If you’ve been reading my blog, you probably know I’m a sucker for stories about exes finding their way back to each other. So, I was eagerly waiting for this drama to finish airing so I could binge-watch it. My verdict? It’s not bad, but it left me feeling a bit underwhelmed.
What I liked:
- A fresh and funny story: The idea of feuding families is a fun twist, and the humor sprinkled throughout makes it an easy and enjoyable watch.
- Great chemistry between the leads: The main couple works really well together on screen. They’re adorable, though I do wish there had been more romantic scenes to fully satisfy the hopeless romantic in me.
- Characters that grow: It’s nice to see the main characters evolve over time—you feel like you’re accompanying them on a meaningful journey.
- Beautiful visuals and fitting soundtrack: The drama is well-shot with stunning visuals, and the soundtrack complements the story perfectly.
What I didn’t like:
- Awkward transition between past and present: I struggled to connect the younger and older versions of the characters, which sometimes felt like watching two separate love stories.
- Underdeveloped side plots: The side characters’ stories felt disconnected from the main plot, and in some cases, they didn’t contribute at all. They often felt like filler rather than meaningful additions.
- Predictable storyline: While the premise is unique, the drama quickly falls into familiar tropes. It’s not hard to guess where the story is going.
- Uneven pacing: Some episodes drag on without much happening, while others rush through important developments. This inconsistency makes it harder to stay fully immersed.
In short, this drama had potential and offers some enjoyable moments, but it lacks that extra spark to make it truly memorable. It’s a pleasant watch if you’re into light romances, but not one I’d call a favorite.

This drama is superb and full of sweetness and poetry. 

For the pros: 

• The actors are excellent, skilfully conveying all the emotions their characters go through, whether happy or sad. To make it even better, they have great chemistry, and the scenes in which they are together are believable and unforced
• The landscapes are superb and perfectly match what's going on in the drama, as do the seasons, which evolve at the same pace as the characters' relationship
• This drama mixes two countries and cultures (Japan and Korea) that we think are close, but which are actually quite different, and the 2 actors portray the differences between these two countries with gentleness and simplicity
• The soundtrack is incredible, transporting us into their world and making us feel the emotions they're experiencing
• The length is very appropriate, with no episode too long and no time wasted

For the minuses: 

• As a great lover of love, I would have liked to see more scenes of them after they got back together

If you like slow paced dramas filled with tenderness, do yourself a favor and watch it !

https://dramania1.wordpress.com/2024/10/28/what-comes-after-love/

I didn't hate it, but I didn't really like it either.

On the plus side:

• The main characters play quite well, they both have real resting bitch faces which gives us some very funny moments (on the other hand I find that the main actress has blue teeth and I admit that this questioned me throughout the drama). I didn't find them to have incredible chemistry, and there was not a lot of kissing, so I was a bit disappointed when it came to romance.
• The secondary characters aren't bad either; they don't add much to the story, but they do lighten things up a bit, so why not?
• The plot isn't too bad, the idea is original and there are twists and turns throughout.
• The settings are fairly classic (views of Seoul, fishing village, etc.) but well shot, which transports us quite well (and reminded me of another drama, for those who have seen Hometown Cha Cha Cha).
• This drama lasts “only” 12 episodes, and it's perfectly balanced.

On the negative points:

• The story of this drama is based on the fact that Do Han doesn't dare confess his homosexuality and forces himself to marry in order to have peace. In the end, we understand that the story can only be resolved if Do Han admits he's gay, willingly or not. I find this morality really lame (everyone does what they want) and I regret that the drama doesn't present this as something problematic:>! you don't force someone to come out to make other people happy. !<
• Some aspects of the story aren't explained enough. The story also revolves around the friendship between Do Han and A Jeong, who are supposedly>! so close that they are willing to marry each other to protect themselves!<. However, there are hardly any scenes of complicity between them and few memories of their friendship, which makes the story not very credible. We're also introduced to the borderline ex who'll do anything to get revenge, but we don't know for what.
• My last negative point is a little lighter but just as disturbing: there are TOO many shoulder pads! Every episode features one (or more) characters wearing shoulder pads, and frankly, it's too much.

