Yes, my review title might seem like an oxymoron, but it is the best way in which I can describe this drama. I didn’t know what to expect, since I quite literally stumbled across it after watching a slew of subpar ‘drama classics’. The title intrigued me and I thought: “Alright, this may just be a complete waste of my time or one of the best decisions I have ever made.” And I’m so glad that it’s the latter.

First of all, I adore the format in which this drama is presented to us. Each episode is named after a fairytale of some sort and more often than not it mirrors what the episode is about. It’s stunningly shot to boot. The first meeting of Gang Tae and Mun Yeong, under those cherry blossoms straight up reminds me of a Disney movie. But don’t be fooled.

This drama is teetering on that beautiful line between realism and surrealism, by tastefully presenting and discussing themes surrounding mental health in a surrounding and with characters who still make you feel like you’re a part of their world. Our troublesome trio Gang Tae, Mun Yeong and Sang Tae form a bond that is seldom seen in dramas. A familial bond made through similar pain, understanding and experiences, since they are all outcasts in their own way.

I don’t have enough praise for the acting. Genuinely, these actors deserve global popularity and recognition for their work here. The way they work off of each other is beautiful to see. Oh Jun-se really blew me away with this role. He’s a really talented actor and I hope to see him in awesome projects like this one! Seo Ye-ji and Kim Soo-hyun don’t fall behind either. They are a bomb together, in the best possible way. I’ve seen that Ye-ji is quite self conscious about her voice but I love it, and her. It takes a lot of talent to play a role so different from your personality so convincingly.

This drama is a really dark, twisted delight and I could relate to Mun Yeong more than I’d like to admit. In fact, there was one scene with her father that seemed like it was outright pulled from my life.

The soundtrack is also beautifully haunting and appropriate. Now for the cons, of which I only really have two. A big one would be the character of Mun Yeong’s mother and the way she was handled. I would’ve preferred if she wasn’t even shown fully or if they wanted to show her then it would seem highly appropriate to have Mun Yeong deal with her primarily, instead of having Gang Tae be that resolving link. It was a nonsensical decision in writing which has, so far shown to be exceptional. It is a clunky blip in an otherwise tight storybook. I would’ve also liked to see character development for other characters.

Alas, it is still an amazing body of work and has my GLOWING recommendation. We absolutely need more dramas like this.