More Than Friends (2020) User Reviews

How not to act in Relationships - maybe that should have been the title?

[leahcubed · 6/10 · 9 March 2022]

6/10 is my rating. This is a 2020 South Korean Romantic Drama with 16, 70 minute episodes.

Kyung Woo Yeon (Shin Ye-eun) met Lee Soo (Ong Seo-wul) as a high school student who was smart but bullied by the other kids because, although she was a smart kid, she came from modest means and was kind and liked to avoid conflict. Lee Soo (Ong Seong-wu) was wealthy and popular and admired Woo Yeon for her kind nature. He became her defender and friend. It was not long before Woo Yeon's 18 year old heart fell for Lee Soo and she was crushed when she confessed her feelings and he friend zoned her.

Lee Soo leaves to study abroad and Woo Yeon misses him and spends a lot of time drunk calling his old number and pouring her heart out to the open line. Ten years passes and Woo Yeon still has not gotten over Lee Soo. After working a series of part-time jobs, Woo Yeon is finally pursing her dream of being a calligrapher/writer. Lee Soo is now a highly sought after professional photographer. The two continue to be drawn to each other despite Lee Soo's insistence that he only loves her as a friend and Woo Yeon's profession that she still likes Lee Soo and is unwilling to be any less than a couple.

Woo Yeon and Lee Soo are now finally reunited in Seoul and wind up working on a project together. Woo Yeon, tired of being rejected, has locked her feelings up just as Lee Soo is beginning to acknowledge he likes Woo Yeon as more than a friend and perhaps always has. But Lee Soo is not the only man in Woo Yeon's life who sees her for the wonderful person she is. Have the two something more than friends missed their timing and hurt each other too much to ever have more or have they finally matured enough to be honest with their hearts?

This was a drama series with so much potential. The trope of starting as friends and becoming more is a rarer in k-dramas and those of us who like it tend to seek it out. I was excited by the title and premise of this and figured it would be a heartwarming account of people who had been friends for a long time then discovered their feelings were more. This was a train wreck of women who were just mean to the men in their lives. Seriously it was hard to watch the men be emotionally abused. Rather than run to them there were actually points where there was a break up and I was like good now get away from that toxic woman. Ye-eun confessed to Lee Soo multiple time and he rejected her kindly I thought. Basically told her he liked her but just as a friend. But that is where the title is confusing she never wanted to be just his friend. She kept telling him leave and get away. To me if you really care about someone you would be in their life however you could be but she just didn't want anything to do with him if she couldn't be his girlfriend. Then she would cry, miserably, and everyone would feel sorry for her. Okay I get that, it is heart breaking when someone doesn't like you back. But what got me was, later on, everyone blamed him for not accepting her feelings and making her cry. I thought that was completely unreasonable and ridiculous. No one is responsible for anyone else's feelings. You cannot make yourself love someone just because they want you to. I thought he let her down gently. The things is she never made the effort to know what was going on in his life and why he might have responded as he did. He was so nice to her and really made her school years livable by heading off bullies. Then she has a whole string of men she dates and breaks their hearts because she is unable to return their love because she is supposedly so "damaged" by Lee Soo's rejection. She seemed cold and heartless to me. Her mother even commented about her dating and hurting other people's precious sons. She has a longer term relationship with the CEO and he seems like the perfect guy but she strings him along while she is trying to decide if she still has feelings for Lee Soo. So she basically has two guys fighting over her and both feeling inadequate and heartbroken. I thought the CEO went a little over the top in his pursuit of her after she broke up with him but I can understand why he was confused about her absolute coldness. I really felt like she did not deserve any of the men in her life and was emotionally abusive to them. There were two side couples which started with really heartwarming relationships but then devolved into the same type of emotionally abusive relationship as the main character. All three women were horrible in my opinion and emotionally abusive to the men in their lives. You don't make a person walk on egg shells for fear of making you withdraw your affection - that is exactly what the three did. If the men did not do exactly as they wanted, and evens sometimes when they did, they would withdraw from them. I was really frustrated with the main character when he had an opportunity to travel the world and photograph for an airline and was originally not going to take it because she did not want him to leave. She comes around and is going to travel with him. But then she gets an opportunity in South Korea and he encourages her to take it. They agree that they should not give up their dreams or they will resent it later and decide to have a long distance relationship until he finishes. He rushes through finishing so he can get back to her and, as a result, cannot meet her fantasy of multiple calls a day. So, she breaks up with him. That made no sense to me and seemed entirely selfish on her part. Then he gets back and she is once again stringing the poor CEO along and pitting the two men against each other. She is like the ice queen. If you want to see episodes of men being emotionally abused by the women in their lives then you might be interested in this. Those that hate men and think they should be demasculinized may find this okay. I could not recommend this to anyone unless they are wondering how not to act toward someone you profess to love.

