Mad for Each Other (2021)

Mental health awareness related drama

I watched this drama without any expectations, just in case i'd feel disappointed. it was surprisingly good, beyond my expectations! The casting in this drama is particularly good! Can't believe I'm actually taking some time to write a review
in every drama, there is bound to be loopholes. for this drama, its loophole is the ending. This is the first time I'm watching Oh Yeon Soo and Jung Woo together in a drama, and they've such awesome chemistry together!
The one scene that really impress me was one when the leads were quarreling and it felt so real, I was tearing up. This is the first and only time an actor/s is able to touch me with their quarreling scene. To say I was Impressed is an understatement! I generally do not rewatch any dramas, but would rewatch that particular scene.
As a drama that addresses mental health, imho, this drama outshines It's ok to not be okay. The latter is overhyped. Sure it is portrayed as a romcom but it also doesn't sugarcoat mental health issues and its impact on people who has it, whether it is one or more. It's a gem for sure and people who gave it a poor rating simply do not know how to appreciate such drama. in a way I pity them.

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Memorable drama with significant frustrations!

This show has a lot going for it, I do think it's overrated, but it's different from how Crash Landing is overrated. I can totally understand why someone would rate this at 10 stars. One of the biggest reasons I did not love this show that much is entirely subjective, parts of the show felt like the Korean society is airing its dirty laundry and I always had a difficulty watching that kind of content. Another less subjective reason is that the last 2-3 episodes were a mess. We had this healing romance thing with some witty comedy going on there was absolutely no need for the events that went down in the last 2 episodes, not cool! (They could have focused on the queer couple instead..)

The actors were great, the leads had okay chemistry. This is perhaps the first drama I've come across with Oh Yeon Seo in it, but I have not seen anything that would justify the hate that she's been getting for being a bad actress. The main romance & how they dealt with the mental issues was pretty great. Calling it realistic is a bit of a stretch, but I did not find this aspect particularly immersion breaking. It was a more authentic portrayal than in IOTNBO, but the difference is not nearly as much as the comment section would have you believe.

The drama is about as long as 8 regular kdrama episodes, I disagree with the people that wanted more episodes. Anything more and I could not have tolerated all the angsty bullshit backstory and the Women's Association anymore. I'm of the opinion that it's better to make dramas shorter than longer. The show could've been re-edited to 11 episodes & I would have given it a 9/10 rating. (Alternatively they could have filled up the time with Samantha+part timer stuff, but I recognize that would not have been popular in Korea)

In my review I may not have elaborated much on the positive points, but MfEO is certainly an extremely memorable drama for me. Perhaps I'll even rewatch it later, with some intensive fastforward button action it will probably be much more enjoyable.

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I nearly dropped this drama after watching one episode. In the beginning, the antics, though funny, seemed forced. The main characters were not only stubborn, but clueless about each other’s plight, often making assumptions they were out to get each other. I almost gave up if it were not for Jung Woo and Oh Yeon Seo’s performance. Their pairing may not be your typical drama couple, but they brought out their A game in this show.

Jung Woo stars as Hwi Oh, a cop who could not control his temper. Despite his good intentions, Hwi Oh believes his outbursts are justified, considering what happened to his colleague. Meanwhile, Yeon Seo stars as Min Kyung, a woman who’s constantly paranoid and keeps looking over her shoulder. She thinks that everyone she encounters will hurt her, therefore she hardly ventures out unless absolutely necessary. She assumes Hwi Oh to be a relentless stalker, as he appears everywhere she is, not realizing he’s her neighbor. After realizing her mistake, Min Kyung lowers her guard after finding out that Hwi Oh was a police detective, currently unemployed because of his suspension from the force.

As time goes by, the two slowly form an unlikely bond. We see both Hwi Oh and Min Kyung grow fond of each other and become accepting of the other’s quirks..We see them relying on each other during difficulties, and how they care for each other despite struggling with their own issues. Hwi Oh’s pursuit of justice sometimes lands him in precarious positions, as he did not have authority to conduct investigations because of his suspension.