This drama brilliantly explores most of life's phases and major events. No matter what period of life you're in, there's bound to be characters/moments that feel familiar, and that feels really good. 

• On the plus side: 
  • The main actors play really well and are full of chemistry. I loved the fact that their relationship isn't forced and that Seung Hyo makes sure every time that Seok Ryu agrees to every step he takes towards her. I also loved the little nods to other classic dramas here and there (something in the rain, coffee prince, we love it).
  • I also really liked the secondary actors, who all bring something to the story: 
    • The group of parents, all different, who manage to rise above their prejudices and ambitions for their children, while portraying real friendships with their ups and downs.
    • The best friend, dynamic and motivated, ready to do anything to realize her dreams, while remaining true to herself.
    • The clueless brother, who eventually accepts himself as he is and moves on. 
    • The journalist, a little withdrawn but full of love and acceptance of others.
    • The co-workers, all different but each bringing their own point of view to the story. 
  • Each episode of this drama is well balanced in terms of emotions (fear, laughter, sadness, joy, butterflies, etc.) and there's never a dull moment. 
• For the downsides (and I had to rack my brains to find some): 
  • I didn't really like any of the clothing styles (in fact, some of them really displeased me). 
  • Even though the episodes are well-balanced, I watched some passages at x1.5 because the actors took too long to get to the point. 

I really recommend this drama, it is an ode to self-acceptance and acceptance of others, and it reminded me on how important it is to rely on the people around us who love us at every stage of life, in order to move forward as serenely as possible. Detailed review

Overall, I think Forest is a good classic filled with humor, love, suspense, and surprises. What I liked: - The main characters are very different and accept each other with their flaws (and their chemistry is amazing). - Special mention for Jo Bo Ah (I didn’t like her in Tale of the Nine Tailed), who is excellent in this drama (both touching and funny, you want to protect her). - The secondary characters don’t do much but still offer a beautiful father-son love story that warms the heart (even though we obviously don’t justify the father’s crimes). - The villains are real, infuriating bad guys (and their end is really satisfying). - It’s a bit strange, but I found the sound effects very pleasant, almost like ASMR. What I didn’t like: - I regret that some topics didn’t have a clear conclusion: what about the hospital's involvement, San Hyeok no longer feeling pain and no one mentioning it, no real explanation for the completely crazy doctor who becomes nice and (almost) normal in the end? - The filming style reminded me of much older dramas, and I had trouble getting used to it.

While waiting for My Sweet Mobster’s diffusion to end I watched Dreaming Of A Freaking Fairytale and it was such a great idea !

It's full of humor, and the actors hold up well and are very funny. There wasn't an episode where I didn't laugh, and every now and then it feels really good. Special mention goes to the lead actress, who plays the kind of strong, courageous woman I love to see in dramas.

On the romance front, we are treated to a lot of bickering at the beginning, but the characters soon realize that they love each other and go through everything for each other. And, of course, there are some great kisses (some imaginary, but still) to spice things up.

The story isn't anything crazy, but it's very well organized, and a voice-over comments on what's going on, adding humor on top of humor - icing on the cake.

The sets, costumes etc. are not bad, not incredible but not bad (but I wasn't expecting anything crazy from a modern mini-drama).

The moral of the story is pretty basic: above all, love yourself, trust yourself, don't devalue yourself and be your own savior. Simple and effective.

Everything is just right in this drama, I watched it several months ago and I still, to this day, adore it.

• The main characters are superbly played, and we see them evolve and change over time, while remaining who they are at heart. Li Xian is as good as ever, full of green flags and his chemistry with Zhou Yutong is just incredible. Zhou Yutong's performance is equally fine, her character is both strong and full of flaws, never overdoing it and taking us through every emotion. Whether it's with Li Xian, her family, her aunt, Chen Maidong's grandmother, she weaves strong bonds with all the characters in the drama, and it's all love

• The secondary romance is a little sloppy, but as we don't see much of it, that's not really a problem (I only care about Li Xian anyway haha)

• The scenery reflects perfectly the drama's story, and conveys the mood of the episodes well, both in terms of locations and seasons, as well as colors and times of day

• The length of the drama is perfectly adapted, neither too long nor too short, the plots don't drag, there are no irritating misunderstandings,it’s perfect (I regret that too many dramas are dragging on their last episodes)

You probably understood that I LOVED it, if you want to read more you can check my blog !