LOVED IT

[rohitmaheshwari-53357 · 8/10 · 29 November 2020]

I found this drama to be quite engaging to the least and perhaps the fact that it was not a typical romantic drama of a very strong writong but it was still enjoyable to watch. I loved how characters played their roles in such an organic fashion that it felt so real, they were growing altogether as every episode went by. I got to experience a collaboration of beauty, romance, photography, calligraphy,relationships and finally reality-life itself and that will be my takeway from this drama, just how beautifully everything was intertwined together and separately at the same time. I am so happy I chose to watch this drama, will cherish this one for quite some time :-)

~🍻~ Drunk Dialing 4 Dummies ~🍻~ °Excellent° 💯%🔍

[50fiftillidideeBrain · 8/10 · 31 July 2021]

MTF pulls up a chair alongside a band of boozers & toast the twenties. Wu-Yeon, Yeong-Hui & Jin-Ju were fused 🔗by combat in the HS arena. Now it's 10 years post graduation, when everybody thinks they have it figured out, but virtually no one does. They're learning to navigate adult jobs, situations and relationships. The 3 girls have a lifetime bond from their early HS years, so when Yeong-Hui paired up with her BF, his friends came along as chasers to round out a 6-pack: 1 couple + 4 drinking buddies.

Wu-Yeon has a most-of-life crush on Su, who has declared them to be in friendzone🛑... more than twice, or thrice (or double on ice) for a full decade. Su drops into town & mixes her up, only to exit without leaving a gratuity. That forever leaves WY forlorn & in need of liquid relief, which leads to slurpee vms on Su's phone. She's a serial drunk-dialer, & her friends are so hungover it. Su might be their friend, but he drags the party down.

This brings us to now. Su is back in town, and once again sends signal to🚦 Wu-Yeon that appear encouraging (is it finally happy hour?), only to flip the table on her once more. Again. As soon as Wu-Yeon moves on to someone else, Su suddenly declares💔feelings for.... Guess who.

Yeong-Hui is 1/2 of the couple mixed within the group. She and her BF struggle to face life's hardships and muddled family pressures, while trying to stay strong together. The only true struggle is that Yeong-Hui refuses to accept that the man she loves can truly accept her: She's too poor and her family is always in trouble: She will only drag him down.

Jin-Ju struggles with loneliness. Her life, without love, is a drag.

Like Su's tepid but oddly encouraging actions, the director and writer always give the viewer enough reason to order another round. When it seems slow, MTF is still oddly relaxing (I'll have another one like that, please). When the characters cause viewers to froth and gag over frustrating, micro-brewed behavior, a basis for the behavior will be tapped (usually related to pain), or the director's craft will show thru. At other times it almost seems that the M.director🎬 wants the audience to get frustrated with these likable barflies. S/he wouldn't do that though, would M. Director🎬? It looks like a hearty "sure-nuff !" from the outside looking in, even with beer goggles. The 🎬 is creative with floaters and shots at the audience, daring us to lose our patience in the same way we do when we can't catch the bartender's eye on a busy night. We definitely want to shake and not stir some of these loiterers, particularly Yeong-Hui, Wu-Yeon, and Su. It's a mercy that we can't reach into the TV screen and crack a bottle over their heads, smh.

Their stories dial-in to several themes, including:

☔Scars from thoughtlessness

☔ Pain's effects on emotional health, incl toxic Parent-child relationships & self-inflicted wounds

☔Surviving 1sided💘 - They all go through it

☔ struggles in 💘 can emanate from faulty suppositions

☔The sinking loneliness of selfishness vs the buoyancy of generous & committed 💘

MTF also offers paths to resolution: Love is opening, giving & accepting. Maturity is learning to be unselfish, even when it hurts. Especially then.

