A good rom-com that is so grounded that you can build a house on it

Japanese drama love to explore weird and quirky scenarios and characters. This show is almost the opposite to that which is quite refreshing. Other than one brain explosion from the FL which set up the whole “quirky” main plot, the rest of the show is surprisingly grounded. Of course, there are some over-the-top characters like the FL’s parents, but they are largely inconsequential to the bigger picture.

If you are thinking that this show must be boring, then you are mistaken. It is actually very enjoyable and endearing to watch. This is largely because of the chemistry of the leads. They are both introverts but they are also soulmates just needed a chance to meet. With that type of personality, you don’t expect fireworks, but it is the methodical exploration of their feelings and the steady growth in their relationship that we are invested in.

The show is not without angst but the bulk of it is self-inflicted. The ML is so awkward around the FL that you don’t know whether to laugh or cry most of the time. It is just as well that the FL wears the pants in this relationship, and it is she who teased and nudged the ML out of his shell. There are other challenges which our OTP has to work together to overcome, and we bear witness to their growing attachment as a result. The 2OTP is also well written. It was not the usual fast track to romance like most 2OTP setup. It was full of uncertainties and trials. There are some really heartfelt moments with their interaction as well.

Acting is good from the pair of leads. There is an honesty in their portrayals. They don’t scream for attention, quite the opposite but watching their interaction is calming and gratifying. You just want to fan their little spark of romance; you want them to succeed. As I mentioned before, some of the support cast can be a bit loud but they provide most of the comic relief, so it is to be expected.

Actually, I stand corrected, the show can be quirky too. Every episode there is a segment where the FL would face her demons in a cartoon-y imaginary world. These segments are certainly cute and quirky. All the main characters do a happy dance during the end credits which is an unexpected highlight for me. The theme song is such an earworm.

At 11 episodes, the show is easy to binge and rewatch. There is an 2 hours special which was released several years later.
P.S. For bonus points, tell me the relationship of the leads in real life.

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A tropey show that was stretched to the limit

This Show started fine. The meet-cute was functional and the first few episodes motoring along setting up the relationship between all the characters. However, this is when cracks start to appear. First of all, this Show is tropey. It has all the cliché situations lined up one after another. Many shows are tropey, but this Show was rolling in them and make it too predictable. Secondly, the pacing is slow and got slower as the Show progressed. It is a classic case of stretching a thin plot to fill up as many episodes as possible. Honestly, you can half the episode count, and it will be a much better show.

The Show is, unsurprisingly, split into two main themes, the various romances and business shenanigans centred around the "hostile" takeover of the hotel managed/owned by the ML and his sister. On the business side, everything was focused on the hotel. It would have been decent if there was some clever business manoeuvring but it mostly came down to dirty tricks and back stabbing. It was good that the leads were shown to be able to stay one step ahead of the schemes but it went on for the entire length of the show and the plot was definitely wearing thin. On top of that, the obsessive behaviour by the antagonist was never fully explained. Was it revenge or spite?

On the romance side, the chemistry of the OTP is not particularly strong. There is a bit of skinship, but the kisses shot from afar looked staged and the closeup ones are awkward. There were the usual push-pull and then it just coasted along until we were served the longest non-breakup breakup that went on for too many episodes. It was draggy to say the least. The FL certainly did most of the heavy lifting in this relationship. Honestly, the 2OTP’s love line was actually cuter and more engaging. Sad to say that there was barely any skinship with the second CP.

Acting wise, it is a mixed bag. The ML’s sister was given a lot of screen time and she has mental health issues, but her storyline seemed muddled and darts all over the place. Sometimes she is normal while other times she was out of control. I understand that it is symptomatic of certain type of mental illness, but the problem is that the actress portraying that role is not up to the task. Her delivery is either flat or over the top, there is little nuisance to her acting and made her character unrelatable. Yes, she needs help (which was not given) but the script needs help too. On the other hand, the ML was just flat for the bulk of the Show. At first, he was the aloof GM of a luxury hotel so you can say that he is in character, but as time goes by, you can sense that he is really not giving 100%. Maybe because the role is not challenging or maybe he was typecasted, he was just going through the motion. It was workmanlike but hardly inspired. Thankfully, both the FL and the 2ML did a much better job and are more engaging.

