynamic depicted in a queer drama before (unless the end-goal is for the two characters to end up together, of course) and I was very pleasantly surprised by it.
The characters also directly address the concept of coming out rather than just alluding to it which I have also not seen before and which I absolutely loved.
All in all there is a lot to love about this little series and I encourage you to give it a shot. If you can get past there first episode you will find a show full of realistic and charming characters, that knows how to inject subtle humour and genuine emotion into an interesting and somewhat unique storyline. It's an underrated gem of a show and if you let it, I think it might just charm you as thoroughly is it did me.
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