For a few episodes, it was difficult to tell if it was worth the wait for last call. There were a generous pours of quality exchanges, metaphors, quotes, ironies, basically the usual for the better Kdramas. The ones they do well are outstanding, if not superbly divine. 75% into the show, I had only been looking at it thru narrowed eyes in low light, waiting for the moment a glass would shatter and MTF would be easily swept away & forgotten. However, by episode 15, I felt like a regular with the gang at the pour-it-all-out-house. Unexpectedly, real tears started flowing. Inner conflict overflowed next over the proper rating: 7? Am I looking at this thru the bottom of the glass? An absolutely stunning conversation put the answer into focus - MTF has buoyancy. It is refreshing, and it dazzles when it catches the light.

There's a pouring out of latent (submerged) emotions in MTF's examination of the 3 women and the challenges they stare down from across the table in their quest for: Love, financial independence, and the most elusive honesty-to-self. MTF opens their circle and invites the viewer in. Like any relationship, the show leaves room to allow the viewers to drop in and raise a glass, even tho we must hold back the urge to smash a soju bottle over some noggins.

This is more of a drama than a romance, and it is a worthy one. The cast is smooth and fluid; not a sour in the bunch. Ong Seong-Wu exhibits a truly great performance as Su.

Be prepared for the slower cadence with anything that helps bring relaxation, and watch them blend, stir, and shake their lives.

QUOTES🗣

🍻Words are like boomerangs. The come back at you. (Aigoo. HEAR, youngins!)

🍻Emotions are determined by the person on the receiving end. (Isn't perspective & 🕔ing everything?)

🍻I'm afraid you will use the wounds you received as a shield & grow up a warped adult.

〰🖍 IMHO

🎬7.5 🎭7.5 🖋〰 8 (This is the writer's first credited work, so we've been promised future brilliance) 💓7 🦋5 🤔8 🌞5 🎨7 🔚8

Age 15+

Re-📺? ✅ yes

I've also done a spoiler review

🍲

Organic and frustrating at the same time

[eli-stuttgart · 7/10 · 16 March 2021]

I say one thing in advance about this drama. It's frustrating. For the first time, the whole concept is frustrating and by that I mean the leading actress who has waited ten years for an unrequited love. I wanted to cancel the series from the moment I knew, but the melancholic charisma like a beautiful elegy stopped me.

I couldn't understand the characters until the end, and to be honest, I find the actress naive and infantile for spending the golden years useless. She has stopped in life, this radiated not only in her private life, but also in her professional life.

Had she dealt with solving her problem? Finding out the reason for the misfortune? What triggered the rejection with it? Why does she not progress in love and at work?

With the regular drinking, which as a result led to grabbing the phone and dialing his old number, she remains in time to hold on to the past firmly. She had not found the will, thus showing weakness.

Now to the next point. The new owner of this number has accepted all the calls all these years or a certain period of time without changing the number on the incoming calls every night or asking who is the person behind it. Rather unlikely that he did not act against the constant ringing and the drunken chatter. On the other hand, the main person could have noticed this, because the calls were received or at least issued.

To the fullest, she was portrayed as a loser who gets nothing on the line. She had created a complex of herself, repeating to her that she should not accept the love of someone else, because she was rejected for the first time. She wanted to forget her past with several attempts at relationships, but running away or not accepting of the problem doesn't work.

Also, love is not transient, you learn to live with it, you do not forget the person and maybe you do not forget love.

When the lead actor returned what he hoped for? And what did she hope for with the offer to be friends? He doesn't love her, but when she takes the chance to fall in love with someone else and finally get over him with that person's help, he's jealous. It can't be even more frustrating. Another person was dragged into this chaos to cause him suffering. A selfish act of her.

I don't even want to start with the main actor, because he is the biggest egotist. For him, only his needs were important, another incompetent person, who could, however, displace everything and make something out of his life.

I was very interested in whether he had feelings for her from the beginning or only later, after the experience that he could lose her to another. But this could have happened before, had he had this fear all these years? I couldn't understand their relationship because it had shown more negative feelings and inflicted a lot of pain on the individuals themselves as well as on the outsiders.

Now to the supporting actors, her friends who tried to get through to her, but probably haven't seen a chance after a long trial. I liked her friends, because everyone represented their special character and their individual actions of their personal problems.

I liked the supporting actress who struggled with poverty because she had shown a much more profound problem that affects many people in our time. A very strong personality who let himself break to the end, through doubt. Without help, eating everything into itself is the wrong handling of the problem-solving, yet she had tried to tame this on her own. She had made the biggest change and had mastered all the stones on her way well, as well as her boyfriend, who remained by her side despite difficulties, as it should be in a relationship, a healthy relationship.

