Hwangkidong

Usually in revenge stories where the victim lays out an elaborate plan to exact revenge years later, the protagonist would hide his/her true identity and motivation until the climax of the story when he/she is ready to strike the final, lethal blow on his/her perpetrators. In this case, despite being poor and powerless, our heroine has the guts to confront and taunt them face-to-face, "your time is up", with a deadly cool smile that sends shivers down their spine. If this is not class, I don't know what is.

This is modern Korean thriller at it's best. If the story were to take place in US, the victim of school violence (or torture to be precise) would likely just grab an assault rifle from home (for self-defense purposes only of couse) and shoot dead her tormenters. A much more efficient approach certainly but the drama would be over in one episode... Here we get to watch each move our heroine makes like the Go master she is evolving into, making small wins one after another. But will she ultimately prevail? And if so at what cost? Will she be able to heal her scars one day? Can't wait till part 2!

I really enjoyed this drama. Who has never dreamed of leaving the soulless life in a big city behind and escape to the countryside and do nothing? I love seeing how the friendship develop between the female lead and people in her new town but in my opinion don't think the huge shock late in the show was necessary for the storyline. The protagonists already have a sufficiently tough life as it is and I personally don't think we needed a tragedy of such magnitude for the show to demonstrate how they survive adversity and overcome yet another hurdle. Plus it takes away time and focus from the romance, which I like even though it was very timid and of a very slow pace. The ending is fortunately not overly dramatic but believable and uplifting. In retrospect, the story only lasted the short time of a summer in our characters' lives but we are happy they found each other and came out strong, ready for the future, together.

I agree with several top reviewers here who commented on the heart warming portrayals of the these working class people. Most of them lived their whole lives in their small seaside town, are not educated beyond high school, have the most unglamorous jobs, live very simple lives and work even harder. Halfway into the show, none of the adults have a happy marriage or relationship. So what do they live for except those with kids? I must say I didn't enjoy the first few episodes from a purely « fun » perspective because their lives are just too hard. However, several episodes more and I am completely invested in them. Despite their unsophisticated manners I came to totally respect their work ethic and integrity. Most importantly, as a spectator, these characters have become authentic people whom you cannot fail to love. I don't expect, or want, a fairytale ending for all of them but there is also no reason to believe they cannot succeed and achieve what they want in their own terms. Let's see.

I was mesmerized by the performance of the male lead Oh Jeong Se in Its ok to not be ok, where he was a supporting character. So it was with great enthusiasm to watch him as the lead in this drama. His character is such an endearing loser at first but you are quickly drawn into his genuine relationship with his estranged sister and especially his nephew, both of whom he hadn't seen for years. Without spoiling the story, this drama is a mixture of tender moments, laugh out loud comedy and, unfortunately, way too much drama than I think necessary. Be prepared to be frustrated and enraged often. And the ending? It's alright, I guess. If I sound overly critical, it's because I love the characters so much that I wish the script were more focused on their relationships rather than the never ending troubles that continue to befall them. As it is, I still enjoyed the show tremendously and hope we'll be seeing our male lead in other drama again.

Most reviewers consider this drama boring due to its lack of dramatic ups and downs. If that's what you're after then you should indeed give this one a miss. So far I am liking this drama a lot. I like that there are no sadistic boss that screams at and tortures the staff non-stop; no friend or colleague to betray you at any step; no evil and all-powerful chairman whose only goal is to destroy our poor hero or heroine and no corrupt police chief to do his bidding; no serial killer lurking around either so far... What we have are pretty normal people with typical challenges in their lives that most of us can relate to one way or another. When it comes to the love lives of the leads and supporting casts, they are realistic. No one is perfect and each person comes with his/her defects or personal trauma. That makes them real. That makes them human. Yet if all this sounds too serious, IMO show somehow manages to bring a very lighthearted and positive atmosphere so it definitely feels like a comedy with many opportunities for a smile or two. We'll see how the 2nd half goes but so far I am really enjoying these sympathetic characters despite, or because of, their occasional pathetic behaviors.

If you don't like melodrama then don't bother with this show. But once you've accepted that misunderstanding and lack of communication alone are sufficient causes for serious heartbreak between people who genuinely love each other, then you will enjoy this show enormously. The actors are fantastic and their relationship so moving and realistic that it is a tearjerker in the good sense. What I appreciate is that no character is perfect and everyone has done something they regret. Even the most optimistic and likable person cannot escape the tragedy that befalls this family but together can they pull through?

