One of my favorite coming of age shows

This is a show quite unlike other college or romance dramas out there. It's written to show the complicated nature of growing into adulthood, without being judgemental on its characters.

I could easily identify with the protagonist, and could see how her previous relationship, and her estranged relationship with her mother, made her as hesitant as she was. For me, I found that the show emphasised how she regained agency such that she was free to make a choice for herself in the end. It was a well-written character arc.

Male lead Jaeeon was equally complex, it's actually quite interesting how everyone has their perception of him, and you see him through the lens of the female lead Nabi and the people at school, but as the show goes on, you start to see that he may not actually be as perceived.

One I really liked is that the show made a clear distinction between changing for love and changing for yourself. For Jaeeon, he comes to realise how unhealthy his worldview is, how he has to be a better communicator, and thus grows little by little.

The cinematography is thoughtful, the soundtrack carefully curated to match the feelings of the characters. The nuances make all the difference in this drama (they are carefully laid out in story and performance) and while the pacing may lag for some as Ep 7/8 did for me a little, I found it mirrored how personal growth is never linear or a quick process in reality. Of course, Han Sohee and Song Kang did a great job in bringing these characters to life, and the supporting cast members also did a commendable job.

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It's been a long time since I was able to find a drama to really sink my teeth into. I was not expecting to find it in a drama recommended as a "romcom sageuk".

The rewatch value of this show has proven to be so high, because every time you rewatch it you can find new details in the plot, the setting, and especially the camera work. Each rewatch offers new angles to explore the strong main characters, and diverse supporting ones. This show turns many a trope on its head - yet another reason why it's a win for me!

Though some might not enjoy the political aspect of the show, over all the pacing was good - I particularly liked the character arcs - they tied in well with the messages the show hoped to convey, weaved well with the progress in the romance between the leads. Without going too much into spoiler territory, I would say that it shows the futility of chasing after power especially well.

Of course, the acting of the cast was great. Also, the chemistry between the leads is excellent. What I loved was that the characters each had their own arc, and shone as individuals, but supported one another as they developed their relationship. I could tell that this script, this production - was borne of passion. I've already pre-ordered the Blu-ray, and am looking forward to the commentaries that will hopefully offer more insight into the show!

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