On the other hand, Min Kyung had to deal with her POS ex and his manipulative mother. The deliberate sabotage of Min Kyung’s already fragile reputation, led Min Kyung to be shunned by the condo community. And here we see how endearing Hwi Oh is, by standing on her side despite the lack of proof to the contrary. However, even this wasn’t enough for Min Kyung who questions every motive of Hwi Oh going close to her. The previous trauma that she endured, made Min Kyung unable to trust anybody, even herself. Not wanting to seek help or seem weak, Min Kyung tries to tackle everything by herself, even if it’s to her own detriment. Meanwhile, Hwi Oh tries his best to be there for Min Kyung, becoming her protector and guardian.

But the story is more than the developing relationship between these two main leads. We have to appreciate the secondary characters, acted out by an amazing cast. They exist in the drama not merely to support the plot to its fruition, but they each have a role in asserting how society can stigmatize people with mental illness. The show also highlights the importance of not jumping to conclusions, especially when you don’t know the entire story. There are always two sides to a coin, and it may be worth your while to fully understand what’s going on before making hasty judgments.

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crying and laughing guaranteed - 10 out of 10 (well.. almost :D)

My initial thoughts: I finished it a few hours ago and I am still smiling because of it. I loved it - the story, the characters, the acting. I had to laugh and to cry a few times. It is a roller coaster of emotions for sure. I can absolutely recommend it! At the beginning I wasn´t convinced but after the first episode I was HOOKED and it payed off!

Because I am watching a series that is airing right now ("Doctors slump") I kinda got onto the train of K-Dramas that are about the topics like mental illness, enemies to lovers and trauma. And I love love love how these topics were potrayed. I felt the feelings the protagonists felt. I could relate to a lot of it! The actor and the actress were phenomenal in portraying those characters! The only reason why I am rating this 8.5 and not a 9.5 (I don´t think I will ever rate something a 10 :D ) is the lack of chemistry between the protagonists. This might be just me but sometimes I have caught myself thinking "ahhhh I don´t know if I can believe them having sexual tension right now" You know what I mean? Maybe I am alone with this but the kissing scenes were not super convincing to me :D
But to end this review on a positive note: I feel the urge to thank netflix for recommending this series: THANK YOU! You made my week!

PS: Nevermind. I rate it a 9 cause I freakin love it!

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I know I am not supposed to do this, but this drama was simply,

"About two people with their own painful stories who go through a complicated process of hurting and healing while falling in love with each other."

When I originally saw the sneak peak for this drama, I thought that this was going to be a short, quirky drama (maybe based on a webtoon - I got those vibes) about two people who suffered from different "illnesses" (anger management & paranoia) who met one another and after a rocky meeting, started build this cooky kdrama relationship that was new from anything the viewer has every seen as each person would add their own different personality (as this drama seems very over the top).

And that is what we got... in the first few episodes. After a certain point though, we started to get to know the characters and learning their backstories and the drama suddenly turned heavy and not loopy as it once was. After this point, this drama became a story about a woman who suffered PTSD from an abusive relationship she couldn't leave and a story about a cop who exploded with anger after a few BIG events in his life happened around the same time and no one seemed to be on his side or believed him. After a rocky meeting, the two (neighbors) develop this relationship that helped one another heal that eventually turned into love.

I really enjoyed this drama as the two mains always put one another's mental health before any romantic relationship and truly wanted to know the other person before starting anything. Plus, there was a really nice balance of the cookiness of their relationship being almost as comedic relief to a now heavy plot of both mains trying to learn what it is like to be normal, but hitting all these roadblocks from their past. The last episode was a bit rocky for me with all the back and forth especially when nothing was really explained of what was going on in Min Kyung's head, when the writer had been really good about doing that throughout this story. I felt like the last episode was trying to wrap everything up quickly and a lot started to happen with not a lot of explanation which is not like any of the other episodes. Other than the ending, I enjoyed most of this drama. It was a good combination of cute, quirky and heavy.

