The Woman Who Plays (2024)

MR.EMPEROR PENGUIN

I beg beg begggggg, you to NOT judge this drama by it's initial ratings, pleaseeeeee...I don't know what pleasure people get from down-rating a drama...If you're not into such dramas, you shouldn't have started it after watching the trailer, why would you intentionally come here just to give bad ratings.
But, if you're into silly and lovely dramas that'll have you screaming in your pillow, giggling and curling your toes, THEN THIS IS A PERFECT DRAMA FOR YOU....I ABSOLUTELY LOVE THE CAST... IT'S A PERFECTLY PACED STORY and cherry on top is ML's voice>>>>> sir sir sir....🙆🔥

ABSOLUTELY OBSESSED WITH TAEGOO AND SUNHWA😌❤

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Sweet, Cheesy, and Totally Hilarious!

Rom-coms have always been my guilty pleasures—something I just cannot help but indulge in, like sneaking a spoonful of Nutella straight from the jar. The drama can be full of the usual tropes, and I’m typically fine with that because I like them. Such is the case with *My Sweet Mobster*. Some will say it is predictable and cheesy, and they would be right, but the show did the cheesiness and comedy so well that it won me over. I found most episodes enjoyable and funny. Additionally, the show had a compelling premise: the ML was an ex-mobster leading a group of ex-convicts and trying to stay on the straight path.

The biggest draw for me was Uhm Tae Goo as Seo Ji Hwan, the ML. He completely surprised me. I had only seen him in *Save Me 2*, and I did not expect him to be so versatile in this drama. I was impressed by how he was able to transition from being scarily intimidating to being goofily love-struck. Uhm Tae Goo showed that he can do comedy, so I hope he will continue to explore that. Seo Ji Hwan was easy to root for. He was principled, led by example, and was admired by his men. I especially loved his interactions with his group of sidekicks who live with him. That dynamic seriously elevated the show for me, and in fact, I would say that was the best part of the drama.

As for the romance, the chemistry between the lead couple was not as great as I would have liked. Han Sun Hwa was fine as Go Eun Ha, the FL, but I was not won over by her character. Go Eun Ha was a content creator for children, and Han Sun Hwa fit the role—cute, bubbly, and pretty. However, there was something missing between the couple that did not make my heart flutter during the romantic scenes. There was no feeling of giddiness or warmth watching the FL's reactions, but it was incredibly funny watching Seo Ji Hwan swooning (in some cases, quite literally!), as he had never experienced love before. His antics, accompanied by the humorous reactions of his sidekicks, kept me laughing a lot.

Kwon Yul, playing Jang Hyeon U, the SML, was another surprise for me since I have seen the actor play more menacing villains in other shows. In this show, Jang Hyeon U was not as annoying as the stereotypical SML. He was persistent when appropriate but remained a gentleman when rejected, and his protectiveness made sense given the ML's background. Best of all, he underwent some character development, becoming a good friend to the couple, supporting them, and truly caring for their happiness. I appreciate that the show did not pair him with someone else just for the sake of it, although there was some implication of a potential romance for him.

The development of the second couple, Ju Il Yeong and Kim Mi Ho, was okay to watch, but Mi Ho's parents and, again, the sidekicks were the ones adding the most flavor to the good scenes. Honestly, the supporting characters deserved much kudos for making this drama a lot more enjoyable.

Recently, there seems to be a general struggle to get the pacing of dramas right, and *My Sweet Mobster* suffered from this as well. Some episodes started to feel like filler. It was as though the show could not bear to leave out all the comedy gold, so they squeezed it all in, even though the scenes did not move the story along. As much as I laughed, I also found certain parts rather draggy. Another downside was the main villain—I could not take him seriously. Even if this was supposed to be comedic, there was something off about him.

The wrap-up was nicely done. The resolution for the ML and his mobster ties left a good feeling, and the way the show ended, featuring the main group, was satisfying.