Although I got frustrated for a few moments and some things didn't have logical sequences for me, but I can't blame the great script. The dialogues in this drama were a masterpiece. It had stimulated the reflection of the words, I would have liked to have absorbed everything in me, because the words had a profound meaning in the drama than the plot itself. Moreover, despite the plot, it had a really harmonious sequence.

A frustrating and at the same time organic series, which I would watch again despite my negative words. Somewhat ambivalent my words, as did the series.

Drama name is about friendships and the thing i miss very much is friendship

[navneetmithusharma · 7/10 · 3 December 2023]

Yes when i was start to watching this drama i feel that this is romantic drama but watch 3-5 ep. I know vibes of the is not good (feels like iteawon class) mentality unhealthy. But it is not that bad or good. I mean the way girl lead do things is not good to watch ( but off course in real fife this happens) like 1 accident 2nd lead opportunity shoulders for cry then main lead comes back to his sentence yaaaahhhhh!!!! Ep8-15 my heart feels like it breaks and it fell so bad to me, these episodes need more content and story telling. Finally I enjoy this drama 6.5/10 bing watch. Lastly one thing they lack so much is in there friendship means seriously drama name is abour friend and friendship is not that good.

A very real love story that deserves a chance

[heojaehwa · 8/10 · 2 February 2022]

A very realistic love story - with lots of nice messages peppered through the show The chemistry and story lines of the main leads and the side characters are all very warm and fulfilling. Plus, all the different love stories are very unique! Even though I pined for the second lead - the write has given proper closure to his character as well. In real life you do get anxious and hold back often - and that aspect so beautifully portrayed. That's why you should give this show a chance - it'll warm up to you!

Loved the connection between the characters and the pictures of korean neighborhoods and areas are so beautiful. Lovely poems and hangul calligraphy too.

[hanalisss · 8/10 · 16 August 2021]

I actually like this drama quite a lot. I was hesitant for the amount of negative reviews the drama had and It took me time to just go for it and watch it.

I do agree with the fact that the story is a bit repetitive and gets a bit tiring because it makes you feel it's predictable, but I still believe it is worth watching it.

The characters are written in a realistic way and the chemistry and sweet moments are very enjoyable to watch.

It also shows parts of Korea, neighborhoods and areas trough very beautiful pictures and the poetry of the texts, writes and calligraphy made by the main female lead. I thought the show was very creative.

I recommend this show to be watched , you won't regret it.

This could be so much better

[fionawilson234 · 3/10 · 10 November 2020]

It is only through determination to see it all that I have persevered through to episode 11. Probably 6 plus episodes could be dropped as they to little to develop plot and nothing for character. Female lead takes a long time to realize how she has wasted her life on lead number 1, and then nothing in writing shows why lead 2 is not right, so she comes off as a dumbass! And it goes on and on like this. Sub stories better handled but dragged out out over so many episodes. (Good) Comedy starts to be introduced in episode 10 and it is such a relief. This could be so much better. And k-drama generally is. Just exhausting and haven't even got to the end!

Drunk Dialing🍹6 Dummies🍹Dysfunction Under Inspection °7.8° °Excellent° 💯%🔍

[50fiftillidideeBrain · 8/10 · 31 July 2021]

Witches brew: These 3 friends are cursed!

Wu-Yeon(WY) the 'ex-collector', says she's cursed to be forever trapped in a 1sided💘 w/ Su, despite days, mos, yrs~}> Despite the ·decade· that's elapsed. She seems composed, but when🍹pours in, tears well, & emotions pour out into Su's vm.

Yeong-Hui(YH) grew up poor, w/ no advantages behind, & only struggles ahead. She's been cursed to a life of toil, poverty, & unworthiness.

Jin-Ju(JJ) is cursed as well: Never to know 💘.

Their stories dial-in to several themes, including:

☔Scars from thoughtlessness

☔ Pain's effects on emotional health, incl toxic Parent-child relationships & self-inflicted wounds

☔Surviving 1sided💘 - They all go through it

☔ Faulty suppositions - recheck yours every 5 years or so. They can't all be right.

☔The sinking loneliness of selfishness vs the buoyancy of generous & committed 💘

MTF also offers paths to resolution: L💘ve is opening, giving & accepting. Maturity is learning to be unselfish, even when it hurts. Especially then.