The Show is watchable if you don't mind the draggy pace and simplistic story. There are nice moments, but it was just too long and the thin plot cannot sustain it and only served to exposed all the shortcomings of a mediocre show. I didn't drop the Show but I watch a good portion of it at 1.5x speed which is about the right pace for me. Not a rewatch.

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A likeable youth sports romance that is big on R but small on S

As OTP goes, they have hit the jackpot with this pairing. Both are good actors and their chemistry was great. The height difference is bonus for some viewers but at least it is not so exaggerated that the FL gets a crooked neck just trying to look the ML in the eyes. 

I'm particularly happy for the ML as he has been the "best man" in several dramas and now it is his turn to shine and show us what he can do in the lead role.

While on the whole, the show was good and enjoyable, it is not all sunshine and unicorns either. First of all, the show was slow in pacing. There was little doubt that the OTP were the chosen ones but there was a lot of push-pull and denial, mostly from the FL, and this went on for two third of the show. Several times during that long lead up to the confession, there were opportunities to just say the magic words and seal the deal but each time they (or individually) would push back and shout "we are only friends!" Even though they were practically confessing a minute ago. It slowed down the whole proceeding and extending the show by several episodes (probably by design). With no serious love triangles in sight and growing impatient from all involved, it was frustrating to watch and doesn't give us much rewards for hanging on.

The unicorns finally came out to play after the confession and you can almost feel the collective sigh of relief and everything just looks so much brighter and happier. Even subplots that threaten the leads sporting careers felt less threatening as we can see how supportive and loving the leads are to each other and you can really get behind them. I suppose one of the reason for the "go slow" in the early parts is that they were supposed to be elite athletes in figure skating and speed skating respectively. So some time and efforts were devoted to setting up that storyline and all the trials and tribulations that entails. The only problem is that both leads can skate but they are not even within shouting distance of an elite athlete. So lots of trickery were used to try to convince us otherwise. Cropping the shots strategically, a bit of CGI on doubles' faces, wide shots and moving rigs/platforms for action close-ups were used. Some were passable while others almost laughable. That plus the drawn out romance really made the first half a slow dance on ice.

With the focus largely on their developing romance, the sports aspect is given a more superficial treatment. Yes, lots of training scenes but they felt like b-rolls. There are lots of repetition but not a lot of details and tactics. Just do it, do more and try harder. It is even worse for the figure skating. A lot of the time the coach is just there to video the skating on his phone. Where is the choreography? Where is the review/critique/technical discussions? Just shouting "good/push harder" on the side line is not coaching. So if you are into figure skating or speed skating then this show will make you groan but otherwise, the sports are just backdrops and take up screen time between the romantic bits. It is ok but please don't look too closely.

There is a 2OTP and they are cute and sweet but they definitely played second fiddle to the leads.

In general, the writing is very text book youth drama. There are no shocking twists, there are ups and downs with their careers, friendships and love lives but every setbacks leads to breakthroughs. Old wounds will resurface but everything will be resolved in the end. Every dark cloud have a silver lining just about summed it up.

OST is nice and cheerful. You won't be humming anything afterwards but that's not the point. Rewatch is similar, it is a nice and easy watch but there are few highlights that will make you want to watch again and again.

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Watchable rom-com that can test the patience of the Buddha sometimes