I was reluctant to watch this show at first because the story seems so sad. But after the first episode I was hooked and the story gradually took on the feel of a slow burn thriller where important elements are revealed one by one. On one hand we think we are so sure of the truth and yet there is always this lingering doubt that everything may not be as it seems. At the end what I like is that (almost) every character made decisions that are believable, whether the action is despicable or charitable. This is really a show that I enjoyed despite its unbearable sadness at first, and couldn't wait to find out if justice will be served at the end. The actors are fantastic, especially the two mothers and the rich boy. While not perfect (the villain is thoroughly bad and some parts are overly melodramatic), this show tells a powerful story and does it well.

A problem with time travel stories is that, if you are allowed to go back in time and repeatedly change history and rewrite the future, then there's the risk of a never-ending loop. At best it becomes a logical conundrum. At worst the story is tedious and even pointless.

In this show, you don't actually time travel. Instead our heroine found herself with the ability to contact a specific person in the past and attempt to change the outcome of a crime. Fortunately for this show, it doesn't abuse the time travel too much. Instead it tries to leverage them to maximize the intrique and explore the true character of the protagonists and villains. At times you wonder who is the good guy and who is the bad guy. Another bonus is the lack of romance or subplots so we are focused on the main story, which is overall sufficiently thrilling, if rather classical, as the powerless struggle against the powers-that-be and other wannabe power players. Give it a try if time travel and political thrillers are your thing.

A really captivating drama with the central theme of marriage disappointment, interspersed with a murder mystery, cutthroat workplace shenanigans, conspiracy and legal drama. While some of the twists and turns are not exceptionally original, I must say I was impressed by the ending. Not totally different from what I was expecting yet it was delivered in such a way that took me by surprise. Perhaps the biggest reason I give this drama a thumbs up is that, despite my revulsion with the heroine's character during most of the show, I was nonetheless thoroughly glued to her story till the very end, and even ended up routing for her. Highly recommended - as long as you're not looking for a comedy.

I didn't know anything about this show before watching it, not even that it is a remake of a Japanese drama. I am glad because I was genuinely surprised by the ending. I don't want to spoil anything if you're interested in this show. Just know that it is not a romantic comedy and the actors are fantastic, especially the male lead. He really brought his character to life with such mastery that it gives me the chill. Highly recommended if you are looking for a love story that comes with more than a thrill or two.

I really like the personality of our heroine Woo Joo. She is outgoing, (over) confident, (over) enthusiastic, (too) honest, extremely empathetic and totally lovable. At the same time she scares people off in personal and professional relationships because of her over eagerness and especially her unpredictable and uncontrollable outbursts. Clearly she has some serious emotional or psychological issues and her chance meeting with Dr Lee, a psychiatrist who lives for his job trying to heal his patients in unconventional ways, eventually lead to Dr Lee taking on Woo Joo as his patient. Without spoiling anything, we are not surprised that their relationship develop into a romance.

Yet romance is a not the central theme and is treated in a very understated way, despite Woo Joo's cute and bubbly personality - at least when she is not in her psycho state. What comes across is that our couple are really attracted to each other by their personality rather than their physique, and most of all by their common natural desire - if not downright dependency - to help others. All this despite their individual trauma which has been preventing them from living a full life and entering into or maintaining serious relationships.

Will their romance survive? Will they fully accept each other? Perhaps most importantly, do they really love each other or are they confusing their desire to heal other as love?

I really enjoyed this show. The actors are fantastic and truly endear us to the characters. My only criticism is that the finale feels a little underwhelming, though that too is inline with the show's understated style and emphasis on the themes of healing and friendship rather than overdramatic romance. Highly recommended.

I was expecting a light comedy but this turned out to be much much more. The main storyline is our lead actor discovering clues that his wife is going to cheat on him, if she hasn't already done so. But how could this happen? They have a perfectly happy life with an adorable young son and jobs they like. They don't have any martial problems, as far as he knows. Surely there must be an innocent explanation for his perfect wife's behavior? As his desperation mount and not willing to share his fear with his best friends and colleagues, he anonymously asked for advices in a popular public forum. Thus began a series of hilarious acts to find out the truth and deal with it.