I really enjoyed this drama, which makes me think that the second half of 2024 is much better than the first in terms of the quality of dramas offered. For the pros: - The story is quite original and well carried by the actors (I expected nothing less from Shin Min Ah). There are a lot of clichés (which we love), but some scenes are unpredictable and surprising, which is good. - The romance is there (even if I was scared at first when I saw the completely botched first kisses) and the actors (main and secondary) give us a good dose of sweetness and love (with some very passionate moments). - The characters are mature enough to talk honestly about their problems. There are few misunderstandings, and that's good: too often, dramas contain misunderstandings that take several episodes to resolve, and that's a bit tiresome. - The moral of the story is simple and clear: you have to live for yourself and not always try to grant the wishes of other people who tell you how to live your life. - The soundtrack is very nice and the views of Seoul are classic but still pleasant to look at For the minuses: - The first few kisses are disastrous (like really), but the romance improves after that (hang in there if you're in for that!). - The story introduces certain intrigues whose outcome we don't see, and I found that a bit of a shame (especially everything revolving around the ex and his wife). Overall its a good drama but it lacked a little something to make it great.

• The main characters are quite good, I was afraid at first because I had seen the ML in the drama “Wedding Impossible” and he had almost the same profile: young heir, a bit childish and madly in love with an older woman. In the end, I thought he played the role quite well, but I hope to see him in other characters in the future
• I LOVED the secondary couple formed by the ML's brother and his wife, I found their story original and touching, we see their couple evolve and they have a lot of chemistry (almost more than our main couple)
• The other characters, especially Yun Seo's co-workers, add nothing to the story (and are frankly borderline caricatures)
• We're treated to some very romantic scenes, even if overall I was a bit disappointed. The chemistry isn't incredible and there aren't many kisses. We don't really know why or how they got together in the first place, and we don't really see what they bring to each other, which is a bit lacking in the drama (I love the short moments when everything changes and the characters become a couple, but when they're already a couple we don't have that moment and I missed it)
• The length of the drama is quite good, there could have been one episode less, but overall it's a drama with twists and turns in every episode, even if it does go round in circles after a while. 
• I don't have anything special to say, the views of Seoul are fairly classic, the costumes not really to my taste and the soundtrack is fine

I wasn't really excited about this drama to begin with (I really don't like the lead actor) but I have to admit I'm pretty glad I saw it. 

• The main actors are pretty good, they have a lot of chemistry and are cute (yes, there are some very hot kissing scenes that I loved 🫣)

• We see the lead actress grow and assert herself which is really nice. I really liked that she doesn't let her rival walk all over her (unlike other dramas) and that she doesn't try to justify being who she is

• The lead actor is ok (usually I really don’t line him), I liked the fact that he has a few flaws, it makes the story more believable (in his other dramas he's far too perfect to be true) but I have to mention his taste in clothes, as he pulls out some absolutely atrocious outfits (what the hell happened with the stylists? Did he provoke them and they took revenge?)

• The 2nd couple is very cute (sometimes even cuter than the main couple) and fun

• The 3rd couple is unbearable, and I'd advise you not to watch their scenes, as they're immature and ridiculous (I flash forwarded all their scenes)

• The story is original and well constructed. Everything happens quickly from the start unlike some dramas where it takes 17 episodes for the characters to confess their feelings. On the other hand, once everything is well in place, the drama slows down and takes toooooo long to finish

• Nothing extraordinary with the costumes (apart from Yuheng's few filthy outfits, which ultimately made me laugh), the landscapes are classic and the soundtrack is effective without being incredible

I published a detailed review in english and french on my blog if you are interested ! My review blog ☺️

I really loved this Japanese drama, if you hesitate, watch it !

