When I watched the first ten episodes of Chicago, I was so in love that I was ready to give out the big fat ten I’ve been sitting on top of since forever now. At some moments I was laughing the thigh slapping, seal clapping kind of belly laugh, where I just had to pause the screen for a while and simply revel in the happiness the show brought me and on other moments, I was crying heartfelt tears because of something that touched me so deeply. At times, I felt so much warmth in my heart that I wondered if anytime now, it will plop out from my chest and melt in a gooey puddle on the floor. I had so much affection for the characters that their hurt was my hurt and their joy my joy. But then… episode 11 hit and somehow Chicago lost a lot of its touch.

Suddenly you had your typical K-Drama over-dramatic melo shit everywhere. Everything became a thousand times more sappy, illogical and emotional in a try-hard way. The pacing became shit. Plot-holes tumbled in and things that should’ve been huge just ended up being anti-climactic. And before you know it, Chicago ends on a note so “MEH” that it’s a disservice to the once precious drama. For sure, most people are probably going to love Chicago’s ending episodes too but for me since this drama was all about being subtle but powerful the extra turns it took, did not slide.

Here are some aspects of the show and my take on it:

-Yoo Ah In’s BeWhy inspired shitty haircut:
We are all superficial people to some extent and Yoo Ah In’s egg shaped haircut is no doubt a fashion disaster but there are some actors who don’t need appearance to make things work because their talent is enough. And Yoo Ah In tops the list. He just gets how to handle me and he always manages to wring my emotions like a masterful puppeteer. So much so, that at this point I think that he’d be able to perfectly emote even if he had a giant garbage bag on his head. He is spectacular as always here, playing two roles with different personalities all at the same time and excelling at both. And just for those of you, who simply cannot get over the hair-do, the drama comes with a sexy as hell past version of Yoo Ah In, with great hair and a lot of badass. ;)

-Weak female lead:
I’ve said this before and I’ll say it again. If there is one person who can sell me a damsel in distress it’s Im Soo Jung. I remember her brilliance in MiSa about  7 years ago and I still find her really likeable. Unfortunately because of her doe eyed look and an eternal stupid expression, she is often typecast into the “dumb but kind” roles. But I feel like despite that she always manages to shine through with her inner strength and true, she does exactly that in the first ten episodes. But after that, the writers started to confine her in a box again. Too much crying. Too much need saving. Too much “woe-is-me” bullshit. That her personality just falls under.  And it’s a shame too because she is supposed to me this “bad-ass sniper” with like a trillion qualities and so sadly this whole thing made me realize that while I do like Im Soo Jung, I hate damsels in distress more. And soon for me, Jeong Sol turned from being adorable to annoying real quick.

-Han Se Ju:
A lot of people think that HSJ is just one of those “bad boys” who are actually bad guys but that’s just not true. Sure, the writers tried to force the image on him with the whole “wrist grabbing, temper tantrum throwing, macho alpha asshole” bullshit but it still isn’t true. Because Han Se Ju is an actual sweetheart. A passionate, sensitive and thoughtful man who can act like a complete petty toddler at times but an admirably strong old soul at others. For me, he was a character close to my heart ‘cause I know I’ve myself thought so many of the things that he believes in, I have felt so many emotions that he goes through and that makes him so relatable to me. He’s a beautiful man inside-out, with all his lows and trust issues intact.

Sound track:
While Chicago has a brilliant soundtrack and the show makers did get the play timing right most of the times, there’s one weird ass instrumental that they unfortunately play in the most poignant scenes in the later episodes, effectively ruining the impact. Tragic.

Bromance:
By far, my favorite bromance, simply because of how natural and heartfelt it is. It stays strong from the first episode to the last and soon became the only reason I continued with the show.

Other:
The romance is good. The side characters are endearing. The kisses are enjoyable. The antagonist does a very good acting job. The past and present weave effortlessly and are  interesting to follow. The cheeky and often hilariously cringey supernatural effects are a delight. While the ending episodes are mediocre at best, the first ten are so emotionally powerful that at the end I couldn’t help but give it an 8.5, still.

Do I recommend? Yes. Definitely. Because despite its flaws Chicago in its core is a beautiful story about friendship, loyalty and the inseparable bond between three people that transcends time. This is a show that you absolutely have to give a chance to. It doesn’t matter whether you like it or not, it’s worth at least a try. This isn't a drama you should judge by reading other people’s opinion, you simply have to experience it yourself.