Aside from the comic relief provided by the supporting casts and the funny notion of his story becoming a top trending topic online, this show is surprisingly dark in tone. It realistically portraits the fear, pain, despair and anger our leading man experiences. Quite surprisingly, this is also done in an understated manner that I find is inline with his introvert and stoic personality. This makes his character believable and easy to identify with.

What about the wife's story and motivation? Is she really guilty of the assumed betrayal? Why? The show's perspective is mostly from the husband's and my biggest criticism of this show is comparatively not giving the wife sufficient screen time to develop her side of the story. Is that misogyny of the show, or mine in finding her motivation less believable because I am a man?

Regardless I have been really touched by the story and the performance of our leads. I feel for them and got drawn into their lives, their introspection and their dilemma. I must confess that quite a few times my predictions were wrong and that makes for a very gripping, if not always enjoyable, experience.

I highly recommend this show provided you are not looking for a laugh out loud comedy.

I like the premise of the story: how a conman ultimately wins the heart of a beautiful but tragically blind girl after passing for her long lost brother in an attempt to scam her money. Oh Young has everything in terms of wealth, but pretty much nothing else when it comes to family, friends, love, career, health, freedom, independence or the simple joy of living. Since this is a romance, we know she will fall in love with the charismatic but heartless Oh Soo, but why? How can she forgive him? does love simply conquer all and bestow healing despite the lies, deceptions and past trauma?

I hated both characters at first. Oh Young's cold personality and rich girl's entitled attitude does not endear me to her initially. But upon learning more about her tragic story one wonders what actually made her want to continue living at all. Gradually, despite or because of her pitiful existence, I began to root for her relationship with Oh Soo, who turned out to have an (almost) equally tragic life and the only salvation for both of them seems to be their falling in love with each other, however improbable.

Oh Soo's story is colorful and a great contrast to Oh Young's. However, after a while I don't care much for the backstory and subplots with the gangsters anymore - and ultimately they make little sense especially towards the finale. However, I liked the determination of Oh Soo to persist in rescuing Oh Young once he has truly fallen in love for her, despite his own troubles and dire future. The emotional moments when our unlikely couple gradually establish their relationship are the highlights of the show. That the initial relationship is based on a lie with an ugly motive and the subsequent and uncomfortable transition from a (fake) sibling love to romantic love somehow added an interesting dimension to the story, which would otherwise be more boring and classical.

The lead actors, Song Hye Kyo and Jo In Sung are excellent. Even though the script lacks subtlety, I feel their performance do convey a sense of conflict, loss, pain, vulnerability as well as joy and tenderness as their characters' attraction for each other grow. Visually, the show is effectively enhanced by the gorgeous cinematography and winter scenery, which I absolutely love.

To me the biggest disappointment comes from the ending. Not so much the outcome as the development and transitions leading up to it. Won't go into details or spoilers but suffice to say many things made no sense or are poorly developed. It's a pity as the characters and the actors deserve better and the story had the potential to be great. As such, I would recommend this show if you like the concept and can manage your expectations to overlook the incoherences.

I was surprised to see a kdrama on two young men falling in love so I watched this show right away. I am touched by the emotions and raw intensity of our 2 leads. Their performance are fantastic and believable, considering the delicate topic.

Normally, I am a strong believer in spending maximum screen-time to focus on the main characters storyline with minimal distractions by subplots that don't always add to the show or complement the main story line. In this case, however, probably 90% of the time is spent on the couple and they are always together. Granted, the length of each episode being extremely short may explain this, nonetheless I still find this to be a little too condensed or concentrated for my taste. I would like to know more about each of our leads, how each of them lives, thinks and behaves with other people. I want to see their longing for each other when they aren't together. Especially I want too see and feel their frustration, hesitation and internal conflict as each person contemplates his true feeling for the other. Because of such short duration, a more organic exploration of the transition from bromance to love wasn't possible and it's a shame, in my opinion.

One aspect I thoroughly disliked is their master-servant relationship. Is it really plausible that such an arrangement exists in a school between two students, in today's world? On the positive side, I guess one can argue that the 'master' truly loves his 'servant' friend deeply because, firstly, he was the one to initiate the confession and, secondly, when his father found out about them, he 'sacrificed' himself by submitting to his father's will against his own wish.

Despite these critiques, I am thoroughly impressed by the actors and how they delivered this short but intense and genuine love story. I can't wait to see more kdramas that explore romances like this.