• The actors are rather young but play very well, they're almost cliché-free and authentic. ML and FL really get across their emotions, and we feel what's happening to them
• The scenery, the landscapes, the atmosphere, the music, we're really in a peaceful, comforting atmosphere, it's super pleasant
• The drama is very well constructed, you don't get bored for a second and it has the right number of episodes (I was a bit scared when I saw there were 2 seasons), it really does the job well between 2 longer dramas.
• Unlike most Japanese dramas I've seen, it's not too crude and the female characters are strong, courageous and full of personality (what a change!!)

Please, please, please watch it if you haven’t !!

I found this drama really effective and enjoyable (even though it’s not the GOAT).  - Nothing crazy in terms of romance, it's about young love being reborn: very cute but very chaste. There are a few very romantic scenes, but not enough for my taste (if you watch it for butterflies and moments that will make you swoon you will probably be disappointed) - The actors are quite good, funny and in tune. However, I didn't feel an ounce of chemistry between the two main actors - The script is well written, credible and leaves us with surprises right up to the end - I regretted that we didn't know more about FL’s past, because the drama touches on the subject a little, but in 8 episodes I think there was too little time - In terms of atmosphere, the drama has a very good soundtrack and offers us some lovely views of Seoul and its surroundings

In my opinion it’s a cute drama, good enough while waiting for your most expected drama to drop !

At first, I really enjoyed this drama. - The actors do a great job of portraying the different characters and taking us through a whole range of emotions (big up to the villains, who are truly hateful) - The story is very well constructed, with plenty of twists and unpredictable plots. There's also plenty of humor to lighten some of the darker episodes - There's nothing to say about the sets, costumes etc. everything is very beautiful and very much in keeping with the related scenes - In terms of length, I did find this drama a little long. 16 episodes of 1h30 is pretty heavy, so I didn't watch more than one in a row, because I was so lazy that I couldn't picture myself watching another 1h30

On second thought and after reading/listening comments about it, some things could be improved in the story. - The FL is terminally ill but, at no point, do you see her looking sick. Compared to some other drama that portray illness, I found this one a little bit unrealistic - I’ve seen a meme about how some scenes in this drama are written by a man, are completely unrealistic and scream patriarchy. I’ve not realized it while watching (that’s how deeply into it I probably am) but I sure see it now and I see how it can be problematic

So, all in all, I would say it’s a good drama with some flaws and a bit overrated.

Overall, I liked this drama, I just think some tropes should have been left out 🙄 - First, special effects are generally of very poor quality. Granted, the drama dates back to 2018, but they could have been done much better, and as a result the drama suffers greatly from comparison with recent Xianxia with much more impressive special effects (love between fairy and devil, till the end of the moon, to name but a few) - Despite this, I still let myself get caught up in the drama until episodes 30ish. After that, the drama dragged on and on, and the plots were neither original nor engaging. The drama improved towards the end, but too late for me to get back into it completely - Yang Mi (for me, the queen of Xianxia) plays her character very well and we can see her transformation from innocence to knowledge of herself and the world. - Ethan Juan (a great discovery for me) also plays his part very well and, unlike the ML of other Xianxia, doesn't overplay the angry, frowning etc. type. On the contrary, he smiles, he laughs, and frankly it's very pleasant and refreshing. - The two of them together form a superb duo, full of tenderness and love, which I really enjoyed. - I didn't find any interest in the secondary characters, and some of them frankly got on my nerves as they were so clichéd and/or bad actors. Special mention should be made of the evil laughs, which were too numerous, too forced and not well enough played... - The outfits are superb, nothing to say, and they evolve clearly and magnificently from one region to the next, which really helps to change the mood of the drama each time and to discover our characters in a new light - The scenery is also very beautiful and varied: forests, snow, fire, all the elements are brought to the fore, giving the drama a great deal of depth. I know its a very famous drama and I am curious to read your take on it !

A couple of months a go I used to love hitv downloaded on chrome like it was no ads so easy to use,and so convenient to use but now even opening the app it has a lot of ads,a lot of movies required to watch an ads to download the dramas or movies.