I enjoyed this show but it can be exasperating as well.
I liked how dorky, serious and sweet the ML can be but he can be overbearing. Don't even get me started on the grandma, she is the classic smiling assassin who ruled her clan with silk lined iron fists.
My one big gripe with the ML is that I wish he would grow some backbone. He was totally under the grandma's thumb. The whole breakup to spare the FL more pain is the worst trope in my book. I would have much prefer the ML to stood up to the grandma and give her both barrels for ruining his brother's and now his life. Is he that wedded to the temple? He could get another job and just live happily with the FL in the suburbs.
While his brother was a sly character, at least he knew who was to blame for his sufferings and he also gave the grandma a serve which she deserved. I mean after all the pain she inflicted on the FL she was finally swayed by one goodbye letter from the FL to the ML? I just feel that she need to get some kind of comeuppance.
There is definitely a second lead syndrome happening which is rare with newer dramas which tends to demonise the SML. It was good that the love triangle(s) weren't serious but that poor man (the boss) deserved better and largely came down to a string of miscommunications or failure to communicate and there are lots of communication problems in this show, too many in my opinion.
I also wish there is more substance to the 2OTP (Mr Arthur). It could have been a lot sweeter but it was a caricature for the bulk of the show. The CP actually has a lot of potential and chemistry. There is a 3OTP (age gap love) which was even more perfunctory.
On the whole, it was a watchable but tropey rom-com with so much overacting (the FL's parents need to take some chill pills LOL). I'm not as engaged with the story as I'd have liked. I'm alternately swooning and facepalming. It can feel contrived and forced at times. The writer-nim employed a number of tropes and clichés which were initially effective but they kept repeating them and they ended up being laboured and tiresome.
There are not a lot of skinship (until the end) and this show must hold the record for the number of times a kiss can be interrupted. Even the Show made fun of it in the end but it was a forced smile with clenched teeth.
It was the idea of a monk (being allowed to) fall in love and getting married that hooked me and kept me watching but there are times when it did get frustrating.

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Hooked me, bored me, lost me

The palace intrigue trope is the backbone of most sageuk and it is the focus of this show as well. Amnesia is another popular trope that is fairly timeless as far as plot device goes. Combine the two and we should have an engaging plot full of potentials, right? Well, sort of, but only if the writer-nim was up to the challenge. 
100 Days actually started well enough. The flashback was quite impactful but in their rush to set up the OTP's backstory and their fated love story, it gave away too much of the main characters' stories and motivations. With no change to the rationale over the intervening years, that removed a lot of the "intrigue" from the palace intrigues. This is not necessarily a lost cause because the plot switched up with the ML (a Crown Prince, no less) suffering an injury which brought on amnesia and he was a fish-out-of-water in a backwater village. This conveniently set up the fake marriage trope with the FL. Hey, when you already ticked two major trope boxes you might as well go for the trifecta!
The Show has a dash of romance, a hit of angst, a measure of intrigue and a sprinkle of comedy but nothing really dominated. It really felt like the Show is fishing for a genre but it swung from a sageuk to a rom-com then stretches of full-on melodrama and bits in between. None of the traits stuck though. This drama doesn't hit you with the feels but more like flick you with a wet hanky.
The writer-nim did try to make us ship the CP by using all the clichés in the playbook. In that sense, I have to give full credit to the FL (loved her in Suspicious Partners) as she did most of the heavy lifting here. The ML was handsome but he spent way too much time being stoic/poker faced/detached or feeling unease. That is a source of frustration at times as all you see is his stony countenance even though the script is clearing saying "you are in love" (is that the idol curse?). By the time he started to show some real emotions later in the show, the script dumped us straight into a long stretch of melodrama and he underwent a full face Botox treatment. This could have been a decent rom-com but the chemistry of the OTP was slow to develop and always felt a bit scripted which is a shame.
The Show wasn't bad and it was watchable but the writing has some issues. Old cliché power struggle plots were the only game in town and they were hardly original. Most characters were standard archetypes with little growth so an archvillain was just that. A petty local bully stayed petty. The found village/family setup was nice and sweet. The close knit set of villagers provided the thankless backbone of the show and some colour. Even the so-called machinations and scheming were fairly transparent and is oft given away by long expositions (even though the viewers are well aware of the plot by then). The odd revelations were more like confirmations and not surprise twists.
There was no doubt a HEA ending was mandated but the last couple of episodes were really awkwardly written (even by the Show's standard). After the longest set up regarding the ultimate showdown between the ML and the antagonist and how they were manoeuvring to outsmart each other. When it happened, it was a disappointing fizzer. It was poorly set up and poorly executed. Why did the ML charged into war still wearing his fancy court robes? There wasn't even any attempt to put on the simplest leather armour let alone anything befitting a royal personage. Speaking of THE war, it was more like a skirmish. It felt like an afterthought with minimal attention to details (did they run out of money?). To be honest, they could have skipped that completely and still achieve the same outcome. There was little narrative logic as the script rushed all the sub plot to conclusion and gifted everyone a happy ending. It was not so much "no questions asked" but more like "ask no questions and hear no lies".
I really felt sorry for the FL, she hasn't been in many dramas since Suspicious Partners and this is not a career highlight. She did her best but the drama let her down.
OST was serviceable but repetitive. Rewatch value is low. Not that many swoon worthy moments to relive.

