Thoughtful and heart-breaking

Wow. This drama is pretty much flawless, from the acting, the plot developments, the pacing...everything just felt so real, whether it was showing grief, anger, relief, determination, fear, etc. Every scene of this drama was just so filled with emotion, whether it was a fight scene or just a conversation between two friends.

I'm usually not a huge fan of ensemble dramas because characters are covered unequally but that wasn't the situation with this drama at all. Every character was super fleshed out, both in terms of how they were linked to the shooting and who they were generally as people. I still had my favorite subplots — Li Da-Chih and Sung Chiao-An were undoubtedly the two most intriguing characters with the most unique relationship dynamic, and seeing their character development happen so realistically, so subtly, so painfully, was amazing.

If you're the type of viewer who wants answers (this drama introduces some questions about the shooter's motives) then this might not be satisfying for you — but if you let this drama to do what it's meant to, which is focus on the aftermath and the grief and the emotions, then this is an amazing watch.

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A comedic heart-warmer

So "comedic heart-warmer/tearjerker" might sound like an oxymoron but that's exactly what this was — there were really funny and silly moments, but they were followed by just heart-warming and adorable scenes between the father and daughter. Those were undoubtedly the best out of the entire movie, and I also loved how the side characters were also given personality. They all felt like one big happy family.

This drama reminded me a lot of Prison Playbook (not the parent dynamic but the cellmates dynamic) and it just made me feel really cozy and at home.

The only thing that I didn't love was the "future" scenes — it was a little predictable and though I've got nothing against Park Shin Hye, I felt like she just didn't feel right; I didn't buy into her character.

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Beautiful and un-cliche

It's been a long time since I enjoyed a serious movie this much; going into this I had been worried that it would be pretentious and boring, but that wasn't the case at all.

In fact, I felt like the plot never stopped moving, the story's pacing was great, and the movie actually took me by surprise in many scenes. I thought that something was going to happen and the movie was going to go the cliche route, but they didn't and instead I watched something that felt much more realistic and emotionally-charged, rather than needlessly dramatic.

We're given just enough information about every character and situation to make us emotionally invested — it really feels like we're given a intimate peek into the tensions between family members.

Cinematography was beautiful as well; overall, the tone of this movie is so nostalgic and warm. I was surprised that there were some parts that were truly funny, albeit a little bittersweet. I won't lie — it stressed me out a lot in many places, but that was partly due to my misplaced expectations. Go into this without any preconceived notions and you'll find yourself in love with it, I promise.

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Wholesome but confusing

I had heard about this drama being really wholesome and healthy beforehand and that was indeed what I got. I really liked the eccentricity of the main leads — their dynamic was awkward but comfortable and it was really different from all the other dramas I'd seen. I especially really liked the main male lead and the way he handled family situations and conflict was just really unique.

If you're looking for a plot-driven drama though, this isn't it. It was very character-driven. I don't have a problem with that, but there were also a lot of side characters I just didn't really care about, including the second ship.

Overall, I just felt like aside I started clicking less and less with the characters; I do chalk this up to the writing style, as something about the way every character talked just was very confusing and obscure. They discussed things in metaphors and it all just kind of went way over my head. I wasn't sure what they were talking about and it made the drama kind of meh to me.

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Perfectly heartwarming, fluffy, adorable, funny

If you want a wholesome modern romance, this is pretty much the best it gets.

Starting with my favorite part — the main ship. I just love the bickering couple dynamic, where the FL and ML always teased and fought with each other, but you could always tell they could handle each other and it was in good fun. They were always there for each other when things got serious. As always, they each had their own backstories and obstacles, and they're smart, strong and independent people — sometimes to a fault — but at the end of the day, they were so realistic and I loved how they grew on each other and grew together. Of course, the jealous scenes are there in abundance on both sides, and they're both funny and satisfying to watch.

In terms of them as individual characters, I also just loved how their individual stories weaved into how they cared for each other. The ML was independent and hard-headed as a team leader should be, but also dealt with the burden of it. The FL was strong and stubborn and a badass when it came to gaming but she also never lost her femininity and the parts about sexism in the gaming industry were actually really well explained.

The friendships were also undoubtedly my second favorite part. It really felt like all the teams had their own identity and their own friendships within the team. The repertoire between teammates was so fun to watch, especially in ZGDX where each supporting character had their own personalities, hobbies, speaking styles, and backstories. I really appreciated seeing different family situations and everyday conflicts that different characters had to deal with, and even though time-wise it might have not been long, I really felt like it helped me get to know them and care about them.