Before the next round, let's sweep away the broken bottles: MTF deliberately matures at a slow, near frustrating pace. It's relaxing if you can - Just un-tense🍷↪ now breathe🌬 What will likely frustrate every viewer is that Su, WY, & YH are as irritating as a botched drink order. Perhaps it's not what you're expecting, but the director & writer have placed tasty fusion on the table. In defense of the house servers:

😑Su: Most people dislike him. For most of MTF he's emotionless. He's cold & self-isolated. Su was alone his entire childhood. Now he's alone, even amongst friends. Human interaction, from his view, is bitterly spatting parents. Affection denied is intimacy died. Relationships are distasteful, is what he learned at home. No wonder he's a photographer. He studies but never participates. At the same time, he desperately tries to let 🌞 inside.

Obnoxious, cold, or odd behaviors are childhood painkillers. Kids cope in any way they can. Entrenched behaviors turn into bad habits that are difficult to delete, like a voicemail once it's already been delivered. "Kron-ih-'kah," while it's appropriate (helpful, even) to call out behavior, we shouldn't tell a person that s/he isn't handling pain "right". Be patient & generous of spirit w/ others.

Though Su won't imbibe his own feelings, it's obvious that he's always been intoxicated with WY~

🍷Per his overseas friend, when Su's in 🇺🇲, his comment card mentions WY ·only· by name. 🅾one else from 🇰🇷

🍷Su picked on, cheered up &/or defended 🅾 girls, other than than WY

🍷🅾 doubts, he enjoys spending 🕙 w/ WY

🍷He enjoys it so much that he fills her🥛& ⌛ whenever he's back 🇰🇷, despite her deflections. "I want to see WY as much as I can before I leave," etc

🍷His narcissistic jokes are on the tab, but he never leaves tips about the the good things he's done for WY

He's a 🌍 away from understanding how his actions leave WY as Frozen as a daiquiri. He lied to himself, 1st, blinded, by fear & blunting, to his underexposed emotions. Feelings for WY gush out after she leaves the table to sit in the corner w/ another guy. Then (THEN!) he declares himself. Its effect is 💯% contrary to his hopes.

{🐰🕳> IRL, ya'll RUN AWAY! A romantic relationship won't, nor is it supposed to, fix such problems. People like this often don't want to be part of a project that will hire them. The very 🕘 their desired 'object' stirs, they'll dump ice water all over. MTF is fiction. Don't mix up your life that way>🕳🐇}

Enough w/ the 💘🔺s! Not realizing, as a newbie, what a departure MTF is from kdrama tropes, the kind CEO seemed the better choice. Su is a different person by the end. He exits w/ 🥛 > ½ full. He loves. He's open to friendship. He is now .able to point the lens WY's way: It's HE that's been in a 1-sided💘 w/ HER, he declares. I was stunned, and so was WY. She stops, reviews, & realizes ALL her 💘s had been 1sided~}> b/c of HER. That's top-shelf 〰🖋. It was this scene + crying real tears that took my rating from 7 to 8.

😶WY: Tho shy, she seems adjusted in HS, but her life's blood is leaking. Something she's helpless, sharks attack. Even w/ her friends' support, her emotions are still stunted. HS is when she begins to take Su's cues as clues to his interest. Sadly, Su ain't got a clue ·yet· WY musters the courage to offer her 💝 to Su at the airport, as he's escaping🇺🇲 M&D. He visibly stiffens to rebuff her w/ blank eyes & rigid face, as a Resolute chill falls like a dropped napkin. She cries for a long 🕐. Eventually, she just cries when she's sozzled. It's the 1st in a decade of misalignments between them. This ♻ repeats in bursts. Su reappears & appears interested, so WY is Frozen in hope. Her loved ones are hungover from it all. They don't like Su.

WY is her most frustrating when she breaks up w/ Su. She's wrong. She agreed to go abroad w/ him, went back on her promise, & then blamed him for not being there - he doesn't 💘 her enough. She wasn't honest about ·what· she needed from ·whom· preferring a draught of resentment when her needs sat empty. Just as she flitted from ex to the next, never once opening up & then floated away, she pivoted and did the same to Su.

1-sided💘 is a symptom, as is her projec/deflec·tion. Neither She nor Su is able to heal the other. They must self-heal to self-liberate or they'll self-isolate & self-medicate.

😰YH is suffering what's referenced in The Perks Of Being A Wallflower: "We accept the 💘 we think we deserve." Always railing against poverty, her mother's complaints dripped continuously until their tiny apt was overflowing. Mom's resentment became a bitterness that long ago blotted out affection. YH has has been plied with inferiority. She was dunked into the whirlpool w/ no way to emerge, so she truly believes she's dragging down Hyun-Jae, her BF since HS. After all, he shouldn't suffer the way she has! Once again, as is the case w/ Su, the branding from childhood cannot be brushed away. She's also extremely stubborn, like mom, so it takes her a long 🕘 to come around.