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Fast paced tropey drama with a strong FL

To be honest, this show would fit the description of a filler drama perfectly. It is watchable and entertaining while it lasted. This is helped by being 24 episodes long and about 30mins in duration so it is easy to binge. There is certainly a lot happening within that short runtime so there is little drag and the pace is quick.
The characters are roughly divided into 2 camps. Those in the OTP's camp aka the Good Guys and the rest. ;) This is not an exaggeration. There are so many antagonists either out to get the FL, the ML or both, they basically filled the rest of the cast.
Most of the plot centred around the antagonists taking turns attacking the protagonists non-stop until they are locked away. However, their evil schemes were fairly predictable and lacked inventiveness. Yes, it kept the plot moving along but with the OTP is always one step ahead of the evil-doers, it brings on a sense of fatigue but the fast pace stop you from picking at the plot holes too much. Of course, it is gratifying to see the CP overcoming obstacles but it a diminishing return.
Speaking of cliché plots, one actually became the Show's Archie's heel. The Show introduced a 6 years old boy very early on. Nothing unusual about that as some Shows like to use a cute kid to add a bit of sparkle and cheer when the story gets too heavy. Unfortunately, they had the child doing things that defied logic and made his character less likeable. Added to that, his voice dubbing was not very natural and can be cringy at times. The kid was used as a pawn in too many subplots (showing up in weird places and being kidnapped twice?!). Overall, it is not a strong script with its share of large plot holes and convoluted plots (the one involving the arch nemesis was a doozy).
With no recognised actors in the cast, it is unsurprising that acting was patchy at times. The FL did a creditable job and she started the show strongly and kept that up most of the way. This is one lady who knew what she wanted and how to get it. She made the show more watchable. The ML, on the other hand, was handsome but has limited range so for the bulk of the show he was basically stoic, stoically angry, stoically annoyed or jealously stoic(?). The chemistry of the leads were not strong. There were a lot of skinship but it was not always convincing.
The second OTP was more dynamic and cuter. In part because the 2ML had a much freer hand with his role and he was allowed to be lively and witty. He certainly has a greater range than the ML. The 2FL is not on par with the FL but she did good in her support role and suited her character. It was a shame that they weren't given more screen time and the way their romance was scripted just felt a bit haphazard. The rest of the support cast were largely one dimensional.
The production value was fine. I have read reviews that said the production was cheap. I won't go as far as that. Yes, they reused several sets but there were also some nice settings and it wasn't like the set was falling apart so it was acceptable. OST was serviceable but forgettable. Rewatch value is minimal for me.

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Is a makeover growth or conformity?

It is a sweet, easy to watch drama. I so wanted to love this show and in most part I do. When they are good, they are very good but the last 1/3 was a bit of a mixed bag. I think the general plot/pacing was fine. It was a bit on the long side with some sub plots that went nowhere in the second half. I don't mind the FL changing for the better for love as it was gradual and very positive character development. The best part is that the ML did not ask for or manipulated the FL into changing. The beauty angle is not 100% PC but then again who can claim that they didn't change a bit or even have a makeover in the name of love. I would have given it a 10 if the last 1/3 was done better. The FL growth was so nice to watch over many episodes and then just when they both confessed their loves, she went 10 steps backwards and became a total insecure, awkward GF. I think the show would have done much better if they amped up her self esteem and just show all the jealous girls what a perfect match they made and be proud of it. While the first 2/3 was well paced, feels organic and very "slice of life", the last 1/3 was trope heavy (including breakup, misunderstandings, forced separation, etc) and just feel too scripted. Thank goodness they didn't labour the angst and sadness. One final point, this is totally rated G. There is not even a real kiss for the entire length of the drama. There was one scene where they hinted that they kissed but the action was totally obscured. There were so many failed/foiled attempt it is no longer funny by the end. If you are looking for skinship then move on. Hand holding and a peck on the cheek is about as heavy as it got. Was that a clause in the contract or self censorship?