The vast majority of shows I have been watching lately are more serious drama or romance that, by their nature, come with a lot of angst. For a change I wanted an "intelligent" and fun romcom that entertains without, hopefully, too many cheap plot lines and superficial jokes. After some research I settled on this one and I must say this has been one of the most enjoyable shows since my kdrama addiction started 6 months ago. I read through most reviews here and I will say I agree with almost all of them, including a few that were more critical. Simply put, this show is so so so fun, enjoyable, smart, witty, touching and genuine that it setup such high expectations in us viewers that it, unfortunately, wasn't quite able to follow through all the way to the end. Mind you, the ending is not bad, just a little underwhelming, mostly due to some behavior leading to the finale that felt out of character. Considering how much we have come to know and love our nerdy couple and how their relationship have evolved, it's a real pity. The other thing I'd wish for is more screen time for our heroine Ji Ho's drama writing career as well as her friend Soo Ji's business venture, she is just so badass!

But these critiques are all relative, otherwise this show would have been a pure perfection in all respect. As is, I can't count the number of times I laughed out loud and smile at my heart at the same time. There is just so much joy thanks to the amazing actors and writer that brought this story to life. Absolutely don't miss this show, this is light entertainment at its best.

Since I started watching kdrama, Yang Kang Chil is certainly the most endearing character I've seen. He is uneducated, unintellectual, unrefined and utterly raw. He talks like a harmless gangster and laughs like a kid. Maybe because of his hair cut, sometimes he reminds me of Forrest Gump though he is not at all simple-minded, he has a big heart and a positive outlook like Forest. They say when life gives you a lemon, make some lemonade. That would be Kang Chil's motto when he was released from prison after 16 years for a crime he didn't commit. He goes back to his hometown to live a simple life with his hardworking mother, and he would have been content with that if nothing else happens in his life. But he falls in love with a pretty animal-loving vet and now his life has a new meaning, more important than finding evidence to clear his name or seeking revenge or justice from the villains who framed him.

I was intrigued by the fantasy or pseudo-religious elements of the show but ultimately don't think they are indispensable for the message the show wants to bring across. Similarly the stories with the typically one-dimensional villains provide some mystery and thriller but to me they too distract from the true highlights of the show. For me that would simply be love: the love of life even when you're an ex-convict with no apparent future prospects, the love between mother and son, of family, bromance between friends who would sacrifice all for each other, romantic love between two individuals with little in common and the knowledge that, even if they overcame all obstacles, their love would still not last forever...

The performances of the leads and key supporting cast are fantastic. The absolute standout though is clearly Jung Woo Sung who wonderfully brought our hero to life in the most amazing way possible. To me, he indisputably gave the most moving performance from a male lead I have ever seen in kdrama. His performance is so good that you actually believe in the authenticity of Kang Chil's unbelievably good character, and why the much younger Ji Na falls in love with this penniless ex-convict who is rejected and despised by society. Because she sees in him the man who is loving and kind and not drown in self-pity inspite of everything life has taken away from him, she decides to love him completely even though she would be considered "totally out of his league" based on any social norms.

In contrast to this innocent and bittersweet romance between our good-hearted and good-looking couple, I find the relationship between Kang Chil and his mother even more moving. Surprisingly, I quickly got used to their non-stop bickering and just find so much comfort even when they are screaming at and hitting each other. In fact, this show tells how the love of family is not constrained by blood ties. You can deeply love someone as your family even if you aren't actually related.

My rating of the show is heavily weighted towards the relationships of our hero and his outlook on life, with the fantasy and thriller aspects relegated to side-dishes to add more color and diversity to the entertainment. While not perfect, this show will remain as one of the most memorable for me.

This is a story of second chances. Ji Soo fell madly in love with her college senior Jae Hyun, attracted by his idealism and activism as a protest leader even at the cost of his future. Their first love was the best time of their lives but ultimately they broke up for reasons we only find out much later.

Some 20 years later, we find Ji Soo as a financially struggling single mom who divorced her lawyer husband and gave up alimony and child support in exchange for sole custody of her son. The first few episodes were a difficult watch, as we see our heroine very different from the cheerful and carefree college girl she once was, now into her forties with no college diploma, no professional full-time job and practically no family to support her. While her friendship with ex-blue collar collegues who lost their job reveals her integrity and sense of social justice, alas it also underscores her vulnerable position in society.

