For a short drama, this was amazing. I was impressed with the story, the production value, the OST…everything.

One issue that has plagued a lot of cdramas is draggy pacing — it’s hard to manage when a show has 40 or even 50 episodes. Being so short absolutely worked in Provoke’s favor. Not a single minute was wasted, and it felt like the show trusted its audience enough to pick up on the story fast. It was simply really convincing.

The actors should also get their flowers for this. This chemistry between the main leads is very good throughout every single step of their relationship. The tension, relief, playful banter — it was all there. I really enjoyed seeing their dynamic develop, and the show really hit the sweet spot between making them stubborn and strong individuals and still having them communicate and respect each other.

The humor is really clever and well-timed, and the side characters all played their roles too. Ultimately this was great. It’s probably my new favorite short drama out there.