It's frustrating how nobody has a faster epiphany, but isn't that true life? People don't pivot like Michael Jordan. These characters, blended by pain, aren't contrived. I'm reminded of Kafka's Metamorphosis & how fed up I was w/ Gregor: "Someone should smash this bug!" 😂 Kafka's manipulations: He tricks the reader into being just as fed up as Gregor's family. Gregor didn't do anything wrong↪ Except↪he frustrated us↪so "bring out the Raid!"

The series is to the rim w/ metaphors:

🍹Absent Su, the dummies are drinking. WY keeps looking at the empty Su-less chair next to her

🍹Jurassic Park's "Objects in mirror are closer than they appear" is cleverly placed (Su's apt in rearview)

🍹WY & Su's clothes will start matching as they see each other more often

🍹Pinocchio's nose teaches us that lying distances us from others. We always lie to ourselves 1st. What sensible profundity

〰〰🌧🌧🌧 〰〰 ☔☔☔〰〰🌧🌧🌧 〰〰

In MTF, rain represents the rough stuff of life that hammers all. Similar to armor, the 🌂s are protective Shields. When Su decides to 💘 WY, he abandons his 🌂 (He ✨ when 💦, 2. Ahem). Unprotected, Su hazards the elements & gets drenched. (Song-Wu Ong should do more 💦 scenes😁).

People don't share ☔s often in the show. They're all alone in trying to protect themselves from the 🌧 of life. Instead of a lightweight 🌂, they're wrapped up & weighted down in armor,. We stand strong, walk shielded, & party-on better TOGETHER. It's not a coincidence that YH compares turtle shells to armor over scars. Eventually, one will die from the weight or learn to take some off. (Of all the hypocrisy! - As if she's going to walk in the rain & not get wet! She will finally pull her chair all the way up to the table.)

About hypocrisy... When JJ tells the other girls how she sees 💘, fate, & commitment, she might have been staggering around the room from the looks YH&WY shot her. The viewer's expectation is that the 2 will order a personal-life application from the menu. Instead, they comment on how ·JJ· has matured! We're all 🙈 to our own stuff. That scene drops a case of stuff.

Along w/the 💘🔺, MTF serves more stale 🍺: MSS (Mandatory-Separation-Syndrome). Usually painful as cirrhosis, for Su & WY it's a good thing. The power balance between them should be a 1:1 parts ratio, which is necessary for them to grow together. It's also appropriate that Su's devotion be proof-tested.

The men in this show are 😇-level good: Loving, patient, supportive... These girls tapped-the-keg! Even though WY didn't choose Saint CEO, she did catalyze Su into becoming her prince. Ding-dong! The curse is lifted. Each girl gets her prince! JJ, the girl w/ the loveless curse, gets married 1st. (It looks that way- they'll make it. Right? 😜) She had been looking & lamenting that she would never find him, but he had always been spilled out in front of her. The other two come to realize they weren't cursed in the first place. None of them were.

QUOTES🗣

🍻Words are like boomerangs. The come back at you. (Aigoo. HEAR, youngins!)

🍻Emotions are determined by the person on the receiving end. (Isn't perspective & 🕔ing everything?)

🍻I'm afraid you will use the wounds you received as a shield & grow up a warped adult.

〰🖍 IMHO

🎬7.5 🎭7.5 🖋〰 8 (This is the writer's 1st credited work, so we've been promised future brilliance) 💓7 🦋5 🤔8 🌞5 🎨7 🔚8

Age 15+

🥘

Self-Loathing and Toxic Relationships

[bigalod · 1/10 · 21 January 2022]

I've watched this entire series through to the end because I'm learning Korean, and it was definitely helpful in at least teaching me the phrases of "I like(d) you" and "I love(d) you" which are repeated throughout the show ad nauseum.

The show isn't all bad. I enjoyed the photography and the calligraphy depicted in the show. The side story of the young woman born poor with the boyfriend who would do anything for her is empathetic at least. There were some genuine touching moments in that regard. There were some nice comedic moments as well, but they were too seldom.

So, what isn't there to like about this series? It romanticizes toxic relationships/infatuations to the point where the viewer has to question why anyone would put themselves through 10 years of self-loathing wondering why the other person doesn't like them back.