In terms of the soundtrack, it was good—mostly romantic tracks fitting for the more emotional scenes. The opening credit song was lively and reflected the positive and happy tone throughout the show, but my favorite was "Beautiful Woman" by Yu Jeongseok. It was just so funky and unexpected, but totally appropriate when played. For posterity, I included the links to the playlist.

https://open.spotify.com/playlist/6QLkDGAblKUfnW7tB6ywqX?si=d688c0d23fc2451a
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=W-8m3l2VVxQ

Overall, I would recommend this show. For a rom-com, it was different, straying a little from the stereotypical rich chaebol heir falling in love with a lovely girl of a common background. The comedy was well done, and if you can deal with the cringey moments that are in almost all Korean rom-coms, then you may enjoy it as much as I did.

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Barbenheimer Couple✨

Is he just a Ken? NO, he's the Barbie and she's just a Ken 🤣✋🏼 Mobster? WHO? Man goes on mute mode whenever he's with the FL. Peak girlboss energy.

Here's the story: Seo Ji Hwan is the CEO of a company named "Thirsty Deer," run by ex-convicts. Eun Ha, on the other hand, is a YouTube content creator for kids. Their paths cross, leading to a series of misunderstandings and embarrassing moments🤣

Seo Ji Hwan is such a simp, and I love him for it! 🤣 He's always protecting everyone in his company like they're family, and those wholesome moments with his brother? Pure gold✨

Eun Ha is naive but not a plain old damsel in distress. I love her caring and loving personality, and she still has that strong, fierce side💪

Their love story is so cute and cringey and well put out down honestly. It's slow, they are hesitant, awkward yet so respectful, communicate so softly with each other and it is so natural that no one is chasing anyone they both develop their feelings gradually grow over time.

But the second lead? Ugh, soooo annoying! I skipped through most of his scenes. Man wants to be FL's daddy but acts like her father. 🤡 Why does he make choices for her and decide what's right or wrong for a grown-up adult? It's beyond me 🙏🏻

✅ The chemistry between the leads and their relationship had just the right amount of angst to keep me hooked!
✅ Loved the brother-in-law and Eun Ha's bonding moments!
✅ All the events they put together were super cutesy and fun, like a feel-good montage!
✅ The ML's in action scenes?! dang, i wish we had more scenes, such a versatile actor!
✅ The conversations were well-written and felt so natural.
✅ Personally I liked the SL couple! Their mature romance was like a breath of fresh air, so intriguing!

❌ The prosecutor? Totally unnecessary. Plus, why does he act like he's part of the police force? 😂
❌ The whole gangster subplot was a snoozefest. I couldn't care less and definitely couldn't take them seriously! 🤣

Overall, it has its fair share of clichés and melodrama, but with that nostalgic old romance vibe. It’s a feel-good, heartwarming rom-com that I’d definitely recommend! Hehehe!

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Tune in for laughter & second-hand embarrassment! Starts off with a bang but eventually peters out.

Ep 1: The leads look so good & they are funny! It starts with a fake police (our FL) handcuffing our sweet Mobster with toy handcuffs for a crime he didn't commit. The FL is really gutsy and crazy! First meet, she mistakes him for a guy who tried to harm a waiter with a broken bottle. Second meet, she thinks he is stealing money from the kids! As if the handcuffs were not enough, she hits him in the head from the back and runs away! She is waring a mascot getup for her part time job. The ML thinks she sells drugs because he mistook the kid candies she had for drugs. You know a drama is good when you want the first episode to be longer than 1 hour. The SML also seems to be connected to these somehow, we'll find out how. The Thirsty Deer gang is so fun to watch.

Ep 2: Damn the FL has a very overactive imagination! I still can't believe she let go of him when he was about to fall. Poor guy can't seem to catch a break when he is around her. And he is already falling for her. Wow, his guy gang just couldn't take a hint that he wanted them to get out. Okay this episode was a little less crazy than the previous one, but it was nice. I honestly like the leads a lot, all three of them. I wonder what's up with the SML. Is he really the Hyeon U, she has been searching for. Their history sounds interesting. I wonder what happened between the two & if he remembers her.

