I wanted this woman to end up with anybody BUT that guy. I would've been content with her riding off into the sunset with Gwang-nam. I loved these two together so, so much, that would've been just perfect.
Squeal-worthy in the first half, way too dramatic and inconsistent in the second half.
I took to this immediately, it's so funny that I binged the first episodes right away. It's your regular setup, a beautiful and otherwise perfect woman caught between two men, only I became very frustrated with the choice for her. Like with many other k-dramas, the second lead made so much more sense and could match her EQ. And indeed knew her much better than the other guy. I mean Go Kyung-pyo does an excellent job, but his character is used for comedic effect more than anything else, and in that sense their whole dance works, at least in the beginning. His blank stares are hilarious, but I grew tired of his bug eyes. Meaning a particular expression he keeps making. Another point that the drama fails to address completely is that this guy is clearly on the spectrum, but apparently he can be taught to become more reactive and aware of others, which, come on... As such, I failed to see the attraction she feels towards him, it makes absolutely no sense. Add to that the fact that she starts to act like a complete idiot after she supposedly falls in love, which again bugs me to no end. But that's k-drama for you, they won't let go of that one. It's meant to be cute, but it's really not. Not for a strong woman who has supposedly been through helluva lot.
Anyway, I liked Hae-jin a lot more for her, but it wasn't meant to be. Is it ever with these things? I know of only one k-drama that flipped this scenario and deceived expectations at the very end.
It gets way to dramatic with the corporate backstabbing and scheming and Kang Hae-jin makes a completely unnecessary sacrifice, only for things to magically return to normal in the last episode. That was a pointless episode and rendered a lot of the things happening before that completely meaningless.
Yu Madam has plenty of issues and mood changes that are never addressed. She is suicidal in one of the earlier episodes for god's sakes, but that is entirely forgotten afterwards. Essentially, some things are used for comedy, only for the characters to start behaving completely different when the drama hits. Anyway...
One thing for which I can also commend this drama is the treatment of the gay best friend, but only to a point. He is written as a very lovable, empathetic, caring character, an all-around perfect best friend, and his sexuality is never exploited or put down or made fun of. However, that is all he is afforded, he is the female lead's sidekick and there to serve and complement her, nothing more. He has a few scenes of his own with his family, colleagues, where his story is further explored, but there's no development for him personally. He wraps his life around his female friend and changes his goals for her or to match hers. He is at the same time idealized and given no agency. But in any case, big step forward for South Korea just the same. Like I said, I would've been glad for her to leave all these men and go to Canada and be free with her bestie. It was not meant to be though.
