I liked this show, mainly because of the introspective and psychological storytelling. I was also glad that it was edited down to 10 (instead of 16) episodes. Not that the content couldn't have stretched further, but given the subject matter, it might have ended up feeling too heavy or whiney.
That said, there were definitely a few things that some viewers may find off-putting within the first few episodes. For one thing, the female lead doesn't make a great first impression by the "strong, independent woman" standard, though that is partially the fault of the early plot, which employs a number of typical K-Drama contrivances/tropes to set to the stage for the ensuing story (i.e. Accident prone & clumsy FL, silly misunderstandings, love triangle with a BFF who suddenly develops feelings, etc). On top of that, the first episode is also quite slow and meandering (though the pace does pick up later).
However, if you can look past any initial irritation with these flaws, the meat of the story has quite a lot to reccomend it. Aside from the emotional depth of the core plot, the relationships among all the characters are just so heartwarming to watch. Even the love rivalries are refreshingly mature and free of typical pettiness.
While this film's content is by no means life-changing, it is still thought-provoking without being too serious. If you like meaningful stories about healing and the human experience, with some romance sprinkled in, you should give this one a try. Recommended.
LGBTQ INCLUSIVE: Yes
ROMANCE RATING: * * * 8/10. The saying: "That went 0 to 100 real quick" perfectly describes the romantic development in this show. Up until the last episode things were very slow building and tame (2-3 very soft kiss scenes), and I expected at most a deep lip lock for the finale.
But to my surprise, all of a sudden there was passionate, prolonged making out, and (gasp!) clothing being removed! (not that I'm complaining). The leads (and actually the entire cast) had great chemistry together, so despite the initial shock I still bought it.
