Delightful drama, lead chemistry unmatched

The first romance kdrama I watched and it set the bar high. Despite it's age, the dorky y2k hairstyles, and low production value, it is 100% worth experiencing the amazing storyline and acting. Everything feels more natural and the story can be experienced more authentically without the fancy VFX of our times used to overcompensate for bland writing.

I was honestly iffy during the first half of the season because it does drag (hence the 9 rating). And some of the characters behave in ways that are... very frustrating. Relationships between them are various types of toxic. But there is payoff – thankfully their arcs are written well enough so that their journeys of self-reflection ultimately remedy this to an extent (for a piece of lighthearted fiction, at least). The character development for the ML esp is well done – slowly transforming from insufferable, toxic, hot-tempered asshole to someone who is more empathetic and understanding. Together the leads are adorable, endearing and the chemistry is genuine and incredible. But it does take a while to get there.

Supporting cast is also great. The second leads have a more complex and confusing storyline that slows the pace of the drama, but they present an interesting contrast to the struggles of Eun Chan as well as some commentary on society's evolving gender dynamics/expectations of the time. The princes are annoying at times but also hilarious. Surprisingly I was quite emotionally invested in all of them by the end. I do wish they gave us a longer epilogue.

Since watching Coffee Prince, I haven't found a romance since that hits the same way. Sigh I guess they don't make them like this anymore

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Heart-wrenching and healing

It's best to go in blind with this one, but be warned it is heavy. Based on the true experiences of a trauma cleaner, which makes for a beautiful and emotional storyline that hits particularly hard if you've endured significant loss and suffered through grief. The drama is a bittersweet mix of wholesome and heart-wrenching, with characters that grow and develop wonderfully along the way. Acting is amazing, especially by the lead, Gu Ru. The soundtrack is also gorgeous. I took off a point because some of the storylines towards the middle of the season were a little predictable and cliche.

What's most incredible is how this show is can act as a form of therapy and deliver catharsis in unexpected ways. The portrayal of grief was very raw and painful, I don't think I've cried so hard over a show before to the point I almost blanked out because it reopened some wounds and I had to take several breaks. I'm not sure I can rewatch this because it hits that deep. But don't let that deter you from the experience because it is also healing and unforgettable. I hope there's a season 2

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Decent show, but falters badly after episode 3

This show is compared to Squid Game a lot, and as a fan of SG, I gave it a shot only to realize the comparisons make no sense whatsoever. The two shows have nothing in common other than having death games as a major plot point.

Overall AIB is entertaining with lots of fantastical elements. It starts off strong, and some early episodes hit me in the gut, mainly due to excellent acting. But the story takes a weird turn around halfway through the season, and, in my opinion, loses its appeal. Plot twists are cheapened and unnecessarily confusing, and the character development is shallow and uninteresting.

It's a good show for a weekend binge, but not one that left a deep impression on me. That being said, I'll still be watching season 2 :)

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Pulled me out of a drama slump! I really enjoyed this

I'd been starting several romance dramas and losing interest fast, but this one pulled me in with the fantastic script, compelling leads, and wonderfully strong chemistry between them. It's such a feel good drama with comedic twists that are genuinely funny. The story also tackles the complexities of North and South Korean politics in a delicate, nuanced, and light-hearted way.

All of the characters are AMAZINGLY written! Even the villains who are supposed to be hated – I wound up loving them all in their own ways. Acting is superb all around. No surprise the leads are now dating in real life because their chemistry jumps off the screen. The second leads actually have a very compelling story as well, and I honestly found myself more emotionally invested in their outcome than the main leads -- which says a lot.

I loved this drama, it's perfect as a mood booster!

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Ok this was... really really good??!

I went into this show with very low expectations, but by the end I was totally immersed and impressed by how well-crafted and rattling it was.

Story: psychologically twisted while still retaining some realistic and relatable elements. The premise is far-fetched, but at its core, is grounded in the dark realities of human behavior. It successfully conveys how deeply ones' mental state can be polluted and transformed by their circumstances, and how strangers harbor evil in its various forms - envy, narcissism, gluttony, lust - that can infect you and latch onto your weaknesses and traumas. This is a reflection of a disturbing and mysterious reality that exists in every social and cultural space, and in all walks of life. The show did an excellent job of portraying what happens when these situations collide and spiral out of control, with focus on how they are allowed to fester and metastasize in lower class communities in particular.

The characters are all uniquely crafted, and the acting was mostly stellar across the board. The apartment dwellers were all so sickening, but I was most impressed by Moon Jo, played by Lee Dong Wook whose performance was masterful and chilling. The role suited him so perfectly, that it was clearly made for him. I had only seen LDW in Goblin before this, which was very forgettable for me, but he shines in this role. I now understand his appeal – not because he plays a psychopath so well, but because his immense versatility as an actor was on full display.

The cinematography was creative without being excessively stylized or over-the-top. I appreciated the liberties they took with camera movements and color treatments that made the torment of living in such a horrible, disgusting, cramped space feel tangible.

Some criticisms: Jung Woo's overall arc and development had a nice, arguably sluggish, gradual build up only to be very rushed by the end. His acting was on point 95% of the time when it didn't look like he was trying too hard. I do wish the show included more background info on the dynamics of the apartment dwellers, maybe through some flashbacks that show us how they met and wound up living there, but I also understand why the writers wouldn't want to include this, as to not undercut the main theme of coping with mysterious presence of strangers. The show was riddled with some pretty dumb character choices, a few predictable twists, but none to really put me off completely. The end also felt a little bit rushed and sloppy. Brief allusions to The Metamorphosis by Kafka were nice, I just wish they explored this more.

Overall, very disturbing but highly recommended if you can stomach it! It's one of those shows that stuck with me for days after finishing it and gave me a lot to think and lose sleep over.

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