The themes of how celebrities are human too, how professional gamers have their own lives too, was really well shown in a multitude of ways, both through our main leads but also through the secondary ship, which was just as endearing and lovable in their own right. They did a really good job in comparing relationships between gamers (main leads) and with relationships with people outside of gaming and how people in the latter can still love and support each other, that they still are people outside of their work.

To be honest, there are some plot points and conflicts that aren't too well explained, but it still really just feels like everyday conflicts that come up and if anything it makes the characters more real. I just wish more time was spent on developing these plot points.

Another part I really liked is that there's no evil villain character that stays throughout the entire drama and messes everything up. Don't get me wrong, there are people who get in between others or people who try to pursue things the wrong way, but it doesn't mean they're bad people. And the few actually bad people come and go, just like they do in real life.

The acting was pretty good to me (I know some people have taken issue with the FL's acting and called her expressionless, but I'm a pretty expressionless person too so I thought it was realistic and relatable lol). The only thing that was kind of difficult to get through was the dubbing, especially when there was Korean being spoken and it sounded so obviously like a voice actor, but at the end of the day this is just a small thing and I'm not going to drop a rating just for it.

The cinematography is great; the video and audio editing really makes the funny scenes work, and I felt the intensity of all the competition scenes. I'm not a gamer but whew, I was definitely stressed for the characters.

Overall, this was such a gem and it honestly breaks my heart that the rating is so low in China. I'd definitely recommend this to everyone. The ships are adorable, the friendships are fun, and the story is just so inspiring and heart-warming from start to finish. I'm not one to rewatch things from start to finish, but this one definitely feels like one I would.

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Beautiful, but the backstory is what got me

Yes, just to get it out of the way. The cinematography of this drama is just gorgeous, IU rocks every single outfit, and the OST is also pretty great.

In this entire drama, however, I have to say that plotwise I was just so much more invested in MW's backstory and in the enemies-to-lovers ship. I completely fell in love with the flashbacks and the high-stakes dynamics between the characters, even while knowing that everything was going to end in tragedy.

While I still enjoyed the modern story and the unusual dynamic between the main leads, I didn't love them as much as I loved the backstory couple, and I almost didn't feel any romance at all. I think part of this is just the time taken to the modern plot.

I wasn't a huge fan of this kind of episodic writing in Master's Sun and I felt the same for this one. Other than the subplots that connected us directly to the main or supporting cast, I didn't care much for the individual ghosts and their stories and pretty much just waited with bated breath to find out about MW's story.

She was undoubtedly the most interesting and layered character out of everyone, and I wish we had dedicated just as much time to the male lead as we did to her or even to any of the supporting cast (the hotel workers). Even with his backstory, his character and plot seemed a little shallow.

Ultimately, it was the backstory of MW that stole the show, my attention, and my heart.

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A mixed bag

There were some parts of this that I was absolutely in love with — the main ship, the thrill of the mystery, the backstory reveal...

And then there were some characters that just went into a downward spiral and made me want to tear my hair out. I'm not talking about a villain or evil character; I'm talking about characters who are just downright annoying and hypocritical, or side characters who have no business being there inserting their opinions into the plot.

I knew the vibe of the ending before going into it, and though I was still emotionally satisfied with the way things turned out, I felt like logically, the actual unfolding of the last episode was disappointing and nonsensical.

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Cute but has its flaws

Overall, this was really cute and I liked the development of frenemies-to-lovers, of two people coming together because of the people they associate themselves with and not completely just due to random misunderstandings. The flow of going from high school to college to work-life was smooth as well, and I liked the feeling of slice-of-life.

At the same time, I felt like this is one of those dramas that needed to be longer; because it had to cover such a long period of characters' lives in a short time, I felt like they tried to hit that nostalgia factor and evoke the sentimentality of growing up, but there wasn't nearly enough time for me to feel that the characters were that close.

The love triangle wasn't dragged out and progressed in one direction, which was nice, but there are aspects of the romance plot that I felt could have been developed and explained better. During these periods I actually preferred the second ship's story. I definitely did not like all the side characters equally.

Something about the FL's acting or character just kind of bothered me; it's like she's always cooing to a baby or pouting, even after she grew up I felt like her personality didn't develop as much as I wanted it to.

Still, this was overall a fun watch — one that doesn't require you to think that much but still gets you to smile.

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Cliche but cute

I felt like the weakest part of this was the overarching story and the side characters; on the other hand, the main leads had a great dynamic together and I especially loved their college days.