Ep 3: I was watching binge-watching the cdrama "Story of Kunning Palace", so catching up on this episode was a sudden change of genres & language for me. I thought the intensity of Kunning palace might make me loose interest in this drama (I didn't want that to happen), but thankfully the ML did something that was in character for him to do, the map of India no Indonesia. He clearly was so bothered that Yeong asked her to call him if she wanted to go on a drive sometimes. Yeong knows the effect he has on women and he uses it well. Oh man, he is so adorable with the coat thing! Okay this episode was lovely & next one looks even better.

Ep 4: Okay both ML & SML made me laugh at the strangest things they did. The slide scene reminded me of Lovely Runner's slide scene where Sun Jae was trying to hide from Im Sol. I don't like FL's coworker who tried to humiliate her. Even though she is doing good career wise, she wants to bully FL because she holds something against her (No reason has been provided so far) Here's to hoping that the Thirsty Deer Crew doesn't hire her but chose to work with FL because she truly seems to care about the children.

Ep 5: These two cuties are making it so fun to watch. I'm sure no one watching the drama is Kang Ye Na's fan. From the way things are going, it is clear that Ji Hwan is Eun Ha's childhood sweetheart. But the change of name and another Hyeon U taking fancy to her needs to be explained so have to wait for the revelation. The names of the gangs are so funny, we have Bull Dog & then Meow/Kitty. That kiss was so unexpected, I wish all of it was shown from the front and not back but we'll make do. Ji Hwan's reaction was worth watching!

Ep 6: Oh, I wonder if the thing between Ju Il Yeong & Koo Mi Ho is going anywhere. He did seem like someone who has a way with women so it is hard to figure out if he is looking for than a fling. Koo Mi Ho was attracted by his looks so not yet sure she feels anything tangible as well. But they looked good together. That one flashback we got was so damn steamy & far too short. Ji Hwan is one of a kind, with the way he started flaunting his shoulders. The preview for next week's episodes look sad, I wonder where it is going.

Ep 7 & Ep 8: Ah so there's the explanation about how he is her childhood sweetheart. So the prosecutor with the same name is such a big coincidence. The gang is all so silly. Ju Il Yeong pulled the it was a mistake card! (facepalm) Poor Mi Ho was so embarrassed. I wonder how she ended up in the same hospital room as he did in the first few episodes. Ji Hwan trying to protect Miss Minnie but it is in vain. What have we learned from watching countless similar plots? They end up admitting their feelings anyways! Next week's previews look exciting, however, they seem to need liquid courage to kiss each other.

Ep 9 & Ep 10: Ji Hwan is being so frustrating. I love Ko Mi Ho, the way she confronted what made her uncomfortable was gold. I wish they had focused more on this second relationship. Oh my, episode 10 gave me lot of second hand embarrassment. Wow there, even though I like corny scenes some of these were too over the top. At least, they did not fail to give me shivers or make me laugh. I knew it was Mi Ho's test! Whose else could it have been? Ji Hwan can barely kiss Eun Ha without fainting (Lol). We finally see some sort of reciprocation of feelings from Ju Il Yeong, even though right now they are borne out of jealousy. The pregnancy might complicate things or help them out.

Ep 11 to Ep 16: Right now, I'm more interested in Mi Ho's and II Yeong's story than the main leads, because it is getting a bit too corny even for me. I think they missed the right balance here. The last two episodes were kinda sweet for the main leads, they were finally back to adorable. I think halfway through the drama lost its appeal for me. This should have been a shorter 10 or 12 episodes drama. I did adore the dynamics between Hyugnim and his bros. Enjoyed Mi Ho's love story till the end. Had they toned down the crazy a little bit the leads story would have been better. I hope to see more of Uhm Tae Goo from now on.

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Started great than fell into every single K Drama tropes

Very Short review here.

It's started fun and fresh. Very cute and funny with an interesting setup of following ex-cons and the challenges they encountered in trying to build a life in Korean society... all that with a fun and fresh romance...
Too bad this drama decided after a couple of episodes to veer away from what made this romance feel fresh and new and focus on basically what all k romances have done for the past 20+ years: the childhood connection, the ridiculous love triangle, the useless family drama (mafia style) in order to get a useless noble hero trope + separation trope and a couple of needless side stories to give some depth to some extra characters ( and I said extra not secondary).

