So I came here to vent my frustration with these series.
MAJOR SPOILERS AHEAD.
Let's start with the main characters. They do not know who they are, what do they want in their lives, and what do they aspire to become. The girl is such a pushover. She feels the need to always protect and cover up for her brother, even against her better judgment. It cost her a lot but she refuses to process her traumatic childhood and to cut this toxic person out of her life. In the same time, she sticks around the hospice to apparently get her love interest to notice and fall in love with her, however when they both have finally (it took 100+ episodes for this to happen right??!!) gotten together, she suddenly feels lukewarm, distant and doesn't even bother to kiss him back. Grrr.
The guy is also in dire need of a shrink. He also has emotions that he needs to process but ignores them completely. Although he is a talented neurosurgeon and is apparently a favorite of his influential grandmother, it is never clear if he wants to stay in his rich (although toxic and manipulative) family and get all the benefits of it or if he wants to break free. Also, when he is courting the girl, he changes his personality completely, suddenly he is all laugh and cheer, even though before he couldn't even force a smile on his face.
The insertion of Greece as a getaway for the girl felt like the director wanted a cool paid-for long holiday in a picturesque place because whatever happened there was not quite significant and honestly the location I never understood. Also, it is implied that Cha-young had world-class chef training in Italy. How would a girl who was abandoned by her mother at the age of 9 manage to get so high up? What is her background? If she managed to get into such a demanding school, then her character really does not match whatever we are led to believe! How can such a pushover girl who doesn't know what she wants to get something so challenging and important under her belt?
The characters' background is just absent!!! Where do they live? Is there any sex in their lives? I'm asking because the timeline of the series spans across a few years and we never see them lusting for someone or even wanting to have sex with anyone. It's as if they are children cartoon characters who are like fairies, who do not have basic human needs or dark emotions and sides to them.
It is also notable that the whole premise is based on the fact that she recognizes her first love but fails to convey this information to him. It's such a frustrating basis for such a long story! *facepalm*
This was my first ever Korean drama, and I am not sure if everything else is of this same level of emotional immaturity. But in any case, this has spoiled all my impression of Korean dramas overall and I am not gonna watch any in the future again. I felt like I was being sucked into a quicksand and never managed to get out unless I watched until the end. Luckily I developed a huge crush on the actor who played Lee Kang and it made my experience slightly better.
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