I honestly could not root for the main couple let alone a love triangle that forces the male lead to confess his feelings due to jealousy. Even to the end, you can see how toxic the main relationship is, and it is disheartening.

I know there is still some taboo in Korea to discuss psychological and/or emotional problems. Perhaps, if they focused more on their personal growth apart, I would have found the series more engaging. For those who want to just cheer on an ill-fated Kdrama relationship, you can take a stab at this show. Thanks for reading.

Thought provoking emotional roller coaster

[rosegodess-80649 · 9/10 · 4 March 2023]

There were cringy moments and some bad advice, but overall I was surprised with how good this was, especially compared with a lot of what has been made in the last 5 or 7 years or so. It ends well, even if some characters do some dumb stuff to teach what not to do. The wisest couple is actually the one that gets the least amount of time, but at least they are there as a foil. Not much of a drama without the crazy lol. In general, everything seems to have had a reason, both the good and the bad. It made me think and the feelings it envokes run the gambit so I was never bored even if i was kinda annoyed at a character at certain times. I feel safe saying this was very well done.

realistic storyline and good scenery and easy listening ost

[bingsooe · 9/10 · 9 October 2023]

A typical story that it's predicable. Some people say annoying female lead and manipulative male lead but that storyline is realistic.. and still enjoyable to watch.

I love how they showing us beautiful shoot of neighborhood and such. The creativity they put in the beginning of each episode like a slight cartoon of a shepherd boy and wolf (i don't remember in which episode, if I'm not wrong monologue by male lead), or the scene or the monologue that describe the story per episode, or the Hangul calligraphy in tittle per episode anddd their outfits also, it's pretty.

The friendship among OneulBam gang! I like how they try to convey that a long friendship exist. I like how the girls help each others, how they gather and talking what's new or just chit chat.

And yesss the ost, I feel like wind blows my hair with the smile on face; peace when I listen to serendipity by ha sung woon

** I personally can't forget the hill scenery and sea scenery where male&female lead ride motorcycles together to promote female's business (?)

Stupid indecisive female lead and toxic and manipulative male lead romance

[11ovz11 · 1/10 · 7 March 2022]

We start with Wooyeon, a girl who is hung up on a guy she had a crush on in High School, who rejected her and flew to US. The guy who rejected her keep hovering around her all the time acting like her boyfriend and giving her hopes all the time. It actually felt like he is playing with her feelings.

They only have a start in their "whatever relationship" when the second lead comes along. Who is the best guy anybody would ask for!

When it looks like Wooyeong is finally ready to move on, Lee Soo (her highschool crush) confesses his feelings as if to say he doesn't want her to be happy with someone who is actually better than him.

He always makes her cry and belittle her but the stupid female lead keep choosing him.

The thing is, these main leads have no chemistry at all between them and they both feel so cardboard when it comes to acting. Neither is good at portraying emotions. They just say their lines.

I honestly felt bad to the second lead as it felt as if he was carrying the drama on his shoulder. He deserves much better than this monstrosity.

Such a waste of time. And annoyed at the pathetic female lead.

Annoying female lead

[vijjisagar · 3/10 · 10 March 2022]

What could have been a eezy breezy cute romantic story is slaughtered by the female lead.

The last 2 episodes are frustrating. She decides to stay back last minute, she decides to break up and she is shown as a victim !!

Awful...

[cyraa · 1/10 · 30 April 2021]

Terrible drama!! The female leads have serious character issues, She was playing with others emotion ! And Male leads have Psychological disorder, What a lunatic !! Disgusting.

Boring characters and story isn't involving

[phd_travel · 4/10 · 22 October 2020]

After 6 episodes there isn't enough development in the plot. Just one missed meeting after all this time. She likes him he says he doesn't like her but then gets jealous when someone else does and still wants to be friends. He isn't happy that his divorced parents are getting along. Not a likeable character. The lead actors have been better in other series Ong in At 18 and Shin in Meow The Secret Boy. Plus the supporting characters are dull. If it doesn't speed up I will give up.

An annoying Will they/Won't they

[dennisbett · 1/10 · 16 August 2021]

I couldn't finish this one. I only got to episode 10 but decided it was too frustrating. The script writer seems to think that back and forth will they/ won't they is what will keep us interested but instead it's what put me off. The pinging back and forth for me was very immature and childish. At some point I wished all the love interests would just disappear and never see each other again. I hated the main characters. They're like high schoolers stuck in grown up bodies. 90% of the problems in this series could be solved with proper communication. The main characters are selfish and all seem to base their lives and self worth on recognition from the other people. The main guy's parents deserved better. He's just a spoilt child who whines about everything.

boring

[sumieic · 1/10 · 28 April 2022]

16 episodes and the story did not take us anywhere. So boring no story evolving the characters are awful. It's really a waste of time to watch and I can not believe they spent money to make this. Worthless.