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A twist to the standard school yard romance drama

I loved this drama. I was only expecting a light weight school drama but how wrong was I. It was so well written and the theme is so strong but without going all dark and horrid. It is all about love at every level. Love between the OTP, family members, friends and colleagues. It is all there and it is their devotion that overcame obstacles and adversities. The chemistry of our OTP is off the chart and how they talked and cleared up their misunderstanding and then became so strong and steadfast is a breath of fresh air compared to the usual k-drama trope. Thank you writer-nim.

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Interesting urban fantasy story

I have to admit that I have a fairly low expectation for this drama. The story line sounds interesting but I have serious doubt that they can pull it off. I was partial correct but I'm also happy that I enjoyed this show more than I expected. First of all, the whole boy raised by wolves thing is a joke. You really have to suspend all your disbelieve and just run with it. Take it as a fairy tale and you will do ok. In that sense, the ML carried the first 1/3 of the show. His looks, innocence and chemistry with the FL made the watch more than watchable and quite cute and entertaining. The middle 1/3 is where the show lost its way. The plot holes are big and the villain is over used and he is not evil enough to carry the show. He is more meddling than pure evil (leave it to k-dramas for that!) but the effort of his dirty work was over amplified. The plot just meander around for several long episodes just so that we can feel the angst (not) and wait for the story to get back on track. Thank the drama gods for the last third of the show as it saved the drama. Bits of it were cheesy but at least they gave the drama time to explore and bring all the threads to a satisfactory conclusion rather than the rushed happy ending for everyone in the last 15 mins of a 30+ hours show. A nice surprise is the villain did get a chance for true redemption rather than just being written out or worse, let off the hook. There are a fair bit of skinship and it was largely done well and with feelings. You have to give it to Amber An for not shying away from intimate scenes. She is a good actor but I feels that she is getting type casted into this type of rom-com roles over the years.

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Decent romance but the show spent too much time treading water

TL;DR: Decent rom-com with a sports theme but draggy and a bit claustrophobic.
Most shows are like a jigsaw puzzle. It is made up of lots of pieces and when the pieces fall naturally into place you get a good drama, when the pieces don't fit well, you get half formed picture that tells a confused story.
This show started well. The swim team members are handsome and they have a strong bond with a healthy dose of macho bromance. The FL seemed to have a good heart and strong moral compass even though she is only an intern. It was quite obvious who the anointed OTP is and they do look cute together. Their meet-cute was tropey but it worked. Another positive aspect is the swimming competition, They were shot skilfully with great action scenes. The daily grind of a swim team is also front and centre rather than just gamify the subject like some other sport based drama. However, not all the jigsaw piece are fitting in nicely, there are missing pieces and others jammed in and felt out of place.
One of the problem is the portrayal of 2ML (Lin Zi). He just came across as creepy and an unlikeable character. He was obsessed with the FL and is revengeful against the ML. The whole plot with him worming himself in her workplace as her assistant is just unrealistic. How can an intern gain an assistant? Have the writer heard of office politics? What did the other interns think, let alone other reporters and senior staff? At one stage, he also set up a "love nest" for the FL and decorated it all by himself (while holding onto a spare key?). It is just as well that that subplot came to a dead-end or we'd have a psycho thriller on our hands instead of a rom-com. Regardless, I feel icky watching a lot of his early scenes.
The development of the FL is also lacking until the end. In the beginning, she was shown to be intelligent and headstrong but as the show progressed, she seemed to go backwards. With her first encounter of the 2ML, she'd labelled him a weirdo but then once he entered the company, she was easily manipulated by him and just seemed to missed all the clues to his shenanigans. In fact, she didn't clue in to his subterfuge until her best friend told her late in the story.
This bring us to my biggest gripe, the show is draggy. 36 episodes was too long. Even though it is obvious who the OTP is (and the 2OTP for that matter) and everyone around them all clearly of the same opinion, they spend half the show denying there is anything between them. Even after the ML confessed to the FL (only after seeing the 2ML confessed first) she was still going around doing the "I am confused/I should sacrifice myself for your career" trope for several more episodes to the general detriment of all concerned. Even after the 1OTP situation settled down, the 2OTP took up the baton and went on to denying their growing attractions. I was getting tired of hearing "No, no, that's impossible!" shouted by the leads every time someone asked whether they are dating or liked each other.
This slow plot progression is not helped when the competition subplot proved to be quite claustrophobic. It all centred around the fictional Dream Cup college championship and the races were largely against the same people over and over. The show hyped up the competitors as if they were national celebrities but I'm not sure how a college swim team can attain such high profile. If anything, I wished the show was set at a higher level so that the competition offer higher stakes than just the South campus matched against the North campus and some no-name competitors. I felt the show was just treading water for 2/3 of the show.
If you think the show was going to settle down to some quality CP time on the home straight then you will be mistaken. It changed tone again and went full on melo. Surprisingly, that actually had a positive effect on the show. Whilst there were a lot more angst and confusions, it ultimately acted as a cathartic release of penned up emotions and brought clarify to our protagonists. I'm glad it happened or it would be a happy ending that was not earned.
The group of young actors did what they can with their roles. I won't say that the acting was great but acceptable. I think the female actors gave more nuanced performances while the guys had too much machismo and only showed moments of vulnerability. The ML's mum was a gem. She is a real scene stealer. What a shame that she disappeared just when the show gained momentum.
To be frank, It was a struggle to sit through some of the episodes until the 2/3 mark, the fast forward button helped. It picked up after ep.27 and really gathered steam around ep.30. As expected, the ending was uplifting and satisfying. I actually felt better about the show after I finished it. It wasn't a bad show overall but it was patchy.
The OST was quite good. The score were well matched to the scenes and well produced.