Throw in a couple of side couples I never manage to care about - especially the baby couple... their love story just felt so forced it made me roll my eyes big time - in order to fill the minutes for the empty plot and you get My Sweet Mobster. Not a bad show, not a great show, a somewhat meh-good show that you'll probably forget in 2 months tops and is going to join the long list of shows you watch to pass the time and doesn't make you invested.

Not a show I would recommend... I struggled to finish it. The only reason I did was because I watched it as it aired... but it's definitely a show I would have dropped earlier if all episodes had been available as I would have checked where this series was going after I felt it was started to drag... which is something I started to feel about episode 8.
I'd say, the first 10 episodes are a delight... but after that the drama takes a very quick and steep deep dive into tropey territory and ultimately lost me.

As in most Romance K dramas, this show would have been great if it had only been 10 to 12 episodes at most. Ultimately its length ruined it. I was personally very tired by the end of it... But I do think you should watch it to make up your mind. Most characters are adorable and for some viewers, lots of the flaws can be overlooked, just because you love the characters that much.

It's usually my case... but not this time.
Dear My Sweet Mobster. Our relation was somewhat ok while it lasted... I don't hate you... but I won't remember you.

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There is no romance.....but a lot of comedy

For those who are critizing people giving low ratings - let me explain why.
When you classify a drama genre as romance, then we expect romance. Viewers like me only watch Asian dramas for the beautiful romance so we feel cheated and irritated when there is none. Otherwise just classify it as comedy with mild Melo.

Using the same childhood trope of 2 children who have unhappy families and remember their childhood love into their 30s and 40s is like beating a dead horse. Bury the poor animal and this poor trope please!!!@#

Secondly - do you not audition these actors for chemistry if it is a romance? They are so allergic to touching and being close to each other.......you wish they would break up and move on with their lives.

Third - do you specifically make these FLs look so pathetic so we can like them out of pity?
This one has bangs that went out of fashion in 1930 and she's got hair that covers the entire periphery of her face.
Just make her wear a mask instead for God's sake.
And those outdated bangs look like she cut them herself - the issue here is that her best friend is a hair dresser who has gorgeously styled hair herself. Even the braids on the friend are beautiful.

It was so so annoying to see this goddess of goodness with outdated hair, grandma sweaters, ill fitting clothes have two sauve, stylish and classy men swoon over. Yuck! Get out of this desperate trope too pleeease.

Now for the best parts - the reason this drama got a 5 instead of 1.
Each and every actor (except FL) is a treat to watch. Their performances are phenomenal!
The comedy is laugh out loud! The poker faces, blank expressions, silent looks are all hilarious.

The bromances are fun.
The second couple also has a nicer and more interesting story.

The men are so stylishly well dressed it looks like they stepped out of GQ magazine.

So yea go ahead and watch it for everything minus the romance.

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It was TIMEPASS

After first episode , i dropped it. Then after few episode , I saw scenes clippings and there was nothing to watch after coming from office ..So, thought of watching it ...
It was okay.. Not too good and not too bad. TIME PASS

I will say normal Kdrama.Nothing extraordinary .As always , wrong person was liked by FL in the beginning, usual scenario "Childhood Oppa".
ML helping FL , drunk fl , back hugs, piggy ride ,over exaggeration of emotions from side characters and extraordinary good ML
Same as usual. So skipped scenes ...

Last few episodes were somewhat boring and and over flowing with overacting of emotions. I didn't enjoyed.

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Best Romcom

You wouldn't know what someone is good at unless they try.. The ML is just perfect in his roles and the FL is not doing bad either. infact all the characters in the drama are so good at it. I did not have any other feeling or regret in watching this drama.
I don't usually watch romance unless it's highly rated but when I saw this I decided to try one episode and I have been hooked. I'll definitely watch and rewatch because it's one of the 2024 best drama and I hope it wins an award when the time comes..

please ignore the ratings and give it a try and believe me you won't regret it

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Gangsters & Giggles: A Romcom That Will Steal Your Heart!

