Kwak Dong Yeon SHINES

So I'm not usually a fan of office comedies- the movie Office Space being the exception- but this one simply nails it. Originally I started watching only because KDY was the male lead (which I've been waiting for since seeing him in Love In The Moonlight) but stayed because of how brilliant it was.
At a sadly short twelve-episode run, the pace is quick but the dialogue keeps up nicely. Unlike some Western-made comedies, it doesn't rely solely on characters being nasty to one another. Instead, what bickering does occur is limited and the funniest bits come from their development through the show. There's not one wasted part or scene, and every movement lends itself to the situation at hand. Every actor carries the weight of their character with extreme skill. KDY shows his versatility by easily switching gears, but admittedly one of the best supporting roles is the actor who doesn't have to.
Honestly, this is one of the few shows I'd be eager to see a second season of, or at the least a one-time special TV movie! To anyone who loves to laugh and isn't nursing a broken rib, please give this series a shot!

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This was such a fun, intense, impressive series! The cast was perfect, and the music matched the mood wonderfully. I've added several songs to my Spotify playlist in fact. And the fact that this is the male lead's first acting job is surprising. He's a natural and will hopefully have a long, successful career.

I've not seen any of the previous iterations of this show, so I don't have a point of reference, but I think it's nice that this was redone for modern times. The story showed respect for women that is missing in older shows. The characters aren't overly complex and are given room to grow.

My only complaint is that at 49 episodes it will be harder to binge rewatch instead of waiting every week for new episodes, but I can see myself wanting to see it again in the future.

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Honestly this show delivered far more than I expected. The handling of introversion and suicide was done beautifully. It never tried to make anyone the "bad guy" nor made CEO Eun look like someone who needed to be "fixed". As an introvert I appreciated how they delved into the mindscape of someone who lives like this daily, and how there is no right or wrong way of communicating. Also they addressed the "mom in the workplace" as a valuable contributor to the team, not just a throw-away character.

The cast was great and played well off each other, and the music matched the scenes nicely. I felt the ending left a bit unanswered but it was nothing significant enough to change my opinion of the show overall.

Chances are I will watch this again in the future!

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Food Porn with an uncomplicated story

Honestly, if they’d put as much effort into the story as they did the cooking, this could have been a great story. Unfortunately, as another user better stated, if you’re turned off by gross eating noises then it’ll be a hard watch. I forced myself to deal as I was invested in the romance. Sadly the payoff was uneven, and left me somewhat disappointed. Still, it was cute at moments, especially watching the prince being so enamored with Xiaoxiao. On the plus side, it avoids a lot of K and C drama tropes which is refreshing. On the downside, as it has been pointed out, there is a strong disdain for women who aren’t a size 2.

So I’d say it’s worth the watch if you’re not into Bridgerton level heat but you are into Iron Chef

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Great series, really enjoyed the casting. Zhan Cheng and Yuxi's chemistry as a couple was great. Jen Lorene was fun to watch, her comedic timing was well executed but she is great all around. Kingone Wang is convincing as a blind man, and his voice could melt stone.

The story follows many typical tropes but doesn't flaunt them or make them boring. You actually care very much about all the characters, even the ones with the small roles. Yes, even the bad guy, in the end.

My only complaint is the sound editing. Many times the dialogue was overpowered by the music, and sometimes the music cut off or changed awkwardly.

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Coming into the story it was obvious that there was going to be more than just a cutesy love story. Granted it took some turns I could never have imagined, but that made it an even better story.

Jae In and Ji Soo were well written female characters and entirely believable. So many dramas try to dumb down the women, or make them useless outside of a relationship. Here we had not one but two terrifically fleshed out characters, which were supported by other great women!

The music was good but not exceptional. There were no standout songs like I've come to expect from K-dramas, but still felt natural and didn't distract from any scenes.

Also there are no weak players in this series. The younger actors hold their own against the more seasoned actors, and Ji Soo's death was devastating to watch. Everyone involved should be proud of what they accomplished here!