The main leads were pretty much the only characters I cared about and I utterly loved their dynamic and them individually. The FL was shy in public but wasn't the typical stupid, ditzy FL — she was open and warm around people she trusted, she was smart, and she knew what she wanted in life and never let her relationships define her. The ML was outgoing and fun, his character development tragic but understandable.

Unfortunately, this drama suffers from the same issue that a lot of short college dramas suffer from — wanting to give side characters a romance arc and yet not dedicating time to their backstories and personalities. FL's best friend was annoyingly peppy; the other roommates and all of ML's friends were the same and I couldn't tell them apart.

The dual timelines were a little hard to tell apart — I'm not sure if this is more of an editing issue where the ambiance of the scenes and the look of the characters weren't different enough.

The overall plot with why the ML had to leave is ultimately really cliche; it's definitely a trope that I've seen before and expected. I felt like the development of the relationship post-time jump could have been done better, but ultimately I still liked how you could see hints of the characters' old personalities as well as their growth during that time.

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Really fun!

Well, that was honestly a fun ride!! The best part of this was undoubtedly the banter between everyone in the group, and they all really grew on me. We got to see really good character development and backstories from all of them — and I will say my favorite out of the bunch is the Hacker!

I do honestly feel like the Big Mission was a little underwhelming, compared to how inventive their previous ones had to be — for this one they just broadcasted the meeting and that was it, even though everything WAS wrapped up nicely.

One thing I kind of wish they extended further were the subplots for each character; it felt like the side characters just sort of dropped off the face of the earth after their roles were finished.

As a whole, I still REALLY enjoyed this and it pretty much had everything I want in an action drama: action (duh), friendship (with banter!), and a thirst for revenge.

Final thing: the OST sounds hella badass. I’ll definitely be listening to it while imagining my own revenge plot.

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Honestly I enjoyed this much more than I expected. The development was really interesting as we started grew to learn more about our female lead and the house. I do wish we saw more of that and earlier rather than focusing so much on the second leads who were terrible and yet ended up…not really playing a large role in the last few episodes despite their meddling?

There were a lot of characters that annoyed me during this, but plot-wise it was pretty strong, aside from the bout of noble idiocy at the end, which I hated.

The topic of being gay was, for the most part, handled really well, and I was really surprised they had a great gay character — Director Choi might’ve been one of my favorite characters in this, though he made me so SAD.

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I feel like this had so much potential — I'm a huge fan of the vengeful vigilante trope. But it ended up not being as great as it could have been for me, for several reasons.

Nana was a terrible female lead. It felt like they tried to spoonfeed the audience — every other sentence about her was that she was strong, badass, independent, and just not scared of anything. But her character was honestly really weak, both physically and mentally. Nana was a damsel in distress, but her constant "Wow, you aren't afraid of anything!" and I'm-such-a-fighter attitude honestly made it really annoying when she needed saving every other episode and never really got involved in the scheming, which is what annoyed me with MLFTS as well — the female lead was practically just there to be a love interest, to be used as a hostage, and there was barely personal growth.

With that being said, the fact that they focused so much on the romance was honestly annoying and I fast-forwarded through all the montages of their moments together. I was much more interested in the vigilante/action aspect than the romance, and the romance was also extremely cliche, with "I'm bad for you, don't love me" being the only reason they weren't together yet.

Jin-pyo was an annoying character as well, but he was the most intriguing by far, with the whole anti-hero thing going for him. I couldn't see his story going any differently than the way it did.

The action twists were really good and the backstory was fleshed out well. The fact that there were these mini plot arcs throughout the drama for each of the corrupted officials and how they were dealt with made things really interesting and I kept looking forward to the next one, especially seeing how the prosecutor's view of things would play along side-by-side.

Yet, I don't think anything really surprised me, and something about production style made a lot of scenes seem less dramatic than they could have been. I felt like the ending was kind of anti-climactic as well, and Nana stayed annoying til the very end.

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As a historical and cultural marker, this film is pretty famous and has a lot of symbolism and motifs of modernity, tradition, Westernization/globalization, repetition, reflections, class struggles, and the circularity of life that are really interesting to break down in a culture class. I appreciate all the little foreshadowing in dialogue, and the parallel of different storylines.

Whether I ENJOYED watching the show is a different matter altogether. It was definitely long, and a lot of the time it was hard to be truly engaged. Some of the acting was kind of cringe, from over-the-top sobbing to stiff dialogue.

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