What happened to her first love, her well-off family, her college education? What of her first marriage and why she sent her son to a faraway private school she can ill afford and expose both of them to abuse from classmates and snobbish school moms who look down on them because of their social status?

Then we meet Jae Hyun, now VP of a powerful chaebol who just finished his prison sentence for financial fraud. As viewers we can only wonder how the former idealistic student activist turned into the heartless capitalist he is today, with a reputation as a ruthless executive who unfairly fired many employees and contract workers. Then we learn his marriage is failing and his relationship with his chairman father-in-law is about to turn into a full-blown corporate war. Is there more to him than his appearance? Can he ever redeem himself for betraying his own ideals so blatantly?

Then our two former lovers unexpectedly meet. Not too surprisingly they both have lingering feeling for each other though he is way more upfront and warm towards her than she is to him. While he is rich and (in)famous and very caring for her after all these years, we aren't quite convinced he is the right Prince Charming who would rescue his first love from her misery, since he is a married man with a terrible reputation. Will her heart overlook the sins of this idealist-turned-corporate-shark simply because of her nostalgia for her lost first love?

Could this be her last chance to happiness and if so at what price? Or would this lead her down a path she is not prepared to take, till she realizes he is no longer the person she fell in love with almost a lifetime ago?

As usual, Lee Bo Young excels in her portrayal of an intelligent, stoic, upright but financially poor woman who can withstand any abuse to protect the ones she loves. What a beautiful and wonderful actress. The other leads also perform well, especially Jeon So Nee who gives the young Ji Soo an impressive sense of strong will and toughness under the facet of her fragile appearance, girlish innocence and teenage cheerfulness. The supporting actors are good too though they have much less of an impact, as Ji Soo and Jae Hyun only have eyes for each other.

While this show doesn't break any new ground, the story is well told with good pace and without too much dramatic incoherence. Personally, I wish the script writer would have made Jae Hyun's CEO wife a more balanced character with at least some redeeming qualities. It would have made Jae Hyun's decision just a tad more difficult and interesting. As it is, I have enjoyed this show, despite the angsts one usually has to go through with these kinds of melodrama.

This show is slow. While I like drama that takes its time to fully develop its characters and storyline, I still find this a little too slow for my liking. Yet, somehow I was never bored and I wanted to find out more as each key character gets closer to others... That the story takes place in a bookstore with no customers, in the countryside near a small town during winter, with almost no dramatic actions to speak of other than a slow reveal of the backstory of each of the main characters probably tell us something. That life can be simple, banal or boring. But it can also be sad, beautiful, heartbreaking or heartwarming. It's really up to each person to decide what you want in life, how actively you want to achieve that goal, how you allow it to affect your happiness if the goal is not achieved. The goal may be as typical as finding love or as banal as being content with your simple life.

The winter countryside scenery is beautiful but filmed in a very understated way which I find brings out the mood of this show. There are a few surprises or twists in the story but they are not the real focus or the highlights. What keeps us interested are the relationships between the characters and the emotional journeys they go through. In this respect, the ending is a good fit with the mood of the story. I like it that the show starts in winter and ends at the imminent arrival of spring. Life goes on and hope is in the air...

I enjoyed this show very much despite its slow pace. The experience is a little like reading a book in a quiet corner, in your own rythme, sipping a coffee and taking the time to contemplate here and there.

I watched this series because of Lee Bo Young and she is absolutely fantastic in her role of a grieving mother who's trying to save her young daughter from a seemingly predestined death in the hands of unknown kidnappers. We don't know why but she is given a second chance to save her daughter (and herself) by going back in time. The early episodes are excellent as we are thrilled by our heroine's courage followed by despair when it seems like every time the little girl is rescued, another hurdle came along, as though all roads lead to the same inescapable destiny.

Lee Bo Young is one of my favorite Korean actresses and her performance here is flawless. Her costar Cho Seung-woo is absolutely brilliant as well. He saved the show by his rebellious and so endearing character, what charisma this actor radiates even when he's playing a burnout depressive ex-cop! The little girl is so adorably cute that you just want the show to have more screen time with her, her mom and the ex-cop, instead of scenes after scenes of our leads running after one mysterious serial killer after another.

