Aired on SBS - Winter 2010/11 - 20 episodes
Main cast:
In supporting parts:
Hello "Bad guy" from Capital Scandal!
Hello "Director's friend" from Heartstrings! :)
[2020 July 18th edit : I just did a rewatch, and I have thoughts. I'll just add them in italics. My perspective have changed in 8 (!) years and I'm less enthused.]
Review: +
Title: I think it refers to the name of a place in a drama but I don't think it matches the drama.
Girl: Kick-a. Like, literally. She's a stuntwoman and it's glorious to watch the action scenes. She also has a cute side and the actress does a great job. I used to not get "girl crush" but now I do :). (+)
Other girl: I like her but I don't really know what to think of her. Is she supposed to be nice or mean? Is she doing everything out of resentment? (-) [Bizarrely, I actually like her more now and I understand her motivations. It's not her fault that she is trapped in a bad storyline.]
Boy: Arrogant and cute. He has his weaknesses and quirks which is sometimes funny and also gives him some personality. (+) [As someone who is now in the workplace and who know people who got severely depressed after being harassed at work, I was uncomfortable with how badly Boy treats his employees. Moreover, he's never really called out on it and never apologise for it or shown to have changed his ways.]
Other boy: As I said in another review, I don't know what is my problem with the actor Yoon Sang Hyun. He's a good actor and everything but... there's just something off. Anyway, back to more objective remarks: his character is interesting. He's funny (like saying cheesy things and being self-aware about it) and non-confident while being a huge star. Also, I really like his relationship with Boy. [I like him less now. I feel that he only has two modes: screaming and moping. It's too bad because his character of an aging Hallyu star, like Girl's, is not common in dramas.]
Relationships: The main couple has an insanely hot chemistry. Just for them, it was almost a Fav. (I think I remember from Sam-Soon that Hyun Bin is good with chemistry.) Anyway, it makes possible to overlook some of the stalkerish and borderline offensive stuff happening because it's obvious that she is sensitive to his courting. Their dynamic is at the same time cute and hot. (+) [This is the biggest change after my rewatch, I felt less chemistry and was more sensitive to the lack of respect for physical boundaries and the possessiveness. I kept thinking: "what if someone behaved that way with me, I would hate it." It only works if you watch it as fairytale like.]
Alas, there is another relationship happening at the same time... and I don't know what to make of this one. It's too melodramatic, it's simultaneously clear and not clear why they broke up and it's devoid of chemistry. I didn't care about them. Also a lot of their story is showed in flash-backs, not in chronological order, so it doesn't help to understand their relationship. (-) [This hasn't changed. This relationship is still a disaster. I forwarded almost all their scenes. I also realised that there is no progress, no evolution whatsoever between them for a good part of the runtime.]
Plot: The plot with the main couple is great. I love it, I love almost everything that happens. I can't really develop because I don't want to spoil and it's a drama for which spoilers should be avoided. (+)
But I didn't like the storyline with the mother. Not only it is a cliché (something I can be OK with if done properly) but it was annoyingly repetitive. (-) [This bothered me less now.]
The storyline with Other boy was okay. But I didn't find it as engaging as the main storyline.
Other characters: Family: I didn't have any interest in his family. As I said, it is one weakness of this drama. Friends: Very good. All of them were funny and nice. Bad guy: There isn't any bad guy per se, but I like the character that is the closest to being one.
Funny factor: Pretty good. Characters and situations and recurring jokes.
Music: It was ok. [On rewatch, I noticed the musical theme associated to the other main relationship and disliked it.]
Bottom line: I so wanted this drama to become one of my Fav! Because I loved the main couple and their story. Unfortunately, a not-so-great B-storyline/couple and an annoying, repetitive plot device with the mother makes it only a Plus. (Which is also good). I would recommend watching it and fast-forward some scenes. ;)
[I still really like this drama !! Its strengths: it's funny, there are strong characters (though some are kinda wasted), there are surprises (I won't reveal any of them though one is spoiled in every synopsis) and the end is satisfying.]
After the jump, a more complete review with spoilers!
Girl: Kick-a. Like, literally. She's a stuntwoman and it's glorious to watch the action scenes. She also has a cute side and the actress does a great job. I used to not get "girl crush" but now I do :). (+)
Other girl: I like her but I don't really know what to think of her. Is she supposed to be nice or mean? Is she doing everything out of resentment? (-) [Bizarrely, I actually like her more now and I understand her motivations. It's not her fault that she is trapped in a bad storyline.]
Boy: Arrogant and cute. He has his weaknesses and quirks which is sometimes funny and also gives him some personality. (+) [As someone who is now in the workplace and who know people who got severely depressed after being harassed at work, I was uncomfortable with how badly Boy treats his employees. Moreover, he's never really called out on it and never apologise for it or shown to have changed his ways.]
Other boy: As I said in another review, I don't know what is my problem with the actor Yoon Sang Hyun. He's a good actor and everything but... there's just something off. Anyway, back to more objective remarks: his character is interesting. He's funny (like saying cheesy things and being self-aware about it) and non-confident while being a huge star. Also, I really like his relationship with Boy. [I like him less now. I feel that he only has two modes: screaming and moping. It's too bad because his character of an aging Hallyu star, like Girl's, is not common in dramas.]
Relationships: The main couple has an insanely hot chemistry. Just for them, it was almost a Fav. (I think I remember from Sam-Soon that Hyun Bin is good with chemistry.) Anyway, it makes possible to overlook some of the stalkerish and borderline offensive stuff happening because it's obvious that she is sensitive to his courting. Their dynamic is at the same time cute and hot. (+) [This is the biggest change after my rewatch, I felt less chemistry and was more sensitive to the lack of respect for physical boundaries and the possessiveness. I kept thinking: "what if someone behaved that way with me, I would hate it." It only works if you watch it as fairytale like.]
Alas, there is another relationship happening at the same time... and I don't know what to make of this one. It's too melodramatic, it's simultaneously clear and not clear why they broke up and it's devoid of chemistry. I didn't care about them. Also a lot of their story is showed in flash-backs, not in chronological order, so it doesn't help to understand their relationship. (-) [This hasn't changed. This relationship is still a disaster. I forwarded almost all their scenes. I also realised that there is no progress, no evolution whatsoever between them for a good part of the runtime.]
Plot: The plot with the main couple is great. I love it, I love almost everything that happens. I can't really develop because I don't want to spoil and it's a drama for which spoilers should be avoided. (+)
But I didn't like the storyline with the mother. Not only it is a cliché (something I can be OK with if done properly) but it was annoyingly repetitive. (-) [This bothered me less now.]
The storyline with Other boy was okay. But I didn't find it as engaging as the main storyline.
Other characters: Family: I didn't have any interest in his family. As I said, it is one weakness of this drama. Friends: Very good. All of them were funny and nice. Bad guy: There isn't any bad guy per se, but I like the character that is the closest to being one.
Funny factor: Pretty good. Characters and situations and recurring jokes.
Music: It was ok. [On rewatch, I noticed the musical theme associated to the other main relationship and disliked it.]
Bottom line: I so wanted this drama to become one of my Fav! Because I loved the main couple and their story. Unfortunately, a not-so-great B-storyline/couple and an annoying, repetitive plot device with the mother makes it only a Plus. (Which is also good). I would recommend watching it and fast-forward some scenes. ;)
[I still really like this drama !! Its strengths: it's funny, there are strong characters (though some are kinda wasted), there are surprises (I won't reveal any of them though one is spoiled in every synopsis) and the end is satisfying.]
After the jump, a more complete review with spoilers!