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It takes a village to raise the best junior badminton team

Watching this show is like eating a whole tub of ice cream by yourself. It is a little naughty but so satisfying and a guilty pleasure. You almost feel a little embarrassed to admit you liked it so much.
This show has all the things that you'd decried about tropey, over-the-top scripts with questionable story telling but it has so much charm and energy that you didn't realise until you are hooked and it is too late to bail.
A lot of that energy came from the young cast. There are a lot of testosterone, teenage angst and bravado on display and sometimes it can feel monotonal but most of the time, the young actors, especially the Racket Boys, pulled it off. A special mention goes to Tang Jun Sang. He was impressive in Move to Heaven and he did not disappoint in this show. One to watch as his career develops. Kim Kang Hoon was a joy to watch, a mix of cuteness and determination. The veteran actors provided the glue that gave the show cohesion and a nurturing environment for the youngers to grow and be themselves. To be honest, some of those roles are from central casting and there is not a lot of depth to their characters but the fact that they are instantly recognisable is also comforting within this dramaverse.
As you can imagine, humour is central to a show like this but some of it is pretty crude and they are served with extra cheese. The show can be cringy as it farmed all the clichés and set up tropey situations just to milk the laughs/tears. What made it worked is the ensemble cast (both young and old) and the fast pacing so that you are never given enough time to analyse each scene. For much of the show, there is a definite coda, see setback -> overcome obstacle -> plot advances/character grows -> rinse and repeat. The show also tapped into many other themes beyond sports, found family, friendship, romance, dislocation, alienation and many more. Even a bit of supernatural towards the end which you can only shrug and say "why not". You would think it is a mess and it was but you are too invested to care (or you'd have dropped the show a long time ago). You'd forgive a lot of their trespasses just to see what happens next. However, this is a doubled edged sword as you knew things will never get too rough and the reward is always a few scenes away.
However, not everything can be dismissed offhandedly. The way the show dealt with antagonists can be quite tone deaf and lackadaisical. Foreigners and city dwellers are easy foils. Bad people will do bad things, end of story. The whole land developer subplot was heavy handed and farcical.
Romance was a big part of the show and a source of minor frustration as the teasing and push/pull goes on and on. There is little skinship to talk about but it is rated PG15+ more for other contents.
I have read some comments on the badminton games were not realistic. I beg to differ. I doubt any sport based drama has ever portraited their sport 100% realistically. Drama and plot development must come first so tight editing and a bit of CGI are used to create tension and magic. I think the young actors did their best to impress us on how physical and challenging the game is at elite level and I'm sure they'd have sweated through tough training sessions as well. They deserve a bit more credit.
One thing that did irked me was how Kang Tae Seon gets to play in the national team selection match against the ML. According to the show, Kang has not played badminton for 10 years. Putting aside his fitness and skill retention there must be some kind of ranking system so that people have to demonstrate a certain level of merit to earn a wildcard entry but to go straight to the top seemed to take the mickey out of the system, Consider his character was introduced late in the drama and probably will not show up again (unless there is a season 2), it served little purpose other than to take the ML down a notch and to humanise the head coach.
Even with the questionable subplots, I definitely enjoyed this show and it demands very little from you. The less critical you are, the more enjoyable this show will be. Like I said, it is a guilty pleasure that you can binge watch easily.