And that's my problem with this show. Without giving away main storyline or spoilers, it seems to me that the script writer equates thrill with the number of serial killers, other bad guys and riddles you can fit into a 16-episode series. How many times can a girl be kidnapped within a story? (More than in 24 season 1 for those who have watched that adrenaline-filled classic with Kiefer Sutherland). Instead of a coherent storyline and a fitting ending (whether it is happy or tragic) we're given a series of riddles and action scenes and an ending that made no sense in terms of providing a logical conclusion that is believable - even within the context of a supernatural thriller. Since this is fiction, I have no issue with the premise of a "second chance". What I am not able to accept is a pseudo-artistic ending where the characters behave in ways beyond any reason with an outcome that's not justified or explained in any manner.

I would rate the lead actors a 10 while the script and direction get a 4. So while I enjoyed the fantastic performance of the trio of actors, I can only commiserate with them to be letdown by such a miserable script which doesn't know how to tell and end a story, despite a very good start and concept.

Do not watch this series if you are looking for a typical romance/fantasy kdrama for light entertainment. Coming into the show I knew there would be something unexpected and unconventional but it still took me by surprise.

I agree with another reviewer who said the comedy and much heavier and darker portions do not always blend well. Following the plot and time jumps is also not easy, resulting in frequent confusion in the storyline. However, the one constant throughout the entire show is the amazingly lovable character of the old lady and the fantastic performance of the actress Kim Hye-ja. If it were not for her, I probably would have dropped the show in the middle. I hanged on through the disappointments and sadness because I believe there must be light at the end of the tunnel and I desperately wanted to see her happy.

Without spoiling anything, the 'big twist' comes towards the last few episodes but not at the very end, so it has plenty of time to properly develop its storyline till the ending. In this sense, after going through all the misfortune of our heroine and her family, and having many questions with the plot line unanswered, everything suddenly came together in a natural and believable way. Not bad for a fantasy drama!

I'll conclude by saying it is not easy to rate this show. It is not light entertainment by any means so your level of enjoyment will greatly depend on your ability to appreciate a good story told in a very unconventional way, despite its flaws.

I came to watch this show because I liked the two leads when they played a couple in the 2012 drama My Daughter Seo Young. So a part of my enjoyment is from a fan's perspective following these two leads' interaction. Are they on the same or opposing sides? Will they help or betray each other? Will they fall in love or out of love? Will they prevail or destroy each other at the end? No spoiler here but I'll say it's lots of fun.

If I try to review this series more objectively as a thriller, I'd say it is extremely fast paced with twists and turns at practically every episode. Almost everybody is a villain and nobody is blameless, even our heroine detective who breaks the law many times to try to save her dad, including one very morally questionable tactic. To be honest, I was initially put off by the number of successive twists at first as there's no breathing space. After several episodes, as all the main villains are sufficiently introduced and we begin to understand the complexIty of their relationship, I began to more fully appreciate the dynamics of their power play and constantly evolving motivation. The show became an intricate multi-player chess battle where alliances can swiftly change as each character adjust his/her actions to counter the latest trick from their opponents.

At the end of the day, this is good entertainment though, in my opinion, the viewer experience could be improved by slowing down the pace, taking more time to expand on some intrique, removing some unrealistic maneuvers and giving some villains a more nuanced personality. As is, despite the character flaw of the good guys, it's still a tad too cartoonish for a "serious", thought-provoking thriller. Nonetheless it is enjoyable and both leading and key supporting actors did well. In particular, I find the actor Kwon Yool's performance absolutely fabulous as the devious and tormented villain. His scheming and betrayal with his lover almost reminded me of Macbeth and Lady Macbeth...

I was fooled by the poster of this series with the goofy-looking characters having a good time, thinking it is a feel-good comedy. How wrong I was. Without giving away the storyline, the male and female leads are ordinary people who live their miserable lives one day after another. What is not ordinary is their humanity as they cross paths with each other, the decisions they make and the actions they take that impact the other, for better or for worse.

The tone of the show is dark and at the same time we are intermittently sprinkled with rays of hope and joy till the very end. How much can you love another person, be that person your brother, son, spouse, childhood friend or... someone who was a perfect stranger until recently? How strong is your love or friendship without asking anything in return? Characters we would uncharitably reject as losers at first gradually but unequivocally become endearing to us as their life stories unfold. We feel their pain deeply. We want them to prevail and have a happier life. At the same time we understand how difficult it must be for them to break free from their past or simply from the constraints that society or the characters impose upon themselves. Despite their character flaws and their burden, none of our beloved characters demand our pity. Instead they want us to see them for who they are, to recognize their integrity and be proud of the love and friendship that binds them to each other in their neighborhood community.