I am totally unsatisfied

[ketansharma-07139 · 1/10 · 24 September 2022]

At the last moment than i am thinking that she would just choose ceo but its really frustrating moment I am really happy than 14 ep she just Break up and i thought that she really feel love with mr ceo but waste of time and I thought if another girl is present than she trying to come closer mr ceo i think than she understand his love with the help of jealousy... At the end i think ep 10 than i. Love the story very much i think if writer Stop write or close tha happy ending with mr.ceo and her than story really loving for every people . And i am sure about that review really good.

YIKES!

[Park_Min · 2/10 · 2 July 2023]

It's exactly as bad as the synopsis made it sound and its execution was 10 folds worse. I feel sorry for older cast such as Ahn Nae Sang and Kim Hee Jung to have this drama in their resume. The entire drama was disastrous enough but the leading cast was the worst part of it. The actors/actresses themselves and their respective characters were failing and stumbling every step of the way with no chance of recovery. It's exactly as bad as the synopsis made it sound and its execution was 10 folds worse. I feel sorry for older cast such as Ahn Nae Sang and Kim Hee Jung to have this drama in their resume. The entire drama was disastrous enough but the leading cast was the worst part of it. The actors/actresses themselves and their respective characters were failing and stumbling every step of the way with no chance of recovery.

The most boring and the worst drama

[Gaikokujiin · 1/10 · 20 December 2022]

Very unlogical that a woman who was declined and treated very badly for 10 years still has the same feeling for a guy who is a jerk, childish, has a big ego, and always thinks about himself, which is in general, people would change their feeling when treated badly shortly. Then the woman rejected a perfect guy who is very understanding, a good listener, very patient, better looking, richer, and more successful. I think many people would say the woman is so stupid. The main actor always shows the same acting in his every movie. More interesting are the stories of the main actress's friends here.

Boring illogical love story

[vicks-42907 · 1/10 · 21 August 2022]

Waste of time, boring such a non sense love story. Wasted my time and internet for downloading this.

Stop making these boring webseries.

Poor acting of actress and actors. They acted like they acting for free.

Watch 'Because This Is My First Life' instead

[hannahstalavista · 5/10 · 5 May 2022]

I started watching this even though I don't know anyone in the cast. I hate how the plot was always repeating, annoying and draggy. I want to drop this when I reached the episode 9. I feel like stupid while watching this because of the stupid female lead. She has the worst decisions in life. There's no chemistry between the leads, even the female and the second lead. I just finish it completely because of Dong Jun, I didn't know someone like him exists, he's super handsome. I hate the expression of both the leads especially the female one, her expression seems like she carry the whole world on her back. The story was poorly written. It is forcing the viewers to love the leads when there's no reason to. It became less interesting towards the end.

The three couples were very immature especially the 3 girls. Selfish brats.

All the characters did well especially Dong Jun and Eun Jin, but the leads were terible especially the female. Like, it was cringey all the time whenever she's acting cute. It doesn't suit her.

Both the leads can't deliver in this drama. They don't have the chemistry which is a very big factor. All of the characters here were so selfish and self centered, they're all stupid when it comes in making decisions.

I don't know if the leads were good on their other dramas but here, they both sucks. The expression of both of them especially the girl annoyed me the most. I won't judge their skills, I just think they lacked chemistry that's why this failed. I just wanna say that the ost were kinda good too.

Don't watch this. This will waste your time and will only frustrate you. Just watch 'Because This Is My First Life' it is way better than this.

I'm just happy because I found Dong Jun (My new celeb crush) and Eun Jin here.

8/10.

Toxic

[daniel-97942 · 1/10 · 9 May 2022]

The male lead is the definition of toxic. I stopped watching after 6 episodes. It's clear based on the majority of these reviews I was correct in not finishing this show. He makes no sense. He's kind to her, she admits her feelings, he rejects her feelings. Repeat. Boring. When they introduced the 2nd male lead I had a glimmer of hope. But the writers kept it toxic. Why in the world would anyone choose somebody that can't accept their emotions? Waste of time.

Would not recommend.