Pioneer in its time but it dragged too long

Since this show is considered a classic, I had to watch it. OK, I get the plot that a girl pretends to be a guy to get the job. But after both FL and ML begin to like each other, the show d-r-a-g-g-e-d on unmercifully. I felt bad for the ML who had to question his sexual identity because the FL took her sweet time to tell him she was actually a female. So much overacting (prolonged crying and angst) on FL's part. She cried in EVERY scene in Episodes 11 & most of 12. The show's two female writers just dragged on this topic in true melodramatic form. This "pretending to be gay" scenario was ridiculously drawn out and I blame the writers for their poor screenplay. The writers for "Personal Taste" (starring Lee Min-ho) did a better job at the "pretending to be gay" scenario.

The justification for her actions was FL needed the cafe job because she was the breadwinner in the family. In Episode 16, FL mentioned that her mother had never worked. I've only seen her mother eat, shop, and go on dates with the neighborhood butcher who liked her. So how did the mother raise two children in that nice house before FL was old enough to work?

I had seen Gong Yoo in only one other show, Squid Game, so I didn't know much about him. But after watching his performance in this show (especially when he was agonizing about his sexuality for liking Eun Chan), I've come to admire his acting skills. I also appreciate his good looks and strong physique, as displayed in his shirtless after-shower scenes (which now seems to be the norm for all leading males in K-dramas). I will probably watch him in Train to Busan next, even though I dislike zombie movies.

As I mentioned before, about ⅓ into the series, the show began to drag. I had to hit the fast-forward button several times. It irritated me that in the beginning, the SFL kept hanging around the ML while trying to get back together with SML, who is the ML's cousin, knowing full well that ML had a crush on her for 9 years. Is she that brainless and shameless? Then in Episode 11, SFL can't overlook the fact that SML once liked FL so she wanted to break up with him. She is such a hypocrite; after all, she was the one who left SML two years ago and flew to New York to be with another man. I attribute this bad thought process to the poor writing and screenplay by the show's writers.

FL's constant crying especially irritated me - just hurry up and tell him you are a girl, for God's sake, and spare us viewers this frustration! His friend, who also worked at the coffee shop, finally told ML about FL's gender. Of course, ML was furious - who wouldn't be, when everyone but you knows the truth and didn't tell you?! I would have fired the entire staff right then and there!

It didn't get interesting until Episode 9, when the circumstances surrounding ML's birth became suspicious. We find out the real truth in Episode 13, but after that, that whole theme just fizzled out. The writers should have played out that angle more.

The only good things about this show, other than Gong Yoo's performance, are the themes of 1) acceptance of LBGTQs and 2) men coming to the realization that women need to fulfill their own career dreams. In that regard, this show may have been a pioneer in its time in So Korea when broadcasted in 2007.

For me, this series is a "Meh" and I probably won't rewatch it.

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Lee Joon Gi doing what he does best

Since this show stars Lee Joon Gi, I just had to watch it. I've loved him ever since Moon Lovers: Scarlet Heart Ryeo and has subsequently seen him in other dramas. In this show he does what he does best: action and drama. He does not disappoint here.

This was a very interesting story and the plot kept me at the edge of my seat with every move and countermove by LJG's character and the villain.

LJG's films and series do not usually include much romance so don't expect much here. Just watch it for his martial arts and dramatic scenes.

All the actors performed well. I would rewatch this show and recommend it to others.

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Beautiful sets, terrible actors

The expensive costumes and scenery and set designs were beautiful, but the producers should have spent more money on better actors and a better director. It was 50+ episodes long, the pace was so slow, and I felt the story could have taken 16-20 episodes like K-dramas. The story was unnecessarily drawn out, which as a result, bored me to tears.

Also, the actors were terrible. With the exception of the good performances by the Crown Prince (Liu Hanyang) and Prince Qi (Luo Yunxi), the actors and actresses performed as if they had botox treatments - no emotions shown, only their mouths moved as they spoke.

I could only endure this show until Episode 20, then I got bored and disgusted. I let my elderly mother continue watching the rest of the show as she loves Chinese historical dramas. That is 20 wasted hours that I will never get back in my life.

If you want to see a good Chinese historical drama, watch The Legend of Xiao Chuo. Shawn Dou was amazing in it. Jing Chao, who played Fu Chou in this show (Princess Silver), was excellent in The Legend of Xiao Chuo.

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