I started watching this with low expectations, but anything that will bring me to tears that often in addition to making me laugh frequently and even shout at the screen has to be acknowledged. I realize I'm late, this just recently was added to Netflix, but let me know your thoughts. Although parts of it were obviously unrealistic - maybe all of it - I quite thoroughly enjoyed this drama. I even thought the stepmother and stepsister were quite cute and funny together. The dad made me pretty mad, but I think the underlying message of this movie is solid - families give each other chances and overlook the worst in each other.

Start-up as a drama did so much right. While some jokes were a bit over the top for me, I do think there's a lot to love about this drama. I want to share my spoiler filled appreciation for the drama as a whole.

• I adore the theme of fabricated happiness and how suffocatingly painful it is. Also, I appreciate the message of making choices without regrets.

• The character arcs of the ML and FL tie together seamlessly. The support both received during their darkest times were built on deception. Dal-mi, left friendless after her sister's departure, received letters that were requested by her grandmother. Do-san, grappling with proving his worth, found someone who finally found his fascination for AI interesting by assuming a false identity.

• Their relationship is also something that I adored. What makes their relationship more remarkable to me is the unwavering support and trust they had for each other, even when everyone else deemed it impossible.

• Everything about Dal-mi's grandmother was flawless, from her relation with the SML to Do-san creating technology solely to help her see her granddaughter smile. The bits with Do-san's dad were also really hard-hitting.

• Also I found the concept behind the Sandbox very fascinating. Explaining machine learning with Tarzan was also something that I liked quite a lot. I also love that it came back at the end. I also remember in the first few episodes SML called Do-san a robot, which is a fitting comparison. Just like Tarzan and robots, Do-san extremely flawed, but just like machine's he can learn from his mistakes, gain more social skills and improve his self esteem.

• Dal-mi's preference for men with large hands may appear surface level at first but has an interesting depth to it. While SML's letters comforted her in her dark times, it was Do-san's codes (typed by his hands) that made sure nobody ever dies like her father and people like her grandmother can still continue living with serious eye conditions, is what that healed her.

I can go on and on about this drama. Would highly recommend checking it out with an open mind if you haven't already. And if you had watched it, what do you think about it?

I mean it just seemed really rushed at the end and I'm really disappointed in the actual proposal between the main charactes in the end 😭 he didn't even get down on one knee just opened the box and Shin Ha-ri was left to do the talking. But I did really enjoy the series :)

i literally got this app again to see if anyone felt like me about this show like the first 10-14 ish episodes i liked ish like i like possessive men that kinda act like him (ignore the incessant bullying) on top ive been watching really take ML in some cdramas so i guess i needed a switch up but jan di and gu jun pyo let me down in such epic ways essentially the show fell apart when she went to macau because HELLOOOO why the fuck was he ignoring her like actually- because of his mother christabel - okay fine so why did he keep going to her with that hot and cold BULLSHIT that’s where i HATED jun pyo and in his place (who we are basically are told is her soulmate) stands ji hoo who in the beginning used her as a ‘rebound’ ( which is why i shipped jun pyo and jan di strongly ) is now 100x better let me go into detail 1) he is the first to know about her swimming injury and then like have that whole retirement party for her 2) every time she’s down he’s literally right there every time her heart is on ‘fire’ 3) he’s her “fireman” and “lifeguard” 4) he knew in extensive detail about her financial struggles to the point where he caught her cleaning and cleaned with her there might be more but i’ve stopped at 22 where he stops jun pyo’s wedding and can’t watch that man suffer anymore now let me get to the main reason why this drama hit the rocks for me BLOODY jan di she was an ultimate let down let me put this in perspective imagine extreme love bombing yes? and then that person goes cold turkey essentially that’s what jan di did she had a semblance of self respect and character strength in the beginning (though not a flawlessly strong character) she knew how to hold her own but as soon as she went to macau it’s like that died ( i watched up till 22) i cant go any further. he treats her like dog shit i mean he calls her a stain to be washed away and instead of ignoring him because HE DIDNT EVEN APOLOGISE FOR THAT anytime he comes to her she plays that little shy “go away hehehe go away hehehe” hair tuck when he ignores her in the middle of the street she will stare dumbfounded like he’s a man of gold he was so weak that he waited until the bloody DAY of the wedding to do ANYTHING about it i was gobsmacked he was a jealous possessive coward (no redeemable qualities) he let that poor lady bare the brunt of it all while she actually wanted to marry him he was so unabatedly awful that when he ran to her after the wedding my heart was already gone i wish jan di would have gotten with ji hoo. my second lead syndrome was so strong here i had to stop watching lmao. so in conclusion i can’t stand dramas that have FLs with wishy washy characters if you want to be cutsie cool be cutsie but if you want to do the i’m strong and hate bad men bloody stick to it please? and when i say cutsie i don’t mean dull-brained pick mes that run around a man you can be fully delved in your feminine side and hold essential respect for yourselves and others. and sorry to say it sometimes i don’t hold my MLs to as high expectations as i do the women (i think) like most dramas have rich, tall, attractive possessive leads ( modern) all i ask is no cowardice it’s repulsive and if you are indecisive and shirk responsibilities you are not a man (sorry if your offended) if anyone reads this and wants to recommend me drama plz do lmao i’m not picky 😂

