This was my intro back to dramas after a good 8-month hiatus and the bar was set pretty high after completing this. The has the elements of a melodrama but told in an almost slice-of-life way that makes it entertaining but still easy to digest.

I think the best of this drama are the characters and, of course, the actors who brought them to life. I was looking for a female lead like Woo Jo. I love her straightforward (but not entitled) attitude. I like that she is not perfect. She is very flawed and frequently gets called out on her flaws but still very likable and relatable. I like how, though the ML’s character, she calls out the hypocrisies and fake “nice person” behavior we often see in drama and real life. LSK does an excellent job portraying her. I really liked our male lead and how gentle he was. It was nice to see how our leads matured and changed because of each other. In fact, I loved how all the characters stayed consistent while being allowed natural development as the episodes progressed. I really appreciate the story that was told. Given the character set-ups, they had a lot of opportunities to turn to annoying cliches (unnecessary love triangles or misunderstandings) but they didn't. In fact, it kind of feels like the story that could be told when you take away cliches. This lets the show explore its themes in a more mature and meaningful way, especially the concept of revenge.

The execution was decently good. There were a couple time the camera work, although on theme with the vibe, would feel a little slow, or an angled or artistic shot would be a second too long. Plus, the filter felt a little dark at times; I appreciated the daytime shots more. The music fit the mood of the drama well but not memorable outside of the drama.

Overall, this is a very well written and acted "subtle melo" with strong character development.