Lee Jong-suk is different here. While in most of his other series he is confident, cocky, and humorous, he is serious all throughout this 3-hour miniseries. I felt U-Jin's loneliness, desperation, helplessness because of feeling trapped and being emotionally blackmailed by his father. I felt the restraint he mustered so as not to reveal how he really felt towards Sim-deok. He did very well here.
Shin Hye-sun as Sim-deok was equally outstanding.
Kudos too for the overall production design and cinematography.
If there is one thing I found lacking, it's the burning, intense feelings that the couple was supposed to share after they'd revealed how they felt towards each other. It was supposed to be so intense that they'd be missing each other the moment they'd part ways, enough to want to turn their backs to towards their families to be free together.
For the most part they acted like mere acquaintances holding hands once in a while. There wasn't any passion; they were a bit too reserved. Maybe this was to allow the intensity of their feelings to come through U-jin's heartfelt letters and Sim-deok's singing? If this were the intent, then this didn't happen. If there was one thing I can say Shin Hye-sun failed at, it was failing to be convincing as a classical singer. She was rigid and void of expression while singing, and she should have been coached better on how to open her mouth wider.
Still ok overall, just too bad the director failed to bring out a fuller range of emotions from our leading pair.
