Because of its widespread popularity, "W" has attracted lots of criticism. I quickly heard about the drama when I first got into them, but because of such negative criticism, I stayed away from it. I finally decided it was time, though, so here we are.

I don't want to sit on its problems for so long, so I'll just overview some of it. First of all, there are a great deal of plot holes and points of confusion that aren’t really explained (despite the somewhat prolonged ending). Despite this, I would still argue that the pacing of the show keeps you so invested that the plot holes aren’t so cumbersome, merely occurring because “the plot demands it.” The concepts and points the writers are making with the plot points are so interesting as well that it makes it easier to suspend your disbelief.

The second problem for me is the ending. It is very messy and much darker than the more intriguing first half. In fact, it is shockingly dark, in my perspective, which contrasts with some of the themes and purposes of the show. Juxtaposed with the even more confusing story line, the second half and its ending dropped my rating from an 8 to a 7.

As opposed to the popular opinion, I do not find Jong Suk Lee to be the best actor. Despite having an entire character laid out for him, his fake smiles and flat deliveries struck again. Even if you don’t love him as I don’t, this won’t deter your entertainment from the show. But as a side note, shout out to Eui Sung Kim who did a great job.

Because the show is absolutely entertaining. Every episode brings sometimes several new plot twists that you never see coming (mostly because they are never explained, but still). There is a more philosophical take on life that I haven’t seen much in K-dramas which was fresh and enjoyable.

So even though it isn’t perfect and is full of choppiness and “wait, what?” moments along the way, I would say this show is worth watching for its interesting take on writing and life.

Side note: my rewatch value is always my entertainment value because I hardly rewatch dramas. As always, I am so appreciative of the work and efforts of the cast and production team into making this show. It is a lot of work to put together any type of work of art; and we get to enjoy it! So big shout out to them and those making it available to us.