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For anyone coming into this show looking for romance first, this is not the series for you. It's science fiction meets social commentary, and it's done brilliantly. The relationship does help drive the plot yet it doesn't feel like it needs to revolve around their emotions. And if you've ever been a part of a large fandom then you'll appreciate the way it taps into the consciousness of the people who become invested in a character's story. Kim Eui Sung is an amazing actor and did a spot-on performance as the Cartoonist, his ability to immediately switch direction with his demeanor is mesmerizing.

But, most importantly, you have to pay attention at all times. Rewind if you miss dialogue, pause if you need to read the translation. Everything is well laid out and explained properly if you are patient. Obviously this show will not appeal to everyone, but to those of us it does it is an amazing ride!

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Perfect fun, relaxing romp

Honestly I enjoyed this show more than I expected. Still, it was the right length (48 episode shows are too burdensome) and the ideal tone. Being stuck at home with COVID, I wanted something that wouldn’t stress me out to watch. This show has a nice balance between funny and serious, with punchlines never feeling awkward. I’ll credit the actors as well as the writers here, because both seem to have a good grasp on human behavior.

It’s also nice that they avoided some of the more egregious tropes, which allowed certain characters to feel less like caricatures than other series.

The cast was also well selected. The main leads’ chemistry was palpable, heating up the screen at every turn. (I’d also love to see an appreciation post for Li Jun Chen, master of snark and physical comedy.)

The music selection was a lovely touch, never overpowering the scenes. My biggest beef is the fact that, even though the story centers on the fashion industry they didn’t have a large wardrobe, nor did they take care to change clothes from one day to the next.

Otherwise I’d suggest anyone who enjoys happy, sappy love stories to check this one out and judge for yourself!

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Going up there with my favorites

Look, I don't catch feelings very often. In fact, it takes a lot to get me to tear up. But this show? Yeah, I actually had to pause it a few times to compose myself. To me that says everything about a series, from the writing to the actors. Honestly, if the ending hadn't felt a tad bit rushed it likely would have earned a 10!

At first I watched it because I'm a sucker for Grim Reaper stories. Why? I couldn't say, but I love them when they're done well. Granted the initial disclaimer gave me a moment's pause, so I proceeded with caution. I'm so glad I did. For anyone who has felt hopeless, helpless, and clinging to tiny threads of happiness, this show is so satisfying. It validates one's feelings while skillfully challenging them at the same time. Also, for those who love someone dealing with this, it's an eye-opening look at those struggles.

The cast was perfectly chosen, and the character storylines nicely woven together. Nothing in the soundtrack jumped out at me, but that's probably the point. While I might not recommend this to a first-time K-Drama watcher, to the experienced fan it's certainly well worth a look!

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I've been watching many, many K dramas lately and they've started to feel a bit redundant. While the underlying love triangle is pretty typical (in every genre) I thought this was well done. It centered more on the struggles of two men coming to terms with their destinies, and young men learning how to be free of societal shackles.
Even though the series dealt with heavy subject material the humorous portions were well done and enjoyable. It gives the audience a chance to collect its breath as the tension builds.
It may not be the best show ever written but I'd certainly recommend it to anyone who asks!

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I wanted to love this, I really did. It got off to a great start but just couldn't click together. It was difficult to root for the romantic couple, there was just no chemistry between them. If this had been one of the first K-Dramas on my list the score might have been higher, but the bar has been set by others that were far better.

There was some great acting in the series. Choi Sung Joon was adorable and stole every scene he was in.

The music was decent but not memorable. It felt like it was there to convince you of a scene's emotion rather than complement it.

Now that I've watched it there's very little chance of me watching it again. Most of the buildup fell flat on execution, so knowing what happens will not put me in that same mindset the second time around.

That said it was still a decent series so I feel it deserves the score based on the suspense factor and some great side characters/story lines.

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