And what a fabulous ending that is totally in character, even if I usually dislike ambiguous endings and I do long for more between our hero and heroine. It's several days after I finished the show and yet I still wonder how they relationship will develop in their next meeting...

If you rate a show based on your enjoyment after it ended and the lingering questions and thoughts it continues to provoke in you, this will have a perfect 10/10. In that respect, this is the best character-driven kdrama I have seen so far. As a matter of fact, it is among the very best shows I have seen, simply. Kudos to the directer, writer and fabulous actors.

Being introduced to the heroine as a well paid executive who spends her day and night pandering to the desires of her rich, powerful and utterly despicable bosses did not give me a good first impression. I don't particularly enjoy watching the meaningless lives of such pathetic characters and gave up less than halfway in episode one. A week later, I decided to give Secret Love Affair a second chance, mostly because of the good ratings and the fact that it was an earlier recommended work from Ahn Pan-Suk, the director of Something in the Rain and One Spring Night, two shows that left me with a strong impression.

Without giving away any spoilers, shortly into the second episode, I was mesmerized by the music. Or more precisely by the emotions expressed by our two protagonists as their first artistic communion through their music. How can two strangers with 20 years difference in age come to such an emotional climax in their first encounter without knowing anything of each other, without even any actual physical contact? They have nothing in common except for their love of music and their talent as pianists. To me, their first duet is of such emotional intensity that it is infinitely more passionate than any torrid love scene that only reduces a relationship to physical desire.

But don't let my word choices mislead you into thinking their relationship started off as banal sexual attraction. That would be an unforgivable distortion of the beautiful and pure passion that drew them together in the first place - their love of music. This love of music is the bond that binds them together, yet it represents drastically different things to each of them. To 20 year old Sun-jae it is his present and his future even if he does not have any realistic ambition to turn it into a career at the start of the story, as he is just a lowly deliveryman. To our heroine Hye-won however, it is a painful reminder of the pianist career (and passion) that she gave up long ago in pursuit of money. As viewers, we wonder if their budding love story sparked by their love of music will also lead Hye-won to reorient her career and her life.

As a matter of fact, as the story moves on we can't help but be astonished, and repulsed, by the deceitful human beings gravitating around this music business that contrast with the purity and beauty of the world of classical music that transcends it all. How can such opposites coexist?

This leads me to what I hate in the series: the corrupt lives of the upperclass and the futility of those whose life mission is to join them. No doubt such people exist in real life but I really have no interest in them. Their scheming and powerplay left me cold and I am bored when I see our heroine pander to them. I cannot stop asking, why did she choose this utterly despicable and unfulfilling life when she could have been a world class pianist in her own right?

Therein lies the power of this show. As much as I despise the life choices of our heroine, I came to identify with her. I share her suffering when she's in the company of her materialistic work circle and her husband. I am joyful when she's with her young prodigy and I dream of a new life for her, however improbable it may appear. Beyond being a musical genius, his innocence, his integrity, his simple desire for a simple and happy life with her is literally the only hope we see for her. Much to my frustration, why won't she take his hand and leave this corrupt and meaningless world she is in? isn't it so abundantly clear that music and their love for each other will give her so much more happiness than the golden prison she had built for herself, from luxury villa down to her nice dresses, luxury cars, live in maid and expensive beauty VIP treatments?

As we approach the end, I was afraid we'll either be given a over simplistic happy ending that does not go well with character development and the mood of the story, or more likely a tragic or ambiguous ending that may give the appearance of artistic writing but is ultimately lacking in terms of storytelling and viewer satisfaction. I can say my fear was not warranted. We have the ending our endearing characters rightfully deserve.

Should you watch this old drama from 2013? This is not a romcom and there is no humor. If anything this show is closer to an art film than your typical kdrama. But despite its gravity it is not pretentious and the amazing performance from Kim Hee-ae and Yoo Ah-in will not leave you indifferent. A masterpiece.

While I have been a longtime fan of Korean movies, especially the thriller genre, it has been less than 6 months since I started watching kdrama. With the help of the confinement I have watched a good number since then, including a few romcom or love stories which I liked. Believe it or not, this is the first time I saw either leads and it's only by reading other reviews here that I learnt they are both big stars despite their age difference. Hence my review is not influenced by their reputation nor am I in a position to compare their performance with their other roles. I am rating this show simply based on my enjoyment and my expectation from a love story.

