Seol Hyun Shines

It took me 1 1/2 years to complete this drama, because
1)Slow beginning
2)Fl’s drunk episode
3)ML mumbling
4)FL started out a tad bit unlikeable

But once I got past episode (6) it’s actually a decent drama.
No other actress could have pulled off the leading lady role, Seol Hyun’s fresh faced beauty, her flowing locks, her infectious smile…. I put her in the top (5) of all Korean Actresses.

The other actors all did a good job.
Bom grows on you over time, the other characters have decent growth arcs.

***Slight Spoiler Warning***


The antagonists, there’s more than one are well written and surprising.

I would have given this a higher rating if not for the use of the ubiquitous KDrama “drunken plot device”
Please KDrama use this a bit more judiciously, I employ you.

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Skip to episode 11

Story idea/concept (8)
The idea is not groundbreaking, but the shopping concept is interesting.

Script (5)
The writer for some unfathomable reason stretched out the setup over 10 episodes, and then had to hurriedly wrap up the show.

Directing (8)
Was ok
Pacing (7)
Was weakened by the script writers choices

Acting (8)
Male lead always has the same facial expressions in every show I’ve seen him in, with limited range, but the other actors carried the drama.

Wardrobe (8)
Was well done and ok overall.

Sets/Locations (8)
Typical of Kdramas, thank goodness the product placement was not irritating as they can sometimes be in Kdramas

Skip to episode 11, in my opinion that’s when the show finally finds direction. Everything that happens prior is rehashed in subsequent episodes anyway so you don’t really miss much, because the male lead is highly irritating in the early episodes.

Episodes 1 to 10 should have been covered in 3 episodes, episodes 11 to 16 should have been spread out to 13 episodes.

Rewatch Value (2)

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Convoluted Mess

Menu= Concept/Outline ~(10)
Ingredients/Recipe= Script/Writer ~(4)
Chef= Director/Pacing/Editing ~(5)
Flavor/Taste= Actors/Performances ~(8)
Restaurant/Decor= Wardrobe/Production-Value ~(3)
Waiter/Service= Cinematography ~(9)

Starter/1st Act ~(10)
Main Course /2nd Act ~(7)
Dessert/3rd Act ~(2)

The story idea is great, but the script was convoluted, it started out great but spiraled into a schizophrenic mess. The ML’s character was portrayed childish in an effort to force forcefully inject comedy/humor into the show, I think humor/comedy through dialogue beats slapstick situations any day.
Because of the childishness and incompetence of ML’s character the romance was unbelievable, forced with little chemistry.
The FL’s character was great and required a competent assertive ML to make her growth arc believable, e.g. “taming of the shrew”.

The wardrobe as a tool to convey each character’s personality was used half heartedly with everyone expect the main leads.
The ML’s wardrobe was childish from start to finish and in no way vibed with the FL’s.

The directing was good, but with a weak script? Well….

1st act was actually riveting and had me glued to the screen, but by the 2nd act you couldn’t tell what the drama was supposed to be. By the 3rd act you could tell the show didn’t know how to wrap things up.
Romance fell flat.
Intrigue was nonexistent.
Humor yeah right.
What are rules for Angels in this drama’s world? Even the characters didn’t know let alone the audience.
The main antagonist was clearly halfheartedly put in by the writer, evidenced by the lack of a clear motivation. It seemed like someone reminded the writer to add villain half into the script.
Finally the breakups, smh, to many and unnecessarily so and all using the same stupid justification trope!!!

I don’t understand the high rating for this show.

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Pure and wonderful escapism.

Menu= Synopsis/Concept ~(8)
Ingredients/Recipes= Script Writer ~(9)
Chef= Director ~(9)
Flavors/Taste= Actors/Performances ~(10)
Restaurant/Decor= Wardrobe Production-Value ~(10)
Waiter/Service= Editing/Cinematography ~(10)

Starter/1st Act ~(9)
Main Course /2nd Act ~(10)
Dessert/3rd Act ~(8)

Pure escapism, warm and fuzzy. The lead actress where beautiful coupled with great acting.
I personally prefer simple straightforward storytelling, injecting over the top conflict for conflict’s sake is overrated.

Talking pictures are for unwinding after dealing with reality.

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Park Shin Hye, a star is born.

Park Shin Hye was the lead through and through.

The story was well written, it maybe should have had an extra episode to punctuate the lead’s romance, but I suspect they didn’t want to show a pregnancy wrap up episode as per usual in these kind of dramas because of the lead actress’s age.

The brightest spot in view is the decent balance of toxic to positive characters, this increases the rewatch value. The usual crazy, loud, self awareness lacking characters where kept to a minimum.

The other main where also given adequate screen time and arcs. The elder characters were surprisingly not 1 dimensionally portrayed like they are sometimes are.

Most off the plot points are realistic. Most males would fall for a female who is inexperienced, positive, upbeat, untouched and easy to be around if they are in close proximity to her.

I highly recommend this one for those that like traditional romance.

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A train wreck

This show is quite stupid. It seems to have been written by 10th graders, or maybe it’s an April Fool’s joke on the viewers??
Abandon medical school to be a pastry chef?? You don’t see him in making pastries??
Low effort from the production team, the lead actors etc..
And it commits the worst crime of all by being boring.

On the surface it seems like a normal show, it’s like sticking your hand in a bag of donuts only to pull out your hand and it’s covered in dog p@@p.

Start watching at your own risk, you’ve gotten a fair warning, so you have no one to blame but yourself.

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Script/Synopsis/Concept (8)
Script Writer (10)
Director (9)
Actors/Performances (10+)
Wardrobe Production-Value (10+)
Editing/Cinematography (9)
1st Act (10)
2nd Act (10+)
3rd Act (9)
The Script/Synopsis/Concept is not exactly mind blowing, but the writer and director were able to flesh it out and mould the show into a memorable drama.

Non of the lost memories, time jump, yelling Ajummas, switched at birth, drunkenness, giving all your money to family members, subservient women, weak/feminine men, and other quirky Kdrama tropes.

The acting was great especially the female lead, she portrayed happy, sad, jealousy, anger, suspicion, crazy, so mart, decisive, friction with mom, loving nonna, and so on. It must have been a dream role for the actress.

Every actor & character got there moments to shine, all the main actors are stars in their own respective.The wardrobe was iconic and timeless, the main set (ML’s home) was so good it was an even a tourist attraction in Seoul.

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