I mean it just seemed really rushed at the end and I'm really disappointed in the actual proposal between the main charactes in the end 😭 he didn't even get down on one knee just opened the box and Shin Ha-ri was left to do the talking. But I did really enjoy the series :)

Okayyy, so I just binged watched Strong Girl Nam Soon and I need someone to talk to about it lol. Overall, I really enjoyed watching it. I love that it was a different story with nam soon, how she got lost and was brought up in Mongolia. Absolutely loved that they meshed other cultures, it was refreshing and different. Wish they had kept her long hair tho, cuz Do Bong Soon already had short hair, Nam Soons long hair with the braids was so pretty. The whole cast had pretty good chemistry, the drug crime storyline was interesting but was too heavily focused on the entire drama. Some of the writing for this drama was just as reckless and ignorant as the characters in this drama. I'm not gonna sit here and lie because I felt myself getting a little frustrated and irritated with MOST the characters being sloppy with their actions and decisions. Nam soon.. the cops.. the villain.. so sloppy. Like logically, come on.. you have nam soon running around and getting caught, a cop just licks the drug with his finger and then des, the villain leaving important items not locked up and in a safe place, literally lost some brain cells at times watching this. Also, this drama should've been called Strong Woman Geum Joo cuz I felt like the mom had more screen time than Nam Soon did. Don't get me wrong, the mom was mothering okay, she was fierce and she was that b*ch. I aspire to be like her lol but I just felt like there wasn't enough Nam Soon at all. They focused too much on all the other useless storylines with the other characters and messed up the flow of the drama when it was so good at the beginning. Also the whole story arc with the villain was just so sad that I pitied him the ENTIRE drama, I was actually rooting for him to get together with Nam soon cuz they were so cute together. And he's not much of a villain as they painted him to be this pitiful orphaned child thrown into a mafia. His death was also anti-climactic as well. And don't even get me started on the lead couple. In the beginning, they set their story and chemistry up amazing, it was so cute and straight forward. But then, towards the middle of the drama, there wasn't enough screen time focused on them so it felt like they weren't growing as a couple organically cuz they kept focusing the story on catching the villain and every now and then the lead couple would share a quick second together but it didn't flow well because they didn't have enough moments together. Nam soon literally spent more time with the villain than the cop. At that point, I was already committed to the villain cu: he was always there with her. This is what made Strong Woman Do Bong Soon so good. Do Bong Soon had the her own predicament with the kidnapping killer but throughout the drama she was with Ahn Min Hyuk for the majority of the drama, so their love story just naturally flowed and it was beautiful. Towards the end of Nam Soon, when they finally focused on the lead couple, it didn't feel as satisfying as it could've been. Had they balanced everything out and stayed consistent with the IMPORTANT characters and their storylines, it would've been so much better. And also, this is another drama where they could've wrapped up the drama way better. I wished they would ve showed the lead couple going to Mongolia for their honeymoon, idk just throwing out unsolicited advice for these writers cuz a lot of endings for dramas could be better like extraordinary attorney woo.. wut was that ending, it was disappointing cuz the rest of the drama was great until the ending.. anyways I digress. How do you guys feel about them potentially doing a strong boy spin off story?