Many reviewers considered the plot too simplistic and boring. That's one of the main reasons I loved this show. I did not want a thriller or political intrique. I wanted to see two people falling in love and eventually falling out of love. I wanted to see their relationship grow as they talk to each other. I am not looking for plot twists unless they come from the couple themselves - fear, lack of trust, over possessiveness, pride, self-interest... so I was happy that a large part of the show is focused on the couple. Apart from the mandatory breakup, I am relieved there aren't many plot twists. Everyone knows there are always at least one or two evil or well-meaning characters who will get in the way and they are here but, as far as I am concerned, they don't distract from the core love story.

Is the love story realistic? Of course not, in terms of a beautiful and tragic CEO's chance meeting in a foreign land with a handsome but much younger man who turns out to be a future entry-level employee in her company. But in the context of a love story and a modern day fairy tale, this is not a problem.

In real life, for better or for worse, the office romance between a (female) CEO and a much younger (male) employee, if that actually were to happen, would obviously be problematic and considered socially unacceptable by most. In a fairy tale drama, that makes for a good story.

As a guy I at first found Park Bo-gum's physical feature too feminine and his smile too cheesy and borderline creepy. However, after getting used to it, I admit his youthful, idealistic and always sunny outlook is exactly what his character is supposed to be in order for the CEO to fall in love with him. More than anything else in this drama, I find his forever optimistic and never-angry personality the most unrealistic element. Yet, because I view this as a fairy tale and the actor played this role so naturally, this does not distract from my enjoyment of this show at all.

As mentioned, my enjoyment of this show comes from watching our couple's relationship evolve. Truth be told, their relationship is rather simple. He fell heads over heels for her (for her beauty?) and she for his optimistic and free spirit life view, romantic character and ultimately his ability to rescue her from her self-imposed habit of sacrificing her own desire and happiness for that of others. Literally, he is her knight in shining armor and, viewed from this angle, her attraction and love for him is totally believable in my book. The actress Song Hye-kyo is classy and her portrayal of a stoic figure with tragic history is touching.

This is my first 10 rating for a kdrama. Not because it is perfect, but because the actors are fabulous and they brought to life this simple love story and feel-good drama which happened to be what I am looking for at this time, without too many tedious subplots and turn twists which are common in most Kdramas.

I only started watching kdrama a few months ago. My wife found this old drama after we watched I Hear Your Voice and liked the female lead Lee Bo-young. I didn't mind this being from 2012 but had I known from the start this was 50-episode long I probably wouldn't want to watch it. I was hooked after the first few episodes.

In retrospect I think the story is fairly old fashioned and classical: a poor but super smart and self confident girl with family problems met an obnoxious rich guy and fell in love. As the title implies, a central theme of the show is the relationship between Seo Young and her father. It would not be a big giveaway to say there's conflict between them.

The reason I like this show so much is that it quickly attracts the viewers sympathy for the heroine and other key characters. The beginning is fairly fast paced with sufficient humor to keep the story fun and dynamic. Then the serious stuff begins and our heroine makes a monumental on-the-spot decision that will greatly affect her life and that of people closest to her. We the viewers are stunned. How can such an intelligent and morally upright person make such an unbelievable mistake? Yet, while we screamed at her stupidity and stubbornness, we also understood her action because it was believable. We are just worried how she will pay for her lapse of judgment.

As Seo Young and several main characters directly related to her are tormented one way or another, one supporting female character gradually stands out and provides the sunshine in the show. She warms our heart so much that our smile will intertwine with our tears.

While some subplots are more interesting than others, most characters grow on us as the story moves on. Ultimately, the lure of the series is in rooting for our heroine despite her flaws and to see how the family drama and love stories play out. Despite the poor family vs rich family stereotype, the characters from humble background are not completely blameless and the rich ones not always devoid of humanity. What is common amongst them is the desire to break free from past trauma or the rules of society that hold them back from happiness.

What will you do in the name of love? What won't you do in the name of pride? Is redemption possible? Perhaps most importantly, how can you forgive others - and yourself?

At the end of the day, watching My Daughter Seo Young brings up lots of joy, frustration, sadness and hope. That's what I expect from a good melodrama and I've enjoyed the ride.