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Lovely healing romantic drama. Shame about the unravelling plots

Genre meshing is very common in k-drama. Supernatural/romance, romance/crime and many other combos. A lot of the time it works and that is usually because the plot grew around each other organically. In this case, the opposite happened.

Before you assume this is a negative review, it is not. I really liked this drama and the romance/healing plots were so well done and it was so sweet in a natural way. The crime/revenge plot was also very intriguing and complex, it is the lack of cohesion between the two at the later stage of the drama that pains me.

In terms of the positives, the acting from the cast is great. There were the odd overacting but their characters demanded it, otherwise it was well above average. The love story was cliché but seasoned actors pulled it off and pulled you into their lives so that you really want to swoon at their cheesy antics. The cinematography was wonderful. So many scenes were beautifully shot with depth and nuisances. Some were very thought provoking and impactful as well. Ditto the use of colour and lighting to signify moods. The production values were good all round and the OST was thematic. Most rooftop dwelling in k-drama equate cheap and cheerful housing for the lower income protagonists but this one is luxe. I want to live somewhere like that!

Now the not so good bits. The main issue for me is the two main plots were intertwined in the beginning and the crime side was very impactful for a few episodes but then it started to head off into its own space. There were intersecting points along the way but it felt like meeting of acquaintances rather than close friends. This is a shame as the crime thriller side could stand on its own but there was only about an hour of solid footage in 16 episodes. The tonal shift between the main sunny romance plot and the much darker revenge plot was getting uncomfortable as the show progress and the relationship between the OTP and the 2ML become more and more tenuous. It was never jarring but it does beg the question what impact does one plotline have on the other and the answer is not a lot. I'm sure the writer wanted us to see the self destructive nature of the revenge plot but it yin-yang too much. In the end. I pretty much focused on the romantic stories and basked in the warm sunshine and frolicked with the unicorns while paying less and less attention to the revenge subplot. I think that is a shame but I was shipping the OTP too hard to suddenly shift my mood 180 degrees every so often just because the writer-nim wanted me to.

I would still recommend this drama but treat it almost as if it is two separate dramas and how much enjoyment you get out of this will depend on where your focus is.

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Superficial Candy drama that barely made a splash

Let's get the good bits out of the way. It is technically a remake of the k-drama Clean with Passion for Now. It has been given the Chinese rom-com treatment so that the sharp corners were rounded off and extra CP's added to amp up the sugar quotient. The CP's are good looking and have decent chemistry. There is a decent amount of skinship that didn't looked forced. It is only 24 episodes long.
HOWEVER, the script is a mess. It is just a chain of artificial sweetener moments and then downers so that the writer can ramp up to the next sugar high. This meant one tropey situation follows another with little ground work which, over time, made you care less and less about the overarching storylines. Character development is cosmetic at best. This is a real shame as I did find the drama engaging for the first few episodes.
The antagonist was the worst I have seen for some time. Why that guy hated the ML so much and how he kept doing the dirty deeds even though everyone knew he did it but he was never called to account. Even after his most devastating act, he just walked away and the show conveniently forgot all about him. The grandfather was from central casting and it was quite fanciful that after years of abuse and the prime trigger for the ML's illness, the reconciliation happened over a meal and a few encouraging words. I knew the script demands it at that point so that we can get on with the happy endings but it beggars belief.
Acting was ok for the most part but there was no chance of a breakout role. Shen Yue did a good job and I like her acting in this a little more than Love So Beautiful where she was less convincing as an older version of herself towards the end of LSB. Jasper Liu was handsome and gentle. They do have swoon worthy moments but you can spot them from a mile away. CP2 was the classic celeb/bodyguard trope. Worked fine here and probably the more interesting of the 3 pairings but it was straight out of the rom-com central. The weakest link was CP3 which is the older girl and younger man pairing. Their push/pull was not particularly strong and it was always just a matter of time before they become official. A much better recent drama with that theme is My Fated Boy.
Now my biggest issue with this show, the 2ML. Why, writer, why? The 2ML was an odd character and the kindest way to describe him is chaotic neutral. The meet-cute with the FL was cliché and he was so overbearing. His behaviour as the ML's therapist was all manner of wrongs. Malpractice came to mind, to be honest. His actions were ambiguous, obsessive and pretty much at the whim of the writer. There is no chance of the Second Lead Syndrome.
Ultimately, many things about this show were superficial and so scripted that you just felt disengaged. The tropey plots will motor along with or without you. It was a lightweight, fluffy show and quite forgettable.
P.S. You must watch the ending, it is SO cheesy.
P.P.S. There is a bonus epilogue available on YouTube. Saccharine overload but actually quite cute. :D

