Gae-in-eui chwi-hyang

I don't know that my rating is acurate. After watching so many Kdramas, I think I've seen most of the very good ones. Since I couldn't let go of this passion, I lowered my expectations a while ago. That's how I found myself watching something with Lee Min-Ho in it, although this should have been enough to deter me. Someone wrote "If I ever see the Male Lead actor in a show again I'll stop watching immediately" It was really funny because his performance in this drama is actually the best I've seen from him so far.

So. Cons. REPETITIVE SOUNDTRACK. (Pabo choleoooom....) WEAK PLOT. POOR ACTING. POOR DIALOGUES. NO CHEMISTRY. No chemistry of course, with the leads behaving so awkwardly around each other, hardly touching, as if they were both contagious or something. I remember SHJ in Something In The Rain. It doesn't even compare.

Pros. LMH. Ah, I can't help it, his beauty is really from another world. Er... What else... Yes. Director Choi. If memory serves, he is now my second favourite character in the entire Kdrama world. First one is Mister Ma, the lawyer in I Hear Your Voice. My admiration for him is immeasurable.

Director Choi melted my heart. If such a man existed in the real world, I would want to meet him and stay by his side forever. He is handsome, classy, dignified yet humble, selfless, thoughtful, caring, sensitive. His one-sided love story was the one beautiful thing in this drama. My heart ached so much for him. I'm grateful if only for that part. The actor's skills stood out beside all the poor performances. Such pain, and at the same time, such kindness in his eyes... I will never forget him. I'll seek out more dramas with this actor, maybe it's something about him? There. 8 stars just for him.

Core part of the plot was the male lead pretending to be gay as described in the synopsis, however, I'm not sure if this was intentional or not but naming the female lead 'Gae In' was seriously tripping as it was pronounced very similarly to how the characters saying the word gay. Anyway, the drama followed the typical romcom formula of the early 2010s while having a play around the cohabitation of opposite sex and pretending to be gay. This setup spawned all kinds of predictable shenanigans yet they were somewhat entertaining, solely thanks to the leads. While sometimes irritating but they had a good dynamic going on between them. The character Jin Ho was written as a reserved guy who doesn't open up or show his feelings but Lee Min Ho in this drama was way too subdued and static beyond what the characterization mandates for his character, combined with sometimes questionable production, it had created some awkward scenes and deliveries. The drama featured a love square to anchor the drama but this love square was plain stupid. It served its purpose to kick start the story but any involvement after that was a poor decision. I found the ending to be a little bit weak and boring, they played it safe and predictable. Both parents of the leads were brushed off quickly to wrap it up despite being a reasonable point of tension prior to that. Overall, it's a decent watch with nice moments here and there but lacked a lot to be recommendable or rewatchable.

I watched it again after many years, and though I love the leads, esp. SYJ, and the series has sweet moments, for me, it definitely has cringe-worthy scenes and others that simply do not hold up well.

10 stars to Lee Min Ho for the lead male who I admit I usually give 10 stars to. Again, he fits perfectly in the romantic handsome edgy male role lead. To be true to my reviews I have to deduct a star for the FML and script that always write in a dowdy FML to star with him - and I think they go too far with the wardrobe trying to make her look unfashionable with sweats and slippers and ugly clothes. I thought the gay situation humor was hilarious however I didn't think the FML dressed as a boy was portrayed very good by the FML. Also didn't care for episode 16 very much, which included the ending. But Lee Min Ho brought the romance again and did a great job in the role of architect who got caught in a lie.

#LeeMinHo #GameOver #PersonalTaste.

He listened to her and comforted her when she was sad. He took care of her when she was sick. He never cheated on her. He felt for her mother's loss. He was helpful to her in cleaning and cooking. He gave her strength to not dwell in the past but for a brighter future. He defended her and protected her when she fell into states of weakness. He supported her when she fell into financial troubles. He slept in a bed with her without even touching a finger of her in the beginning of their romance and waited for her consent.