I also want to give a shout out to "Samantha" - I was so happy that one of the minor characters, who had a great friendship Hwi Oh (he was one of the nicest people too, he didn't have any prejudices and wanted to take care of everyone), was LGBTQ+, but in a way I haven't seen in a drama before. Sang Yeop was another neighbor living in the same apartment complex who didn't identify as male or female, but knew that he enjoyed dressing up as Samantha, and buying things that were "pretty." He himself addressed that he doesn't know what it all means, but he just wants to do and wear what he enjoys and that's it. I also loved his character as acted as an older sibling to minor character Soo Hyun (who was playing someone with her same name?) and had a sibling relationship with Hwi Oh where they looked out for one another.

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I liked this fresh drama!

If you can get to the second episode, you will not regret it! I almost didn't, but I am happy that I gave it a second chance! It showed how life and wrong people encounters can affect people's mental health. I loved how these two people got to know each other through their weaknesses. They didn't hide their illnesses and they connected because of them. I liked that they seemed cold and indifferent but they were just distanced from people because they were hurt. They made progress little by little. They tried their best to be better. They wanted to be in each other's life but they didn't get in the way. I loved how the neighbours cared about them when they opened up. The male lead was ready to help all the time and was so emotional. The female lead took the first step towards him, although she was mentally scarred by a man. I liked that in this drama they kept fighting to get over their illnesses till the end. I would recommend this drama for sure!

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You Are Crazy

Ah, seriously! I thought it would be a fun one but the middle twist of the plot is such a good drive to keep the audience going and sticking with the series. This is a comedy yes but romance and action as well. An all-rounder! I would like to compliment the main leads for taking the mental issues characters well, I think it must've been hard to explore the such theme for a show but depict the horror and the sorrow well I am sympathizing and rooting for them. The side stories are also exciting! The way Mad For Each Other tackles heavy topics in daily kinds of stories is really mesmerizing. Glad that I pick this up again. There's always hope and love even when you think you are crazy it is.

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Crazy Relatable

Absolutely LAUGHED out LOUD for the 1st episode this Guy was just having THE worst day ..and to end it off literally sh*tttting himself - couldn't deal just TOOO funny!! Each episode got better , very cute , funny and actually realistically RELATABLE situations , positions and People Relationships.. I know the main Male Lead is no Gong Yoo in the looks department BUT somehow I totally fell for his unpredictable kinda sexy Mad Dog vibes.. Loved the ending was super cute and once REALISTICALLY relatable. Loved their character build up and not TOO dragged out. Really Loved this!

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Pleasantly Different

This drama was so well done. It demonstrated real issues in a way that was basically sincere. It didn’t feel dragged out or out there to be a big issue. Just drawing your attention to how it feels to be different, questioned, and lonely. I felt my heart clenching and also laughed so hard. There were even times when I was at the end of my seat bracing my shoulders.

The music was very well done. There were just a few songs that I didn’t like last 80%. They still matched every scene.

The character development that was portrayed was fantastic. You saw our two mains really evolve as the drama went on. Their relationship didn’t even seem rushed. It wasn’t an out of this world meeting. It wasn’t instant connection. That was different and very enjoyable. Plus our secondary cast are wonderful at what they do. The drama itself didn’t feel overdone. It felt as though they wanted us to connect and really feel what everyone was feeling. Not all things work out, not everything can resolve itself perfectly in a bow. Being able to apologize, and be heard is worth all the effort. I love that it’s comedy is just perfect. The pacing wasn’t rushed either. Maybe it was the short season half hour episode format. I would watch this format again easily.

This drama is short and sweet. If you want a quick and easy drama to sink your teeth into give this a really good try. Might make you smile, cry, get frustrated and angry. Maybe a delightful combo of emotions you didn’t know could mix.

Sara Rojas JULY 18 2021

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An unexpected delight

Such a lovely drama. I'm sad it was so short! Although I was also impressed at how invested they made me in the characters in the relatively little time they had. It was also one of the most real-feeling romances I've seen in ages, possibly ever in a kdrama. There are melodramatic elements, sure - how could there not be?! - but at its heart it just felt like watching two real people falling in love in real time, and as actual adults! It's still very chaste but I found the way they dealt with the physical aspects of the relationship really refreshing for a kdrama. Nothing shocking but again, just real and very, very sweet. It made me want to fall in love with someone again so badly! I'd love them to do a follow-up. Thirteen episodes wasn't enough! I could hang out with these two for much, much longer.

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