There's something truly heartwarming about stumbling upon a hidden gem that isn't overhyped or filled with big-name actors, and "My Sweet Mobster" is just that! This charming drama strikes a perfect balance between humor, a sprinkle of villainy, sweet romance, and themes of brotherhood and found family, all while delivering some strong moral lessons. Sure, it dips into clichés like childhood connections and cohabitation, but the well-crafted characters, ideal casting, and lighthearted tone make these elements shine.

The plot is simple yet clever, offering a fresh twist on the classic "opposites attract" romcom. The female lead is an outgoing kids’ digital content creator, which beautifully contrasts with the male lead, a reserved gangster-turned-food company CEO—what an intriguing duo! Uhm Tae Goo as Seo Ji Hwan really impressed me by stepping out of his comfort zone. He nailed the rugged gangster vibe, captured the loneliness of a boss, and brought the charming awkwardness of a love-struck guy to life. His raspy voice added an extra layer of charm, and knowing he’s a super introvert in real life, along with the fact that this is his first romcom, made his performance feel even more authentic and relatable.

Han Sun Hwa, playing Go Eun Ha, effortlessly captures the cute vibe, balancing kindness and understanding without sounding naive or pretentious. Their chemistry is off the charts, making even the cringiest moments sweet and enjoyable to watch. The blend of their extroverted and introverted traits really works like magic!

The subplots with the second and third couples were genuinely captivating—not just filler! Each couple and the rest of supporting cast brought a unique backstory that tied into the main narrative, adding real depth to the story. The Thirsty Deer gang absolutely stole the show! Yang Hyun Min (as Jae Su, aka Handsome No. 1) and Lee Yoo Joon (as Man Ho, Handsome No. 2) had me laughing with their clueless yet lovable characters. From the hilarious bookstore scene to the wild pregnancy test mix-up (who mixes that up with a COVID test?! LOL) and going on blind dates just to laugh at each other's jokes, their antics had me cracking up in every episode and brought genuine humor to the whole storyline. Even the villain, dubbed the "Kitty Gang," who runs a "Meow Company," was charmingly unserious, adding to the consistently entertaining ensemble of characters!

However, episode 15 takes a darker and more intense turn, as expected, since Seo Ji Hwan has to confront his troubled past. While I usually dislike such dramatic shifts, the script is excellently crafted, and Uhm Tae Goo's skill in the noir genre, along with the talented cast, really pulls you in.

All in all, "My Sweet Mobster" is a delightful MUST-watch that beautifully blends humor and heart! My only complaint is why they leave Bulldog, the French bulldog, outside—come on, he's an indoor breed!

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Snow white and the 6 mobsters

This has a some sweet, some over the top annoying, some adorable, some good and some meeh... But Id say all in all a pretty good balance between them all making it a highly bingable drama for all of those who love their cold meets hot, rich meats poor type pf dramas.

The gagsters gone good are adorable between the moments f over the top annoying, but mostly adorable. The friendships are top, top, top. And they even managed to sneak in some depth and character development between the silly.

Things that really are not my thing was the female leads voice and job, it made great contrast towrds the bigtough mobstes and sure who doesn't like seeng beefy men singing while wearing cute animal suits but other than that there was just to many high notes and. squeakiness for me. But the over all childishness felt really wrong. It could have stayed at playful byt was mostly not really my kind of cute? Seriously why would grown human beings without children watch content ment for small children?

What balanced this up was:

1. Former criminals/mobster in animal clothing (yes I may be contradicting myself here, but there is a fine line between cute/fun/playful/sweet show of caring and the korean Mickey Mouse Club).


2. The male leads extremely sexy voice and overall appearance. dude was a bit to posesive and did have a red flag or two but who cares about that... When he shows up with those muskels and says something in his 5 packs of cigerrate gngster hoarse voice...

3. Found family

4. The second couple

5. Cuteness overkill in the side characters: played by: Park Jae Chan, Moon Ji In, Song Seo Rin, Kim Hyun Jin, Lee Yoo Joon.

6. The female leads characters forwardness and overall coolness (between the annoying that is)

So all in a all a fun binge just mind the silly... and it should be fine

P.S. I will add a comment about the second male lead as comment marked spoiler.

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