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I'm not bad, I'm just scripted that way

TL;DR version: This show is a fair introduction to Chinese period rom-com and is a must watch for any fan of the leads.
Long version: You would think that doubling down on the arranged marriage and mistaken identity trope would yield lots of opportunities for engaging stories and character developments but due to a lazy script and directions, this show just moved along the well trodden path and did little more than kept pace with other run-of-the-mill period dramas.
Like so many before it, the potential is there. The two different settings, two pairs of good looking CP's. Historical crime, present day felony, political manoeuvrings, unrequited love are all fodder for this genre and many a good yarn have been spun before. Yet this show just never seemed to want to take the bull by the horns so the characters were one dimensional, character developments were minimal, plots felt tired and by the book. Everything is serviceable but that's about it.
Case in point, the FL was a simple, naïve girl with a heart of gold, the actor played it dead straight and she was like that the whole show. That made her seemed gullible and a lot of her actions counterproductive. That is a shame as there were lots of room for her character to grow but it was barely explored. Ditto, the 2FL was lauded for her intelligence and cleverness, yet she was trapped in the same predicament for the bulk of the show. I'm not going to start writing about the antagonists as that would fill paragraphs and involve spoilers but you get my drift.
Overall, the actors did their best with the parts they were given so the problems must lie with the script and directions.
I thought the beginning of the show held a lot of promise but it soon settled into a trudge that included all the time worn tropes. There were cute moments but I don't feel a strong chemistry between the CP's. There were some production issues which is pointless to detail here but attested to the general lack of care surrounding this show. It was a fluffy, harmless viewing but that is damning it with faint praise.

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This show doesn't know if it wants to be a horse or a mule

It is rare to see foreigners in a k-drama. Even rarer for them to have major roles. This show is definitely ground breaking in that regard. However, it is also a bit of a two way bet as most of those actors are trying to be more Korean than the Korean actors. It was an odd feeling when you see them together all speaking (I assume near perfect Korean). Compounding this disorientation, the Korean students who were supposed to return after living aboard for years (hence why they are in the international dorm) showed little "foreignness". They hardly spoke a word of English and you can forget any slangs or idioms. So it is basically like watching an American school sit-com but in a Korean setting with a juxtaposition of faces but utterly Korean.
Now that's out of the way, on with the show, I mean review. The plots of the show are simplistic. Slice of life with some odd ball side characters and running gags. Some storylines are fairly topical for a k-drama, love, money, fame, beauty standard, etc. It works most of the time if you are not expecting anything deep and meaningful. Plot developments are telegraphed well in advance, no horrible twists but there is a darker undertone which was not resolved by the end of this season. I do find the laughing track overused and largely pointless.
Overacting is pretty much to be expected in a sit-com setting and some times the actor's inexperience does show but they tried their best.
It is odd to say this but I felt that I would have enjoyed it more if it was allowed to be a true sit-com set in an international dormitory in Korea. Where foreign students behave like, well, foreign students. Suffering cultural shock, committing faux pas and mangling Korean idioms. I fully understand that it will be a fine line between cutting humour and racist undertone but comedy only works if your audience are not confused. Now it just felt like they had a foot in each camp and is straddling a pool of muddy water.

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