very disturbing, and not in any way that could be considered good

There are TONS of reviews saying the same thing so I won't go too much into it, but I'll just say if you're even considering giving this drama the benefit of the doubt, stop right there. Don't watch it. Just don't. If you desperately want to, I'd stop at around ep 10 or 11. But it's better if you don't watch it all.

I gave this drama a few more stars just because the acting isn't bad, the chemistry is there, and the humor was doable. But the so-called plot twist is so sick and disturbing, and the worst part is the drama never acknowledges that. It's like all the people in the production of this drama thought it was okay for these kinds of things to happen. The male lead, while at first just seemingly assertive and confident, is manipulative, abusive, and aggressive. And no, no reviewer is overreacting or exaggerating. It's really that bad. I couldn't continue watching because this plot twist made me sick to the stomach, especially since no one ever addresses how horrible and not okay it is.

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smiled like an idiot

This drama really had me smiling like an idiot while keeping me on the edge of my seat. This mysterious person who knows all of Baek Ho Rang's secrets isn't a plot device to be taken lightly. It delves into her anxieties and deepest fears and reveals a rather dark past, and the villain is just a bit more unhinged than I expected from a high school drama.

I really did not expect to like this drama as much as I did. This is one of the few dramas I picked up without reading any reviews, and I'm glad I decided to watch it. The funny thing is the characters alone aren't particularly likable, interesting, or funny (except for Kim Yoo Shin who is an absolute cutie). But this drama connects them all in a way that their relationships, whether it be friendship or romance, makes them so lovable. While I didn't find the main characters extremely interesting or unique, their relationship was just so cute and supportive, which I loved. Their first few scenes were tense (it is a bit of an enemies-to-lovers kind of trope), but as they grew closer to each other their bickering was adorable and their conversations were meaningful. Even one of the secondary couples-- at first I found the guy a little boring and the girl a little annoying, but their relationship was just so sweet to see. I normally hate cheesy things, but they were cheesy in the best way. Rather than focusing on physical intimacy, this drama emphasizes emotional intimacy that relationships have to have-- hence, the smiling like an idiot part.

I also really enjoyed how the chemistry between the main leads was built up. Not to randomly bring in examples, but in princess weiyoung, I understood why someone might fall for the female lead (she's kind, clever, smart, brave, and just a badass character in general), but I never understood why the male lead specifically would love her. In other words, what draws them to each other? But with this drama, it was the opposite, which I actually liked. Baek Ho Rang doesn't exactly have many likable traits that stand out (although she also is pretty badass and gives pretty good advice), but I understood why Go Eun Taek would fall in love with her. Their relationship was very well written in that time was given for them to get to know each other and fall into a routine, and of course, lots of adorable moments and meaningful conversations.

And the friendships! This review is probably going to be solely on the relationships between characters, but I just loved the friendships between all the characters. Specifically, all the friendships Baek Ho Rang had.

Some other notes:
- The humor was just slightly there, but I wouldn't exactly call this a humorous drama.
- The suspense and mystery, while present, wasn't exactly a major point. Maybe it's because I binged this drama, but I didn't really feel the suspense that much
- A detestable villain: I absolutely hated the villain, although I was also concerned about how crazy they were
- An open ending: the ending was just slightly open, as in a few of the relationships between characters (especially family relationships) hadn't closed yet. I was satisfied with the ending, though, and I think it's better open than completely solved
- This drama has great messages. Seek help when you need it and tell people what's on your mind.

I don't think I'd ever rewatch this drama, but I was very impressed.

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sls ran me over so i'm a blobby mess now and i hate love triangles as usual!!

(If you don't know who the main character ends up with, yes, there are spoilers below for that)
I've never read the webtoon, so I'm not sure how well they stick to it or whether the characters are on point or not, but still, I pretty much loved this drama.

I found this drama pretty sweet and very, very hilarious, I couldn't stop laughing, which sold me on this drama because I love to laugh. It brought up a lot of important messages on bullying, mental health, empathy, and inner beauty and explored great family, friendship, and romance relationships. I loved Ju Kyung, especially when her bare face gets revealed. At first, she was just a super funny, kind girl who had gone through a lot in the past because of her "ugly" face, but she developed into a (still) funny and extremely strong person. I loved how we got to see her transform from a girl who believed she was nothing just due to the fact that she wasn't pretty or smart into a confident girl who knew what she wanted to do.

Fair warning, you WILL get second lead syndrome. Maybe you think you're prepared because you've heard a lot of other people, but I'm here to tell you YOU ARE NOT PREPARED. Seo Jun's bad boy with a heart of gold vibes will literally capture your heart. He's not even that much of a bad boy (although at first he kind of seems like it), he's literally the sweetest and most selfless person ever. This is the first time I've ever gotten SLS (in a love triangle, specifically), and I was not read for it, it broke my heart ;-;. I was not fond of the ending they gave him, just because I'd like to see his life after spending three years of it liking ju kyung.

The story is pretty cliche, but I did like the way the actors carried it out. The characters in this drama are so lovable. Ju Kyung's older sister is so badass, I love her and the power she radiates. Honestly, her whole family is a mess but hilariously lovable, and I love how she and her mother's relationship develops later in the drama. Everyone is amazing is their own right––Ju Kyung's family, her friends, her classmates. The seo jun and su ho bromance is quality, literally forget team su ho or team seo jun, I'm team sujun/seoho/whatever.

As for the main couple, I got a bit bored and irritated by them from episodes 12 to 15, but they were pretty cute in the finale. I think after I thought, "hey, su ho and ju kyung are pretty cute," long enough I was just questioning why I was being shown some of their scenes. Ju Kyung, while still cute and very sweet, loses some of her spunk when she's with su ho. Still, their relationship was supportive and understanding and the related to each other nicely, which I liked. I think I might just be a little sick of this cold male lead trope, but su ho also has his own cute points.

The synopsis may seem a little shallow as it's all about beauty, but honestly, the drama isn't shallow at all. Again, I loved Ju Kyung's strength, and the bullying she went through isn't a joke or any small matter. It's serious and I really think it shows how strong she is that she was always smiling and continued to be happy. Se yeon's (seo jun and su ho's best friend) storyline was another important story and it made me cry so, so much. It might be a matter of preference or age––maybe this drama might seem immature to some people, but I really enjoyed it.

Least favorite part of the drama was hands-down the love triangle. First of all, it was barely a love triangle. Second, it dragged on for way too long. I understand that one of the main plot points of this drama was the love triangle, but I honestly didn't see any reason to draw the love triangle out past episode 11 or so. I just got bored of it, and then frustrated at the fact that the writers wouldn't let Seo Jun move on (I love Seo Jun, okay, just let him be happy ;-;). It began to get unnecessary, especially considering the fact that again, it was BARELY a love triangle.

The cast: Loved Moon Ga Young in this, she made me fall in love with Ju Kyung's character and nailed all of her emotions, personality, and humor. I obviously love Hwang In Yeop for his amazing portrayal of Seo Jun. His charm is amazing and he portrays seo jun's charismatic, hilarious character perfectly. Eun woo also brought su ho to life very well. I liked the way he integrated su ho's adorable awkwardness in with his cold exterior. The casting of Ju Kyung's parents is just PERFECTION. I have zero complaints about this cast.

The humor is on point––a little slapstick-y, but not to the point where it makes you cringe. I found it hilarious. Love triangles suck, but this drama is something you should definitely try! It takes an episode to really get into it, but I'm glad I stuck around. (Seo Jun deserved better, 2k21 ;-;)

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